Many growth investors gravitated back toward the cryptocurrency market this year as hopes for lower interest rates, the approvals of the first Bitcoin spot price exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and big institutional purchases suggested the "crypto winter" was over. However, it's still tough to gauge the true value of most cryptocurrencies, since their price is driven more by supply and demand than by an actual underlying business.

Earlier this month, I suggested that investors buy three promising tech stocks -- Nvidia, Super Micro Computer, and ASML -- instead of going all-in on cryptocurrencies. Today, I'll add three other speculative plays to that list of potential cryptocurrency alternatives: Symbotic (NASDAQ: SYM), QuantumScape (NYSE: QS), and IonQ (NYSE: IONQ).

Symbotic is a provider of warehouse automation robots and software. It claims a $50 million investment in just one of its modules (which includes its robots and software) can generate $250 million in lifetime savings over 25 years.

Symbotic went public by merging with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in June 2022. Its revenue surged 136% in fiscal 2022 (which ended in September 2022) and 98% in fiscal 2023. However, most of that growth came from a deal with Walmart, which tapped Symbotic to automate all of its regional distribution centers across the U.S. through fiscal 2034. Walmart still owns 11% of Symbotic and accounted for 88% of its revenue in fiscal 2023.

That customer concentration is worrisome, but it's secured deals with other big retail customers like Target, Albertsons, and C&S Wholesale. It also launched a new warehouse-as-a-service platform called GreenBox with its other big backer, SoftBank, last July.

Analysts expect Symbotic's revenue to rise 48% in fiscal 2024 and 42% in fiscal 2025. It's still bleeding red ink, but it's expected to turn profitable on a generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) basis by fiscal 2025. Its stock isn't cheap at 16 times this year's sales, but it might be a great pure play on the warehouse automation market.

Story continues

QuantumScape develops solid-state batteries, which are more stable, charge faster, and last longer than traditional lithium-ion batteries. Those batteries are a great fit for the electric vehicle (EV) market, and the company's biggest backer is Volkswagen. Like Symbotic, QuantumScape went public by merging with a SPAC in November 2020. But unlike Symbotic, QuantumScape doesn't generate any meaningful revenue yet.

QuantumScape hasn't commercialized any of its batteries since its public debut, but its latest batteries could give EVs a range of 400-500 miles with a charge time of less than 15 minutes. It's also developing batteries that can reach 600 miles with a charge time of under 30 minutes. For reference, most top-tier lithium-ion batteries for EVs have a range of roughly 300 miles and a charge time of 30 minutes. Volkswagen also recently conducted an endurance test that found that QuantumScape's batteries could power an EV for over 310,000 miles "without any noticeable loss of range." Most lithium-ion batteries lose approximately 10% of their range after the first 200,000 miles.

QuantumScape's technology sounds disruptive, but it's tough to value its stock without any revenue. However, if it successfully commercializes its first batteries before its like-minded competitors, its stock could skyrocket over the next few years.

Investors looking for another speculative play should take a look at IonQ, a quantum computing company that merged with a SPAC in October 2021. IonQ provides quantum computing power as a cloud-based service, and it's trying to shrink qubit processing unit (QPU) systems from several feet to a few inches wide with its "trapped ion" technology.

It expects that miniaturization to make it easier to build large quantum computing systems that process binary "bits" of zeros and ones simultaneously. That big leap could support the growth of the cloud, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) markets.

IonQ gauges its quantum computing power in algorithmic qubits (AQ). It achieved AQ 29 in 2023, AQ 35 earlier this year, and it aims to reach AQ 64 by 2025 with a longer-term target of 1,024 by 2028. It only generated $22 million in revenue in 2023, but it continues to lock in new government and commercial customers. Analysts expect its revenue to rise 77% in 2024 and 110% in 2025 -- so it could still have plenty of upside potential.

IonQ isn't profitable yet, and its stock looks pricey at nearly 50 times this year's sales. But if it can achieve its ambitious miniaturization goals and scale up its business, its sales could soar as the nascent quantum computing market expands.

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Leo Sun has positions in ASML. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends ASML, Bitcoin, Nvidia, Target, Volkswagen Ag, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

3 Growth Stocks With More Potential Than Any Cryptocurrency was originally published by The Motley Fool

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3 Growth Stocks With More Potential Than Any Cryptocurrency - Yahoo Finance

The crypto industry continues to display a negative trend for the second consecutive day, indicating a significant correction in the market. Further, top altcoins continue to bleed, displaying increased selling-over-buying pressure in the crypto space.

On the other hand, Ethereum price has lost over 17% within the past seven days, but the token has added approximately 20% over the past 30 days, and its YTD stands at 46.31%. This hints at a positive price action for the altcoin in the long term.

