Low Participation: 39% Predict Spot Bitcoin ETF Approval by SEC in 2024, Survey Finds

A survey of U.S. financial advisors found that most believe approval will not come until at least 2025.

While many cryptocurrency holders eagerly await the approval of a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund in the United States, a group of financial experts appears to be pessimistic about this possibility. According to a survey by ETF issuer Bitwise published on January 4, only 39% of financial advisors in the US believe a Bitcoin ETF will be approved this year.

The survey results show that financial advisors are generally skeptical of the commission’s decision to approve a spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF). There are several reasons for this lack of security. The first and most important factor is the SEC’s cautious and conservative handling of cryptocurrency-related items in the past.

Skeptical Advisors: The Fate of the SEC’s Bitcoin ETF

As mentioned above, financial advisors appear pessimistic about the SEC’s approval of the Bitcoin spot ETF this year, according to a survey by Bitwise and VettaFi.

On January 4, Bitwise posted the following on X:

“LESS THAN HALF OF ALL ADVISORS EXPECT A SPOT BITCOIN ETF IN 2024…

In a surprising development, only 39% of advisors believe a spot bitcoin ETF will be approved in 2024. By contrast, Bloomberg ETF analysts peg the likelihood of a January approval at 90%.

On January 10, several financial institutions, including BlackRock, Inc., VanEck, and Valkyrie Investments, will learn the regulator’s judgment on their Bitcoin spot ETF applications. Among the more than 400 respondents, independent registered investment advisors (RIAs) made up almost half of the sample. The remaining group included institutional investors, financial planners, stockbroker representatives, and other investment specialists. Matt Hougan, Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise, said the following:

“If you want to evaluate where cryptocurrencies are heading, you should talk to the professionals who control approximately half the wealth in the United States.”

Hougan highlighted a notable discrepancy in expectations between specialists who actively monitor the evolution of ETFs and financial advisors. He highlighted that there is significant latent demand in the market and noted that around 90% of advisors are delaying investments in bitcoins until the launch of an ETF. This highlights the significant difference in expectations and the possibility of an increase in interest should an ETF become available.

“There exists a huge gap in expectations between advisors and those who make a living monitoring ETF development,” Hougan said in a statement.

Investment Hesitation: Advisors Wait for Bitcoin ETF

The survey suggested that many advisors are eager to see an ETF approved, even if they don’t think it will happen anytime soon. Some participants said they wanted to buy Bitcoin for the first time for themselves or their clients. When these particular advisors were asked if they would prefer to buy before or after an ETF is approved, 88% responded “after a US spot Bitcoin ETF is approved.”

Meanwhile, unlike the Matrixport report, which predicted that the SEC would reject Bitcoin spot ETF proposals in January 2024, the price of Bitcoin has not responded to the Bitwise survey results and has continued to rise, rising a 3% on the past day to trade at $43,956 at the time of writing.

Final changes had to be submitted to the SEC by December 29, 2023, and issuers that failed to meet this deadline would be ineligible for early January approvals.

By Leonardo Perez

AllianceBernstein’s Bitcoin Predictions for 2024

Bitcoin’s trajectory in 2024 is the subject of much attention, and the possible approval of a spot ETF raises expectations. AllianceBernstein predicts a big year for Bitcoin, which could hit new highs of $80,000. The broader cryptocurrency market, including Ethereum, is showing promise with growing institutional interest.

Bitcoin’s price trajectory in 2024 is attracting a lot of attention. Particularly in light of the possible approval of a spot Bitcoin ETF (exchange-traded fund).

Several analysts anticipate a monumental year for Bitcoin, projecting a potential rise to a new all-time high.

AllianceBernstein’s Bitcoin Price Prediction

Optimism around Bitcoin (BTC) performance in 2024 is due to a confluence of factors. Notably, Bitcoin rose more than 150% in 2023, with an impressive rally that saw it reach $45,913 in early 2024. This is its highest since April 2022.

Despite this price rise, Bitcoin remains more than 30% below its all-time high of approximately $68,990, set in 2021.

Analysts at AllianceBernstein, a global asset management firm with $669 billion in assets under management, highlighted several key drivers for Bitcoin’s anticipated rise. The first is the possible approval of a Bitcoin spot ETF, a highly anticipated development by the cryptocurrency community.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is expected to rule on applications from prominent companies such as ARK Investments by January 10.

This approval, which is likely echoed by other asset managers such as BlackRock and Fidelity, could herald a new era of institutional investment in Bitcoin, driving its price towards $80,000.

Gautam Chhugani and Mahika Sapra estimate about $15 billion in total inflows by 2024. By 2028, they predict 10% of Bitcoin will be held in ETFs. Consequently, there will be a significant change in the way this cryptocurrency is traded and stored.

