Finder makes money from featured partners, but editorial opinions are our own.

Cryptocurrency prices start to stabilise, but recovery is elusive

Posted:
News

shutterstock cryptocurrency bitcoin markets 738x410

An apparent turnaround on the weekend stanched the bleeding, but complete recovery remains out of sight.

After an extended readjustment, or bloodbath if you will, the cryptocurrency downturn seemed to turn around over the weekend of 4-5 February. But Monday's prices might have quickly dashed any hopes of a sudden bull run, with a new drop erasing most of the weekend’s gains. At the time of writing, it's back to double digit red across the board, according to CoinMarketCap.

In usual cryptocurrency form, all of the top 20 coins by market cap also showed nearly identical price patterns. It's not possible to ascribe this familiar pattern to any one factor, but many commenters online attribute it to bitcoin's price swings.

Although ETH is increasingly widely used as a trading pair, bitcoin is still the market's digital gold and a drop in bitcoin prices can affect purchasing power across the board, especially on the major crypto-only exchanges. This means a drop in bitcoin prices may be having an outsized effect on the average coin prices according to CoinMarketCap and other exchange price aggregators.

Speculators tend to have mixed opinions over whether bitcoin's price alone is really driving the entire cryptocurrency market and whether that's a good or a bad thing if it is.



If bitcoin really is underpinning the market, then the market on the whole might still be more bullish than the continuing sea of red would suggest. The majority of institutional traders, and possible bitcoin whales as well, appear to be betting on a bitcoin price recovery.

But so far there’s nothing but sheer speculation. At the time of writing, the apparent weekend upswing has petered out, and stronger signs of recovery remain elusive. It's possible that the days of extended bull runs and 500% per month price growth on large market cap coins are over, and that the current state of the market is the new normal. Or possibly not.

Disclaimer: This information should not be interpreted as an endorsement of cryptocurrency or any specific provider, service or offering. It is not a recommendation to trade. Cryptocurrencies are speculative, complex and involve significant risks – they are highly volatile and sensitive to secondary activity. Performance is unpredictable and past performance is no guarantee of future performance. Consider your own circumstances, and obtain your own advice, before relying on this information. You should also verify the nature of any product or service (including its legal status and relevant regulatory requirements) and consult the relevant Regulators' websites before making any decision. Finder, or the author, may have holdings in the cryptocurrencies discussed.

Latest cryptocurrency news

Picture: Shutterstock

Get started with crypto

Ask an Expert

You are about to post a question on finder.com.au:

  • Do not enter personal information (eg. surname, phone number, bank details) as your question will be made public
  • finder.com.au is a financial comparison and information service, not a bank or product provider
  • We cannot provide you with personal advice or recommendations
  • Your answer might already be waiting – check previous questions below to see if yours has already been asked

Finder only provides general advice and factual information, so consider your own circumstances, or seek advice before you decide to act on our content. By submitting a question, you're accepting our Terms of Use, Disclaimer & Privacy Policy and 6. Finder Group Privacy & Cookies Policy.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Go to site