Over the weekend, geopolitical tensions sent Bitcoin and Ethereum tumbling, but the crypto market quickly rebounded, arguably thanks to Hong Kong’s new ETF approvals and the upcoming Bitcoin halving. Despite this recovery, ongoing Iran-Israel tensions could still disrupt the market.
Since their debut three months ago, the US-based Bitcoin spot ETFs have attracted a significant inflow of capital, totaling $12.5 billion. The momentum does not stop here, with additional countries poised to roll out their own exchange-traded Bitcoin products.
Bitcoin is at the forefront of the market, with other cryptocurrencies attempting to keep pace. We anticipate a continued upward trajectory until a shift occurs, particularly for Bitcoin, in the months following the upcoming Bitcoin halving.
A showdown is unfolding in the crypto world, specifically between BlackRock’s CEO, Larry Fink, and Gary Gensler, the Chair of the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Moreover, echoing our view from last week’s Crypto Crisp, we are not anticipating significant volatility in the upcoming weeks, especially considering the recent net outflows from Bitcoin spot ETFs.
Ethereum’s transition to a Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism has been a significant boon, instantly positioning it as the most productive cryptocurrency among its peers. However, this success comes with a vulnerability; if future Ethereum spot ETFs gain the ability to stake Ether, Ethereum’s fate could largely fall under the control of traditional finance. The most feasible countermeasure to this scenario lies in the full adoption of liquid staking protocols.
The crypto market is getting less speculative by the minute. There is no need to chase the next big thing by risking funds on obscure altcoins or memecoins. Instead, by aligning with institutional movements, crypto investors stand to gain significantly without taking on too much risk.
Over the past week, Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency, emerged as the top performer in an otherwise subdued crypto market. During this period, Bitcoin experienced a decrease in net inflow into exchange-traded products, including Bitcoin spot ETFs, compared to the previous week. On Friday, the Uniswap Foundation suggested a new fee mechanism, potentially enhancing its token significantly.
We have a high level of confidence that the US will witness the launch of an Ethereum spot ETF within this year, assigning a 90% probability to this event. Our optimism is grounded in five key reasons. We have every reason to believe that an Ethereum spot ETF will be just as successful as the Bitcoin spot ETFs have already been.
Everyone is looking forward to the Bitcoin halving, yet there is little focus on Ethereum’s equivalent of a triple halving. In our crypto portfolio, Ethereum takes the spotlight. We predict that Ethereum will evolve into a widely-utilized digital commodity, coupled with a decreasing supply and the ability to generate dividends – a truly unique asset, not just in crypto, but beyond.
While the approval of the Bitcoin spot ETF did not spark a significant reaction in the market for Bitcoin, Ethereum emerged as the clear winner, securing a substantial 15% gain over Bitcoin post-ETF approval. Our expectation is that Ethereum stands to reap further rewards in the coming months, while Bitcoin experiences slow bleeding.
As we step into 2024, it seems like everyone is long crypto left, right, and center. This environment does not elicit much enthusiasm from us, as it brings back memories of the exact opposite situation just a year ago. We have identified five key factors that we believe will shape 2024. Among them, three are anticipated to pose potential downsides, one holds the potential for an upside surprise, and there is a joker that seems to be completely overlooked.
