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WBTC Episode ‘Reopened Old Wounds’ of Centralized Failures: Bitcoin Builders Association

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Earlier this year, some users of wrapped bitcoin wBTC were dismayed to find its issuer BitGo was sharing custody of their bitcoin (BTC) with BiT Global, a Hong Kong-based crypto custodian partly owned by TRON founder Justin Sun.

The episode «reopened old wounds inflicted by previous centralized custody failure,» even though it did not expose any novel flaws, the Bitcoin Builders Association (BBA) said in a report on Wednesday.

«These wounds cause BTC holders to be unwilling to trade off their self-custody for trusted solutions,» the report said.

The BBA noted that there’s been signs of growing distrust toward centralized entities. WBTC’s supply has dwindled to 0.74% of the total bitcoin circulating supply from 1.5% over two years ago.

The collapse of numerous crypto entities in 2022 highlighted the risks of ceding custody of one’s coins to centralized custodians, a lesson that many users are not willing to learn the hard way again.

WBTC Dominance

WBTC is an Ethereum-based token tradable 1:1 for BTC, allowing users to put their assets to work in the decentralized finance (DeFi) world which is largely unavailable in the Bitcoin ecosystem.

The token is comfortably the market leader in the tokenized BTC sector, accounting for a 60.4% share, according to the BBA. When added together with distant runner up BTCB (built on BNB), the two tokens have a market share of 87.2%.

However, this consolidation could be in the process of being broken up given the uptick in new tokens emerging of late. Of the 21 different participants in this sector, 40% have launched in 2024 or will do so in the near future, the BBA said.

The BBA listed each of these participants in the report and addressed some of the pros and cons of a select few. For example, wBTC is the most liquid token, is integrated across all the largest blockchains and has been stress-tested for over five years. However, the venture with BiT Global is a concern for many given the counterparty risk it introduces, «especially considering the involvement of Justin Sun, known for controversial practices in the crypto space,» according to the report.

On other hand, a token like Bitcoin layer-2 Stacks’ sBTC has yet to be stress tested (having gone live only this week) and its novel programming language Clarity can make DeFi integration more tricky. On the plus side, it is more decentralized than wBTC and inherits the protection of the Bitcoin network’s security.

The tokenized BTC market represents a mere 1.23% of the total bitcoin market cap, equal to around $25 billion at the time of writing.

«This highlights the immense untapped potential for solutions offering a programmable version of BTC,» the BBA said.

Read More: Bitcoin Project BOB Maps Out How the Original Blockchain Could Take Over DeFi

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Ethereum Surges After Holding $2,477, Fueled by Very Heavy Trading Volume

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Global economic tensions and trade disputes continue to influence cryptocurrency markets, with ETH showing resilience despite broader market uncertainty.

The second-largest cryptocurrency is currently navigating a critical technical zone between $2,500-$2,530, which analysts identify as immediate resistance that must be overcome for continued upward movement.

Institutional interest remains strong, with spot Ethereum ETFs recording consecutive days of positive inflows, signaling growing confidence from larger investors despite the recent volatility.

Technical Analysis Highlights

  • 24-hour ETH price action revealed a substantial 3.5% range ($99.85).
  • Sharp sell-off during midnight hour saw price plummet to $2,477.40, establishing a key support zone.
  • Extraordinary volume (291,395 units, nearly 3x average) confirmed the significance of the support level.
  • Buyers stepped in at the $2,467-$2,480 support band, confirmed by high-volume accumulation during the 08:00-09:00 period.
  • Recent price action shows bullish momentum with ETH reclaiming the $2,515 level.
  • Potential higher low pattern suggests the correction may have found its bottom.
  • $2,520-$2,530 area remains the immediate resistance to overcome for continued upward movement.
  • Significant bullish surge at 13:35 saw price jump from $2,515.85 to $2,521.79, accompanied by exceptional volume (5,839 units).
  • Sharp reversal occurred at 14:00, with price dropping 5.07 points to $2,508.02 on heavy volume (4,043 units).
  • Hourly range of 14.46 points ($2,508.02-$2,522.48) demonstrates market indecision.

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XRP Plunges Below $2.30 Amid Heavy Selling Pressure

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Global economic tensions are weighing heavily on cryptocurrency markets as XRP experiences a significant correction amid heavy selling pressure.

The recent announcement of potential 50% tariffs on European Union imports by the US government has triggered widespread market uncertainty, with XRP falling alongside most major cryptocurrencies despite Bitcoin recently reaching new all-time highs.

Technical analysts point to critical support at the $2.25-$2.26 range, with market watchers warning that a break below this level could trigger deeper corrections toward the $1.55-$1.90 zone.

Meanwhile, institutional interest remains strong with Volatility Shares launching an XRP futures ETF and leveraged ETF inflows surging despite the price dip, suggesting Wall Street continues accumulating positions during market weakness.

Technical Analysis Highlights

  • XRP underwent a notable 3.46% correction over the 24-hour period, with price declining from $2.361 to $2.303, creating an overall range of $0.084 (3.57%).
  • The most significant price action occurred during the midnight hour (00:00), when XRP plummeted to $2.297 on exceptionally high volume (37.1M), establishing a strong volume-based support zone.
  • A secondary sell-off at 08:00 saw price touch the period low of $2.280 with the highest volume spike (39.9M), confirming a double-bottom formation.
  • In the last hour, XRP experienced significant volatility with a recovery attempt following the earlier correction.
  • After reaching a low of $2.297 at 13:11, price formed a base around $2.298 before staging a substantial rally beginning at 13:27, peaking at $2.307 at 13:36-13:39 with exceptionally high volume (627K-480K).
  • This bullish momentum created a clear resistance zone at $2.307, which was tested multiple times.
  • The final 15 minutes saw profit-taking pressure emerge, with price retracing to $2.300, establishing a short-term support level that aligns with the psychological $2.30 threshold.

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Bitcoin Drops Below $107.5K as Trump Tariff Threat Triggers Crypto Sell-Off

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Bitcoin’s recent pullback has established strong volume-based resistance near $108,300, with support forming in the $106,700-$107,000 zone.

The correction accelerated with a notable price surge from $107,373 to $107,671 between 13:06-13:36, followed by a sharp reversal.

Technical analysis suggests Bitcoin is now trading within a compression zone, trapped between two major fair value gaps that will determine the upcoming market direction.

If bulls reclaim the $109K to $110K area, price could push toward resistance beyond $112K, while a break below $107,000 might test liquidity around $106K.

Technical Analysis Breakdown

  • The decline accelerated during the 22:00-23:00 hour on May 24th with exceptionally high volume (16,335 BTC), establishing a strong volume-based resistance near $108,300.
  • Support has formed in the $106,700-$107,000 zone where buyers emerged during the 09:00-10:00 period on May 25th, though recovery attempts have been modest with price consolidating around $107,500.
  • The overall technical structure suggests a short-term bearish trend with potential for further consolidation before directional clarity emerges.
  • Bitcoin experienced significant volatility with a notable price surge from $107,373 to $107,671 between 13:06-13:36, followed by a sharp reversal that saw prices decline to $107,393 by 14:00.
  • The most substantial price movement occurred during the 13:35 minute candle where BTC jumped nearly $150 with exceptionally high volume (148.76 BTC), establishing temporary resistance around $107,630.
  • Support formed near $107,400 where buyers emerged during the final minutes of the period, though the overall technical structure suggests continued consolidation within the broader correction from the $109,239 high.

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