Ethereum ETFs Expected to Accumulate $15 Billion in 18 Months, Predicts Bitwise

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The potential impact of Ethereum spot ETFs on the U.S. market is creating significant buzz among crypto investors.
Crypto asset manager Bitwise has recently provided an optimistic forecast for Ethereum ETFs.
“ETH is one of the best-performing assets of all time, and in my honest opinion its best days are ahead of it,” stated Matt Hougan, CIO of Bitwise.

Bitwise anticipates that Ethereum spot ETFs could see inflows totaling $15 billion within 18 months, driven by parallels to Bitcoin ETFs.

Anticipated Inflows for Ethereum ETFs

According to Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan, Ethereum spot ETFs are positioned to attract substantial investments, drawing from the success and market behavior of Bitcoin ETFs. The firm forecasts that over the first 18 months, Ethereum ETFs could witness net inflows amounting to $15 billion.

The Comparative Analysis

Hougan’s projection is grounded in the relative market sizes of Bitcoin and Ethereum. Currently, Bitcoin boasts a market capitalization of $1.26 trillion, significantly larger than Ethereum’s $432 billion. Using this 3:1 ratio, Hougan analogizes Ethereum’s capacity to absorb large capital inflows similar to Bitcoin. He anticipates that to achieve parity with Bitcoin ETFs, Ethereum ETFs would need to amass $35 billion in assets under management (AUM).

Initial Contributions and Estimates Adjustment

However, this figure accounts for conversions such as the Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETHE) becoming an ETF, which would introduce $10 billion of AUM right from day one. Considering this conversion, Hougan revises his estimate for direct inflows down to $25 billion. When comparing similar financial products across different markets—like Europe and Canada—the ratios between Bitcoin and Ethereum remain consistent, reinforcing this adjusted projection.

Addressing Market Dynamics

Hougan also adjusts for the “carry trade” observable in the Bitcoin ETF market. Essentially, institutions exploit futures market biases to gain risk-free yield by holding spot assets and shorting futures. However, this strategy is less applicable to Ethereum due to the unreliable profitability of non-staked assets. Excluding these adjustments brings down the projected inflows to around $15 billion.

Final Projections and Market Confidence

Hougan asserts that even with this conservative estimate, $15 billion in inflows would mark a historic achievement for Ethereum ETFs. Since January 2020, only four ETFs have managed to attract this level of investment inflows. Such a substantial amount would underscore Ethereum’s strong market position and future growth potential.

Conclusion

The projection of Ethereum ETF inflows by Bitwise is both ambitious and insightful, leveraging historical data from Bitcoin ETFs while accounting for market-specific factors. With $15 billion inflows forecasted, Ethereum ETFs are poised for significant impact, reinforcing Ethereum’s standing in the crypto market. Future investors can look forward to Ethereum’s potential for continued outperformance.