The recent surge in Bitcoin’s price has encountered a temporary halt around the $30,000 mark. This pause comes as investors carefully evaluate a wave of applications for exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focused on the cryptocurrency’s spot market. Despite numerous attempts by American regulators to resist such ETFs, the 22% rally since BlackRock Inc.’s unexpected filing for an ETF on June 15 has ignited speculation in the market.
Bitcoin Outperforms Virtual Coins and Diverges from Stocks:
While Bitcoin has shown a remarkable 22% surge, the index tracking the top 100 virtual coins has only experienced a 13% increase during the same period. Furthermore, Bitcoin has decoupled from the stock market, breaking its short-term correlation with the Nasdaq 100, a technology share index, for the first time this year.
Increased ETF Applications and Speculation:
Apart from BlackRock, renowned as the world’s largest asset manager, Invesco, WisdomTree, and Bitwise have also submitted proposals for similar ETFs in recent days. While the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been reluctant to approve such funds due to concerns of fraud and manipulation in the cryptocurrency market, BlackRock’s reputation and approach have sparked speculation that the agency might reconsider its stance.
Supporting Factors for Bitcoin’s Performance:
Tony Sycamore, a market analyst at IG Australia Pty, attributes Bitcoin’s recent resilience to both BlackRock’s ETF application and market expectations of additional stimulus measures in China, aimed at revitalizing its struggling economy.
Bitcoin’s Impact on the Crypto Market:
Bitcoin’s upward momentum has had a significant impact on the broader cryptocurrency market. The leading digital asset’s notable performance has acted as a catalyst, propelling smaller tokens such as Ether, Cardano, and Solana to post gains as well. Spencer Hallarn, a derivatives trader at crypto investment firm GSR, emphasizes Bitcoin’s influence, stating that it has been the primary driver behind the overall positive trend in the crypto complex.
Boosting Crypto Sentiment:
This week, the launch of EDX Markets, a digital asset exchange backed by prominent firms including Citadel Securities, Fidelity Digital Assets, and Charles Schwab Corp, has provided an additional boost to crypto sentiment. Prior to this recent wave of optimism, the SEC’s regulatory actions had dampened market sentiment and contributed to reduced liquidity. The regulator’s lawsuits against Binance Holdings Ltd. and Coinbase Global Inc., along with the designation of numerous digital tokens as unregistered securities, added further obstacles to the cryptocurrency market.
Remaining Challenges and Overbought Signal:
Despite the current surge, Bitcoin faces a few hurdles, including the potential tightening of monetary policy and indications that its rally may be overextended. The 14-day relative strength index, a widely used momentum indicator, has flashed an overbought signal, suggesting a possible correction in the near future.
Bitcoin’s Year-to-Date Performance:
After a turbulent 2022 that wiped out $1.5 trillion from digital assets, Bitcoin has made an impressive recovery, surging by 83% so far this year. However, it remains $39,000 below its peak value reached in 2021.
