News
The “Hamster” cryptocurrency craze has taken over Iran. It highlights the economic malaise ahead of the presidential elections
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Taxi drivers and motorcyclists tap furiously on their cell phones as they wait at red lights in the Iranian capital during an early June heat wave. Some pedestrians in Tehran are doing the same. Everyone believes they could get rich.
The object of their rapt attention? The “Hamster Kombat” app.
Aside from the broader cryptocurrency craze, the app’s rise in Iran highlights a harder truth the Islamic Republic faces ahead of Friday’s presidential election that will replace a belated one. President Ebrahim Raisi, died in a helicopter crash in May: an economy hampered by Western sanctions, persistently high inflation and a lack of jobs.
Also as presidential candidates make promises about restore the country’s economyIranians, who were heard about bitcoin for yearsthey are now piling into this app in the pure hope that one day it will bear fruit, without knowing much about who is behind it.
“It’s a sign of desperation, honestly,” said Amir Rashidi, director of digital rights and security at Miaan Group and an expert on Iran. It’s about “trying to hold on to anything you have a little hope that might one day turn into something precious.”
Those able to divest from holdings in Iran’s beleaguered currency, the rial, have been buying propertyart, vehiclesprecious metals and other tangible assets following the collapse of Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
At the time of the agreement, the exchange rate was 32,000 rials for 1 dollar. Today it approaches 580,000 rials to the dollar – and many have found that the value of their bank accounts, pension funds and other holdings has been weakened by years of rapid depreciation.
Meanwhile, prices of fruit and vegetables have increased by 50% compared to last year, while the price of meat has increased by 70%. The cost of a shared taxi ride, common in the Iranian capital, has almost doubled. Rides on Tehran’s subway, still the cheapest option for the city’s commuters, also increased by about 30%.
“Since morning I have had three visitors in my shop, none of them bought anything,” said Mohammad Reza Tabrizi, who runs a clothing store in central Tehran. “Most customers prefer to buy from street vendors or used items in other places.”
In underground passages and other areas of the city, street vendors sell almost anything they can get their hands on. It is this desperate environment that has seen increased public interest in cryptocurrencies and mobile games that offer coins.
The proliferation of smartphones across Iran, as well as the relatively low cost of mobile service compared to other nations, make access to apps like “Hamster Kombat” attractive.
The story continues
The app is accessed via the Telegram messaging app, which remains popular in Iran despite authorities’ efforts to block access. It works like an incremental or “clicker” game: users repeatedly click on an object or complete repetitive tasks to earn points.
In “Hamster Kombat,” users believe they can access a supposed cryptocurrency associated with the game that has not yet been publicly traded.
In an email, people describing themselves as the game’s developers declined to answer questions about their identities or business plans, but insisted that they were “not offering any cryptocurrency in the game.”
“We are educating our audience about cryptocurrencies through game mechanics,” the email states.
However, the game resembles another app that once offered cryptocurrency to Iranians – and it seems that just the promise of what could be free money could drive some Iranians to distraction.
Online jokes show a man touching a tombstone as if it were a cell phone. Another uses a massage gun to quickly poke an on-screen hamster.
But the public’s interest in the game has also attracted the attention of the authorities.
Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, deputy head of Iran’s military, described the app as part of the West’s “soft war” against Iran’s theocracy ahead of the election.
“One of the characteristics of the enemy’s soft war is the game of ‘Hamster,’” Sayyari said, according to state news agency IRNA. He theorized that the “enemy” is popularizing the game so that people will be distracted. and not “pay attention to the plans of presidential candidates.”
“Then (the people) fail to choose the best candidates,” Sayyari said. Hardline experts in Iran have expressed similar views.
The JameJam newspaper, published by Iranian state television, also warns that the ever-increasing interest in the game is a sign of “the dream of becoming rich overnight and accumulating wealth effortlessly.” Players are said to range from “builders, mechanics and refrigerator repairmen to colleagues and classmates at university”.
