More Institutions Adopt Bitcoin Amid New All-Time High
29th May 2025 • 11 mins read
This Week’s Recap
- NYC Mayor Eric Adams proposes ending BitLicense and launching a Bitcoin-backed BitBond: Mayor Adams unveiled legislation to repeal New York’s BitLicense framework, citing overly burdensome regulations that hinder fintech innovation, and to issue a new “BitBond” municipal security collateralized by city-held Bitcoin to raise capital and showcase New York’s commitment to blockchain.
- U.S. Department of Labor reverses course on crypto in 401(k)s: The DOL issued updated guidance rescinding prior cautions and restrictions on including digital assets in retirement plans, clarifying fiduciary duties for evaluating cryptocurrencies alongside stocks and bonds, which experts believe will pave the way for wider crypto allocation in defined-contribution accounts.
- U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs hit $25 billion weekly volume: Trading volume for U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs surged to $25 billion last week, the highest weekly total of 2025 to date, driven predominantly by inflows into BlackRock’s IBIT product.
- Michael Saylor plans a potential $1.2 billion Bitcoin purchase after a $46 million investment: MicroStrategy’s executive chairman is reportedly preparing to acquire up to $1.2 billion in Bitcoin following his recent $46 million purchase, highlighting continued institutional demand for the asset.
- Cantor Fitzgerald launches $2 billion Bitcoin lending program with first deals to FalconX and Maple Finance: Cantor Fitzgerald’s new crypto credit arm deploys a $2 billion facility to extend loans collateralized by Bitcoin, with initial funding arranged for DeFi platforms FalconX and Maple Finance, aiming to unlock institutional liquidity without selling core crypto holdings.
- Trump Media and Technology Group to raise $2.5 billion to invest in Bitcoin: Trump Media announced a private placement raising $1.5 billion in equity and $1 billion in convertible notes to fund a corporate Bitcoin treasury, reflecting a strategic shift to hedge against inflation and align with other public companies adopting digital assets.
- Block and Square to enable Lightning payments on all merchant terminals by 2026: At the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas, Block revealed pilots of Lightning Network transactions on Square hardware, with plans to equip all eligible sellers with sub-second BTC payment capabilities by 2026, aiming to cut fees and settle transactions near-instantaneously.
- BlackRock and Nasdaq deepen crypto offerings: BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF amassed $45 billion in AUM amid surging demand, while Nasdaq PHLX filed to list Bitcoin index options, signifying accelerating mainstream adoption of institutional crypto products.
- Consensys treasury strategy fuels SharpLink gains: SharpLink Gaming’s shares jumped over 400 percent after raising $425 million in a PIPE round led by Consensys to establish Ether as its primary treasury reserve and appoint Joseph Lubin as board chair, showcasing corporate embrace of on-chain treasury assets.
- GameStop acquires 4,710 Bitcoin for approximately $513 million: Video game retailer GameStop disclosed its first BTC purchase—4,710 coins bought with a $1.3 billion convertible note financing—to diversify its balance sheet and participate directly in the digital-asset economy, sparking a rally in its stock.
- Pakistan plans to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve and allocate electricity for domestic mining: Pakistan’s finance ministry allocated 2,000 MW of surplus power from underutilized coal plants to Bitcoin mining and AI data centers, aiming to monetize excess capacity, create high-tech jobs, and attract foreign investment under a state-backed digital-economy strategy.
- Crypto investment products see over $10 billion YTD inflows: Cryptocurrency exchange-traded products recorded $3.3 billion in net inflows last week, pushing the year-to-date total to $10.8 billion and reflecting broadening institutional confidence in digital-asset investment vehicles.
- Cetus Protocol suffers a $223 million hack; Sui Network community plans full compensation: After a $223 million exploit drained Cetus Protocol’s liquidity, the Sui Foundation offered a secured loan to reimburse affected users, contingent on an on-chain vote to unlock $162 million in frozen funds, and committed $10 million toward future security audits and bounties.
- MetaMask adds Solana support, enabling Ethereum account management, transfers, and swaps: MetaMask’s browser extension now natively supports Solana, allowing users to create or import SOL accounts, send, receive, swap, bridge tokens, and interact with Solana dApps alongside Ethereum, with mobile integration coming soon.
