Messari, a leading cryptocurrency research entity, described Bitcoin or BTC as "the Godzilla of Finance" in its recent report due to its disruptive role in reshaping the traditional financial and investment landscape.
The report highlighted BTC's resilience, drawing parallels to Godzilla's capability to endure adversity. Despite regulatory hurdles and skepticism, Bitcoin continuously showcased its resilience by rebounding. Despite the crypto market downturn, Bitcoin surged impressively by up to 170 percent Year-on-Year (YoY), currently trading at $45,129.
Bitcoin's resilience comes from its decentralized nature, allowing it to navigate past regulatory hurdles and skepticism - though its recent strong performance also owes much to the anticipation of a potential U.S. spot Bitcoin Exchange Traded Fund (ETF).
Following a meeting in December between SEC officials and representatives from seven applicant companies, the U.S. markets regulator is likely to green-light a spot Bitcoin ETF by January 2024. According to the latest development, the agency was evaluating a joint proposal by ARK and 21Shares, aiming for a decision by January 10, 2024.
Wall Street's top cop has instructed applicants to conclude their application amendments by December 29. The deadline signifies a significant change in the SEC's position on Bitcoin ETFs.
After several spot Bitcoin ETF applications were rejected in previous years due to fraud and price manipulation concerns, recent events, including the introduction of Ether futures ETFs and favorable legal outcomes for Grayscale and Ripple, have increased the likelihood of regulatory approval for spot Bitcoin products in the country.
If approved by the SEC, ETFs have the potential to revolutionize institutional investors' approach to cryptocurrency. It is also anticipated to unlock significant corporate investment in the U.S., bolstering market liquidity and reshaping cryptocurrency trading dynamics.
ETF Store's Nate Geraci and Bloomberg's Eric Balchunas noted that a spot BTC ETF could prompt crypto exchanges to review fee structures and operational models, fostering a more competitive environment.
Analysts anticipate Bitcoin can reach a new all-time high. Apart from the potential ETF approval, PlanB, the creator of Bitcoin’s Stock-2-Flow model, predicts an increase in Bitcoin's price in 2024 due to the coinciding April 2024 Bitcoin halving. The halving is expected at block height 840,000, slated for April 23 according to the countdown.
Messari’s report also acknowledges the hurdles Bitcoin faces. It highlights regulatory scrutiny, environmental apprehensions linked to mining practices and the persistent issue of price volatility as significant challenges for the cryptocurrency.
Other mentions in the report
The Messari report delves beyond BTC to discuss Solana (SOL), noting its remarkable surge of 400 percent in daily active users. According to the most recent data, Solana recorded a transfer volume of $103.01 billion. The blockchain accommodates various notable stablecoins, with USD Coin (USDC) taking the lead with a market capitalization of $977.3 million.
InQubeta (QUBE) also emerged as a highly sought-after token of the year. This Ethereum-based crypto project facilitates startup-investor connections and fundraising specifically for AI-based projects. The token is gaining recognition as one of the top new ICOs of the year, largely attributed to its impressive gains during the presale phase. Currently, its presale funding has reached $7.6 million.
Messari's report also highlights TRON DAO as a significant contender within the crypto payments sector. The platform has exceeded 6 billion transactions and maintains a substantial user base of 200 million.
It also points out the migration of users from traditional stablecoins like USDC to USDT on TRON DAO due to the protocol's efficiency, lower costs and faster transaction speeds. This shift, driven by USDT's role as a reliable store of value and a trusted payment option, notably in developing economies, signifies a move towards broader payment accessibility and stability in the crypto landscape.