Recent Surge
Bitcoin, the pioneering cryptocurrency, has surged by 3.79% in the last 24 hours, reaching $58,504 as of 8:20 am UTC. This marks the first time Bitcoin has traded at these levels in over two years and three months. The cryptocurrency has seen impressive gains, rising over 13.5% on the weekly chart and over 38% on the monthly chart, according to CoinMarketCap data.
MicroStrategy's Influence
The recent price rally follows the news of MicroStrategy's acquisition of an additional 3,000 Bitcoin for $155 million, at an average price of $51,813 between Feb. 15 and 25. This purchase adds to MicroStrategy's total holdings of 193,000 Bitcoin, acquired for $6.09 billion at an average price of $31,544, making it the largest Bitcoin holder among publicly traded companies.
Institutional Confidence
Mikkel Morch, founder of ARK36, attributes much of the rally to MicroStrategy's purchase, calling it an institutional endorsement of the transformative potential of cryptocurrencies. Morch also noted the recent approval of Bitcoin-owning ETFs in the United States, which has further boosted institutional confidence and trading volumes in the crypto market.
Market Capitalization
The total crypto market capitalization has increased by 2.85% in the past 24 hours, reaching $2.19 trillion. This milestone was achieved as Bitcoin crossed $57,000, driven by Bitcoin ETF inflows and improving investor sentiment in the crypto space.
Future Outlook
Morch predicts a new all-time high for both Bitcoin and Ether in the coming weeks. He cites the anticipation of the upcoming Bitcoin halving and the potential approval of a U.S. spot Ether ETF as key drivers for this bullish sentiment. Morch believes these developments highlight the maturation of the cryptocurrency market and Ethereum's role as an infrastructure backbone for future financial and technological integration.
MicroStrategy has acquired an additional 3,000 BTC for ~$155 million at an average price of $51,813 per #bitcoin. As of 2/25/24, @MicroStrategy now hodls 193,000 $BTC acquired for ~$6.09 billion at an average price of $31,544 per bitcoin. $MSTR https://t.co/micudbYf3P
— Michael Saylor⚡️ (@saylor) February 26, 2024