Breaking
Top Investing Chanel
Archive

December 2024

Browsing

Intel CEO retires as chipmaker loses ground in AI revolution

Intel’s CEO is stepping down as the stalwart American chipmaker has struggled to keep pace with the artificial intelligence revolution.

The company announced that Pat Gelsinger, who’d led Intel since 2021 and logged more than 30 years in various positions with the chipmaker, had retired from the company effective Sunday.

“While we have made significant progress in regaining manufacturing competitiveness and building the capabilities to be a world-class foundry, we know that we have much more work to do at the company and are committed to restoring investor confidence,’ Intel’s board chair, Frank Yeary, said in a news release.

Intel, once the standard-bearer for American computer chip manufacturing, has struggled to keep up with the turn toward AI computing over the past couple years. Having largely missed out on the smartphone boom of the 2010s, Intel could not afford another misstep by failing to anticipate the next major tech trend.

Yet, it largely has missed the mark — and has suffered disastrous consequences as a result.

As the AI boom began to dawn in 2022, major tech giants began to tap a rival chipmaker, Nvidia, to handle many of their AI computer processing needs.

That’s because Nvidia’s graphics processing unit (GPU) chips are better able to handle the strenuous computing power needs of AI processes. Nvidia’s GPUs are able to perform calculations more efficiently thanks to their ‘parallel processing ability,’ whereas regular computer-processing units, or CPUs — the kind of chips Intel has long specialized in — are better suited for straightforward computing tasks like writing files to a disk.

As a result, demand for Nvidia’s chips has proven virtually insatiable.

Intel shares have declined 61% since Gelsinger took over, while Nvidia’s surged more than 820% over the same time period.

The S&P 500 rose 54% over that time.

Nvidia is now valued at more than $3 trillion, while Intel’s market cap stands at approximately $100 billion — about 30-times smaller than Nvidia.

Gelsinger had embarked on a campaign to turn the company’s fortunes around, stating in Intel’s most recent earnings report that it was in the midst of its most critical restructuring since it was established in 1968.

The Biden administration has sought to support Intel through CHIPS Act funding — but last month, announced it was reducing the size of a planned investment by $600 million compared with the award it had earlier announced in March. While some of that was due to Intel having also announced a $3 billion Defense Department contract, the Commerce Department noted that timelines for some projects had extended beyond a 2030 government deadline.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Why Amazon sellers and retailers are flocking to TikTok Shop despite looming U.S. ban

Sporting a sparkly dress and a Santa hat atop her distinctly pink hair, Sarah Potempa stood in front of her smartphone at her hair-care company’s warehouse in Waukegan, Illinois. It was time to go to work. 

Potempa is a celebrity hairstylist who goes live on TikTok multiple times a week. During “the packing show,” as she calls it, Potempa livestreams herself as she packs up orders of her viral Beachwaver curling iron for six to eight hours at a time. 

The stream on Nov. 20 had a party atmosphere, with Potempa taking breaks to dance to “In Da Club” by 50 Cent in between shipping out orders. To the more than 1,000 TikTok users who typically tune in for Potempa’s shows, this is entertainment and shopping all at once. 

Beachwaver is part of a growing influx of retailers that are flocking to TikTok Shop, the video app’s shopping service. TikTok Shop launched in September 2023 as a way for users to purchase products without leaving the app, and since then, the China-owned app has emerged as a viable alternative for retailers looking to diversify their e-commerce business from Amazon. 

Via a dedicated Shop tab, retailers big and small promote products of all kinds, ranging from eyeshadow palettes, phone chargers, detox teas, treadmills and more. On TikTok, retailers typically offer generous coupons and free delivery within a few days. Shoppable posts, which look like normal videos but are ads for products sold in TikTok Shop, frequently appear in TikTok’s main video feed, known as the “For You” page. Those posts allow users to purchase products without exiting their For You feed.

On Potempa’s show, shoppers race to place an order to get a 50% discount on Beachwaver products and free add-ons to their order like face washes or lipsticks, along with the chance to have their username read aloud by Potempa while she packs their order on screen.

“When TikTok Shop was new and people hadn’t used it yet, they would ask, ‘Is this on Amazon yet?’” Potempa said in an interview. “I would get those questions like, ‘Can I buy it somewhere else?’ Now that it’s been around for a year or so, we’ve done 1.2 million orders.”

