ChainCatcher news, according to reports, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission has granted another license for a virtual asset trading platform, with the virtual asset trading platform Bullish being approved, increasing the number of licensed virtual asset trading platforms in Hong Kong to 10.Bullish's Senior Vice President and Global Head of Sales, Liu Dehao, stated in a recent interview that Hong Kong is an important business hub, currently employing over 100 staff in the region, and aims to focus on institutional business after obtaining the license. Bullish had previously acquired the comprehensive media, events, and index platform CoinDesk.Currently, there are 8 platforms on the list of applicants for virtual asset trading platform licenses. The Executive Director of the SFC's Intermediaries Division, Ye Zhiheng, recently mentioned that the market's understanding of the SFC's licensing standards is becoming clearer, and new licenses will be issued, but whether all applicants will receive a license depends on their compliance with the requirements.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, CoinGlass data shows that as of 10:35 AM UTC on February 16, over 70% of ETH options open contracts are call contracts.Nansen research analyst Nicolai Sondergaard stated that the bullish positions indicate that investors hold a cautiously optimistic view on the mid-term appreciation of ETH. However, although ETH has not shown a significant recovery in the current cycle, the price is still about 44% lower than the historical high of over $4,890 set three years ago (November 2021).

ChainCatcher news, according to The Block, Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan stated in a report to clients on Wednesday that there is an interesting dichotomy between institutional and retail investors in the cryptocurrency space. On one hand, institutional investors have the most optimistic sentiment towards cryptocurrencies in history, while retail investors are sinking into despair. Investment professionals now view cryptocurrencies as a field where institutional capital is being allocated through ETFs at record amounts, and Washington has transformed from being one of the "biggest threats" to the industry to being one of the biggest supporters under the Trump administration, with nation-states potentially adopting the industry further.However, for retail investors, "it's almost like living in another reality," as Bitwise's own on-chain sentiment score shows one of the lowest readings ever. This index aligns with other sentiment indicators and the overall atmosphere of "crypto Twitter," where retail investors feel disheartened as their investments in altcoins have underperformed compared to Bitcoin, with only a few exceptions.Matt Hougan expressed his strong belief that institutions are correct, noting that so far this year, ETFs and corporations have purchased over 100,000 BTC, while the amount of BTC mined is 18,000. Moreover, in the long term, the allocation to altcoins is "stronger than at any time in history," but the situation for altcoins is more complex. As the regulatory agenda becomes clearer, the U.S. prioritizes stablecoins as a "national priority," and institutional confidence continues to grow, the crypto industry is bound to push DeFi applications to the mainstream, with impacts that are undeniable and unstoppable.

ChainCatcher news, Matrixport stated that amid the current inflation uncertainty, the market demand for safe-haven assets like gold and Bitcoin remains strong. If the market expects the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates unchanged and liquidity to tighten, gold theoretically should not rise, but the reality shows that even with controllable inflation, safe-haven demand continues to drive gold higher.Although Bitcoin has recently consolidated, this trend may provide support for it. Matrixport noted that when gold first broke through $2,000 per ounce, it issued a bullish report, and since then, the gold price has risen over 50%. Despite the overall inflation rate in the U.S. rising to 2.9%, Truflation data indicates that the actual inflation level is closer to 2.0%. If the trend of declining inflation continues, the outlook for gold and Bitcoin remains bullish.

ChainCatcher news, according to Coindesk, driven by concerns over the trade war and central bank purchases, Citi and UBS have raised their gold price forecasts, expecting the gold bull market to continue. Citi has raised its short-term target price to $3,000 per ounce and increased its annual average price expectation from $2,800 to $2,900; UBS has also raised its 12-month target price to $3,000.Currently, gold has risen to $2,860, with an annual increase of about 9%. Meanwhile, benefiting from the rise in gold prices, gold-backed tokens such as PAXG and XAUT have outperformed the cryptocurrency market, and it is expected that if gold prices continue to climb, these assets will benefit further.

