The Crypto Market Just Hit a New Low for 2018

The total market capitalization for all cryptocurrencies just fell to its lowest point in 2018.

The developments come after the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) delayed a decision on a proposed bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF). The news triggered a market reaction, ultimately sending the total value of all cryptocurrencies down to $228,528,969 on Wednesday – the lowest level since November 2017 – according to data from CoinMarketCap. 

The drop to nine-month lows marks a 10.7 percent depreciation on a 24-hour basis. As of press time, the market capitalization had risen back slightly to $228,639,159,194.

Although the ETF decision is solely in regards to bitcoin, many alternative cryptocurrencies are printing worse losses than the world's largest cryptocurrency by market cap, signaling worsening risk sentiment in the market.

The rise in the bitcoin dominance rate – an indicator that tracks the percent of the total crypto market capitalization contributed by the leading cryptocurrency – to an eight-month high of 48.6 percent also suggests the investors are venturing out of alternative cryptocurrencies and into bitcoin, and then possibly on to fiat currency.

The falling spread or difference between the total market capitalization of all cryptocurrencies except bitcoin and BTC's market capitalization is also signaling reduced demand for high-risk alternative cryptocurrencies.

At press time, the total market capitalization of all cryptocurrencies excluding bitcoin is just over $118 billion – an 8.5 month low – whereas the total market cap of bitcoin is topping $111 billion, a figure last seen less than a month ago and above its annual low of $99,915,112,929, according to CoinMarketCap.

Meanwhile, the BTC dominance rate is hovering around 48.9 percent and could rise to 50 percent if the risk aversion worsens, boosting demand for well-established cryptocurrencies like BTC.

Disclosure: The author holds BTC, AST, REQ, OMG, FUEL, 1st and AMP at the time of writing.

Image via Shutterstock

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This article is intended as a news item to inform our readers of various events and developments that affect, or that might in the future affect, the value of the cryptocurrency described above. The information contained herein is not intended to provide, and it does not provide, sufficient information to form the basis for an investment decision, and you should not rely on this information for that purpose. The information presented herein is accurate only as of its date, and it was not prepared by a research analyst or other investment professional. You should seek additional information regarding the merits and risks of investing in any cryptocurrency before deciding to purchase or sell any such instruments.

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