Gold is projected to surpass $3,000 per ounce in 2025, driven by strong macroeconomic and geopolitical factors.

At the heart of gold's potential surge is the current macroeconomic landscape that’s characterized by persistent inflation and anticipated monetary policy shifts. Inflation rates in the U.S. are expected to remain above the Federal Reserve's target of 2%, creating an environment in which gold is expected to serve as a crucial hedge against currency devaluation. When inflation erodes purchasing power, investors often turn to gold to preserve their wealth.

Moreover, the Federal Reserve has signaled a shift toward monetary easing, with market expectations indicating potential interest rate cuts in the coming months. Lower interest rates decrease the opportunity cost of holding gold, making it a more attractive investment as compared to interest-bearing assets, such as bonds and savings accounts. With real interest rates projected to remain low or even go negative, gold could experience renewed demand as a safe store of value.

Geopolitical tensions further bolster gold’s appeal. Ongoing conflicts, particularly the strained U.S.-China relationship and the Russia-Ukraine war, create an atmosphere of uncertainty that drives investors toward safe-haven assets. During times of geopolitical instability, gold has historically seen increased demand as investors seek to mitigate risks associated with market volatility.

As global tensions escalate, the demand for gold is likely to rise, reinforcing its status as a reliable hedge against financial instability. Investors tend to flock to gold during crises, viewing it as a secure asset that retains its intrinsic value, especially when other markets are under pressure.

Another significant factor contributing to the bullish outlook for gold is the unprecedented demand from central banks around the world. In 2024, central banks collectively purchased over 1,000 metric tons of gold, marking one of the highest levels of accumulation in recent history. This trend is expected to continue into 2025, particularly among countries like China and Russia that are actively reducing their reliance on U.S. dollar reserves as part of a broader de-dollarization strategy.

This central bank buying provides a strong structural support for gold prices, minimizing downside risks. As these institutions accumulate more gold, the resulting scarcity in the market could lead to higher prices. The growing demand from central banks underscores the renewed confidence in gold as a strategic reserve asset, especially amidst economic volatility and geopolitical tensions.

From a technical perspective, gold is currently in a robust uptrend, trading above key moving averages and nearing critical resistance levels. If gold successfully breaks through the psychological barrier of $3,000 per ounce, momentum could carry it toward higher price targets, potentially reaching $3,200 or even $3,500. 

, such as relative strength index (RSI) and moving average convergence divergence (MACD), suggest that gold remains in a bullish phase, indicating further upside potential.

As gold approaches these key resistance points, technical traders will closely monitor its price movements. A successful breach of the $3,000 level could trigger momentum buying, propelling prices higher as investor confidence grows.

Finally, rising investor sentiment plays a crucial role in gold’s potential price surge. Increased inflows into gold-backed 

 (ETFs), in addition to speculative positioning in futures markets, reflect strong confidence among both retail and institutional investors. As ETF holdings rise, it signals renewed interest in gold as a safe-haven investment.

This optimism is bolstered by a general shift in market sentiment as investors are increasingly turning to gold amid concerns over economic stability and inflation. The combination of robust technical indicators, macroeconomic pressures and favorable investor sentiment positions gold favorably for a significant price increase in 2025.

In summary, gold is well-positioned to reach $3,000 per ounce in 2025, driven by a combination of persistent inflation, geopolitical uncertainty, strong central bank demand and positive technical indicators. As investors seek refuge in safe-haven assets, gold’s intrinsic value and historical performance during times of crisis will make it an attractive option for preserving wealth. The confluence of these factors suggests that gold's upward trajectory could continue, making 2025 a pivotal year for this precious metal.

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Bybit Commodity Insight Report: Why Gold Is Poised to Reach $3,000 in 2025

Our weekly crypto derivatives analytics report delves into macro events, the current state of crypto and trading signals from spot trading volume, as well as futures, options and perpetual contracts.

Macro headwinds are impacting the crypto market, with a sell-off that began over the weekend deepening this week. BTC, ETH and most altcoins are declining alongside equities, gold and treasury yields, though derivatives markets are showing little bearish sentiment or increased volatility expectations. Among perpetuals, there are record consistent positive rates across most markets, indicating a reset in positioning. Meanwhile, ETH retains a volatility premium over BTC, but its term structure hasn’t inverted as sharply as in earlier sell-offs this month.

Please check out the report’s highlights.

Funding Rates Largely Positive Amid Sell-Off

Despite risk-off sentiment across asset classes this weekend and early this past week, USDT-denominated perpetual contracts have shown their most consistently positive funding rates within the past month. While these rates haven't reached the bullish levels of early December 2024, most have returned to a neutral level of 0.01%, signaling a reset in positioning due to recent market movements.

