Bitcoin (BTC) is both the first and the most prominent cryptocurrency in the world when it comes to market capitalization as well as trading volume. These factors are quite significant, considering that all cryptocurrencies trade against Bitcoin and Bitcoin’s dominance can actually serve as a valuable indicator when trading all different types of cryptocurrencies.
This post will offer insight on how to trade cryptocurrency while utilizing the Bitcoin dominance indicator and how to read the Bitcoin dominance index chart overall.
What is the BTC dominance chart?
Bitcoin dominance is uncovered by comparing Bitcoin’s market capitalization to the capitalization of the entire crypto market. The higher Bitcoin’s market capitalization the more Bitcoin dominance is at play, and we have the answer to the question: What percentage of the crypto market is Bitcoin?
The BTC dominance TradingView chart showcases these numbers in a clear percentage format where one can take a quick glance and understand if BTC dominance is at 40% or 60%, for example.
That said, users can also view the Real Bitcoin Dominance Index, which calculates BTC dominance only against proof-of-work (PoW) coins aiming to become a form of money.
The logic behind the Real Bitcoin Dominance Index is that many altcoins such as stablecoins aren’t aiming to compete with Bitcoin and, so, it may paint a more realistic long-term view on Bitcoin’s dominance.
This indicator even gives users the option to exclude Ethereum, as it’s debatable whether or not Ether (ETH) is meant to be a currency rather than a utility token.
How does BTC dominance affect altcoins?
BTC dominance can directly affect altcoins, as it showcases how much of the market’s trading volume is in BTC vs. how much of the trading volume is in altcoins.
Generally, if Bitcoin dominance is up, then traders recommend one has more of their crypto holdings in BTC than in altcoins. If BTC dominance is down, traders recommend one holds more altcoins than they do Bitcoin.
While it’s wrong to say Bitcoin dominance is an exact representation of a bear or bull market, there are correlations between these definitions. For example, bull markets might lead to lower BTC dominance, as funds are typically pouring into altcoins at that time.
Conversely, bear markets might see higher BTC dominance, as traders may be pulling their funds out of altcoins and putting money into Bitcoin since it’s more of a reliable asset.
Some enthusiasts might say that lower Bitcoin dominance is a good thing, as it means the crypto market is expanding and funds are flowing through all sorts of projects instead of just Bitcoin. But, it’s also worth noting that the total crypto market capitalization will take pre-mined and forked coins into its value, meaning altcoin counts might be artificially inflated.
One should also consider the fact that Bitcoin dominance can decrease even when the asset’s price increases. This can occur when money is pouring into the crypto market with Bitcoin included, though more money might be moving into altcoins than the world’s largest cryptocurrency.
The point is, while Bitcoin dominance might paint the crypto market a certain way on a surface level, there are various factors to consider to gather an informed view.
Sometimes dominance might be down due to a short-term altcoin boom while other times, the entire market might be bleeding money. It’s always best to do additional research before making an investment decision.
How to trade Bitcoin dominance?
There are multiple factors to consider when attempting to trade Bitcoin dominance. First, understand that Bitcoin dominance can go down if interest is high in even one altcoin. This interest in a single altcoin doesn’t mean that every altcoin will experience upward trends. The market may take some time to correct itself.
It’s also best to consider the intent of some popular altcoins and whether or not that intent will translate into a lasting impact on the altcoin…
Read More: cointelegraph.com