economic sanctions on Iran<\/a> and Turkey, as well as hyperinflation in Zimbabwe and Venezuela are some factors that are prompting investors to speculate on bitcoin, a non-sovereign asset.<\/p>\nOn the other hand, mainstream financial firms are building services to cater to growing bitcoin trading clientele. Fidelity Investments and TD Ameritrade, for instance, are launching bitcoin trading solutions on their platforms. Swissquote, Switzerland\u2019s most prominent stockbroker, has also introduced a similar service just recently. Bakkt, a digital asset platform launched by the Intercontinental Exchange, has recently tested the world’s first physically-settled bitcoin futures contracts.<\/p>\n
Investors look at bitcoin over other cryptocurrencies because of its real-world potential. Atop that, they are bullish because of its scarcity \u2013 bitcoin’s supply will be cut to half next May \u2013 which would make it a rare asset to hold in the future.<\/p>\n
https:\/\/twitter.com\/Josh_Rager\/status\/21779200<\/p>\n
Price Reflecting Interest<\/h2>\n
Bitcoin’s 70 percent dominance in the cryptocurrency market also comes in the wake of its strong bullish bias. The asset in the last seven days has\u00a0surged by more than 30 percent \u2013 from $9,371 to as high as $12,320. The surge, in turn, followed Donald Trump’s threat<\/a> to impose 10 percent tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese imports. In retaliation, the People’s Bank of China intentionally reduced the price of Chinese Yuan to less than seven dollars\u00a0a unit, its lowest in the last eleven years.<\/p>\nHistory shows a close inverse relationship between yuan and bitcoin. Earlier in May, bitcoin surged by as much as 58 percent while yuan dropped by 2.5 percent. Analysts believe investors in China, who remain under tighter capital controls, hedged into bitcoin as safe-haven.<\/p>\n