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Cryptocurrencies versus a financial crisis
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The Crypto Market has not yet passed the most important test
Bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency, has existed for over 9 years, although the cryptocurrency market started to gain most popularity last year. However, this period of time is not that long enough to be able to assess how the cryptocurrency market will behave in the long term and if it will grow, as its supporters expect. All this is because the cryptocurrency owners did not come into contact with the key factor that allows to assess the durability of any given market – the financial crisis.
How will Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies behave in the face of the financial crisis?
We can distinguish two extreme approaches to this issue. People counting on the fact that the cryptocurrencies will replace FIAT currencies in the future and completely change the financial system believe that the global financial crisis will be a period of bloom for the cryptocurrencies. On the other hand, sceptics believe that the crisis will be very acute for this market – there will be drastic falls and a large part of the projects may not survive. The latter group includes American investor James Chanos, known for catching assets that can be earned from short selling.
Chanos warns that people counting on the fact that the cryptocurrencies purchased by them will perform the function of a value storage like the real estate market during the crisis will be very disappointed. In his opinion, periods of turbulence on the markets are the worst time to keep the cryptocurrencies. He even said that it would be a much better idea to keep… food.
“The last thing I would like to have when everything falls asleep is Bitcoin,” said Chanos in an interview with the Institute for New Economic Thinking.
According to Chanos, cryptos are only a speculative game, hidden under the slogan of a revolution of the traditional financial system. He doesn’t openly call Bitcoin fraud, but points out that some projects may be so.
The bull market is the source of the success of the cryptocurrencies?
While the usability of cryptocurrencies is a subject of discussion, Chanos draws attention to an important factor that has made investing in cryptocurrencies so popular. This is a certain repeatability of behaviour, correlated with cycles on financial markets. It’s all, of course, about the rises and the downturns, and their impact on the financial decisions.
Bear markets have it to each other that they significantly increase the level of risk aversion. During the bull market, this level of risk aversion decreases. The problem, however, is that this decline does not stop at reasonable levels. Long-lasting rallies make investors willing to take more and more risks and even make investments that they would normally consider inappropriate. As a result, a prolonged bull market is an ideal environment for the development of speculative bubbles or dishonest investment patterns (e.g. financial pyramids or ponzi schemes). This is also facilitated by low interest rate levels, which discourage people from holding savings on secure deposits. Investors in such conditions are more likely to choose riskier investments in order to achieve a satisfactory return. The gambling and sports betting industry is thriving in these conditions with sites like the Sportsbet offering traditional betting but with Bitcoins. This increases the risks associated with gambling tremendously – when we gamble using FIAT currencies we know that when we win 400$ at blackjack, we will come home with 400$ (minus possible casino fees). But when we gamble with cryptos? We can come home with our 400$ in BTC and wake up next morning to 800$ or 200$. This is indeed a silent revolution, and not only the gambling and betting sites know that.
A repetition of the Internet boom?
Chanos reminds us that the bull market ended at the beginning of the 21st century with a dotcom bubble. Just as the dotcom boom contributed to the proliferation of companies connecting to the Internet industry, so now, like mushrooms after the rain, new cryptocurrencies are emerging, and companies are appearing on the stock exchanges trying to gain publicity thanks to the link with blockchain technology. The bear market of the beginning of the last decade ended with strong discounts of the leading entities from the dotcom sector and cleared the market of smaller players and entities impersonating Internet business.
Will the same fate await the cryptocurrencies and the ICOs? Such a scenario seems plausible. As in the case of grants, the largest projects such as Bitcoin or Ethereum may remain on the market, which on the one hand will lose out on a general sale, but some of these losses will be compensated for by the capital fleeing from smaller projects.
Why should the crypto owners lose money during the financial crisis at all?
If we treat the cryptocurrency market as other investment markets, the risk parameter should be a key one. During financial crises, the highest outflow of capital is recorded in high-risk markets. This is transferred either to cash or to low-risk markets (so-called safe harbours).
The cryptocurrency cannot currently be considered to be either a cash equivalent or a safe haven. Globally, traditional currencies are preferable to cryptocurrencies and this should not be expected to change until the next financial crisis. It should be remembered that the capital circulating on the financial markets is mainly institutional capital, i.e. still sceptical about cryptos.
To put it very simply, all of this is primarily about the already mentioned risk parameter – cryptocurrencies are characterised by a much higher investment risk than financial instruments that do not use leverage. On the one hand, it gives a chance to achieve high rates of return (as in the previous year), and on the other hand, it poses a threat of significant slips, as in this year. The financial crisis and the accompanying economic collapse are making risk aversion drastically increasing. The uncertain high profit in the future is no longer so attractive, especially when the spectre of redundancies in companies and difficulties in finding new jobs arise.
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
EGT is prepared to make a long-lasting impression on visitors at ICE 2025, which will be held in Barcelona for the first time. The Bulgarian manufacturer of gaming equipment will showcase its compelling selection of bestsellers and high-potential new developments at one of the largest stands at the exhibition 3F30.
Among the novelties that will arouse the greatest interest will be 2 brand-new slot cabinets – 32-32 St and 32-32 Up. These models will certainly not go unnoticed by the event guests.
On display will be the newest addition to the company’s jackpot family – the 4-level Asian-themed Zhao Cai Shuang Yu. It will reveal the astonishing world of its 2 games, Prosperity Strike and Rising Coins.
The attendees will also be able to see and test the latest multigames from the Supreme Selection slot series. The Mega Supreme Fruits, Supreme Red, and Supreme Buy Bonus Prize Selection will present a lot of new slot titles, offering a perfect mix of fascinating themes, attractive bonus features, and great entertainment.
