By Omkar Godbole (All times ET unless indicated otherwise)

The crypto world is buzzing as President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration nears. Bitcoin is holding above $100,000 and altcoins like SOL, ADA, LINK, XRP and LTC are shining as it’s not just about a potential strategic bitcoin reserve anymore. Reports suggest Trump could announce crypto as a policy priority.

Things are heating up for ether too. A blockchain address associated with Trump’s World Liberty Finance (WLF) project snapped up nearly $10 million of ETH this week, according to Arkham Intelligence. And keep your eyes on layer-1 blockchain Near Protocol’s NEAR. The token’s supply dynamics look bullish, with the ratio of staked to unstaked NEAR rising, according to data source Flipside.

Overall, the outlook for the crypto market is bullish, as Wednesday’s U.S. CPI report has eased inflation concerns, allowing traders to focus on Trump’s swearing-in. On-chain analysis from 21Shares shows there’s still plenty of upside left for BTC.

That said, consider the possibility of a price drop if a major announcement doesn’t materialize on Trump’s first day.

“The macroeconomic backdrop remains supportive, with unemployment trending downward, inflation showing signs of easing, and the market riding a wave of enthusiasm tied to Trump’s inauguration,” Valentin Fournier, an analyst at BRN, said. “We maintain a bullish outlook for Q1, though a correction could happen this week if the new administration doesn’t outline a solid action plan.”

Note that BTC is trading at a discount on Coinbase relative to Binance in a sign of weak demand from U.S. investors. Plus, Arkham Intelligence data shows a whale moved BTC worth over $1 billion to Coinbase on Thursday. Transfers to exchanges typically represent an investor intention to sell.

And watch out for inflation worries creeping back. The U.S. PPI, which shows price pressures building up in the pipeline, rose above the CPI in December for the first time since 2022. Stay alert!

What to Watch

• Crypto
  • Jan. 17: Oral arguments at the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in KalshiEX LLC v. CFTC, where the CFTC is appealing the district court’s ruling favoring Kalshi’s Congressional Control Contracts.<

Go to Source to See Full Article
Author: Omkar Godbole, Oliver Knight