By PAGE Editor

Bitcoin has held onto its wild rollercoaster seat ever since it broke into the market on January 3, 2009, as people saw in the groundbreaking tech creation more than its original, said developer, known under the appellation “Satoshi Nakamoto” did. For those late to buy bitcoin online, who have begun familiarizing themselves with Bitcoin after it made fortunes for bold, early investors or for individuals ending up with some Satoshis on their hardware without anticipating the boom they’ll witness, this cryptocurrency is all the rage in modern investments, and that’s pretty much all.

Nevertheless, the investments, purchases, and acquisitions made in the Bitcoin sphere along the way beg to differ, all the more after considering that some of the largest, leading, and most impactful financial institutions are tying the knot with the asset.

Bitcoin has lately been the target of banks and investment firms, whose control and authority in the market have granted those pouring billions of dollars into the asset the well-deserved denomination of “whales”. Numerous global financial institutions are now shaping up the future of Bitcoin and, with it, the outlook for cryptocurrencies. 

The recent surge in Bitcoin fortunes among whales is solidifying a positive future for the digital asset. But what exactly grants an entity the “whale” rank, and why does this upward trend in BTC acquisitions matter? Who else is investing heavily in the largest cryptocurrency, and why are they bending over backward for the asset? 

ETF approval as the motif behind BTC’s spiking popularity 

Some of the most notable financial entities, such as Fidelity, Hashdex, VanEck, BlackRock, Grayscale, and other ETF issuers, have leveled up their Bitcoin investment games after the triumph seized in the first part of January. Bitcoin ETFs had long been tabled by these entities, whose applications suffered numerous modifications along the way leading to their approval. After the SEC approved the eleventh outstanding submission for the new financial vehicles, the only consequential outcome was to see heightened investments from banks in this asset, as well as increased focus on it from entities looking to play the market. 

The post-announcement prices of the asset were mainly flat, approaching a two-year high of almost $46K as the winning institutional companies were streamlining access to Bitcoin for a larger investor category. This milestone in Bitcoin’s history indicates the emergence of a new era for cryptocurrency, namely the institutionalization of Bitcoin, enlarging its accessibility to an expanded audience in a streamlined and regulated manner.

Gary Gensler, Chairman of SEC, has emphasized that regulation of some specific spot BTC ETFs shouldn’t be taken for general endorsement from the US authority. Due diligence and caution must still be practiced at every step of Bitcoin trading. Such healthy advice applies to largely any investment vehicle that can’t guarantee stability, which is the case of every asset out there since not many boast the everlasting value of gold. Simpler put, Bitcoin has just been made more straightforward, but not exempt from cautious trading. A blessing resulting from the SEC’s ETF approval is being observed today, namely the improving prospects of Bitcoin mirrored by the asset’s growing demand and price.

Boosted BTC price from bigwig FS’ heightened investments

Investment firms such as those now dealing in Bitcoin ETFs have rapidly and expectedly seized Bitcoin market shares, pouring billions of dollars into BTC’s acquisition. It’s the substantialized capital injected into the Bitcoin market that transformed investment mammoths like Fidelity and Grayscale into some of the largest holders, awarding them the title of “Bitcoin whales.” Hosting some of the most significant Bitcoin accumulations globally, it’s safe to say that these companies now rank among the most potent yet newest Bitcoin whales, tapping into new potential to impact the asset’s valuations.

While 19 million Bitcoins have been mined and spread throughout the world, a maximum of 2 million is left to be created. Thanks to Bitcoin’s system aimed at maintaining its scarcity, only 21 million bitcoins will ever exist. But as the new players on the market, namely ETF issuing firms, are now pushing the whale alert, what other individuals or organizations hold immense amounts of the asset? What is the solidifying Bitcoin commitment and current shift in wealth spelling for the asset originally meant as peer-to-peer internet money?

A current overview of Bitcoin’s distribution 

Crafting a more precise BTC distribution scheme relies on leveraging the research findings and data provided by companies that analyze the Bitcoin accumulation rates among various investor categories. As an increasing number of corporations bite off Bitcoins, a recent data aggregation from BBC shows that banks hold around 933K satoshis, whereas 2,4 million could have irrevocably gone down the drain.

James Howells, for instance, is one of the best examples of investors gone broke in Bitcoin, having lost track of 8K bitcoins on a throwaway hard. As such, a broadly agreed-upon estimation of the missing BTC positions the amount at around 2,4 million, translating to around 11% of the total Bitcoin stock. 

From shrimps to exchanges 

Cryptocurrency exchanges, on the other hand, represent some of the most reliable intermediaries for crypto investors, virtually offering cryptos in turn for traditional currency such as dollars. Interestingly, exchanges are considered to hold another 11% of the whole BTC amount in existence.

Unknown whales are a thing, which is why all the factors influencing Bitcoin’s value may never be unearthed, which is where some of the high uncertainty in the crypto industry stems from. A loose estimate points to the faction of whales holding Bitcoin at around 8%, encompassing wallets holding a minimum of 10K coins.

Additionally, whales’ identities remain unknown and undisclosed to the public. Humpbacks, with over 5K Bitcoins follow in the ownership hierarchy, whereas miners and exchanges represent the largest supply possessors. Oppositely, dolphins, fish, octopuses, and crabs hold gradationally lower BTC amounts. 

If you want to invest in Bitcoin as a result of the rising craze around it, translating to potentially heightening prices in the future, you’re advised to be the shrimp in the sea. Shrimps, representing the smallest entities to hold Bitcoin, buy satoshis, or fractions of the asset, reducing the incurable losses down the road. 

In a nutshell 

Recent Bitcoin windfalls among whales are reinforcing the positive momentum for the asset, feasibly bringing up the whole crypto industry. Now that the primary crypto has eventually achieved new symbolization among the most significant global financial institutions, what else is the future cooking in the oven for the industry? Could Ethereum follow suit?

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