Forbes - Bargaining stage 🤝

Good Wednesday morning. Billy Bambrough here with the latest from the world of bitcoin and crypto.
Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Sign up here! Got a crypto-curious friend? Forward Codex to them to help get them up-to-date and ahead of the market!
24-hour crypto market snapshot
Bitcoin (+4%) $37,863
Dogecoin (+10%) $0.1496
Luna (-2%) $63.84
A new paradigm 🌐
The cryptocurrency market is still climbing this morning, although the rebound rally has lost some steam. The new bitcoin price range appears to be between $35,000 and $40,000, at least for now, with bitcoin up almost 5% on this time yesterday. The rest of the crypto top ten, as measured by CoinMarketCap, is also rising, with the exception of the highly-volatile Terra luna, which is down around 2%.

Dogecoin, the meme-based cryptocurrency, is leading the major market higher, up 10% after Tesla chief executive Elon Musk urged McDonald’s to accept the memecoin as a means of payment, followed by ethereum rivals solana and cardano, both up 6%. Ethereum itself is up 5%.

Look out today... for Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell's highly-anticipated press conference. Powell will update the market on the Fed's position on rampant inflation and its plans for interest rate hikes this year. MarketWatch has a primer.

Good to know: Bitcoin encryption could be broken by futuristic quantum computers, researchers predict
When you make a purchase through links in this email, the author may earn a commission.
Crypto is evolving, are you?
Anyone following crypto knows how volatile the market can be. Forbes CryptoAsset & Blockchain Advisor looks at the universe of viable crypto assets with proprietary analysis and insider crypto knowledge to guide you to the best choices. Set yourself up for success in the new year and learn how to make smart investments on this breakthrough technology by leveraging deep-dive interviews and more to further establish your portfolio and fuel profits.

For successful subscription, disable your adblocker
Join Forbes Crypto Asset & Blockchain Advisor
IMF to El Salvador: Please drop bitcoin 🙏
El Salvador's president Nayib Bukele has led the country's bitcoin adoption efforts
El Salvador's president Nayib Bukele has led the country's bitcoin adoption efforts AFP via Getty Images
Stop the spread: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged El Salvador to reverse its decision to make bitcoin legal tender and more closely regulate the bitcoin wallet issued by the government to spread adoption. In September, El Salvador became the world's first country to make bitcoin legal tender under a plan spearheaded by the country’s 40-year-old president. That meant the digital asset could be used to buy goods, send remittances and even pay taxes in the country. Read Forbes contributor Jason Brett's take here.

Jimmies rustled: The plea provoked a mocking reaction among the bitcoin faithful who see it as a sign El Salvador's approach is ruffling the right feathers. "The more successful El Salvador is with bitcoin, the more countries will follow, the less relevant the IMF becomes," tweeted one bitcoin supporter while others made analogies to physical stores asking Amazon to stop selling things online. "The IMF’s demands to El Salvador on bitcoin show the institution to be on the wrong side of history and is bullish for cryptocurrencies," said deVere Group chief executive and crypto bull Nigel Green.

Stressed out: "[The directors] stressed that there are large risks associated with the use of bitcoin on financial stability, financial integrity and consumer protection, as well as the associated fiscal contingent liabilities," the IMF wrote in a statement, expressing concern over the country's plan to issue bonds linked to bitcoin. Late last year, the IMF warned of the risks of using bitcoin as legal tender following a visit to the country. These concerns have "stymied" talks with El Salvador about providing a $1.3 billion IMF loan, it was reported by Bloomberg.

Can't afford not to: El Salvador's president Nayib Bukele—who has branded himself both the country's dictator and CEO over the last year—has bought more than 1,000 bitcoins in recent months. On Friday, Bukele announced via Twitter he bought an additional $15 million of "really cheap" bitcoin, as the crypto market plummeted and made jokes about having to get a fast-food job to weather the downturn. The bitcoin price is down around 50% from its November record high.


First mover: Earlier this month, Wall Street giant Fidelity said other countries and even a central bank could follow El Salvador into bitcoin this year—predicting those that buy bitcoin while the price is low "will be better off competitively than their peers." However, others disagree. The Financial Times reports Siobhan Morden of Amherst Pierpoint Securities said in a recent note: "Although ‘first mover’ status on innovative financial products suggests initial investor demand, it’s not clear that this structure would attract sufficient demand as a recurrent source of liquidity."

Now read this: He trades bitcoin naked. El Salvador is paying the price

Carpe Meta's diem ✊
♎ The Meta-led cryptocurrency project formerly known as libra is exploring a sale of its assets following sustained regulatory opposition, according to a Bloomberg report.

🏦 The Diem Association is weighing the sale of its intellectual property as a way to return capital to its investor members, "people familiar with the matter," told Bloomberg, adding discussions are early and there’s no guarantee Diem will find a buyer.

