Today, the crypto-world woke up in a bloodbath, creating a lot of panic for the investors. Despite the expectations from 2018 Q4, the crypto-market is showing no sign of recovery as only one cryptocurrency in the top 50 is green at the moment.
Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple (XRP), are all suffering in the dips and from the weight of the bears. It is important to know that as a result of today’s bearish trend, the market has laid off more than 5 percent of its value (US$13 billion) in the past 24 hours.
In the past 24 hours, Bitcoin has gone down by 4.26%, and it is currently trading at $6,289. So-called BTC competitors have accumulated bigger losses: Ethereum, Ripple, Bitcoin Cash, EOS, Stellar, and Litecoin. Ethereum is down more than 11 percent, trading at $201.15; Ripple’s XRP in red by more than 13 percent, trading at $0.4047.
Bitcoin Cash price has also crashed more than 11.5 percent, trading at $450.91; EOS is down by 9.91 percent, trading at $5.30; Stellar has plunged by more than 11.8 percent, trading at $0.213; and Litecoin is currently in red by 9.50 percent, trading at $52.28. In short, the whole market in a severe bloodbath, pretty much like the global market.
Bitcoin sudden drop today. | Source: Coindesk
Why Has the Crypto-Market Turned to Sudden Melt-down?
After faring quite well last week, cryptocurrencies are down again by large percentages this week, majorly due to the criticisms thrown out by the IMF (International Monetary Fund).
The IMF warned that cyber-security hacks on global financial structure pose another source of risk and this is since they demoralize cross-border payment infrastructures and also upset the flows of goods and services. IMF believes,
“Continued rapid growth of crypto assets could create new vulnerabilities in the international financial system.”
A thing worth noting is, there have been several warnings by the IMF concerning cryptocurrencies, and this is not the first one. In its report last week, IMF stated that even though cryptocurrencies have great profits possibilities, its knowledge of the risks of cryptocurrencies still grows. A part of the IMF report reads,
“Increased cybersecurity risks pose challenges for financial institutions, financial infrastructure, and supervisors. These developments should act as a reminder that the financial system is permanently evolving, and regulators and supervisors must remain vigilant to this evolution and ready to act if needed”
We shouldn’t forget the fact that lots of financial regulatory bodies are still evaluating if cryptocurrencies are to be incorporated into the existing financial systems of the world. The UK CEO of Finder.com, Jon Ostler, stated,
“The issue of the pending ETF decision by the US Securities and Exchange Commission is still on our minds, with some citing the decision as the main indicator of short-term performance and anticipating it to affect the market for months to come.”
Another possible explanation for the sudden market fall is how 22,000 BTC got moved to an unknown account today. Some crypto enthusiasts are speculating it was probably the activity of the ‘Whales’ in the crypto market. 22k BTC is a much huge move which creates lots of tension among hodlers and investors in the crypto-market.
Nevertheless, the market’s sudden fall has badly affected cryptocurrencies like Ripple’s XRP, which is poised to play a significant role in liquidity provisioning. Overall, the plunge on the price of cryptocurrencies has caused financial institutions to lay off staff.
Many experts have come out to say that the prices of Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple have the possibility to continue in its present downward trend for some time now. Let’s hope for the best, though.
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Disclaimer: This article should not be taken as, and is not intended to provide, investment advice. Global Coin Report and/or its affiliates, employees, writers, and subcontractors are cryptocurrency investors and from time to time may or may not have holdings in some of the coins or tokens they cover. Please conduct your own thorough research before investing in any cryptocurrency and read our full disclaimer.
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