The cryptocurrency market delighted in the first half of the year.

With an increase compared to last year, thanks to the approval of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), the Bitcoin halving, and a partially increased risk appetite.

The ongoing efforts to regulate crypto assets in many countries, including Türkiye, accelerated in the first half of the year.

The optimistic rhetoric of the candidates regarding crypto assets during the upcoming presidential elections in the USA and the approval of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the world's largest economy and expectations that applications for Ethereum ETFs will be approved were also among the factors that supported the prices.

Analysts point out that Republicans took a positive stance towards the crypto industry in order to win over voters and attract wealthy crypto investors, while Democrats changed their previous stance to a more optimistic one in order not to lose that advantage.

Bitcoin, whose price has been on an upward trend since the last quarter of 2023, broke a record by reaching $ 73,750 on March 14 after the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved 11 Bitcoin spot ETF applications.

According to Coinmarketcap data, the price of Bitcoin, which was traded at $42,600 as of December 31, increased by approximately 45 percent, rising to $61,975 as of June 30.

The halving process, which took place in May and reduced the new Bitcoin supply, was also effective in the price of Bitcoin, which gained approximately 157 percent in value last year.

While thousands of different cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin were traded, Ethereum, which ranked 2nd in terms of market value, gained nearly 50 percent in value, rising to $3,420 in the first half of the year.

The value of the entire global cryptocurrency market increased by 650 billion dollars in the said period, reaching 2 trillion 310 billion dollars.

Among the main reasons for the rise in the Bitcoin and cryptocurrency markets in the first quarter, ETFs approved by the SEC on January 11 stand out.