News Summary

• "1/1 update: The bitcoin price has suddenly surged to over $45,000 per bitcoin as expectations soar the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) could approve a slate of bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications as soon as this week..
• However, the latest push is widely expected to succeed, with some predictions forecasting approval could come in the first few days of 2024—and triggering a fresh bitcoin price boom that Goldman Sachs' McDermott thinks will spread to the ethereum, XRP, solana and wider crypto market..
• "However, Balta cautioned that if a hotly-anticipated bitcoin spot ETF is denied by the SEC, "bitcoin's price might drop a bit at first because people will be disappointed..
• "This week, BlackRock named the largest U.S. bank by assets, JPMorgan, and trading company Jane Street as so-called "authorized participants" in its spot bitcoin ETF application, meaning the two Wall Street giants will help ease the flow of cash into and out of the fund..
• ""I believe that bitcoin's value could surpass $50,000 this month," Stelian Balta, the founder of crypto venture capital fund Hyperchain Capital, said in emailed comments..
• "Bitcoin is trading like an ETF is about to be approved," trading analyst Scott Melker posted to X.Meanwhile, Fox Business Network's Charles Gasparino claimed BlackRock leaks suggest the SEC will maintain "radio silence" until the agency has gone through all the paperwork with "the announcement likely toward week’s end..