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    IMF to disburse $600 million to Ghana as part of larger support package

    The IMF team, led by Stéphane Roudet, has reached an agreement on the first review of Ghana’s ECF arrangement, pending IMF Management approval and financing assurances. Upon approval, Ghana will access Special Drawing Rights (SDR) 451.4 million ($600 million), raising total IMF support to SDR 902.8 million ($1,200 million) since May 2023.Despite facing an economic crisis, Ghana has made substantial adjustments to its macroeconomic policies, restructured domestic debt, launched reforms, expanded social protection programs, and achieved non-oil revenue targets. Structural fiscal reforms are currently underway to enhance domestic revenues and transparency.Ghana is also making strides in reducing its fiscal primary deficit and has stabilized inflation and the exchange rate. The country’s growth in 2023 has been resilient with improved fiscal and external positions. The government has also managed to keep spending within program limits.The next critical step for the nation is securing an agreement with official creditors on debt treatment consistent with IMF-approved program parameters and debt targets. The upcoming disbursement is seen as a confidence-building measure reflecting Ghana’s newfound economic stability.This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C. More

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    SpendTheBits perseveres after second denial from RippleXDev’s XRPL Grants

    SpendTheBits caters primarily to Canadian residents, offering services through a mobile crypto wallet and a merchant portal that enables transactions via the XRPL Ledger. The company is known for its consistent successes in the Ripple CBDC Innovative Challenge.Despite the recent setback, SpendTheBits has been encouraged to reapply for funding in the upcoming Wave 7 of the XRPL Grants initiative. This initiative, which garnered 130 applications in its latest round with a 25% approval rate, predominantly backs projects that are developing decentralized exchanges (DEXes) and DeFi protocols on the XRPL.Previous recipients of the XRPL Grants include XRPL.to and Feetuure, each receiving a substantial grant of $100,000. These grants are part of RippleXDev’s efforts to stimulate development and innovation within the blockchain ecosystem. This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C. More

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    Bitcoin (BTC) Might Reach 98X Price of Gold: Analyst

    The BTC-gold ratio, a metric that compares the price of Bitcoin to that of gold, appears poised for a significant leap. Key indicators support this bullish sentiment. The RSI (Relative Strength Index) is not only on the rise but has surpassed the 50 mark, indicating potential bullish momentum. Additionally, the MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence) has entered a bullish crossover and continues its upward trajectory.Source: Using Fibonacci extensions, the analyst predicts potential extension levels that could see gold priced around $1,200 and soaring to approximately $120K. Such predictions align with forecasts made by Henrik Zeberg.At the time of writing, is trading at approximately $27,715.40. While this is a far cry from the predicted $120K, the current market dynamics and the aforementioned technical indicators suggest that such a surge is not entirely out of the realm of possibility.However, it is essential to approach such predictions with a degree of skepticism. While technical indicators provide valuable insights, they are not foolproof. The crypto market is notoriously volatile, influenced by a myriad of factors ranging from regulatory changes, technological advancements, macroeconomic factors and even tweets from influential personalities.Moreover, the comparison with gold, a tangible asset with millennia of history as a store of value, is intriguing. Gold’s price is influenced by supply and demand dynamics, geopolitical tensions, inflation rates and central bank policies, among other factors. Bitcoin, on the other hand, is a digital asset, decentralized, and operates on a technology that is just over a decade old.This article was originally published on U.Today More

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    First Look: Art gallery in Dubai to educate artists on NFTs, Web3

    Cointelegraph sat down with Danilo Carlucci, the founder of investment firm Morningstar Ventures and 37xDubai, which is based in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Carlucci spoke about its goals with the new art gallery and why it is diving into NFTs and Web3 despite the conditions of current markets. Continue Reading on Coin Telegraph More

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    Layer 2 networks hint at potential token introductions and airdrops

    On Friday, Coinbase’s Chief Legal Officer, Paul Grewal hinted at a possible $BASE token for Base Layer2. This network uses Optimistic Rollup technology for Ethereum transactions and has launched decentralized applications (dApps) like FriendTech and BaseSwap. According to InvestingPro data, Coinbase has a market cap of $17.7 billion and a P/E ratio of -13.41. Despite the declining trend in earnings per share and the analysts’ anticipation that the company will not be profitable this year, the stock has had a 110.85% return year to date as of 2023.Matter Labs’ zkSync, which uses zero-knowledge proofs via Zero-Knowledge Rollup (ZK-rollup) technology, has also hinted at a potential token and airdrop. The network has garnered significant attention, amassing $458 million in funding, and partnering with OpenZeppelin.StarkNet, another Layer 2 network that utilizes ZK-rollup technology to build protocols such as dYdX DEX and Immutable X, has however cautioned users against rumors of native tokens.Lastly, Aztec Network, backed by venture capital firms including a16z and Paradigm, facilitates private Ethereum transactions. The firm recently introduced the Aztec Sandbox developer testnet but has not made any official announcements regarding potential tokens or airdrops.These developments reflect the growing interest and investment in Layer 2 networks as they continue to provide solutions for scaling Ethereum transactions. As per InvestingPro Tips, it’s worth noting that Coinbase’s stock generally trades with high price volatility and its price movements are quite volatile, which might be a point of consideration for potential investors. For more tips and real-time metrics, consider checking out InvestingPro, which offers additional tips and insights.This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C. More

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    Global cryptocurrency market cap dips slightly as volatility rises

    Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, saw its price decrease by 0.21% to $27.5K on Friday, despite a weekly gain of 1.83%. The trade volume for Bitcoin rose by 10% to $11.5 billion, alongside rising volatility as indicated by diverging Bollinger bands and a bullish Relative Strength Index (RSI). Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency, experienced a daily price fall of 0.4% to $1628, contributing to a weekly drop of 2%. Despite the price drop, Ethereum’s trade volume increased by 13% to $5.17 billion, amidst increasing volatility and a bearish RSI below the average line.Avalanche, another notable cryptocurrency, registered a daily price increase of 4.6% to $10.47 and a significant weekly rise of 12.5%. However, its trade volume dropped by 5% to $5.17 billion amidst increasing volatility and a bullish RSI above the average line.Trust Wallet Token also showed positive momentum with a daily increase of 0.94% to $0.9402 and an impressive weekly rise of 20.5%. Despite this upward trajectory, its trade volume dropped significantly by 40% to $111.6 million amidst increasing volatility and a bullish RSI in the overbought region.Lastly, Ripple experienced an encouraging weekly rise of 20.5%, with its price standing at $0.5205 amidst low volatility levels indicated by converging Bollinger bands and bullish RSI, demonstrating bullish effects on its price.In summary, while the overall market capitalization has dipped slightly, individual cryptocurrencies showed a mixed performance with varying levels of volatility and trade volumes. The market sentiment remains neutral as per the fear and greed index.This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C. More