ByteDance-owned TikTok has already cemented itself as an advertising powerhouse, and with TikTok Shop, the company has been trying to carve out another revenue stream through e-commerce. The company has attracted the likes of Nike, PacSun and Crocs, among others. Those retailers want to tap into the more than 170 million Americans on TikTok who shop on impulse as they scroll through videos. 

They aren’t the only ones. 

Amazon sellers are also being persuaded to try out the service with promises of low fees and steep discounts on products footed by TikTok. Besides sellers, the company has also hired talent away from Amazon, filling key roles for TikTok Shop in areas like marketing, creator relationships, brand safety, category managers and operations.

In the 15 months since its launch, TikTok Shop has emerged as a “massive e-commerce machine,” according to ecommerceDB, a market research firm. EcommerceDB predicts TikTok Shop will more than double its gross merchandise volume, or the dollar value of items sold on its marketplace, to $50 billion this year. That’s a fraction of Amazon’s 2024 expected GMV of $757 billion, but nonetheless, TikTok Shop is making strides.

“Every time you scroll, every other scroll is a Shop post, so they’re making a lot of investment to encourage that in-app conversion,” said Caila Schwartz, Salesforce’s director of consumer insights and strategy for retail and consumer goods.

Amazon spokesperson Mira Dix told CNBC in a statement that sellers are engaging with its store “more than ever before” and seeing greater success. Dix said the company’s services for sellers are optional, such as fulfillment, which costs “an average of 70% less” than comparable two-day shipping alternatives.

“Our selling partners are incredibly important to Amazon, and we work hard to innovate on their behalf and support the growth and success of these businesses across all of their sales channels,” Dix said.

Beachwaver CEO Sarah Potempa hosts livestreams on TikTok Shop multiple times a week.

TikTok’s e-commerce push comes at a precarious moment for the company. 

In April, President Joe Biden signed a law that requires ByteDance to sell TikTok by Jan. 19. If TikTok fails to cut ties with its parent company, app stores and internet hosting services would be prohibited from offering the app, amounting to a nationwide ban in the U.S. TikTok has sued to block the measure.

President-elect Donald Trump could rescue TikTok from a potential U.S. ban. After trying to implement a TikTok ban during his first administration, Trump reversed his stance, acknowledging in a March interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that “there’s a lot of good and there’s a lot of bad” with the app. Trump changed his position around the time that he met with billionaire Jeff Yass, who is a major investor in ByteDance.

As the January deadline grows nearer, TikTok has largely been operating its business as usual. 

Executives from TikTok Shop pitched its marketplace as a holiday shopping destination during an October event in Manhattan with business owners and social media influencers. Users have shopped hundreds of millions of units on its e-commerce platform since launching September 2023, said Nico Le Bourgeois, TikTok Shop’s head of U.S. operations. Le Bourgeois, who joined TikTok in August 2023, previously spent nearly nine years at Amazon in a variety of divisions including its third-party marketplace.

TikTok Shop isn’t trying to sell “everything to everybody,” Le Bourgeois told CNBC in October. TikTok Shop is a marketplace for product discovery that surfaces “new, cool, interesting” items from big and small brands, he added.

“You see it, you like it, you buy it. It’s not a search,” he said. “It’s a very different way of shopping.”

Le Bourgeois declined to comment on the looming TikTok ban, but a company spokesperson at the event said TikTok Shop isn’t slowing down.

“The sellers here, creators, they’re building their livelihoods on TikTok,” the spokesperson said. “We’re going to continue to show up for that. There’s a huge opportunity for us.”

More Americans are expected to turn to TikTok and other China-linked apps for gift buying this holiday shopping season. 

Roughly 63% of Western consumers plan to purchase from Chinese shopping apps during the season, according to Salesforce. That includes TikTok, Alibaba’s AliExpress, Shein, Temu and fast-fashion company Cider.

On Saturday, TikTok said its U.S. Black Friday sales topped more than $100 million, with home goods, fashion and beauty products among the most popular categories. Canvas Beauty, a top seller of hair-care and beauty products on TikTok Shop, hit $1 million in sales within two hours of going live on the app, the company said.

