Bitcoin is coming to 401(k) retirement plans as Fidelity hopes to offer access to the 23,000 plans it administers. This move by the largest plan administrator, with $2.7tn in plan assets, should drive long-term bitcoin adoption. It will not, however, change the bear market that is currently underway in many assets. The pain in crypto […]
US Housing Market Should Cool
US housing market should cool, due to spiking mortgage rates, but a 2008 type collapse is unlikely. The mortgage market has remained resolutely fixed rate during the current bull market, which underpins our sanguine outlook. Yes, there are signs of excess, but there’s no risk of monthly payment ballooning considering that variable rate funding is […]
Explosion of Crypto Legislation Proposals
There has been an explosion of crypto legislation proposals from US politicians. The bogeyman of late has been sanctions evasion, even though the Treasury Department has repeatedly said that there’s no sign of evasion via crypto. Many of these proposals are unlikely to see the light of day in current form in our polarized political […]
Crypto Executive Order Embraces The Industry
President Biden’s crypto executive order embraces the industry and illustrates how digital assets have become mainstream. It’s surreal to hear “the rise in digital assets creates an opportunity to reinforce American leadership in the global financial system and at the technological frontier…” coming from the White House. The various government departments and agencies are instructed […]
Weaponizing Financial Assets
Weaponizing financial assets by sanctioning the Central Bank is an extraordinarily powerful tool against Russian aggression. However, we should be mindful of potential longer-term second-order effects. Nation states are likely to rethink their reserve strategies so that they have control of reserve assets. Digital assets provide direct ownership (your asset is no one else’s liability) […]