- Trump Media plans to raise $3 billion to buy cryptocurrencies, boosting Bitcoin above $110,000: Financial Times reports that Trump Media & Technology Group is arranging $2 billion in equity and $1 billion in notes to fund a major crypto acquisition, coinciding with Bitcoin’s surge past $110,000 amid renewed institutional buying. (
- Solana’s Alpenglow upgrade targets 150 ms finality: The Alpenglow consensus overhaul replaces PoH and Tower BFT with Votor and Rotor, cutting median transaction finality from 12.8 seconds to 100–150 milliseconds, eliminating on-chain vote transactions, and lowering validator costs to support real-time dApps.
- Google warns quantum computers could potentially break Bitcoin’s cryptography 20 times easier: Google Quantum AI’s new study reveals that breaking RSA encryption—and by extension Bitcoin’s elliptic-curve signatures—may require 20 times fewer qubits than prior estimates, accelerating the urgency for post-quantum cryptographic upgrades.
- Texas signals support for Bitcoin with proposed state-level Bitcoin reserve bill: Senate Bill 21 cleared the Texas House, creating a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve managed by the comptroller, funded through appropriations and citizen crypto donations to diversify state assets and hedge against inflation.
- Crypto industry faces major security breaches and regulatory developments: Coinbase forecasts a $180–$400 million hit from a recent cyberattack under SEC review, multiple firms have filed new spot Bitcoin ETF applications, and Kraken announced an xStocks tokenized equities brand for non-U.S. clients.
- Major Sui incidents: $223 million Cetus hack, $162 million frozen, $6 million bounty offer: On May 22, Cetus Protocol was drained of $223 million by exploiting its smart contracts, validators froze $162 million of the stolen funds, the Sui Foundation extended a reimbursement loan, and Cetus posted a $6 million white-hat bounty to recover the remaining assets amid a sharp liquidity collapse.
Bitcoin Market Analysis
Bitcoin began the week above $111,700 and, despite a mid-week dip to $106,600, rallied to a high of $110,719 before closing Friday at $108,318, for a 0.9% gain. Reclaiming the 200-day moving average at $107,214 and seeing the 50-day cross above it confirmed a golden crossover and a bullish trend reversal. Meanwhile, prices have carved a rising wedge, with higher highs and higher lows converging just above last week’s $108,000 all-time high. Traders may set an alert on a clean break above $110,500 to capture the next leg toward $120,000.
Source: https://altfins.com/technical-analysis
Momentum remains supportive but not overheated. The 14-day RSI sits near 64, well below overbought territory, indicating room for continued upside. The daily MACD line has edged above its signal line and the histogram shows modest positive bars, suggesting bullish momentum is intact. Volume, however, tapered as price squeezed into the wedge’s apex, implying any sustained breakout will require fresh participation to confirm strength.
Key support lies between $107,000 and $107,500, where the wedge’s lower trend line and prior congestion overlap. A deeper pullback would find buyers at the round-number floor of $100,000. On the upside, a decisive daily close above $110,500 on expanding volume would likely propel Bitcoin toward the next resistance zone of $120,000, with $150,000 as a longer-term extension target.
On-chain sentiment corroborates a bullish tilt. The Bitcoin Combined Market Index blends four weighted indicators—MVRV (30%), NUPL (25%), SOPR (25%) and Fear & Greed Index (20%)—to track market mood. The 7-day simple moving average of BCMI rebounded sharply to 0.60, an early upside signal, while the 90-day average held steady near 0.45, showing the market is not yet overheated. With profit-taking easing, BCMI now points to an early accumulation phase even as retail heads remain cautious.
Source: https://cryptoquant.com/
Exchange flows reveal who is driving that accumulation. Over April and May, mid-tier cohorts led inflows to Binance: “Fish” accounts moved 10–100 BTC and “Shark” accounts moved 100–1,000 BTC, with “Crab” accounts (1–10 BTC) also adding to the surge. Spikes in Long-Term Holder inflows—wallets holding coins for more than 155 days—have coincided with price peaks, indicating profit realization by seasoned investors. In contrast, “Whales” (1,000–10,000 BTC) and “Humpbacks” (over 10,000 BTC) remain largely inactive on-exchange, suggesting they either hold positions or use OTC desks.