Retailers and sellers, some of which count TikTok for the lion’s share of their online sales, told CNBC that they’re sticking with the platform despite the possibility that it could disappear.

Although it’s impossible to ignore the conversation around a potential TikTok ban in the U.S. as a brand that heavily relies on the platform, Yay’s Snacks co-founder and COO Rachel Cheng said she’s not convinced that TikTok will go away under the Trump administration because it doesn’t seem to be the president-elect’s main focus.

Yay’s Snacks, which makes crispy Cambodian beef jerky, was one of the earliest companies to join TikTok Shop when it launched. Yay’s founder and CEO Marlin Chan, a former YouTuber, frequently posts humorous TikTok videos promoting his snacks, which are based on his grandmother’s original recipe. Among the videos is a series that parodies the show “Undercover Boss.” Those videos helped Yay’s amass tens of thousands of TikTok followers, who keep buying the jerky, Cheng said.

At one point, TikTok sales comprised nearly 90% of Yay’s total revenue, with monthly sales from the app peaking at $75,000 last November, Cheng said. Yay’s is prepared to divert to Amazon and its own website if TikTok is banned, but as long as TikTok is “still here, we’re going to do what we can to stay on top,” Cheng said.

“If we were sitting here worrying about what’s next, we would’ve never gotten on TikTok Shop,” Cheng said. “We’re enjoying it while it’s hot.”

Scrub Daddy, known for its smiley face-shaped sponges, went viral on TikTok during the Covid pandemic and counts more than 4 million followers. Its top video, a demonstration of its Damp Duster sponge, has 30 million views while its bestselling product on TikTok Shop has been purchased nearly 76,000 times, according to the app. That figure doesn’t account for items that have been returned after purchase.

After kicking off in 2012 with an appearance on “Shark Tank,” Scrub Daddy CEO Aaron Krause said he lost faith in traditional marketing efforts. 

“We did a TV ad, we did some outdoor ads on billboards, we did a little bit of radio,” Krause said. “All I found was that I was throwing money into the air.”

The company pivoted toward social media marketing, primarily on Instagram, which turned out to be a “pot of gold,” Krause said. Scrub Daddy set up an account on TikTok in 2020 and worked with influencers to promote its products, including Vanesa Amaro, a popular account for housecleaning content with more than 5.7 million followers. After Amaro recommended the sponges to her viewers, Scrub Daddy sold 30,000 units in one weekend, Krause said.

TikTok’s “algorithm just allows you to hit millions and millions of views with one hysterically crazy video,” he said.

In recent months, TikTok has encouraged retailers and sellers to host hourslong livestreams multiple times per week as a way to connect with shoppers. Many brands have invested in building out their own studios to record the shows or have hired talent to host them. 

Scrub Daddy snatched up longtime QVC host Dan Hughes after he was laid off from the home shopping company in 2023. Others, like Beachwaver, have turned their CEOs into on-screen talent.

TikTok Shop was a big topic of conversation at a conference for Amazon sellers in New York in October. A session on “how to scale your brand” with TikTok Shop drew a packed room of sellers who listened to e-commerce strategist Rafay MH talk up the potential for brands to haul in $8 million to $10 million in sales from TikTok in less than a year. 

“Amazon comes with a ton of competition,” MH said. “TikTok is the opportunity for free eyeballs and sales.” 

Many Amazon sellers have embraced TikTok after they were initially slow to join the platform, said Michelle Barnum Smith, who provides consulting services to online businesses.

“I was the bedraggled gold miner standing on the street corners of New York, saying ‘There’s gold in those hills,’ and people were like, ‘Yeah, sure,’” Barnum Smith said “But as soon as they started seeing their competition on there, or their buddy on there, they were like, ‘I’ve got to get on there.’”

There’s now “extreme FOMO,” or fear of missing out, among Amazon sellers to join TikTok even if it no longer exists in the U.S. next year, Barnum Smith said.  

“Whatever the future looks like for TikTok Shop, they’re happy to take that money now and get while the getting’s good,” Barnum Smith said.