“A society that instead of working and trying to succeed and earn money relies on these games and looks for shortcuts and windfalls, gradually loses the culture of effort and entrepreneurship and shifts towards convenience,” the newspaper said, without recognizing that the country’s economic problems were potentially driving interest in the app.
The app has even caught the attention of a 97-year-old Shia religious scholar, Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, known for his fatwas declaring things “haram” or “forbidden” from his office in the holy city of Qomthe Iranian center of Shia learning, full of religious schools and venerated shrines.
Calling the cryptocurrency “the source of a lot of abuse,” Shirazi said people should not use the “Hamster Kombat” app or similar ones involving bitcoin.
Iran is not alone in having concerns about the game.
Authority within Ukraine, engaged in a devastating war with Iran-armed Russia since Moscow’s 2022 invasion, warned that user data remains stored in Russia and could potentially put it at risk.
Then there is the broader risk of exposure to malware as consumers in Iran often cannot legally purchase new software or even access legitimate app stores. They also address the risk of state-sponsored hackers targeting them for their political opinions.
Meanwhile, as Iran’s election campaign continues, presidential candidates are using Instagram, X and Telegram, all services previously banned by the theocracy after a series of nationwide protests.
“As long as you are able to pay the price, everything is available,” said Rashidi, the Iran expert.
___
Karimi reported from Tehran, Iran.
News
Block Investors Need More to Assess Crypto Unit’s Earnings Potential, Analysts Say — TradingView News
Block, a payments technology company led by Jack Dorsey square could become a formidable player in the cryptocurrency mining industry, but Wall Street will need details on profit margins to gauge the positive impact of the business on earnings, analysts said.
Block signed its first large-scale cryptocurrency mining hardware pact on Wednesday, agreeing to supply its chips to bitcoin miner Core Scientific CORZbut no financial details were disclosed.
JP Morgan estimates the deal could net Block between $225 million and $300 million, but said more information will be needed to assess the hardware business’s long-term earnings potential.
“We still have a lot to learn in terms of the margins of this business, so we are hesitant to underwrite this transaction until we know more about the cadence and economics,” J.P. Morgan said.
The deal marks a major step for the payments company, which started out as “Square” in 2009 before rebranding in 2021 in a nod to its focus on crypto and blockchain technologies.
Dorsey, who co-founded and ran Twitter (now known as “X”), has long been bullish on Bitcoin. Block began investing 10% of its monthly gross profit from Bitcoin products into Bitcoin in April.
In the first quarter, nearly 9% of the company’s cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities consisted of bitcoin.
“This development (the deal with Core Scientific) is further evidence of Block’s role as an emerging leader in the crypto hardware ecosystem,” Macquarie analysts Paul Golding and Emma Liang wrote in a note.
Analysts say similar deals to follow could further validate Block’s reputation in the industry.
But J.P. Morgan said the stock’s performance will be determined by Block’s other segments, such as Square and Cash App.
Block shares have lost nearly 17% this year.
News
This Thursday’s US Consumer Price Index could be a game-changer for cryptocurrencies!
3:30 PM ▪ 4 minute read ▪ by Luc Jose A.
This Thursday, attention will be focused on the United States with the anticipated release of the Consumer Price Index (CPI). This economic indicator could trigger significant movements in the markets, especially for the U.S. dollar and cryptocurrencies. While investors remain vigilant, speculation is rife about the potential impact of these key figures.
The Consumer Price Index: The Cornerstone of the American Economy
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a key measure of inflation which reflects changes in the price of goods and services purchased by American households. This index is calculated monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and serves as a barometer for the cost of living. The consumer price index covers a wide range of products, including food, clothing, housing, health care, and entertainment. Economists and policy makers closely monitor this data to anticipate economic trends and adjust monetary policies accordingly.
The June CPI data is due to be released this Thursday at 2:30 p.m., and is highly anticipated by investors. The current consensus is for headline annual inflation to decline to 3.1%, from 3.3% the previous month, while core inflation is expected to remain stable at 3.4%.
