Disclaimer: The information presented does not constitute financial, investment, trading, or other types of advice and is solely the writer’s opinion
If you are considering adding proof of work cryptos in your portfolio, chances are you have shortlisted Ethereum Classic (ETC). It is one of the few remaining options in the PoW category, but you may have also noticed that it has been overshadowed, particularly by its counterpart – Ethereum (ETH).
Ethereum Classic’s performance so far this year confirms that it can still attract investor attention. However, the network has been losing popularity from a long-term perspective. Speaking of popularity, artificial intelligence has really taken off this year, with ChatGPT leading this charge.
Assessing fundamental data using the ChatGPT AI
Perhaps we can leverage the power of AI to find out what the future has planned for ETC. I asked ChatGPT about Ethereum Classic and the interaction was rather interesting. The initial plan was to establish the depth of the AI before going deeper into the type of information that I wanted to pursue.
The first question requested ChatGPT to provide a detailed and concise explanation of Ethereum Classic and its fundamentals. Here’s the response –
Source: ChatGPT
Here is the response after switching to dark mode and requesting a shorter version –
Source: ChatGPT
The AI seemed to have a good handle on things based on the information it provided. However, there have been incidents where it generated inaccurate information, hence the need to verify the information. Now that we had a good base, it was time to up the ante a bit. But first, those keeping a close eye on ETC may have noticed that its community has not been very active. Its development has also lagged behind that of Ethereum and other networks.
Our next query focused on establishing why the Ethereum Classic network is less popular than Ethereum. It gave the following reasons –
- Community Support: After the 2016 DAO hack, the Ethereum community decided to implement a hard fork that created a new blockchain network known as Ethereum, which received support from the majority of the Ethereum community. Ethereum Classic, which remained on the original blockchain, has a smaller community and fewer developers.
- Lack of Updates: Ethereum Classic has not received as many updates and improvements as Ethereum. This has resulted in slower transaction times and less advanced smart contract capabilities.
- Perception of Immutability: Ethereum Classic’s commitment to immutability is a key feature for some users. It can also be seen as a liability by others who prefer the flexibility of a blockchain that can be updated if necessary.
- Limited Use Cases: Ethereum has a wider range of use cases and is more widely adopted by businesses and developers. Ethereum Classic has a smaller ecosystem of decentralized applications and is less widely used in commercial applications.
AI-generated all the above points but they are difficult to argue against. In other words, ChatGPT’s answers were spot on –
Ethereum Classic still has some edge over the competition
I was curious to find out what the AI had to say about Ethereum Classic’s advantages over its more popular counterpart. It responded with the following points:
- Immutability: Ethereum Classic has a strong commitment to immutability. Transactions cannot be altered or deleted once recorded on the blockchain. This makes ETC a reliable and secure platform for storing and transferring digital assets and may be particularly appealing to users who prioritize security and decentralization over flexibility and upgradability.
- Proven Technology: Ethereum Classic is based on the original Ethereum blockchain, which has been operating since 2015. This gives it a longer track record than many other blockchain platforms, and may be appealing to users who value stability and reliability.
- No Hard Forks: Since the split from Ethereum in 2016, Ethereum Classic has not undergone any hard forks or major upgrades that could potentially cause network disruptions or create competing blockchain networks. This could make it a more stable and predictable platform for developers and users.
So far so good, but the above answers got me thinking about the kind of scenario where Ethereum Classic would achieve mass adoption. These were the brief points that ChatGPT shared –
Source: ChatGPT
The aforementioned points highlighted some of the key advantages of sticking to a proof-of-work system with a heavy focus on decentralization. These characteristics would make the network and its native coin more preferable, especially in case of a harsh regulatory crackdown. Regulators, especially in the United States, have adopted an aggressive position against cryptocurrencies, but not to the extreme, yet.
Attempting to circumvent ETC’s price analysis brick wall
While still thinking about Ethereum Classic’s prospects, I decided to explore whether the AI can have insightful predictions regarding ETC’s prospects. More specifically, I wanted to know how soon ETC can reach ETH’s $1,900 press time price. Unfortunately, the language-based AI algorithm could only do so much and predictions were the limit. Here is the answer that it provided –
Source: ChatGPT
That would have been the end of that attempt, but I recently found out about the DAN (do anything now) jailbreak prompt which unlocks some limitations. Moreover, ChatGPT’s algorithm learns and it can also organize raw data into a more useful format. Thus, an idea was born.
What if we could somehow get chatGPT to understand the history of ETC’s price action, including previous price patterns? We could potentially get it to give a more concrete answer regarding price predictions. Or so I thought. Unfortunately, none of the prompts including the jailbreak offered a concrete outcome where the AI could read the price charts and identify price patterns.
Source, ChatGPT
Back to the basics of Ethereum Classic’s technical analysis
After having a “fine, I will do it myself” moment, I embarked on assessing ETC’s latest price action.
On 13 April, the price of ETC increased as the cryptocurrency’s recent uptrend gathered momentum. The price of the coin increased to a high of $22.47, which is the highest point since March 18 of this year. From this year’s low, the coin has increased by more than 53%.
Ethereum Classic’s price has come to nearly the same point as it was in the beginning of the year, $18.25. ETC’s performance should continue to improve but fluctuate in the $30s. According to the token’s price forecast, it will range between $33.24 and $37.27.
Bitcoin’s [BTC] value increased by over 80% this year, outperforming Tesla, equities, and gold. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, like Ethereum Classic, are closely related.
Second, the most recent U.S. consumer inflation statistics released on Wednesday had an impact on the price of Ethereum Classic. According to the data, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for March dropped to 5.0%, the lowest level since 2021.
Additionally, core inflation declined month over month. As a result, the Federal Reserve may change course shortly. This adjustment would include raising the stalling rates and maintaining them for a while.
Source: ETC/USDT, TradingView
Ethereum Classic also reacted positively to the recent Shapella Upgrade, whose activation allowed Ethereum Stackers to withdraw their tokens. The amount of Ethereum staked, according to data from Staking Rewards, is over $33.7 billion.
The resistance retest suggested that the price may potentially register a pivot. However, ETC’s money flow indicator revealed that liquidity is still flowing into the cryptocurrency.
We are not sure of any bullish price movement for now, given the persistent decline in ETC’s value over the last month. The coin has lost around 11% of its value within the last 30 days. Long-term predictions still remain within the realm of uncertainty.
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Conclusion
Using the ChatGPT AI did offer a significant advantage, especially in terms of the speed of accessing data. While it does not allow for price predictions, it does offer some valuable information. Contrary to expectations, it is still not able to do everything.
