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Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Drops 5% After Xinjiang’s Miner Shutdown

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An illustration photo shows a Bitcoin (virtual currency) paper wallet with QR codes and a coin

Bitcoin’s mining difficulty fell by 5.3 percent on Sunday night UTC on the back of a recent drop-off in hash rate. On-chain data shows the network’s mining difficulty dropped to 19.8 trillion, a level not seen since early January.

The mining difficulty is how the network aims to keep blocks being produced at an even rate, despite a wildly fluctuating hash rate. Every two weeks it makes the mining process easier or harder, in order to accommodate the varying hash rate.

After the previous difficulty adjustment on May 30, the network’s hash rate remained steady. But on June 9, miners in Xinjiang’s Zhundong Economic and Technology Development Zone received orders to close operations — a result of the China State Council’s high-level comment about cracking down on bitcoin trading and mining activities. Following this news, major Chinese bitcoin mining pools saw a notable plunge in hash rate by over 20 percent on average.

From the last adjustment to June 9, Bitcoin’s average block production interval was around 9.9 minutes, close to the intended 10-minute-per-block interval, data shows. But due to the hash rate plunge, the average block production interval between June 9 and 14 was extended to more than 12 minutes.

The difficulty drop may be welcome news for miners who are still online as their share of the total block subsidies over the next two weeks will increase. Meanwhile, bitcoin’s price has jumped above $39,000 again, nearing the $40,000 level.

Bitcoin’s price started to see a notable breakout also around Sunday night UTC time following Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk’s tweet denying that he manipulated the cryptocurrency’s market movements.

“This is inaccurate,” he replied to CoinTelegraph’s tweet about an article with comments that accused him of market manipulation.

“Tesla only sold ~10% of holdings to confirm BTC could be liquidated easily without moving market. When there’s confirmation of reasonable (~50%) clean energy usage by miners with positive future trend, Tesla will resume allowing Bitcoin transactions,” Musk said on social media.

Bitcoin’s price increased by over $1,500 within hours after Musk’s reply, which came just a month after Musk said Tesla suspended the bitcoin payment option out of environmental concerns.

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Bitcoin (BTC) Holds Steady Above $70,900 as Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) Outflows Increase

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Bitcoin (BTC) maintains its stronghold above $70,900 despite increasing outflows from the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC).

As reported by CheckonChain, a total of $124.9 million flowed out of GBTC recently, contrasting with modest inflows into other investment vehicles like Fidelity’s FBTC and Bitwise’s BITB.

This trend has prompted speculation within the market regarding its impact on Bitcoin’s price dynamics.

While some believe that continued outflows from GBTC may exert selling pressure on BTC, driving down prices, others adopt a more cautious approach.

They argue that such outflows are expected from GBTC, given its relatively higher fee structure compared to alternative investment options.

Traders, however, seem to be pricing in a degree of stability for Bitcoin in the coming weeks, with optimistic forecasts on platforms like Polymarket.

According to predictions, there’s a 60% chance that BTC will reach $75,000 by the end of April, while the likelihood of it hitting $80,000 stands at 32%.

Despite the varying sentiments among market participants, Bitcoin’s resilience above the $70,900 mark underscores its status as a cornerstone asset in the crypto space.

Investors continue to monitor developments closely, navigating through the complex interplay of factors influencing Bitcoin’s price trajectory.

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Bitcoin Tests $66,000 Amidst Volatility Forecast

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As Bitcoin surged to a $66,000 price level during Asian trading hours, cryptocurrency markets brace for heightened volatility, with market observers predicting turbulent times ahead.

The cryptocurrency’s price volatility has been a subject of much discussion, particularly in light of recent events.

Semir Gabeljic, Director of Capital Formation at Pythagoras Investments, who highlighted the ongoing volatility cited a recent drawdown of 10% fueled by spot Bitcoin ETF outflows from GBTC, totaling approximately $300 million on March 20.

Gabeljic emphasized that such drawdowns typically occur in the lead-up to Bitcoin halving events, signaling a potential for increased volatility in the near future.

Meanwhile, the CoinDesk 20 (CD20), which tracks the world’s most liquid digital assets, experienced a minor dip of 0.5%.

However, amidst this overall market movement, CoinDesk’s Digitization Index (DTZ) saw a notable uptick, led by protocols like Ethereum Name Service (ENS), which rose by 2.7% during Asia trading hours.

Singapore-based trading firm QCP Capital noted the current consolidation in the market, with Bitcoin and Ethereum trading within a relatively tight range.

They suggested that the market might see a pause in activity over the weekend following the volatility leading up to the previous weekend’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting.

Also, QCP Capital highlighted the continued outflows from the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC), expecting a fourth consecutive day of BTC spot exchange-traded fund net outflows.

The firm also pointed out a widening discount on Grayscale’s Ethereum Trust (ETHE) and the market’s diminishing expectations for the approval of a spot Ethereum ETF.

With Bitcoin’s test of $66,000 and ongoing market dynamics, cryptocurrency investors and analysts remain vigilant, anticipating further fluctuations in the days to come.

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Binance CEO Forecasts Bitcoin Surge Beyond $80,000 on Institutional Inflows

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Binance Chief Executive Officer Richard Teng has set his sights on Bitcoin surging beyond the $80,000 price level on the back of rising institutional investments into crypto-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Speaking at an event in Bangkok on Sunday, Teng highlighted the significant impact of the launch of Bitcoin ETFs in the United States earlier this year.

He noted that this development has attracted a considerable influx of institutional investors, propelling fresh funds into the cryptocurrency market.

Teng expressed confidence in Bitcoin’s upward trajectory, emphasizing that “we’re just getting started.”

Initially estimating Bitcoin to reach around $80,000 by the end of the year, Teng now believes that the cryptocurrency’s price will surpass this milestone.

He attributed this bullish outlook to a combination of decreasing supply and sustained demand within the market.

However, he cautioned that the rally wouldn’t be without its fluctuations, suggesting that the market’s ups and downs would ultimately benefit its overall health.

Bitcoin has already surged by an impressive 56% this year, reaching a record high of nearly $73,798 last week.

Despite concerns among some investors about a potential bubble, Teng remains optimistic about Bitcoin’s future trajectory.

Teng’s forecast comes in the wake of his appointment as CEO of Binance, succeeding co-founder Changpeng Zhao in November following the company’s $4.3 billion settlement with US authorities.

With relentless inflows into US spot Bitcoin ETFs since their approval in January, Teng expects further institutional adoption in the near term, with more endowments and family offices anticipated to increase their allocations into Bitcoin ETFs.

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