The Rake Review: December

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December has been an exceptionally volatile month, featuring two major liquidation events, four new all-time highs, and an interest rate cut followed by a press conference from Jerome Powell that rattled global markets. But most importantly, Bitcoin hit $100,000 USD.

With less than three weeks of the month gone, the hope is that the Christmas period will stabilise the market and set Bitcoin up for another rally.

The month began with significant turbulence. December 5, the day Bitcoin hit $100k was also the same day Bitcoin experienced one of the largest liquidation events in recent history, plunging from a high of $104,000 to a low of $90,500—a 15% range in a single day. This resulted in $1.1 billion in leveraged positions being liquidated, marking the largest day for liquidations since August. The chaos escalated further on December 9th, with another liquidation event surpassing the first. Bitcoin corrected sharply from $101,200 to $94,100, wiping out $1.7 billion in leveraged positions in a single day. To put this in perspective, this liquidation volume exceeded that of the FTX collapse in late 2022.

Despite these setbacks, Bitcoin rebounded strongly. Finding support at the 25-day exponential moving average, it surged to new all-time highs for three consecutive days. The bullish momentum was a relief for Bitcoin investors, as the asset once again outperformed the broader market. Bitcoin dominance climbed, while many altcoins struggled to keep up. Notable exceptions included Ondo and Sui, which also set new highs. With an interest rate cut on the horizon and the historical "Santa Claus Rally" adding seasonal optimism, conditions appeared favorable for Bitcoin.

However, Jerome Powell’s post-rate-cut press conference shifted the tone. While the Federal Reserve delivered the anticipated interest rate cut, Powell’s remarks struck a hawkish note. Key takeaways included:

Persistent inflation remains a concern.
Projections for five interest rate cuts in 2025 were revised down to two.
The Fed plans to adopt a cautious approach to future cuts.
Uncertainty surrounds Trump’s upcoming policies.
The Federal Reserve reaffirmed its policy prohibiting Bitcoin holdings, with no plans to change this stance.

The market’s reaction was swift and severe:

The US dollar surged to a two-year high.
US stock markets shed $1.5 trillion in value.
Gold and silver dropped 2% and 5%, respectively.
Bitcoin fell over 4%, briefly dipping below $100,000.
Most altcoins suffered declines of over 10%.

All this unfolded within the first three weeks of December, leaving plenty of room for additional surprises in the remaining days. Historically, the Christmas period has been bullish for Bitcoin, and we remain optimistic about a positive close to the year.

As always, our long-term bullish outlook on Bitcoin is unwavering. Corrections should be viewed as opportunities to buy the dip, accumulate Bitcoin, and invest in high-potential altcoins at discounted prices. This strategy has consistently proven to be a formula for success.

January 2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal month for global markets, with events that could set the tone for the next four years. Most notably, Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20th is expected to have a significant impact, particularly on Bitcoin.

The anticipated implementation of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve shortly after the inauguration is likely to drive unprecedented demand from the US Government. This move could trigger a domino effect, as other nations may act preemptively by purchasing Bitcoin for their own reserves. Currently, many countries already hold Bitcoin:

El Salvador has been actively buying.
China and the UK have acquired Bitcoin through seizures.
Countries such as Bhutan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar are mining or rumored to be accumulating Bitcoin.

There is increasing speculation that sovereign Bitcoin purchases by Middle Eastern nations could intensify. Once the US government begins its acquisitions, other major countries are likely to follow, potentially igniting a global race to lead in the crypto space.

Before Trump's inauguration, FTX, the collapsed exchange, is set to begin repayments starting January 3rd. The first batch of customers will receive compensation in USDT or USDC. It is highly likely that a significant portion of these funds will stay within the crypto ecosystem, flowing into assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other altcoins. This development serves as another bullish catalyst to kick off the year on a strong note.

From a market cycle perspective, January is still early in the bull run. Bitcoin remains dominant, with Bitcoin dominance flipping bullish as Ethereum and other altcoins struggle to consistently outperform. This aligns with phase one of the bull market cycle, where Bitcoin historically leads the charge.

The trajectory for January will depend heavily on how December concludes. Two scenarios stand out:

Bullish Close to December: If Bitcoin reclaims its short- and medium-term bullish structure and trades back above $100,000, further all-time highs in the $110,000–$120,000 range are likely in January.
Bearish Close to December: A deeper correction could see Bitcoin trading closer to $75,000 as we enter the new year.

Barring any black swan events or unforeseen developments in December, the long-term outlook for Bitcoin remains firmly bullish. Deeper corrections should be embraced as opportunities to strengthen Bitcoin positions and accumulate strong altcoins at discounted prices.

A clearer view of the chart above can be found here: https://www.tradingview.com/x/ve1vEvwc/

A snippet from Jerome Powell's Hawkish Speech

All throughout December the net flow of money in Bitcoin and Ethereum has remained positive for every consecutive day. This exemplifies the positive market sentiment about the new securitisation of digital products on established exchanges.

Written by Alexandar Artis

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