XRP price started April sitting at a crucial make-or-break level. After Ripple’s surge to $3.4 in January, it collapsed to a low of $2, down by over 37%. This crash happened even as Ripple fundamentally had a great quarter, including the SEC litigation’s end. This article explores what to expect in April.

Ripple Q1 overview

Ripple had a good quarter in terms of fundamental news. The most important Ripple news during the quarter was the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) decision to end its lawsuit against the company. 

The SEC, under Gary Gensler, accused Ripple Labs of committing a few crimes. Its most important accusation was that the company sold unregulated securities to investors in 2013 when it raised billions. 

Under Justice Analisa Torres, the court agreed with Ripple that XRP sold to individuals was not a security. However, she also agreed with the SEC that Ripple violated some of the laws and fined t $250 million. 

The SEC appealed that ruling, while Ripple filed a cross-appeal, which the SEC agreed to withdraw in March. In the end, Ripple paid just $50 million and spent over $150 million in legal fees.

The ending of this case was significant for Ripple because it will now be free to make deals with American companies that stayed in the sidelines because of the case. This is an important part for Ripple as it seeks to create a viable alternative to SWIFT, a network that handles billions of dollars in transactions.

XRP ETF applications

Ripple also had a great quarter as tens of companies applied for a spot XRP ETF. This includes companies like Canary, Fidelity, and Grayscale. The agency’s odds of approving the spot XRP ETF remained above 85%. 

Such approval will likely lead to more inflows from Wall Street investors. There are chances that this approval will happen in April or in the second quarter.

XP price also reacted to the growth of the XRP Ledger network. Some of the most important players in that ecosystem were Ripple USD (RLUSD), Sologenic, Crypto Trading Fund, Coreum, and Salute. 

Ripple USD (RLUSD), its stablecoin, gained a market cap of $243 million, making it one of the most popular stablecoins in the industry. This XRP Ledger network will likely keep growing in the next few months. 

XRP price forecast for April

The XRP token will be in the spotlight in April as investors watch whether the SEC will approve a spot XRP ETF. Also, traders will focus on the deals that Ripple Labs will make during the month.

Most importantly, its price action will depend on the general performance of the crypto market. The expectation is that the price will start the month in a dull mood because of Donald Trump’s tariffs.

The weekly chart shows that the XRP price peaked at $3.4 in the first quarter and then dropped to about $2, where it found substantial support. It failed to move below this price several times during the quarter. 

XRP remained above the 50-week moving average. Therefore, a crash below the support at $2 will mean that the coin has moved into the markdown phase of the Wyckoff Theory, which is characterized by a big decline. 

As such, if this happens, the next point to watch will be at $1.8475, the 61.8% Fibonacci Retracement level, which is about 30% below the current level. A move above the resistance at $3 will invalidate the bearish view because it will cancel the head and shoulders pattern.

The post XRP price prediction for April 2025: buy, sell, or hold Ripple? appeared first on Invezz

US stocks were tested in the first quarter as the fear and greed index plunged to the extreme fear zone of 18. The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index crashed into a correction, falling by over 13% from its highest point this year. It dropped to its lowest point since September last year.

Similarly, the S&P 500 and Dow Jones indices also neared their correction phase. This article explains why these US indices crashed, and whether the boomer candy ETFs like the JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPQ) and JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPI) did better these indices.

Why the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 indices crashed in Q1

There are two main reasons why the top indices like the Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500 indices dropped in the first quarter even as most of them published strong financial results.

The first main reason is that there are concerns about the Liberation Day tariffs by Donald Trump. A president who was expected to be pro-markets became a nightmare as he implemented sweeping tariffs on most American imports.

He added tariffs on Chinese goods on top of those he added in his first term. Most importantly, in a Black Swan Event, Trump added tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods, two of the biggest trading partners.

Trump also added tariffs on steel and aluminum, and will now execute reciprocal tariffs on imported goods from other countries. His goal is to reduce the giant trade surplus in the US, raise money for his large tax cuts, and boost manufacturing in the country.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 indices also crashed because of the rising risks that the artificial intelligence (AI) theme that has defined the market in the past few years is fading. This explains why most AI stocks like NVIDIA, SoundHound, and AMD crashed.

How JEPI and JEPQ ETFs work

The JEPI and JEPQ ETFs were created to give investors an exposure to American equities and provide them with consistent monthly income. 

These funds aim to generate returns in three main ways. First, they first invest in a group of companies. In JEPQ’s case, it invests in companies in the Nasdaq 100 index, while in JEPI’s case, it invests in a group of companies that are part of the S&P 500 index. 

Investing in these companies helps it to benefit from their uptrend over time. At the same time, the funds generates dividends from the companies. 

The third area where the JEPI and JEPQ ETFs make money is from the options market. This is where the fund sells call options on an index and makes a premium from it. In JEPI’s case, it writes call options from the S&P 500 index, while JEPQ writes calls for the Nasdaq 100 indices.

The main disadvantage of these ETFs is that their gains are usually capped when the respective index hits its strike price.

