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HBAR Prices Crashes 35% As BlackRock Denies Any Ties To Hedera

HBAR, Hedera’s native token, saw a sharp correction following clarification that the world’s largest asset manager, BlackRock, was not directly involved in the tokenization of its ICS Treasury Fund on the Hedera network. 

HBAR Token Crashes By Almost 35%

Data from CoinGecko shows that the HBAR token has declined by almost 35% since its price rose by over 100% on the back of the announcement, which many misinterpreted to mean that BlackRock tokenized its fund on the Hedera network. On April 24, the Hedera Foundation shared that Blockchain trading firm Archax and Infrastructure firm Ownera had collaborated to tokenize BlackRock’s ICS US Treasury money market fund (MMF) on Hedera.

Members of the crypto community, including influencers like CrediBULL Crypto and Mason Versluis, misconstrued this as meaning that BlackRock had tokenized its fund on Hedera. This assumption immediately created a bullish narrative for the ecosystem, leading to HBAR’s price rallying by over 100% and peaking at $0.176.  

However, the crypto token has since been on a downtrend, with BlackRock denying any involvement with Hedera. Specifically, a BlackRock spokesperson told Cointelegraph that the world’s largest asset manager “has no commercial relationship with Hedera nor has BlackRock selected Hedera to tokenize any BlackRock funds.”

Meanwhile, Archax’s co-founder had also clarified on his X (formerly Twitter) platform that BlackRock wasn’t directly involved in the whole move. He claimed that tokenization of the fund can usually be done without the permission of the asset manager. However, he revealed that BlackRock knew they were tokenizing on the network.

Why The News Is Still Bullish For The Hedera Ecosystem

Despite BlackRock not being directly involved in this development, crypto analyst CrediBULL Crypto offered some perspective on why this news is still bullish for Hedera and its HBAR token. He revealed that BlackRock is the fourth largest shareholder of ABRDN, a firm that is a primary investor in Archax.

Therefore, the crypto analyst believes that BlackRock must have signed off on this move, something he considers a “de-facto endorsement of the product.” Meanwhile, he also alluded to an interview that revealed that BlackRock chose Hedera, although ABRDN introduced them to the network. 

CrediBULL Crypto noted that even if BlackRock wasn’t building on the network, it is clear that “major enterprises are using Hedera.” They are “actively involved with building on the network and are constantly pushing to move it forward behind the scenes,” he added. He suggested that this puts Hedera above 99% of networks that can’t boast of such achievements. 

HBAR price chart from Tradingview.com (Hedera)

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BlackRock’s Tokenized Fund News Sends Hedera (HBAR) Soaring 100%, The Reason May Surprise You

In a surprising turn of events, the native token of the decentralized ledger platform Hedera, HBAR, experienced a significant price surge of over 100% during the early hours of Tuesday. Starting from a low of $0.0875, HBAR skyrocketed to reach the $0.1821 mark by Wednesday. 

The sudden surge was triggered by the news of BlackRock’s tokenized fund, BUIDL, which generated high expectations among HBAR investors regarding a potential collaboration between the prominent asset manager and the Hedera protocol.

Not Directly Connected To Hedera?

Launched by BlackRock in March 2024, BUIDL operates as a tokenized fund on the Ethereum blockchain, providing US dollar yields through tokenization. 

Initially, an announcement led to confusion among investors, who mistakenly believed that BlackRock would directly tokenize the fund on the Hedera network. This misunderstanding triggered a significant surge in the HBAR price.

Upon closer examination of the announcement, it became clear that BlackRock and Hedera had no direct connection, although the initial reaction to the news was noteworthy. 

Crypto analysts, who use the pseudonym “CrediBull” on social media site X (formerly Twitter), shed light on the situation, emphasizing that explicit permission from BlackRock was unnecessary to list tokenized versions of their funds. 

It was not a deliberate decision by BlackRock to tokenize on Hedera; rather, an existing platform on the network took the liberty of tokenizing one of BlackRock’s funds. However, for the analyst, the fact that a platform on Hedera was among the first to tokenize a BlackRock fund reflects the platform’s leadership in the space.

Analyst Clarifies Misconception

Further examination reveals that Archax, the company behind the tokenized BlackRock fund on Hedera, is a portfolio company of ABRDN Investments, the largest asset manager in the UK, with approximately $500 billion in assets under management (AUM). 

Additionally, CrediBull emphasizes that BlackRock happens to be the fourth-largest shareholder of ABRDN. Notably, around ten months ago, Archax tokenized one of ABRDN’s money market funds, preceding their launch of the BlackRock fund.

An interview by the Head of Digital Assets at ABRDN clarifies their involvement in the tokenization process on Archax. A “distribution agreement” was signed permitting the tokenization to proceed. If a similar agreement were reached with BlackRock, it would imply the asset manager’s endorsement of the product.

Ultimately, the interview with the head of digital assets at ABRDN underscores the fact that significant players are utilizing and contributing to the growth of Hedera behind the scenes.

Hedera

Following the clarification of the situation, the price of HBAR has retraced to $0.1199. Nevertheless, it remains up 8% over the past 24 hours and has recorded an impressive gain of nearly 60% in the past seven days. 

