The Streak That Shakes the Market
Bitcoin, the beloved digital currency that has captured the hearts and wallets of many, is inching closer to matching its historic 15-day win streak from November 2013. As of now, Bitcoin has racked up 14 days of continuous price increases, reaching four-month highs that have traders rubbing their hands in glee and skeptics scratching their heads.
Will BTC Break Its Record?
With just one more day of gains, Bitcoin can tie its previous record and start a race toward an even more impressive 16-day streak. Can we stop the countdown? It’s almost as suspenseful as waiting for your pizza delivery—let’s hope it’s not a cold one.
Ethereum’s Soaring Non-Zero Addresses
It’s not all Bitcoin in the limelight, though. Ethereum is making waves too! The number of non-zero Ethereum addresses is expected to cross the monumental mark of 100 million soon, with current counts sitting at around 92.5 million. If you’re wondering what non-zero addresses mean—let’s just say these wallets have a little more than love inside them.
- Yearly Growth: Since 2019, ETH addresses have increased by approximately 20 million each year. Keeping this momentum means we could witness the 100 million landmark by the second quarter of 2023.
ETH Validators on the Rise
Meanwhile, Ethereum is bustling with activity as the number of validators has surpassed 500,000. These validators play a crucial role in transaction validation on the Ethereum blockchain and are eagerly waiting for the Shanghai hard fork to come around in March. They’ll be able to finally withdraw their staked ETH, proving once and for all that patience truly is a virtue—even in cryptocurrency.
Crypto Acceptance in the U.S.
The U.S. has officially declared itself the crypto acceptance capital of the world—well, at least according to a certain report. Out of 250 companies that accept cryptocurrency, over half are based in the States. Not to be outdone, the United Kingdom and Canada are following closely behind, showing that North America isn’t ready to let go of the crypto pie.
- Leading Industries: E-commerce takes the lead as the industry most likely to embrace crypto payments, followed by travel companies—guess those vacations just got a lot more alluring!
The Looming Challenges of Wrapped Bitcoin
But hold onto your wallets, because it’s not all sunshine and rainbows—wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) on Ethereum has taken quite a hit, losing 35% of its supply since May 2022 due to the collapse of certain projects. It seems that not everything wrapped is a present, and for WBTC holders, this may feel like unwrapping a set of socks for Christmas.
In total, WBTC on the Ethereum blockchain has reduced from a peak of 285,000 to approximately 183,500. While losses are never easy, it’s a reminder to diversely spread your investments—like putting toppings on a pizza; nobody wants just pineapple!
