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Why traders are choosing crypto CFDs

An in-depth look at the rise of crypto CFDs

GT
Although Contracts for Difference (CFDs) have been around since the early 1990s, the derivative instrument saw a huge surge in popularity in 2020. The pandemic-induced market volatility is possibly the key reason for this rise in popularity. Prolonged stay-at-home restrictions also offered the perfect opportunity for people to explore cryptocurrencies and enter the world of trading.

Cryptocurrencies Rising

If 2017 was a record year for cryptocurrencies, 2020 was a record-breaking year. The most popular cryptos, especially Bitcoin, touched new highs through the latter part of the year. Although not without volatility, even Ethereum rose from its low of $91, witnessed in December 2018, to crossing the $450 mark by the end of 2020.

The global pandemic left economies across the world battered, delivering a big blow to traditional assets. The market sentiment of fear that surrounded mainstream assets offered a conducive environment for cryptocurrencies to thrive. Not just individual traders, but companies and institutional traders turned to the digital asset class. This further fuelled the rise of cryptos, on hopes of digital currencies becoming mainstream.

From JPMorgan to Visa and PayPal, some of the largest names in the financial sector announced their adoption of cryptocurrencies for transactions. This proved to be a big confidence booster for individual investors.

However, nowhere has cryptocurrency adoption been as pronounced as in the African continent. The continent has witnessed increasing crypto ownership, trade volumes, and, consequently, regulation. According to a report by Chainalysis, Africa ranks second in terms of peer-to-peer crypto trading. As of September 2020, Nigeria leads in terms of growing P2P volumes, which were recorded between $5 million to $10 million weekly. Kenya and South Africa come in at a close tied second place, averaging weekly trade volumes of $1 million to $2 million.

Another report by Arcane Research, in partnership with Luno, revealed that Nigeria, Uganda, South Africa, Kenya and Ghana are among the top 10 nations on Google in term of search related to Bitcoin. Africa is shaping up to be one of the most promising regions for the adoption of cryptocurrencies.

Along with the rising interest in cryptos among retail traders, CFDs have emerged as a viable means to trade this digital asset class. Traders do not need to own the underlying asset to be able to speculate on its price, which means that they can trade digital currencies with much smaller capital than trading directly on exchanges. This is only one of the reasons for the growing popularity of crypto CFDs. The derivative instrument is likely to continue to grow in popularity among crypto traders in 2021. Here are some of the key reasons why. (more…)

Nikkei 225 closes lower by 0.14% at 29,520.07

A more tepid end to the week for Japanese stocks

Nikkei 12-02
The equities momentum appears to be pausing for breath towards the latter stages of the week, with S&P 500 futures also seen down 0.1% so far today.
On the week though, the Nikkei posted another 2.6% gains as it stays on the hunt to hit the 30,000 mark – keeping at its highest levels since August 1990 this week.
In the major currencies space, things are mostly little changed as the market continues to figure itself out ahead of the long weekend in the US.
USD/JPY is a touch higher around 104.85 but just be mindful that large expiries rolling off today may keep upside limited just below the 105.00 handle.

Here’s Goldman Sachs on the commodity ‘supercycle’ ahead

A GS analyst was interviewed by S&P. highlighting oil and copper gains ahead

Main points:
  • Oil has a ‘lot of upside’, copper prices already at supercycle levels
  • Supercycle reminiscent of 1970s spike rather than 2000s bull run
  • Supply crunch could play into shale, core OPEC+ hands
Here is the piece by S&P – its a decent discussion of the fundamentals as seen through the eyes of the GS analyst.

The prospect of a new commodity ‘supercycle’ has fired some imaginations

The news JP Morgan were out with a note on a ‘supercycle’ crossed yesterday and its only accelerated since.

JPM cite higher pricees for :
  • agricultural products
  • metals
  • oil
saying that Commodities appear to have begun a new supercycle of years-long gains
JPM also says prices may also rise as an “unintended consequence” of moves to fight climate change (which might constrain oil supplies & boost demand for metals needed to build renewable energy infrastructure, batteries and electric vehicles)
Goldman Sachs and BoA are also on this, I’ll post separately on these.

China has banned the BBC from broadcasting within China

The ban of BBC World News comes in response to the BBC broadcasting its documentary about systematic rape of Uighurs in Xinjiang.

The BBC was not widely available to the population in China but could be accessed through many 5-star hotel services. It has always been subject to routine censorship in China.

NASDAQ ends at a new all-time record close

Dow industrial average and near unchanged. S&P has a modest gain

the major stock indices are ending the session with mixed results:

  • S&P index rose 6.48 points or 0.17% to 3716.35. The high reached 3925.99. The low extended to 3890.39
  • Nasdaq moved higher into the close and closed up 53.239 points or 0.3% at 14025.77. The high reached 14058.91. The low extended to 13916.84
  • Dow industrial average fell -7.5 points or -0.02% to 31430.30. The high reach 31543.82. The low extended to 31244.36
  • The Russell 2000 index rose 2.87 points or +0.13% to 2285.32.
Some winners today included:
  • Lam research, +7.46%
  • Western Digital, +5.89%
  • Micron, +5.02%
  • Rack space, +3.87%
  • Nvidia, +3.35%
  • Square, +3.27%
  • Intel, +3.06%
  • Intuit, +2.98%
  • MasterCard, +2.62%
  • Airbnb, +2.45%
  • Under armor, +2.45%
  • Visa, +2.25%
Disney reported after the close
  • revenues beat $16.25 billion vs. $15.93 billion
  • earnings-per-share also be with earnings of 0.32% vs. vs. $-0.41 estimate
  • Disney added 95 million total Disney+ new subscribers which was higher than the 90.7 billion estimate.
Disney shares are up 1.62% after the close to a new record high.

Bitcoin extends to a new all time high, but backs off

New high reached at $48,373

The the price of bitcoin has extended to a new all time high at $48,373. That
took out the high from Tuesday at $48,204.
New high reached at $48,373_
Looking at the hourly chart, the price did correct off of that Tuesday high and sniffed near its 100 hour moving average (blue line), but still bottomed a bit a ways from that bullish above/bearish below barometer. The pair also bottom near the 38.2% retracement of the move up from the February 7 low at $43,939.86.
Now not is all so bullish as the new high has found some sellers and the price currently trades lower at $47,600. That is still up around $2580 on the day, but getting back above the $48,000 level will make traders a little bit more comfortable that they didn’t just by the high.
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