Crypto thread

Google searches for "bitcoin halving" have exceeded 300% of the volume seen before the 2016 halving event.

Some alts are starting to pop 

I read some article on a site, I think it was coinbase that discussed the alleged benefit to the halving and it made no sense. It said with less reward now miners will have to wait for higher prices before selling...so since miners get less they will wait and then prices go up? Thats not how things work. Prices go up when demand goes up, not supply goes down.

Today so far it has been different than previous times new thresholds are passed. In all other moves through a 1k area there was some serious retrace and pausing between a move higher...from 7k 8k 9k all of them it took many days before the price moved forward. So far today the move went down 200 or so but has been hanging around. That could be seen as very positive that sellers have not taken it down stronger. I guess we shall see.

I dont like the lack of liquidity and the spread on Binance, I think I am not going to look at that place.

Its not like you’re trying to move in and out of 1,000 Bitcoins. 

BTC/USD $13.5 million in volume last 24 hours on Binance US 

BTC/USDT $3.5 million last 24h on Binance US

What kind of liquidity are you looking for?  

I researched exchanged by volume and Binance by far is the highest volume...much more than any others available to US customers. Why does it seem when I am watching their exchange BTC USD that the spread is so wide and trading is so slow? Coinbase Pro is much lower but sheesh it moves faster and has more transactions. Is it that Binance total volume is more of the alts but less of BTC?

The spread on Binance will be like $0.10 for bitcoin 

If you have two tabs and watch both exchanges at the same time, pro and binance you will see what I mean. The spread on pro is usually a penny or for sure less than a buck where on binance its never a penny and often times 3 bucks plus. And if you watch the transactions on both the binance seems like a trade goes off now and then but coinbase pro that trade screen is popping all the time.

I guess being in the brokerage industry as I was when I see slow action and wide spreads I just dont like it. If I want in I want to have a great spread and I want as much volume as possible.

Their volume is the best 

Their spreads are the best 

Their platform is the best 

Their security is the best — they have a massive amount of money — worst case scenario they would cover a hack with their own funds before ruining their reputation 

Yeah I’m looking at it now it’s like a $2 difference — so what mannnnnnnn 

The binance fee structure is good, I like kraken for their fee structure and for their futures but their volume is much much lower than binance. Maybe I'll do as you suggested and open both and have both available. I kind of worry about registering my personal info and bank info on multiple sites...makes me a bit nervous since these sites are prone to hackers.

I hate wide spreads...as you can tell. It means there are not a large number of players and if a spread is wide now what happens in crunch time? Its just that broker in me that spread size and market depth is a big big deal. And check out binance, how much in total size is there in the market? I see a ton of fractional junk and very few lot sizes more than 2. Pro I see 20 lots, 8 lots, 6 lots....not .000001234 size.

All this said I am not staying with coinbase so I guess I should stop whining about it. Their fee structure is a joke even with great depth and price action.

Coinbase is just a wallet and an on ramp. You get on there and ship it to Binance or KuCoin or something if you’re going to be trading. 

Binance had to split their exchanges up to meet regulations requirements 

Binance US is still very good for what you’re trying to do 

Wow massive smack down a few minutes ago...someone got nuked on a large figure, took BTC to 8k???

insane 

As fiat onramp: @Bitstamp, @krakenfx & @hodlhodl (no KYC) or a local exchange like @lunomoney

To trade BTC/derivatives: @bitfinex, @FTX_Official & @DeribitExchange 

To trade shitcoins: @BittrexExchange

Wall, this is from a reliable source. Might help narrow down what you’re looking for. 

So why those for fiat onramps?

I have not properly looked into the positive and negative about futures vs physical. I know the difference but I dont know the nuances about cost or how long a futures contract is priced and runs for. 

Someone can leverage a ton of BTC using futures but that adds risk and often times a futures contract going out in time has a higher price than a current contract..and there can be costs associated with transacting futures contracts.

With this drop into the low 8's Im more motivated to sign up with another place but the moves back are pretty quick..right now they dumped it to below 8300 but back to almost 8500 just as fast.

I’m not sure. The old school dudes are anti KYC. 

1 day until the bitcoin halving 

In the bear market, weekend pumps were traditionally weak. I wonder if things have flipped and now weekend dumps will prove to be weak. 

I guess I am not against the KYC and fraud prevention measures...I can see how conspiracy theorist and fringe people would get bugged but it goes both ways. Living in an organized and structured society has limitations and benefits...those wackos who think the government is going to enslave all of us have never really lived in chaos or they probably would not think they way they do. For sure it got the most idiotic candidate in office and might yet again.

I'm fine having verification hoops and knowing I can get my crypto turned into dollars vs backward thinking of actually wanting to use crypto for bartering and the reality that in doing so you would get ripped off to high heaven if you ever needed to and this entire crypto space is riddled with theft and corruption which in itself is quite ironic.

Yeah plus they’ve made mega millions and don’t want to pay taxes 

$40 billion of futures are now net short SPX 

8 hrs until Bitcoin halving