CoinGecko data highlights a substantial surge in HBAR’s trading volume, which has increased by over 1,100% in the past few days. This surge in trading volume indicates the widespread confusion sparked by the initial news announcement.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com

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Ondo Finance Joins BlackRock Tokenized Fund As Inflows Surpass $160M

BlackRock, one of the largest asset managers globally, has witnessed notable success with its newly launched tokenized money-market fund, BUIDL. The fund, which records shared ownership on the Ethereum (ETH) blockchain, has attracted over $160 million in just one week since its debut. 

BlackRock’s BUIDL Fund

According to a Bloomberg report, the BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL) primarily invests in cash, US Treasury bills, and repurchase agreements. The fund rewards its holders with a cryptocurrency, BUIDL, valued at $1 per token. 

Shareholders can transfer these tokens to other validated addresses using digital wallets approved by Securitize, BlackRock’s partner for the investment vehicle. The tokenized fund serves several key use cases, including treasury management for crypto companies, support for derivatives of Treasury bills, and acting as collateral for borrowing and trading, thus providing an alternative to stablecoins.

It is worth noting that Securitize Markets, an SEC-registered alternative trading system, plays a critical role in facilitating the transfer of tokens between market participants. 

While the SEC has recently increased its scrutiny of Ethereum’s native token, ETH, Securitize CEO Carlos Domingo emphasizes that the investigations should be separate from the underlying blockchain infrastructure. Domingo also highlights the battle-tested nature of the public Ethereum blockchain, which provides a “robust foundation” for tokenization activities.

As previously reported by our sister website, Bitcoinist, BlackRock has emerged as an advocate for cryptocurrencies and tokenization within mainstream financial institutions. Chairman and CEO Larry Fink believes every financial asset will eventually be tokenized. 

The company’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) has already attracted more than $13 billion in inflows since its launch as an exchange-traded fund (ETF) in January. With the BUIDL fund’s launch, BlackRock continues to demonstrate its willingness to explore new digital asset solutions.

Ondo Finance To Transfer $95 Million In Assets To BlackRock

Ondo Finance, a platform specializing in tokenized real-world assets (RWA), has moved $95 million worth of assets to BlackRock’s BUIDL fund. This strategic move enables Ondo Finance to facilitate instant settlements for its US Treasury-backed token, OUSG. 

This makes Ondo Finance a major participant in the BUIDL ecosystem. According to on-chain researcher Tom Wan, it currently holds $15 million worth of BUIDL tokens, which, in addition to those above $95 million, will result in a substantial $110 million worth of BUIDL tokens.  

The researcher noted that this collaboration further strengthens the tokenized US Treasury market, with the potential to reach $1 billion in value. In its announcement, the team behind the Ondo Finance platform summarized:

We’re excited to see BlackRock embracing securities tokenization with the launch of BUIDL, especially its broad cooperation with ecosystem participants. Not only does this further validate our original concept of a tokenized US Treasury fund, but it also bolsters our thesis that tokenization of traditional securities on public blockchains represents the next major step in the evolution of financial markets.

Blackrock

At the time of writing, the native token of Ondo Finance, ONDO, is trading at $0.909, exhibiting a surge of over 4% within the past 24 hours. This positive momentum adds to its impressive price uptrend of 115% recorded over the past 30 days. 

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com

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BlackRock Spot Bitcoin ETF Launches In Brazil, ETF Market Secures 4% Of Total BTC Supply

BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, announced the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT39) launch in Brazil on Thursday. Starting today, Friday, March 1, shares of this index fund, which tracks the spot price of Bitcoin (BTC), will be traded on the Brazilian Commodities and Futures Exchange, known as B3.

BlackRock Launches IBIT39 Bitcoin ETF In Brazil

Karina Saade, president of BlackRock in Brazil, highlighted the company’s commitment to providing high-quality access vehicles to investors in the digital asset market. She stated:

IBIT39 is a natural progression of our efforts over many years and builds on the fundamental capabilities we have established so far in the digital asset market.

Felipe Gonçalves, Superintendent of Interest and Currency Products at B3 discussed the growth of the listed crypto market in Brazil. He noted that the market, which started in 2021, now has 13 ETFs with total assets of R$2.5 billion, or about $505 million.

While the market experienced fluctuations in its early years, it reached an eye-catching daily trading volume of R$30 million reais ($6.6 million) by the end of last year, according to local media reports in Brazil. 

Gonçalves mentioned that investors in crypto ETFs include institutional investors, such as funds, and individual investors, with a current number of 170,000. Liquidity in the market is provided by non-residents investing in B3 as a whole.

IBIT39 will reportedly have a management fee of 0.25%, with a one-year waiver that reduces the fee to 0.12% once the fund reaches its first $5 billion in assets under management (AUM). The product will be made available to the general public, allowing broader participation in the Bitcoin market.

$7.5B Net Inflow In Bitcoin ETFs Since Launch In The US

BlackRock’s IBIT (iShares Bitcoin Trust) ETF has emerged as a notable player in the US ETF race, countering a significant outflow from Grayscale’s Bitcoin Trust (GBTC).

