A sharp influx of investments into spot Bitcoin ETFs shows that institutional investors are returning to the market in droves. After weeks of weaker performance, Bitcoin is once again taking center stage. Maintaining the price above USD 93,000 suggests a possible end to the more than 50-day bear market, with buying activity on the spot market playing a key role.
Bitcoin rises as the dollar and stocks weaken
Bitcoin’s 10% rise between April 20 and 24 was accompanied by a weakening US dollar and a reduction in the S&P 500’s annual target by Deutsche Bank analysts. These changes came at a time when Donald Trump softened his criticism of Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, contributing to greater uncertainty in traditional markets. The DXY index fell below 99 points for the first time in three years, while Bitcoin strengthened its market capitalization to USD 1.84 trillion, ranking among the world’s eight largest assets.
However, professional traders remain cautious about this growth. The long-to-short ratio on major exchanges such as Binance and OKX shows a decline in buying appetite, suggesting that the main buying pressure is still coming mainly from the spot market. This development is generally considered a healthy foundation for sustainable growth, although volatility remains high for now.
Approaching the USD 100,000 mark
The sharp breakout of the bitcoin price above USD 90,000 caused the liquidation of short futures positions worth over USD 390 million and signaled the possible start of a short squeeze. Open interest in bitcoin futures remains only 5% below its all-time high, indicating that some bearish traders have not yet closed their positions. If Bitcoin breaks above USD 95,000, another USD 700 million in short futures could be liquidated, according to data from CoinGlass.
Market optimism is also being fueled by a new initiative from SoftBank, Cantor Fitzgerald, and Tether, which plan to purchase Bitcoin through Twenty One Capital. The company wants to start with 42,000 BTC in its possession. Between April 21 and 23, more than USD 2.2 billion flowed into spot bitcoin ETFs, significantly increasing the chance of a further price move towards the psychological threshold of USD 100,000.
