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Bitcoin Tops $45K for First Time in 21 Months

by Linh Nguyen

The latest price moves in crypto markets in context for Jan. 2, 2024.

Shares of prominent bitcoin-adjacent companies rose in pre-market trading on Tuesday as the world’s largest cryptocurrency started 2024 by surpassing $45,000 for the first time in 21 months.

Bitcoin (BTC) has added more than 7% in the last 24 hours to about $45,600, the highest level since the start of April 2022. U.S.-traded companies such as crypto exchange Coinbase (COIN), software developer MicroStrategy (MSTR) – which owns a large number of bitcoin – and mining firms Marathon Digital (MARA) and Riot Blockchain (RIOT) rode the bullish momentum to show significant gains in pre-market trading.

Coinbase is up 3.7% at the time of writing, while MicroStrategy is up 8.1%. Marathon and Riot both added more than 10%. BTC’s latest surge indicates ever-increasing anticipation of a spot BTC exchange-traded fund (ETF) being listed in the U.S. A Reuters report on Dec. 30 suggested that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) could notify ETF sponsors as early as Tuesday that their applications would be approved.