24 January 2024
The ongoing saga of the Mt. Gox exchange casts a shadow over the Bitcoin community, even years after its dramatic collapse. Recent developments have stirred the pot again, with Mt. Gox reaching out to former users to confirm ownership of accounts linked to Bitcoin payments.
This move comes amid ongoing efforts to compensate creditors, primarily in Japanese yen, through their PayPal accounts. With the repayment process expected to continue this year, the crypto community remains on edge regarding the implications of releasing Mt. Gox’s substantial Bitcoin holdings, amounting to 142,000 BTC and 143,000 BCH, in addition to 69 billion yen.
Expert Optimistic Take On Gox Coin Release
Amid the swirling rumors and speculation, renowned Bitcoin advocate and CEO of Jan3, Samson Mow, has stepped forward to offer his perspective, seeking to alleviate concerns regarding the potential market impact of unlocking “Gox coins.”
Mow believes creditors’ long wait has cultivated resilience to prevent a sudden, mass sell-off of these assets. According to Mow, even if some creditors decide to sell, the market is well-equipped to “absorb” the impact without significant disruption.
Gox coins unlocking isn’t really a factor. Creditors having to force HODL for a decade aren’t likely to sell soon. What about buyers of claims? They may have sought fiat gains initially, but had a front row seat to #Bitcoin NgU and should now be thinking “sell for gains in what?”
— Samson Mow (@Excellion) January 24, 2024
This view was echoed in response to a user named Spoonman on X, who suggested that around half of the creditors might be inclined to sell. Mow confidently stated that such selling would not co-occur, reinforcing his belief that the market can handle the situation smoothly.
Even if some sell, they aren’t going to do it all at once. Market can absorb it all easily regardless.
— Samson Mow (@Excellion) January 24, 2024
Bitcoin Unexpected Reversal
Interestingly, the Bitcoin market has recently shown signs of recovery, defying some analysts’ expectations of a continued downturn. At present, Bitcoin is experiencing a 3% increase over the past 24 hours, with its trading price hovering above $40,000
However, it’s important to note that this uptick follows a significant decline, with Bitcoin down by 5.7% over the past week and over 10% in recent weeks.
This modest recovery contradicts the bearish forecast presented by Bitfinex in their latest Alpha Report, which anticipated further market downturns. Bitfinex analysts pointed out the vulnerability of Bitcoin’s price due to the reduced profitability of short-term holders.
According to the analyst, this group of investors’ potential reaction to the market conditions could lead to critical support levels being tested at around “$38,000 and $36,000,” as per the report.
However, contrary to prediction, Bitcoin has surged slightly far away from these highlighted support zones. For context, the asset currently trades for $40,037 at the time of writing.
Featured image from Unsplash, Chart from TradingView