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31 January 2025
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As every aspect of our lives has been transformed by digitisation, the changing nature of money and currencies should come as no surprise. But while bitcoin is here to stay, many investors still lack a clear grasp of what it is.
US bank balance sheets are expanding again, driving increasing money supply that is finding its way into markets. It means inflation is likely to remain high, and inflation hedges like Bitcoin and gold may continue to do well.
Bitcoin has seemingly gone mainstream with approval for the first U.S. ETFs that can directly invest in the cryptocurrency. Should investors incorporate Bitcoin into their portfolios as a strategic part of long-term allocations?
Claims that Bitcoin has characteristics of 'digital gold' by protecting against equity market falls in troubled times are not supported by recent price moves. Crypto relies on supporters pumping up speculative gains.
In decentralised currency markets like Bitcoin and Ethereum, the market needs to ensure that everyone agrees on the order of transactions. Cryptocurrency miners help this process and are rewarded with digital coins.
Bitcoin is at a tipping point. We could be at the start of massive transformation of cryptocurrency into the mainstream. Here are 10 observations on whether Bitcoin is a vital part on our financial futures.
At the top of every market, there are signs that investors look back on and say the excesses were obvious. While many parts of the market are fairly valued, here are four bubbles which show irrational exuberance.
The rise of the Bitcoin price coinciding with a pullback in the gold price is leading commentators to argue the precious metal is being usurped by its purported digital counterpart. There's a long way to go.
The Global Chief Economist of a leading asset manager has taken one question more than any other in recent months. People are both transfixed and bemused by Bitcoin, but there is a chance its value may fall to zero.
Price is what you pay when you buy an asset, and value is what you get. Market price and the intrinsic value of a good or a company share are two different qualities.
Bitcoins are experiencing a massive price hike, and there's little history to draw on to guide the future. However, another market provides a remarkable insight into what can happen when the optimism turns.
It's human nature to want to join the fun when prices rise rapidly, especially with stories of a few dollars turned into millions, but these are the times to treat with the utmost caution.
The housing market was subdued in 2024, and pessimism abounds as we start the new year. 2025 is likely to be a tale of two halves, with interest rate cuts fuelling a resurgence in buyer demand in the second half of the year.
This examines the performance of key asset classes and sub-sectors in 2024 and over longer timeframes, and the lessons that can be drawn for constructing an investment portfolio for the next decade.
The renowned investor has penned his first investor letter for 2025 and it’s a ripper. He runs through what bubbles are, which ones he’s experienced, and whether today’s markets qualify as the third major bubble of this century.
2024 was a banner year for equities, with a run-up in US tech stocks broadening into a global market rally, and the big question now is whether the good times can continue? History suggests optimism is warranted.
Check out the most-read Firstlinks articles from 2024. From '16 ASX stocks to buy and hold forever', to 'The best strategy to build income for life', and 'Where baby boomer wealth will end up', there's something for all.
Getting regular, growing income from stocks is tougher with the dividend yield on the ASX nearing 25-year lows. Here are some conventional and not-so-conventional ideas for investors wanting to build a dividend portfolio.