THE BIGGEST EVENT THIS WEEK 🚨
The U.S. Consumer Price Index is expected to
PUBLICATION TODAY AT 8:30 AM ET.EXPECTATIONS ARE 3.1% WHILE
LAST MONTH THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (CPI) WAS 3.3%HERE ARE SOME SCENARIOS 👇
1) CPI above 3.1%
THIS WILL BE A DAMAGE TO THE MARKET
GIVEN THAT THE LAST TIME THE CPI DATA… photo.twitter.com/yudjPLPl8g— Ash Crypto (@Ashcryptoreal) July 11, 2024
Consumer Price Index Release: What Does It Mean for the Dollar and Bitcoin?
Inflation as measured by the consumer price index is a key determinant of the value of the US dollar. If the consumer price index declines more than expected, it could reinforce expectations of a rate cut by the Federal Reserve in September, thus weakening the dollar. A weaker dollar could benefit GBP/USD, which recently broke a major resistance level, and Bitcoin, which could see its price rise due to increased demand from institutional investors.
Current forecasts suggest that headline inflation will decline to 3.1%, with core inflation holding steady at 3.4%. However, a surprise increase in the consumer price index could upset these expectations. Fed Governor Lisa Cook has mentioned the possibility of a soft landing for the economy, with inflation falling without a significant increase in unemployment, which could lead the Fed to consider rate cuts. This outlook is particularly favorable for stock markets and cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, which could benefit from a more accommodative monetary policy.
According to experts at 10x Research, especially their CEO Markus Thielen, Bitcoin could see a significant increase if the CPI data confirms a decline in inflation. Thielen indicated that Bitcoin could reach almost $60,000, a prediction that has already been reflected with a rise to $59,350 before the data was released.
Therefore, Thursday’s CPI data could determine the future direction of financial and cryptocurrency markets. High inflation could strengthen the US Dollarwhile a drop in inflation could pave the way for rate cuts by the Fed, thus giving a boost to Bitcoin and other digital assets.
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Luke Jose A.
A graduate of Sciences Po Toulouse and holder of a blockchain consultant certification issued by Alyra, I joined the Cointribune adventure in 2019. Convinced of the potential of blockchain to transform many sectors of the economy, I am committed to raising awareness and informing the general public about this ever-evolving ecosystem. My goal is to enable everyone to better understand blockchain and seize the opportunities it offers. Every day, I strive to provide an objective analysis of the news, decipher market trends, convey the latest technological innovations and put into perspective the economic and social issues of this ongoing revolution.
DISCLAIMER
The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and should not be construed as investment advice. Do your own research before making any investment decisions.
News
Crowd Expects Bitcoin Bounce Suggests Further Losses, As RCO Finance Resists Crash
Bitcoin is seeing a rebound after its recent price crash to $53,000. Other altcoins are subsequently recovering, with many cryptocurrency investors increasingly making new entries. However, Santiment warned against this hopium, suggesting that Bitcoin could extend its price losses.
As the broader market anticipates Bitcoin’s next price action, RCO Finance (RCOF) demonstrates resilience, attracting thousands of people in influxes. Read on for more details!
RCO Finance challenges the market crisis
RCO Finance (RCOF) is approaching $1 million in funding raised, amid growing interest from institutional traders seeking stability from Bitcoin’s wild price swings. While much of the broader market has seen significant price losses, RCO Finance has remained resilient, experiencing a surge in its pre-sale orders.
As a result, the project seems oblivious to the current market conditions, leading top market experts to take a deep dive into its ecosystem. They identified why RCO Finance was able to withstand the bearish pressure and its potential to hold up even stronger during the impending broader market crash.
The main reason was related to the innovative use of RCO Finance AI Trading Tools as a Robo Advisor. This tool has been integrated into RCO Finance’s cryptocurrency trading platform, offering full automation and highly accurate market forecasts to help investors make informed decisions.
Read on to learn more about this tool and other exciting features of RCO Finance!
Bitcoin Bounces Amid Impending Crash
Bitcoin is bouncing back, rallying 8% after plunging to its lowest point since February on July 5. While this rebound has triggered a bullish wave in the broader market, many cryptocurrency analysts predict it could be short-lived as Bitcoin is poised for an imminent crash toward the $50,000 zone.