The Ethereum price has displayed a significant uptrend in its valuation over the past few months, indicating a rising bullish sentiment in the crypto market. Further, the ETH price had added approximately 37% to its portfolio during the last quarter of 2023, resulting in it concluding the year on a positive note.

The ETH price continued to gain momentum for the first two weeks of the year, following which the market experienced a significant correction in valuation. However, after testing its low of $2,172, the bulls regained momentum and displayed a bullish price action for a brief period.

The leader of altcoins, Ethereum, recorded a notable run of over 88.5% over the next 46 days, after which the token faced rejection at the resistance level of $4,096. Since then, the price has been trading under a bearish influence. Positively, the Cross EMA 50/200-day acts as a support, highlighting a bullish outlook in the long term perspective.

The technical indicator, MACD, displays a rising red histogram, highlighting increased selling pressure pressure in the crypto space. Moreover, the averages show a constant decline in the chart, suggesting a negative price action for the altcoin this week.

Also Read: Top 6 Altcoins Set for 6x Rally in 2024: Analyst Lark Davis List Hot Picks

Considering the present market sentiments, if the Ethereum ETF hype increases, the bulls will regain power, and the Ethereum price will start trading positively and is predicted to test its upper resistance level of $4,500 during Q2.

Suppose an unfavorable event occurs, and the crypto industry experiences a bearish trend reversal. In that case, the ETH price will lose momentum and fall to test its lower support level of $3,000 during the upcoming months.

Read the original post:

Ethereum Price Prediction For Q2 Ahead Of The ETF Approval! - Coinpedia Fintech News

A Flipside Crypto report shows that over 637 million Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) smart contracts have been deployed across seven layer-2 blockchains since January 2022.

EVM-compatible smart contracts refer to software that the computing state of the Ethereum blockchain can understand.

With scaling solutions becoming more efficient and accessible, fewer EVM contracts are directly deployed on the Ethereum blockchain. With the Dencun update around the corner which will introduce blob transactions and other infrastructure upgrades this trend is likely to accelerate.

With layer-2s able to only publish critical data to ETH layer-1, the costs for interacting with layer-2s should significantly decrease. This enables much more creativity in protocol development, a much easier experience for users to have complex transactions abstracted away from them and ultimately lowers the costs for layer-2s to interoperate with each other, Carlos Mercado, a data scientist at Flipside Crypto told Blockworks.

Read more: Ethereum devs debate future of account abstraction

Leading this movement today is Optimism, an Ethereum optimistic rollup layer-2, which currently stands out as the most popular blockchain for deployments, accounting for over two-thirds (~70%) of the total EVM smart contract deployments so far this year. According to Flipside Crypto, the chain has seen over 28.8 million EVM deployments since Jan.1.

However, for non-EVM smart contracts, Polygon and BNB smart chains (BSC) remain the most popular deployment chains. On Sept. 6 of last year, BSC saw 5.3 million contracts deployed, the most deployments seen on a chain ever, though this number quickly trailed off around Sept. 13.

DeFi smart contracts have been the most popular for developers across all chains this year, accounting for roughly 34.7% of all deployments that can be categorized. This number is roughly 11.2% higher than in 2022 and 2023.

By contracts, NFT smart contracts, which drove the bull market between 2021 and 2022, have become less popular over time. Deployments decreased from 18.6% to 8.2% in the same period.

Read more: Stellar sparks smart contract upgrade and its not an EVM

Mercado notes that this can be interpreted as both positive and negative.

The positive argument is that the space is finding product market fit, theres more tokens than ever and new primitives that enable lending, borrowing, options, perpetuals, oracles for more assets than ever, Mercado said.

He adds, the somewhat negative argument is that given more money [is] flowing to more blockspace, fragmentation of liquidity is forcing more (arguably unproductive) activity: bridging and swapping for arbitrage as opposed to individuals specific desire to be on a chain or have a token.

Mercado acknowledges both sides of the argument but notes his bias towards the space evolving faster than it is fragmenting.

Read more: zkLinks Nexus wants to solve liquidity fragmentation between ZK ecosystems

Uncategorized smart contracts, or those classified as other by Flipside Crypto, are by far the most commonly deployed smart contracts. They make up 93.8% of all smart contracts deployed across the observed chains.

This number is significantly higher than it was in 2022, where these smart contracts made up an estimated 37% of deployed contracts. Its also a little higher than in 2023, where these smart contracts made up around 86% of all deployments.

While it is difficult to draw clear conclusions from this wide-ranging category, this figure, coupled with the growing proportion of dapps across all chains, suggests more experimentation and diversification at the protocol level, Flipside Crypto wrote.