Disclosure: CNBC owns the exclusive off-network cable rights to “Shark Tank.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Strong Momentum Continuing at Flicka Lake Gold and Copper Project

Red Mountain Mining Limited (“RMX” or the “Company”) is pleased to advise that it is making highly encouraging progress via exploration programs at the Flicka Lake Gold and Copper Project, part of the four 100% owned Fry Lake sub-projects, located in Ontario, Canada.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Since acquisition Red Mountain has rapidly advanced the Flicka Lake Project from study phase to delivering highly anomalous gold and copper assay results in a promising new area
  • At the Flicka Lake Gold zone, previous channel samples included 9.96 g/t Au and 12.96 g/t Au while grab samples included 17.88 g/t, 7.38 g/t and 20.07 g/t of Au
  • Due Diligence sampling at the Flicka Zone reported Vein #2 with values of 24.2 g/t Au and 19.4 g/t Au and Vein #3 returned a peak value of 9.35 g/t Au
  • Reconnaissance soil sampling reported exceptionally high gold from two areas:
    • 17.8 g/t Au, 6.32 g/t Au and 1.11 g/t Au returned for three soil samples from the north of the project area
    • 0.816 g/t Au returned for a single sample sample taken from northwest of existing claims
  • Results suggest potential for concealed high grade vein-hosted gold mineralisation similar to that seen at the Flicka Zone
  • Polymetallic copper-rich soil anomalies with values of up to 2,420ppm Cu indicate the potential of Flicka Lake for volcanic-hosted base metal sulphide mineralisation, particularly in the northern part of the tenement
  • RMX continues to investigate these anomalous gold and base metal results at Flicka Lake as well as investigating the mineralisation potential across the other three sub project areas that make up the Fry Lake Project
  • Portfolio has recently expanded in Tier-One Jurisdictions with complementary Gold (WA) and Antimony (NSW) assets secured in a low-cost approach

The Company is now conducting deeper investigations across all four projects into historical exploration, building databases, reinterpreting historical and new results, and designing further work programs to test the multiple, prospective contextualized targets.

The Company’s exploration efforts over the last five months have developed from basic target generation to revealing new areas of mineralization. This has also included efforts to unlock additional areas of mineralisation based on these new and historical results.

In recent months, the Company has achieved a considerable amount, including:

1) In early July RMX identified of key structural targets across the region of underdeveloped Meen- Dempster Greenstone Belt which lies adjacent to the more developed Pickle Lake Greenstone Belt, host to numerous gold deposits. It pegged four clusters of claims covering 37.9km2, namely the Flicka Lake, Relyea Porphyry, Fry Lake Stock and the Fry-McVean Shear. The four projects are based on structural targets, reported alteration, proximity to banded iron, reported gold occurrences and porphyry intrusions, all key elements. (Refer ASX announcement: 2 July 2024)

2) In mid-July, key targets within the Flicka Lake claims were discriminated and a sampling program designed around these key elements. The targeting focused on the mapped faults, shear zones, reported areas of basement alteration and extensions of know zones of interest Identified by past explorers. (Refer ASX announcement: 22 July 2024)

3) In Late July, RMX appointed local geological specialist contractors, Fladgate Exploration Consulting Corporation, to conduct the maiden sampling program which involve a series of 100m spaced traverses along the target areas collecting rock chip and soil samples at regular intervals, with bias to areas of alteration or visible mineralisation. Included in the program was due diligence sampling of the Flick Lake gold bearing quartz veins. (Refer ASX announcement: 31 July 2024)

4) Late August Red Mountain mobilised to site and collected 283 soil and 91 rock samples across the target areas including the due diligence sampling. The samples were analysed by AGAT laboratories in Thunder Bay by Fire assay for gold and Aqua Regia (soils) and four acid digest (rock) base metal suite. (Refer ASX announcement: 28 August 2024)

5) In early November initial results were announced from the 91-rock chip samples. The due diligence rock samples validated the Flicka Zone gold endowed vein system with Vein #2 returning 24.2g/t and 19.4g/t Au while Vein#3 returned a peak value of 9.35g/t Au. These results confirmed the high- grade nature of the gold mineralisation in the area. A rock sample of a pyrite vein 800m WSW of the Flicka Zone and along strike of the main ENE shear produced a 0.514g/t Au highlighted the potential for an extension of the mineralised system. (Refer ASX announcement: 6 November 2024)

6) In Mid-November the soil sample results highlighted two new areas of mineralisation. In the north of the project area three samples with 800m returned 17.8g/t, 6.32g/t and 1.11g/t Au, also locally within the area anomalous copper up to 2,420ppm was identified in the soils. In the northwest of the tenement a soil sample returned 0.816g/t Au, highlighted another area for gold mineralisation. (Refer ASX announcement: 19 November 2024)

Following the considerable success of exploration activities to date, the Company is in the process of designing a follow-up program to target these anomalous soil and rock areas with high density rock and soil samples of sufficient density to define potential drill targets.

