Bitcoin’s 2024 rally has been explosive, but is the next phase just beginning? In this episode of Bits + Bips, hosts Noelle Acheson, Ram Ahluwalia, and Alex Kruger are joined by Ledn’s Mauricio di Bartolomeo to unpack the forces shaping the crypto market as the year comes to a close.

Mauricio explains how Ledn has grown amidst regulatory and economic shifts, and shares insights on why the “Trump put” is creating a new trading setup for crypto. The panel dissects the undercurrents behind Bitcoin’s surge, explores how MicroStrategy’s presence on the NASDAQ creates unique market dynamics, and debates how much higher BTC could climb. But they warn not to expect “buy” ratings on MSTR.

Plus, they dive into why Solana underperformed in recent weeks, how Bitcoin enables capital flight (and how they may be happening from China), and what 2025 could hold for crypto. Packed with data, opinions, and a few book recommendations (well, except from Alex), this episode offers sharp analysis as 2024, a pivotal year for crypto, wraps up.

Show highlights:

• Mauricio’s background and how Venezuela’s regime led him to crypto
• How Ledn works and how it’s seen substantial growth since the elections
• What’s driving this wave of growth in the price of bitcoin
• How much higher BTC will go and what the effects of the end-of-year portfolio rebalancing will be
• What the risks are for the U.S. economy
• How BTC is the easiest way to trade the Trump bump
• Whether the Chinese macro matters for crypto 
• How MicroStrategy has become a Trojan horse
• Why Alex likes XRP and ENA and why SOL has been underperforming recently
• 2024 wrap-up: what everyone was most surprised about 
• Book recommendations from everyone, except Alex, who’s only focused on shitcoins

Hosts:

• Noelle Acheson, Author of the “Crypto Is Macro Now” Newsletter 
• Alex Kruger, Founder of Asgard
• Ram Ahluwalia, CFA, CEO and Founder of Lumida

Guest:

• Mauricio di Bartolomeo, cofounder & CSO of Ledn

Links

• Unchained: 
• Bitcoin Hits New All-Time High
• MicroStrategy Joins Nasdaq-100, Expanding Bitcoin Exposure to Billions
• Trump’s Crypto Project Spent Nearly $45M Onchain in 2 Weeks
• FTX Distributions to Start in Under 2 Weeks

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:38 Mauricio’s journey from Venezuela to crypto
• 07:37 How Ledn thrived post-elections and saw major growth
• 15:16 Key drivers behind Bitcoin’s explosive rally
• 20:30 How high could BTC climb – and might year-end rebalancing affect the price?
• 25:22 Risks facing the U.S. economy heading into 2025
• 32:47 BTC as the go-to trade for the Trump bump
• 36:13 The significance of Chinese macro trends for crypto
• 47:32 MicroStrategy’s role as a Trojan horse for Bitcoin adoption
• 53:20 Why Alex likes XRP and ENA, but SOL is lagging
• 1:02:35 Biggest surprises from 2024’s crypto market
• 1:06:33 Book picks from everyone—except Alex, who’s all about shitcoins

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