Some things I've learned after hodling bitcoin since early 2017
1. Never believe anyone's price predictions. 2. Don't "diversify" into other cryptos; none of them are actually decentralized, everything except bitcoin is a shitcoin (yes, really), and it's all gambling. The point of bitcoin is not gambling, but to end modern day slavery (fiat currency). 3. When everyone you know is talking about bitcoin, you're at the top of a bull market. You'll likely be too exuberant to realize it though. It will be obvious in hindsight. 4. Don't "trade some altcoins on the side to get more bitcoin". You are not that smart, and the overwhelming probability is that you will get wrecked. 5. DCA into bitcoin. Ignore your emotions. Don't try to time the market. Just stack what you can every paycheck. 6. Don't be too excited about bitcoin; people will feel like you're scamming them even though you're just trying help. 7. Go to meetups & conferences. Don't be isolated. Bitcoiners are generally very awesome people. 8. When people ask you about how to buy bitcoin, send them to a BITCOIN-ONLY company. Example for why: My cousin bought bitcoin (on Coinbase) during the bull market, then sold it for shiba on the same platform and now she pretty much lost everything. Bitcoin-only companies are the safest option to keep newbies from doing newbie things. 9. Be on #bitcoin twitter and nostr. Obviously if you're reading this, you're already here...but I didn't get on twitter until 2020 and can tell you that it's a lot less lonely hodling bitcoin when you see a bunch of other people on this platform experiencing the same things you are. 10. Be skeptical of influencers. Even me (I'm not a huge account, but still). Some are good, some are bad. Even if they have good intentions, their judgement can be clouded by bad incentives. 11. Stop trying to convince everyone you know that bitcoin will make everything better (even though it will). Instead, be a good resource for the people who eventually reach out to you about it. Be known as "the bitcoin guy" and let people come to you when they're ready. Have good content prepared for them to read/watch when they do. That is all. It's been a great ride so far and I'm happy to know you guys. #bitcoin #dyor #crypto2023
$100,000 – STANDARD CHARTERED $150,000 – TOM LEE $170,000 – JPMORGAN $180,000 – VANECK $200,000 – ARTHUR HAYES $250,000 – TIM DRAPER $250,000 - ROBERT KIYOSAKI
XRP vs. ADA in a Bear Market: Ripple or Cardano Will Hold Up Better?
Needless to say, the cryptocurrency industry has seen better days, with the prices of countless assets collapsing by 50% or more in the past several months. This has propelled analysts to speculate that this is no longer a bull market correction; instead, the majority believes the bear phase has begun. If that’s the case, then let’s see which altcoins between two of the most popular ones – XRP and ADA – can cope better under times of uncertainty, fear, and sell-offs. Narrative and Market Structure To gain further perspective on the matter from an unbiased analysis, we decided to touch upon perhaps the most widely utilized AI chatbot solution – ChatGPT. It began by acknowledging the fact that the narrative in crypto has shifted from “how high can this asset go” to “which altcoin is likely to lose less.” When it came to comparing the two altcoins in question, the AI platform outlined several categories in which either one can outshine the other. In market structure and liquidity, it noted that XRP typically benefits from deep exchange liquidity, high derivatives activity, and strong global trading presence. Although ADA also has strong liquidity, it has historically shown higher volatility during drawdowns and has been more aggressively sold by retail investors. As such, this point went for Ripple’s cross-border token, which actually took the second win as well, dubbed “narrative resilience.” ChatGPT noted that XRP’s value proposition revolves around cross-border payments, institutional rails, and regulatory positioning, while ADA’s thesis centers on smart contracts, ecosystem development, and long-term infrastructure growth. “During bear cycles, institutional and regulatory narratives often carry more defensive weight than ecosystem growth promises, especially when speculative activity declines,” it added. Community and Historical Performance The last two categories mentioned in the subheading above also had the same winner. ChatGPT said ADA has historically experienced more extreme percentage declines from cycle tops, while XRP “tends to consolidate in tighter ranges during late-stage bear phases.” In terms of community and holder behavior, ChatGPT’s answer was less obvious. It admitted that both have strong and vocal communities, but “ADA’s retail-heavy base can amplify panic selling.” In contrast, XRP’s holder base has historically shown “stronger long-term holding behavior during legal and regulatory uncertainty periods.” Consequently, OpenAI’s platform determined the following in a confirmed bear market: XRP is slightly more likely to show resilienceADA could face deeper volatility and sharper pecentage drawdowns However, it warned that if BTC continues to trend lower, neither of the aforementioned altcoins is immune to additional double-digit percentage declines. $ADA $XRP #ADA #xrp
Shiba Inu Price Crashes 87% as Futures Data Signals More Downside Ahead
Shiba Inu has crashed 87% from its March 2024 peak to $0.0000060. Futures open interest drops to $61M, burn rate falls 99%, and technical indicators point to further decline toward $0.00000050. Shiba Inu has entered a severe bear market, having fallen from $0.00004565 in March 2024 to $0.0000060. The meme coin's market capitalization has shrunk from over $41 billion to $3.7 billion.
