The fact that cryptocurrencies have had a tough year is no news to anyone. Even for people who have never invested or taken an interest in the crypto market, it’s pretty clear that digital currencies have lost some of their shine over the past months. But those who are familiar with this new asset class and know how things go down in the crypto sphere are neither surprised nor alarmed by the recent turn of events, leading to a bull run market.
The sustained price slump that has led to the onset of the current crypto winter is not a singular situation. It’s something that happens with regularity in the crypto realm. Prices rally for some time, then a period of decline follows. Values plummet and less activity happens in the market. They are called bull and bear markets. And it is quite obvious we’re transitioning at the moment into a bull run.
Research
When times get tough, people tend to be a lot more cautious about their investments and less willing to take risks. Fear and pessimisms often push them to refrain from investing or to take extra precautions while doing so. They spend more time searching for the best way to buy Bitcoin and researching different projects before making a decision. This is normal behavior during bear markets, as everyone is trying to protect their assets and minimize losses.
But since growth and decline cycles occur with a certain regularity, crypto enthusiasts are naturally wondering when the next bull run might start. Clearly fed up with the ongoing crypto winter that has messed up their plans, traders and investors are now looking for signs of improvement and news that the bear market is finally coming to an end. Unfortunately, movements in the crypto market are notoriously difficult to forecast and pin down, so it’s virtually impossible to offer clear predictions in this respect.
However, there are a couple of cryptocurrencies that are powerful enough to trigger the start of a new bull run, so they’re the ones that we should all be keeping our eyes on if we want to catch the trend early on.
Bitcoin
Bitcoin reached an all-time high last year before it went down a slippery slope of depreciation. That’s not something that crypto hasn’t experienced in the past. Although this time it fell from greater heights, there’s no reason to dramatize the situation. The oldest digital currency in existence is also the most valuable in terms of market cap. It remains, for many, a beacon of light in the crypto realm. For most crypto users, Bitcoin represents their first point of contact with the cryptocurrency industry.
The Pioneer
Bitcoin was the pioneer. The project led to the birth of the cryptocurrency industry and revolutionized the global financial system. Over the years, Bitcoin has built an entire ecosystem around it and has created a very active and engaged crypto community. It can be found on all major exchanges and enjoys more support from organizations and institutions than any other crypto in existence. This means that Bitcoin’s influence in the market is unmatched by any other crypto that rolled up afterward. When Bitcoin prices go up or down, all other cryptos tend to move in the same direction.
Every time Bitcoin’s value starts to increase, a new wave of investors flocks to seize the opportunity. Given its popularity and time-tested resilience, investors and crypto-enthusiasts regard Bitcoin as a more stable and safer investment vehicle. This is why it remains a viable option in periods of decline. So, if there’s going to be any significant change in the market, Bitcoin is probably going to be at the forefront of the movement.
This belief is also reinforced by Bitcoin’s price trends in relation to halving. It has been noted that Bitcoin tends to go upwards after each halving event. This occurs when the reward for mining is reduced by half to ensure scarcity. The next halving is programmed to take place between February and June 2024. This gives crypto fans reasons to believe that Bitcoin is already on the path to recovery.
Ethereum
Ethereum, the eternal second runner-up in the crypto race, is also poised to be one of the cryptocurrencies that can signal the beginning of a new bull market. As the second-largest crypto by market cap, Ethereum has also attracted a lot of positive attention from traders and investors since its emergence. However, it’s not size alone that makes Ethereum such a highly influential cryptocurrency. One of the biggest selling points for Ethereum has been decentralization. A feature that, in light of recent events, is more important than ever.
The fall of FTX’s FTX Token and Terra Luna have proved the fickleness of digital currencies tied to a centralized entity. Ethereum is in direct contrast with these assets, as one of the most decentralized blockchain platforms. So, the risk of collapsing due to the influence of a central force? Nonexistent. After the network’s overhaul, commonly referred to as the Merge, Ethereum took its decentralization one step further. It boosted its sustainability by dramatically reducing its energy consumption.
As the largest decentralized network in the world, Ethereum provides smart contract functionality. Additionally, it serves as a framework for numerous decentralized applications and NFT projects. That’s where its strength resides. And why it has such a huge competitive advantage over its peers. Taking all these aspects into consideration, it becomes clear that Ethereum could play an instrumental role in the upcoming bull run.
Wrapping up
It’s not much of a surprise that the current market leaders continue to have the biggest say. Especially in what’s going to happen to the cryptocurrency industry in the future. Whatever the future has in store for the crypto market, it’s very likely that Bitcoin and Ethereum are going to be the messengers that will bring us the news.
