New Fund Offers Bitcoin Holders a Path to EU Citizenship via Portugal's Golden Visa
A new investment fund is offering Bitcoin holders a route to European Union citizenship through Portugal's Golden Visa program. Alessandro Palombo, co-founder and CEO of Unbound Fund, announced on social media platform X that by investing in Bitcoin now, one can obtain Portuguese citizenship. He highlighted that his fund is the first to qualify for the Portuguese Golden Visa program while providing exposure to Bitcoin.
Eligibility for Citizenship with Bitcoin Investment
Investors can qualify for the Portuguese Residency by Investment Program, a five-year initiative for non-EU citizens, if they hold at least €500,000 (approximately $542,000) in Bitcoin through the fund. Unbound Fund exclusively invests in companies with a 100% passive holding in Bitcoin and avoids market timing strategies for selling BTC. Additionally, it invests in BlackRock-listed ETFs to ensure greater security and simplicity.
Palombo's Perspective on Bitcoin and Mobility
Palombo emphasized the potential of using Bitcoin as a tool for greater mobility, aligning this choice with his personal decision to reside in Portugal with his family. He stated, "The European investment citizenship program is the best for technical and strategic reasons," and added that Unbound has already secured several clients and is in negotiations with various complementary teams.
Bitcoin Market Activity and Price Surge
The cryptocurrency market has seen significant activity recently. On July 22, Bitcoin's price surged to its highest level in 40 days, reaching $68,518 on some platforms. Analysts attribute this nearly 20% gain over ten days to the end of the German government's Bitcoin sales and increased investor confidence in a potential interest rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve later this year.
The bullish trend also pushed the Bitcoin futures premium to its highest level in five weeks, indicating an optimistic sentiment among professional traders. Analysts suggest that if Bitcoin continues its upward trend, it could surpass the $72,000 threshold. However, the price has shown volatility, recently dropping to $64,326, a 4.2% decrease over five days, indicating a period of fluctuations ahead.
Bitcoin Spot ETFs Experience Outflows
On July 23, Bitcoin spot ETFs experienced net outflows totaling $77.97 million, marking the first net outflow after twelve consecutive days of net inflows. Grayscale's GBTC saw a significant net outflow of $27.31 million. Similarly, the Ark & 21Shares ETF recorded a substantial outflow of $52.29 million, and Bitwise experienced an outflow of $70.32 million. In contrast, BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) bucked the trend with a net inflow of $71.94 million.
Broader Investment Trends in Digital Assets
Despite the outflows from Bitcoin spot ETFs, digital asset investment products saw substantial inflows of $1.35 billion last week, bringing the total inflows over the past three weeks to an impressive $3.2 billion. Bitcoin remained a popular choice among investors, attracting $1.27 billion in inflows last week alone.
Implications and Future Outlook
The launch of this new fund offering a path to EU citizenship via Bitcoin investment reflects the growing intersection of cryptocurrency and global mobility solutions. It provides an innovative way for investors to leverage their digital assets for tangible benefits, such as residency and citizenship.
The recent market dynamics, including the significant price movements and ETF inflows and outflows, highlight the ongoing volatility and evolving sentiment in the cryptocurrency market. As institutional interest continues to grow and regulatory landscapes evolve, these factors will play a crucial role in shaping the future of Bitcoin and other digital assets.