Former BitMEX CEO Arthur Hayes Says Bitcoin ETFs Could Attract Billions of Dollars

While being bullish on Bitcoin ETFs for the long term, Arthur Hayes expressed bearish sentiments on Bitcoin in January, anticipating a short-term correction of up to 30% in prices.

In a recent post on Tuesday, Arthur Hayes, Chief Investment Officer of the family office Maelstrom and former CEO of BitMEX, delves into the allure of Bitcoin () for investors, citing market inefficiency and its uncorrelated behavior with traditional assets as key factors attracting billions in capital from broader financial markets. As one of the earliest and most notable Bitcoin traders, Hayes highlights the potential for spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to unlock new trading opportunities.

He emphasizes that these ETFs could provide traders with avenues to capitalize on the discrepancies between Bitcoin prices in US benchmarks and the global market, presenting a chance to profit from these variations.

Hayes’ insights shed light on the distinctive appeal of Bitcoin within the financial landscape, driven by its unique market dynamics and potential for diversification. In his recently published blog post, Hayes wrote:

“Bitcoin is a global market, and price discovery happens primarily on BINANCE (I guess based in Abu Dhabi). For the first time in a long time, the Bitcoin markets will have a predictable and long-lasting arbitrage opportunity. Hopefully, billions of dollars of flow will be concentrated in an hour-long period on exchanges that are less liquid and price followers of their larger Eastern competitors. I expect there to be juicy spot arbitrage opportunities available”.

Hayes: Bitcoin ETFs Anticipated to Emerge in Asian Markets

Arthur Hayes foresees the emergence of spot ETF products in major Asian markets, particularly in Hong Kong, catering to the “China southbound flow.” He also points to the presence of highly regulated bourses and native cryptocurrency exchanges in these markets as potential catalysts for creating market inefficiencies, thereby offering lucrative profit opportunities.

Furthermore, Hayes envisions significant growth in the ETF-based financing sector as Bitcoin trading becomes increasingly prevalent in the coming years. Financial institutions might establish desks providing fiat loans against Bitcoin ETF holdings, leveraging the spread and influencing Bitcoin interest rates, thereby introducing further market imbalances.

In a related development, Hayes, who expressed bearish sentiments on Bitcoin in January, anticipates a short-term correction of up to 30% in prices. This sentiment aligns with the outlook of several other traders, who share expectations of prices potentially dropping as low as $38,000 before the onset of the next upward trend. These insights collectively shed light on the evolving dynamics of the cryptocurrency market and the potential shifts in trading strategies.