Crypto Strikes Back: Your Investments in 2025 and Onward
In today’s newsletter:
- Crypto Strikes Back: Your Investments in 2025 and Onward
- Crisis at the Box Office, Market Watch, and Thanksgiving by the Numbers
- Ways to Give Thanks and Give Back
Bitcoin soared to its highest price ever in the wake of the recent election results. Elon Musk, tapped to lead a new government agency dedicated to eliminating federal waste, has named his organization the Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E.). Many of the high-ranking members of the incoming administration in the white house are confirmed crypto advocates and crypto holders.
They’re calling Donald Trump “The Crypto President.”
Enthusiasm for cryptocurrencies may be at an all-time high in the wake of what is perceived to be a federal government that is, for the first time, very bullish on crypto. Today, we’re going to break down what has happened so far in the world of digital assets, what the experts think we can expect in the near future, and some of the issues that need to be resolved in the long term.
Bitcoin and Donald Trump
Back in 2021, in a Fox Business interview, Donald Trump went on the record saying, “Bitcoin just seems like a scam.” In a significant about-face, he now says that the U.S. needs to be the “crypto capital of the planet,” and that all remaining Bitcoin must be mined in the United States. He views crypto as a national security issue in keeping us ahead of China, has proposed holding a national Bitcoin reserve, and has promised to deregulate the crypto industry in the U.S., in part by firing SEC Chairman Gary Gensler. Installing a new head of the SEC, however, may be more complicated than Trump has made it seem. In any case, the president-elect is explicitly and vocally pro-crypto and the markets have noticed.
It’s no wonder, then, that Bitcoin has skyrocketed in recent weeks, launching past $90k, with some speculating that there is room to run. It increased over 30% in value very quickly, but it has since dipped slightly as investors have sold off to realize their gains. Some experts warn against euphoria-buying, as Bitcoin is historically extremely volatile and primarily valued off of speculation, rather than fundamentals. Still, crypto true-believers are feeling very validated as a $100k Bitcoin now seems like a very real possibility. Only a year ago, Bitcoin was trading for around $35k, and now it is at record highs.
DOGE, a meme coin often promoted by Elon Musk, is essentially a joke digital currency that caught traction in speculative runs a few years ago. Meme coins such as DOGE do not hold inherent value, but they often respond sharply to current events and public endorsements for short periods of time. With Musk’s recent nod to his favorite joke on the internet, DOGE is now trading at more than double what it went for prior to the election.
Other cryptocurrencies, such as Ethereum, are also up about 20%, though, to be fair, this does not represent a record high for the digital asset. Cardano jumped over 40%, Ripple has climbed more than 40% since the election as well, and other tokens and coins have also risen in value.
Bitcoin is not the only digital asset to have surged and then started to dip, so the question now is this: Are we in for a whole new world of crypto? Or is this another spike that will soon die down? Riding the wave sounds great, but buying high and watching your investment devalue is always a risk. So what is the savvy investor to expect from the crypto market?
There are several factors at play. One thing to watch is the upcoming options expiry, which has nearly $12 billion tied to Bitcoin. Bears will want to keep Bitcoin’s price below $72,000, while bulls will want to keep it above $90k. The whales (investors with outsized positions in BTC and BTC-related assets) do have some ability to influence the price, so this is something to keep an eye on.
Despite the short-term liquidation risk, however, some experts expect an imminent 6-figure price for Bitcoin, which will almost certainly drag other digital assets up with it. Market analyst Josh Gilbert says, “This rally could just be getting started. This bull market has a lot of weight behind it.”
What are Christian financial influencers saying about crypto these days?
It depends on who you ask, but the Big Kahuna, Mr. Dave Ramsey himself, is skeptical:
“Just say no [to crypto],” he advises his listeners. “You could lose your shirt and pants messing around with crypto. Steer clear, big tuna.”
His advice on the topic is not universally loved, however, and some are using the recent gains to poke fun at the financial guru – as demonstrated by a recent Reddit post titled: “Bitcoin is up 1300% since Dave Ramsey said, ‘Bitcoin is a really good way to turn 1M into nothing.’”
One thing is for sure after 15 years of Bitcoin: If crypto is a bubble, then it is the mother of all bubbles. Otherwise, it seems to be making tremendous inroads to prove that it is here for the long haul. For his part, Trump seems intent on making sure that it is.
Problems, Potential Solutions, and Moral Quandaries
Despite the robust activity in markets, many longtime investors still question the underlying value proposition and practicality of digital assets such as Bitcoin. Three of the major issues revolve around a) energy consumption, b) decentralization, and c) security. Some solutions are now being offered, but with these solutions come intense ethical dilemmas.