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Two-thirds of EVM smart contract deployments in 2024 are from Optimism: Report - Blockworks

Almost one year after the introduction of Ethereum-style smart contracts, so-called liquid staking protocols are booming on Filecoin, a blockchain built to store data.

Since January 1, the value of crypto locked in Filecoins dozen liquid staking protocols has grown to more than $450 million from $272 million.

Its a sign users are becoming more familiar with Filecoin and its nascent DeFi ecosystem.

Its also another sign that users love the points systems that have taken over Ethereum and Solana, too.

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A likely catalyst for Filecoins recent growth is the anticipation of rewards programs that incentivise user activity, Messari analyst Mihai Grigore told DL News.

Like airdrops projects distributions of free tokens to reward early or loyal users points programs, which function much like traditional businesses rewards programs, can juice user activity.

Unlike airdrops, however, they allow US-based projects to avoid the regulatory headache that can come with promising or issuing tokens.

As such, they have spread like wildfire among decentralised finance applications on Ethereum and Solana. They appear to be a powerful incentive on Filecoin, too.

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Of the dozen liquid staking protocols tracked by DefiLlama, all have grown at least 48% in the past month. But GLIF, the largest, has separated itself from the pack.

GLIF is a long-running project on Filecoin. It built one of the blockchains first wallets, according to founder Jon Schwartz. When Filecoin developers added smart contract functionality in March 2023, GLIF built a liquid staking service.

Deposits to GLIF have skyrocketed since early February, when it announced a $4.5 million raise and the launch of a points system sometime in the first quarter of the year.

Since then, the total value of crypto locked in GLIF has more than doubled. On February 22, user activity briefly overloaded GLIFs website.

Year-to-date, GLIFs increase in net deposits of [about] 6.9 million FIL accounted for nearly 76% of the total DeFi net deposits on Filecoin, Grigore said. That figure doesnt account for collateral posted by borrowers on GLIF.

Schwartz attributes the jump to points and to growing comfort with Filecoin.

When Filecoin developers launched the blockchain in October 2020, there were only 11 built-in smart contracts.

That would be analogous to Ethereum having, say, 11 smart contracts, and those were the only ones you could really use on the network, Schwartz told DL News. No developers like myself could deploy custom smart contract logic to the chain.

That changed last March, when developers introduced smart contract functionality.

That change brought Ethereum-style smart contracts on Filecoin, enabling DeFi use cases, notably liquid staking, Grigore said.

Schwartz believes the blockchain is now reaping the benefits of that paradigm change.

You know how these things go, especially with new and immature networks, he said. It takes time for DeFi to develop and for people to get comfortable.

Liquid staking is the biggest business on Ethereum. As of Wednesday, users had deposited more than $46 billion in cryptocurrencies in Ethereums three dozen liquid staking protocols.

Thats because it addresses a key issue with Ethereums so-called proof-of-stake security system, which was adopted in September 2022.

In a proof-of-stake system, security, as well as the privilege of confirming and ordering transactions, comes from users willing to lock up, or stake, their Ether in exchange for a modest annual yield.

Liquid staking protocols address the opportunity cost that comes with locking away ones Ether by issuing derivative tokens, which typically trade at par with Ether and are accepted in its stead by decentralised exchanges and lending protocols.

Filecoin isnt a proof-of-stake blockchain, and Schwartz prefers to call GLIF a liquid leasing protocol.

That said, the problem space the GLIF is filling for Filecoin is pretty much the same problem space that, say, Lido is building for Ethereum, or Jito for Solana, he said, referring to other blockchains liquid staking protocols. But the mechanisms are different.

Its just the beginning of what could be a busy year for Filecoin.

Earlier this month, Filecoin and Solana project Triton One announced a partnership, in which Triton would store Solana data on Filecoin.

Developers behind billion-dollar decentralised exchange Uniswap deployed the protocol to Filecoin this week. SushiSwap developers launched their decentralised exchange on the blockchain in November.

A lot of these new projects that have components that were built on the [smart contract functionality] theyll come out this year, Schwartz said.

Its going to look like a different Filecoin, simply because whats possible this year was not possible in the three, four years prior, he added.

Aleks Gilbert is a DeFi correspondent for DL News. Have a tip? Contact Aleks at aleks@dlnews.com.

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Filecoin is riding the boom in liquid staking - DLNews

Rivian Automotive (RIVN 0.18%) has more of its vehicles on the road than ever before. If you live in one of the cities where Rivian's electric delivery vans are operating, the company looks like it's thriving. But Rivian is yet another example of why a company's perceived popularity and its stock price are different.

Rivian has lost half of its value so far in 2024. Last week was particularly brutal, as Rivian's fourth-quarter and full-year 2023 earnings release unleashed a rampage of selling, with the stock falling over 36% in the three-day period between Feb. 21 and Feb. 23.

