#Bitcoin is facing some macro headwinds, with several indicators in my macro state regime model turning negative in recent weeks. However, the longer term liquidity cycle remains extremely favorable for $BTC and #crypto in general.
Lets dive in 🧵
Over the past several weeks, most of the macro/ liquidity-related factors relevant to the Bitcoin price have turned lower.
Some of these factors are more important than others.
From my backtesting and analysis, the big 3 to watch are CB balance sheets, the global money supply, and the dollar. My momentum models are generally medium term (several months) vs long term (12-mths+).
While there are instances when $BTC goes up when these factors are bearish, over most timeframes, negative returns are associated with periods when these factors are bearish.
Let's first look at CB Balance sheets. Here I am tracking the big 4 (Fed, PBoC, BOJ, ECB). Despite the 2H easing that came from the PBoC, CBs are still tightening. After being in a bullish regime earlier in the year, it turned bearish in Feb.
That happened just after the ETFs launched, so it was hardly noticed. $BTC rallied 40% during this time. The only other time price moved this favorably when the CB balance sheet regime was Bearish was the 2019 $3k to $14k rally.
However, on average, when the CB balsheet indicator is bearish, it produces negative returns for BTC.
Below is a strategy that goes long BTC when the regime is bullish. It has outperformed BTC on a risk adjusted basis since 2013 (not % rtns).
Since 2018 it has beaten the % rtns (at the cost of a lower Sharpe).
Next is Global money supply (GLM2). At around $103T it appeared poised to break above the resistance set since 2020/21 liquidity avalanche. But in the past week it has rolled over into a bearish regime.
A BTC long only strategy when GLM2 is in a bullish regime produced 5x the % rtns of BTC since 2018. It is the best performing of the 3 across most metrics eg. Sharpe, Profit factor etc. It also, on average, generates negative rtns when the regime is bearish.
Because the prev 2 have a low volatility profile, the US dollar (DXY) provides a nice compliment to the suite as the signals are less correlated and more frequent (I should smooth some parameters to lower the noise).
In any case, with Bitcoin becoming more correlated with the dollar, the signal has improved overt time.
The recent bounce from 101 has pushed the dollar into a bearish regime.
Since 2018 the strategy has beaten the % rtns of BTC but at the expense of the risk-adjusted rtns.
Since 2013, none of these macro indicators have outperformed % rtns of HODLing $BTC. Important to note. For the long term investor, this is the proven strategy.
However, since 2018 as bitcoin becomes more plugged into the financial plumbing, these regime strategies have beaten the % rtns of BTC (but not on a risk-adj basis).
Now that we understand the present, lets zoom out and consider where we are in the longer-term multi-year liquidity cycle. The 12mth RoC for Global money supply has been a prescient indicator for Bitcoin/risk asset cycles. It was what prompted my BTC bottom call in Dec-22.
As we know, Global M2 has stalled, and momentum is rolling over. This has happened before, back in 2016.
So while I expect BTC and #crypto to struggle until these macro indicators reverse, I remain Bullish on these assets over the next 12-24mths and even longer from an asset allocation perspective.
Borrowing from @RaoulGMI @BittelJulien amazing cycle analysis, we are able to observe that we are in what has been traditionally a sweet spot for Bitcoin and crypto.
Weakness should provide an opportunity to buy the high quality crypto assets at lower levels for the next and most likely the final leg of the current cycle into 2025.
If there was one indicator to watch to see if this thesis is playing out accordingly, or not, I think it would be the dollar. Every $BTC summer rally has been precipitated by a stronger dollar, which peaks and rolls over, which as it cascades lower, sends BTC skyrocketing.
Currently, the DXY is trapped in a narrow consolidation range. A break above 107-108 would put serious pressure on all risk assets.
A break below 101 should see a move to the low 90s which if that were to occur would likely send BTC to $150k based on previous DXY moves.
Check out @RealVision for more long form reports, in depth interviews, data dashboards and vibing community.
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#crypto has taken a pounding over the past six months as the @bitformance Top 200 equal weight index chart below shows.
-55% pullbacks in line with the previous 2 cycles. The market also rallied hard 6 months prior (+241%).
