Bitcoin experienced a sudden drop of about $1,000 from the $43,000 mark, impacting altcoins as well. This decline was triggered by early circulation of an anticipated news. Investors are questioning whether they should be concerned.
Grayscale, the issuer of the GBTC Spot Bitcoin ETF, transferred 9,317 BTC to Coinbase, totaling $380 million. This move is linked to dominant GBTC sales in the first two trading days, with GBTC’s negative premium now eliminated, offering investors immediate sales returns of 10% or more following the ETF conversion.
The implication was clear for GBTC investors—it was time to sell. Following the multimillion-dollar sales, Grayscale’s transfer of $380 million worth of assets to Coinbase sparked speculation about a possible reduction in the underlying asset quantity.
The massive sale rumors are not entirely accurate. Grayscale could supply these assets to other issuers via over-the-counter (OTC) trades on Coinbase or sell to different institutional buyers. Such large-scale sales on spot markets would be detrimental to the company, suggesting a potential for Bitcoin’s price to recover shortly.
However, continued transfers or dominant sales on Coinbase could increase panic and lead to a prolonged downturn in the market.