Let's determine if the electric car company's investment thesis is officially broken or if the Rivian sell-off has gone too far.

Image source: Getty Images.

Rivian just lost the one tailwind it couldn't afford to lose -- production growth. Production is now expected to be flat year over year, which is terrible news for Rivian because its manufacturing expansion now looks excessive and unwarranted.

Here's a look at what Rivian has produced and delivered since going public.

Metric

Q4 2021

Q1 2022

Q2 2022

Q3 2022

Q4 2022

Q1 2023

Q2 2023

Q3 2023

Q4 2023

Production

1,003

2,553

4,401

7,363

10,020

9,395

13,992

16,304

17,541

Deliveries

909

1,227

4,467

6,584

8,054

7,946

12,640

15,564

13,972

Data source: Rivian.

Its run-rate production as of Q4 2023 was 70,164 vehicles per year. However, its 2024 production guidance calls for just 57,000 vehicles, which is an average of 14,250 per quarter.

Part of the reason for the slowdown is that Rivian is shutting down its passenger vehicle and commercial vehicle production lines during the second quarter to improve plant efficiency and boost production rates by 30%. But even if you assume Rivian produced no vehicles for an entire quarter, 57,000 units over three quarters is still just 19,000 units per quarter -- which isn't exactly the increase investors were looking for relative to Rivian's record Q4 2023 production.

Rivian's muted production forecast isn't solely due to production changes, it is also due to demand challenges. To quote the shareholder letter:

For 2024, we expect our total deliveries to be derived from our existing order bank as well as new orders generated during the year. Our full year targets rely on an improvement in order rate driven by our planned go-to-market strategies. The conversion of our existing order bank to sales can be impacted by several factors including delivery timing, location of order, monthly payments, and customer readiness. Our order bank has notably reduced over time as deliveries more than doubled in 2023 versus 2022, and we have incurred cancellations due to macro and customer factors.

Rivian talked at length about customer demand during its earnings call. Rivian is addressing demand challenges with a focus on its brand, including opening more showrooms and offering test drives. That sounds like high sales, general, and administrative expenses to me.

Rivian is guiding for an adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) loss of $2.7 billion for 2024 and capital expenditures of $1.75 billion compared to an adjusted EBITDA loss of $3.98 billion and capital expenditures of $1.02 billion in 2023. 2022 capital expenditures were $1.4 billion.

Rivian is guiding for its highest capital expenditures in three years during a time when it is pledging cost cuts and operational improvements. The investment may pay off, but now seems to be a time when Rivian needs to be more careful with its spending.

It's also worth mentioning that Rivian's gross margin was negative 46% in Q4 2023 compared to negative 36% in Q3 and negative 37% in Q2 2023. So Rivian has a lot of work to do to reverse the downward trend and get its margins profitable by the end of the year.

The main issue with Rivian is a lack of meaningful cost-cutting and too much focus on the long-term story. Normally, an investment thesis focuses on multiyear, sometimes multidecade concepts. That certainly applies to Rivian, electric passenger vehicles, and electric commercial vehicles. But Rivian isn't profitable, and it isn't expected to be profitable in the near term.

It has made sizable long-term manufacturing investments by assuming exponential growth in demand. As Rivian said during the Q4 earnings call, it is transitioning from a business that was merely fulfilling a multiyear order backlog to having to go out and get new demand for its vehicles. That transition doesn't seem to be going poorly per se, but it is coming at the added cost of marketing expenses.

Investors who hoped 2024 would be a year of major cost reductions, margin improvement, and sustained growth have been disappointed. 2024 adjusted operating expenses are expected to be approximately flat compared to 2023 while capital expenditures are expected to be over 50% higher than last year. There is 0% forecast production growth. And it looks like the company will simply deplete its cash reserves even further with too little to show for it.

A single quarter may not matter as much for a proven company with a track record spanning several decades, but it does for Rivian. Many investors are running for the exits, and it's easy to see why.

The Rivian investment thesis isn't entirely broken, but it has become more speculative than in the past. Rivian has always been a high risk/high potential reward company. But at least it had production growth and the prospect of near-term cost-cutting to back it up. Neither of those factors are there now to support the investment thesis. Rivian is promising production growth and significantly lower costs in 2025, but it isn't providing investors any reason to give it the benefit of the doubt.

Investors who have been waiting to buy Rivian and believe in the long-term growth story are getting their best chance yet. Expect it to be a very bumpy ride for Rivian until it gives investors something to cheer about. For most investors, it is probably best to wait to buy Rivian until it shows clear signs of a turnaround.

