Bitcoin‘s price surged past $47,000, reaching its highest level in 21 months, as investors remain bullish on the cryptocurrency’s positive trend. The anticipation of a potential approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has added to the upward momentum, with all spot Bitcoin ETF applicants completing the final step of the application process on January 8.
Analysts speculate that Bitcoin’s price could break through to $50,000, noting that it has already doubled the 2023 returns of gold. Michael Saylor, CEO of MicroStrategy and a Bitcoin enthusiast, believes that the launch of a spot Bitcoin ETF could be the most significant event for the finance sector since the introduction of the S&P 500.
Bitcoin’s market capitalization surpassed Berkshire Hathaway on December 5, 2023, ranking it as the tenth largest asset. Despite this strength, the SEC reissued a crypto FOMO warning on January 6, urging caution. A Bitcoin ETF approval could potentially create $600 billion in new demand, with analysts from CryptoQuant predicting a $1 trillion increase in Bitcoin’s market value. Galaxy Digital forecasts a 74% price increase in the first year following a spot Bitcoin ETF launch.
Traditional banks are also showing optimism toward Bitcoin’s price, with one predicting a $200,000 price point by the end of 2025. The latest ETF application submissions by spot Bitcoin ETF applicants highlight a potential commission war among institutions, with the lowest fee set at 0.25% on January 8.
The number of Bitcoin wallets holding a non-zero balance reached an all-time high on January 2, with over 51.6 million wallets. This, along with a consistent month-to-month price increase, has raised Bitcoin’s realized value to $436 billion as of January 8, only 7% below its all-time high, underscoring renewed bullish optimism.