Bitcoin Price Forecast: Analysts Caution Against Missing Out As BTC May Surge To $500k With ETF Launch

As the Bitcoin price has regained previously lost territory, following reports suggesting that the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) would reject the long-awaited Bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs), new developments have reignited hopes among investors. 

Although the approval of these index funds is not expected to occur on Friday, sources indicate that the upcoming week may bring positive news. 

ETF Approval To Drive Gradual Bitcoin Price Surge To $500,000

FOX journalist Eleanor Terret reports that amended 19b-4 filings and last-minute phone calls regarding comments on S-1s and possible launch dates are expected in the coming days. 

While approvals seem likely in the next week, according to Terret, the timeline ultimately depends on the SEC’s ability to review the comments and amendments submitted efficiently. 

Terret describes the current situation as a meticulous process of “dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s,” emphasizing the attention to detail required for regulatory clearance. 

On the other hand, crypto analyst Adam Cochran offers valuable insights into the potential impact of Bitcoin ETFs, as all signs point to the imminent approval of these investment products.

Cochran suggests that many may “overestimate” the short-term effects of ETF approval while underestimating its long-term implications. In the immediate aftermath, market flows may not witness a significant surge. However, Cochran believes that investment advisors will review their clients’ portfolios over the next year and recommend diversifying even a small percentage, such as 1%, into the ETF. 

Cochran emphasizes that the Bitcoin price performance, with a remarkable 157% return in the latter half of 2023, will be a key factor driving investor interest. 

Cochran envisions a gradual upward trajectory for the Bitcoin price, characterized by persistent growth and occasional market volatility. 

Ultimately, Cochran’s long-term forecast indicates a potential Bitcoin price surge to $500,000 per coin, leaving sidelined investors regretfully waiting for a substantial market correction. Cochran further noted:

Also, ETFs result in spot buys, not leverage, which improves system health. And are long-term holders, less likely to sell volatility. So it creates a slow grind up of underlying market health. Like the best DCA you could ask for. 

Bitcoin ETF Pricing Potential Not Fully Realized

Crypto analyst Ali Martinez suggests that the pricing potential of a Bitcoin ETF may not have been fully realized, providing insight into the current state of the Bitcoin market.

Martinez points to a decline in the estimated leverage ratio across all exchanges, reaching a two-year low. This indicates that Bitcoin traders are adopting a more cautious approach, reducing their use of borrowed funds as they await regulatory clarity on the ETF. 

Furthermore, Martinez emphasizes the significance of Bitcoin’s price above $41,800. According to Martinez, Bitcoin’s ability to maintain its position above $41,800 is crucial for establishing a bullish outlook. 

This level is reinforced by approximately 2.41 million addresses holding over 1 million BTC, creating a substantial support zone. 

Bitcoin price

The significant number of addresses with substantial Bitcoin holdings suggests a strong interest in maintaining the cryptocurrency’s value and provides a foundation for market stability. Martinez notes that the resistance levels ahead for Bitcoin appear relatively minor. This implies that fewer significant barriers are impeding potential price increases. 

With reduced resistance, the market conditions become more favorable for stable or rising prices, further supporting the bullish sentiment.

Bitcoin price

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com 

Matrixport Predicts Bitcoin 2024 Surge, Regardless Of Spot ETF Approval – Here’s Why

As the final months of the year approach, the anticipation surrounding the approval of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has generated considerable excitement among analysts and traders.

While many stake their hopes on these index funds to fuel a significant price surge for Bitcoin and the broader crypto market, Matrixport, a digital assets financial services platform, offers a distinct perspective. According to their latest report, Matrixport firmly believes that Bitcoin and crypto prices are destined to soar in 2024, irrespective of the SEC’s decision on ETF approval.

Federal Reserve’s Rate Cuts As Catalyst? 

One influential factor identified by Matrixport is the recent declaration of victory by Jerome Powell, the Chairman of the US Federal Reserve (Fed), in the institution’s fight against inflation. 

Powell’s mention of possible rate cuts caught the attention of the digital asset platform, which noted in its report that Bitcoin prices jumped nearly 300% in 2019 when the Fed ended its hiking cycle and kept rates on hold for an extended period. 

Matrixport draws parallels to the present scenario, where the Fed projects three cuts, equivalent to 75 basis points, in 2024. 

Moreover, Matrixport’s analysis incorporates a proprietary inflation model presented a year ago, which projected a sharp decline in inflation from 8% to 3-4% by the end of 2023. This model instilled great confidence in the platform, suggesting that risk assets, including stocks and cryptocurrencies, would witness a substantial rally in 2023. 

Potential Decrease In CPI Strengthens BTC’s Role As Inflation Hedge

Matrixport’s proprietary inflation model also indicates the possibility of the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) dipping below 2% by the end of 2024. This prediction holds significant implications for Bitcoin’s price and its role as a potential hedge against inflation.

The CPI serves as a key measure of inflation, reflecting changes in the average prices of a basket of goods and services over time. A dip below 2% suggests a deceleration in the rate of price increases, potentially indicating a more subdued inflationary environment. 

In such a scenario, investors might seek alternative assets such as BTC that can preserve their purchasing power and shield them from the erosion of value caused by inflation.

