– Bitcoin experienced a rapid ascent on October 23 and 24, reaching a level of $35,188 for the first time since May 2022. This surge in the value of the leading cryptocurrency was driven by a combination of real-world events and high-impact speculative and false news related to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

For instance, Reuters and Bloomberg reported that the SEC would not contest the court's decision in favour of Grayscale Investments. (To recap, at the end of August, the court granted Grayscale's lawsuit challenging the regulator's refusal to approve its application to launch a bitcoin ETF. Consequently, the company has effectively obtained permission from the U.S. court to convert its flagship fund, GBTC, into a spot bitcoin ETF). Additionally, there was news of the SEC discontinuing its legal proceedings against Ripple and its executives.

Discussions also revolved around the potential approval of an ETF for Ethereum and rumours of BlackRock's spot BTC-ETF gaining approval. BlackRock confirmed last week that this news was false. Nevertheless, the short squeeze prompted by this counterfeit news somewhat bolstered the cryptocurrency's growth, unsettling the market. The initial local trend gained momentum due to a series of liquidations of short positions opened with substantial leverage. According to Coinglass, a total of $161 million worth of such positions were liquidated.

Undoubtedly, the news was fabricated, but as the saying goes, there's no smoke without fire. A spot exchange-traded fund on bitcoin by BlackRock, named iShares Bitcoin Trust, appeared on the list maintained by the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC). BlackRock informed the SEC about the planned commencement of a seed round in October for its spot BTC-ETF, and it may have already initiated the acquisition of cryptocurrency for this purpose. This also fueled speculations and rumors that approval for their ETF is inevitable.

In discussing the catalysts for bitcoin's surge, it's also essential to mention the drop in the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) to monthly lows on October 23rd, a decline attributed to the reduction in 10-year treasury yields. Additionally, several experts believe that technical factors played a role - technical analysis has long signaled the possibility of a bull rally after breaking out of a sideways trend.

– Another reason cited by experts for bitcoin's rise is the inflation issues in the United States and geopolitical risks such as the escalation of tensions in the Middle East. As explained by Zach Pandl, the Managing Director of Grayscale Investments, many investors view bitcoin as "digital gold" and aim to use it to minimize financial risks. According to CoinShares, investments in crypto funds increased by $66 million last week, marking the fourth consecutive week of capital inflow.

– Optimism regarding the SEC registration of many spot bitcoin ETFs has increased, and a positive decision is expected "within months." This conclusion has been drawn by analysts at JPMorgan. Specialists have taken note of the lack of an SEC appeal against the court's decision in the Grayscale case. The regulator has been instructed not to obstruct the transformation of the bitcoin trust into an exchange-traded fund. "The timing of approval [...] remains uncertain, but it is likely to occur [...] by January 10, 2024 - the final deadline for the ARK Invest and 21 Co. applications. This is the earliest of various final deadlines to which the SEC must respond," noted JPMorgan. Experts also emphasize that the Commission may choose to approve all proposals at once to ensure fair competition.

– In the distant future, the security of the first cryptocurrency is threatened not by quantum computing but by changes in the reward model for miners. This statement was made by Dr. Lawrence H. White, a professor of economics at George Mason University. According to him, after the last bitcoin is mined, which is expected to occur around 2140, the primary source of income for miners will be transaction fees. "People are concerned that it may not be possible to attract a sufficient number of miners to ensure the system's security," White warned. At the same time, the professor emphasized that at the current moment, the first cryptocurrency is protected from hacking because an attack on its network using quantum computers is not in the miners' interests.

White considers it unlikely that bitcoin will be used as a means of payment. Although, according to him, other cryptocurrencies that provide "more stable purchasing power" could assume that role.

– Peter Schiff, the President of Euro Pacific Capital, and a critic of the first cryptocurrency, has stated, "It's not a resource; it's nothing." He also likened holders of the asset to a cult. "No one needs bitcoin. People only buy it after others persuade them to do so. After acquiring [BTC], they immediately try to convince others to join in. It's like a cult," Schiff wrote.

– Opinions among members of the crypto community about BTC's future have diverged. Many market participants are confident that a positive news backdrop will support the further rise of the cryptocurrency. For example, Will Clemente, the co-founder of Reflexivity Research, believes that the behavior of the coin should unsettle the bears who planned to buy BTC at a lower price. The forecast of a trader and analyst known as Titan of Crypto implies that the coin will move to $40,000 by November 2023. Optimists are also joined by Michael Van De Poppe, the founder of the venture company Eight, and Charles Edwards, the founder of Capriole Fund.

However, there are those who believe that BTC won't continue to rise. For instance, analysts Trader_J and Doctor Profit are confident that after hitting a local maximum, the coin will enter into a prolonged correction. Their forecast does not rule out a drop in the BTC/USD pair to $24,000-$26,000 by the end of the year. A negative BTC forecast was also supported by a trader known as Ninja. In his view, the technical analysis, which includes an analysis of gaps on CME (gaps between the opening and closing prices of Bitcoin futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange), indicates a likelihood of BTC dropping to $20,000.

– The company Matrixport has published an analytical report discussing the growing FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) effect in the cryptocurrency market. Analysts cite their proprietary trading indicators, which allow them to successfully forecast digital asset prices. In their view, by the end of the year, the price of Bitcoin could reach $40,000, and in the event of the approval of a Bitcoin ETF, it could rise to $56,000.

(FOMO - Fear of Missing Out is a term that describes situations where the fear of missing opportunities or valuable resources leads to specific actions. Examples include investments driven by the fear of being left behind while others are making profits.).

– Investor and author of the bestseller "Rich Dad, Poor Dad," Robert Kiyosaki, has stated that once physical gold surpasses the $2,000 threshold (the current price is $1,975), bitcoin will move towards $100,000, with the next target being $135,000. Kiyosaki expressed scepticism regarding the value of the U.S. dollar, referring to it as counterfeit.

– Hal Finney was the first recipient of BTC. Consequently, many members of the crypto community speculate that the late Hal Finney might indeed be the enigmatic Satoshi Nakamoto. However, Jameson Lopp, a former Chief Engineer at BitGo and co-founder of Casa, conducted an investigation and became convinced that Finney is not the creator of the first cryptocurrency. Lopp discovered that Satoshi Nakamoto sent an email to Bitcoin developer Mike Hearn just 2 minutes before Finney completed a 10-mile race in Santa Barbara, California. Given that Finney was running for 1 hour and 18 minutes, it seems implausible that he could have been at a computer to send that email to Mike Hearn.

– As it turns out, traders in Thailand are using Tarot cards and astrology to predict price movements. For example, a popular astrologer who goes by the name Pimfah leads a Facebook group with over 160,000 members. There are also predictors on YouTube, like Ajarn Ton, who has over 26,000 subscribers. His channel features hundreds of videos, and in one of the recent ones, he predicts a 50,000% rise in the altcoin Terra Luna Classic. Considering that the project has collapsed and been abandoned for a long time, it's unlikely that this prediction will come true. However, there have been successful predictions as well. For instance, in August 2022, a well-known local predictor named Mor Plai forecasted the recovery of the crypto market. Several months later, this prediction made headlines in Thai newspapers.

Notice: These materials should not be deemed a recommendation for investment or guidance for working on financial markets: they are for informative purposes only. Trading on financial markets is risky and can lead to a loss of money deposited.

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