BitMEX research data shows that on February 29, 2024, positive flows amounted to $92 million for the day. Notably, BlackRock and GBTC offset each other, experiencing $600 million in opposite directions. The data shows that since the ETFs began trading on January 11, 2024, there has been an impressive net inflow of $7.5 billion.

The overall holdings of spot funds, which directly hold Bitcoin, stood at 776,464 BTC (equivalent to $47.7 billion) on Friday morning, according to BitMEX Research. It’s essential to consider that the total BTC supply currently in circulation is 19.64 million, with a maximum limit of 21 million. 

With this context, the fact that the ETFs have secured 4% of the total BTC supply is a significant milestone. It demonstrates the growing demand for Bitcoin among investors utilizing these index funds to gain exposure to the cryptocurrency.

Blackrock

BTC continues to consolidate above the $62,000 mark, rising 1.3% in the past 24 hours.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com

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Bitcoin Spot ETF: VanEck’s Head Of Research Says BlackRock Has $2 Billion In Investments Lined Up

VanEck’s Head of Research, Matthew Sigel, recently hinted that the Spot Bitcoin ETF of the world’s asset manager, BlackRock, could see a record-breaking amount of inflows upon launch. This comes as an approval order by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) looks imminent. 

BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF Could See Inflows Of Over $2 Billion

Sigel mentioned on an X (formerly Twitter) space hosted by the media platform, The Block, that he heard from a reliable source that BlackRock has “more than $2 billion lined up in week one.”

This investment capital is said to be coming from existing Bitcoin holders who are looking to increase their exposure to the flagship cryptocurrency. 

He quickly added that he couldn’t be 100% certain of this information. However, it is a possibility, considering that issuers would be looking to get investors that can inject huge sums into their respective ETFs. 

Sigel went on to highlight how significant it could be if BlacRock’s ETF indeed saw $2 billion of inflows in the first week of trading, saying that it would “blow away” their initial projections. They estimate that the Spot Bitcoin ETFs could see $2.5 billion of inflows in the first quarter of trading. Meanwhile, they believe the market could grow to $40 billion in the next two years. 

Not Out Of Place For BlackRock

Commenting on the possibility of BlackRock seeing this significant amount of inflows, Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas noted that such an occurrence isn’t unusual for the world’s largest asset manager. According to him, BlackRock is known for lining up and injecting big cash into new ETFs on the first day of trading. That way, it registers as volume for them. 

Balchunas further noted that BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF, seeing $2 billion of inflows, would shatter all records relating to first-day and week volume for an ETF. Interestingly, BlackRock already holds the record for the most successful ETF launch going by the amount of inflows recorded on day one. 

BlackRock spot bitcoin ETF

The world’s asset manager further dominates the top 10 list of most successful ETF launches. Balchunas, however, clarified that those inflows were mainly lined up cash and not organic, as they were readily available before the ETF launched. He also mentioned that he got a second source to confirm Sigel’s claims that BlackRock has a big day one lined up. 

Meanwhile, the Bloomberg analyst provided an update on when the approval order from the SEC was likely to come. Citing multiple sources, he stated that the SEC is lining up all issuers for a potential launch on January 11. 

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BlackRock $10 Million Bitcoin Purchase Will Happen Today, Expert Says SEC Is Backed Into A Corner

The world’s largest asset manager, BlackRock, is set to make a significant Bitcoin purchase on January 5. This comes as Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart hinted that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has no choice but to approve the pending Spot Bitcoin ETFs finally. 

BlackRock To Purchase $10 Million Worth Of Bitcoin

As part of efforts to seed its Spot Bitcoin ETF, BlackRock will purchase $10 million worth of BTC on January 5. The asset manager had earlier scheduled this Bitcoin purchase for January 3. However, it was eventually postponed to this later date, possibly in a bid to ensure they gain all regulatory approvals and be fully compliant. 

BlackRock had revealed how the sum of $10 million had come about in the latest amendment to its S-1 filing. The world’s largest asset manager had noted that the said sum was proceeds from the sale of its “Seed Creation Baskets.” The firm initially seeded its ETF back in October, with the fund’s Seed Capital Investor purchasing $100,000 in shares. 

Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart had previously warned that Blackrock’s plans to seed their ETF with this amount doesn’t mean they are launching just yet. However, he remarked that there was a possibility that the asset manager was doing so in anticipation of an imminent launch.

Meanwhile, it is also worth mentioning that BlackRock’s initial seed fund could eventually be outranked. Fellow issuer Bitwise revealed in their latest amendment to their Spot Bitcoin ETF that they could potentially seed their fund with up to $200 million if they eventually get approval from the SEC. 

Bitcoin price chart from Tradingview.com (BlackRock Bitcoin Spot ETF SEC)

The SEC Is Backed Into A Corner

Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart recently shared his thoughts on whether or not an approval order was going to come from the SEC soon enough. According to Cointelegraph, Seyffart stated that there was no way the Commission could get issuers to withdraw their application as they are already backed into a corner. 