On a Post X (formerly Twitter)Santiment revealed that while the crowd is anticipating a Bitcoin rally, this potential crash could trigger FUD and panic, causing average traders to wither and give up on Bitcoin. The platform noted that Bitcoin rally has historically occurred after these weak hands sold their holdings.
In particular, these cryptocurrency analysts speculate that the previous and upcoming Bitcoin crash is largely the result of bearish market psychology, as opposed to large BTC sell-offs by the German government and Mt. Gox. In particular, Ki Young Ju, founder and CEO of CryptoQuant, noticed that “the sales were rather negligible, given the overall liquidity of Bitcoin.”
Enjoy seamless investing on RCO Finance
RCO Finance is making investing easier and easier, democratizing access to high-level tools and cryptocurrency earnings that were once reserved for professional and institutional investors. It has also prioritized accessibility, allowing investors of all levels to easily navigate its features through its intuitive interface.
Additionally, they can also maintain anonymity and privacy as the platform has no KYC requirements. To build trust, the platform has instead emphasized regular smart contract audits by respected security firm SolidProof.
Performance data shows massive adoption, indicating that it is doing its job effectively. Investors can also capitalize on RCO Finance’s fast transaction speeds and incredibly low transaction fees, with leverage options up to 1000x to further optimize their portfolios and maximize returns.
Leverage RCO Finance’s pre-sale earnings
An in-depth analysis of the RCO Finance ecosystem revealed that it has strong potential to rival and surpass major cryptocurrencies in the cryptocurrency industry. With a very limited total token supply and excellent tokenomics, RCO Finance is poised to reach its target of $1 billion in market cap upon its official launch.
RCO Finance has adopted a deflationary model, strategic burn mechanisms, and a vesting schedule. However, the project encourages long-term holding by focusing on sustained growth through incredibly high staking rewards.
RCOF tokens are currently available at an altcoin price of $0.01275 in progress Pre-sale Phase 1. This is likely the lowest price these coins will ever trade at, as they are expected to increase exponentially with each new presale phase.
With RCOF expected to be $0.4 at launch, investors jumping in now can expect a Return 30x on their investment!
For more information on RCO Finance (RCOF) presale:
Join the RCO Financial Community
Disclaimer: The statements, views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily represent those of Crypto Reporter. Crypto Reporter is not responsible for the reliability, quality and accuracy of any material in this article. This article is provided for educational purposes only. Crypto Reporter is not responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article. Do your own research and invest at your own risk.
News
Bitget Ranks Third Among Cryptocurrency Exchanges by Capital Inflows in Q2
Although Bitget is not the largest cryptocurrency exchange in terms of total volumes, it closed a favorable quarter. From April to June, the platform ranked third in net capital inflows and showed the strongest growth in market share compared to its competitors.
In the second quarter, investors moved $700 million into Bitget, and activity on the platform increased by nearly 50%.
The exchange has seen a surge in user funds, with Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), and Ethereum (ETH) rising 73%, 80%, and 153%, respectively, in the first six months of the year. This growth coincided with adding 2.9 million new users to the platform.
This has positioned Bitget among the top exchanges with the highest positive net inflows in the last quarter. Only Binance, which remains the market leader, and Bitfinex have performed better in this category.
According to CCData’s latest H2 Outlook Report, the exchange also recorded the highest market share growth among centralized exchanges, increasing 38.4% from H2 2023 to H1 2024.
Bitget’s spot trading volume has also seen a visible increase, going from $28 billion in Q1 to $32 billion in Q2, marking an increase of over 10%. The platform’s monthly visitors have reached 10 million. Although its volumes are increasing, Bitget still does not rank among the top 10 cryptocurrency exchanges in terms of spot trading.
The changes taking place in the centralized cryptocurrency exchange market show that competition is becoming more and more intenseAn example of this is the recent surge in popularity of Bybit, which has become the second largest exchange in terms of spot trading volumes.
