Bitcoin price has surged past the $40,000 mark for the first time since early May 2022.
Bitcoin’s price had been hovering around the $40,000 level in recent days and finally breached it on late Sunday, trading above $40,750 as of the latest update, reflecting a 24-hour rise of nearly 4%.
Bitcoin price is up nearly 10% in the last 7 days, as per Coingecko data.
Ethereum Surpasses $2,200 Mark
Simultaneously, the second largest crypto Ethereum (ETH) lso experienced a positive trajectory, surpassing $2,200 amid the overall market rally.
Ethereum was observed to be trading at $2,205, showcasing a similar percentage rise over the past 24 hours. While most other top-10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization marked smaller gains, BNB coin, affiliated with the Binance exchange, exhibited a slight decline of about 0.1% over the past day.
Bitcoin’s recent climb follows its dip below $40,000 in April 2022. However, the largest crypto by market cap has been on an upward trend over the past few months, driven in part by what seems to be dovish remarks from U.S. central bankers and optimistic expectations regarding the potential approval of a spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the country.
Similarly, Ethereum, having not traded above $2,200 since May 2022, has approached this threshold several times in recent weeks. A notable trend in Bitcoin transactions has been the withdrawal of 37,000 BTC by holders between Nov. 17 and Dec. 1, suggesting a preference for direct custody of their coins.
Bitcoin Rallies 120% in 2023
Bitcoin price has experienced a remarkable rally of over 120% throughout the year, with optimism prevailing among industry experts for this surge to extend into 2024.
Pascal Gauthier, CEO of Ledger, emphasized this sentiment, stating that 2023 appeared to be a preparatory year for the anticipated bull run in 2024 and beyond.
However, the cryptocurrency landscape has faced its share of challenges since Bitcoin’s last record high of nearly $69,000 in November 2021.
Issues ranging from project collapses and bankruptcies to criminal trials have marked the industry. Recently, high-profile cases involving FTX and Binance have reached resolutions, with industry observers perceiving these conclusions as a potential turning point in addressing long standing challenges within the crypto market.
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