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The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights MicroStrategy, Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ETF, iShares Bitcoin Trust, Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Trust, ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF and Bitwise Bitcoin ETF

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – August 18, 2025 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: MicroStrategy (MSTR - Free Report) , Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ETF (GBTC - Free Report) , iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT - Free Report) , Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Trust (FBTC - Free Report) , ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB - Free Report) and Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB - Free Report) .

Here are highlights from Friday’s Analyst Blog:

Bitcoin Hits Record High: ETFs in Focus

Bitcoin recently rose above $124,000, hitting a fresh record as institutional buying and expectations of looser monetary policy in the United States fueled the rally. The world’s largest cryptocurrency has climbed about 30% so far this year and soared 60% from April’s market lows.

Institutional Inflows and Corporate Adoption

A key driver of this rally has been inflows into spot exchange-traded funds and corporate purchases of bitcoin. Several public companies have followed the strategy of software-firm-turned-bitcoin-giant MicroStrategy, adding bitcoin to their balance sheets as a strategic reserve asset.

401(k) Crypto Access Could Expand Retail Participation

The Trump administration’s pro-crypto stance is another key driver. Last week, President Trump issued an executive order directing the Labor Department to explore allowing 401(k) retirement plans to hold cryptocurrencies and other alternative assets—a move that could boost retail access to bitcoin.

Fed Rate Cut Bets

Bitcoin is viewed as a risk-on asset. Expectations of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut in September, hence, boosted prices of most cryptocurrencies along with equities. Market watchers also anticipate Trump’s next Fed chair appointment will favor looser monetary policy, further boosting risk-on assets like bitcoin.

Ethereum Nears All-Time High

Ethereum also saw strong gains on Aug. 13, 2025, with prices rising nearly 6% to above $4,700—ust shy of its 2021 record highs. Ether has risen more than 50% since the GENIUS Act was passed, setting rules for the stablecoin industry.

Companies are increasingly adding ether to their reserves in order to gain exposure to blockchain infrastructure powering decentralized finance (DeFi) and stablecoins. This week, ethereum-focused treasury firm Bitmine Immersion Technologies announced plans to sell up to $20 billion in stock to expand its ether holdings.

Regulatory Clarity Boosts Market Confidence

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s launch of “Project Crypto,” an initiative to modernize the agency and clarify digital asset rules, has further strengthened investor sentiment. Fundstrat forecasts ETH could rise as high as $15,000 by year-end, as quoted on Yahoo Finance.

Bitcoin ETFs in Focus

Against this backdrop, one can invest in Bitcoin-based exchange-traded funds (ETFs). These are Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ETF, iShares Bitcoin Trust, Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Trust, ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF and Bitwise Bitcoin ETF.

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

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