A leader at Coinbase, a top US cryptocurrency exchange, has cautioned that macroeconomic factors may pose challenges for markets in the near future.
Coinbase shares concerns
In an interview with Scott Melker, David Duong, head of institutional research at Coinbase, shared his concerns about the strengthening US dollar and the conservative approach of global central banks, which could have a negative impact on the cryptocurrency industry.
Duong recommends a defensive strategy in the short term, especially because the US dollar has recently stabilized after a rebound about a week and a half ago.
“And part of that is seasonal for sure, but that’s a big deal for crypto. We sit as the numerator to the USD, so I think there’s that plus the interest rate differentials are going to factor in huge, probably this week, because we’re gonna hear from the Federal Reserve (FED) who may or may not say this is the last [interest rate hike].”
Duong continued and said this:
“The European Central Bank (ECB) is saying that they want to hike, but the Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI) numbers that just came out, weak economic data, [so] I don’t know if they can do that…”
It seems that Japan is hesitant to adopt a more aggressive stance and deviate from their yield curve control approach.
As a result, if we consider the interest rate spreads we are currently dealing with, the dollar may continue to hold strong for an extended period of time.
This situation makes me uneasy about investing in cryptocurrency right now. However, Duong suggests that as we progress through the latter part of 2023, the trading landscape will likely improve for digital assets. This is due to the conclusion of the Mt. Gox settlements and investors anticipating Bitcoin’s upcoming halving in the following year.
Stay tuned for more news and keep your eyes on the market.