For traders, the price will need to break out of downtrends, but for allocators, the risk/reward is favourable for adding into select assets at these levels.
Reasons?
MarketBreadth, Liquidity and Fundamentals🧵
Seeing a sharp move higher on the Altseason indicator (alts outperforming BTC). Without a sustained #Bitcoin rally, which requires > ATH, this may be a short-lived phenomenon. But I suspect we are in the final throes of the bearish thrust.
180-day lows spiked in August—the highest since Terra Luna's aftermath. This indicator is limited by the survivorship bias due to my Trading View coding limitations, but it's approximate and good enough.
That appears like your typical bear market capitulation but can only be validated once we break out of the downtrend.
#Celestia ($TIA) price action looking very positive after a big pullback the past 3months. Data Availability (DA) activity looking healthy as well.
Some quick and very under-researched thoughts on TIA price action, network demand, supply, and comparative valuation.
Firstly, I have not done a deep dive on TIA. So feel free to shred these thoughts with more educated takes. Here to learn.
On the technicals, I like what the absolute price chart is showing—signs of recovery and gaining momentum once again.
TIA was one of the few assets that performed well after their TGE. Well done - a rare feat in the unscrupulous world of crypto token launches. TIA posted a 10x return before eventually rolling over in April alongside the entire crypto market. Now its breaking out of its downtrend after a 60% pullback.
I wrote a report for Pro-Crypto subs @realvision last month -- below is a🧵and for those with no patience, the TL;DR;
The global order is shifting: U.S. Treasuries lose appeal, gold re-emerges, and trillions in assets get tokenized on blockchains. Millennials and Gen Z will inherit $80T. Bitcoin’s network value grows with decentralized staking, and whilst not without risks, its feasible $BTC quickly becomes a key collateral asset in the crypto economy and symbiotically enhances PoS networks.
1/ Bitcoin's journey towards becoming a global reserve asset involves developing greater utility and robust collateralization use cases. Shared security and staking are key innovations driving this evolution.
2/ Shared security allows BTC holders to leverage over $1.5 trillion in economic security across other Layer 1 PoS networks for staking yields. The Babylon protocol is at the forefront of introducing Bitcoin staking.
In the Dec-23 @Realvision Pro-Crypto report, I discussed strategies to outperform in the bull cycle, especially the Alt-Season phase.
Drilling into the ETH vs. BTC ratio, here is a quick technical update, including the momentum strategy for navigating the 🍌zone.
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ETH vs BTC
This ratio perhaps more than any other, is the most important sentiment gauge for the cycle.
At the time of the report, the ETH/BTC ratio was at an extreme 'undervalued' level (365d z-score) but trending lower. The setup was there but I prefer to use a momentum filter for a trend change. Its been 6mths and other assets have outperformed that I like ($SOL, $NEAR) and so that was the right decision.
ETH vs BTC
The increasing likelihood of an ETH ETF has changed momentum and we are entering what some (@RaoulGMI) have referred to as "some kind of fruit" zone 🍌🍌🍌
Its attempting to punch through multi-year resistance. Some thoughts from my recent piece @RealVision
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2/ 🌐 The Global Money Supply index tracks M2 money aggregates from 12 of the world's largest economies, all in USD. In our fiat, credit-based financial system, the money stock often moves in one direction. Significant drops, like in 2022, are rare and typically brief.
3/ Currently, there is a sea of red across my macro & liquidity dashboard. But signs are emerging that this is about to change. Global M2 is currently neutral and holds the key for the next leg of the cycle.
Momentum, in absolute and relative terms, is the cornerstone of my #crypto asset methodology. Most understand how to apply it to price but few appreciate how to integrate it with network fundamentals . Lets take a quick look at $NEAR.
Absolute Price Momentum:
Has been consolidating since March. The technical pattern looks extremely bullish if it breaks this resistance ard $7.60 which is where a cluster of volume has traded these past months.
This is a high conviction set up if it breaks the pattern neckline, producing a target above $10.50 (+30%).
Relative Price Momentum:
$NEAR vs $SOL & $BTC are positive and ready to break higher