Source: LIVEMINT
Bitcoin’s outperformance relative to smaller cryptocurrencies is widening. An index that tracks so-called altcoins is down about 40% year-to-date, while Bitcoin is up 18% so far in 2025.
A group of 12 US Bitcoin exchange-traded funds have drawn strong inflows, with investors pouring in about $4.2 billion so far in May. In options markets, traders built eye-catching Bitcoin positions earlier this week with the $110,000, $120,000 and $300,000 calls expiring on June 27 logging the most open interest — or number of outstanding contracts — on Deribit, the derivatives exchange.
Bitcoin surpassed $111,000 for the first time, with traders increasingly bullish on the prospects of the original cryptocurrency amid mounting institutional demand and support from Donald Trump’s administration.
Bitcoin climbed as much as 3.3% on Thursday to hit a record of $111,878, and traded just below $111,000 at 6:15 a.m. in New York. Smaller tokens also rose in a broad rally, with second-ranked Ether at one point up about 7.3%.
A wave of optimism is buoying Bitcoin after the advancement of a key stablecoin bill in the US senate fueled hopes of greater regulatory clarity for digital-asset firms under President Trump, who is avowedly pro-crypto. Surging demand from Michael Saylor’s Strategy — which has stockpiled over $50 billion worth of Bitcoin — and a growing list of token hoarders is another driving force behind the rally.
Bitcoin earlier rose to its highest level on record on Wednesday, eclipsing the previous high from January, as risk sentiment continues to improve after last month's tariff-induced selloff.
Its ascent was driven by a combination of factors including easing trade tension between the United States and China and Moody's downgrade of U.S. sovereign debt which has prompted investors to seek alternative investment sources to the dollar.
Coinbase said on Monday the U.S. Department of Justice has opened a probe into a recent data breach at the company.
"We're still in year four of the bitcoin price cycle - the year after the bitcoin halving when miner rewards are slashed in half - which historically means its best days are still ahead of it and - while macro uncertainty and the threat of further volatility remains, a target of $150,000 in 2025 is still very much on the cards," Trenchev said.
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