The analyst made this comment following his assertion that the regulator has run out of reasons to deny these Spot Bitcoin ETFs. He alluded to the Grayscale case, where the court ruled that the SEC’s reasons for denying the asset manager’s application were insufficient. With this in mind, Seyffart said that the SEC is likely to approve these funds soon enough. 

These approvals could come as soon as next week, going by the analyst’s projection. Seyffart stated that he expects an official approval order to come between January 8 and 10. This is despite the recent rumors that the SEC could approve these funds before this week runs out. 

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Did JPMorgan Secretly Buy 7.5 Million XRP? Here’s What We Know

The crypto rumor mills have been abuzz lately with talk of JPMorgan, a US megabank, secretly buying XRP tokens. This rumor has gained ground and in the course of its spread, has garnered the attention of the crypto community as they dissect it.

JPMorgan Reportedly Buys 7.5 Million XRP

The first reports of this rumor emerged after a news report citing a leaked report, claimed that the investment giant had actually bought 7.5 million XRP tokens. This rumor quickly made its way to social media where users on platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) have spread it widely.

One of the most prominent reposts of the article includes that of Amelie, a German influencer with over 27,000 followers on X. As the rumors gain more popularity, it has also come under scrutiny due to its lack of evidence and the fact that the numbers do not add up.

For example, one X user points out that the article says that the 7.5 million XRP reportedly bought by JPMorgan makes up 7.5% of its portfolio. However, this would mean that JPMorgan’s total portfolio would have to be worth $6.2 billion as opposed to its actual $440 billion value.

There have also not been any official statements from JPMorgan about buying XRP or actually holding any cryptocurrency in their portfolio. Interestingly, JPMorgan actually launched its own JPM Coin which will reportedly be used to carry out $10 billion in daily transactions.

XRP price chart from Tradingview.com (BlackRock JPMorgan)

Adding BlackRock To The Debate

The rumors have also included BlackRock showing an interest in XRP but so far, there has been no indication that this is the case. The only time that BlackRock has been heavily mentioned around XRP communities is when a fake filing of a BlackRock XRP ETF showed up on the Delaware Corporation website.

This fake filing has since been taken down and the Delaware authorities have reportedly begun their investigations to figure out the party or parties that were behind the fake filing.

XRP influencer CryptoInsightUK also took to X (formerly Twitter) to debunk the rumors of BlackRock buying the token. He referred to it as a “stupid rumor” and that it is untrue, advising investors to not be distracted by the “noise.”

Although JPMorgan and BlackRock are not going in on XRP, banks all around the world are reportedly trying to tap into the potential. A new report from the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) revealed that the token currently ranks third in the list of digital assets held by global banks. XRP reportedly makes up 2% of the 9.4 billion euros that these banks have invested in digital assets, meaning they hold around 188 million euros worth of XRP.

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Ethereum ETF Race: BlackRock Wants An Ether Spot ETF

BlackRock has joined the Ethereum Spot ETF race as the asset management company has officially applied to the US SEC and is currently waiting for approval. 

BlackRock Files For An Ethereum Spot ETF

Following its Spot Bitcoin ETF filing, BlackRock, an American investment company has taken the proactive step by filing an Ethereum Spot Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 

The asset management company submitted the application on November 15, however, BlackRock has stated it formed the Trust as early as November 9. 

According to BlackRock, the iShares Ethereum Trust would be used to facilitate the ownership of Ether through the issuance of shares, allowing investors to own a fractional undivided beneficial interest in the net assets of the Trust.

“The Trust was formed as a Delaware statutory trust on November 9, 2023. The purpose of the Trust is to own ether transferred to the Trust in exchange for Shares issued by the Trust. Each Share represents a fractional undivided beneficial interest in the net assets of the Trust. The assets of the Trust consist primarily of ether held by the Ether Custodian on behalf of the Trust,” BlackRock said in its filing. 

Presently, the US SEC has not approved any Ethereum Spot ETF filing as well as Spot Bitcoin ETF applications. The regulatory body has delayed multiple applications to be reviewed from January 2024. 

The crypto community has remained enthusiastic that the regulatory agency would eventually approve the pending ETF applications, as this could significantly push the growth and development of the crypto ecosystem as well as the cryptocurrencies involved. 

Ethereum Price Surges

The price of Ethereum is on the rise following BlackRock’s Ethereum ETF filing. The cryptocurrency’s price climbed almost 2% moving to $2,080 at some point following the announcement of the filing.

The sharp reaction has caused a stir in the cryptocurrency community, as investors gear up for a potential bull run if the US SEC gives its official authorization of Ethereum Spot ETFs. 

The price of Bitcoin has also been growing steadily as new companies apply for Spot Bitcoin ETFs. Currently, Bitcoin’s price is trading at $36,408, while ETH is down from its initial surge and trading at $1,952.

The crypto ecosystem is presently watching closely for more updates on the US SEC’s ETF filing approvals and the price changes that follow them.

Ethereum price chart from Tradingview.com (BlackRock Spot Ether ETF)

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Stunning Correlation Emerges Between XRP And XLM, What’s Going On?

On Monday, news quickly spread after a BlackRock XRP ETF filing popped up on the Delaware Corp. Commission website. The filing has since been claimed to be false. But the damage was already done as the token’s price surged quickly before reversing.

