In a remarkable surge, Bitcoin’s price has soared past the $41,500 mark, fueled by a confluence of factors ranging from market anticipation of a Bitcoin spot ETF to broader financial trends. Here’s a detailed analysis of the key reasons behind this rally:
#1 Spot Bitcoin ETF: The Anticipation Game
The buzz around the approval of a spot Bitcoin ETF remains probably the most significant driver of the recent price surge. Although there hasn’t been a specific update, the market anticipation is palpable, with a FOMO effect kicking in. Last week, Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart suggested that a spot ETF is likely to be approved between January 8 and 10, causing the market to react.
Renowned Bitcoin analyst Willy Woo mirrored the anticipation with this , “It’s very likely we are on the eve of a Bitcoin spot ETF. The first commodity ETF was SPDR Gold Trust. It provided a simple way for investors to access gold in their portfolio. When it launched gold went on to an 8 year rally with no single down year between 2005 – 2012.”
#2 Gold’s Meteoric Rise And Its Correlation With BTC
The unexpected rise of gold, surging by 3.5% in just 30 minutes to a new all-time high on a Sunday afternoon, may have also had repercussions for Bitcoin. This rapid ascent in gold’s value could signal more than just market fluctuations; it could reflect deeper economic shifts that have direct implications for Bitcoin.
Crypto Analyst @TheFlowHorse , “Unless someone is getting carried out right now after shorting Gold, this is saying something important. Gold doesn’t just arbitrarily rip on a Sunday like this unless it means something.” Tom Crown, founder and CEO of Crown Analysis, , “Something VERY BIG is coming tomorrow. Gold just BLASTED past all-time highs on a Sunday night. Someone knows something.”
#3 Bitcoin Short Squeeze
The liquidation of $65.15 million in Bitcoin short positions, according Coinglass , has further propelled Bitcoin’s price. The short squeeze, combined with strong spot demand, has been a key factor. Crypto analyst Skew , “Another big short squeeze pushing price above $40K. Slight perp premium on Binance during the squeeze, indicating spot selling into the short squeeze.”
#4 Whales And Institutional Buyers
The current surge in Bitcoin’s price has been significantly influenced by whales and institutional buyers. Market analyst Skew pointed out their impact, stating, “Someone is still aggressively chasing price here. More importantly if said large market entity actually allows some bids to get filled or not. IF filled then expected for them to push the price higher. Clearly $40K is the price for institutional players.”
Keith Alan, co-founder of Material Indicators, further emphasized the role of these large holders, tweeting, “Bitcoin Whales just blasted through $40k.” His statement underlines the significant influence whales have in driving up Bitcoin’s price. He added, “Locking in some profit here. $42k is a high probability, but definitely not guaranteed.”
Additionally, GreeksLive, a trading tools provider, noted the broader market trend, stating, “Bitcoin broke through $41,000, Ethereum broke through $2,200… The giant whale once again showed a sense of smell before the market.”
December saw a rise beyond expectations, bitcoin broke through $41,000, ethereum broke through $2,200, and continued to rise almost without retracement.
The giant whale once again showed a sense of smell before the market, from last week to re-add positions in the block call,…— Greeks.live (@GreeksLive)
#5 Liquidity: The Underlying Force
The surge in Bitcoin’s price is also significantly influenced by global liquidity conditions, a factor often overlooked but crucial in understanding BTC and cryptocurrency market dynamics. Zerohedge highlighted the scale of this influence in a post: “In November, central banks added $350BN in liquidity, the third-largest increase since March.”
This massive injection of liquidity by central banks around the world plays a pivotal role in asset price movements, including cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. David Marlin, CEO of Marlin Capital, the significance of this trend in financial conditions, “US Financial Conditions eased 90 bps in November, the largest monthly easing on record (dating back to 1982).”
Adding to this narrative, cryptocurrency expert Charles Edwards commented on the historic nature of this easing, saying, “November saw the largest easing in over 40 years!” Such a significant easing of financial conditions suggests a highly conducive environment for investment in assets like Bitcoin, which are seen as hedges against inflation and currency devaluation.
Arthur Hayes, founder of BitMEX, summed up the sentiment by , “Eye on the prize. RRP balances continue to fall and BTC continues to pump. Yachtzee!!!”
At press time, BTC traded at $41,505.