Daniel Foelber has positions in Rivian Automotive and has the following options: short March 2024 $15 puts on Rivian Automotive and short March 2024 $17.50 calls on Rivian Automotive. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Read more:
Is the Rivian Investment Thesis Officially Broken? - The Motley Fool

Last updated: February 19, 2024 03:37 EST | 3 min read

Solana (SOL) continues to prove that it is the best coin to invest in today as it rises through the ranks in the crypto market, surpassing Binance Coin (BNB). Meanwhile, Algotech (ALGT) has become a favorite presale crypto.

Learn why Solana (SOL) has bypassed Binance Coin (BNB) and Algotech (ALGT) is leading the presale coins list.

On February 6, 2024, Solana (SOL) faced its first outage of the year that lasted five hours. Validators and developers got to work immediately looking for the problem and creating a solution. Despite the challenge, SOL crypto price surged from $95.55 to $101.24 the following day.

Having overcome this challenge, SOL crypto price surged between February 7 and February 14, moving from $101.24 to $116.98. The price surge was attributed to a rise in transactions, TVL on DeFi projects, and a surge in demand, causing a rise in market capitalization that saw Solana (SOL) surpass Binance Coin (BNB) for the number 4 position in the market.

Based on this information, investors are optimistic that SOL crypto price will keep rising. In the derivative markets, investors display their confidence in Solana (SOL) by investing up to $1 billion in Solana (SOL) options. Investors are optimistic it will keep rising and return favorable results.

Moreover, market experts suggest a bullish sentiment for Solana (SOL) and opine upward momentum and buyer dominance for the token, as per technical analysis. Consequently, Solana (SOL) price projections anticipate it will rise to $120 in February.

On January 31, 2024, BNB Chain, a Binance blockchain network powered by Binance Coin (BNB), announced its strategic plan for 2024, indicating a consolidation of its ecosystem to focus on DeFi, gaming, and artificial intelligence projects for the year. Following the announcement, BNB coin price fell from $307 to $300 the next day.

However, between February 7 and February 14, the market turned bullish, allowing BNB coin price to rise from $302 to $334. In this period, Binance Coin (BNB) investors returned to the market, increasing demand for BNB as shown by the rising traded volumes. Despite the rising Binance Coin (BNB) price, Solana (SOL) surpassed its market cap, pushing it to the fifth position in the crypto market.

Despite the fall in rankings, Binance Coin (BNB) investors are optimistic that BNB coin price will keep rising as long as the market performs well. Furthermore, as Binance Coins (BNB) Chain strategy gets implemented, it will attract more projects, transactions, and value, increasing its price.

Experts suggest a bullish sentiment for Binance Coin (BNB) and predict it will rise to $350 by the end of February.

Algorithmic trading is a profitable endeavor requiring traders to gain specialized knowledge, experience, and the right tools. Algotech (ALGT), a decentralized trading platform, is an advanced, blockchain-based algorithmic trading tool for all traders, beginners, and experts.

Algotech (ALGT) stands out for its openness and incorporation of machine learning. Consequently, it automates trading strategies, ensuring traders earn profit consistently. An integral skill traders need to profit is market data analysis. Algotech (ALGT) condenses complex market information to deliver precise insights, enabling accurate and speedy decision-making.Moreover, Algotech (ALGT) incorporates robust risk mitigation strategies, ensuring traders manage their capital and grow it as they learn to navigate the platform.

Algotech (ALGT) offers ALGT, its native token, in a public presale. Initially, a private sale raised $1.1 million in two days, setting it up for success as a presale crypto. With the presale in Stage 1, Algotech (ALGT) is valued at $0.04 and will rise by 50% to reach $0.06 in the next stage.

Moreover, Algotech (ALGT) entices investors with iPhones, tablets, and Apple watches that traders can access the platform from. Investors who heed the call and buy Algotech (ALGT) now can anticipate a 275% gain at the end of the presale when it reaches the $0.15 launch price.Follow these links to learn more about Algotech (ALGT) presale.

Visit Algotech Presale

Join The Algotech Community

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Solana (SOL) Surpasses Binance Coin (BNB) As Fourth Largest Cryptocurrency Algotech (ALGT) Projects Amazing ... - Cryptonews

Photo courtesy of Utah State University

LOGAN Now in its 29th year offering online education outside the traditional campus setting, USU Online is once again numbered among the leading bachelors programs in the country.

The 2024 rankings, issued this week, were announced by U.S. News & World Report, one of the preeminent college ranking systems.

In the new numbers from USNWR, USU Online ranks 32nd overall among the leading online bachelors programs which puts it in the top 10 percent of American colleges.

In the 2023 rankings USU finished 11th overall, which was three spots better than 2022 when it ranked 14th. USU had been ranked in the top 25 nine straight years before this year.

USUs online bachelors program in psychology jumped nine spots to 18th this year and its online program for veterans also ranks in the top 20.