In an amusing satire called “If Cryptocurrency Was Honest,” the problems are summed up this way:
“Do you like money? Well, what if I told you there was a way to exchange those boring, green, presidential napkins for sexy computer cash that’s easier to lose, far more volatile, slaughters the environment, and can’t be exchanged for the vast majority of goods and services?”
Now, the above-mentioned video is clearly not a peer-reviewed research paper. But the issues it plays off of are very real question marks for the future use of Bitcoin and assets like it going forward.
Many people are hesitant about the widespread adoption of cryptocurrencies because they rely heavily on excruciatingly difficult math problems for the blockchain to work. Without getting overly technical, this means that mining machines need A LOT of power, as machines all over the world compete to solve these equations the fastest. So, not only is there a lot of waste and redundancy, but it’s also an incredible drain on our energy resources, which in turn affects the environment. Any given 2023 Bitcoin transaction potentially used as much electricity as hundreds of thousands of Visa transactions.
This is a problem of electricity consumption and production, perhaps, but it is also a problem of computing power. At present, we simply do not have the infrastructure to make widespread use of Bitcoin a viable option for everyday marketplace transactions. Some have suggested that recent scientific innovations could solve this problem, such as growing human brain cells in the lab, using those cells to run artificial intelligence programs, and keeping them alive long enough to solve complex problems using minimal energy. This, naturally, presents some very strange and uncomfortable moral quandaries for Christians trying to solve these problems. Do we really want human brains becoming intelligent in a lab, being forced to do transaction data, and then dying? What does that mean? And does it matter to us, ethically?
In any case, power consumption, production, and efficiency are big question marks going forward for crypto (and for widespread AI usage, as well).
One of the original promises of cryptocurrency is that it represents decentralized finance so that a few fat cats running our nation’s preeminent financial institutions cannot cheat the little guy out of his fair share by manipulating markets. Critics of crypto have pointed out, however, that as Bitcoin gains acceptance, the ability to manipulate its price is, in fact, increasingly centralized by the likes of Blackrock, Fidelity, and others. Mining also has greatly centralized and will likely continue doing so.
Security also remains a concern for many potential investors. Though some of these risks are potentially mitigated by investing in crypto funds and crypto futures rather than buying crypto directly, the fact remains that holding crypto currency involves digital wallets controlled by an almighty password. Unfortunately, people sometimes lose or forget their passwords, and their access to that money is simply gone forever. In other cases, people’s wallets (or their owners) are held for ransom, passwords are stolen or hacked, and all in all, some remain skeptical of how secure these assets really are.
TL;DR
At the end of the day, this article is merely scratching the surface of a complex asset class. If you’re going to invest, make sure that you educate yourself on the ins and outs of how crypto works, what the regulatory environment is like, and how a specific digital asset functions in the real world.
We may be on the horizon of explosive growth in the digital assets sector, minting new millionaires and billionaires in the process. Or, Dave Ramsey might have the last laugh after all.
This article is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. For information and advice on investing, a certified financial adviser should be consulted. Sent to Win does not give financial advice and does not bear any responsibility for investing decisions made by its readers.
Future-Dave goes back in time to thank Past-Dave for buying $20 of Bitcoin in 2010.
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INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Crisis at the Box Office, Market Watch, and Thanksgiving by the Numbers
Crisis at the Box Office
Hollywood heavyweight studio Lionsgate had a dismal year, worrying investors and causing a shakeup in their strategy. Lionsgate released 15 major motion pictures into theaters this year – and 13 of them were flops or underperformances. Movie Web says they have entered “studio-ending territory.” None of Lionsgates’ films surpassed the $50 million mark internationally – and most of them fell far below that. In Q2, Lionsgate posted an operating loss of $88.6 million and a $163.3 million loss attributable to shareholders. Known for massive worldwide hits, such as the Hunger Games series, the Saw franchise, Knives Out, John Wick, Hacksaw Ridge, and many, many others, this performance in 2024 is truly shocking. Perhaps in a bid of desperation, Lionsgate recently announced that it would make history by allowing an AI company called “Runway” to train a new artificial intelligence model on its extensive library of films and shows, in order to create cheap, “original” content in the future. Whether or not this gambit will lower costs, bring in an audience, and keep them in business, only time will tell.
Market Watch
The post-election stock market rally has been halted with new doubts concerning the size and timing of additional rate cuts from the Fed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has slipped a few hundred points after reaching a new record high last week in the after-election euphoria. Tech-heavy indices, such as the S&P 500 and NASDAQ have proven somewhat more resilient, however, as they began to rally anew as of Monday. The most recent CPI report for October revealed a slight increase in 12-month unadjusted inflation, so Fed officials have reason for some caution, and it now looks like Powell will either lower rates by just 25 basis points in December or pause the rate-cut cycle entirely, awaiting evidence for less inflation in the economy. The average 30-year-fixed mortgage rate is now approaching 7%, oil prices are up slightly from last week, and Goldman analysts say they expect gold to rise over the next 12 months due to Trump’s forthcoming tariff policies, with gold potentially hitting $3,000/oz by next December. To sum up, the market looks strong, but investors will be keeping a wary eye on key metrics until we see evidence of sufficient real growth to allay fears of another inflationary surge.