JEPI and JEPQ ETFs scorecard for Q1

Data shows that these two ETFs did better than their respective ETFs in the first quarter as the call option trade continued to generate strong returns during the quarter. The JEPQ ETF had a total return of minus 6.6%, while the Invesco QQQ dropped by 8.15%. Similarly, the JEPI ETF rose by 0.43%, while the VOO ETF crashed by 4.29%.

Therefore, this performance means that these funds will likely continue doing well over time. As such, if you are long the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 index, it makes sense to invest in these funds to generate a reliable monthly return. JEPQ has a dividend yield of 10.9%, while JEPI has a yield of 7.5%.

The post JEPI and JEPQ ETFs: Scorecard as S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 crashed in Q1? appeared first on Invezz

The AUD/USD exchange rate remained under pressure on Tuesday after the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) delivered its second interest rate decision of the year. It was trading at 0.6245, down slightly from the year-to-date high of 0.6390. So, what’s ahead for the Aussie ahead of the US jobs numbers and Liberation Day tariffs?

RBA interest rate decision

The AUD/USD exchange rate moved sideways after the RBA concluded its two-day meeting and left interest rates unchanged. 

It left the official cash rate at 4.1% as it solidified its state as the most hawkish central bank in the developed world. 

Unlike other major central banks, the RBA left interest rates unchanged in 202, even as the economy slowed down and consumer inflation moved downwards. 

The RBA delivered its first interest rate cut in the last meeting, moving it from 4.35% to 4.1%. In its Tuesday’s meeting, officials decided to leave interest rates unchanged at 4.1%, noting that it wanted to see more evidence that inflation was moving downwards. The statement added:

“The assessment is that monetary policy remains restrictive. The continued decline in underlying inflation is welcome, but there are risks on both sides and the Board is cautious about the outlook.”

Recent economic numbers have painted a mixed picture about the Australian economy. The labor market remains tight, with the unemployment rate moving at 4.1%, while inflation has moved inside the RBA’s target range of between 2% and 3%. 

Consumer spending has ticked up as inflation retreated. While these are important developments, the RBA is concerned that long-term inflation expectations are still high.

Trump Liberation Day tariffs 

The next key catalyst for the AUD/USD pair will be the upcoming Liberation Day tariffs by Donald Trump. 

These tariffs will greatly impact most economies, especially those with a large trade surplus with the United States. 

On the positive side, Australia runs a trade deficit with the US, meaning that the Trump administration may not target it.

However, the administration will target countries like China that do a lot of business with Australia. These tariffs, could, in theory, affect companies’ prices of top commodities like iron ore as steel demand falls. 

US NFP data ahead

The next key catalyst for the AUD/USD pair will be the upcoming nonfarm payrolls (NFP) data on Friday. This is important data that measures the health of the US economy. 

Economists expect that these numbers will show that the headline the economy created over 140k jobs, while the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1%. 

While important, these numbers will likely have a limited impact on the Federal Reserve, which is focusing more on inflation instead of the labor market. 

The US will release some flash jobs numbers before Friday’s NFP figure. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) will publish the latest JOLTS job openings repair on Tuesday, while ADP will release the private payrolls data.

AUD/USD technical analysis

AUDUSD chart | Source: TradingView

The four-hour chart shows that the AUD/USD exchange rate has come under pressure in the past few months. It has dropped from a high of 0.6390 in April to the current 0.6255. 

The pair formed a double-top pattern at 0.6390, and whose neckline was at 0.6188. A double-top is one of the most bearish signs in the market. 

The AUD/USD pair has also moved below the 50-period moving average, a sign that bears are in control.

Therefore, the outlook is bearish, with the next point to watch being at 0.6188, the neckline of this pattern, which is 1.10% below the current level.

The post AUD/USD forecast: signal after the RBA interest rate decison appeared first on Invezz

Bitcoin and most crypto tokens crashed in March as concerns about the Federal Reserve and Donald Trump’s tariffs continued. After rising to a record high of $109,300 in March, the BTC price plunged by over 20% to $82,000. 

There is a likelihood that many crypto tokens will bounce back in April as investors buy the dip and the dust on tariffs settles. Also, there is a likelihood that the Federal Reserve will intervene this month and boost the crypto and stock market. 

Top crypto tokens to buy and 10x your money

This article explains some of the best blue-chip crypto tokens to buy in April and 10x your money. These tokens, which are ranked in no particular order, have strong fundamentals and technicals. Some of those to consider are Sonic (S), JasmyCoin (JASMY), Shiba Inu (SHIB), and Pepe (PEPE).

Sonic (S)

Sonic is one of the best crypto tokens to buy and 10x your money in April. Formerly known as Fantom, has become one of the fastest-growing players in the crypto industry in terms of its ecosystem growth. 

It was relaunched in January, and has grown to become the 12th biggest chain in the crypto industry with over $1 billion in assets and $500 million in stablecoin market cap. Its TVL jumped by almost 50% in the last 30 days. 

The Sonic token, however, has diverged from this performance as it crashed by almost 50% from its highest point on record. This performance, therefore, will likely bounce back this month as investors price in its strong fundamentals.

