FINANCE

Bitcoin's Surge: How Jerome Powell's Take on Crypto Matters

Thu Dec 05 2024
You might not expect the Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powell, to influence bitcoin's value. But during a recent talk with CNBC, Powell’s comments gave bitcoin a boost. He revealed he doesn't own any crypto and noted that the Fed can't control it. But when he compared bitcoin to gold, people took notice. He highlighted that both are seen as speculative assets and are highly volatile. This comparison added credibility to bitcoin, possibly contributing to its price reaching over $103, 000. Some financial experts see this as a significant development. Joel Kruger from LMAX Group noted that Powell's words make bitcoin seem like a major player in global markets. He also pointed out that gold is still much larger than bitcoin, leaving room for it to grow. Bitcoin has had an eventful year. It started strong, then traded within a narrow range until the U. S. election. After that, it jumped nearly 50% with the president-elect making positive remarks about crypto. Meanwhile, gold hasn't seen much movement since the election, despite being up about 30% for the year. It's tough to pinpoint exactly how much Powell's comments affected bitcoin's recent rise. On the same day, President Trump chose Paul Atkins, a crypto supporter, to lead the SEC. This could make things easier for the crypto market, as the current SEC head, Gary Gensler, isn't fond of crypto.