The Ethereum-based token faces mounting pressure as multiple metrics point toward continued weakness. Futures market data reveals a dramatic shift in trader sentiment. Open interest has plummeted to $61 million from a July peak exceeding $400 million.
This decline in unfilled futures orders suggests waning institutional and retail interest. The broader cryptocurrency market experienced over $20 billion in liquidations during October. This event triggered a cascade that affected Bitcoin and alternative coins across the board. Futures Market Signals Bearish Sentiment Weighted funding rates for Shiba Inu have remained negative since February 5. These rates represent fees traders pay to maintain their positions in perpetual futures contracts. Negative funding rates indicate short sellers dominate the market. Traders holding short positions expect prices to decrease further. This dynamic creates additional downward pressure on SHIB. The persistent negative funding rate reflects a lack of bullish conviction. Long position holders have largely exited the market or reduced their exposure. Short sellers continue to profit from the declining price action. Burn Rate Collapse Compounds Price Weakness Shiba Inu's token-burning mechanism has effectively stopped functioning. The burn rate dropped over 99% on Thursday. Only 483 coins were removed from circulation in a 24-hour period. The burned tokens were valued at less than $1. This represents a negligible impact on the overall supply. The burn mechanism previously served as a deflationary tool to reduce token supply. Without significant burns, SHIB lacks a fundamental catalyst for price recovery. The collapse in burning activity reflects diminished community engagement. Fewer holders participate in voluntary burn initiatives. Shibarium, the layer-2 blockchain solution for Shiba Inu, shows similar deterioration. Total value locked has fallen to just $856,000. This metric measures assets deposited in the network's protocols.
5 Ways to Diversify Your Stock Portfolio on a ₹10,000 Budget
Starting with a small amount of money does not have to affect investment outcomes negatively. Diversifying funds across various assets helps reduce risk, especially when starting with just ₹10,000. Many beginners often focus on investing in shares of a single well-known company. However, putting all your money into a single investment increases your vulnerability. Sudden market fluctuations can significantly affect these concentrated holdings. By beginning with a mix of industries, asset types, and company sizes, investors can better protect their capital while enhancing returns over time. Although it may be common advice, spreading risk remains a fundamental strategy for managing investments, regardless of portfolio size. How Spreading Money Helps Even With Little To Invest When just one or two stocks make up a small portfolio, swings in price tend to hit harder. If a single company drops sharply, progress built over weeks might vanish overnight. Spreading investments across different areas softens the blow from any one failure. Gains in one sector may offset losses in another, depending on economic shifts. Growth becomes possible even while limiting how much damage any single event can cause. A single drop of rain doesn’t flood a field - yet small investments, thoughtfully placed, build resilience across assets. When markets stumble, balanced holdings quietly steady the hand that might otherwise rush toward panic. Spread Investments Among Different Areas Rather Than Individual Companies Built on variety, sector allocation outperforms scattered stock selection. Spreading investments across banking, IT, FMCG, and pharmaceuticals helps adjust to shifting economic phases. When credit expands, banks tend to rise. Global demand lifts performance in technology firms. Even when economic activity slows, FMCG tends to hold steady. Healthcare needs often lift pharma stocks regardless of broader trends. Because each sector reacts differently, losses in one area rarely drag down the whole mix. Spread across four industries, a ten-thousand-rupee investment might be split into smaller parts per stock. ETFs and Index Funds Offer Broad Market Exposure One way to spread investment risk quickly is through exchange-traded funds. Owning just one share of an ETF means holding a piece of many businesses at once. Instead of betting on individual stocks, investors gain access to widespread market segments. Tracking benchmarks such as the Nifty 50 helps lower vulnerability to any single company’s performance. Exposure spans leading firms across multiple sectors. Starting with less money does not block access - high liquidity opens doors for smaller participants. Because index funds track broad markets, picking single companies becomes unnecessary. Growth over time comes naturally when exposure stays consistent across equities. Even a modest sum like ₹3,000 can noticeably improve an investment mix when invested in an ETF. Mix Large Cap And Mid Cap Stocks Stability often comes from large-capitalization equities. Growth tends to be stronger in mid-sized firms. Blending these two types brings equilibrium. When markets correct, larger firms typically fare better. In rising markets, smaller players usually gain momentum more quickly. Together, they can enhance returns relative to risk taken. A chunk of the holdings goes to big-company stocks - about sixty out of every hundred dollars - while the rest lands in medium-sized