“We expect 2024 to be an inflection year for cryptocurrencies. The accumulation of Bitcoin ETF flows could be gradual, but claimants will fight hard to get an edge in this game of massive asset accumulation, fine-tuning Bitcoin advertising and branding, leading to a snowball effect,” note AllianceBernstein analysts.

Another major event on the horizon is the Bitcoin halving scheduled for April 2024. Historically, such halvings, which reduce the rewards for mining BTC, have led to substantial price appreciations in the following months. AllianceBernstein projects that this pattern will repeat itself, further fueling Bitcoin’s rise.

Likewise, Robert Kiyosaki, author of “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” highlighted the importance of the upcoming Bitcoin halving:

“If you want to be rich, it is essential to have rich friends or, at the very least, friends who want to be rich. The Bitcoin halving is quickly approaching. Please pay attention to the Bitcoin halving, gold and silver in January, February and March. Please choose your friends carefully,” Kiyosaki highlighted.

AllianceBernstein: Other Cryptocurrencies Also Look Promising

The broader cryptocurrency market is also showing promise. AllianceBernstein expects Ethereum ETFs to be approved in June 2024. Therefore, Ethereum could potentially become the only other cryptocurrency to have a direct investment exchange-traded fund.

A bullish outlook on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the cryptocurrency market in general is shared by several industry experts and thought leaders. Paul Brody, global blockchain leader at EY, remains optimistic about the growth of the cryptocurrency ecosystem due to the implementation of the Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA) in the European Union. Seth Ginns, managing partner of CoinFund, believes in a boom in altcoins that can overshadow Bitcoin.

On the other hand, Denelle Dixon, CEO of Stellar Development Foundation, predicted a boom in tokenization and blockchain-based transactions, improving global financial inclusivity.

By Audy Castaneda

Cardano Increases Almost 250% in Development Activity and Whale Buying Appetite – Details

ADA’s market capitalization currently stands at $18.446 billion.

According to CryptoDiffer’s latest findings, Cardano (ADA) has significantly outperformed Ethereum (ETH) in terms of average daily developer activity on GitHub over the past month.

The data indicates that Cardano has advanced with a notable 245% lead over Ethereum in this crucial metric. The average daily GitHub commit size for Cardano is almost 450, showing a strong and active development environment that is setting a new standard in the blockchain space.

Cardano Emerges and Dominates GitHub Developer Activity

Such notable leadership by Cardano in developer activity underlines the project’s commitment to continuous improvements and innovation within its ecosystem. GitHub, as a collaborative platform for developers, is a crucial indicator of the vitality and progress of a blockchain project.

Cardano’s substantial leadership in this regard not only signifies current momentum in its development efforts, but also reflects a dedicated community and forward-thinking approach to blockchain technology. In contrast, Ethereum, while maintaining a strong presence on GitHub with an average daily commitment size of 183, now faces the challenge of catching up with the accelerated pace set by Cardano.

The data suggests that Cardano has positioned itself as a frontrunner in the development race, indicating an increased focus on refining and expanding its blockchain capabilities. Analysts believe that the current surge in Cardano development is a favorable indication of an expanding ecosystem.

The project’s emphasis on improving interoperability and promoting collaboration through international workshops has played an important role in establishing its prominent position in the blockchain-oriented field. If the current trends persist as expected, there is a chance that Cardano price will experience an upward trajectory in the coming days.

Said optimistic outlook is corroborated by the observed accumulation of the token by major market participants, commonly known as whales, over the past two weeks.

Meanwhile, analyzing Santiment data, a media outlet conducted an assessment of the addresses of ADA holders and observed a notable increase in the cohort’s holdings from 1 million to 10 million ADA.

Specifically, on December 20, the supply that this cohort had was 16%. However, according to the latest available data, this percentage has experienced a notable increase, reaching 16.36%.

Whale Accumulation: Growing Confidence of ADA Investors

The increase in ADA holdings within this particular cohort suggests a strategic accumulation of the cryptocurrency by influential market players. Whales, which typically control substantial amounts of a given asset, are often considered key indicators of market sentiment and can influence price movements.

The observed increase in ADA holdings by this cohort implies growing interest and confidence in Cardano among larger investors. Cardano’s performance in 2024 is characterized by a combination of hope and caution.

The ADA coin has shown significant increases in trading volume, reflecting strong investor enthusiasm and market participation. The increase in trading volume indicates a growing belief in Cardano’s long-term prospects, driven by continued development and community support.

Crypto Analyst Predicts Dramatic Rise in Cardano (ADA) Price

Crypto analyst Guy Turner has predicted that Cardano (ADA) could see a significant price surge very soon. The analyst also gave an idea of ​​the price levels the crypto token could reach when this happens.