Sports Sponsorships and New Products
Gracy Chen, Source: LinkedIn
Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget, commented on the quarterly performance, saying, “Q2 2024 was a pivotal period for Bitget. Our collaboration with Turkish athletes, along with significant growth in users and website traffic, is part of our global expansion.”
In an effort to expand its global presence, Bitget has partnered with three Turkish national athletes as part of its #MakeItCount campaign, starring Lionel Messi. The deal with the famous footballer It was signed in Februaryto build brand presence in Latin America.
The exchange also launched a $20 million TON Ecosystem Fund in partnership with Foresight Ventures to support early-stage projects on The Open Network.
The exchange introduced two new initial token listing products, PoolX and Pre-market, which collectively launched over 100 projects. Additionally, Bitget’s native token, BGB, was recognized as the best-performing centralized exchange token in June and was ranked among the top 10 cryptocurrencies by Forbes.
In its latest move, the cryptocurrency exchange aimed to become a regulated player in IndiaThe announcement comes as the world’s most populous democracy grapples with the complexities of integrating cryptocurrencies into its financial ecosystem.
Even recently,
Bitget Wallet Announced a joint investment with cryptocurrency investment firm Foresight X in Tomarket, a decentralized trading platform. This initiative targets emerging asset classes and aims to expand the portfolio’s services beyond traditional decentralized exchanges (DEXs).
Although Bitget is not the largest cryptocurrency exchange in terms of total volumes, it closed a favorable quarter. From April to June, the platform ranked third in net capital inflows and showed the strongest growth in market share compared to its competitors.
In the second quarter, investors moved $700 million into Bitget, and activity on the platform increased by nearly 50%.
The exchange has seen a surge in user funds, with Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), and Ethereum (ETH) rising 73%, 80%, and 153%, respectively, in the first six months of the year. This growth coincided with adding 2.9 million new users to the platform.
This has positioned Bitget among the top exchanges with the highest positive net inflows in the last quarter. Only Binance, which remains the market leader, and Bitfinex have performed better in this category.
According to CCData’s latest H2 Outlook Report, the exchange also recorded the highest market share growth among centralized exchanges, increasing 38.4% from H2 2023 to H1 2024.
Bitget’s spot trading volume has also seen a visible increase, going from $28 billion in Q1 to $32 billion in Q2, marking an increase of over 10%. The platform’s monthly visitors have reached 10 million. Although its volumes are increasing, Bitget still does not rank among the top 10 cryptocurrency exchanges in terms of spot trading.
The changes taking place in the centralized cryptocurrency exchange market show that competition is becoming increasingly intenseAn example of this is the recent surge in popularity of Bybit, which has become the second largest exchange in terms of spot trading volumes.
Sports Sponsorships and New Products
Gracy Chen, Source: LinkedIn
Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget, commented on the quarterly performance, saying, “Q2 2024 was a pivotal period for Bitget. Our collaboration with Turkish athletes, along with significant growth in users and website traffic, is part of our global expansion.”
In an effort to expand its global presence, Bitget has partnered with three Turkish national athletes as part of its #MakeItCount campaign, starring Lionel Messi. The deal with the famous footballer It was signed in Februaryto build brand presence in Latin America.
The exchange also launched a $20 million TON Ecosystem Fund in partnership with Foresight Ventures to support early-stage projects on The Open Network.
The exchange introduced two new initial token listing products, PoolX and Pre-market, which collectively launched over 100 projects. Additionally, Bitget’s native token, BGB, was recognized as the best-performing centralized exchange token in June and was ranked among the top 10 cryptocurrencies by Forbes.
In its latest move, the cryptocurrency exchange aimed to become a regulated player in IndiaThe announcement comes as the world’s most populous democracy grapples with the complexities of integrating cryptocurrencies into its financial ecosystem.
Even recently,
Bitget Wallet Announced a joint investment with cryptocurrency investment firm Foresight X in Tomarket, a decentralized trading platform. This initiative targets emerging asset classes and aims to expand the portfolio’s services beyond traditional decentralized exchanges (DEXs).
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