QCP Capital claims 'Uptober' is back on track as bitcoin recovers from last week's volatility

Quick Take

  • October’s bullish “Uptober” narrative is regaining momentum as bitcoin recovered from last week’s market sell-off, QCP Capital analysts said.
  • The analysts added that October has typically been a strong month for bitcoin, with gains of nearly 30% in eight of the last nine years.

October's bullish "Uptober" narrative appears to be regaining momentum, with bitcoin reaching a daily high of almost $64,000 in the past 24 hours before pulling back to now sit around the $63,000 mark, according to analysts.

"After a shaky start, Uptober seems to be back on track, with bitcoin holding steady at levels similar to where it started last Monday. With additional rate cuts lined up and bitcoin's strong correlation to equities, we remain optimistic about a strong October," said analysts from QCP Capital.

The Uptober narrative is based on October typically being a strong month for bitcoin, averaging nearly 30% gains during the month in eight of the last nine years, according to QCP Capital.

U.S. employment data bolsters risk asset optimism

The analysts also pointed to potential macro drivers stemming from the recent strong Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP) data in the U.S. "The employment figures have helped bitcoin find strong support above $60,000," they added. The U.S. NFP exceeded analysts' estimates by a significant margin, reaching its highest level in four months at 254,000, compared to the estimated 147,000. Data from the previous month was also revised upward by 17,000, bringing it to 159,000. Additionally, the unemployment rate fell to 4.1%, lower than the expected 4.2%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Investors will now be closely watching the U.S. Consumer Price Index data set to be released this Thursday, according to today's QCP Capital report. Given the recent strong U.S. wage and jobs numbers from last week, the analysts said the market will be paying close attention to Thursday's print for any signs of cooling inflation.

The recent positive macroeconomic data may have shifted interest rate traders' expectations regarding the scale of a potential rate cut by the U.S. central bank at the next Federal Open Market Committee meeting on Nov. 7. According to the CME FedWatch tool, interest rate traders are currently favoring an 88.9% likelihood of a 50 basis-point cut, compared to an 11.1% chance of a 25 basis-point cut at next month's policy meeting.

In the derivatives market, QCP Capital analysts noted that the distribution of options still indicates a bullish outlook for the fourth quarter. "Despite the rough start last week, options flows are still pointing to a bullish Q4, as we continue to see buyers of December $75,000 and $95,000 strike price calendar spreads," they stated.

Additionally, the analysts highlighted the increased attention on the digital asset space that could potentially come from the upcoming HBO documentary, "Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery," which seeks to unveil the true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto while speculating that computer programmer Len Sassaman might be the founder of the Bitcoin network. "The documentary has brought more mainstream attention to crypto, with memecoins themed around Len Sassaman starting to gain traction," the analysts added.

Memecoins surge as PolitiFi tokens gain momentum

In the memecoin sector, major tokens posted double-digit gains over the past 24 hours, with The Block’s GMCI Meme Index rising by over 10% in the same period. The index, which tracks 17 of the top memecoins by market capitalization — including Shiba Inu, Dogecoin, and Pepe — recorded a year-to-date increase of over 171%, gaining 24.52 points to reach 263.91.

According to CoinGecko data, the top three global cryptocurrency gainers over the last 24 hours are all memecoins, with Dogwifhat, Popcat, and Pepe rising 20%, 18%, and 14%, respectively. Smaller tokens such as Estee, GIGA, and SPX6900 have posted even greater gains, increasing by 140%, 92%, and 74%, respectively, over the past day.

Bullish sentiment is spilling over into the politifi sub-sector. The rise in Trump-inspired PolitiFi memecoins coincides with an increase in the candidate's odds of winning the U.S. election on Polymarket, now standing at 51%, while Kamala Harris' odds have dropped to 48.3%. The PolitiFi memecoin market cap saw an increase of over 15% in the past day, bringing its total to $750 million, according to CoinGecko data. The notable gainers in this niche are memecoins inspired by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, with MAGA up 40%, MAGA Hat up 112%, the misspelled Doland Tremp up 115%, and Super Trump up 40%.

The rise in Trump-inspired politifi memecoins coincides with an increase in the former president's odds of winning the U.S. election on Polymarket, now standing at 51%, while Kamala Harris' odds have dropped to 48.3%.


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© 2024 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

About Author

Brian McGleenon is a UK-based markets reporter for The Block. He has worked as a financial journalist and producer for multiple news outlets over the years, such as Fuji Television, The Independent, Yahoo Finance, The Evening Standard, and The Daily Express. Brian is also a screenwriter and producer with one feature film produced and one in development with Northern Ireland Screen. Apart from web3 and cryptocurrency developments, he is also interested in geopolitics, environmental issues, artificial intelligence, and longevity research. Get in touch via email [email protected].

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