Bitcoin tops $72,000 for the first time as rally builds steam

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Bitcoin topped $72,000 for the first time, advancing for a sixth straight day and taking gains this year to almost 70% on the back of massive inflows into U.S. exchange-traded funds.

The original cryptocurrency rose as much as 4% to $72,234 on Monday. Smaller tokens like Ether, Solana and Avalanche also advanced. The crypto gains came even as equities traded broadly lower ahead of a key report on U.S. inflation.

“This rally comes following a weak Asian trading session in which shorts tested the conviction of longs — it appears the longs have given a rather convincing positive answer,” said Richard Galvin, founder of Australia-based crypto-focused investment firm DACM.

Investors have poured a net almost $10 billion into a batch of new Bitcoin ETFs since they launched in the U.S. two months ago, igniting a broad surge in crypto markets. Digital assets scored more wins on Monday, as the London Stock Exchange confirmed it will accept applications for admitting Bitcoin and Ether exchange-traded notes and Thailand’s securities regulator said retail investors will be allowed to buy overseas crypto ETFs.

The success of the crop of Bitcoin ETFs add to a range of bullish signals for cryptoassets. Perhaps the most anticipated milestone is the quadrennial “halving” scheduled for April, when Bitcoin’s supply growth will be reduced by half.

Other technical indicators point to growing interest among both institutional and retail investors. Open interest on Chicago-based CME Group’s Bitcoin futures market has jumped 44% from this year’s low, while a rebound in the so-called funding rate signals that traders are increasingly willing to pay a premium for opening leveraged long positions in Bitcoin.

MicroStrategy Inc., the enterprise software firm that has made buying Bitcoin part of its corporate strategy, said on Monday that it spent $822 million purchasing more tokens from Feb. 26 through March 10.