The price of bitcoin spiked and dipped following a fake post from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission claiming it had approved the long awaited spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund.
Bitcoin‘s price rose to around $47,950 before crashing to $45,285, according to The Block’s Price Page for bitcoin. The token is now changing hands at $45,881 at 4:38 p.m. ET.
The fake post
At 4:11 p.m. ET, the fake post pushed out from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s X account wrote, “Today the SEC grants approval for Bitcoin ETFs for listing on all registered national securities exchanges. The approved Bitcoin ETFs will be subject to ongoing surveillance and compliance measures to ensure continued investor protection.”
The post also included what appeared to be a quote from SEC Chair Gary Gensler stating, “Today’s approval enhances market transparency and provides investors with efficient access to digital asset investments within a regulated framework.”
However, The Block has since confirmed that its X account had been compromised and that the post regarding spot bitcoin ETFs was fraudulent.
Disclaimer: The Block is an independent media outlet that delivers news, research, and data. As of November 2023, Foresight Ventures is a majority investor of The Block. Foresight Ventures invests in other companies in the crypto space. Crypto exchange Bitget is an anchor LP for Foresight Ventures. The Block continues to operate independently to deliver objective, impactful, and timely information about the crypto industry. Here are our current financial disclosures.
© 2023 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.