Tuesday's intensified risk-off sell-off led to a significant spike in BTC put trade volume as traders hedged against further declines. Unlike ETH, which leans bullish on calls, BTC's open interest is balanced between upside and downside protection. The volatility term structure is flat again, typical during sharp market moves, but this reflects a decline in longer-dated options, rather than a rise in short-term expectations.

As the sell-off in risk-on assets deepened this past week, ETH outperformed BTC. ETH derivatives markets are showing stronger sentiment, with higher call trade volumes indicating greater demand for upside positioning as compared to puts. However, ETH's volatility term structure has inverted more sharply than BTC's, as seen in previous significant market moves since last November (2024), with front-end volatility levels 15 points above those of BTC options with a similar tenor.

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Bybit X Block Scholes Crypto Derivatives Analytics Report (Feb 26, 2025): Reset in Sentiment Brewing as Fund Rates Turn Positive

Explore four essential tips to help you accumulate more points, optimize your strategy and claim the best rewards in EcoGalaxy: Mantle Surge.

With the rise of gamified crypto events, EcoGalaxy: Mantle Surge stands out as one of the most exciting opportunities for users to earn rewards while engaging with both Bybit and Mantle Network. This limited-time event offers participants a shot at a 1,000,000 MNT prize pool when they complete on-chain and trading-related tasks. 

To help you maximize your rewards and ensure you get the most out of this event, in this guide we’ll break down four essential tips to help you accumulate more points, optimize your strategy and claim the best rewards in EcoGalaxy: Mantle Surge.

EcoGalaxy: Mantle Surge is a limited-time campaign that rewards participants with a share of a 1,000,000 MNT prize pool when they complete both Bybit and on-chain tasks. Players earn "wishes" that can be used to enter Lucky Draws or climb the leaderboard for greater rewards.

This campaign, hosted by Bybit in collaboration with Mantle, blends gamification with 

 engagement, offering users multiple ways to win. Participants can choose to rely on chance via the Lucky Draw or strategically allocate their wishes to compete on the leaderboard. The event runs from Mar 6, 2025 to Mar 27, 2025, making it a limited-time opportunity to accumulate rewards while exploring the Mantle ecosystem.

4 Tips to Maximize Your Wishes and Rewards in EcoGalaxy: Mantle Surge

To make the most out of EcoGalaxy: Mantle Surge, you need to strategize your wish allocation, complete as many tasks as possible and take advantage of all available earning mechanisms. Here are four essential tips to maximize your rewards:

One of the best ways to earn high-value rewards in EcoGalaxy: Mantle Surge is by competing on the leaderboard. There are a total of five rounds, and the rewards are higher with each passing round. 

The more wishes you allocate toward leaderboard rankings, the higher your position and the larger your rewards. However, since the leaderboard is dynamic, your rank can change based on the activity of other participants.

Since leaderboard positions fluctuate, it’s recommended that you monitor your ranking regularly and adjust your strategy accordingly. Players who accumulate the most wishes by the end of each leaderboard round will receive the greatest rewards.

 that each round’s rewards and wishes are calculated independently, and any wishes spent in a round won’t carry over to the next round.

If you prefer an element of surprise, the Lucky Draw is your best bet. By spending wishes on Lucky Draw attempts, you earn the chance to win instant prizes. The Lucky Draw operates on a first-come, first-served basis, so the earlier you participate, the better your chances of securing top-tier rewards.

Since rewards are limited, it's advisable to use your wishes early before the top prizes run out.

An easy way to earn free points in this campaign is by holding Mantle (MNT) and/or Mantle Restaked ETH (cmETH) in your Bybit account. By simply keeping these assets in your wallet, you’ll receive additional wishes, increasing your chances of winning more rewards.

This passive method of earning wishes ensures that you accumulate extra points without actively completing tasks, making it one of the simplest ways to boost your rewards.

Another hidden gem for doubling your rewards in EcoGalaxy: Mantle Surge is through Layer 3. Participants who complete specific Layer 3 quests will receive extra bonuses, including double rewards on certain tasks.

By leveraging Layer 3 bonuses, you can significantly boost your total wish count, increasing your chances of securing leaderboard positions or hitting big wins in the Lucky Draw.

If you’re looking for a fun and rewarding way to engage with the Mantle ecosystem, EcoGalaxy: Mantle Surge is definitely an event worth joining. With 1,000,000 MNT up for grabs, both casual users and seasoned traders can benefit from this campaign.

