As we head into the last month of the first half of 2024, it’s another opportunity to catch up on the fast moving world of bitcoin. With crypto becoming the key talking point in the US election, this is a bitcoin world and we’re all just living in it…
BlackRock’s spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) is now the largest product of its kind, flipping Grayscale's GBTC after a $102 million inflow. IBIT holds nearly $20 billion worth of bitcoin as of Wednesday morning, its product page shows. GBTC holds $19.7 billion after seeing $105 million in outflows on Tuesday (Coindesk).
Metaplanet, a Japanese investment advisor, is being hailed as the “Asian MicroStrategy” after its audacious Bitcoin investment strategy has massively paid off. Metaplanet is seeing historic stock gains after adopting Bitcoin as a reserve asset earlier this May (Bitcoin Magazine Pro).
Semler Scientific, Inc., known for its healthcare solutions to combat chronic diseases, has announced a significant shift in its treasury strategy. The company's board of directors has adopted Bitcoin as its primary treasury reserve asset, alongside a substantial purchase of 581 Bitcoins for an aggregate amount of $40 million, inclusive of fees and expenses (Bitcoin Magazine).
El Salvador is aiming for a 10X GDP increase in 5 years through AI and Bitcoin by collaborating with Cathie Wood, CEO of ARK Invest. Wood has been working closely with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele to investigate how Bitcoin can improve capital markets and foster technological innovation, supporting the country’s ongoing initiatives to become a leader in the blockchain and cryptocurrency industries (Coin Market Cap).
Long-term bitcoin holders are starting to re-accumulate for the first time since December 2023 after multiple months of selling, according to Glassnode data. "Residing just shy of its all-time high, bitcoin continues to consolidate, with long-term holders beginning to re-accumulate coins for the first time since December 2023," a report from the market intelligence firm said (Coin Market Cap).
An interesting short [7 min] video from Bitcoin University, on why Bitcoin is gold for a digital 21st century (YouTube).