One interesting development from this event though was a curious correlation that emerged between the XRP price and the XLM price at the time. While the news was localized to XRP, XLM had surged just as much, emerging with a stunning correlation between the two.

XRP And XLM Correlation Balloons

In the wake of the rumored BlackRock XRP ETF filing pumping the token’s price, one enthusiast has noticed a significant correlation between XRP and XLM. Crypto analyst and educator Blockchain Backer took to X (formerly Twitter) to reveal what he terms as one of the “most bizarre” moves.

The chart clearly shows the XLM price surging just as the BlackRock news broke with a straight green candle. Likewise, when the news was debunked and the XRP price began to fall, so did the XLM price, in an eerily similar fashion.

In another post, Blockchain Backer revealed that XLM had followed XRP’s move in the 2-second timeframe. A chart shared with this post showed XRP’s movement and XLM’s movement on the same chart and the moves happened at almost the same time, as shown below:

XRP XLM BlackRock

“The fake news was literally XRP specific, and would impact XRP only, not XLM. If anything, you’d expect XLM sell off like the rest of the market. Instead, it mirrors. Why?” the analyst wondered.

XLM price chart from Tradingview.com (XRP)

Running A Similar Race

XRP and XLM have always seemed to run in the same circles and the correlation in their price movements has been a testament to that. One X user, in response to Blockchain Backer’s post, reasoned that the correlation was because both digital assets actually “share the same holders.”

One crypto analyst who has also closely tied the performance of XLM to that of XRP is Crypto Bilbuwoo. One of their long-running analysis includes both digital assets which the analyst expects to move toward new all-time highs in the same fashion.

In an October 15 post, Crypto Bilbuwoo posited that “The chart shows that 1.618 Fibonacci ratio(XLM: 6.5$, XRP: 26~33$) will be completed at the end of December.” The last time this happened was back in 2017 and the analyst expects a repeat of that trend, saying there would be a 6,500% surge for both assets.

Despite this correlation, Blockchain Backer still finds Monday’s simultaneous pump strange as he believes “those same holders would have dumped XLM for XRP. Not fomo bought XLM on that news story.”

However, as another X user explains, “Not if they believe XLM and XRP are brother and sister. There are some influencers peddling this for years. Doesn’t make logical sense but does with that narrative. XLM would be next!”

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Ethereum Spot ETFs: BlackRock Takes The Fight To SEC With New Filing

BlackRock and NASDAQ have outlined why the SEC needs to approve the investment company’s new spot Ethereum exchange-traded fund (ETF) filing. According to the filing with the SEC, approval of a Spot ETH ETP would represent a major win for the protection of U.S. investors in the crypto asset space. 

If approved, the iShares Ethereum Trust would allow regular investors to trade Ether, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, as easily as stocks can be traded. 

BlackRock And NASDAQ Lobbies SEC To Allow Spot ETH ETFs

BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, recently applied to the SEC to launch an Ethereum exchange-traded fund (ETF) linked to the spot price of Ethereum. BlackRock wasn’t the first investment company to make this type of application, as hedge fund Ark Invest already filed for a Spot Ethereum ETF in September. However, the news of BlackRock’s filing sent Ethereum surging more than 11% in less than 24 hours. As a result, ETH broke over the strong $2,000 resistance level for the first time in seven months.

BlackRock’s Spot ETF is called the “iShares Ethereum Trust” and is sponsored by Ishares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC, a subsidiary of Blackrock Inc. Coinbase, the largest crypto exchange in the US, acts as the custodian for the Trust’s ether holdings, which are to be traded on the NASDAQ exchange.

In its SEC filing, NASDAQ asked for a proposed rule change in order for it to list and trade shares of the ETF. According to the filing, US investors, for the most part, have lacked a US-regulated way to gain exposure to Ethereum investments. It also argues that most of the current methods are risky and subject to high trading fees and volatile discounts. 

For example, an investor who purchased the largest OTC ETH Fund in January 2021 and held the position at the end of 2022 would have had a 30% loss due to the change in the premium/discount, even if the price of ETH did not change. However, a spot ETH ETP like the proposed iShares Ethereum Trust ETF would better protect investors against the risk of losses through fraud and high premiums.

“To this point, approval of a Spot ETH ETP would represent a major win for the protection of U.S. investors in the cryptoasset space,” the filing said.

Potential Impact On Ethereum Price If The ETF Is Approved

Despite spot crypto ETFs being available in other countries, including Germany, France, and Canada, the SEC has been hesitant to greenlight a crypto ETF in the US, and 12 Bitcoin spot ETFs are currently waiting for approval. 

A US Spot Ethereum ETF would significantly boost interest and confidence in Ethereum and ultimately drive the asset to new highs. The hype leading up to the approval may also push the asset to a new yearly high.

ETH is up by more than 60% this year and has outperformed BTC in the past few days. It is currently trading at $2,060 and analysts believe a bullish cross over $2,150 would signal the end of the bear market for ETH.

Ethereum price chart from Tradingview.com (BlackRock Spot Ethereum ETF)

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$9 Trillion BlackRock Files Ethereum Spot ETF, What’s So Special About It?

