Bitcoin rises as a safe asset during shutdown

Bitcoin has reached near its all-time high during the U.S. government shutdown, establishing itself as a safe asset.

On October 3rd, at the U.S. cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, Bitcoin traded at $123,685.87, closely approaching the record high of $124,290 set in August. This marks a 1.89% increase in just 24 hours and the first time in two months that Bitcoin has surpassed $123,000.In South Korea, Bitcoin’s value also surged, surpassing 170 million KRW for the first time on the night of October 2nd.

The price climbed to 170.96 million KRW at Bithumb on October 3rd, breaking the previous record of 169.90 million KRW from August 14th.

The surge in Bitcoin’s price is driven by increased interest in safe-haven assets amid the government shutdown. Since October 1st, 750,000 federal employees have been placed on unpaid leave, leading investors to consider alternative assets.

Jeff Kendrick of Standard Chartered remarked that the current market situation differs from the 2018-2019 shutdown, as Bitcoin now closely correlates with U.S. government risk.

Bitcoin’s Future

Forecasts suggest Bitcoin’s upward momentum will persist. Standard Chartered predicts Bitcoin could break its all-time high and reach $135,000. JP Morgan analysts foresee a potential rise to $165,000 by year-end.

Historically, October has been a bullish month for Bitcoin, coining the term ‘Uptober’ due to average returns of 20.63% over the last decade. Ethereum is also on the rise, trading around $4,500, contributing to a larger $4.12 trillion cryptocurrency market.