EGT will show its newest ETG developments as well. Among them will be the 32 T terminal, which will make its debut during the show. It will complement the company’s rich portfolio of ETG products, which are the preferred choice in numerous gaming venues around the world.
Expanding its offering, EGT will present the Supreme Series of game mixes, currently including the Supreme Roulette Union and Supreme Green Union multigames. Focusing exclusively on roulette, the Supreme Roulette Union blends the excitement of classic roulette gameplay with innovative jackpot systems and versatile features. Supreme Green Union combines popular games from the company’s portfolio with roulette, Keno, Baccarat, and Blackjack, offering players a unique and engaging experience.
Numerous new AWP and VLT products, created specifically for different markets, will also be at the visitors’ disposal, as well as the casino management system Spider, which will show its latest modules.
EGT Digital will also present its vast array of iGaming solutions, including instant and casino games, jackpots, and its in-house developed “all-in-one” betting platform X-Nave.
Nadia Popova, Chief Revenue Officer and VP Sales & Marketing at EGT, commented: “ICE is a very important event for us, which gives us the opportunity to meet with industry professionals from all over the world. We will welcome our current and potential new customers and partners at our stand to present them all new products from our portfolio, divided into zones, covering all gaming verticals. I believe in the positive potential of changes. That is why I think that the relocation of the show to Barcelona will open new business horizons and bring many opportunities for building fruitful partnerships, for which we as a company are ready. “
The post EGT at ICE Barcelona 2025: Get ready to be stunned appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Go-to LatAm content and platform developer purchases longstanding Brazil-based tech development partner to accelerate growth plans
Vibra Group, the ‘go-to’ content and platform developer for the LatAm region, has acquired TSA, a Brazil-based technology company and one of its longest standing development partners.
The acquisition will further strengthen the award-winning company and accelerate its growth plans with 55 specialist platform development experts based in Northern Brazil.
TSA and Vibra Group have been long-term partners with TSA contributing significantly to Vibra’s technological growth. TSA, which operates under the ServiceNet brand name, also has existing contracts with several Brazilian lotteries including Loteria do Tocantins, Loteria do Maranhao, Loteria de Sergipe and Loteria da Paraíba.
The integration of TSA’s expert teams will immediately enhance Vibra’s platform development roadmap with additional resources dedicated to the Vibra Solutions business unit and will consolidate the Vibra Group’s structure across the LatAm region. The LatAm based team is focused on game studios, Remote Gaming Server (RGS), and Electronic Gaming Machines (EGM). The Brazil-based team specialising in Player Account Management (PAM) and sportsbook solutions.
Vibra’s product strategy is to service every client need delivering a complete solution on three core areas: sportsbook and casino platform with multiple levels of customization and flexibility; content aggregation platform including proprietary titles and third party games from the main brands in the industry; and a state-of-the-art EGM platform allowing operators to distribute products and content through VLT / retail terminals. The group’s 3 business divisions: Vibra Gaming, Vibra Solutions and Vibra VLT / Retail.
Ramiro Atucha, CEO, Vibra Group, said: “We’re delighted to close the acquisition of TSA and welcome the team to the Vibra family. TSA are one of our closest and most trusted partners with whom we’ve closely collaborated across several significant projects as well as ongoing development work, therefore joining forces makes perfect strategic sense.
“Our expansion and first M&A deal follows significant customer demand and growth across the LatAm region in the last 12 to 18 months so the timing is ideal. We’re very excited to have the TSA team join us as we continue our journey.”
Werter Luna, CEO, TSA, said: “We’re thrilled with the outcome of joining Ramiro and the Vibra team after having worked together for so long. The synergies were very clear and both companies know we are stronger together. The future is very bright and we’re ready to go on the ambitious plans we have to significantly grow our business.”
Founded five years ago by a management team of highly experienced industry experts with decades of land-based and online experience, Vibra has emerged as one of the most exciting and innovative content studios and software developers in the industry and rapidly grown to become the LatAm market’s ‘go-to’ partner for local and international operators.
The post Vibra Group Completes the Acquisition of TSA appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The global esports organization GIANTX is ready to kick off its journey in the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC), Europe’s premier esports competition. With a revamped roster and a clear goal of qualifying for the 2025 Worlds in China, the team begins its campaign this Saturday with a challenging schedule.
Led by renowned coach André Guilhoto, the roster features Lot (toplaner), Closer (jungler), Jackies (midlaner), Noah (AD carry), and Jun (support). Jackies, the 2024 Rookie of the Year, returns as the only player from last year’s roster. Lot, a standout in the LFL, joins as a promising top laner. Closer, a three-time Worlds participant and North American champion, brings leadership and experience. Meanwhile, Noah and Jun, from Fnatic, aim to establish themselves as one of the best bot lanes in the LEC.
GIANTX continues to rely on advanced data analytics and statistics in building its roster. “We believe in this roster. It’s a mix of hungry, talented players and experienced individuals. This team has the potential to be a strong contender in the LEC,” said David Alonso, GIANTX’s head of esports.
The journey begins on January 18 against SK Gaming (7:30 PM), followed by Rogue (Sunday, 6:45 PM) and Karmine Corp (Monday, 9:00 PM). In the second week, GIANTX will face Movistar KOI, Team Heretics, and G2 Esports, closing the regular phase against Fnatic, BDS, and Vitality. With a demanding schedule ahead, GIANTX is set to prove it is ready to compete at the highest level.
The post GIANTX begins its 2025 LEC journey with fresh faces appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
EGT at ICE Barcelona 2025: Get ready to be stunned
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