Bitcoin
For some time I have been fascinated by Bitcoin’s relationship to the US dollar (XBTUSD). I believe it may now be at the start of a 30 year period of growth – obviously not in constant upward trajectory yet primed to move upward now that it is reaching its ‘teenage’ years.
To calculate a horoscope, you need a date, time and place. Just as there is confusion as to who created this early block chain crypto currency, so there is dispute as to the exact date, time and place of the first Bitcoin transaction. We should also bear in mind that the chart for the initial trade will differ from the date, time and place – also unknown, – when the idea of the currency first gained momentum. This does not render the astrologer – or decoder of planetary alignments – impotent.
We work from what we know.
Throughout 2008, and presumably as the development of bitcoin gathered momentum, the two planets Saturn, (moving through Mutable sign, Virgo), and Uranus (moving through Mutable sign, Pisces), opposed one another. Though they oppose one another approximately every 45 years, the aspect does not always take place across this axis of the Zodiac.
This prompts several lines of enquiry that might be applicable for ALL crypto currencies:
Firstly that they might be sensitive to subsequent phases of the Saturn and Uranus cycle and secondly that there might be volatility when there is significant planetary activity in any of the Mutable signs: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius or Pisces.
As we have over a decade’s worth of trading data, we can compare crypto-trading activity with phases of the Saturn-Uranus cycle and with occasions when there has been a stellium (grouping) of planets in Mutable signs – most especially Virgo and Pisces but also the axis at right angles to these (Gemini and Sagittarius).
Financial astrologers are particularly aware of the cycles of the slower moving planets and attuned to the fact that in 2021, Saturn and Uranus will reach right angle phase. This is an important angle and will likely impact the development and use of crypto currencies.
It is normal for astrologers to consider phases in terms of multiples of either 30 or 45° and to be especially interested in when two any two planets are at 90 or 180 degrees of separation. The financial astrologer looks deeper and considers harmonics: alternative divisions of the zodiac – expecting to find correlation with other – sometimes obtuse – phases of the Saturn-Uranus cycle and crypto trading. In August, and again in November 2020, (due to retrogrades, the two planets will be in bi-septile relationship).
The two planets have been in this relationship before: in December 2011 and May 2012 (again thanks to retrogrades), in May and September 2013 and in February, May and December 2019. Whilst it could be argued that each of these dates came close to resistance levels, nothing ‘dramatic’ occurred – perhaps because these events did not coincide with other planetary pictures.
The situation could be quite different in August and November 2020 as we shall see by exploring the chart – or horoscope – of Bitcoin’s first apparent trade:
A Bitcoin trade – purportedly the first – is known to have taken place on January 3, 2009 at 18.15 local time in Sydney Australia.
Whatever actual date is used for the launch of Bitcoin, in the few months either side of January 2009, the lunar node was moving through Aquarius. The lunar node have a spiritual dimensional. Money, even crypto currencies are a flow of energy. In this instance the nodal position suggests an artificial intelligence destiny could of course be used for good or bad. On January 3rd, Mercury – the planet associated with commercial activity – had recently entered that sign and was just 7° away from the nodal position on that day. Mercury moves quickly and it’s in this combination that enhances the likelihood of fast trades that excite day traders but cause headaches for those playing the long-term and who are perhaps driven mad by volatility.
On December 20, 2020, Jupiter and Saturn will come join at the very first degree of Aquarius. Jupiter is the faster moving of the two planets and will move through the sign of Aquarius in the space of months. Saturn however will take roughly 30 months to accomplish the same journey. Growth is to be expected under Jupiter’s transit and constriction under Saturn. We should first note then, that there is high probability making sharp moves to the upside at the very start of 2021 – to be followed by a marked lows as Saturn, following on behind Jupiter, makes passage through that same sign.
Obviously, these traps it would affect any commercial activity begun in early January 2009. What makes Bitcoin’s apparent first trade standout – and so likely to bring extreme volatility – is the exact time and place:
At 18.15 hrs in Sydney, Australia, Venus (29 Aquarius) lay exactly between the Moon (28 Pisces) and Jupiter (29 Capricorn). This is a most important midpoint. The Moon describes habits and people, Jupiter is seen as the greater benefit and Venus is the planet of love and money. Bitcoin then was always destined to be a popular transaction attracting global attention. (Though there are now thousands of cryptos vying for top position (Ripple, Ethereum etc), Bitoin is the one that has lodged in public consciousness as ‘The’ crypto currency).
Most importantly, and within 10 min of this first trade, Uranus, the planet of the ‘unexpected’ was at exact right angle to the Ascendant-Descendant axis. I suspect that first trade took place a few moments after 18.15 and yes, in keeping with the nature of Uranus which, in this instance, can be viewed as a ‘financial hand grenade’, there would be doubts, consternation that yes, also excitement as to what the fallout of its arrival in the markets would bring. In keeping with Uranus’ justified reputation, the repercussions continue to be both enormous and unquantifiable.
In 2008, and presumably as the idea that this block chain currency was being developed, Pluto – planet of the underworld and with the noted reputation for corruption – had begun its long transit of Capricorn – the sign in which the Sun was positioned on January 3, 2009. Astrologers forecast that Pluto’s entry into Capricorn would see the demise of banks and the foundations of large institutions. Though brand new and therefore with no historical record of corruption, it was likely given Pluto’s relationship to the Sun at January 3 horoscope, that there would eventually be talk of the misuse of this new, and as yet unregulated, currency.