Click here for the full ASX Release

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Exclusive Interview: Energy Technologies CEO Nick Cousins

Energy Technologies (ASX:EGY)CEO Nick Cousins shared that the company is refocusing its business strategy, focusing on the burgeoning renewable energy sector in Australia.

Watch the full interview with Nick Cousins, CEO of Energy Technologies.


The information contained here is for information purposes only and is not to be construed as an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of securities. Readers should conduct their own research for all information publicly available concerning the company. Prior to making any investment decision, it is recommended that readers consult directly with Energy Technologiesand seek advice from a qualified investment advisor.

This interview may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, receipt of property titles, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. The issuer relies upon litigation protection for forward-looking statements. Investing in companies comes with uncertainties as market values can fluctuate.

EGY:AU

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Is Now a Good Time to Buy Bitcoin? (Updated 2024)

Bitcoin is prone to price volatility, with wide swings to the upside and downside.

Several notable events already occurred in the Bitcoin space this year, including the much-anticipated launch of the first US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in January, the fourth Bitcoin halving event that occurred on April 19 and a global financial rout that wiped around US$600 billion from the entire cryptocurrency market cap.

The most recent upswing comes alongside President-elect Donald Trump’s impending return to the White House.

Bitcoin has skyrocketed by 40 percent since November 4, as a wave of new investors, fueled by hopes of a crypto-friendly administration, floods into the market.

Buying Bitcoin isn’t a simple decision. Before you decide if Bitcoin is a good investment for you, you need to understand both Bitcoin and the wider crypto market. Read on to learn the basics.

In this article

    What gives Bitcoin its value?

    Bitcoin was the world’s first cryptocurrency, created in January 2009 by the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto.

    Conceived as a virtual alternative to fiat currency, Bitcoin is built atop blockchain technology, which it uses for both validation and security. Blockchain itself is a distributed digital ledger of transactions, operating through a combination of private keys, public keys and network consensus.

    The best analogy to explain how this works in practice involves Google Docs. Imagine a document that’s shared with a group of collaborators. Everyone has access to the same document, and each collaborator can see the edits other collaborators have made. If anyone makes an edit that the other collaborators don’t approve of, they can roll it back.

    Going back to Bitcoin, the virtual currency primarily validates transactions through proof of work. Also known as Bitcoin mining, this competitive and incredibly resource-intensive process is the means by which new Bitcoins are generated.

    How it works is deceptively simple. Each Bitcoin transaction adds a new ‘block’ to the ledger, identified by a 64-digit encrypted hexadecimal number known as a hash. Each block uses the block immediately preceding it to generate its hash, creating a ledger that theoretically cannot be tampered with. Bitcoin miners collectively attempt to guess the encrypted hex code for each new block — whoever correctly identifies the hash then validates the transaction and receives a small amount of Bitcoins as a reward.

    From an investment perspective, Bitcoin toes the line between being a medium of exchange and a speculative digital asset. It also lacks any central governing body to regulate its distribution. As one might expect, these factors together make Bitcoin quite volatile, and therefore somewhat risky as an investment target.

    As for the source of this volatility, Bitcoin’s value is primarily influenced by five factors.

    1. Supply and demand

    It’s widely known that no more than 21 million Bitcoins can be produced, and that’s unlikely to happen before 2140.

    Only a certain number of Bitcoins are released each year, and this rate is reduced every four years by halving the reward for Bitcoin mining. The last of these ‘halvings’ occurred in April 2024 and the next one is due sometime in 2028. When it happens, there may be a significant increase in Bitcoin demand, largely driven by media coverage and investor interest.

    Bitcoin demand is also strengthening in countries experiencing currency devaluation and high inflation.

    It would be remiss not to mention that Bitcoin represents an ideal mechanism for supporting illicit activities — meaning that increasing cybercrime could itself be a demand driver.

