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First Mover Americas: Europe's First Spot Bitcoin ETF Opens in Holland
The latest price moves in crypto markets in context for August 15, 2023.
Updated Aug 15, 2023, 3:13 p.m. Published Aug 15, 2023, 12:39 p.m.
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This article originally appeared in First Mover, CoinDesk’s daily newsletter putting the latest moves in crypto markets in context. Subscribe to get it in your inbox every day.
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London-based Jacobi Asset Management has listed Europe's first spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) on Euronext Amsterdam nearly two years after it was first approved. The Jacobi FT Wilshere Bitcoin ETF is regulated by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission (GFSC) and will trade under the ticker "BCOIN." Custody for the fund is provided by Fidelity Digital Assets and trading firm Flow Traders operates as market maker, Jacobi announced on Tuesday. Jacobi first won approval for the fund in October 2021 with plans to list it in 2022. However the firm opted to push back its plans due to the difficult crypto market conditions last year.
The investment case for bitcoin could be compelling as investors look to navigate some of the current uncertainties in the global macro landscape, Coinbase (COIN) said in a research report Thursday. The structural factors affecting inflation are changing with the advent of new technologies such as generative artificial intelligence (AI), and this may herald a new era of loose monetary policy, the report said. Coinbase notes that government spending in the U.S. has increased, keeping economic growth stable but boosting the cost of servicing the country’s debt over the next few years.
Bitcoin and ether remained little-changed on Tuesday, trading at $29,350 and $1,840, respectively. The world’s largest cryptocurrency by market value has struggled to find directional momentum over the past few weeks, trading in an exceedingly tight range. A possible catalyst for shaking the market up would be a spot bitcoin ETF. While the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) may or may not make a decision soon, analysts are expecting a court to deliver a verdict – perhaps as soon as today – in Grayscale’s lawsuit against the SEC over its plans to convert its bitcoin trust (GBTC) to an ETF. With most of the crypto market flat, Hedera Hashgraphs HBAR continues to outperform, climbing 12% over the past 24 hours.
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What to know:
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Gold tops $5,000 as bitcoin stalls near $87,000 in widening macro-crypto split: Asia Morning Briefing
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What to know:
- Gold’s surge above $5,000 an ounce is increasingly seen as a durable regime shift, with investors treating the metal as a persistent hedge against geopolitical risk, central bank demand and a weaker dollar.
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