Pluto has now got past the solar position of the January 3 chart and the currency has not only survived but has gained strength and traction. Yet the potential for Bitcoin to be identified with corruption and money-laundering, will likely be increased after Pluto reaches Aquarius and begins its slow transit of the Aquarius stellium indicated in the January 3 chart. Significantly, and in the first quarter of 2025, Pluto will reach the position held by Mercury at the first trade just as Saturn reaches Uranus’ position in that same chart. This is likely to be a significant and crunch time for the currency but coincides with a major progression often seen when products and services are at height of popularity. Whether for good or ill, Bitcoin could see major highs in 2025 – a long time for investors to wait but for those who think they may have ‘lost’ in recent times, perhaps encouraging.
To decode the future though, we must first decode the past:
In April 2013, Bitcoin made a short-term high of US$240. The price fell back but rose even more sharply at the end of November of that year reaching just over US$1200. In the case of the latter, the price fell back to less than $720 by mid December.
The next major move was four years later when on December 15th, 2017, the price went over $19,000. It seems significant that just a year earlier on December 14, 2018, there was a low of US$3295.
We might reasonably conclude that Bitcoin respond to a four-year cycle: the implications being that 2021 should see another major burst (and again in the aforementioned 2025). In 2015 and 2019 at the halfway point of this four-year cycle there is interesting activity worthy of more research before forecasts are made for 2023!
It would be understandable and tempting to conclude that XBTUSD response to the recognised Mars-Vesta 4 year cycle. Yet there is no immediate correlation between the conjunctions and oppositions in this cycle and the highs and lows of these trades.
To continue our check of past activity:
Using a standard astrological technique known as solar arc, which allows approximately 1° for each year of existence, we note that around Bitcoin’s 7th birthday, when Mercury directed to the ‘natal’ lunar Node that the price might soar – as proved to be the case. Bitcoin soared well above US$10,000. This was not the only factor at work but quick affirmation of the efficacy of the January 3rd chart.
Similarly, and moving the node by 1° per year, we see that in Bitcoin’s 9th year, the node conjoined Chiron. This alignment suggested loss of value – again as was the case.
Pluto was 12° away from the solar position at this first trade chart. Again using that solar arc method, we might reasonably deduce that in 2020 and 2021 as Pluto, by solar arc, conjoins the solar position, that Bitcoin will gain power.
In January 2020, Bitcoin celebrated its 11th birthday. A simple check of adding 11° to each of the natal positions results in the double-whammy of the Node directing to Neptune, whilst Uranus moves from Pisces and arrives at 0° Aries (the world axis). The coincidence of these important directions just as a new business cycle get underway at the end of 2020, underscores the high probability of 2020 and 2021 being hugely significant for this currency with probable increased volatility.
Neptune has a justifiable reputation for both dissolving and squandering. It could also be said that Neptune reaches parts others cannot reach. Increased global prominence seems likely. Given that the world axis is also involved, it would appear that throughout the next 18 months, Bitcoin’s influence will spread.
There is a solar eclipse on June 21, 2020 on the world axis. My reading of this has always been that a global crypto currency would emerge before the end of 2020. This new global currency might well try to emulate Bitcoin’s status – and yes, possibly challenge it.
What is of immediate concern to clients is whether or not Bitcoin’s price will go above USD 10,000 and stay there. To test this likelihood we must first examine the position of the planets in December 2017 when the price reached over US$12,000. Many factors played their part but in the simplest of terms, in that month, several planets – including Saturn – were grouped in Sagittarius as Saturn was still within positive aspect to Uranus (moving through fiery Aries). It was always reasonable to expect positive signals for cryptos at this stage of the Saturn-Uranus cycle. Once the Mutable (Sagittarius) grouping was in position, then the potential for gain was more assured.
On August 2nd, 2020 Saturn and Uranus are a bi-septile apart. If other factors coincide, then, at the very least, we should expect Bitcoin to reach a resistance level. The potential for this is confirmed by the Full Moon on August 3 at 11° Aquarius – highlighting what will then be Saturn’s position in 2021 when that planet forms right angle to Uranus.
True, this next and major phase of the probable ‘crypto currency cycle’ will doubtless be of huge importance to bitcoin: most likely coinciding with calls for, and perhaps even the implementation of, regulation. Whether or not that eventually occurs, it seems likely that the early days of August 2020 will be important for Bitcoin.
Research shows that Bitcoin increases in value as Venus moves heliocentrically through Aries and the Moon (geocentrically), transits Taurus. There aren’t many days when these transits take place simultaneously. They did so between January 4th and 7th 2020 when the price moved from US $ 7405 to $ 8218: a sharp rise in just a few days.
A similar rise could occur between August 10th and 12th 2020 when once again Venus is in Aries (heliocentric) as the Moon moves through Taurus. (The next recurrence of this combination : November 17-19, 2021).
Whilst a price increase over these dates seems astrologically probable, there is insufficient accent on Mutable signs to suggest that the price will advance above $10,000 in August. Before then, on June 17th 2020 – and just as Mercury approaches its retrograde station, that same planet arrives in heliocentric Sagittarius. Mercury has made passage through this area of the zodiac on forty occasions since Bitcoins inception and research shows that this is where Bitcoin has made gain. It may be that just as everything else turns negative on June 18th, that Bitcoin will make short-term gain.
Lastly, you may know that Mars will be moving through Aries (geocentrically from June 28th and heliocentrically from September 9th) . Though we only have five previous samples (since 2009) to analyse, it is clear that Bitcoin makes most gain when Mars is in this sign. We might then wonder if Bitcoin will push through $10,000 as Mars makes these transits.
It has not been possible to find a date that meets all the criteria or astro-clues listed above.
© Christeen Skinner 30 May 2020
