GameStop Surge: Implications for Crypto Investors
Quick Take:
- GameStop stock sees a remarkable 70% surge on Monday.
- Some crypto traders interpret this as a sign of retail investors reentering the market.
- Concerns arise about potential shifts in focus from crypto to traditional stocks.
The soaring rally of GameStop shares, marking a staggering 73% surge on Monday, has sent shockwaves through the investment community, reminiscent of the stock’s meteoric rise in early 2021. Triggered by a meme posted by Keith Gill, famously known as Roaring Kitty, this resurgence in GameStop’s value has sparked debates about the resurgence of meme stocks and its potential impact on the cryptocurrency market.
Accompanying GameStop’s rally is a significant uptick in shares of AMC, the movie-theater chain, surging by 48%. This surge in meme stocks prompts speculation: Is the era of meme stocks making a comeback? Many observers interpret GameStop’s resurgence as a signal that retail investors are once again closely monitoring market movements, potentially signaling a shift towards increased interest in cryptocurrencies.
Zion Thomas, a prominent crypto trader, draws parallels between GameStop’s previous rally and the subsequent surge of Dogecoin, highlighting the possibility of a similar trend emerging in the cryptocurrency space. Thomas, known as Ansem, boasts a substantial following of 400,000 and has a track record of making astute market calls, including identifying opportunities in Solana and dogwifhat during their early stages, both of which experienced significant appreciation.
However, Quinn Thompson, founder of crypto hedge fund Lekker Capital, remains cautious amidst the excitement. Thompson points out that the crypto market has experienced a dearth of new retail participants due to factors such as the trauma stemming from the collapse of crypto exchange FTX and the challenges posed by previous market downturns. While hopeful for renewed retail interest in cryptocurrencies, Thompson emphasizes the need for vigilance, noting that it’s premature to predict the sustainability of this attention.
In contrast, Evgeny Gaevoy, CEO of crypto market maker Wintermute, adopts a more skeptical view. Gaevoy argues that GameStop’s resurgence, fueled by the return of Roaring Kitty, could potentially divert attention away from cryptocurrencies, posing a bearish outlook for the crypto market.
Despite differing opinions on the long-term implications, memecoin traders are capitalizing on the hype surrounding GameStop’s resurgence. In the wake of Gill’s meme post, at least five memecoins inspired by GameStop, AMC, and Gill himself have emerged, capitalizing on the newfound attention generated by the meme stock frenzy.