Bitcoin falls to two-month low amid US election uncertainty
The prospect of Joe Biden being replaced as a candidate, potentially influencing market sentiment, has added to the pressure.
Bitcoin experienced a significant drop to a two-month low recently, driven by uncertainty surrounding the US presidential elections and the impact of supply from a defunct Tokyo-based crypto exchange. The cryptocurrency fell over 2% to $57,843, its lowest since 2 May, marking a loss of more than 6% this week.
The market has been under pressure, particularly after the first debate between US presidential candidates Joe Biden and Donald Trump, which raised concerns about potential candidacy changes that could affect crypto policies. Market analyst Josh Gilbert from eToro highlighted the speculation that a new candidate might not be as crypto-friendly as Biden.
Bitcoin had surged earlier in the year, reaching a record $73,803.25 in mid-March following the US exchange-traded funds launch. However, the cryptocurrency has since lost over 21% of its value. Political uncertainties in France and Britain and the changing dynamics of the US election have contributed to this decline.
In addition, reports that Mt. Gox, a former leading crypto exchange, is repaying its creditors have created anticipation that these creditors might sell their bitcoins, further impacting the market. Despite the current downturn, some analysts, like Tony Sycamore from IG, believe that bitcoin could still retest its March highs and reach up to $80,000. Meanwhile, Ether also declined, trading over 1% lower at $3,213 and down more than 22% from its mid-March highs.