firms. Safety shows up through stable giants; growth sneaks in via rising mid-tier players. Add one defensive pick and one growth pick When markets wobble, certain shares hold firm. Expansion phases tend to lift faster-growing names. Products people use daily offer a steadier footing. Firms in tech or niche materials usually chase higher gains. One steady name alongside one ambitious pick eases strain when outlooks blur. With this approach, involvement spans both stability tasks and growth efforts. Resilience emerges through such a combination, even when tactics stay straightforward. Periodic Rebalancing Maintains Stability Sector shifts happen frequently, reshaping which areas lead performance. Because of this, checking a portfolio regularly makes sense. When adjustments are made, the starting mix comes back into alignment. Gains in certain fields can push risk higher - rebalancing reduces that buildup. At the same time, overlooked areas gain more space in the holdings. Every few months, checking progress helps keep things on track. Because adjustments are made regularly, results remain steady over time, even when no extra money is added. Conclusion A single large account isn’t required to spread risk across assets. What matters most is consistent decision-making when assigning funds. Spreading holdings across industries, using exchange-traded funds, balancing company sizes, then adjusting regularly, turns even modest sums - like ten thousand rupees - into something resilient. Volatility eases over time. Gains become more predictable. The mental load of watching markets shrinks noticeably. With thoughtful separation of investments, those starting small still lay solid groundwork to grow steadily over the years.
Vanar is working with Google to innovate in green technology use across its entire chain infrastructure: -Consensus mechanism optimized for energy efficiency -Nodes powered by Google's renewable energy data centers -High speed under the sea network -Carbon footprint tracking and offsets -100% recycled energy
VanarChain Is Eco-Friendly : Using Blockchain for Climate Action
Explore how blockchain carbon credits are transforming climate action through transparency and accountability. Learn about tokenized climate solutions, carbon offset blockchain projects, and the future of green blockchain initiatives. In the fight against climate change, carbon credits have emerged as a pivotal tool, enabling organizations to offset their greenhouse gas emissions by investing in environmental projects. However, traditional carbon markets often grapple with challenges like a lack of transparency, double-counting, and inefficiencies. Enter blockchain technology, a transformative force poised to revolutionize the carbon credit landscape through tokenization. Tokenized carbon credits offer a smarter, more transparent solution that aligns with the growing demand for responsible climate action. What Are Blockchain Carbon Credits and How Do They Work? Blockchain carbon credits are digital representations of carbon offsets recorded on a blockchain ledger. Each token signifies a quantifiable amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions reduced or removed from the atmosphere. By leveraging blockchain's inherent features such as transparency, immutability, and decentralization, these tokenized credits aim to address the shortcomings of traditional carbon markets. The concept of carbon credits on blockchain combines environmental responsibility with cutting-edge technology, making carbon trading more intelligent and transparent. Benefits of Tokenized Carbon Credits and Blockchain for Climate Action
1. Enhanced Transparency and Traceability Blockchain's immutable ledger ensures that every transaction, from issuance to retirement of a carbon credit, is recorded and verifiable. This transparency mitigates risks of fraud and double-counting, fostering greater trust among stakeholders. This is one of the strongest cases for carbon credit tokenization, as every token becomes a verifiable, traceable asset. 2. Improved Market Accessibility Tokenization democratizes access to carbon markets. By allowing fractional ownership, smaller investors and organizations can participate in carbon trading, broadening the market's reach and liquidity. The future of carbon markets blockchain lies in this inclusivity, unlocking opportunities for global participation. 3. Streamlined Processes through Smart Contracts Smart contracts automate the issuance, trading, and retirement of carbon credits, reducing administrative overhead and expediting transactions. This automation enhances efficiency and reduces costs associated with manual processes. With smart contract integration, the process of managing tokenized carbon credits becomes smoother and efficient. Real-World Examples of Blockchain in Climate Action KlimaDAO KlimaDAO uses blockchain to make carbon markets more transparent and accessible. By backing its KLIMA token with tokenized carbon credits, it allows users to buy and retire emissions on-chain. So far, KlimaDAO has helped tokenize over 25 million tonnes of CO₂ and enabled verifiable climate action through DeFi tools. Toucan Protocol Toucan Protocol helped bring carbon credits on-chain by tokenizing verified offsets like BCT (Base Carbon Tonne). It laid the groundwork for on-chain carbon markets and continues to evolve with stricter standards and registry partnerships, showing blockchain’s potential in climate finance. Net Zero Company This Swedish startup issues carbon removal tokens, each representing one tonne of sequestered CO₂, with full traceability ensured through blockchain technology. The initiative aims to enhance the transparency and credibility of carbon offsetting efforts. ClimateTrade Founded by Francisco Benedito, ClimateTrade offers a blockchain-based marketplace for purchasing carbon credits. By connecting buyers directly with verified environmental projects, the platform ensures transparency and efficiency in carbon offsetting. These platforms are at the forefront of utilizing blockchain for climate action, demonstrating the potential for scalable and transparent environmental solutions. Challenges and Considerations in Blockchain Carbon Markets
