GET DAILY SIGNALSAre Banks Losing Big by Ignoring Cryptocurrency?
Cryptocurrency’s ongoing relationship with traditional banks can be referred to as “lukewarm at best”. But it shouldn’t be that way according to Daniel Masters, who thinks that banks are foregoing an enormous opportunity to innovate. Masters, a former top trader at J.P. Morgan, has criticized banks for “[having] absolutely failed to innovate in any way, shape or form,” in reference to banks’ slow adoption of cryptocurrency and its underlying blockchain technology.
Masters, who ran J.P. Morgan’s New York energy trading business in the 1990s before leaving to establish his own commodities fund, pivoted his firm’s focus to digital currencies in 2014. In a recent interview with Business Insider, Masters touted the “true revolution” that he believes cryptocurrency represents as an example of “trench warfare” between “analog financial service companies and digital financial services companies”.
Traditional banks have typically characterized cryptocurrency as a type of scam. High-profile detractors abound – since the beginning of 2018, World Bank president Jim Yong Kim and European Central Bank executive board member Yves Mersch have described it as a Ponzi scheme. Bank of Settlements general manager, Augustin Carstens, went a step further calling it a “combination of a bubble, a Ponzi scheme, and an environmental disaster” while lecturing at Frankfurt University. Charlie Munger, the 94-year-old vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, has referred to bitcoin as a “noxious poison”, and J.P. Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon called it a fraud (though he later apologized for his comments, and the company’s attitude seems to be warming as evidenced by a recent J.P. Morgan research report on cryptocurrency).
Masters believes that cryptocurrency’s foundational principle of decentralization, coupled with its removal of middlemen, is threatening to legacy bankers. Regulations have created too much friction to previously facilitate innovation, and they are now paying the price. "Banks have sat on their laurels for 30 years,” Masters said. “I just threw out my checkbook, it looks exactly the same as it did in 1985. Why should I still have it when I'm doing Uber instead of cabs, Airbnb instead of the Sheraton?”
Despite traditional financial institutions’ collective misgivings, as well as a rough start to 2018, bitcoin’s 1,500% rise in value in 2017 has forced financial service providers to take notice. Exchange operators Cboe and CME have begun offering bitcoin futures trading, and Goldman Sachs indicated on a recent earnings call that they are considering opening bitcoin trading desks. Meanwhile, Global Advisors, which owns a 75 percent stake in fellow fund Coinshares, announced in January that they collectively manage more than $1 billion in assets – numbers that would have seemed outrageous in the recent past.
Masters thinks 2017’s gains represent a well-earned victory for the first-wave of cryptocurrency investors, who weathered significant ups and downs as the market found its footing. He characterized the landscape as “the fog of war”: “You might be able to see the few people around you, you can see the hill over there, but very few people can see the whole landscape. We're in a very fortunate position because we touch so many different parts of it. For us, it is abundantly clear that we are in the midst of a true financial revolution." Traditional banks would be wise to get a piece of action should he prove to be correct.
Interested in learning more about cryptocurrency, and perhaps even investing in it? Tickeron.com has educational resources you can tap to learn more, and has also developed Artificial Intelligence to track patterns in the cryptocurrency markets. Learn more and get started today.
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Harry Richardson — Algorithmic Trader & Strategy Developer Harry is an algorithmic trader specializing in impulse and breakout trading strategies across cryptocurrency and equity markets. With more than 10 years of experience in developing automated trading systems, he focuses on building structured algorithms designed to capture momentum while maintaining strict risk control. His approach combines quantitative analysis, real-market execution, and continuous performance monitoring. Vitalii prioritizes risk management, drawdown control, and strategy stability over short-term optimization, ensuring algorithms are adaptable to changing market conditions. He has developed and tested hundreds of automated strategies, working extensively with live trading environments, forward testing, and portfolio-level algorithm management. His work centers on transforming trading ideas into fully operational, scalable automated systems.
BTC.X's Stochastic Oscillator is remaining in oversold zone for 3 days
The price of this ticker is presumed to bounce back soon, since the longer the ticker stays in the oversold zone, the more promptly an uptrend is expected.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
Following a +2.64% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where BTC.X advanced for three days, in 123 of 424 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 29%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for BTC.X moved out of overbought territory on October 05, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 43 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 16 of the 43 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 37%.
The Momentum Indicator moved below the 0 level on October 22, 2026. You may want to consider selling the stock, shorting the stock, or exploring put options on BTC.X as a result. In 42 of 144 cases where the Momentum Indicator fell below 0, the stock fell further within the subsequent month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 29%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence Histogram (MACD) for BTC.X turned negative on September 29, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to turn lower in the coming weeks. Traders may want to sell the stock or buy put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 65 similar instances when the indicator turned negative. In 14 of the 65 cases the stock turned lower in the days that followed. This puts the odds of success at 22%.
BTC.X moved below its 50-day moving average on October 22, 2026 date and that indicates a change from an upward trend to a downward trend.
The 10-day moving average for BTC.X crossed bearishly below the 50-day moving average on October 25, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted lower and could be considered a sell signal. In 7 of 22 past instances when the 10-day crossed below the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 32%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where BTC.X declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 30%.
BTC.X broke above its upper Bollinger Band on October 21, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
The Aroon Indicator for BTC.X entered a downward trend on October 27, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
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