The crypto analyst highlighted Cardano’s fundamentals as one of the reasons it has continued to underperform. According to him, the supply of the token seems to exceed the demand. He also singled out Cardano’s founding entities, IOG, EMURGO, and the Cardano Foundation, for contributing to major selling pressure for the crypto token.

By Leonardo Perez

Bitcoin ETF: BlackRock with $2 Billion Entry?

Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas provided an update on when the SEC approval notice is expected to arrive. Citing multiple sources, he explained that the SEC is preparing all issuers for a possible January 11 launch.

VanEck’s head of research, Matthew Sigel, recently suggested that the Bitcoin ETF from the world’s largest asset manager, BlackRock, could see unprecedented capital inflows upon its launch. This comes as an approval notice from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is imminent.

BlackRock Bitcoin ETF Could Receive over $2 Billion in Inflows

Sigel mentioned in a Live Update on X that he heard from a reliable source that BlackRock “raised over $2 billion in the first week.” This investment capital is expected to come from current Bitcoin holders looking to increase their exposure to the flagship cryptocurrency.

Sigel highlighted how important it could be if BlackRock’s ETF actually saw inflows of $2 billion in its first week of trading, saying that it would “destroy” his original forecasts. He estimates that Bitcoin ETFs could see $2.5 billion in inflows in the first quarter of trading, and now believes the market could grow to $40 billion in the next two years.

Not Unusual for BlackRock

When asked about the possibility of BlackRock experiencing this major influx, Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas noted that such an event is not unusual for the world’s largest asset manager. According to him, BlackRock is known for investing large sums of money in new ETFs on the first day of trading so that this registers volume for them.

Balchunas further added that a $2 billion inflow into the BlackRock Bitcoin ETF would break all first-day and first-week volume records for an ETF. Interestingly, BlackRock already holds the record for the most successful ETF launch by size of first day inflows.

BlackRock Spot Bitcoin ETF

The world’s largest asset manager also dominates the list of the top 10 most successful ETF launches. However, Balchunas clarified that these inflows were mainly deployed cash and not organic, as they were already available before the ETF’s launch. He also mentioned that he had a second source who confirmed Sigel’s claims that BlackRock was preparing for a big first day.

The announcement that BlackRock has potentially raised over $2 billion in the first week for its Bitcoin spot ETF is significant and suggests significant interest from institutional investors. BlackRock, as the world’s largest asset manager, has a huge network and resources to mobilize these capital flows.

Historical data shows that new financial products that provide convenient, regulated access to previously difficult-to-access asset classes often attract significant funds. For example, the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD), the first US gold ETF, raised more than $1 billion in the first five trading days after its launch in 2004.

Given the growing adoption of Bitcoin as an asset class and growing interest in cryptocurrencies among institutional investors, the BlackRock Bitcoin ETF could see similar inflows, perhaps even at a higher rate than traditional ETFs. The SEC’s approval of a Bitcoin ETF could spark a wave of new investment in the cryptocurrency market by opening the door to a broader range of investors who had previously been sidelined due to regulatory concerns or lack of access.

Overall, it is quite realistic that the BlackRock Bitcoin ETF could receive billions of dollars in inflows in the first week, and that number will continue to rise over time, particularly as ETF adoption increases and Bitcoin continues to be recognized. as a valuable asset class.

By Audy Castaneda

Blockchain Security Company CertiK Suffers Hack in its X Account

Blockchain security firm CertiK confirmed the compromised situation of its official account on X (Twitter). In response, the company advised the crypto community to avoid any interaction with the account’s posts. It was reported from the company that approximately $3 million worth of USDT was stolen from address 0xe7B0.

A phishing scammer posing as a Forbes reporter briefly gained access to blockchain security platform CertiK’s X (formerly Twitter) account and used it to post messages advertising a malicious Web3 app, according to a 5 January in CertiK X.

In response, the company advised the crypto community to avoid any interaction with the account’s posts, highlighting that they were in the middle of investigating the hack.

CertiK reported this event via X on January 5, in the following terms:

“A verified account, associated with a well-known media, contacted one of our employees. Unfortunately, it appears that this account was compromised, leading to a phishing attack on our employee. 

We quickly detected the breach and deleted the related tweets within minutes. Our investigation indicates this is a large-scale ongoing attack (…)”

In a January 5 post on X, blockchain security platform Cyvers claimed to have seen the messages before they were deleted. According to them, the messages claimed that the Uniswap router had been compromised and that users needed to revoke all approvals for Uniswap using Revoke.cash. It led to a fake version of Revoke.cash that attempted to steal users’ cryptocurrency.

CertiK Hacked via X

Social media was filled with images showing that the attacker had shared a phishing link, accompanied by a false message about an alleged re-entry exploit on the Uniswap Router.

Uniswap, the leading decentralized exchange platform on Ethereum with a total value locked close to $3.8 billion, was not affected by the news.