While the integration of blockchain into carbon markets holds immense promise, it is not without challenges: Regulatory Uncertainty: The evolving nature of both blockchain technology and carbon markets means regulatory frameworks are still catching up, potentially hindering widespread adoption.Technological Barriers: Implementing blockchain solutions requires technical expertise and infrastructure, which might be lacking in certain regions or organizations.Market Acceptance: Traditional stakeholders may be hesitant to transition to blockchain-based systems due to unfamiliarity or skepticism. Despite these hurdles, the drive toward blockchain carbon credits continues to gain traction globally. What’s Next for Blockchain in Carbon Markets? The fusion of blockchain technology with carbon credit systems offers a compelling pathway toward more transparent, efficient, and inclusive climate action mechanisms. By addressing existing market inefficiencies and driving greater trust among participants, tokenized carbon credits can play a pivotal role in global sustainability efforts. The adoption of carbon credits on blockchain not only promotes trust but also drives innovation in the environmental sector. As the world intensifies its focus on combating climate change, embracing innovative solutions like blockchain carbon credits will be crucial in achieving environmental goals and promoting a more sustainable future. @Vanarchain #vanar $VANRY
Many Fogo applications integrate Fogo Sessions to provide users with a gasless, no-approve UX. Fogo Sessions is a chain primitive that combines account abstraction with paymasters, enabling users to interact with your application without signing individual transactions or paying gas fees.
The Fogo protocol introduces the following architectural innovations that work together to deliver significantly enhanced throughput and latency. Solana Foundation Fogo builds upon Solana's proven blockchain architecture, inheriting its key technical components: Proof of History (PoH): Provides cryptographic timestamping for global clock synchronization across the networkTower BFT: The consensus mechanism that enables fast finality and fork choiceTurbine: Block propagation protocol that efficiently distributes blocks across the networkSolana Virtual Machine (SVM): The execution environment that processes transactions and smart contractsLeader Rotation: Deterministic scheduling system that rotates block production responsibilities Compatibility Strategy Fogo maintains full compatibility at the SVM execution layer, ensuring that existing Solana programs, tooling, and infrastructure can migrate seamlessly without modification. The protocol preserves all core networking and consensus components while optimizing their implementation for maximum performance. This compatibility strategy allows Fogo to benefit from continuous upstream improvements in the Solana ecosystem while providing a clear migration path for developers and users. Unified Client Implementation Traditional blockchain networks suffer from client diversity bottlenecks, where network performance is constrained by the slowest client implementation. While client diversity provides theoretical security benefits, it creates practical performance limitations as networks must maintain compatibility across different client speeds and optimization levels. Fogo solves this bottleneck by adopting a single canonical client based on Firedancer, Jump Crypto's high-performance Solana-compatible implementation. Firedancer achieves substantially higher transaction processing throughput through: Optimized parallel processing architecturesAdvanced memory management techniquesSIMD instruction utilizationComplete C networking stack rewrite The network will initially deploy using Frankendancer (a hybrid implementation) before transitioning to the full Firedancer client as development completes. Performance Impact By standardizing on the highest-performance client, Fogo eliminates the compatibility overhead that limits other networks. The protocol creates natural economic incentives for validators to adopt optimal client implementations, as running slower clients results in missed blocks and reduced revenue in Fogo's high-performance environment. Multi-Local Consensus Zone-Based Architecture Fogo implements a novel multi-local consensus system where validators operate in close physical proximity to optimize performance while preserving decentralization benefits. Zones represent geographical areas where validators co-locate to achieve optimal consensus performance. Ideally, zones are single data centers where network latency between validators approaches hardware limits, enabling ultra-low latency consensus with block times under 