The first half of 2024 has been one of the intense activities in the broader cryptocurrency ecosystem, beginning in January when the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved the spot Bitcoin ETF.
As the second quarter winds down, a report notes that crypto investors are contemplating Bitcoin’s next steps following its decline from the peak of the exchange-traded funds (ETF) enthusiasm.
Bitcoin’s Recent Performance
Bitcoin, the pioneering cryptocurrency, is ending the quarter trading around $61,000. Notably, the asset has witnessed a 13% decline since March, a stark contrast to the 67% and 57% gains recorded in the previous two quarters.
The world’s leading digital asset has lost about $12,000 since it hit an all-time high of over $73,000 on March 14. Despite expectations of a price rally in some quarters post-halving, Bitcoin price performance remains below market expectations.
Market Sentiment and Macro Concerns
This sharp drop in performance raises questions regarding the weakening momentum in trades like Bitcoin. Some analysts believe it signals a challenging outlook for risk appetite, especially with the looming threat of prolonged higher interest rates in general financial markets.
Austin Reid, global head of revenue and business at FalconX, noted that many market participants are raising questions primarily rooted in macroeconomic concerns. Consequently, the crypto market, like other asset classes, is experiencing some short-term uncertainty.
ETF Demand Slows
A crucial indicator to measure investors’ declining interest in Bitcoin funds is to look at the investment in the digital asset within the past three months. Noticeably, there was a significant drop in risk appetite as only $2.6 billion flowed into Bitcoin funds compared to approximately $13 billion in the first quarter of the year, according to data by CoinShares.
According to Matthew O’Neill, co-director of research at Financial Technology Partners, although there was a lot of euphoria around the release of the ETFs, a natural price correction followed after the rally.
He argues that the ETFs attracted substantial interest from professional investors seeking Bitcoin exposure through institutional channels. For those investors who are yet to invest in the ETFs, O’Neill suggests they might be waiting for the next upward movement in Bitcoin’s price before making a move.
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