The liquidity vacuum that lingered following the shuttering of FTX and Alameda Research in November 2022 has now fully recuperated to its pre-collapse state, as elucidated by the esteemed crypto research firm Kaiko.
Kaiko’s latest investigative dispatch, unveiled on March 18, exposes the reemergence of the liquidity chasm, christened the “Alameda Gap,” which has resurged to its pre-FTX levels in the previous week, partly credited to a recent astronomical spike in Bitcoin’s valuation.
The moniker “Alameda gap” was birthed by Kaiko in November 2022, owing to its substantial role as a pivotal market maker. This void epitomized a conspicuous dip in liquidity across global exchanges, catalyzed by substantial losses incurred by market makers.
The ensuing collapse wrought significant repercussions, precipitating a notable diminution in accessible trading liquidity, thereby exerting profound ramifications on trading volumes and market steadiness. It underscored the substantial sway wielded by major stakeholders within the crypto arena during 2022.
In its latest analysis, Kaiko underscored the persistence of the gap for over a year, with market makers adopting a circumspect stance, biding their time for sentiment and trading vigor to regain momentum.
Nonetheless, Kaiko’s contemporary revelations signify a remarkable volte-face. As of the preceding week, Bitcoin’s 2% market depth has burgeoned by a staggering 40% year-to-date, momentarily eclipsing its pre-FTX mean of $470 million.
Kaiko asserts, “Market depth has nearly fully convalesced and returned to its pre-FTX norm,” attributing this renaissance to the substantial upsurge in BTC prices, which have escalated by a staggering 60% since the inception of the year, scaling a fresh zenith of $73,750 on March 14.
Concurrently, Kaiko’s scrutiny delineated a downtrend in BTC/USD spreads on three prominent U.S.-based exchanges – Coinbase, Kraken, and Bitstamp – intimating noteworthy ameliorations in liquidity conditions.
The diminution in spreads, Kaiko elucidates, may partly stem from structural metamorphoses within the market, ultimately engendering more cost-effective trading environments in the United States. The spread, emblematic of the variance between the ask and bid prices of an asset, serves as a pivotal gauge of market liquidity and efficiency.
In cognate developments, earlier this month, Cointelegraph expounded on the potential for Bitcoin to confront a “sell-side liquidity conundrum” subsequently in the year if institutional ETF inflows persevere. Nevertheless, recent statistics evince a deceleration in daily ETF inflows, plummeting beneath the $200 million threshold from erstwhile pinnacles surpassing $500 million, including a record $1 billion daily inflow last week concomitant with BTC’s all-time zenith.
As Bitcoin’s meteoric ascent catalyzes seismic perturbations within the market landscape, the vanishing act of the ‘Alameda Gap’ portends a seminal milestone for the crypto milieu, accentuating its resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity.
The saga of the ‘Alameda Gap’ epitomizes a chronicle of tumult and triumph, emblematic of the capricious vicissitudes inherent to the crypto realm. It underscores the indomitable spirit and unyielding tenacity of market participants, who steadfastly navigate the undulating tides of volatility and uncertainty.
Kaiko’s epochal revelations serve as a clarion call to the crypto cognoscenti, imploring stakeholders to remain vigilant and adaptive amidst the ever-evolving terrain of market dynamics. As Bitcoin’s ascent propels the industry into uncharted territories, the erstwhile enigma of the ‘Alameda Gap’ fades into oblivion, leaving in its wake a legacy of resilience and fortitude.
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