Bitcoin hit a new ATH at $122K this week—then pulled back. Ethereum soared past $3,300. Institutional money is pouring in.

17th July 2025 • 13 mins read

This Week’s Recap

  • Bitcoin Hits New All‑Time High Above $122,000 on July 14: Bitcoin vaulted past $120,000 for the first time on July 14, reaching a record high of $122,603.22 before easing back to around $119,750.86. The rally was driven by investor optimism during U.S. “crypto week,” as lawmakers prepare to debate key bills and President Trump backs industry‑friendly regulations. Other digital assets also advanced, lifting total crypto market capitalization to about $3.8 trillion, with Ether trading above $3,000 and XRP up 2.7%
  • Bitcoin Pulls Back, Trading Near $117,000 After Profit‑Taking: Bitcoin eased about 3% from its record highs, trading near $116,925 as traders cashed in profits following the recent surge. Despite the pullback, the price remains up roughly 7% over the past week, underscoring resilient upside momentum. Market analysts warn that further profit‑taking could persist in the near term, yet overall sentiment stays bullish thanks to ongoing legislative optimism and strong institutional interest. 
  • Bitcoin ETFs See $2.7 Billion in Inflows Last Week, Led by BlackRock’s IBIT: Spot Bitcoin ETFs accumulated $2.7 billion in net inflows over the past week, marking the busiest week since their launch. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) accounted for the bulk of these flows, significantly boosting its assets under management. This institutional demand for growing confidence around Bitcoin’s record‑setting price and anticipated regulatory clarity.
  • MicroStrategy Boosts Bitcoin Reserves, Adding to $45 Billion ETF Inflows: MicroStrategy purchased 4,225 BTC for $472.5 million between July 7–13, raising its total holdings to 601,550 BTC.  Bitcoin ETFs have attracted over $45 billion in cumulative inflows to date, reflecting robust institutional conviction. The combination of corporate treasury accumulation and ETF demand shows growing long‑term institutional confidence in Bitcoin’s potential.
  • Ethereum Holds Above $3,100 Amid Institutional Demand: Ethereum’s price extended above $3,100 on July 16 after a 5.24% rally, marking its highest level since February. The uptrend was supported by $383.1 million in ETF inflows and strong institutional investment, highlighting growing confidence in ETH’s long‑term outlook. Market analysts now target $3,400 next, citing bullish technical indicators and continued demand from crypto treasury entities. 
  • Peter Thiel Acquires 9.1% Stake in BitMine Immersion Technologies, Holding 163,000 ETH: Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund disclosed a 9.1% stake in BitMine Immersion Technologies via a 13G filing, marking his first Ethereum‑focused investment since 2023. BitMine Immersion holds 163,142 ETH valued at over $500 million, echoing corporate crypto treasury trends. 
  • ETH Staking Breaks Records as Institutional Appetite Surges: The total amount of staked ETH hit a new all-time high, with over 34.6 million tokens locked, representing nearly $90 billion in value. On-chain data reveal institutional wallets, including ETF providers and whale addresses, drove a 2.83 percent monthly increase, underscoring growing corporate demand. ETF inflows of $861 million over two weeks and treasury allocations by firms like BitMine Immersion highlight ETH’s evolution into an institutional-grade asset.
  • XRP ETFs Launch Globally, Driving Altcoin Rally: In July 2025, a suite of XRP ETFs and ETPs debuted across the U.S., Europe, and Asia—including ProShares’ futures ETF and Teucrium’s leveraged fund—ushering in a new era of regulated XRP investment vehicles . Institutional inflows poured into these products, with ProShares and Teucrium ETFs logging strong volume and Grayscale adding XRP exposure, underscoring rising demand across major markets. This wave of ETF offerings has catalyzed some altcoin rally, lifting XRP by over 12 percent week-to-date and bolstering related tokens like Cardano and Solana 
  • Cardano’s Glacier Airdrop Nears, But ADA Faces Short‑Term Sell Pressure: The Glacier airdrop will distribute NIGHT tokens to 37 million wallets based on ADA holdings as of June 9, with one ADA granting about 0.816 NIGHT tokens. ADA is trading at $0.5876, down 2.42% in the past 24 hours and 67% from its December peak, reflecting profit-taking ahead of the event. Recipients are expected to liquidate their NIGHT tokens upon distribution, creating short-term sell pressure similar to previous large-scale airdrops. 
  • Aptos Surges as Third‑Largest RWA Platform with $538 M TVL: Aptos’ total value locked jumped 56.28% to $538 million by early July, making it the third-largest blockchain network for real-world assets globally. Institutional players like Berkeley Square, Franklin Templeton, and BlackRock are driving this growth by tokenizing private credit, stablecoins, and U.S. Treasuries on Aptos. Despite robust TVL inflows, the APT token price has diverged, trading 5% lower around $4.42 and highlighting a temporary decoupling between network utility and valuation. 
  • U.S. House Committees Push for Crypto Clarity with CLARITY Act by July 2025: The House Financial Services and Agriculture Committees reported the Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act by bipartisan votes of 32‑19 and 47‑6 respectively, advancing the bill to the full House for consideration. Lawmakers are targeting enactment by July to resolve whether digital assets fall under SEC or CFTC jurisdiction, addressing a key regulatory ambiguity. Supporters contend the Act will foster institutional engagement and innovation by establishing clear oversight, while some critics caution it may impose onerous compliance requirements on nascent DeFi projects 
  • GENIUS Act for Stablecoin Regulation Faces House Stalemate: The U.S. House procedural vote to consider the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act stalled late on July 16, 2025, as hardline Republicans delayed debate despite President Trump’s intervention to break the impasse. After clearing an initial hurdle, the vote remained open for hours and previously failed on July 15 due to opposition from nine Republicans aligned with Democrats, marking a record legislative stalemate. If advanced, the GENIUS Act would establish the first federal framework for stablecoins, but further progress now hinges on resolving internal GOP disputes over central bank digital currency proposals.
  • South Korea Reclassifies Crypto Firms as Startups for Tax Benefits: On July 9, South Korea’s Ministry of Small‑Medium Enterprises and Startups proposed amending the Special Act on Promoting Venture Businesses to allow virtual asset service providers to register as venture companies, granting them tax cuts and government subsidies. Previously, crypto firms were excluded from venture certification and grouped with high‑risk sectors like gambling, barring access to financing support and R&D incentives. The policy aims to activate the venture ecosystem, attract both domestic and international investment, and bolster South Korea’s position as a digital finance hub. 
  • Cantor Fitzgerald SPAC to Close $4 B Bitcoin Deal with Adam Back: Cantor Equity Partners 1, a SPAC chaired by Brandon Lutnick, is set to acquire over $3 billion worth of bitcoin from Adam Back’s Blockstream Capital, with plans to raise up to $800 million in additional funding to push total deal value past $4 billion. The transaction will convert the SPAC into BSTR Holdings, exchanging Back’s in‑kind bitcoin contribution for shares and aligning his interests with public investors

