There Could Be A Sudden Influx Of Bitcoin Investors

Bitcoin and cryptocurrency traders are keenly waiting for the next wave of investors to enter the space, with many expecting them to send the bitcoin price soaring when, or if, they do arrive.

The bitcoin price, which has been rallying hard so far this year, has plateaued at around $10,000 per bitcoin as traders nervously await regulatory reaction to Facebook’s much-hyped libra project.

Now, new research from digital currency asset manager Grayscale Investments has found that more than a third (36%) of U.S. investors would consider buying bitcoin, representing a potential market of more than 21 million investors in the general population.

Bitcoin’s 2017 bull run was largely fueled by retail investor interest and the next one could be too.

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“Since its introduction in 2009, bitcoin has steadily grown in popularity and today has expanded its reach to a broad mainstream audience,” the report authors wrote.

“Investors are constantly looking for new ways to diversify their portfolios as traditional assets and markets have begun to move more closely in sync with one another. Increasingly, savvy investors recognize that bitcoin and other digital currencies may have unique investment characteristics that provide diversification far beyond the basic 60% stock/40% bond portfolio allocation.”

The number of retail investors in the bitcoin and crypto space has remained surprisingly steady over the last year, despite expectations that institutional investment has been growing.