    2. Production costs

    It’s said that Bitcoin benefits from minimal production costs. This isn’t exactly true, however. Solving even a single hash requires immense processing power, and it’s believed that crypto mining collectively uses more electricity than some small countries. It’s also believed that miners were largely responsible for the chip shortage experienced throughout the pandemic due to buying and burning out vast quantities of graphics cards.

    These costs together have only a minimal influence on Bitcoin’s overall value. The complexity of Bitcoin’s hashing algorithms and the fact that they can vary wildly in complexity are far more impactful.

    3. Competition

    Bitcoin’s cryptocurrency market share has sharply declined over the years. In 2017, it maintained a market share of over 80 percent. Bitcoin’s current market share is just over 56 percent.

    Despite that fall, Bitcoin remains the dominant force in the cryptocurrency market and is the marker by which many other cryptocurrencies determine their value. However, there is no guarantee that this will always remain the case. There are now scores of Bitcoin alternatives, known collectively as altcoins.

    The most significant of these is Ethereum. Currently accounting for roughly 14 percent of the crypto market, Ethereum has maintained its position as the second largest cryptocurrency. Some experts have suggested that Ethereum may even overtake Bitcoin, but others don’t see that as a possibility in the near future.

    4. Regulations

    Bitcoin may itself be unregulated, but it is not immune to the effects of government legislation. For instance, China’s 2021 ban of the cryptocurrency caused a sharp price drop, though it quickly rallied in the following months. The European Union has also attempted to ban Bitcoin in the past, and Nic Carter, a partner at Castle Venture, accused the US of trying to do the same in February 2023. A ban in either region could be devastating for Bitcoin’s overall value.

    However, the US made progress in establishing crypto legislation in 2024 when the House passed the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century (FIT21) Act in a bipartisan 279 to 136 vote on May 22.

    5. Public interest and media coverage

    As with any speculative commodity, Bitcoin is greatly influenced by the court of public opinion.

    Perhaps the best example of this occurred in 2021. At that time, a tweet from Tesla’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) Elon Musk caused Bitcoin’s price to drop by 30 percent in a single day. This also wiped about US$365 billion off the cryptocurrency market.

    A more recent example occurred on January 9, leading up to the deadline for eight spot Bitcoin ETFs by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In a since-deleted post on X, formerly known as Twitter, a hacker falsely stated that the SEC had approved all eight pending Bitcoin ETFs. This caused the price of Bitcoin to spike to US$48,000, but it quickly dropped back down to around US$46,000 after the SEC confirmed it was a hack, leading some analysts to consider it a ‘sell-the-news’ event.

    Is now a good time to buy Bitcoin?

    To determine if it is a good time to invest in Bitcoin, you must pay attention to the market and listen to the experts. Generally speaking, Bitcoin’s price action is sentiment driven.

    While Bitcoin is notoriously volatile, making it difficult to judge where the crypto is going next, there are also different technical indicators crypto traders use to help them decide if now is the time to buy or sell.

    For example, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is a technical indicator used to gauge the momentum of a cryptocurrency’s price. It fluctuates on a scale from 0 to 100. By analyzing the magnitude of recent price changes relative to the previous 12 month period, the RSI helps traders identify whether a cryptocurrency is potentially overbought or oversold. An RSI above 70 often signals an overbought market, while an RSI below 30 suggests an oversold market.

    Another metric to consider is the MVRV Z-score, calculated by subtracting the ‘realized’ value of Bitcoin, which is an average of the prices at which each Bitcoin was last moved, from the current market value. This is then divided by the standard deviation of the Bitcoin market cap.

    This indicator helps identify when market value deviates strongly from realized value, which could show the market is at a turning point. A score above 7 likely indicates that Bitcoin is overvalued, meaning it could be due for a correction, while a score below 0 suggests that Bitcoin is undervalued, meaning it could be a good buying opportunity.

    Finally, to gauge the overall market sentiment, investors can look at the Fear & Greed Index. This index provides a snapshot of how optimistic or fearful the market is about Bitcoin, with high readings potentially signaling overenthusiasm and a possible correction.

    For example, the recent surge in Bitcoin’s price is driven by optimism about a more crypto-friendly regulatory environment and increasing mainstream acceptance, resulting in a high Fear & Greed score of 75 on November 27.

