Litecoin (LTC), long considered the silver to Bitcoin’s gold, has surged back into the spotlight with a price increase of 16.64% in the past 24 hours, climbing to $118.40.
The rally has catapulted Litecoin’s market capitalization from $7.64 billion to $8.95 billion, adding over $1 billion in value in just one day and securing its position as the 20th largest cryptocurrency by market cap.
The price surge has ignited bullish sentiment, driven by a mix of regulatory speculation, institutional activity, and technical accumulation. Analysts and investors are increasingly optimistic about Litecoin’s near-term prospects, viewing it as a prime candidate for broader adoption and institutional interest.
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Litecoin ETF speculation
At the heart of Litecoin’s recent rally is growing speculation about the potential approval of a Litecoin ETF. The Canary Capital S-1 filing, recently amended and filed with the SEC, has signaled continued engagement, sparking hope that regulatory greenlights could be on the horizon.
James Seyffart, a prominent ETF analyst, noted on January 15:
“Canary Funds just filed an amended S-1 for their Litecoin ETF filing. No guarantees—but this might be indicative of SEC engagement on the filing. Still no 19b-4 filing yet though, which would start the approval/denial clock.”
Adding further momentum to this narrative, Eric Balchunas, a well-known ETF expert, highlighted:
“We had heard chatter that the Litecoin S-1 had gotten comments back from the SEC. This looks to confirm that, which bodes well for our prediction that Litecoin is most likely to be the next coin approved. All that said, the new SEC chair has yet to start, and that’s a huge variable.”
The transition of the SEC chair from Gary Gensler to Paul Atkins, a figure regarded as crypto-friendly, has provided additional confidence. The impending Trump inauguration has also intensified discussions about a more favorable regulatory environment, particularly for altcoin-focused ETFs. Litecoin, alongside XRP and ADA, is being positioned as a key beneficiary of this evolving regulatory landscape, with the potential to see significant demand from institutional investors should an ETF be approved.
Litecoin whales emerge out of the blue
Institutional interest has also played a pivotal role in Litecoin’s recent ascent. The Grayscale Litecoin Trust (LTC) raised $2.3 million through a private placement of 242,900 new shares on January 9, 2025.
Simultaneously, on-chain analytics from Santiment have identified a significant accumulation of Litecoin by whales and sharks, who have collectively acquired 250,000 LTC since January 9.
LTC price prediction
From a technical perspective, LTC’s short-term trend remains volatile, analysts like Javon Marks see signs of significant strength emerging.
He noted: “Litecoin back climbing with signs of MAJOR STRENGTH here and could be ready for a continuation towards its first target at $354.36! With this target, an over 207% upside can be on the way, and that may only be a start.”
This aligns with Litecoin’s historical tendency to perform strongly during favorable market conditions and pivotal developments, such as the introduction of new investment products like ETFs.
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