There are 17 online bachelors degrees, 20 masters degrees and one doctorate offered by USU Online as well as four associate degree options, seven undergraduate certificates, seven graduate certificates and two professional education licensures.

Each year U.S. News & World Reports conducts a competitive screening of more than 300 universities.

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USU online Bachelor's programs rank in nation's top 10 percent - Cache Valley Daily

Every time January rolls around, I brace myself for a deluge of what I like to call self-improvement culture. I prepare myself for everyone I encounter to ask what resolutions Im setting (even though Ive never been a resolutions girl). I anticipate marketing content about weight loss, or meditation, or gym goals to fill my feeds. I fully expect chatter, both online and in real life, to center around the new year, new me mindset thats been around for as long as I can remember.

Except this year feels different. It doesnt feel like everyone around me is pledging to lose 10 pounds or hit the gym every day, or take up meditation, or watch less TV. Instead, Im seeing peopleespecially womenleaning into 2024 ins and outs in place of old-school resolutions. And you know what? Im going to call that a feminist act.

When we think about what New Years resolutions have historically been about, its self-improvement rather than life-improvement. Sure, you could vow to cut out added sugar, and sure, that may make you lose weightbut would it actually make your life better? And yeah, you can pledge to wake up at 5 a.m. every day, and okay, that may make you more productive but is that actually a net positive in your life if it leaves you perpetually exhausted?

Of course, no one is immune to the message that they just need to get a better body, wake up earlier, or hustle harder if they want to improve themselves. But for women, these messages have been particularly loaded. Ideas about the importance of self-improvement for women have always felt inescapable. Theyre baked into societal conversations, in media messages, in corporate culture, and dating culture, and parenting culture and well, you get the picture. At the beginning of a new year, the pressure of self-improvement always feels heaviest. Thats why its so refreshing to see so many women, the people who have been most heavily affected by ideas on self-improvement, let go of those ideas and replace them with ins and outs.

Unlike resolutions, ins and outs dont rest on those tropes about all the things we need to change about ourselves. Instead, theyre about embracing the things we want to embrace while letting go of the things we dont. We see people pledging to say yes to things like therapy, positive self-talk, and daily mental health walks while saying no to doom scrolling, diet culture, or excessive multitasking. These are things that can actually simplify your life as opposed to giving you a goal you have to scramble to achieve or one that leaves you feeling like a failure if you dont.

At the beginning of a new year, the pressure of self-improvement always feels heaviest. Thats why its so refreshing to see so many women, the people who have been most heavily affected by ideas on self-improvement, let go of those ideas and replace them with ins and outs.

If you didnt set resolutions this year (or if youve already set aside some of the goals your highly ambitious self set on January 1), youre not alone. Based on social media and in-person conversations, I feel pretty confident in saying that many women, myself included, are putting resolutions (especially the ones that feel tangled up in toxic diet culture and hustle culture) on their out list for 2024. Women did that. And while we may be wondering what changed in our culture to allow for this new approach, the answer, in my opinion, is everywhere. Because if theres one thing 2023 taught us, its that women have all the power where shaping cultural trends is concerned.

2023 was, after all, the year women held up both the zeitgeist and the economy. The Barbie movie, for example, didnt just dominate the box officeit also brought back the lost art of movie-going and propelled the iconic doll back to the forefront of pop culture. It even forced us to reconsider all our long-held beliefs about Barbies legacy and what she represents in our world. And then theres that iconic monologue, which reflected on the impossibilities of being a woman in todays world. It made us realize that if were all feeling this way and if we all find the standards and expectations placed on women so incredibly untenable, why are we even trying to meet them? Why arent we harnessing our collective power and putting a new standard in place?

if theres one thing 2023 taught us, its that women have all the power where shaping cultural trends is concerned.

Even things like girl dinner and girl math, which became major social media trends in 2023, are signs of the full range of female impact. The former is about women simplifying their lives; its not necessarily about healthy or clean eating, its about doing what makes your life easier. If thats letting go of the societal pressure to cook a whole meal and instead assemble a plate of little things, so be it. The latter shows us taking a common stereotype of womenthe one that says we are financially illiterate and indulgentand reclaiming it. Girl math may seem like a slippery slope into deep consumerism, but it also gives us permission to just buy the coffee or make the inconsequential purchase without the guilt attached to it. Ultimately, were telling the world that it just needs to trust women to make decisions for their own lives and trust that were smart enough to know whatll ultimately serve us well.

And then theres Taylor Swift and Beyonc. They didnt just make major (like, major) money moves with their respective tours. They also brought back large-scale gatherings, drove massive commerce trends, and revived local economies. Both women resisted the many comparisons and narratives pitting them against one another and opted instead to support each other. They flipped the script just like Im doing right now as I reject old-school New Years narratives.