Following BlackRock’s official filing of Spot Ethereum with Nasdaq, reports have confirmed that BlackRock’s Ether ETF plan has been confirmed by Nasdaq and is on its way to the US SEC to gain final approval. 

BlackRock Ethereum Spot ETF Confirmed

American multinational investment company, BlackRock has been making waves in the crypto space after news spread of NASDAQ listing the investment firm’s Ethereum Spot ETF, iShares Ether Trust in Delaware.

“BlackRock’s Ethereum ETF confirmed. They just submitted a 19b-4 filing with Nasdaq,” Bloomberg Research Analyst, Jeff Seyffart stated. 

While BlackRock’s Spot Bitcoin ETF proposal remains to be approved by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the $9 trillion asset management company has placed its focus on Ethereum Spot ETFs while it waits for the SEC’s final decision on Spot Bitcoin ETFs. 

The news of the Nasdaq Ethereum ETF filing comes as a major development for BlackRock’s move into the ETF world. Although the investment company remains tight-lipped on the ETH ETF reports flowing through the space, the possibility of an Ether Spot ETF approval could be a sign of the SEC’s approval of Spot Bitcoin ETFs in the future. 

Many crypto enthusiasts have predicted that the US SEC may continue its efforts to stop the growth of Spot Bitcoin ETFs by declining BlackRock’s Ether Spot ETF filing. 

However, in the case the regulatory body does approve the asset management company’s Ethereum Spot ETF, the SEC could be faced with potential contradictions in its decision-making processes. The acceptance of ETH Spot ETFs would stand in stark contrast to the previous disapproval of Spot Bitcoin ETFs.

Presently, the crypto community has been largely positive, as market metrics signal a potential rally for altcoins following BlackRock’s Ethereum Spot ETF confirmation. 

A crypto member has stated that the asset management company’s move into Ether Spot ETFs indicates strategic confidence in securing approval for Spot Bitcoin ETF in the future. 

ETH Price Skyrockets

Following the news of NASDAQ registering BlackRock’s Ethereum Spot ETF, the price of ETH has increased by over 9% and is currently trading at $2,086.92 according to CoinMarketCap.

Reports of the Ethereum Spot ETF filing have sparked a rally in the cryptocurrency, topping over $2,000 for the first time since April this year. ETH’s market volume has also increased by 171.53%.

Many crypto investors are looking forward to more positive developments in the cryptocurrency regarding Ethereum Spot ETFs as an official approval may indicate a potential long-term bull run for ETH.

Ethereum price chart from Tradingview.com (BlackRock Spot ETF)

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Bitcoin Price Crosses $35,000, Here’s Why

The Bitcoin price barreled past the $35,000 level on multiple exchanges about an hour ago and has continued to maintain impressive bullish momentum. The reason for the surge is once again tied back to the anticipation around a potential approval of the BlackRock Spot Bitcoin ETF and the expectations of it triggering a bull market.

BlackRock Spot Bitcoin ETF Listing Surfaces

The Bitcoin price rally was triggered by an image that has been circulated many times on social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) showing that the BlackRock iShares Bitcoin Trust had been listed on the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) under the ticker IBTC.

Usually, a listing on the DTCC is taken as a step for ETFs that are ready for approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Additionally, BlackRock, which is the largest asset management company in the world, reportedly told the regulator that it plans to seed its Spot Bitcoin ETF in October. So the asset manager looks to be readying for an October launch as well.

Related Reading: ARK Invest’s Cathie Wood Reveals Why Bitcoin Will Reach $1.48 Million

As Bloomberg Analyst Eric Balchunas explains, “Seeding an ETF is when initial funding is provided (typically) by a bank or broker dealer used to purchase a few creation units (in this case bitcoin) in exchange for ETF shares which can be traded in open market on Day One.”

It should be noted that just because an ETF is listed on the DTCC does not mean that it will gain immediate approval. Some ETFs will sit on the DTCC for months or years at a time before gaining approval to trade, while some simply never launch. However, given BlackRock’s influence, expectations are the company is doing this in preparation for approval.

Bitcoin price chart from Tradingview.com

Following The Bitcoin Price Growth Trend

The Bitcoin price increase has been mostly an ‘up-only’ trend with some pits and stops along the way. In the last 24 hours, the digital asset is already up over 14% with other metrics following swiftly behind such as market cap and daily trading volume.

Bitcoin’s daily trading volume jumped over 257% since the rally began, currently sitting at $44.7 billion. Likewise, the Bitcoin open interest has seen a 6.36% increase across all exchanges, bringing total open interest to $15.05 billion at the time of writing.

The Bitcoin Fear & Greed Index has also jumped to a six-month high, flashing a very greedy 66. This means that investors are more willing to jump into the digital asset and the evidence of this is in its rising daily trading volumes, as mentioned above.

The Bitcoin price has since retraced from the $35,000 level but continues to trade just above $34,500 where the bulls seem to have established support. A successful retest of the $35,000 resistance would set the Bitcoin price on a path to $40,000.

