Tag Archives: federal reserve

Ben Bernanke – former chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve – does not believe Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies can succeed as an alternative money. He claims their prices are too volatile to serve as a practical means of exchange and lack the underlying use cases to serve as stores of value. Bitcoin is for Criminals, Says Bernanke In a recent interview with CNBC’s Andrew Sorkin, Bernanke claimed that cryptocurrencies have been successful as a “speculative asset”. However, as...

The Federal Reserve announced a 50 basis point interest rate hike during May’s Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) meeting. This is twice the size of the rate increase from last month, and the largest hike since May of 2000. Fed chairman Jerome Powell began his press conference following FOMC with a direct message to the American people:  “Inflation is much too high”. March’s annual CPI statistic clocked in at 8.5% last month, the highest official inflation level in over 40...

The United States continues its exploration of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) as the main processor for US securities said it is developing a prototype for studying how such an asset can work in reality. The main goal is to examine how real-time transactions through cash-like tokens can pass through in the clearing and settlement process. Project Lithium The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), the country’s securities processor maintaining the...

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies could outperform bonds and stocks amid a potential recession, noted Michael Hartnett, BofA’s chief investment strategist. In a recent note, he argued that the US Federal Reserve’s new policy could push the country and most of the world into such an economic state. Crypto to Blossom Amid Upcoming Recession? After years of trying to fight the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic through enhanced expansion of its balance sheet, which is now...

The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates for the first time since 2018 after months of promising to address inflationary pressure in the United States. The hike – a moderate 25 basis point increase – was immediately followed by Bitcoin falling under $40,000 again. At the Federal Open Markets Committee meeting on Wednesday, the Fed cited rising concern over inflation in the context of supply chain difficulties and the new war in Ukraine as justification for its move. In...

Jeremy Siegel – Finance Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania – said the Federal Reserve needs to tighten its interest rates fast. With inflation spinning rapidly out of control, he called on the central bank to protect the dollar from devaluation, and from a possible Bitcoin “take over”. Dollar in Danger, Says Siegel In conversation with Rebecca Quick of CNBC’s Squawk Box on Thursday, Siegel discussed Fed chairman Jerome Powell’s policy response...

Jerome Powell – Chairman of the Federal Reserve –  recently testified in front of the House Financial Services Committee on the state of the economy, and future monetary policy. Given the various sanctions placed on Russia during its conflict with Ukraine, he said the conflict “underscores” the need for crypto regulation that he’s advocated for months. Maintaining Effective Sanctions Following his testimony on Wednesday, Powell was asked whether Russia could potentially use...

A few months after introducing the first draft aiming to prohibit Fed officials from owning certain assets, the policymaking Federal Open Market Committee has updated the document to include cryptocurrencies. Reports emerged last year claiming that numerous Federal Reserve top employees traded stocks, bonds, and real estate securities in 2020, shortly before the central bank employed specific COVID-19-prompted policies that impacted the market. Some policymakers resigned...

According to recent figures, the U.S. added 467,000 new jobs in January alone, despite worries about Omicron leaving various businesses short-staffed. Bitcoin traded slightly lower following the reveal. A Surprisingly Strong Labor Market The recent employment figures were published in a report by the US Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics earlier today. While total nonfarm employment rose by over 400k jobs, the unemployment rate only slightly increased from 3.9% to...

Bitcoin has been incurring heavy dips as of late. Just a few months ago, the world’s number one digital currency by market cap was trading for a whopping $68,000 per unit, but now, the asset has lost nearly $30,000 from its price, and according to many analysts, the year is going to get a lot worse for the currency given that the Federal Reserve is looking to hike rates again. The Federal Reserve Is Pushing Rates Higher This would normally not be a huge deal. Rates...