Bitcoin Surpasses $42,000 Mark, Ethereum Follows Suit, Triggering Crypto Rally

The price of Bitcoin (BTC) exceeded $42,000 for the first time since April 2022,  a level unseen since the Terra market crash.

Concurrently, Ethereum (ETH) also experienced an upswing, surpassing $2,200.

Bitcoin had been hovering around the $40,000 level in recent days before finally breaching it and breaking $42,000 within 24 hours.

Ether mirrored this momentum, trading at around $2,240 with a similar percentage gain.

The positive movement in Bitcoin’s price resonated throughout the crypto market, influencing related stocks.

Notably, leading crypto exchange Coinbase (COIN) and tech company Microstrategy (MSTR) both saw nearly 9% increases in pre-market trading while crypto miners Marathon Digital (MARA) and Riot (RIOT) witnessed gains exceeding 10%.

However, BNB coin (BNB), linked to the Binance exchange, remained relatively stable.

Bitcoin’s value had dipped below $40,000 in April 2022, but recent months have seen a rebound, partly attributed to accommodative statements from U.S. central bankers and optimism surrounding a potential approval for a bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the United States.

Amidst these developments, Bitcoin holders withdrew 37,000 BTC between November 17 and December 1, indicating a trend toward direct custody of assets.

Gold also reached a record high, surpassing $2,100 per ounce in response to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s dovish comments.

Analysts suggest that the market anticipates a potential rate cut in the coming year, contributing to growing investor bullishness on Bitcoin ETF applications.

As the crypto market aligns with gold’s movement due to lower yields, Bitcoin’s recent surge is seen as a bullish signal, with potential further upticks anticipated in the coming weeks.

Looking ahead, the market will closely watch U.S. ISM services PMI data and non-farm payrolls for December, with a strong NFP figure potentially impacting Fed rate cut expectations for 2024, which could influence Bitcoin’s ascent.