[News Brief] Jun 19, morning | Bitcoin Spot ETFs Record $90.65 Million in Net Outflows

Bitcoin Spot ETFs See $90.65 Million in Net Outflows... IBIT Loses $96.66 Million

According to Odaily, citing SoSoValue data, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded total net outflows of $90.6566 million on the 18th, Eastern Time.

Among spot Bitcoin ETFs, Morgan Stanley’s MSBT posted net inflows of $10.4337 million, ranking first in daily net inflows. MSBT’s cumulative net inflows now stand at $301 million.

In contrast, BlackRock’s IBIT saw net outflows of $96.6552 million, the largest daily outflow among the products. IBIT’s cumulative net inflows were tallied at $62.07 billion.

Total net assets of spot Bitcoin ETFs stood at $78.325 billion, accounting for 6.19% of Bitcoin’s total market capitalization. Cumulative net inflows reached $53.398 billion.

Swiss Foreign Ministry Confirms Cancellation of U.S.-Iran Talks

Switzerland’s foreign ministry confirmed that planned talks between the United States and Iran, which were scheduled to be held in Switzerland, had been canceled.

PANews, citing CCTV News, reported on the 19th that the Swiss foreign ministry had confirmed the cancellation of the Switzerland meeting between the U.S. and Iran.

The talks had been closely watched as a potential sign of easing tensions between the two countries, and the cancellation may increase uncertainty surrounding Middle East geopolitics and risk-asset investor sentiment.

Whale Alert: 2,500 BTC Transferred From Anonymous Wallet to OKX

According to Whale Alert, 2,500 BTC were transferred from an anonymous wallet to OKX. The transfer was worth about $156.84 million.

Large Bitcoin transfers to exchanges are often interpreted as a possible sign of selling preparation, making this a key short-term supply-demand indicator for the market.

South Korean Government Reviews Allowing Participation in Cross-Border Crypto Remittance System

The South Korean government is reviewing a plan to allow businesses, including exchanges and fintech companies, to participate in a cross-border virtual asset remittance system, PANews reported citing SBS Biz.

According to the report, the government recently began preparing enforcement rules for the partial revision of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act and is reviewing registration requirements for virtual asset transfer services. The system is scheduled to take effect in December this year.

The amendment aims to bring cross-border virtual asset transfers under the regulatory framework of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act and defines them as “virtual asset transfer services.” Companies seeking to engage in such business must register with the Minister of Economy and Finance, and any transfer transactions must be reported through the Bank of Korea’s foreign exchange information network.

Concerns had previously been raised that cross-border virtual asset transactions, being outside the scope of foreign exchange regulation, could be exploited for illegal foreign exchange trading and money laundering. The latest move is seen as an effort to bring such transfers into the formal regulatory system.

BlackRock’s Jay Jacobs: 75% of IBIT Investors Had Never Owned an ETF Before

According to Odaily, BlackRock’s Jay Jacobs said that about 75% of IBIT investors had never previously owned an ETF.

He explained that crypto ETFs are drawing Bitcoin holders into the traditional financial system. IBIT is BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF.

Morgan Stanley Bought an Additional 266.56 BTC Over the Past Week

Odaily, citing Arkham data, reported that Morgan Stanley has been buying the dip in Bitcoin over the past week and increasing its holdings.

Through its spot Bitcoin ETF MSBT, Morgan Stanley purchased an additional 266.56 BTC, worth about $17.26 million.

Morgan Stanley’s total Bitcoin holdings now stand at 4,348 BTC, valued at around $273.8 million.

American Perpetuals Exchange Completes $30 Million Fundraising Round

According to Odaily, American Perpetuals Exchange has completed a $30 million fundraising round led by Lux Capital.

The exchange was reportedly founded by Theodore Gillibrand, son of U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who is known for her crypto-friendly stance.

The company plans to seek approval from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to list perpetual contracts tied to stocks and stock indexes. However, these products will be based on traditional financial assets, not crypto perpetuals.

Theodore Gillibrand previously worked as a researcher at venture capital firm Paradigm and interned at Andreessen Horowitz.

BlackRock-Affiliated ETF Holds $564.8 Million of Strategy-Issued Shares

According to Odaily, BlackRock-affiliated iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF holds a total of $564.8 million worth of Strategy-issued shares, including STRF, STRK, and STRD.

That position accounts for 4.2% of the ETF’s total assets. Strategy is known as a major Bitcoin-holding company, and the inclusion of its securities in related investment products has attracted market attention.

Whale Alert: 799 BTC Moved From Anonymous Wallet to Binance

According to Whale Alert, 799 BTC, worth about $50.49 million, were transferred from an anonymous wallet to Binance.

This was another large Bitcoin transfer, and exchange inflows are often watched as a signal to assess potential selling pressure in the market.

Watcher.Guru: U.S. Military Officially Announces End of Hormuz Strait Blockade

According to Watcher.Guru, the U.S. military announced that the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has officially been lifted.

The Strait of Hormuz is a key passage for Middle East oil shipments. News of the reopening could ease energy market concerns and improve investor sentiment toward global risk assets.