Bitcoin Market Analysis

Bitcoin’s trajectory was shaped by consumer inflation data and robust institutional demand. On July 15, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the Consumer Price Index rose by 0.3% month‑over‑month and 2.7% year‑over‑year in June, the highest annual pace since February, prompting a short‑term pullback in risk assets in the Consumer Price Index release. In the immediate aftermath, Bitcoin retraced from its intraday high of $122,603 to a low near $116,500 as traders digested inflation risks as noted by Cointelegraph. Despite this, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs logged $3.4 billion in net inflows, including a record $2.2 billion over two days. Major corporate treasuries also participated, with MicroStrategy acquiring 4,225 BTC in the week through July 13, bringing its holdings above 600,000 BTC.

Source: Tradingview

Over the period, Bitcoin opened around $115,880 on July 11 and closed near $117,678 on July 16, generating a modest 1.6% net gain. The weekly low of $115,880 on July 11 was followed by a peak of $122,603 on July 14, marking a fresh all‑time high before the mid‑week retracement. The standout single‑day move was July 11’s 4.1% rally amid heavy ETF flows, contrasted by a 1.8% decline on July 16 as inflation data spurred profit‑taking. From a chart perspective, Bitcoin decisively broke above the $100,000‑112,000 sideways channel in early July, signaling a bullish resumption. All key moving averages slope upward, with price trading above the 200‑day simple moving average, confirming a robust bull bias. Momentum remains constructive, with the MACD line above its signal line yet contracting histogram bars, and the RSI‑14 hovering in neutral territory, suggesting room for further gains.

On July 15, a dormant 2011‑era address stirred markets by transferring 40,009 BTC to Galaxy Digital, with 6,000 BTC subsequently routed to major exchanges, a whale event that likely contributed to intraday volatility as highlighted on TradingView. Meanwhile, in the mining sphere, CoinShares projects the global Bitcoin hashrate will surpass 1 zettahash per second by July 2025, reflecting ongoing network growth and security enhancements. Regulatory innovation continues with Trump Media & Technology Group filing for a Crypto Blue Chip ETF that would allocate 70% to Bitcoin alongside other tokens, indicating expanding ETF competition and diversification of institutional vehicles. Looking ahead, traders should watch for sustained ETF flow momentum, further on‑chain engagement, and upcoming U.S. macro data, each poised to drive volatility and define Bitcoin’s next directional leg.

On July 16, 2025, Binance commanded over 55 % of global crypto trading volume, surpassing $8 billion in daily activity—more than double the previous week’s average—underscoring a return of capital from institutional participants and high‑volume traders. Almost simultaneously, more than $2 billion worth of stablecoins (primarily newly minted USDT from Tether) flooded major derivatives platforms, signaling heightened leverage appetite. This surge in fresh liquidity provides immediate buying power for long positions in Bitcoin and altcoins and has historically preceded major bullish rallies.