100ms. Dynamic Zone Rotation The network maintains decentralization through zone rotation across epochs. This rotation provides: Jurisdictional Decentralization: Prevents capture by any single government or regulatory authorityInfrastructure Resilience: Protects against regional failures, natural disasters, or infrastructure outagesStrategic Optimization: Allows positioning near sources of price-sensitive financial information Zone selection occurs through on-chain voting mechanisms, with validators achieving supermajority consensus on future epoch locations. This advance coordination ensures validators have adequate time to establish secure infrastructure in selected zones. Curated Validator Set Fogo utilizes a curated validator set to ensure consistent high performance and prevent network degradation from under-provisioned nodes. Validators must meet dual requirements: Minimum stake thresholds maintaining economic securityValidator set approval ensuring operational capabilities This model recognizes that even small fractions of poorly performing validators can prevent networks from reaching physical performance limits. Network Quality Control The curated validator set enables social layer enforcement of behaviors that benefit network health but may be difficult to encode in protocol rules: MEV abuse prevention: Ejection of validators engaging in harmful extraction practicesPerformance standard maintenance: Removal of persistently underperforming nodesNetwork stability: Prevention of behaviors that destabilize consensus or block propagation This governance mechanism aligns validator incentives with long-term network health while maintaining decentralization properties comparable to traditional proof-of-stake networks, where two-thirds of stake already holds significant protocol influence. #fogo @Fogo Official $FOGO
Pi Network News: Major Infrastructure Upgrade Enters Final Phase
Pi Network is entering a decisive technical phase in February 2026, combining mandatory infrastructure upgrades with ecosystem expansion and regulatory positioning. Key Takeaways Mandatory node upgrade to v19.6 must be completed by February 15, 2026.Over 16 million users have migrated to Mainnet after recent KYC unlocks.Palm-print authentication and validator rewards are moving toward deployment.Kraken has added PI to its 2026 listing roadmap for technical review. With a critical Mainnet node deadline approaching and over 16 million users already migrated, the project is shifting focus toward stability, compliance, and real-world integration. The most immediate development is a required software upgrade for all Mainnet node operators. The move signals the start of a broader protocol rollout that will continue through the second quarter of 2026. Technical And Infrastructure Upgrades All Mainnet nodes must upgrade to version 19.6 by February 15, 2026, or risk being disconnected from the network. This marks the first stage of a multi-step update cycle targeting version 23.0 by Q2 2026. The upgrade is designed to improve performance, security, and long-term scalability.
A new Linux-based node version has also been released, standardizing infrastructure and laying the groundwork for deeper third-party developer integration. In parallel, the January 2026 launch of a new Developer SDK allows apps to integrate Pi payments in under 10 minutes, with settlement times also targeting sub-10-minute confirmation windows. KYC Progress And Migration Milestones Pi Network has made progress in clearing long-standing compliance bottlenecks. A major early-2026 technical patch unblocked roughly 2.5 million users previously stuck in KYC-related edge cases, allowing them to proceed with Mainnet migration. The network is also beta testing palm-print authentication as an advanced liveness mechanism for KYC, account recovery, and two-factor authentication. Validator reward distribution for KYC contributors is now in final testing, with deployment scheduled by March 31, 2026. As of this month, more than 16 million users have successfully migrated to Mainnet. Ecosystem Expansion And 2026 Roadmap Following the Open Network launch in February 2025, Pi is now transitioning into what it calls Open Mainnet Phase III. The focus shifts toward ecosystem growth, deeper integration, and real-world use cases. First-quarter priorities include expanding the Supernode program, introducing Pi DeFi and PiDAO governance initiatives, and establishing university innovation hubs. On the regulatory front, the network filed its MiCA whitepaper in late 2025, a key step toward potential listing on regulated European exchanges. Market And Exchange Developments On the exchange side, Kraken has added Pi Network to its 2026 asset listing roadmap for technical review, though no confirmed spot listing has been announced. Circulating supply currently stands at approximately 9.7 billion PI out of a maximum 100 billion cap. Around 134 million tokens were unlocked in January 2026, increasing short-term supply dynamics. Technical Outlook And Price Action At the time of writing, PI is trading at $0.1462. Over the past hour, the token has slipped by 0.23%, while posting a stronger 7.53% gain on the 24-hour timeframe. On a weekly basis, price action remains relatively flat with a modest 0.23% increase over the past seven days. Pi Network’s market capitalization currently stands at approximately $1.31 billion, reflecting renewed short-term momentum as the network moves through its latest upgrade phase.