Technically, the Sonic price formed a double-bottom pattern whose neckline was at $0.9840, pointing to a 93% surge from the current level.

Shiba Inu (SHIB)

Shiba Inu is one of the top crypto tokens to buy for big gains in April. It has numerous catalysts that may help it to boost its price over time. First, unlike other meme coins, Shiba Inu is a highly deflationary token because of its substantial burn rate that has reduced the number of tokens in circulation by trillions. 

Second, Shiba Inu has transitioned itself from a mere meme coin into a utility token through its Shibarium layer-2 network. While its ecosystem is small, analysts anticipate that it will start to gain market share over time. 

Third, Shiba Inu price has strong technicals. It has formed a double-bottom pattern on the weekly chart, and a falling wedge on the daily, pointing to a strong rebound later this year. A move to the double bottom’s neckline at $0.000033 will point to a 165% surge from the current level. 

Read more: Shiba Inu price prediction: can SHIB and Dogecoin return to 2021 heights?

JasmyCoin (JASMY)

Jasmy, commonly known as Japan’s Bitcoin, has been in a strong downward trend in the past few months. The most bullish case for the token is that it has formed a giant falling wedge pattern, a popular bullish reversal sign. 

This pattern is comprised of two falling and converging trendlines. In JASMY’s case, these two trendlines are about to converge, meaning that a strong bullish breakout is possible. In this case, a breakout to its 2024 high of $0.05935 would signal a 430% surge from the current level. 

Pepe (PEPE)

Pepe is also one of the best crypto tokens to buy and 5x your money in April. Like Shiba Inu, the token has formed a falling wedge pattern, meaning that a strong bullish breakout is possible to happen this year. 

The Pepe coin has also formed a bullish reversal pattern as the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and the BBTrend indicators pointed upwards. Therefore, the token will likely keep surging as bulls target the key resistance level at $0.000017, its 50% retracent point, which is about 135% above the current level.

Other altcoins to buy to 5x your money

The other top altcoins to buy and 5x your money in April are the likes of XRP, Hedera Hashgraph, Chainlink, Algorand, and Polkadot. 

The post Top blue-chip crypto tokens to buy in April to 5x your money appeared first on Invezz

The Schwab US Dividend Equity (SCHD) ETF has remained in a tight range this year as investors rotated from growth stocks to value ones as risks rose. The SCHD ETF was trading at $28 on Monday, a few points above the year-to-date low of $26.6. This article explains the top three reasons to buy this blue-chip dividend ETF.

SCHD ETF stock has strong technicals

The first reason to buy the SCHD ETF is that it has strong technicals that point to more upside in the coming months. 

The daily chart below shows that the fund has formed two trendlines. Its lower line connects the lowest swings since April 2024. It has always bounced back whenever it dropped to that support level. 

The upper side connects the highest swing since May 2022. When these two lines are connected, they point to a rising broadening wedge, also known as a megaphone pattern. 

This pattern often leads to a strong bullish breakout over time. In this case, a bullish breakout to its all-time high of $29.18, would imply a 4.50% above the current level.

The SCHD ETF has also remained above the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMA). That is a sign that bulls remain in control for now and that its bullish trend will continue to accelerate. A drop below the support at $27 will invalidate the bullish view.

Rotation from growth to value

The other main reason to buy the SCHD ETF is that there will be a rotation from growth to value this year, potentially because of the hefty tech valuations. SCHD has a cheap price-to-earnings ratio of 17, much lower than the S&P 500 index average estimate of 21. 

The fund is also much cheaper than the Invesco QQQ ETF average of 32. Therefore, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index will continue doing well over time, there is a likelihood that investors will move to the SCHD as they hunt for bargains. 

A likely reason for this is that there are fears that the artificial intelligence (AI) bubble is about to burst. This explains why most AI stocks, including NVIDIA have plunged in the past few months. In a note to Bloomberg, a top analyst at Boston Partners said:

“The questions about AI are coming at a time when there’s increased uncertainty overall, and at a time when they were priced for perfection, or close to it. That makes them an extremely obvious place for investors who are broadly nervous to take profits.”

Read more: SCHD ETF: brace for big changes on this blue-chip fund next week

Less exposure to tariffs

The other main reason why the SCHD ETF makes sense is that companies in the fund are mostly in the defensive industries. Financials account for 18% of all the companies in the SCHD ETF. The others are in the healthcare, consumer staples, industrials, and energy.

Most of these firms will not be affected by tariffs. For example, ConocoPhilips, the biggest SCHD stock will keep doing well as demand for energy will continue rising over time. The same is true with Chevron, the second-biggest company in the fund. 

Verizon, the third-biggest firm in the SCHD ETF will also not be affected since American customers will continue buying their mobile and cable. Other top companies in the fund are Coca-Cola, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Altria, AbbVie, PepsiCo, Amgen, and Merck & Co. Therefore, these stocks will likely continue thriving even when tariffs keep rising.

Additionally, the SCHD ETF has a long track record of dividend growth. Its 10-year compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) is 11.30%, higher than the median estimate of 5.93%.

The post Top 3 reasons to buy the SCHD ETF in April appeared first on Invezz