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, the current price trend of Ethereum (ETH) is similar to when it bottomed out last August, suggesting that a new round of increases may be on the horizon. Data shows that ETH has fallen 32% to $2,770 since mid-December 2024, significantly lagging behind Bitcoin's performance.Jake Ostrovskis, an over-the-counter trader at cryptocurrency market maker Wintermute, stated that despite market volatility over the weekend causing some funds to be liquidated, the demand for ETH in the over-the-counter market remains strong. Data indicates that net inflows into U.S. spot ETH ETFs reached $420 million this week, accounting for approximately 13% of the total inflows of $3.18 billion since their launch.In the options market, Deribit exchange has seen large bullish options trades, including a combination of call options with a strike price of $3,500 and a strike price of $5,000, expiring on December 26, 2025, indicating that investors are optimistic about ETH breaking through $5,000 by the end of the year.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, the net outflow of ETH from cryptocurrency derivatives exchanges has reached 300,000 coins (approximately $817.2 million), the highest level since August 2023.Analysts believe this is a bullish signal, as withdrawing ETH from derivatives exchanges means reduced selling pressure, closing of leveraged positions, and possibly shifting to cold storage. The current trading price of ETH is $2,724.

ChainCatcher news, according to bitcoinist, CryptoQuant indicators show that the Bitcoin funding rate has turned negative seven times in the past year. Historically, the previous six instances of negative funding rates have indicated a strong bullish momentum for BTC. This indicator reflects the cost of holding leveraged positions in perpetual futures contracts, suggesting that traders have become overly bearish, which also marks a local bottom, often a precursor to a significant rebound.If history repeats itself, the market may soon turn bullish. Currently, traders are closely monitoring liquidity levels below $98,000, with $100,000 seen as strong support for the first step in driving price discovery. A breakthrough at this level could trigger increased buying pressure, and to fully restore bullish momentum and change market sentiment, BTC needs to reclaim the $103,600 threshold.

ChainCatcher news, Bullish Global, a cryptocurrency trading platform under Block.one, is considering an initial public offering (IPO). Sources say the company could launch the IPO as early as this year. Bullish Global has received investments from top Silicon Valley investor and billionaire Peter Thiel.According to Bullish Global's official website, the company provides financial services for the digital asset industry and operates a cryptocurrency trading platform. The company acquired the crypto media platform CoinDesk in November 2023, which was previously owned by Digital Currency Group.Bullish Global and Block.one have not yet responded to requests for comment.

ChainCatcher news, QCP Capital posted on the official TG channel stating that the crypto market is still experiencing rollercoaster-like volatility. With news that the U.S. will delay tariffs on Mexico and Canada by a month, suggesting possible trade mediation, BTC briefly rebounded to $100,000. However, as China retaliated with new tariffs, the BTC price fell back to $98,000, and this relief was short-lived.Additionally, China has launched an antitrust investigation against Google, indicating that China is prepared to escalate tensions by targeting major U.S. tech companies. Any resulting sanctions or restrictions could pressure earnings and pose significant risks to risk assets.As BTC climbed to $100,000 last night, the market also reacted to Trump's directive for officials to create an executive order for a U.S. sovereign wealth fund. While some see this as a potential new source of demand for Bitcoin, the details remain unclear—especially regarding how it will be funded. Currently, trade uncertainty continues to loom over the outlook, and as of March, the options market is maintaining a balance between put options and call options.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, cryptocurrency analysts indicate that short-term Bitcoin holders are increasing their purchases during price rallies, while long-term holders continue to accumulate regardless, setting a "bullish tone" for this year.IT Tech states that short-term Bitcoin holders (those who have held Bitcoin for less than 155 days) seem more confident in buying during market uptrends, which makes him more optimistic about Bitcoin's price over the next 12 months. When Bitcoin prices rise, short-term holders flood into the market, indicating that they are "entering the market out of fear of missing out." "The speculative behavior of short-term holders lays a bullish foundation for 2025."Meanwhile, occasional sell-offs by long-term holders should not be a cause for concern, as they can "create healthy pullbacks and provide opportunities for new accumulation." According to another analysis by CryptoQuant writer "Crazzyblockk" on January 24, long-term holders "have largely avoided massive sell-offs, and despite current market volatility, they continue to strengthen a strong HODLing sentiment."

