In recent weeks, Litecoin (LTC) has captured investor attention by increasing its market value by 46% over a two-week period. Ranked 15th among cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, Litecoin has registered impressive on-chain transaction volumes of $9.6 billion, according to data from Santiment, amidst growing investor optimism.
While Bitcoin and Ethereum typically dominate the cryptocurrency conversation, Litecoin has been steadily gaining traction. Data from Santiment reveals that between February 2 and February 19, Litecoin's market capitalization rose significantly, driven by growing network utility and rising institutional interest.
Despite lacking the social media buzz of other major cryptocurrencies such as XRP, Solana, Chainlink, or Cardano, Litecoin has experienced a notable value increase, partly spurred by speculations around an exchange-traded fund (ETF).
Bloomberg analysts James Seyffart and Eric Balchunas recently indicated that there is a 90% likelihood the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will approve an ETF for Litecoin. This probability outpaces the chances for larger market cap cryptocurrencies, including Dogecoin, Ripple, and Solana.
Canary Capital has filed to list a Litecoin ETF, with the SEC acknowledging the filing and beginning its review. Should the ETF receive approval, it would enable mainstream investors to gain Litecoin exposure without directly managing the asset.
Beyond ETF speculation, Litecoin's recent on-chain trading activity, amounting to $9.6 billion, marks a significant increase from $2.8 billion six months ago, a 242% increase.
Market analysts foresee Litecoin's price reaching $140, with the potential to climb to $170 if current momentum persists. As of this writing, Litecoin trades at just above $133, reflecting a 3.4% gain over the past 24 hours, and up 94% over the last year, surpassing the $10 billion market value mark.
While this is modest compared to Bitcoin's market cap near $2 trillion, Bitcoin's dip to a two-week low of $93,500 allowed Litecoin to outperform both Bitcoin and the broader cryptocurrency market, which posted a mere 0.60% rise.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered financial or legal advice. Always conduct your own research or consult a professional when dealing with cryptocurrency assets.