SEC’s Bitcoin ETF Decision Irrelevant? 

Importantly, Matrixport emphasizes that even if the SEC maintains its disapproval of Bitcoin Spot ETFs in January 2024, higher crypto prices are still expected throughout the year. 

Furthermore, the report highlights the substantial growth of assets in US money market funds, which have doubled since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching a staggering $6.1 trillion. This growth implies an additional $320 billion in interest rate payments per year, creating a potential influx of $370 billion annually or roughly $1 billion daily into risk assets such as stocks and cryptocurrencies.

Matrixport’s bullish outlook for 2024 also takes into account significant events on the horizon. The year marks a Bitcoin halving cycle, historically associated with substantial price increases averaging 192%. 

Additionally, 2024 is an election year, and the possibility of former President Donald Trump being reelected is considered high. Matrixport suggests that his policies could potentially bolster the US economy, thereby driving up stock prices and cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin

As of this writing, the largest cryptocurrency on the market is currently trading at $42,600, up 1.8% in the past 24 hours.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com

Why Capital International’s $600M Investment In MicroStrategy Matters To Bitcoin

Capital International’s strategic investment in one of the most talked-about companies of the year shouldn’t raise any eyebrows. However, when that company is pursuing a never-before-seen strategy using a highly experimental digital asset, the world watches. It’s safe to say that Capital International believes in MicroStrategy as a company and in its CEO Michael Saylor. However, it’s also obvious that they’re buying exposure to Bitcoin. 

Related Reading | Indian Investments In Crypto Grow Rapidly As $40 Billion Milestone Is Reached

Let’s quote Cointelegraph for an overview: 

In MicroStrategy’s filings to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, for the second quarter of 2021, the firm disclosed Capital International Investors has purchased 953,242 shares of its stock. Following the release of the SEC filing, MicroStrategy’s stock price rose by more than 1.5% to reach $628.44 at the time of publication

That initial excitement didn’t last. Three days later, the stock trades at $589.52. And Bitcoin didn’t even react, “Despite the news of a major investment into a company with massive crypto holdings, the price of BTC was seemingly unaffected. Bitcoin has risen 2% in the last 24 hours to reach $33,438.” However, Capital International should be unfazed. Day-to-day movements are practically irrelevant when you’re investing in the future.

NewsBTC passes the mic to James Wo, CEO of the Digital Finance Group:

I believe that funds with a long investment horizon are de facto betting on Bitcoin’s growth in the long term. Many of them are either already exposed to bitcoin or very close to entering the market one way or another. 

Microstrategy price chart for 07/12/2021

MSTR price chart on Nasdaq | Source: TradingView.com

Why Invest In MicroStrategy And Not Just Buy Bitcoin

Actually, Michael Saylor himself answered this question while explaining his company’s Bitcoin strategy:

According to Saylor, his company offers two advantages. One, Microstrategy has the ability to sweep its software cash flow into Bitcoin. Two, they have the ability to raise debt financing. They can borrow a billion Dollars with zero percent interest. Your ETF will not be able to do that. 

And yes, he compared MicroStrategy stocks to an ETF because that’s his competition, not Bitcoin. Some investors want exposition to Bitcoin through a regulated market. And, despite the high demand and fillings by several high-profile financial institutions, the US SEC hasn’t approved an ETF. 

So, MicroStrategy is Capital International’s best option at the moment. Plus, they might be fans of Michael Saylor’s unapologetic approach to Bitcoin accumulation.

Why Capital International’s Investment Matters To Bitcoin

Institutional interest is there. And every day there are more options for that money to reach its destination. Not everyone is going to do everything they can to acquire more Bitcoin like MicroStrategy. All companies aren’t able to start developing Bitcoin tools and services like Square. Not everyone will develop ramps to accept Bitcoin for their product and then suspend the program for bogus reasons like Tesla. 

Related Reading | Binance Burns Record $600 Million BNB In Its 15th Quarter

Different options for different folks. However, there are risks involved. NewsBTC quotes Second Foundation Partners’ Ben Hunt

He describes the strategy as a way to accommodate and swallow Bitcoin, which is what they’ve done with every other financial innovation. Adding it’s preferable to stifle its censorship resistance and turn it into another Wall Street gaming table. The upshot to this is a future where people are encouraged to buy Bitcoin.

“Because the artistic Bitcoin identity I admire and value has been subverted by the neutering machine of Wall Street and the regulatory panopticon of the US Treasury Dept.

Did that already happen? Or can an open network like Bitcoin overcome this hurdle with ease? Members of the community do say that “Bitcoin doesn’t care” about mundane actions. In any case, institutional investment interest is there, and the chips will fall where they may. To close this, James Wo continues with the idea that funds are “betting on Bitcoin’s growth in the long term”:

A certain amount of this upward momentum has already been factored into the price we have at the moment. However, scarcity is an essential factor that is yet to show the real impact in the long term.

The game is just beginning, but the cards are already on the table. Things are looking good for Capital International and Bitcoin in the long term. Plus, the decentralized network even has scarcity as an ace up its sleeve.

Featured Image by Mathieu Stern on Unsplash - Charts by TradingView