We can embrace new sets of ins and outs year after year because we can acknowledge that not everything has to be permanent in order for it to be good.

Swift was, quite literally, 2023s Person of the Year, at least according to TIME. Throughout her career, Swifts authenticity has been questioned at every turn. People have criticized her for her ever-changing artistic identity: Shes been a country darling, a commercial pop star, and even a folksy artist. Shes embraced publicity at certain turns, shunned it completely at others, and boomeranged back into the public sphere, leaving people questioning who she really is and what she really stands for. But last year, Swift took what is arguably her most common criticism, looked her critics dead in the eyes, and effectively said, Yeah, Ive reinvented myself many times over. And now Im going to make a celebration of that constant reinvention my biggest power move.

Under Swifts influence, were able to stop thinking about life as a constant quest for improvement. Instead, we can view it as a journey of moving in and out of various eras. We can embrace new sets of ins and outs year after year because we can acknowledge that not everything has to be permanent in order for it to be good. We can see that living our best lives isnt a linear progression but a fluid, unpredictable trying of new things. And as a result, we can allow ourselves to leave relationships or jobs or hobbies or ideas or anything that doesnt serve usand instead of thinking of it as losing or failing or giving up, we can think of it simply as stepping into a new era. In a world that constantly boxes women in, this is incredibly liberating.

Thats the value of replacing resolutions with ins and outsit gives us the power to define and continually redefine what we want. It allows us to construct the concept from scratch. Unlike New Years resolutions, which have been around for ages and have their preexisting connotations, ins and outs are ours to shape from the onset. And on the heels of a year where we showed the world the impact of our voices, opinions, tastes, and trends, that feels so fitting.

Link:
Ins and Outs: Why I'm All for Ditching Resolutions and Embracing the Internet Trend - The Everygirl

As January 2024 unfolds, the crisp cold air often gives people a sense of renewal and the promise of a fresh new start. The tradition of setting New Year's resolutions is a familiar one, and it is often centered around health, fitness or even personal development.

Common resolutions often include losing weight, exercising more or learning a new skill. I think that we can all take the opportunity to redefine success on a more personal level. Beyond measurable achievements, resolutions can focus on cultivating kindness and compassion, both towards ourselves and others. While all goals are undoubtedly valuable, I would like to concentrate on some commonly overlooked New Year resolutions.

Beyond the typical resolutions lies a realm of mindful practices that can significantly impact our well-being. Incorporating mindfulness and meditation into daily routines can really enhance mental clarity, reduce stress and promote overall emotional balance. The overlooked resolution of cultivating mindfulness not only contributes to personal growth but also fosters a deeper connection with oneself and the surrounding world.

Expressing gratitude is another powerful, yet often underestimated resolution. In creating future goals for yourself, it is essential to acknowledge and appreciate the present. Creating a habit of gratitude can lead to increased happiness, improved relationships and a positive mindset. This overlooked resolution encourages people to find joy in the small moments, fostering a sense of contentment amidst life's challenges.

Another overlooked resolution with a far-reaching impact that I will share is embracing environmental consciousness. Reducing your carbon footprint, practicing sustainable living and supporting eco-friendly initiatives contribute to a healthier planet in which we live. By adopting environmentally conscious habits, people can make a meaningful contribution to the well-being of the Earth.

Lastly, a resolution often disregarded is the need for a digital detox. Committing to designated periods of time without screens can enhance mental clarity, reduce stress and improve your sleep quality. Disconnecting from the digital realm allows us to reconnect with our surroundings and foster more meaningful in-person connections.

As January allows for us to reflect on the possibilities of the year ahead, let us broaden our perspective on resolutions. While traditional goals have their place, exploring overlooked aspirations can lead to a more holistic and fulfilling life. Embracing mindfulness, expressing gratitude, adopting environmental consciousness and practicing a digital detox are just some of the many resolutions that I feel can really offer you a path to personal growth and societal contribution.

By embracing these often overlooked goals, January has the potential to be a canvas for personal evolution and societal betterment. As we navigate the unknown of the new year, let us not only set resolutions but craft a narrative of growth, kindness and purpose that extends beyond the confines of tradition. This year, let us reimagine resolutions and take on a journey of self-discovery and positive change.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of The Torch.

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January 2024: time for reimagining resolutions, cultivating relationships | Opinion | valpotorch.com - The Torch

Comparisons between Bitcoin and Ethereum have made the topic of many crypto debates, leading to many different conclusions. Bitcoin is the holder of many notable records and achievements, including being the first decentralized cryptocurrency established by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2009, the most valuable digital asset and the one that occupies the largest share in the cryptocurrency market. As a result, Ethereum, which was founded in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin, has always lived in Bitcoins shadow, alongside all the other digital currencies that emerged in its wake, forming the altcoin pack.

