BTC Bitcoin Cryptocurrency Betting
Bitcoin is the cryptocurrency that started it all. There are dozens of other Cryptocurrencies you can use to deposit at BookMaker and hundreds more on the periphery, but Bitcoin is the most well-known of the bunch. Other cryptos such as Ethereum, Litecoin, Cardano, and Ripple have become more popular too, signifying how mainstream crypto is becoming to the public.
Monday, January 5, 2026 News Update
A Major Shift as Bank of America Adds Bitcoin to Its Advisory Playbook
For years, anyone interested in buying Bitcoin through a major institution like Bank of America had to be the one to initiate the conversation. That changed on January 5, 2026. Bank of America now allows its network of more than 15,000 wealth advisers—including those at Merrill and its private bank—to actively recommend Bitcoin ETFs to clients.
This shift signals that one of the world’s largest banks now views crypto as a legitimate component of a diversified portfolio. Here are the five biggest changes behind the move:
1. Advisers Can Finally Bring Up Bitcoin
Previously, advisers could only assist with Bitcoin ETF purchases if a client specifically asked. They were not allowed to suggest it. Now, they can raise the topic proactively—marking Bitcoin’s transition from a niche request to a mainstream investment option.
2. A Curated List of Four Approved ETFs
Bank of America isn’t opening the door to every crypto product. Instead, it has approved four spot Bitcoin ETFs from firms with strong reputations and deep experience managing institutional capital:
IBIT (BlackRock)
FBTC (Fidelity)
BITB (Bitwise)
BTC (Grayscale Mini Trust)
These funds were selected for their liquidity, stability, and the credibility of the companies behind them.
3. A Conservative 1%–4% Allocation Guideline
The bank’s guidance emphasizes moderation. Advisers are encouraged to recommend a Bitcoin allocation between 1% and 4% of a client’s portfolio. More cautious investors may lean toward the low end, while those comfortable with volatility may go higher.
The goal is simple: capture potential upside without exposing clients to outsized risk.
4. Training More Than 15,000 Advisers
To support this rollout, Bank of America is launching extensive training for its entire advisory force. This includes research materials, education sessions, and practical guidance so advisers can confidently explain the role Bitcoin might play in a long-term financial plan.
5. Ethereum Still on Hold
For now, the bank’s approval applies only to Bitcoin. Ethereum ETFs have not yet been added to the recommended list. Many analysts expect Bank of America to watch how the Bitcoin rollout performs before expanding into additional crypto assets or multi-asset “basket” products.
In other news, Bitcoin climbed to just over $93,000 on Monday as traders embraced a renewed appetite for risk across global markets following the U.S. removal of Venezuela’s government. Early-year inflows also helped lift major tokens after a volatile end to 2025.
BTC rose about 1% over the past 24 hours and roughly 3% on the week. Ether held near $3,160 with modest gains, while XRP added around 3% to move above $2.10, continuing its strong start to January. Solana hovered near $136, and DOGE—slightly lower on the day—remained up 17% over the past week, the best performance among large-cap tokens.
Bitcoin Weekly Price Per CoinMarketCap
| WEEK |
BITCOIN PRICE IN USD |
| January 5, 2026 |
93,308.06 |
| December 29, 2025 |
87,412.82 |
| December 22, 2025 |
90,104.49 |
| December 15, 2025 |
89,443.06 |
| December 8, 2025 |
91,505.54 |
| December 1, 2025 |
86,471.26 |
Monday, December 29, 2025 News Update
Why Bitcoin Could Surge 75% in 2026
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is having a rough stretch. The world’s most widely held cryptocurrency is down more than 7% this year and currently trades near $87,000. Climbing back to $100,000 won’t be easy, but a move to $150,000 in 2026—a roughly 75% gain—is far from impossible.
Why a 75% jump isn’t unusual for Bitcoin
For most assets, a 75% surge would be extraordinary. For Bitcoin, it’s well within historical norms. Since 2012, its weakest bull-market year was 2015, when it still rose 36%. In seven different years, Bitcoin delivered triple-digit percentage gains.
If history rhymes, 2026 could resemble 2019—a year when Bitcoin soared 95% after crashing 74% the year before. That rebound was fueled by global economic uncertainty and rising institutional interest. Those same forces are building again.