The post urged the community to revoke access to the link using a Revoke Cash link. However, observers immediately warned that this link acted as a phishing bait designed to empty the wallets of unsuspecting people.

Regarding the situation, CertiK communicated the following:

“We are currently investigating a breach of our X @CertiK account.

Please do not interact with any posts until we have confirmed that the account is secure.”

The malicious messages were discovered within seven minutes of being posted, CertiK said, and the team immediately began a recovery process to remove the attacker’s access to their X account. Within 14 minutes, the team managed to delete the first of the malicious messages. After 37 minutes, the team’s investigation was concluded and the danger was neutralized. CertiK claimed that the scam was part of “a large-scale ongoing attack” similar to the one described by X user NFT_Dreww.eth in a December 21 post.

Blockchain researcher ZachXBT asked CertiK if it would refund victims who may have been phished as a result of the malicious post to CertiK’s account. In response, CertiK stated “We encourage those affected during the recent incident on Twitter to contact us.”

CertiK Updates the Community after the Hack of its Account

The CertiK-affiliated security alert account issued a warning to users, urging them to avoid any interaction with the main account’s posts until their safety was confirmed, highlighting that they were investigating the incident.

This event highlights the sophistication of recent hacks in the crypto community, underscoring the importance of security and constant surveillance in the blockchain ecosystem.

By Leonardo Perez

Polygon: Can SAGA’s Upcoming Airdrop Benefit MATIC?

MATIC faces a price correction, but SAGA airdrop sparks interest. Despite obstacles to network growth, Polygon’s ecosystem shows resilience with an increase in active addresses.

MATIC is an ERC-20 token that runs on the Ethereum blockchain. It was created in 2019, through an IEO that was organized on the Binance Launchpad exchange house.

The main function of the MATIC token is to serve as a means for validators to participate in the network consensus, in addition to being the payment method for transaction fees. However, the token’s applications are multiple and it is adapting to the needs that are created around Ethereum. MATIC has a limited issuance of 10,000 million units.

Polygon [MATIC] recently resisted a downward price trend, but a silver lining emerged with the potential for renewed interest driven by recent events.

SZN Air Launch

The focus is on the SAGA airdrop, which captivated more than 26,000 Polygon users who participated via MATIC staking or leveraged Polygon’s zkEVM bridge for Ethereum transactions.

This strategic maneuver aims to infuse interest in the MATIC ecosystem by attracting a new influx of addresses.

On January 4, Today in Polygon, an X account that is the source for Polygon news, analytics and education, posted that “The $SAGA (@Sagaxyz__) airdrop is available to 26K+ Polygon users who staked $MATIC or bridged $ETH using the zkEVM Bridge.”

Polygon co-founder Sandeep Nailwal took to Twitter to express excitement about Saga’s role in their ecosystem.

Praising Saga’s contributions, especially in automating decentralization infrastructure for Appchains, Nailwal hinted at the potential for decentralized sequencing capabilities within Polygon CDK, stating that he already sees “many appchains looking for decentralized sequencing. Polygon CDK will soon have all decentralised sequencing for appchains both self-run as well as managed via partners like Saga.”

Watching Price Movement

Despite these promising moves, traders’ interest in MATIC witnessed a slowdown, evident by the decline in short positions.

Recently, the percentage of short positions taken against MATIC was 53%. This apparent discrepancy raised questions about the immediate impact of these positive developments on the broader sentiment around MATIC.

Digging deeper into MATIC’s price trajectory, a recent correction did not derail the overall uptrend marked by higher highs and higher lows over the past month.

However, MATIC faced a marginal decline of 0.44% in the last 24 hours, settling at $0.856.

In stark contrast to MATIC’s price dynamics, the network’s growth faced a hurdle, indicating less interest from new addresses. If this trend persists, MATIC’s sustained growth potential could be compromised. As MATIC grapples with these short-term challenges, Polygon’s broader network has demonstrated resilience.

Despite the decline in new addresses, active addresses on the Polygon network increased by 31.2% over the past month. However, a 4.1% reduction in revenue generated at Polygon poses a potential hurdle.

In essence, the divergent trajectories between MATIC token dynamics and the broader Polygon network paint a nuanced picture. MATIC’s struggle to attract new addresses and declining trading volume present immediate obstacles. In contrast, the sustained growth of active addresses on the Polygon network hints at underlying strength, despite declining revenue.

MATIC Forecast

According to CryptoPredictions, Polygon started January 2024 at $0.96867672556042 and is forecast to end the month at $0.89629436376523. During January, the expected high price of MATIC is $1.670 and the low is $0.89629436376523.

MATIC price for today (01/06/2024) is forecast to be in the price range of $0.71418501881836 – $1.050. Polygon price is expected to end at $0.84021766919807 today.

By Audy Castaneda