Historical cryptocurrency data reveals that the two assets have moved in tandem, with the flagship crypto dictating the price trajectory. Judging by the difference between the current Ethereum price and the Bitcoin price, the latter wins by a landslide. Ethereum always seems to be several steps behind Bitcoin, unable to pose a real threat to its dominance and yank it off its throne.

However, if we delve a bit deeper, we can see that the altcoin leader also showcases a series of strong suits and key metrics that place it at the top of the cryptocurrency hierarchy, in front of its longtime rival, and hodler count is one of the areas where Ethereum excels.

Ethereum hits record number of hodlers in 2023

2023 has been a good year for Ethereum for several reasons. The second-ranked crypto has been on an appreciation journey for the better part of the year, with a 20% gain in the last month and a 38% gain over the past 60 days. Apart from the considerable price increase, Ethereum has also seen a significant surge in hodler numbers.

Hodler is a popular crypto slang term that designates long-term holders of a cryptocurrency. These investors buy and hold onto assets regardless of price volatility, trusting their long-term value and their ability to weather market fluctuations.

According to IntoTheBlock data, addresses that have held Ether for more than 12 months currently make up 72% of all Ethereum holders, reaching the highest level since 2018. At the moment, Ethereum counts approximately 73.9 million long-term holders, after a 44.2% increase, while Bitcoins holder figures stand at 33.6 million.

Hodlers play an important role in the health and performance of digital assets. Coins backed by a large number of holders tend to be less susceptible to market volatility and are generally perceived as more resilient and trustworthy. So, the fact that Ethereums holder community is growing is certainly a positive development for the network.

In addition, Ethereum also outclasses Bitcoin in terms of whales, which refers to persons or entities that own a large amount of a single cryptocurrency, between 1000 and 10,000 coins. By the latest count, the number of Ethereum whale addresses has recently reached 5,370, marking a 12% yearly increase, while Bitcoin whale wallets amount to 1,920.

This proves that Bitcoin is not the only coin boasting record-breaking performances in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Ethereum outshines the original crypto in many ways, so even though theres still a huge price discrepancy between the two, the top altcoin continues to attract an increasing number of investors.

What prompted Ethereums holder increase?

Not too long ago, Bitcoin used to hold supremacy in hodler numbers as well. Whats more, both Bitcoin and Ethereum have had impressive runs this year and recorded increases in their hodler metrics. So, what exactly caused the tables to turn and lead to such a notable disparity between the two assets?

Ethereums surge in long-term holders can be attributed to a series of factors. One of the most likely causes for the increase is the rise in Ethereum staking registered this year. The amount of staked Ether has nearly doubled since the beginning of 2023, with roughly 24% of all Ethereums circulating supply being locked in staking deposits. Since most staked funds remained untouched for more than 12 months, this led to a major rise in the Holder Ratio.

However, there are other factors that have contributed to the phenomenon which have to do with the purpose and the evolution of the two crypto projects. On one hand, Bitcoin has continued to operate as a deflationary store of value and a peer-to-peer form of digital money, so it hasnt strayed away from its original purpose and use cases.

On the other hand, Ethereum has undergone massive transformations since its launch back in 2013. Designed by Vitalik Buterin as a programable blockchain, Ethereum started its journey as a platform that enables the deployment of decentralized apps (dApps). However, over the years and after multiple upgrades and updates, the Ethereum ecosystem expanded considerably, with applications and use cases spanning across many other areas, including gaming, decentralized finance (DeFi), and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

Bitcoin is clearly more established and mainstream than Ethereum, having a longer track record in the market and being superior in terms of price performance and scalability. Ethereum is in a weaker position from this point of view, but price action is not the only aspect that attracts investors and drives crypto adoption.

The fact that Ethereum boasts a diversity of use cases and represents a hub for innovation in the crypto sphere has caught the eye of stakeholders and that has led to an increase in hodler numbers.

The Ethereum network also seems to respond better to the changing needs and demands of market participants. The Merge and Shapella upgrades, which saw Ethereum switch from a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus protocol to a proof-of-stake (PoS) mechanism, stand as proof of Ethereums adaptability, flexibility and its constant focus on innovation. These attributes have turned it into a decentralized blockchain powerhouse and continue to draw in more investors and holders.

Final thoughts

Ethereums record number of long-term holders might not be enough to steal the leader position from Bitcoin, so its rather premature to make assumptions about a potential flippening in the near future. However, changes in this key metric serve as an indicator of Ethereums strength and potential and are worth taking into account by crypto enthusiasts.

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Ethereum's record number of hodlers downgrades Bitcoin to second place - Baltic Times