As Bitcoin (BTC), the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, inches closer to its all-time high of $73,700 reached in March, the US spot Bitcoin ETF market has re-emerged as a key driver of the cryptocurrency’s recent price surge.
On Tuesday, total trading volume for spot Bitcoin ETFs surpassed $3 billion, coinciding with Bitcoin’s price briefly above the pivotal $73,000 mark for the first time in over 7 months.
Bitcoin ETF Market Set To Surpass 1 Million BTC Holdings Soon
Notably, crypto investor BigRig observed a remarkable uptick in Bitcoin ETF purchases over the past two weeks, reporting $2.673 billion in inflows since October 16.
This accounts for a substantial 11.8% of total ETF inflows during this period, suggesting a robust interest from institutional and retail investors. BigRig also pointed out that, prior to Tuesday’s trading volume, this period represented the best day for ETF inflows.
Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas added to the optimistic narrative by stating that US spot ETFs are on track to hold 1 million Bitcoin by next Wednesday, surpassing the holdings of Satoshi Nakamoto, the enigmatic creator of Bitcoin, by mid-December with an average addition of about 17,000 BTC per week.
However, Balchunas also cautioned that market volatility could impact these projections. “Anything can happen,” he noted, referencing the possibility of a sudden selloff that could delay the timeline.
Conversely, if prices continue to rise and political factors, such as a potential Trump victory in the upcoming election, contribute to increased market enthusiasm, the expert believes that this influx of new investors could accelerate the pace of Bitcoin’s ascent to new highs.
Whale Accumulation Spurs Optimism
Despite heightened activity in the Bitcoin ETF market, the price of the largest cryptocurrency recently fell short of its all-time high, retracing to approximately $72,250 at the time of writing.
However, there are positive indicators for Bitcoin bulls. The cryptocurrency has been consolidating above key support levels, with strong backing around the $66,000 mark.
This support has effectively prevented any significant decline over the past week and has contributed to the ongoing rally. However, what would be a notable bullish indicator would be a sustained consolidation above the $70,000 level for the bulls, which could further demonstrate the strength of the current move.
Market expert Miles Deutscher has been vocal about his bullish outlook for Bitcoin, particularly in the latter months of the year. He recently pointed out a significant trend: whales—large holders of Bitcoin—are accumulating the cryptocurrency at an “unprecedented pace.”
This observation suggests that institutional demand for Bitcoin is currently outpacing retail interest, a shift that could have implications for massive price movements to the upside in the near future.
Deutscher further highlighted that Bitcoin exchange reserves have reached all-time lows. This means that the amount of Bitcoin available on exchanges for trading has dwindled, signaling a supply squeeze.
Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
