12/04 update below. This post was originally published on December 2

BitcoinBTC has rocketed higher in recent weeks as hype builds around bitcoin's "worst-kept secret."

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The bitcoin price has surged toward $40,000 per bitcoin, up more than double where it was this time last year and helping ethereum, XRPXRP and other major cryptocurrencies to rally, as fears emerge dollar dominance is facing "a crypto-yuan hostile takeover" from China.

Nowafter ethereum's founder revealed a surprise crypto-based AI planSecurities and Exchange Commission (SEC) documents have revealed the approval window for bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) filed by Wall Street giants that manage a combined $17 trillion (just as some think China and the Fed are gearing up to "flood the world" with trillions).

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"[Bitcoin spot ETF approval] window is officially January 5 to January 10," Bloomberg Intelligence ETF analyst James Seyffart posted to X.

"Really this means that any potential approval orders are going to come on either Monday, January 8, Tuesday, January 9, or Wednesday, January 10. Mark your calendars people."

12/04 update: The bitcoin price has surged higher, breaking above $40,000 per bitcoin for the first time since early 2022 as expectations soar a fully-fledged U.S. bitcoin spot ETF is just around the corner.

"Bitcoins rally to $40,000 signals a paradigm shift in the financial markets. Bitcoin has become accepted as a legitimate, transformative force in the financial markets, up over 60% since September as anticipation of bitcoin approvals builds on the cusp of the new year," Alex Adelman, the chief executive of bitcoin rewards app Lolli, said in emailed comments.

"Bitcoin ETFs promise to catapult bitcoin into even broader mainstream acceptance, bringing digital assets firmly into the fold of the traditional financial ecosystem. With escalating geopolitical conflicts, bitcoin is a particularly appealing investment now as a decentralized digital currency that exists outside the jurisdiction of any single government."

The SEC is currently weighing around a dozen bitcoin spot ETF applications from some of the world's biggest asset managers, including BlackRockBLK and Fidelity. Meanwhile, crypto asset manager Grayscale is working to convert its flagship bitcoin trust into a bitcoin spot ETF, scoring a legal victory that dramatically raised expectations that it will be successful.

"If [bitcoin spot ETF approval] doesn't happen in this window, either [SEC chair Gary] Gensler and SEC have gone nuclear [or] they just aren't ready and have somehow convinced Ark and 21Shares to withdraw their filing with some sort of future assurances," Seyffart said, referring to Cathie Wood's Ark and 21Shares' joint bitcoin spot ETF application, adding he and fellow analyst Eric Balchunas put this at a less than 10% chance.

One influential bitcoin and crypto investor has called the arrival of a long-awaited U.S. bitcoin spot ETF is a rare example of a "buy the rumor, buy the news" event, with it being regarded as a watershed moment for institutional bitcoin, ethereum, XRP and crypto adoption.

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"[Bitcoin spot ETF approval] is important for institutional adoption; many asset allocators and asset managers look at vehicles like ETFs to use in the allocation process," Anthony Rousseau, head of brokerage solutions at TradeStation, said in emailed comments.

"There is still a long road for education on how this would fit into a 60/40 portfolio but will likely be worked out by all the math wizards. This event would be considered a net positive for new capital inflows into the asset class"including ethereum, XRP and other major cryptocurrencies.

I am a journalist with significant experience covering technology, finance, economics, and business around the world. As the founding editor of Verdict.co.uk I reported on how technology is changing business, political trends, and the latest culture and lifestyle. I have covered the rise of bitcoin and cryptocurrency since 2012 and have charted its emergence as a niche technology into the greatest threat to the established financial system the world has ever seen and the most important new technology since the internet itself. I have worked and written for CityAM, the Financial Times, and the New Statesman, amongst others. Follow me on Twitter @billybambrough or email me on billyATbillybambrough.com. Disclosure: I occasionally hold some small amount of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

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Mark Your CalendarsBitcoin Rockets Past $40,000 As Date Reveals Huge $17 Trillion Bitcoin ETF Countdown Has Suddenly Begun, Heralding Ethereum, XRP...