On the technical side, the 1-hour chart shows bullish momentum building. The MACD remains in positive territory, with the signal line above the baseline and expanding histogram bars. The RSI is near 66, approaching overbought territory but still below the 70 threshold, suggesting strong short-term momentum without confirmed exhaustion. A sustained move above the recent spike toward the $0.15 region could open the door for further upside, while failure to hold above the $0.14 zone may trigger consolidation. Pi Network’s 2026 trajectory now hinges on successful technical execution, regulatory alignment, and sustained ecosystem growth as it advances deeper into its Open Mainnet expansion phase. #pi #PiNetwork $XRP $DOGE
XRP could surge 100% on BlackRock ETF filing, according to analyst
XRP is trading at $1.36, but one crypto analyst believes the token could rally to nearly $2.72 if asset management giant BlackRock files for an XRP exchange-traded fund. As institutional capital begins rotating beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum, XRP is increasingly being discussed as a potential next beneficiary. Institutional capital rotation gaining attention Crypto market commentator Zach Rector, who has tracked digital asset cycles for several years, says the current environment looks materially different from previous cycles. “We would have never seen this headline in the past seven years that I’ve been in crypto,” Rector said, referring to growing diversification in institutional allocations. Recent fund flow data shows selective outflows from some Bitcoin and Ethereum investment products, while alternative crypto vehicles, including XRP-linked instruments, have started attracting fresh capital. Analysts view this as early evidence that institutions may be broadening exposure beyond the two largest cryptocurrencies. Why a BlackRock ETF could matter According to Rector, a formal ETF filing from BlackRock would represent a structural shift in how institutions access XRP exposure. “And we’ll see XRP double when that happens,” he stated. At its current price of $1.36, a doubling would imply a move toward approximately $2.72. Such a level would represent a major breakout compared to recent trading ranges. An ETF backed by BlackRock could expand institutional access, improve liquidity, and strengthen XRP’s positioning within traditional portfolios. Major ETF developments have historically acted as strong catalysts in crypto markets, particularly when tied to globally recognized asset managers. Volatility may continue in the near term Despite the optimistic projection, Rector cautioned that short-term pullbacks remain possible as the broader crypto market works toward stabilization. However, he emphasized that longer-term positioning appears increasingly focused on accumulation ahead of potential institutional catalysts. Regulatory clarity, new product launches, and sustained capital rotation into alternative digital assets could ultimately determine whether XRP becomes a primary beneficiary of the next allocation cycle. $XRP #xrpetf
Yesterday, it was reported that Russia is considering moving back to the US dollar as part of a wide-ranging economic partnership with President Trump.
In the past 3–4 years, Russia has strongly advocated reducing reliance on the USD, fueling the major "de-dollarization trade" narrative.
Several other countries have followed suit, reducing exposure to dollar assets — a key reason for the DXY's decline.
The massive rally in gold and silver has also been driven by this trend, as countries dump Treasuries and buy precious metals.
But now this trade may be over.
Russia is now planning to shift toward a dollar-based settlement system, which would boost USD demand.
A stronger USD has historically been bearish for assets, so metals, equities, and crypto will suffer.
Metals will be hit hardest, as a strong USD undermines the debasement trade narrative.
For equities and crypto, it will be bearish but likely not for long.
With more energy supply entering markets after a Russia–US partnership, inflation will drop and the Fed will become less hawkish.
This reduces the odds of monetary easing, but at least removes Fed uncertainty.
Remember, BTC rose in 2023 despite Fed rate hikes and QT.
Risk-on assets love certainty — if this deal is finalized, it will be mid- to long-term bullish for stocks and crypto.
Gold and silver, however, could enter a multi-year downtrend.