Bitcoin has been under pressure since reaching a record of almost $69,000 Nov. 10 on enthusiasm over the first U.S. exchange-traded fund linked to futures of the digital asset. But a multitude of factors have weighed on returns since then, including greater regulatory risks as well as many tokens having run up very quickly in a short period of time. Maley says that Bitcoin’s recent moves also show that should the Federal Reserve withdraw its stimulus in a more aggressive fashion next year, cryptos could become vulnerable.
Fiona Cincotta, senior financial markets analyst at City Index, says Bitcoin does tend to act like a riskier asset that tracks moves in the stock market, but that there are times when that relationship isn’t as strong — for instance, when hotter-than-expected inflationary prints come through, Bitcoin can hold up well during those periods.
“So there are times when I think Bitcoin does act as a riskier asset and it traces the stock market higher, but there are times as well when that’s not necessarily the case,” she said by phone. “It does have other contributing factors which drive it.”
