• Bitcoin made history as price soared beyond $37,000, its 18-month high.
• The rally stems from excitement bordering on potential approval of spot Bitcoin ETF.

Bitcoin (BTC), the world’s leading digital currency has once again captured the attention of the financial industry with its meteoric rise, briefly surpassing the $37,000 mark for the first time in 18 months. The surge comes amid widespread anticipation over the potential approval of spot Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) in the United States. 

Bitcoin Skyrockets to $37,000

Data from various crypto market platforms including TradingView, revealed that BTC/USD hit an impressive $37,073 at 7:47 am Eastern Time on November 9. This surge was significant for Bitcoin because it was the first time the digital asset had reached such heights in over a year and a half. However, the price quickly fell below the $37,000 mark as some holders took profit.

Additionally, Bitcoin futures traded above $37,000, according to data from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), with prices reaching as high as $37,450 at 5:22 a.m. ET. The market’s optimism is largely due to the potential approval of 12 separate spot Bitcoin ETFs within the next week.

Bloomberg analysts, including James Seyffart and Eric Balchunas, have pointed out that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has until November 17 to approve several high-profile offerings from prominent U.S. fund managers. The analysts’ remarks have sparked excitement within the market as investors await regulatory approval for these ETFs.

However, the analysts have also cautioned that despite the excitement surrounding the potential approval, there could be a lag time of a month or more before these offerings actually launch. This means that while the approval could be imminent, investors may need to exercise patience before reaping the benefits of these highly-anticipated BTC products.

Another factor contributing to Bitcoin’s price surge is Grayscale’s recent engagement with the SEC over the conversion of its Grayscale Bitcoin Trust into a spot Bitcoin ETF. If successful, this move could pave the way for investors to gain exposure to a financial product that is physically backed by BTC, offering a new dimension to crypto investment in the US.

Concerns Brew Over Bitcoin ETF Approvals

Despite the widespread anticipation for BTC ETF approvals, there are dissenting voices expressing concerns over the potential consequences.

BitMEX founder Arthur Hayes has raised alarms about the implications of a BlackRock-managed Bitcoin ETF, suggesting it could pose a threat to the very essence of Bitcoin’s existence. His apprehensions echo recent SEC filings for the iShares Bitcoin Trust and align with a broader discourse on Bitcoin’s autonomy.

Samson Mow, Chief Strategy Officer of Blockstream and CEO of Pixelmatic, contributes to this discourse by highlighting the potential for a “Bitcoin bifurcation.” This bifurcation, according to Mow, could lead to a coexistence of “institutional Bitcoin” and “normal Bitcoin” under vastly different conditions. As institutional investors increasingly focus on Bitcoin, Mow acknowledges both opportunity and risk in this trend.

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