NOW THE HERD FOLLOWS.
The bull from Four Figures returns to the same valley, now broad-shouldered and running at the head of a herd. His white blaze and white foreleg remain unmistakable. Dust rises around the charging animals, and the familiar wooden sign now reads $100,000.
Bitcoin first traded above $100,000 on 5 December 2024 in UTC, during the Asian morning and the previous evening in the United States. Reuters reported a high of $103,649 before the price slipped back below $100,000 later that day. The crossing followed a rally accelerated by Donald Trump's US election victory and expectations of a more crypto-friendly administration.
Earlier that year, the US Securities and Exchange Commission had approved the listing and trading of spot bitcoin exchange-traded product shares. These products opened another route to bitcoin exposure through securities markets. The SEC made clear that its decision was approval of those shares, not an endorsement of bitcoin.
The journey from the first sign to the second had included sharp reversals, with bitcoin falling below $16,000 after FTX collapsed in 2022. By December 2024, it had reached six figures. The bull's familiar markings carry the earlier card into this louder, busier scene: where he once stood alone, a herd now follows through the gate.
Sources & the artist’s interpretation
Sources: Reuters, 5 December 2024 (syndicated) ; SEC, spot bitcoin ETP statement ; AP, 5 December 2024 . The bull, herd, valley and sign are symbolic artwork, not a documentary scene. The herd suggests wider participation, not a measured investor count or universal profit. The sign's line is illustrative, not a price chart or promise of future gains. The paired captions are editorial, not quotations.