The event's dual-reward system allows participants to tailor their strategy based on their preferences. Whether you enjoy the thrill of luck-based rewards or prefer the competitive edge of leaderboard climbing, this campaign offers something for everyone.

Additionally, holding MNT and cmETH provides passive earnings, while Layer 3 integration presents an opportunity for double rewards — making the experience even more lucrative for active participants.

EcoGalaxy: Mantle Surge is a limited-time, gamified rewards campaign that blends trading, staking and on-chain interactions. By completing tasks, holding Mantle assets and strategically using your wishes, you can maximize your rewards and secure your share of the 1,000,000 MNT prize pool.

This event runs from Mar 6, 2025 to 27, 2025, so now is the best time to get started. Are you ready to explore the Mantle ecosystem and claim your rewards? Join EcoGalaxy: Mantle Surge today!

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how to participate in ecogalaxy mantle surge

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Join Bybit’s AI-DOL SUPERSTAR Trading Battle, vote for top AI projects and compete for a share of a $1M prize pool. Earn rewards while shaping the future of AI in crypto.

The Bybit AI-DOL SUPERSTAR Trading Battle is an exciting and innovative trading and voting event that aims to identify and support high-potential AI projects within the cryptocurrency space.

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to revolutionize blockchain technology, this competition offers users a unique opportunity to engage with emerging AI-driven crypto projects while earning substantial rewards of up to $1 million.

 (AI) and cryptocurrency is reshaping blockchain and 

 — autonomous programs powered by machine learning — are revolutionizing the sector by automating trading strategies, optimizing portfolio management and executing on-chain decisions with minimal human input.

These intelligent agents analyze vast datasets, identify market trends and execute trades in real time, significantly enhancing efficiency and reducing risks in the volatile crypto market. Their role extends beyond trading, influencing DeFi protocols, NFT markets and blockchain governance.

Bybit is at the forefront of this AI-driven transformation, launching the 

 to spotlight high-potential AI projects. This event provides a launchpad for groundbreaking AI applications, connecting innovators with a global crypto audience.

What Is the Bybit AI-DOL SUPERSTAR Trading Battle?

Bybit is launching a unique AI trading event designed to highlight the most promising AI-driven crypto projects.

AI is revolutionizing crypto markets, with automated trading bots now executing over 60% of all crypto transactions. The integration of AI and blockchain is unlocking new trading strategies, DeFi innovations and web3 applications, making the AI sector one of the most promising in crypto.

Bybit’s AI-DOL SUPERSTAR Trading Battle bridges AI and blockchain, providing a global stage for emerging projects to gain exposure to a global audience. Participants play an active role in shaping the future of AI in crypto while earning rewards.

How to Participate in the AI-DOL SUPERSTAR Trading Battle

Campaign Period: Feb 28, 2025, 10AM UTC – Mar 27, 2025, 10AM UTC

Bybit users can support AI projects and earn rewards by participating in this AI-powered trading competition. Here's a step-by-step guide to joining:

Projects earn voting points from the following ways:

By actively trading and voting, participants not only have a chance to earn from the $1 million prize pool, but will also play a crucial role in shaping the future of AI in the crypto industry.

Bybit's AI-DOL SUPERSTAR Trading Battle offers an exciting $1 million prize pool, with multiple ways for participants to win rewards.

*Note that to win the prizes, there is a minimum number of voting points required. For example, to win the largest prize of $50,000, 600,000 voting points are required. Refer to the event page for more details. 

The breakdown of how votes are allocated for Bybit Spot is as follows:

The breakdown of how votes are allocated for Bybit Web3 is as follows:

The maximum number of daily votes that a user can receive is 100,400 (50,200 for Bybit Spot and Web3 respectively).

By trading, voting and engaging in the competition, participants not only support innovative AI projects but also receive a chance to maximize their earnings in this high-stakes trading battle.

Bybit's AI-DOL SUPERSTAR Trading Battle offers a distinctive platform that connects cryptocurrency traders with AI innovators. Participants are invited to support leading AI projects, earn attractive rewards and contribute to shaping the future of AI within the crypto ecosystem. 

 and be part of the AI-driven revolution on Bybit!

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How to Participate in Bybit’s AI-DOL SUPERSTAR Trading Battle

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Crypto

ASIC-resistant coins have unique mining algorithms and protocols, making miners less incentivized to mine the specific coin. Find out which coins are ASIC-resistant.