ChainCatcher message, Cryptoquant founder and CEO Ki Young Ju posted on X that the previously released data contained errors, emphasizing that the Bitcoin market remains bullish.

ChainCatcher news, Coindesk analyst James Van Straten stated that Glassnode data shows the hash price indicator has reached 62 PH/s, which is historically a bullish signal.It is reported that the hash price is a metric created by Luxor to measure mining profitability. For most of 2024, mining revenue has been below the 365-day moving average (SMA). It is not until November that it returns to this moving average.Bitwise's Head of Research in Europe, Andre Dragosch, also mentioned that miners are in a healthier state compared to last year. He noted that the Bitcoin network hash rate has decreased since its historical peak in early January. Meanwhile, Bitcoin's price has risen, and overall trading volume has rebounded. This has led to a recovery in the hash price, which technically should encourage miners to continue increasing their hash rate. Overall, considering the continuous increase in Bitcoin miners' holdings since the beginning of this year, it seems that Bitcoin miners have sufficient capital, meaning that the amount of Bitcoin miners sell daily is less than the amount they mine.

ChainCatcher news, CryptoQuant founder and CEO Ki Young Ju posted on X that Bitcoin may experience a pullback or consolidate for months.He stated that it is still uncertain whether the bull market cycle has ended, as other on-chain indicators remain bullish. Ki Young Ju specifically cautioned leveraged traders to remain cautious.

ChainCatcher news, Matrixport released today's chart report indicating that recently, the funding rate for perpetual contracts has significantly declined, contrasting sharply with the high levels seen in November last year (when the funding rate was at an excessively high level). Historically, such high levels often indicate a short-term market peak, after which the market requires time for correction. Typically, this correction phase is accompanied by a decline in funding rates and the liquidation of high-leverage long positions.The current situation is no different. As of mid-January, the funding rate has dropped to single-digit levels, which is usually associated with the continuation of a bull market. Recently, the funding rate has risen again to double-digit levels, signaling a resurgence in speculative activity. This upward trend is a positive sign, reflecting that traders' confidence has improved and they are willing to pay higher funding rates to increase leverage, potentially driving the next phase of the bull market.

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, DePIN startup Wingbits has completed a $5.6 million funding round, led by Borderless Capital and Bullish Capital, bringing Wingbits' total funding to $9.2 million.Wingbits is a decentralized physical infrastructure (DePIN) startup focused on the aviation industry, aiming to provide reward-based flight tracking services using crypto-secured Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) receivers.

ChainCatcher news, Three Arrows Capital co-founder Zhu Su posted on social platform X, stating that Trump is bullish in the short and medium term, but in the long run "we are all doomed."

ChainCatcher news, Matrixport indicates that according to the Bollinger Bands measurements, the lower band of Bitcoin is gradually expanding, showing an increased risk of decline, but after a reversal, it may provide a favorable risk/reward entry point for bulls. Currently, the greed and fear index is close to the critical 10% level, and the 30-day rolling return rate is close to 10%. These indicators typically suggest that the downtrend may slow or reverse.Although Bitcoin remains above the 21-week moving average and is technically in a bull market, the momentum has turned bearish. The minting and trading volume of stablecoins has significantly decreased, DeFi activity has reduced, Bitcoin's dominance has risen, and funds have flowed back from altcoins to Bitcoin, leading to a weakening of market speculative sentiment.Historical data shows that when Bitcoin rises over 40% within 30 days, it usually peaks or enters a consolidation phase. Currently, the trend model remains bearish, but it will turn bullish if it breaks above $103,000. As the consolidation period extends, the trigger point for bullish signals decreases, increasing the likelihood of a reversal.Bitcoin is currently attempting to maintain the $90,000 level, primarily driven by the flow of funds back from altcoins rather than new capital inflows. The market trend is momentum-driven, and traders need to manage risks cautiously while seeking opportunities amid volatility. Despite the overall market momentum being weak, Bitcoin has shown some resilience due to its relative safety.