Source: https://cryptoquant.com/

Recent on‑chain data reveals whale inflows to Binance jumped from $5.17 billion on July 13 to $6.7 billion on July 15, a $1.5 billion increase that often heralds short‑term price pressure. On the same day, MicroStrategy recorded an outflow of roughly 10,000 BTC, echoing its June 9 withdrawal of 13,000 BTC that preceded a market response, suggesting potential spot‑market sales. Further, entities holding over 10,000 BTC collectively distributed more than 36,000 BTC in the past eight days, highlighting a shift from accumulation to distribution. These institutional flows and whale movements point to growing caution amid macro uncertainty and should be closely watched to anticipate Bitcoin’s next directional moves.

Source: https://cryptoquant.com/

Ethereum Market Analysis

Over the week of July 10-16 2025, Ethereum’s price action was defined by a decisive breakout above its 200‑day simple moving average at $2,516 and a subsequent breach of the $3,000 resistance zone, signaling a clear resumption of the long‑term uptrend. These gains emerged even as the daily RSI‑14 climbed above 70, indicating overbought conditions, and amid growing speculation that U.S. regulators may greenlight spot staking ETFs alongside a yield‑bearing stablecoin framework under the GENIUS Act.

Source: https://altfins.com/technical-analysis

Ethereum opened the period at $2,770 on July 10 and closed at $3,370 on July 16, delivering a 21.7 % net gain. The week’s low of $2,770 on July 10 gave way to a high of $3,430 on July 16, with the strongest single‑day advance of +7.44 % registered on that final trading day. Midweek saw a modest pullback to $2,940 on July 12, which tested support without derailing the broader rally.

From a chart perspective, reclaiming the 200‑day average cleared the path for Ethereum to overcome the $3,000 ceiling, a classic resistance‑breakout pattern, and set its sights on the next logical target at $3,450. Trend indicators across short, medium and long timeframes remain uniformly bullish, with price comfortably above all major moving averages. Momentum measures are constructive, with the MACD line above its signal line even as contracting histogram bars hint at a possible short‑term cooldown, while Bollinger bands have widened in response to the upward thrust.

Supplementary developments further reinforce Ethereum’s strength. On July 15, Standard Chartered became the first global systemically important bank to offer ether spot trading for institutional clients. That same day, ether futures open interest surged to an all‑time high of $46 billion, fueling projections of a $30,000 price top. EMJ Capital’s president reiterated a mid‑cycle $10,000 base case for ETH, citing ETF momentum and staking demand, and institutional products logged nearly $1 billion of inflows, the fourth‑largest weekly tally on record.

Source: https://sosovalue.com/

On‑chain signals and filings add to the bullish narrative: whale transfers into exchanges have ticked higher alongside filings for a “Crypto Blue Chip ETF” that would allocate 70 % to Ethereum and other tokens. High‑profile endorsements such as Peter Thiel’s 9.1 % stake in Bitmine Immersion further validate institutional conviction. Looking ahead, traders should monitor fresh stablecoin minting as a leverage barometer, the pace of ETF‑staking approvals, and any pullbacks toward the $2,400–$2,100 support zone for high‑probability entries.

Altcoin Market Analysis

Over the week, Bitcoin dominance eased from about 65.1 % on July 10 to 64.07 % by July 16 while Ethereum’s share climbed from 18 % to 19.5 %, leaving other altcoins with roughly 16.43 % of total market cap according to TradingView’s dominance indices. This shift of capital coincided with a surge in alt‑sector enthusiasm, most notably when BIT Mining’s U.S.‑listed shares more than doubled following its $200 M–$300 M Solana treasury announcement. The outsized move underscores growing institutional appetite for high‑growth ecosystems beyond Ethereum and Bitcoin.

Source: https://www.tradingview.com/

Large‑cap altcoins delivered mixed signals mid‑week. Veteran trader Peter Brandt’s 60 % rally forecast for XRP contrasted with an 8 % sell‑off in XRP ahead of the ProShares XRP ETF launch, signaling short‑term profit‑taking and rotation. Cardano also saw divergent flows: a Motley Fool feature highlighted DeFi growth, the upcoming Hydra upgrade and valuation discounts as bullish catalysts, while analysts on Cryptopolitan pegged ADA’s next resistance near $1.00. These developments reflect evolving sentiment as institutions and retail traders reassess risk‑reward across the top‑tier altcoin universe. Emerging ecosystems staged notable breakouts as well. BNB Chain rallied 2.08 % on July 16 after Binance unveiled its Caldera airdrop initiative and outlined plans to support 5,000 DEX swaps per second by year‑end. Avalanche’s AVAX gained momentum when Crypto Finance of Deutsche Börse Group offered enhanced regulated access to institutional investors. 

Mark Your Calendars

Token Unlock

  • July 17, 2025: ZK (ZK) unlocks $10.19 m (2.39 % of market cap)
  • July 17, 2025: APE (APE) unlocks $10.27 m (1.95 % of market cap)
  • July 17, 2025: TRUMP (TRUMP) unlocks $887.94 m (45.35 % of market cap)
  • July 17, 2025: FTN (FTN) unlocks $90.20 m (4.64 % of market cap)
  • July 20, 2025: ZRO (ZRO) unlocks $55.53 m (23.13 % of market cap)