Cryptocurrencies have inherited a decentralized structure, designed to encourage the fair distribution of resources. However, as crypto gained popularity and potential rewards have gotten bigger, 

. Hence, farms with massive hashpower have threatened the foundation of crypto decentralization. For example, the sudden drop in Bitcoin network hash rate due to the power outage in one of Chinese mining hubs drove a violent Bitcoin crash.

This in turn has led to the creation of ASIC-resistant coins. Technically ASIC-resistant cryptocurrency can mine coins but it’s not financially feasible because the algorithm used by the protocol does not provide fair benefits over GPU mining. ASIC-resistant cryptocurrencies also translate to a more fairly distributed mining ability for participants with just regular PCs. Ultimately results in a fair distribution of mining resources — keeping the network decentralized.

Application-specific integrated circuits, or 

, have specific applications in fields such as medicine, satellites, research, and more. In the world of crypto, ASIC-resistant is a term used for crypto coins that are less susceptible to mining by 

. Such coins have unique mining algorithms and protocols which make it less incentivized for miners to create ASICs to mine the specific coin, hence the term ASIC-resistant.

Ethereum is a classic example of a cryptocurrency built to deter ASIC mining. Even if someone tries to use an ASIC to mine the coin, it’s usually very inefficient in terms of time and cost to do so.

Before explaining why ASIC-resistant coins are the future of the decentralized crypto sphere, let's take a look at ASIC — the tool that poses a danger to decentralization.

ASICs miners are machines designed to mine crypto coins quickly. ASIC miners use ASICs to mine cryptos in large quantities, giving them an edge over others who use 

s. The immense computing power of ASIC potentially unveils in the crypto mining field.

The specialized software is developed by companies for crypto mining. Using such products, it’s possible to mine cryptos, including Bitcoin — because it’s not ASIC-resistant.

However, there is a downside to ASIC mining machines. First of all, these tools are very expensive, especially for the average miner. Secondly, the return-on-investment (ROI) is extremely volatile because changes in crypto algorithms can quickly render older ASIC designs completely unprofitable. In the end, many argue that the only beneficiaries of ASIC machines are the Chinese companies who profit from manufacturing and distributing such tools.

Preventive Mechanism of ASIC-Resistance Coins

An ASIC-resistant coin has a protocol and algorithm configured so that it’s difficult for an ASIC to take full advantage of mining capabilities.

In a way, an ASIC machine derives its power from multiple parallel and pipeline threads on a chip, which requires a lot of physical space on the chip itself. If the algorithm doesn't offer the space, the ASIC won’t be able to speed up the process, resulting in loss of efficiency. In certain cases, the result of mining an ASIC-resistant coin using ASIC is actually worse than mining it using a CPU.

Regardless of the type of algorithm, it's important to note that ASIC machines can be invented to mine any type of coin. Likewise, it’s also possible to prevent ASIC machines from mining, by making appropriate changes to the algorithm. In any case, if there are no ASIC mining machines for a particular coin, or if these machines aren’t effective, the coin is said to be ASIC-resistant.

How Does ASIC-Resistance Lead to Decentralization?

Developing ASIC-resistant coins is at the top of the agenda for crypto developers. This is the only way to keep cryptos decentralized. To understand the concept, let's first take a look at why ASICs pose a danger to decentralization.

Since the application of ASICs to crypto mining, there’s been a growing debate over the centralization of cryptocurrencies. As discussed, ASICs are uniquely designed circuits that do only one thing — and in the case of cryptocurrency, that one purpose is to mine cryptos, delivering enough computing power to ASIC miners to beat the GPUs and CPUs used by others.

The result is the monopolization of crypto mining — because only a few entities contribute significant hash power to the entire network. These large mining farms not only create a monopoly, but they take the underlying crypto network hostage, because the network relies on a few large mining farms to maintain the hash rate which keeps the network secure.

In an adverse scenario, the large mining farms using ASICs will contribute to the high percentage of hash rate for a particular network. If three or more large companies form a partnership, it’s possible to take control of the entire network, as these companies can generate enough hash rates to outmaneuver every other non-ASIC miner. The scenario could lead to a phenomenon known as the "51% attack," by which a few entities can centralize the blockchain.

Over the past few years, multiple cryptocurrencies have faced 51% attacks. Examples include Bitcoin SV, Verge and Ethereum Classic. It’s a huge problem because few groups can (theoretically) control the entire blockchain by rewriting parts of it or reversing transactions.

