CoinTalk

Hey all — I’m 20, investing around $2,500 a month. I split it: one month I throw the full $2,500 into stocks/ETFs, the next month I put about $2,100 into stocks/ETFs and ~$400 into crypto (split evenly between BTC and ETH — $200 each).

Crypto’s taken a beating lately (BTC is well under $90k), and I’m starting to wonder: does it still make sense to keep putting $400 in crypto every other month? Or would I be better off channeling those funds straight into stocks/ETFs and dropping crypto entirely?

I know crypto feels more like gambling than investing — I jumped in mostly because of hype, and truth is, I’m not entirely sure what I’m supporting long-term. I’m planning to stay invested for many years, but I’m not confident crypto fits into a solid, long-term portfolio.

Appreciate any thoughts — hit me with your honest takes.

Is investing in crypto halal or haram?

Many Muslims ask whether it is halal or haram to trade or invest crypto haram assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Scholars have different opinions. Some say cryptocurrency is haram because it is speculative, volatile, and lacks intrinsic value, similar to gambling. Others argue it can be halal if used ethically, as a medium of exchange and not for interest-based gains. To trade responsibly, Muslim investors often use tools like the liquidation heatmap on TradingView to analyze BTC price trends. The key is intention if crypto is used for transparent, fair trading without deception or riba (interest), then many believe it can be halal under Islamic finance principles.

Mr. Wonderful vs. The Fed: Why He Says Bitcoin Won’t Budge (Even Without a Rate Cut)

The market is holding its breath for a December interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve. But one prominent investor isn’t buying it—and he says Bitcoin won’t either.

In a recent interview with Cointelegraph, Kevin  Mr. Wonderful  O’Leary pushed back against the overwhelming market consensus, stating he simply doesn’t believe a cut is coming this month.

I don’t actually think the Fed's gonna cut in December, O’Leary stated plainly. But in a twist for crypto traders, who often view rate cuts as a green light for risk assets, he added: It’s not gonna make a difference to Bitcoin.

The Inflation Roadblock

So, what’s behind O’Leary’s skepticism? He points squarely to the Fed’s dual mandate: controlling inflation and maintaining full employment.

There’s a lot of inflation in the system, he noted, highlighting September's 3% annual inflation rate—the highest since January. The tariffs are starting to take hold and input costs… he added, suggesting persistent price pressures that could tie the Fed’s hands.

His stance stands in stark contrast to the current market frenzy. According to the CME’s FedWatch Tool, traders are assigning a 89.2% probability to a rate cut in December—a dramatic surge from just weeks ago.

Bitcoin: Finding Its  Level

Conventional wisdom suggests that without the expected rate cut—which would typically make bonds and savings less attractive—riskier assets like Bitcoin could suffer. However, O’Leary sees a different scenario unfolding.

He believes Bitcoin has essentially found a level for now. His prediction? The price will likely drift within 5% of where it is now, in either direction.

I don’t see a lot of upside catalyst, he admitted, but crucially, he also doesn’t foresee a major downturn. This outlook comes even as Bitcoin has shed over 17% of its value in the past month, currently trading around $91,440.

A Rollercoaster of Expectations

The path to this near-certainty in the market has been anything but smooth, showcasing the extreme volatility in Fed expectations:

1- Early November: Odds for a December cut sat around 67%.

2- November 19: Probability plummeted to just 33%.

3- November 21: Odds nearly doubled to 69.4% following dovish comments from New York Fed President John Williams.

4- Today: The market has priced it in as a near certainty at 89.2%.

This whipsaw action highlights how sensitive traders are to every word from Fed officials.

The Bottom Line

While the broader market hangs on the Fed’s every word, O’Leary is tuning out the noise for his Bitcoin strategy. His message is clear: he’s not positioning his investments around a December cut because he doesn’t believe it’s coming.

His conclusion offers a contrarian calm amidst the speculation: Whether the Fed cuts or not, Mr. Wonderful expects Bitcoin to stay the course—neither crashing nor soaring, but holding its ground. In a climate of intense speculation, that itself is a notable forecast.

Andrew Tate has amassed significant wealth through a diverse range of business ventures and income streams, moving far beyond his initial career foundation.

Early Foundation: Kickboxing

The initial foundation of Andrew Tate's money came from his career as a professional kickboxer. He was a four-time World Champion in the sport, which provided him with prize money and sponsorship deals.

Transition to Entrepreneurship

After his fighting career, Tate transitioned into entrepreneurship, leveraging online platforms to scale his income:

• Online Courses & Education: A major component of how did andrew tate make his money? involves digital education. He launched Hustler's University (later rebranded/expanded to The Real World), an online platform where members pay a monthly subscription fee for courses on various wealth creation methods, including e-commerce, cryptocurrency, and copywriting. These platforms continue to generate millions in recurring revenue.

Monero, the leading privacy-focused cryptocurrency, just soared to a new all-time high near ~$686, climbing roughly 14 % in 24 hours and pushing its market capitalization past ~$12 billion.

Interestingly, this surge unfolded right after Dubai’s financial regulator (DFSA) banned privacy tokens on regulated exchanges within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), effective January 12, 2026. Under the new framework, exchanges operating in the zone cannot list, promote, or handle trades in privacy coins, and privacy-enhancing tools like mixers or tumblers are also prohibited.

Despite — or perhaps because of — this regulatory pressure, Monero’s price pushed to record highs, trading with unusually high volume (~$500 million in 24 h) and attracting significant investor attention as capital rotated toward privacy-focused assets.

So here’s the big discussion point: Is this price action a genuine resurgence of interest in financial privacy, a speculative squeeze, or a regulatory-driven narrative trade?

You Cannot Sell Pi Coin Right Now

Currently, the Pi Network is operating in its Enclosed Mainnet phase. This means:

• No External Trading: The Pi cryptocurrency cannot be traded, sold, or bought on any public, external cryptocurrency exchange (like Binance, Coinbase, Kraken, etc.).
• Closed Ecosystem: Pi can only be exchanged for goods and services within the Pi ecosystem (the Pi Marketplace) between verified Pi users, according to the value agreed upon by the two parties involved. This process is called P2P (Peer-to-Peer) trading.

What You Need to Do to Be Ready to Sell Later

To eventually be in a position to sell your Pi for fiat currency (like dollars) when the network opens its Open Mainnet, you must complete these steps:

The S&P 500 index represents 500 leading U.S. companies, serving as a major benchmark for the stock market. Investors often track the S&P 500 futures to gauge market direction before trading hours, as futures prices reflect expectations of the index’s movement. Many investors gain exposure through an ETF or fund, which replicates the performance of the S&P 500 at a fraction of the cost of buying individual stocks. The price of these instruments changes with market conditions, influenced by company earnings, economic data, and global trends. For Muslim investors, Shariah-compliant versions of the S&P 500 exclude companies involved in prohibited activities like interest-based finance, alcohol, and gambling. Such Shariah funds offer a way to invest ethically while maintaining exposure to U.S. equity growth. Understanding the index, its derivatives, and Shariah alternatives helps investors make informed, value-based financial decisions.