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XRP Price Set For Massive Rally As BlackRock And JPMorgan Make Their Move

Amid the struggles in the cryptocurrency market, recent reports have suggested that the world’s largest asset manager Blackrock, and financial giant JPMorgan might spark a massive bull run for the XRP price as they work simultaneously.

Blackrock, JPMorgan Move Might Affect XRP Price

According to the report, Forbes Senior Contributor, Billy Bambrough, highlighted that Blackrock and JPMorgan are purportedly laying the foundation for an impending surge in the cryptocurrency sector. The report further identified several collaborative cryptocurrency moves taken by the two financial powerhouse firms.

Bambrough pointed out a recent report that claims that the asset manager recently utilized JPMorgan’s Ethereum-based Onyx network and tokenized collateral service. 

Blackrock reportedly used the network to tokenize shares from one of its financial market funds, which was later transferred to the London-based Barclays in an over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives trade.

Over-the-counter (OTC) derivative operations occur between two parties. However,  the specifics of the order quantity, cost, and other information of Blockrock’s transactions with Barclays remain concealed from the public.

Following the report by Bambrough, it was revealed that Blackrock became the first Wall Street giant to make use of JPMorgan’s blockchain-based collateral settlement system. This was part of a move that Blackrock’s Chief Executive Officer Larry Fink, has stated will pave the way for the “next generation for markets.”

The Blackrock CEO’s previous statement in an annual letter to shareholders where he emphasized blockchain technology as “very important” in the past year was also mentioned in the report. Fink highlighted the role that blockchain technology plays in their financial operations.

Blockchain technology enables traditional assets to be “tokenized” on a public ledger, potentially simplifying and lowering the cost of transferring anything from stocks and bonds to real estate and alternative investments like art.

Due to this, Billy Bambrough believes that there will be a significant increase in the price of digital assets such as XRP, Bitcoin (BTC), and Ethereum (ETH) as a result of BlackRock and JPMorgan entering the cryptocurrency industry, considering their connections to the traditional market. In addition, Ripple is also aiming to establish the XRP Ledger as a crucial platform for the tokenization of real-world assets.

BlackRock using XRP would not doubt have an immense impact on the XRP price. An example of the kind of rally it could trigger is what happened back in June with Bitcoin when the asset manager announced it had filed for a Spot Bitcoin ETF.

Significance Of Blackrock’s Transaction Via JPMorgan Blockchain

So far, Blackrock’s partnering with JPMorgan marks a new milestone for the financial firm. Blackrock’s recent transaction via JPMorgan’s blockchain indicates a crucial contribution to the volume of the Ethereum-based network Onyx.

Additionally, the operation could unveil a new world of possibilities for established financial institutions which enables them to free up capital and boost efficiency across separate markets, as a spokesman from JPMorgan told Bloomberg.

JPMorgan’s Head of Trading Service Ed Bond, also stated that “institutions on the network can use a wider scope of assets to meet any collateral requirements they have on the back of trading.”

XRP price chart from Tradingview.com (BlackRock JPMorgan)

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BlackRock Reacts To False Bitcoin Spot ETF Approval News In A Positive Way

Investment management firm Blackrock has reacted to rumors about the approval of its Bitcoin Spot ETF application by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) which caused quite a stir among the cryptocurrency community.

Blackrock CEO Responds To Claims On Bitcoin Spot ETF

On Monday, crypto news outlet CoinTelegraph posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the US Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) had approved a long-anticipated application of Bitcoin Spot ETF, but later retracted the report. However, the post sparked excitement within the crypto community causing the Bitcoin price to rise rapidly.

The cryptocurrency’s price surged to almost $30,000 earlier in the day after the alleged post was made by Cointelegraph yesterday. However, the cryptocurrency’s price fell almost immediately after the report was proven to be false by Blackrock’s Chief Executive Officer Larry Fink and other prominent voices in the crypto community.

Eleanor Terrett was the first to report that this news was false after speaking with BlackRock and that the company’s Bitcoin Spot ETF is still under review by the US regulator. 

Bitcoin price chart from Tradingview.com (BlackRock CEO Larry Fink)

In an interview with Fox Business, Fink, who said he only learned about the ‘news’ hours later due to him being extremely busy all day, took a rather positive stance on the event. According to the CEO, noting that Monday’s event solely proved the worldwide need and desire for a Bitcoin spot ETF.

“I think the rally today is about a flight to quality, with all the issues around the Israeli war now, global terrorism,” Fink said. “I think there are more people running into a flight to quality, whether that is in Treasuries, gold, or crypto, depending on how you think of it. And I believe crypto will play that type of role, as a flight to quality.”

The SEC also confirmed that the alleged news report was false and that the application is still pending. “Careful what you read on the internet. The best source of information about the SEC is the SEC.” the post read.

So far, CoinTelegrah has apologized with a post on X for the false report it posted “which led to the dissemination of inaccurate information.” The crypto media outlet later posted the result of its internal investigation which showed a team member had posted the ‘news’ without getting approval from its editorial team.

Crypto tracker, Coinglass revealed that short trading positions held by investors betting on lower prices were liquidated to the tune of over $104 million within 24 hours due to the false news.

