The dynamic between Bitcoin and the U.S. Dollar and the other world currencies has become more complex recently. In this article, we delve into the intricacies of these relationship, examining how a strong Dollar might impact Bitcoin and challenge its status as a digital safe haven. Lets unpack this timely topic, providing insights that could help inform your cryptocurrency investment strategy.
Recent developments in the forex markets
Recent developments in the forex markets surrounding the US Dollar Index have been marked by several key events. The US dollar experienced an uptick on Friday after the May non-farm payrolls report showed a surge in employment numbers, with payrolls in the public and private sector increasing by 339,000 in May, far outstripping the average forecast of 190,000 by economists polled by Reuters. This spike in employment followed a rise of 253,000 in April. However, despite strong hiring, the unemployment rate rose to 3.7% from a 53-year low of 3.4% in April. On the same day, the dollar index, which measures the U.S. currency against six others, was last up 0.435% at 103.980. Yet, on the week, the dollar slipped 0.2%, its biggest weekly decline since early May1.
Interestingly, the dollar index slid 0.62% on Thursday, marking its worst day in almost a month. This happened after Fed officials signaled that the central bank would forgo an interest rate hike in June. As a result, money markets priced in a 29% chance of a June rate hike, down from near 70% earlier in the week1.
U.S. Senate suspend the debt ceiling
In legislative news, the U.S. Senate passed a bill on Thursday night to suspend the debt ceiling, which removed a pillar of support for the dollar, a key beneficiary of the uncertainty surrounding the debt ceiling due to its safe-haven status. However, despite the debt limit agreement, Fitch Ratings stated that the United States’ “AAA” credit rating would remain on negative watch due to repeated political standoffs and last-minute suspensions of the ceiling before the deadline1.
Other World Currencies Adapt To Inflation
Other currencies have seen notable changes as well. The Australian dollar, for instance, surged after Australia’s independent wage-setting body announced a raise in the minimum wage by 5.75% from July 1. This resulted in the Aussie rising by as much as 0.93% to $0.663, its strongest since May 241.
Turning to Europe, the Euro lost ground against major G7 counterparts this week with EUR/GBP trading at lows last seen in November/December 2022. Despite a drop in Euro Area inflation this week, ECB policymakers remain set on one or two more 25bps hikes. The Euro did put in significant gains in the aftermath of the inflation print, aided by the US debt ceiling agreement that resulted in US Dollar weakness. However, this was short-lived due to the NFP report and US jobs data on Friday, which saw rate hike expectations for the Fed’s June meeting rise once more, offering the US Dollar renewed support2.
The upcoming week doesn’t hold much in terms of risk events or economic data releases for the Euro Area. The biggest risk to EUR/USD however, rests with the ISM services PMI data out of the US. Given that the US is largely a service-based economy and concerns around services inflation persisting, the Fed may closely watch the release. A positive print could see rate hike expectations from the Fed hawkishly repriced, posing further downside risk for EUR/USD2.
How Will These Events Affect Bitcoin Price?
Based on research through recent expert opinions, here are summaries of both bullish and bearish perspectives on how the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) might affect Bitcoin price:
Bullish Perspective
Some analysts believe a rising dollar does not necessarily threaten Bitcoin’s value.
These analysts believe that investors will continue to allocate a portion of their portfolios to Bitcoin as an emerging global asset. ARK Invest Founder and CEO Cathie Wood, for instance, suggested Bitcoin could become stronger after overcoming concerns related to the recent China crypto mining ban and its environmental impact.
This perspective is supported by an Intertrust survey, which found that many hedge fund chief financial officers worldwide plan to increase their crypto exposure significantly by 2026, with 17% of respondents expecting to allocate more than 10% to Bitcoin and similar digital assets1.
Bearish Perspective
On the other hand, there is a bearish viewpoint suggesting a strengthening U.S. dollar could negatively impact the Bitcoin price. The DXY, which measures the U.S. dollar’s strength against a basket of foreign currencies, is currently exhibiting a potentially bullish “inverse head-and-shoulders” pattern.
If this pattern holds, the DXY could rise by about 5% on a potential neckline breakout move. This strengthening dollar could put pressure on risk assets, including Bitcoin, especially as Bitcoin struggles to break out of its current $30,000-$35,000 trading range.
For instance, Bitcoin, often seen as a hedge against inflation, dropped by more than 50% from its record high of about $65,000.
Factors such as regulatory crackdowns, a Chinese mining exodus, and the Federal Open Market Committee’s decision on interest rates in 2023 may have contributed to this downward momentum. The bearish perspective suggests that commodities, gold, emerging market equities, and Bitcoin could all be vulnerable to a strengthening dollar1.
Please note, this is a highly complex topic and the views presented here are from recent articles and might not necessarily predict future trends accurately. It’s also important to remember that many other factors can influence Bitcoin’s price, including market sentiment, regulatory news, technological developments, and broader economic trends.
In summary, the past week’s forex market news was dominated by strong US job data, Fed rate hike speculation, and US debt ceiling developments. While the dollar saw an overall weekly decline, other major currencies experienced mixed movements. Looking forward, market participants are likely to watch for the ISM services PMI data and Euro Area GDP Growth estimates due next week.
About the author
Doug is a full time crypto trader and the creator of the Altseason CoPilot. He is a strong believer in the small trader. He shares his biggest trading mistakes so you might avoid them, and evangelizes the strategy of making your money work for you while you do other things!
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