Bitcoin (BTC) $101,057 recently surpassed the $97,000 mark but quickly returned to the $95,000 threshold, finding stability. This drop coincided with the U.S. government transferring 10,000 BTC linked to Silk Road, approximately valued at $963 million. Following this transfer, the options market showed a predominantly bearish volatility curve, indicating a shift in short-term expectations within the cryptocurrency market.
Institutional Demand Strengthens
The adoption of Bitcoin as a reserve asset is becoming increasingly common. Spot Bitcoin ETFs received a new investment of $350 million just yesterday. Additionally, leading Bitcoin miner MARA Holdings announced that it purchased $618 million worth of BTC over the last two months, following the lead of major institutional Bitcoin investor MicroStrategy.
Other mining companies are showing similar trends. Leading names like Riot Platform are planning to stop Bitcoin sales and increase their holdings. Furthermore, news about technology giant Microsoft considering Bitcoin purchases has further heightened institutional interest in the cryptocurrency.
Market Faces Uncertainty Influence by Fed
U.S. stock markets continue to reach new records. The S&P 500 has hit an all-time high for the 54th time this year. However, the upcoming Federal Reserve (Fed) meeting may trigger volatility in financial markets.
So far, many Fed officials have made statements favoring a reduction in borrowing costs. However, they indicated that this decision would depend on the results of economic data.
A 25 basis point rate cut is expected from the Fed’s meeting on December 17-18. If this occurs, it will mark the third rate cut within 2024. This situation could significantly impact Bitcoin, altcoins, and other risky assets.