🌬️ Diem's latest route to launch, over two years since the project was first announced by Facebook, via its banking partner Silvergate was reportedly dealt "a final blow" by the U.S. Federal Reserve piling pressure on the bank.

Good to know: Coinbase rival FTX U.S. valued at $8 billion
YouTube exploring NFTs 🗺️
📺 Video-sharing giant YouTube wants to help its users hop on the non-fungible token (NFT) bandwagon.

✍️ "The past year in the world of crypto, NFTs, and even decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) has highlighted a previously unimaginable opportunity to grow the connection between creators and their fans," YouTube chief executive Susan Wojcicki wrote in a blog post outlining how she thinks NFTs can help "improve the creator experience."

🤳 YouTube is the latest social media platform to begin experimenting with NFTs as a new revenue stream. Over the last week, Twitter, Meta and its photo app Instagram have all floated the idea of allowing users to mint, trade and display NFTs.

Now watch this: Almost 5 million people have watched this "deeply strange" video of Paris Hilton talking NFTs with Jimmy Fallon
hello world
Billy Bambrough
Forbes Senior Contributor
I am a journalist with significant experience covering technology, finance, economics, and business. I write about how bitcoin, crypto and blockchain can change the world.
Follow me on Twitter or email me.
Forbes

You’ve received this email because you’ve opted in to receive Forbes newsletters.

Unsubscribe from CryptoCodex.

Or, manage your paid subscriptions on your Forbes profile here.

Manage Email Preferences | Privacy

Forbes Media | 499 Washington Blvd.

Jersey City, NJ 07130

Older messages

The Next In-Demand Job Title | Meet The Latest Black CEO Of A Major U.S. Company | The Cost Of Climate Change

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Plus: Business is more trusted than government, study finds ADVERTISEMENT Forbes Hello, and welcome to another edition of the CxO newsletter. Before we dive into all that there is to discuss this

A Funding Raise For A Workplace “Nudge Engine” | The Fastest-Growing Jobs on LinkedIn | The Ranks Of Black CEOs Grow—To Just Six

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Plus: Become A Better Communicator With This One Simple Question ADVERTISEMENT Forbes Good morning, everyone. We're more than three weeks into the new year and if you've stuck with your New

Snag A Nintendo Switch For Only $290 Today

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Plus: Lululemon's Sale Section Is Full Of Best-Sellers Right Now—Here's What To Buy All products and services featured are independently selected by Forbes Vetted contributors and editors. When

Degraded performance 💫

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

CryptoCodex Forbes Billy Bambrough Forbes Senior Contributor Forbes Good Tuesday morning. This is Billy Bambrough with what's driving the day in the world of bitcoin and crypto. Was this newsletter

Trump’s Cash Pile | Africa’s Richest People 2022 | Bidding War For Kohl’s

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Plus: Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace Is On A Mission To Legalize Cannabis—And Amazon Just Got Behind Her ADVERTISEMENT Forbes Good morning. An investigation into the Trump Organization's

You Might Also Like

How TikTok's For You feed made audience monetization harder

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

PLUS: Should media outlets help journalists grow their personal brands? ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

My Hunt for the Perfect Pair of Fuggs

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Plus: Our beauty team's beloved (but somewhat boring) can't live withouts. The Strategist Every product is independently selected by editors. If you buy something through our links, New York

What A Day: Triple Sec Def

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

“We need a secretary of defense who's not going to be drunk,” Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono told What A Day. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

This trash can curbs stinky smells

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Plus: An aluminum-free deodorant we love View in browser Ad The Recommendation January 14, 2025 Ad The best kitchen trash cans Four of our picks for best kitchen trash cans, shown side by side. Michael

Jack Smith’s Many Mistakes in His Trump Prosecutions

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

January 14, 2025 THE LAW Jack Smith, Paper Tiger His prosecutorial approach was heavy on bravado and aggression, but it yielded lackluster results. By Elie Honig Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times/

We Will All Be Paying For L.A.’s Wildfires

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Los Angeles' wildfires and an industry-tied insurance regulator may prove a tipping point for the country's faltering financial safety net. Thanks to a collapsing insurance safety net and an

Wednesday Briefing: A major U.S. Senate hearing

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Plus, mapping “The Lord of the Rings” View in browser|nytimes.com Ad Morning Briefing: Asia Pacific Edition January 15, 2025 Author Headshot By Emmett Lindner Good morning. We're covering the

Secs and Balances

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Playing Defense, LA's Hot Air ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

Latest on Blue Origin’s rocket reschedule plan | Spokane’s Tech Hub lands $48M

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Zillow and Smartsheet hire VPs | Umoja raises $100M ADVERTISEMENT GeekWire SPONSOR MESSAGE: Revisit defining moments, explore new challenges, and get a glimpse into what lies ahead for one of the

America's top homebuilder invests in "off-market" disruptor

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Today, we're excited to share an innovative investment opportunity from Boxabl, a company revolutionizing home construction with their patented foldable home technology. ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