    While it’s useful to learn these technical indicators to help you trade, it is important to remember that there’s no such thing as a guaranteed investment, especially when it comes to cryptocurrencies. On the one hand, there’s virtually no chance that Bitcoin will experience a crash to zero. On the other hand, we also cannot take for granted that its value will continue to climb.

    What is Bitcoin’s long-term price outlook?

    For those considering Bitcoin as a long-term investment, it’s worth considering experts’ thoughts on Bitcoin in the future.

    Veteran analyst Peter Brandt said in February that if Bitcoin could break past its previous high, the cryptocurrency could easily reach a new record of US$200,000 by September 2025.

    Only two weeks after the interview, Bitcoin surpassed the US$72,000 mark in the early hours of March 11. Since the November 4 election, Bitcoin has been inching its way toward US$100,000.

    Crypto industry specialists surveyed in early 2024 by UK fintech firm Finder pointed to prices above US$100,000 in the near future, stating that Bitcoin could rise to a value of roughly US$122,688 by 2025, and US$366,935 by 2030.

    In March, ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood gave an astronomical Bitcoin prediction when she said its market cap could reach US$75 trillion by 2030. More recently, Wood told CNBC that, in a bull market, it could hit US$1.5 million by that same year.

    Not everyone is so optimistic about Bitcoin’s prospects. Pav Hundal, lead market analyst at Swyftx, has expressed concerns about Bitcoin’s future in the context of continued geopolitical upheaval and economic uncertainty. Billionaire investor Warren Buffet, meanwhile, has not minced words regarding his opinion on Bitcoin and its future.

    According to Buffet, Bitcoin is an unproductive asset with no unique value. He also feels that it doesn’t count as a true currency — in fact, he called it “rat poison.” Moreover, he believes that the crypto market as a whole will end badly.

    Regardless of whether you believe Bitcoin’s proponents or naysayers, it’s clear that it has some incredibly prominent backers in both the investment world and the wider business landscape. Business analytics platform MicroStrategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) is by far the largest public company in the Bitcoin space, with 386,700 Bitcoin to its name as of November 25. The next three public companies with the largest Bitcoin holdings are Marathon Digital Holdings (NASDAQ:MARA) with 25,945 Bitcoin, Riot Platforms with 10,019, Tesla with 9,720 and Hut 8 (NASDAQ: HUT) with 9,109.

    The US, China and the United Kingdom hold the top three spots for countries with the most Bitcoin holdings, with 208,000, 190,000 and 61,000 Bitcoin respectively at that time.

    There are also plenty of individuals with large holdings, the most significant of which is believed to be Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Other prominent names include Michael Saylor, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, and Tim Draper.

    How to smartly invest in Bitcoin

    If you opt to jump into the market, what comes next?

    How to buy Bitcoin

    The good news is that investing in Bitcoin is actually quite simple. If you’re purchasing through a stockbroker, it’s a similar process to buying shares of a company. Otherwise, you may need to gather your personal information and bank account details. It’s recommended to secure your network with a VPN prior to performing any Bitcoin transactions.

    The first step in purchasing Bitcoin is to join an exchange. Coinbase Global (NASDAQ:COIN) is one of the most popular, but there’s also Kraken and Bybit. If you’re an advanced trader outside the US, you might consider Bitfinex.

    Once you’ve chosen an exchange, you’ll need a crypto wallet. Many first-time investors choose a software-based or ‘hot’ wallet either maintained by their chosen crypto exchange or operated by a service provider. While simpler to set up and more convenient overall, hot wallets tend to be less secure as they can be compromised by data breaches.

    Another option is a ‘cold’ wallet — a specialized piece of hardware specifically designed to store cryptocurrency. It’s basically a purpose-built flash drive. If you plan to invest large amounts in crypto, a cold wallet is the better option.

    Once you’ve acquired and configured your wallet, you may choose to connect either the wallet or your crypto exchange account to your bank account. This is not strictly necessary, and some seasoned investors don’t bother to do this.

    Finally, with your wallet fully configured and your exchange account set up, it’s time to place your order.

