Block Earner Bulletin: Bitcoin flat, gold up & political memecoin drama

Another wild week in the markets. The latest drama comes in the wake of Trump's memecoin (TRUMP), which is currently down ~77% from its all-time high in late January. So, what is the latest drama? Argentina’s President Javier Milei is facing fraud allegations over the LIBRA memecoin scandal. LIBRA’s price briefly skyrocketed to a ~$5 billion market cap before crashing, raising fresh concerns about the pitfalls of political memecoins and the broader "memecoin summer" frenzy. With short-lived pump-and-dumps saturating the market, will Milei’s defense—"I didn’t promote it, I shared it"—hold up? Only time will tell.

Back to fundamentals. Bitcoin has had a slow start to the year, currently sitting flat year-to-date. Looking ahead, we’re watching key catalysts, including:

With increasing adoption by banks, institutions, corporates, and now sovereigns, Bitcoin is positioning itself as a clear challenger to gold. And with Bitcoin’s $2 trillion market cap versus gold’s $18 trillion, the upside remains compelling.

Meanwhile, gold is back on the menu. Year to date, physical gold-backed crypto Pax Gold (PAXG) has posted an 8% gain, benefitting from geopolitical uncertainty. While we doubt notorious Bitcoin bear Peter Schiff will have the last laugh, Elon Musk has fueled speculation by calling for a live-streamed walkthrough and audit of U.S. gold reserves—a move that’s particularly unnerving considering America’s gold holdings haven’t undergone a credible inspection since 1974 (51 years ago). What a time to be alive! Stay tuned.

Bitcoin’s market dominance has surged past 60%, driven by institutional investment. Altcoins like Solana have faced volatility amid the collapse of the Libra memecoin. Analysts suggest bitcoin’s price consolidation may continue until a major catalyst drives significant movement.

New cryptocurrency issuance hit an all-time high in January, sparking concerns among analysts over the lack of investor liquidity in the market. Over 600,000 new cryptocurrencies were launched during January, a 12-fold increase compared to the same period in 2024.

XRP and Solana are both making strides toward securing approval for their own spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs), each with a compelling case to be the first to cross the regulatory finish line.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this blog is general in nature and is provided for informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice, and should not be relied upon as such. Block Earner does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information presented. You should consider your own personal circumstances and seek professional advice before making any financial or investment decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results. All investments carry risk.