Thanksgiving by the Numbers
The holidays have begun, and that means a lot of consumer activity. Christmas is, of course, the biggest holiday for retailers, but the whole season means a lot of economic action. Last year, Americans spent just shy of a trillion dollars on Christmas, and this year, consumers are expected to spend around 7% more, for an average of $2,100 per person spent this holiday season. Thanksgiving, in particular, will see the average American spend around $100 for the feast day, and estimates say the average cost for hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year is around $431, when food, drinks, and décor are all included. Americans will consume nearly 50 million turkeys, which stems from a $6 billion turkey production industry. Minnesota raises the most turkeys of any US State, at a rate of some 40 million birds per year, followed by North Carolina. Americans will buy over 200 million pounds of potatoes and 50 million pounds of sweet potatoes in the lead-up to the big day. Shopping for Christmas will start immediately after, as a reported 36% of consumers plan to buy gifts on Black Friday, and 34% plan to participate in Cyber Monday.
Sunday School
Q. The Lord’s Supper, or Communion, is traditionally called “The Eucharist.” What does “Eucharistia” mean in Biblical Greek?
A. Thanksgiving.
TIPS & TRICKS
Ways to Give Thanks and Give Back
Thanksgiving is just a week away, and as people blessed to live in a prosperous country – and especially as Christians – we ought to take this opportunity to give back and do some good. Here are some ideas for how to live generously this holiday season:
Partner with a Local Food Bank
Many ministries and even secular food banks put on Thanksgiving Day meals and give out meal boxes to needy families on this holiday. You can absolutely donate some canned and dry goods, but there is another way you and your business can help.
Oftentimes, food banks do not receive enough donated food to meet the entire need that they have to cover, so some cash does end up being spent. If your business is looking for a way to make a tax-deductible gift, why not contact a local food bank and pledge to make up the difference between what they collect and what they need? Not only does this fill a very practical need, but it also takes the pressure off of the people running the food bank who sometimes worry about having enough to go around.
If you aren’t sure how to go about finding a local food bank to partner with, check out this link from Feeding America to locate your nearest food bank using only your zip code.
Meet Needs Within Your Community
The best sort of giving typically takes place at the personal level, because there are many needs that a recognized institution simply isn’t going to know about. Finding out these needs may take a little legwork, but the personal touch is well worth the trouble. Here are a few ideas:
Do you have a friend who would like to visit relatives for the holidays but cannot afford the flight? See if they will let you buy their ticket.
Is there a single mom in your community who might have a hard time affording the obligations of the holidays? Can you slip her a “Christmas Gifts Fund” of Walmart gift cards or cash?
Are there any elderly people in your neighborhood who live alone who might like some company on Thanksgiving? Invite them to your celebration.
Does anyone in your community have a disability and need their lawn mowed? Mow it for them.
Is anyone at your church going to be spending Thanksgiving in the hospital? Bring Thanksgiving to their hospital room.
Do you know anyone in prison? Bring a holiday goody basket and visit.
Can you ask your local crisis pregnancy center if any of their clients have a need you could meet? More than likely they will say yes.
We’re all busy people. For some, money is hard to come by. For others, time is a really restricted resource. Either way, remember in this season of giving that face-to-face generosity and love really spreads the love and goodness of Christ. If you can find a way to make your giving personal, go for it, and give with a joyful heart.
Donate to a Worthy Cause
If you aren’t sure what else to do, here are a few options of organizations that can turn your donations into some real good:
– Give to your local church’s benevolence fund.
– Give to your local crisis pregnancy center.
– Give to an anti-sex trafficking and victim recovery organization, such as the International Justice Mission.
– Give to a humanitarian organization, such as Samaritan’s Purse.
All in all, we want to remember that whatever we do for the least of these, we do for Christ. In this season of giving, let’s make sure as Christians that we do not lose sight of the generosity and love that live at the heart of the holidays.
Quick Hits
- The Electric Vehicle tax credit may soon be a thing of the past.
- “Made in Malaysia” – Will China be replaced as the primary Asian trade partner for the United States?
- Prominent Christian writer and speaker Bob Goff talks to Relevant readers on how to live a more focused life.
- Starlink now boasts 5 million customers. Have they changed internet service forever?
- What will the next 4 years look like for pharmaceutical companies under Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s oversight of Health and Human Services? The Wall Street Journal weighs in.
- Budget Airline Spirit files for bankruptcy, flights will continue for now.
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