Institutional demand has also climbed to new highs, and this is not merely an ETF story. Spot Bitcoin ETFs remain accessible to all investors, yet their volumes are modest relative to the overall spot and futures markets. Instead, average daily inflows over the past 30 days have held above $330 million, highlighting sustained buying by large players. The most telling metric is the Coinbase Premium Gap—measuring the price difference between Binance and Coinbase Pro—which sits at a 30-day average of 55 basis points, the highest level so far in 2025. That gap reflects aggressive bidding by U.S. professional and institutional accounts on regulated venues.
Source: https://cryptoquant.com/
Taken together, strong mid-tier inflows, strategic profit-taking by long-term holders, muted whale distribution and a record Coinbase Premium Gap suggest sophisticated retail and institutions are positioning for higher prices. Traders may wait for a retest of the $107,000–$107,500 breakout zone on rising volume before adding new positions or, for shorter-term swings, sell strength near $110,000 and cover near support at $100,000. A break below $107,000 would invalidate the bullish thesis and risk a deeper pullback.
Source: https://sosovalue.com/
Finally, spot Bitcoin ETFs have recorded net inflows every one of the past 10 trading days with zero outflows, driving total assets under management above $130 billion. That unbroken flow into regulated Bitcoin vehicles underscores sustained demand from both institutional and retail investors. With no redemption pressure from ETF holders, these funds act as a steady liquidity sink, reinforcing price support even as broader market activity remains muted.
Ethereum Market Analysis
Ethereum began the week above $2,664.50 and, despite a midweek dip to around $2,467.82, rallied to a high near $2,784.26 before closing at $2,771.99. The breakout from the falling wedge and a close above the 200-day moving average at $2,699.62 confirmed a bullish shift, even as price paused near stiff resistance around $2,760.
Source: https://altfins.com/technical-analysis
Momentum remains healthy but not overheated. The 14-day RSI sits near 67, below overbought levels, and the MACD line remains just under its signal line while negative histogram bars shrink. That suggests selling pressure is easing but upside conviction will require fresh volume.
Key support lies between $2,650 and $2,700, with a deeper floor at $2,400. On the upside, resistance between $2,760 and $2,800 must yield before a run toward $3,000 becomes likely.
In the current environment traders may wait for a retest of the breakout zone near $2,700 on rising volume before adding positions or, for those seeking shorter swings, sell strength near resistance and cover near support at $2,400. A break below $2,650 would invalidate the bullish thesis and risk a deeper pullback. Tight stops and monitoring regulatory developments around spot-ETF approvals and on-chain staking flows will be crucial for managing risk.
Source: https://sosovalue.com/
Over the past ten trading days, Ethereum spot ETFs saw net inflows on nine occasions, with the sole outflow of $35.4 M occurring on May 15. Key inflow days included $62 M on May 14, $110 M on May 22 and $84.9 M on May 28. Assets under management climbed to $9.48 B as of May 28, while ETH traded near $2,617.79. This near–unbroken string of inflows highlights persistent demand from both institutional and retail investors. With redemptions virtually absent, Ethereum ETFs continue to serve as steady liquidity sinks, underpinning price support even as on-chain activity fluctuates
Mark Your Calendars
Economic Data Releases:
- May 30, 2025 (Friday): Core PCE (year-over-year) for April 2025
- May 30, 2025 (Friday): Personal spending for April 2025
- June 2, 2025 (Monday): ISM manufacturing index for May 2025
- June 3, 2025 (Tuesday): Job openings (JOLTS) for April 2025
- June 5, 2025 (Thursday): Initial jobless claims for week ending May 31, 2025
Token Unlock
- May 23, 2025: OP (OP) unlocks $24.81 M (1.83 % of market cap)
- May 24, 2025: SUI (SUI) unlocks $158.38 M (1.32 % of market cap)
- May 27, 2025: EIGEN (EIGEN) unlocks $2.20 M (0.42 % of market cap)
- May 27, 2025: IOTA (IOTA) unlocks $1.80 M (0.23 % of market cap)