Clearly, we need to promote ASIC-resistant mining. The main reason to introduce ASIC-resistance technology is to give everyone a chance to mine crypto and contribute to the hash rate. By allowing ordinary people with ordinary machines to share rewards, ASIC-resistant mining ensures that the cryptosphere remains decentralized — and doesn’t end up being controlled by a powerful few. In essence, everyone can enjoy mining cryptos without the need to spend millions on ASICs.

Now that you have some idea of why ASIC-resistant coins make sense, here’s an overview of some of the most popular ASIC-resistant coins. Anyone new to coin mining can start by mining these coins, because the level playing field is dominated by the billion-dollar crypto mining ASIC companies.

There are lots of popular coins that allow miners to reap large rewards using only traditional mining methods. Here’s a brief overview (each coin’s trading symbol in parentheses):

 hashing algorithm, which is designed to resist hashes from ASIC machines. The 

 is conducive to CPU and GPU miners as it only produces hashes for mining purposes. While a solo miner can also mine, miners often prefer to join a pool to get regular block rewards.

: This is yet another blockchain network popular among miners. The unique 

 to create new coins. Due to the relative ease of mining, the blockchain doesn't require any special machine. Although ASICs are used to mine XMR, they’re not as efficient — which means that GPU mining remains the most productive method for mining Monero.

: Its mining algorithm, RandomSFX, was developed based on Monero's algorithm, RandomX (see above). A similar design features dynamic difficulty adjustment, which prefers CPU mining. Miners love mining SFX because there are lots of ways to in the Safex pool. You can either use a command-line interface on 

: Recent changes in its algorithm mean that miners can use the power and computing capabilities of GPUs to mine coins. The new KAWPOW mining algorithm is user-friendly, and provides more opportunities for anyone interested in mining RVN.

 mining algorithm, RandomX (see above). XHV is designed to be resistant to ASIC mining equipment, and anyone with a good computer can mine it. It’s also one of the most profitable currencies to mine, which is often two to three times more profitable than similar coins, provided that you can save on the electricity bill.

: ETC is a hard fork of the traditional Ethereum network. Upgrades to the Keccak256 algorithm 

 means that the coin has become resistant to ASIC machines, and you can even use 3GB GPUs for mining purposes.

, and it's one of the easiest coins to mine. Since its launch in 2017, Horizon’s development team has made several changes to make it more accessible to miners operating from home. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why it’s also considered to be the best among the various Equihash coins in terms of mining rewards.

: VTC is a very user-friendly mining coin. Its developers made sure that the Lyra2RE proof-of-work algorithm is only intended for home miners using CPUs and GPUs. VTC is ASIC-resistant, and is popular with beginners, as they can use the one-click miner to mine coins or join a pool for regular block rewards. It’s worth noting that the developers have plans to hard fork the network if an ASIC mining machine is developed to mine VTC.

: This coin is sometimes said to be a lighter version of Monero. The idea behind its creation is to offer a mobile-friendly alternative which is easier to mine and store since it uses fewer resources. The result is a 

 protocol-based algorithm, which is very friendly toward crypto miners using light computing machines.

Of course, the above is not an exhaustive list. There are many additional ASIC-resistant coins out there, but this should give you some idea of where to start.

From a miner's perspective, ASIC-resistant coins give them a fair chance to use home computers to mine cryptos without wasting thousands of dollars in ASIC hardware.

From the developer's perspective, ASIC-resistant technology is the only solution to keep the crypto sphere decentralized. Without ASIC machines, crypto will continue to serve its original purpose, which is to create a transparent financial environment without a monopoly.

From an environmental and technological perspective, ASIC mining machines consume millions of kWh of electricity per day and force developers to make undesirable changes to the blockchain. However, it is debatable as, without ASIC-resistance, ASIC mining is more efficient as compared to CPUs and GPUs where the hash rate per kWh is lower.

Despite the growing debate over the use of ASICs, the ASIC industry continues to grow. As of today, there are three to four large players who rely solely on manufacturing ASICs. While coin developers continue to make changes preventing the use of such machines, ASIC companies play catch-up in this never-ending game of cat and mouse.

As long as there’s an incentive for miners to get rewards, people and companies will continue to develop technology that can give them an edge over others. Some experts even believe that there’s nothing wrong with using ASICs to mine crypto, as it merely represents a trend in the ever-evolving crypto sphere.

Despite the debate on the impact of ASICs, almost everyone agrees that ASICs are a threat to both an equitable hash rate distribution and to the decentralization of crypto. If ASICs remain in the picture, home and GPU miners will be left out of the game. Without any incentive for the ordinary miner, the purpose of decentralization is lost forever.

What Are ASIC-resistant Cryptocurrencies?

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