The reduction in Bitcoin mining production was linked to a 52% decrease in transaction fees collected by miners compared to the previous month, alongside a 9% increase in the network's global mining difficulty. The shorter duration of February compared to January also contributed to this decline. Additionally, mining companies sold 60% of the Bitcoin they mined in February, a lower proportion than the 65% sold in January.
The recent rise in Bitcoin's price experienced a slight setback on Tuesday, with the digital currency's value dropping by approximately 0.3% to a price of $71,929.
In the realm of investments, H.C. Wainwright reported that Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States witnessed unprecedented levels of new investments. In just the past week, these financial products garnered over $2.2 billion in new investments, surpassing the previous record of $1.7 billion set the week before. This heightened investor interest has propelled the price of Bitcoin to record levels, with the value of the digital currency surpassing $72,000 for the first time after surpassing its previous all-time high of $69,000 the previous Tuesday.
The firm also noted that recent regulatory filings from BlackRock revealed intentions to invest in Bitcoin ETFs, including its own iShares Bitcoin Trust, as well as ETFs offered by other financial companies. This indicates a growing trend of large-scale investment in Bitcoin, with three of BlackRock's funds—the Global Allocation Fund, the Strategic Income Opportunities Fund, and the Strategic Global Bond Fund—now authorized to directly invest in Bitcoin ETFs that track spot prices. Additionally, H.C. Wainwright highlighted that MicroStrategy has maintained its Bitcoin investment strategy, acquiring an additional 12,000 BTC at an approximate cost of $821.7 million.
Last week, the price of Bitcoin surged by 9.4%, edging closer to its highest value reached in November 2021. The total network computing power experienced an 8.0% week-over-week increase, while mining difficulty on the network remained unchanged. Even with the rise in Bitcoin's price, the value of mining companies' stocks decreased by 1.4% during the same week.
H.C. Wainwright reiterated earlier statements today, suggesting that the recent underperformance of mining company stocks presents an attractive investment opportunity. The firm believes that the lackluster performance is due to investors shifting their capital from mining stocks to Bitcoin ETFs that track spot prices, concerns about miners' future earnings following the Bitcoin halving event, and a market correction after mining stocks had previously increased in value more than Bitcoin itself in the last quarter of 2023. The firm remains optimistic about the future of the Bitcoin mining industry, noting that in 2023, mining companies performed significantly better than Bitcoin itself.