Today, institutional investors are steadily increasing their Bitcoin exposure through spot Bitcoin ETFs. Meanwhile, persistent concerns about global tariffs and potential U.S. economic softness continue to shape investor sentiment heading into 2026.
Bitcoin vs. Gold: The narrative problem
For Bitcoin to attract meaningful inflows, investors must once again embrace the “digital gold” narrative. Bitcoin’s fixed supply of 21 million coins has long been the foundation of that argument.
But in 2025, the comparison hasn’t held up. Bitcoin is down 7% for the year, while gold has surged 73%. Bitcoin sits 30% below its October peak, yet gold continues to hit new highs. Instead of moving together, the two assets have sharply diverged.
At one point, Bitcoin appeared poised to join the broader “debasement trade”—the shift from fiat currencies into scarce assets like gold, silver, and platinum. But Bitcoin hasn’t followed gold’s trajectory. Unless investors once again view Bitcoin as a long-term store of value rather than a high-beta risk asset, it’s unlikely to outperform physical gold.
The Potential Wildcard: The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve
One catalyst could change everything: large-scale Bitcoin purchases by the U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has signaled that such purchases remain possible if they can be executed in a “budget-neutral” manner.
If the U.S. government begins accumulating Bitcoin as part of a broader push to position America as the global crypto leader, it could trigger a worldwide Bitcoin accumulation race among sovereign nations. Several countries have already announced plans to build strategic Bitcoin reserves.
Government-level buying would likely dwarf the activity of corporate Bitcoin treasuries, which already hold nearly 5% of the circulating supply. Any meaningful sovereign accumulation could drive prices sharply higher.
How Realistic is $150,000?
Despite Bitcoin’s recent weakness, many forecasts for 2026 are even more bullish. JPMorgan Chase has projected a potential price of $170,000, while Fundstrat’s Tom Lee has floated the possibility of $250,000.
Reaching $150,000 will require several things to go right: Bitcoin must reestablish its digital-gold identity, and the U.S. government may need to expand its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. If those conditions align, a move to $150,000 becomes far more plausible.
History
In January 2009, Bitcoin was created by Satoshi Nakamoto. The identity of Nakamoto remains hotly debated to this day, but that person or group changed the world with this invention. Like many major breakthroughs, it took a while for people to grasp why Bitcoin was special. Bitcoin was created in the midst of the banking crisis, and one of its major goals was to give people another option to buy and sell products outside of a heavily regulated and centralized banking system.
The first entities to fully embrace Bitcoin were black market enterprises like Silk Road. For a while, Bitcoin became synonymous with the notorious website, but its use became more and more widespread starting in 2013.
That led to the price of Bitcoin skyrocketing and reaching incredible heights in 2017. On January 1, 2017 a single Bitcoin was worth $998, but that price rose by nearly 20-fold near the end of the year, hitting an all-time high of $19,666 on December 17, 2017. Bitcoin has left those prices in the dust in 2021, as the price of Bitcoin is approaching $50,000.
Stability
One of the major criticisms of Bitcoin is that the currency wildly fluctuates and that has proven to be true in 2021. As Bitcoin has become more accepted and understood, investors are getting a better understanding of what leads to price changes, and that has led to the Bitcoin market looking a lot like the stock market.
Security
There have been fears over how secure Bitcoin is over the years, but transactions are even more secure as they are in the traditional marketplace thanks to blockchain technology.
Whereas we are constantly hearing stories of companies having their databases hacked and identities being stolen, the nature of blockchain presents this from happening with Bitcoin.
For a transaction to occur, the sender must know their private key and digitally sign the transaction, and the signature must be verified by the network using the public key. The number of private keys makes it nearly impossible to hack into another person’s account, but there is one thing to keep in mind. You MUST keep your private key backed up somewhere or else you will lose access to your Bitcoin. Don’t make the mistake of not backing up your private key and risk losing your hard earned money.
How do I buy Bitcoin?
You can buy Bitcoin by using one of the major currency exchanges such as Coinbase or Gemini. These exchanges allow you to use a credit or debit card or bank transfer to buy Bitcoin. You can then send Bitcoin to your sportsbook account and you can withdraw Bitcoin from your sportsbook account to your digital wallet.
BookMaker.eu offers Cryptocurrency as an easier, cheaper, safer and more reliable option for deposits and withdrawals. Cash in on the crypto craze while taking advantage of BookMaker’s great Bitcoin bonuses!
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