• BlackRock, WisdomTree, Invesco have filed for spot Bitcoin ETFs and Fidelity Investments is also reported to be considering an application.
• The news has catalysed crypto market’s latest bounce, with Bitcoin (BTC) hitting $29k.
• Meanwhile, the AltSignals presale is nearly 94% sold out in stage 1, and is set to hit the targeted $1.08 million mark.

Crypto news today is headlined by reports of renewed interest in the Bitcoin (BTC) asset class, particularly by major US-based companies. These include asset managers WisdomTree and Invesco, who have joined the world’s largest asset management firm BlackRock in filing for a spot Bitcoin ETF.

Amid the potential influx of institutional investor interest, the cryptocurrency market’s bounce this week – which saw Bitcoin price retest $29,000 again – has investors also looking at AltSignals (ASI), a trading signals company whose presale is about to hit a major milestone.

BlackRock sparks spot Bitcoin ETF frenzy

While the SEC has denied all previous rule change proposals for a spot Bitcoin ETF, the spate of filings coming in hot and fast has the market buzzing. Global investment asset giant BlackRock, a $9 trillion in asset under management firm, filed for its spot Bitcoin exchange traded fund on June 15.

The filing looks to address one of the sticking points that has reportedly seen the US Securities and Exchange (SEC) reject all previous proposals – the issue of price manipulation. In its application, BlackRock cites a “surveillance agreement” with top markets platforms the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME).

WisdomTree, a US-based investment fund with over $83 billion in assets under management that had two previous ETF propoals denied by the SEC, is hoping to join BlackRock in persuading the securities regulator to allow the first physically-backed bitcoin ETFs in the US market. 

SEC documents show WisdomTree filed for its WisdomTree Bitcoin Trust (BTCW) on June 20 and seeks to list the ETF on the Cboe BZX exchange.

Another asset manager seeking the SEC’s seal of approval is Invesco, which has reactivated its 19b-4 document for the listing of a spot ETF. Like WisdomTree, the firm plans to list the Invesco Galaxy Bitcoin ETF on the Cboe BZX exchange.

Also reported to eyeing the spot Bitcoin ETF bandwagon is Fidelity Investments, which as highlighted here, is among the Wall Street giants to back the newly launched cryptocurrency exchange EDX. Others are Schwab and Citadel.

What is AltSignals?

AltSignals launched in 2017 and has grown to become one of the most popular trading signals providers, with its tools available for traders 24/7 across crypto, stocks and forex markets. To advance its technology further amid greater demand, AltSignals has integrated an artificial intelligence-powered layer called ActualizeAI.

ActualizeAI will leverage the power of machine learning and natural language processing to give users the most accurate trading signals. The ASI token is needed to access the AI platform and will also give holders governance rights when the company transitions into a DAO.

ASI presale on track to hit first milestone

As altcoins look to bounce amid the current market exuberance, AltSignals’ presale is on the verge of hitting a key presale milestone. The trading signals platform launched its ASI token sale a few weeks ago and has raised over $1 million in the first stage.

With 94% of the available tokens sold, the remaining percentage is likely to be scooped up quickly as the confluence of factors driving crypto markets today cascade into an investor group scouring for the next crypto gem.

The ASI token is currently priced at $0.015 and will increase to $0.01875 in the next presale stage, giving it a 25% increase. According to details on their presale page, there will only be four stages, with prices rising to $0.02274 in the final phase.

Is now a good time to buy crypto?

Opinion is divided as to the timing of the “gold rush” for spot Bitcoin ETFs by major US investment firms, led by BlackRock. In particular is the argument that this looks to be coming together at a time the SEC is cracking down on crypto exchanges, with the lawsuits against the world’s two largest crypto companies in Binance and Coinbase.

However, many also believe that the approval of a spot ETF is long overdue for the US market. A successful application by BlackRock, which has a 575-1 success rate for ETF applications, could spark fresh institutional adoption of Bitcoin and spur further growth across the ecosystem.  

In such a scenario, buying crypto now when most tokens are trading well below their bull market peaks could be a great move for investors. 

But it is also worth noting that the SEC’s rejection of the latest spot ETF proposals combined with other market conditions could have a dramatic impact on where crypto markets head both in the short term and long term.