Analyst: Rapid De-escalation of US-Iran Conflict, Morgan Stanley Bitcoin ETF Launch, and Other Catalysts Driving Bitcoin Price Higher

April 1st (CoinDesk) — Former President Donald Trump said the Iran conflict is expected to end within two to three weeks without needing to reach an agreement with Tehran, and he will deliver a national address at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday. Iranian President Pezeshkiyan later told the European Council president that Tehran “has the necessary willingness to end this war” but is seeking assurances against future attacks. On the back of this news, Asia-Pacific stocks surged, while S&P 500 futures also rose. In contrast, the cryptocurrency market reacted more mutedly, with Bitcoin fluctuating between $65,000 and $73,000 throughout the conflict. Alex Blume, CEO of Two Prime, noted three key catalysts that could drive Bitcoin higher in Q2: the launch of Morgan Stanley’s Bitcoin ETF, ongoing funding for Bitcoin purchases via Strategy’s STRC preferred stock, and a rapid resolution to the Iran war. The approved Morgan Stanley Bitcoin ETF has a fee of 14 basis points—lower than the category average of 11 basis points—and will open access to the firm’s 16,000 financial advisors and the $6.2 trillion in assets they oversee.