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$9 Trillion BlackRock Sees Bitcoin Spot ETF Approval Delayed, What This means

In continuation of its recent wave of delays, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has further delayed the Spot Bitcoin ETF application of the world’s largest asset manager, BlackRock. 

SEC Request For Comments On BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF Application

In its release concerning BlackRock’s application, the SEC called for written comments on why the iShares Bitcoin Trust should be approved or disapproved. This move ultimately extends the period in which the Commission can decide on the proposed rule change, with the next deadline coming on January 15, 2024. 

As part of its request for comments, the SEC specifically asked commenters to give their views on whether the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) represented a regulated market of significant size for spot Bitcoin. It also asked them to give their views on the correlation between the Bitcoin spot market and the CME Bitcoin futures market.

It is unknown what the SEC aims to achieve from this, considering that the court had ruled in Grayscale’s case against the Commission that the spot and futures market were correlated. Therefore, there was no reason why ETFs relating to both markets should enjoy different regulatory treatment.

Meanwhile, in a similar fashion, the SEC also extended the deadline for a decision on the Spot Bitcoin ETF applications of Bitwise, Invesco, and Valkyrie. Following this, the next deadline for the SEC to decide on these applications is in January 2024, with Bitwise’s coming on the 14, Invesco on the 15, and Valkyrie’s on the 17 of that month.  

It is worth mentioning that the SEC can still further delay these applications one last time before it finally has to decide on them. If that happens, these ETFs are likely not to launch (if approval is given) until mid-March. Meanwhile, the SEC must decide on the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF by January 10, 2024. 

The SEC is still expected to delay the Spot Bitcoin ETF applications of WisdomTree, VanEck, and Fidelity before a potential government shutdown on October 1.  

Not A Bad Day For Valkyrie

Despite the delay of its Spot Bitcoin ETF application, asset manager Valkyrie and its investors still had something to cheer about, as it is reported to have gotten the nod to offer exposure to ETH futures contracts through its Valkyrie Bitcoin and Ether Strategy ETF. 

The asset manager had earlier applied to the SEC to convert its Valkyrie Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BTF) to a new fund that holds both Bitcoin and Ethereum futures contracts.

This move was then touted as a way for the asset manager to gain a first-mover advantage over the rest, and it looks like it worked, as it will become the first to offer US investors the chance to bet on the future price of Ethereum. 

Confirming this news, Bloomberg Analyst James Seyffart stated that Valkyrie’s ticker will begin holding “a small % of ETH futures” from September 29 and will switch to “50% ETH 50% BTC” from next week. 

Bitcoin price chart from Tradingview.com (Spot Bitcoin ETF BlackRock)

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Here’s Why Arthur Hayes Is Not In Support Of A BlackRock Spot Bitcoin ETF

Many stakeholders in the crypto industry have welcomed the idea of traditional finance firms offering a Spot Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) as they believe it will further drive crypto adoption. However, the former CEO and co-founder of crypto exchange BitMEX, Arthur Hayes, seems to be against the move.

Problems With BlackRock Spot Bitcoin ETF Filing

In a post published on his Substack platform, Hayes made his displeasure known regarding the recent wave of Spot Bitcoin ETF applications by prominent traditional financial (TradFi) institutions, including BlackRock.

Contrary to public opinion, he doesn’t believe these TradFi institutions are bullish on crypto. Instead, they are moving to become “crypto gatekeepers” to balance their deposit base, explaining that these companies intend to offer ETFs or any similar investment product with crypto as its underlying asset to achieve this. 

He stated that since these fund managers will be the “only game in town,” they can charge investors enormous fees in exchange for their investment products.

According to him, institutions like BlackRock recognize that cryptocurrencies can be used to hedge against inflation and could have a significant impact on the economy going forward. So they want to have it “under their control” when that happens.

He believes the only times these firms have done a “good job” is to paint the crypto industry and cryptocurrencies in a bad light to the government. As such, they will have a hard time changing the narrative to circumvent the federal government’s proposed inflation tax on bank depositors.

The Bitmex founder suggested that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) clampdown on the crypto industry was never about the technology itself but who owned it. 

He believes those who had earlier tried to get a Bitcoin ETF approved faced disapproval based on their status. However, the regulator seems more welcoming to the idea because of the prestige of BlackRock and its CEO, Larry Fink. 

Bitcoin price chart from Tradingview.com (BlackRock Spot Bitcoin ETF)

TradFi Doesn’t Care About Decentralization

Hayes noted that the banks and financial regulators could collaborate to uphold the dollar’s sovereignty. According to him, this can be easily achieved by both parties agreeing to ensure that all crypto redemptions are made in the US dollar and not the “physical crypto” itself. 

These US dollars will then be put back into the banking system, which he believes is already compromised. 

Hayes is more concerned that all this goes against Satoshi’s vision of creating a decentralized financial system and he believes BlackRock’s CEO Larry Fink doesn’t care about decentralization. 

He highlighted that Fink and BlackRock’s business model is built on centralization, adding that asset managers like BlackRock do not add value to the Bitcoin Improvement Proposals, such as increased privacy or censorship resistance. 

Instead, these asset managers moving to offer ETFs means they have more control over large voting blocks and can affect governance decisions.