    Best practices for investing in Bitcoin

    The most important thing to remember about Bitcoin is that it is a high-risk asset. Never invest money that you aren’t willing to lose. Treat Bitcoin as a means of slowly growing your existing wealth rather than an all-or-nothing gamble.

    As with other investments, it’s important to hedge your portfolio. Alongside Bitcoin, you may want to consider investing in other cryptocurrencies like Ethereum, or perhaps an altcoin. You may also want to explore other blockchain-based investments, given that even the most stable cryptocurrencies tend to be fairly volatile.

    It’s also key to ignore the hype surrounding cryptocurrencies. Recall how many people whipped themselves into a frenzy over non-fungible tokens in 2022. More than 95 percent of the NFTs created during that time are now worthless.

    Make decisions based on your own market research and advice from trusted — and more importantly, certified — professionals. If you’re putting up investment capital based on an influencer’s tweets, you are playing with fire.

    You should also start small. A good rule of thumb is not to dedicate more than 10 percent of your overall capital to cryptocurrency. Even that number could be high — again, it’s all about moderation.

    Make sure to prioritize cybersecurity as well. Cryptocurrencies are an immensely popular target for cybercriminals. In addition to maintaining a cold wallet, make sure you practice proper security hygiene. That means using a VPN and a password manager while also exercising mindfulness in how you browse the web and what you download.

    Finally, make an effort to understand what cryptocurrencies are and how they work. One of the reasons Sam Bankman-Fried was able to run FTX as long as he did was because many of his investors didn’t fully understand what they were putting their money into. Don’t let yourself be fooled by buzzwords or lofty promises about Web3 and the metaverse.

    Do your research into the technology behind it all. That way, you’ll be far better equipped to recognize when something is a sound investment versus a bottomless money pit.

    Indirect crypto investing

    Given Bitcoin’s volatility, it’s understandable that you might be leery of making a direct investment. The good news is that you don’t have to. You can indirectly invest into the crypto space through mutual funds, stocks and ETFs.

    ETFs are a popular and flexible portfolio choice that allows investors to benefit from a sector’s performance without the need to directly own individual stocks or assets. They are an especially appealing option in the cryptocurrency market as the technical aspects of purchasing and holding these coins can be confusing and intimidating for the less technologically inclined.

    Bitcoin futures ETFs provide exposure to the cryptocurrency’s price moves using Bitcoin futures contracts, which stipulate that two parties will exchange a specific amount of Bitcoins for a particular price on a predetermined date.

    Conversely, spot Bitcoin ETFs aim to track the price of Bitcoin, and they do so by holding the asset. Spot Bitcoin ETFs have been offered to Canadians since 2021; for more details, check out 13 Canadian Cryptocurrency ETFs and 5 Biggest Blockchain ETFs. Spot Bitcoin ETFs began trading in the US on January 11, 2024.

    Do a bit of research and touch base with your stockbroker or financial advisor before you go in this direction.

    Investor takeaway

    Bitcoin is a fascinating asset. Simultaneously a transactional tool and a speculative commodity, it’s attracted the attention of investors almost since it first hit the market. Unfortunately, it’s also incredibly volatile.

    For that reason, while current market conditions are favorable for anyone considering buying Bitcoin, it is an asset you should purchase only at your own risk. Because while Bitcoin may have the potential for significant returns, you may also lose most of your investment. If that knowledge doesn’t bother you, then by all means, purchase away.

    Otherwise, there are better — less volatile — options for your capital.

    FAQs for buying Bitcoin

    What is a realistic Bitcoin price prediction for 2025?

    Reality and price predictions rarely match up as forecasters have no way of predicting major events like Russia’s war with Ukraine or the COVID-19 pandemic. On top of that, the further away the time period, the less realistic the prediction will be.

    As such, there is a massive range for 2025 Bitcoin price forecasts. As of April 2024, forecasts for where the Bitcoin price might land in 2025 range from US$74,456.13 to US$270,929.12. We’ll have to wait a a couple of years to see which are correct.

    What does Cathie Wood say about Bitcoin?

    ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood is extremely bullish on Bitcoin, telling Bloomberg in February 2023 that her firm believes the cryptocurrency could reach a value of US$1 million by 2030. A year later, Wood hiked her 2030 bitcoin price prediction astronomically to US$75 trillion.

    Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

    This post appeared first on investingnews.com