The cryptocurrency market witnessed another historic milestone on March 8, 2024, as Bitcoin briefly surpassed the $70,000 mark for the very first time. The world’s largest cryptocurrency reached an intraday high of $70,105 before pulling back to trade around $68,300, capping off a week of unprecedented volatility and record-setting price action.
TL;DR
- Bitcoin briefly hit $70,105 — its first-ever crossing of the $70K threshold
- Over $3 billion in Bitcoin and Ethereum options expired on March 8
- Ethereum surged toward $4,000, hitting a 27-month high
- MicroStrategy closed a $700 million convertible notes offering to buy more Bitcoin
- Spot BTC ETFs continued to attract billions in institutional inflows
A Record-Breaking Rally Fueled by ETF Demand
Bitcoin’s push above $70,000 was driven by a powerful combination of institutional demand and macroeconomic tailwinds. Billions of dollars have flowed into newly launched US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds in recent weeks, creating sustained buying pressure that has pushed prices to levels never before seen in the asset’s 15-year history.
The rally also received support from growing expectations that global interest rates would begin falling, making risk assets like cryptocurrencies more attractive to investors. Antoni Trenchev, co-founder of crypto lending platform Nexo, noted the difficulty of navigating old highs, stating that “the bitcoin dam doesn’t tend to burst at the first time of asking.”
The volatility was palpable. After hitting a record high earlier in the week, Bitcoin had sharply reversed course, falling more than 10% below $60,000 before staging its dramatic recovery to the $70,000 zone. Such swings have become a hallmark of this bull cycle, with large corrections quickly absorbed by eager buyers.
$3 Billion Options Expiry Adds Fuel to the Fire
March 8 also marked a significant date in the derivatives market, with over $3 billion worth of Bitcoin and Ethereum options set to expire. Data from Greeks.live showed that approximately 270,000 Ethereum options contracts were due to expire alongside a substantial volume of Bitcoin options, creating a moment of heightened market uncertainty.
Large options expirations often serve as catalysts for volatility, as traders either roll over their positions or let them settle, potentially triggering sharp price movements in either direction. The combination of a record-breaking price rally and a massive options expiry made March 8 one of the most consequential trading days of 2024.
Ethereum Joins the Party, Nears $4,000
While Bitcoin dominated headlines, Ethereum was quietly staging its own impressive rally. ETH neared the $4,000 mark for the first time since December 2021, reaching approximately $3,892 and posting a 27-month high. The second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, with a valuation of roughly $467.5 billion, benefited from anticipation surrounding the upcoming Dencun upgrade scheduled for March 13.
The Dencun upgrade, considered the most significant enhancement to the Ethereum network since the Merge, introduces proto-danksharding through EIP-4844. This feature is designed to enhance transaction processing and reduce costs for layer-2 chains and rollups, potentially unlocking significant scalability improvements.
MicroStrategy Doubles Down With $700 Million Offering
Corporate Bitcoin adoption reached new heights as MicroStrategy closed its upsized convertible notes offering on March 8. The business intelligence firm, led by Michael Saylor, increased its debt raise from an initially planned $600 million to $700 million in convertible senior notes due 2030, carrying an interest rate of just 0.625% per annum.
The notes were priced with an initial conversion rate of $1,497.68 per share, representing a 42.5% premium over the previous day’s closing price of $1,051.01. The offering was expected to generate between $684.3 million and $782 million in proceeds, all earmarked for additional Bitcoin acquisitions.
As of early March, MicroStrategy held approximately 193,000 BTC acquired for over $6 billion — making it the largest publicly traded corporate holder of Bitcoin. The company’s stock had surged nearly 80% since January, closely tracking Bitcoin’s upward trajectory.
Why This Matters
Bitcoin’s first breach of $70,000 represents far more than a psychological milestone. It signals the maturation of crypto as a legitimate asset class, with spot ETFs providing a regulated on-ramp for institutional capital that was previously sidelined. The fact that this rally occurred before the April halving — historically a bullish catalyst — suggests the market may be entering uncharted territory. Combined with Ethereum’s Dencun upgrade and growing corporate adoption via companies like MicroStrategy, March 8, 2024 may well be remembered as a turning point in mainstream crypto acceptance.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Cryptocurrency investments are subject to high market risk. Always conduct your own research before making investment decisions.
watched it hit $70,105 live and then immediately dump $1,800. the candle wick was brutal. still one of my favorite crypto moments
that Nexo quote about the dam not bursting first time… dude was right. $70K got rejected, came back weeks later and blew past it
ETH at a 27 month high heading into $3B options expiry. the gamma squeeze potential was absolutely massive that week
MicroStrategy raising $700M specifically to buy more BTC at these levels is either genius or insane. probably both.