Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the US are nearing a major milestone. They are set to become the biggest BTC holders in the world, even surpassing the amount held by Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto.

Additionally, they are catching up to gold ETFs in total net assets.

Bitcoin ETFs on The Verge of Surpassing Satoshi Nakamoto’s BTC Stash

Since their launch in January, US spot Bitcoin ETFs have grown significantly. According to crypto analyst HODL15Capital, these funds now hold about 1.081 million Bitcoin, just below Nakamoto’s estimated 1.1 million.

Satoshi Nakamoto, the anonymous creator of Bitcoin, is believed to own approximately 5.68% of the total Bitcoin supply. These holdings, valued at over $100 billion, place Nakamoto among the world’s wealthiest individuals — if they are alive and a single person.

However, Bloomberg’s Senior ETF Analyst, Eric Balchunas, pointed out that ETFs are now 98% of the way to overtaking Nakamoto. He predicted that if the current pace of inflows continues, this could happen by Thanksgiving.

“US spot ETFs now 98% of way there to passing Satoshi as world’s biggest holder. My over/under date of Thanksgiving looking good. If next 3 days are like the past 3 days flow-wise it’s a done deal,” Balchunas stated.

SoSoValue data shows inflows into these ETFs grew by around 97% week-on-week to $3.3 billion over the last five trading days, with BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) contributing $2 billion. This surge coincides with the introduction of options trading for these products, which many believe is attracting more institutional investors.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin ETFs are also narrowing the gap with gold ETFs, which currently hold $120 billion in assets under management (AUM). According to Balchunas, Bitcoin ETFs manage $107 billion and could overtake gold ETFs by Christmas.

These bullish predictions reflect Bitcoin’s exceptional performance in 2024. The top cryptocurrency has surged nearly 160% since January, trading near the $100,000 landmark. In addition, its $1.91 trillion market capitalization now exceeds that of silver and major corporations like the state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco.

However, BTC still lags behind gold, which remains the world’s largest asset with a market capitalization of more than $18 billion.

Cantor Fitzgerald, a prominent US financial services firm, is expanding its alliance with Tether, a key player in the digital asset industry and the issuer of the world’s largest stablecoin.

According to reports, the firm has agreed to acquire a 5% stake in Tether as part of a broader collaboration that includes Bitcoin-backed lending initiatives.

Tether Mints $13 Billion USDT as Cantor Fitzgerald Deepens Tie

The acquisition talks, reportedly finalized in 2023, valued the 5% stake at approximately $600 million. This partnership positions Tether to gain strategic advantages, particularly as Cantor Fitzgerald’s CEO, Howard Lutnick, takes on his new role as Secretary of Commerce under President-elect Donald Trump.

Market observers suggest that the nomination raises the possibility of enhanced regulatory support for Tether, which has faced scrutiny over potential violations of sanctions and anti-money laundering regulations—a claim the company has denied. However, Lutnick has promised to step down from his positions at Cantor Senate confirmation.

Beyond the ownership stake, Tether is expected to support Cantor Fitzgerald’s Bitcoin lending program, a multi-billion-dollar initiative. The program aims to offer loans backed by Bitcoin, initially funded with $2 billion, with plans for significant future expansion.

Meanwhile, Cantor Fitzgerald is already a critical partner for Tether, reportedly holding a significant portion of the stablecoin issuer’s $134 billion reserves in US Treasury bills.

As Cantor Fitzgerald deepens its involvement with Tether, the firm has continued its aggressive token minting. On November 24, blockchain analytics platform Lookonchain reported that stablecoin company minted an additional $3 billion USDT, bringing the total minted since November 8 to $13 billion. This expansion has pushed the total supply of USDT to approximately $132 billion.

The increased USDT supply may reflect the growing demand for stablecoins, often used to hedge market positions or facilitate crypto transactions without converting to fiat. This liquidity influx could reduce volatility and enhance price stability across the digital asset market.

This surge in USDT supply coincides with a broader market rally led by Bitcoin and other assets such as Dogecoin and Solana, signaling renewed investor confidence in the crypto ecosystem.

SAND, the token powering the metaverse platform The Sandbox, has seen a meteoric rise, surging 55% in the past 24 hours. This performance far outpaces leading assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum, which each gained just 1% during the same period. SAND’s trading volume has also skyrocketed, surpassing $1.91 billion — a climb of over 500% in 24 hours.

On-chain data has shown a significant increase in daily SAND transactions and a decrease in selling pressure. These factors suggest the potential for a sustained rally. 

The Sandbox Holders Adopt a Bullish Approach

According to CryptoQuant’s data, the daily count of SAND transactions has rocketed over the past few days. For context, on November 23, 2,940 transactions involving SAND were completed, representing the highest count over the past seven days. 

This is a bullish signal for the metaverse-based token because a surge in an asset’s transaction count indicates increased activity and interest. It signals higher demand and participation by market participants. Also, it suggests growing confidence in SAND’s price, potentially driving it further upward.

Additionally, a notable increase in exchange withdrawals for SAND has been observed. Per CryptoQuant’s data, the token’s exchange withdrawal transactions currently total 877, its single-day highest since June 2023. 

The exchange withdrawing transaction metric tracks the number of cryptocurrency withdrawals from exchanges. A spike in this metric indicates that investors are moving their assets off exchanges. This is a bullish signal, suggesting increased confidence and a potential long-term holding trend.

SAND Price Prediction: Rally Above $0.66?

On the daily chart, SAND is trading at $0.61, a level last seen in April. Its price currently sits below the resistance at its cycle peak of $0.66. If bullish momentum strengthens, SAND could rally toward this peak and reclaim it.

Conversely, if bullish sentiment wanes and selling pressure strengthens, the SAND token price may plunge toward support at $0.56, invalidating this bullish outlook.