Bitcoin Shorts Lose $16M as BlackRock ETF Filing Sparks Bullish Outlook
Total crypto market capitalization rose, with dogecoin (DOGE) leading gains among major tokens.
Hopes surrounding a potential U.S. Bitcoin ETF filing by investment giant BlackRock fueled a bullish sentiment among some traders early Friday.
Bitcoin regained the $25,500 level to erase declines of the past two days, when it fell to as low as $24,860. The move provided some respite to major tokens such as Polygon Network’s MATIC and Cardano’s ADA, which eased some losses from a two-day slide. Dogecoin (DOGE) led gains among major tokens with a 4% move in the past 24 hours; litecoin added (LTC) added 3.3%.
On Thursday, CoinDesk that BlackRock planned to offer a Bitcoin ETF with crypto exchange Coinbase (COIN) serving as custodian. This was confirmed later after a filing showed the company’s iShares fund management unit for the formation of a spot bitcoin (BTC) ETF.
“An estimated 20% of Americans have now owned bitcoin at some point. BlackRock’s proposed ETF potentially offers the other 80% an option that is altogether more familiar and accessible,” said Sui Chung, CEO of CF Benchmarks, in an email to CoinDesk. “BlackRock’s increasing engagement shows Bitcoin continues to be an asset of interest for some of the world’s largest financial institutions.”
As such, the market strength of bitcoin impacted shorts – or bets against the currency – the asset with BTC-tracked futures seeing over $16 million in short liquidations in the past 24 hours. This figure was smaller than usual due to large declines in the past week, causing some traders to risk less capital than they normally would.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has previously rejected other attempts by fund managers at listing a spot bitcoin ETF, including those from Grayscale, VanEck, and WisdomTree.
However, the stature of BlackRock could make it difficult for the SEC to reject this application – which could fuel an outsized bitcoin rally if approved.
Edited by Sam Reynolds.
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
You may also like
VIPBitget VIP Weekly Research Insights
The recent decline in the crypto industry stems from several key factors. First, volatility in the macroeconomic environment—such as the sharp drop in US stocks and global market uncertainty—has weighed heavily on high-risk assets like Bitcoin. Second, an increase in hacker attacks, including a $1.5 billion cryptocurrency theft on February 22, triggered panic and led to over 170,000 liquidations. Third, rising regulatory pressure, such as the SEC’s increased scrutiny of cryptocurrencies in the US and restrictions on trading and mining in some countries, has further undermined investor confidence. Additionally, the market is in a consolidation phase, with many funds buying the dip in the short term but quickly exiting as risk appetite declines. Finally, Bitcoin's failure to break through key resistance levels has led to weak demand and network activity, while ETF outflows have exacerbated the downward pressure. These combined factors have created short-term strain on the crypto market, contributing to its decline. As a result, this edition focuses on Earn-related products.
Bitcoin Price Analysis: BTC Loses Key Support – How Low Could It Go?
VIPBitget VIP Weekly Research Insights
Recently, BTC has weakened, altcoins have declined across the board, and trading volume on the Solana blockchain has continued to shrink. Daily transaction volume on Solana has hit new yearly lows, with over $200 million in sell-offs on pump.fun in just over two months since the start of the year. Additionally, the hype surrounding Argentina's president-related memecoin last weekend drained additional liquidity from the Solana network. Adding to investor concerns, a large amount of SOL is set to be unlocked on March 1, exacerbating deteriorating sentiment and leading to a noticeable decline in market wealth effects. Against this backdrop, investors are advised to reduce leverage, manage risk, and reserve funds for potential dip-buying opportunities. This edition highlights several USDT-based, SOL-based, and BTC-based Earn products, offering investors a diverse range of investment options.
Bitcoin News: $1.25B Stablecoin Injection—Fuel for the Next BTC Pump?
Trending news
MoreCrypto prices
More
