Bitcoin
US Bitcoin ETFs See Largest Series of Inflows as Token Nears Record
(Bloomberg) — U.S. exchange-traded funds that invest directly in Bitcoin drew net inflows for an unprecedented 18th consecutive day, a surge in demand that helped lift the biggest digital asset to a record high.
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The group’s net subscriptions to nearly a dozen products stood at $15.6 billion as of Thursday after the Jan. 11 launch, bringing total assets to $62.3 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Bitcoin pared gains after a report showed that US job growth increased in May while the unemployment rate rose unexpectedly, painting a mixed picture of the job market. The largest cryptocurrency was trading around $70,925 at 8:36 a.m. in New York, while Ether was little changed at $3,785.
Bitcoin funds from companies like BlackRock Inc. and Fidelity Investments rank as some of the most successful debuts in the history of the ETF industry. They took Wall Street by storm, tilting crypto’s center of gravity from Asia to the US.
Many speculators in the options market anticipate Bitcoin this month will surpass March’s all-time peak of $73,798, aided by ETF demand and expectations that Federal Reserve interest rate cuts are on the horizon.
“There have been massive inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs,” wrote Sean Farrell, head of digital asset strategy at Fundstrat Global Advisors LLC, in a note. “Macro continues to trend in favor of crypto, with economic growth slowing at a non-recessive pace and signs of disinflation continuing.”
Last week, BlackRock’s $21.4 billion iShares Bitcoin Trust became the world’s largest fund for the token, surpassing Grayscale Investments LLC’s $20.1 billion Bitcoin trust. The $12.3 billion Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund is in third place.
SEC Pivot
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission reluctantly allowed spot Bitcoin ETFs in January following a court reversal in 2023. The agency in May also surprisingly pivoted to approving funds for the No. 2 token, Ether.
The SEC, under Chairman Gary Gensler, criticizes the digital asset industry’s alleged failure to comply with regulations. Congressional efforts to bring some legislative clarity to cryptography have gathered pace lately.
Ophelia Snyder, president of crypto ETF provider 21 Shares AG, said adoption of digital asset funds is still in its infancy for institutions and intermediaries. “The market has a long way to go, and we’re still at the beginning,” she said on an episode of Bloomberg’s Tiger Money podcast, which airs Tuesday.
The story continues
Bitcoin has more than quadrupled since the beginning of last year. The rise has erased memories of a painful bear market in 2022 that revealed fraud and led to the arrests of once-celebrated businessmen like Sam Bankman-Fried.
–With assistance from Rebecca Sin and David Ingles.
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