Bitcoin’s institutional glow-up could trigger the next big rally

Remember when Bitcoin was the scrappy outsider of finance, a rebellious bet for techies, libertarians, and Reddit traders? Well, times have changed. These days, Bitcoin is cleaning up nicely - getting scooped up by big corporations, rebranded by Wall Street, and even tossed around in political punch-ups.

This isn’t just a glow-up. It’s a full-blown identity shift. Can this new version of Bitcoin fuel a rally big enough to match the hype?

Corporate FOMO is getting real

Bitcoin’s institutional moment is no longer a maybe - it’s happening. In the second quarter of 2025, public companies bought more Bitcoin than all the ETFs combined. Let that sink in.

Firms snapped up 131,355 BTC, marking an 18% jump from the previous quarter. ETFs, for comparison, added 111,411 BTC, an 8% gain. And this isn’t a fluke - it’s the third straight quarter where companies led the charge.

Source: Bitcoin Treasuries, CNBC

So far this year, businesses have acquired 237,664 BTC, double the 117,295 bought by ETFs. Altogether, companies now hold around 855,000 Bitcoins, about 4% of the entire supply.

It’s official - the suits are here, and they’re stacking.

Bitcoin enters the political arena

Just when you thought it couldn’t get weirder, politics enters the stage left.

Elon Musk, freshly divorced from Donald Trump, has launched his own political outfit, the “America Party”, and made it clear he’s still sweet on Bitcoin. The split? It came after Trump’s new legislation bumped the debt ceiling by $5 trillion, adding $3 trillion in fresh debt.

Musk called it a betrayal of fiscal responsibility. His message: America’s on the edge, the dollar’s on life support, and Bitcoin may be the last honest money left standing.

He’s not alone. Wall Street insiders and podcasters are echoing the warning bells. The $37 trillion U.S. debt pile is spiralling, inflation isn’t playing nice, and investors are starting to look for something sturdier than promises and printed cash.

So why is Bitcoin falling?

Here’s the head-scratcher: with all this bullish news - ETFs booming, corporates buying, Musk stirring the pot - Bitcoin’s price took a dip, falling to $10,700, even after $1 billion in ETF inflows.

Source: Coinglass

That’s not just odd. It’s counterintuitive.

What gives? Some say it’s macro pressure, others blame profit-taking. Regulatory uncertainty could be dragging sentiment too. But the bottom line? ETF flows are bullish - they just don’t guarantee instant fireworks.

ETH and SOL are gearing up too

While Bitcoin takes a breather, Ethereum and Solana are quietly flexing.

U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs brought in $148.5 million on Thursday alone, with BlackRock’s ETHA fund leading the charge. Since their July 2024 launch, they’ve racked up $4.4 billion in inflows.

Meanwhile, Solana just got its own staking ETF - and it launched with a healthy $11.4 million in day-one inflows. Not bad for a network that’s still shaking off its growing pains.

Source: Farside Investors

It’s no longer just a Bitcoin story. Crypto is becoming a full asset class - with altcoins ready to ride the wave.

All eyes on altseason

There’s one more clue the market’s getting interesting: Bitcoin dominance just hit 64.6% - a level that often signals a coming rotation into altcoins.

Here’s how it usually plays out: Bitcoin rallies first, dominance peaks, then altcoins explode as investors go looking for bigger gains. It’s not a guarantee, but it’s a pattern - and one that traders are watching closely.

As Valentin Fournier at BRN Research puts it, if Bitcoin hangs tight near its highs, it could set the stage for a full-blown altseason.

Glow up or letdown?

Here’s where we land: Bitcoin has never looked more legitimate. It’s got corporates hoarding it, politicians debating it, and institutions funnelling billions into ETFs. That’s the glow up.

But legitimacy doesn’t always equal price gains, not right away, at least. The market’s still a strange beast. Sometimes it moves on hype. Other times, it shrugs off record-breaking flows and waits for the next spark.

So, is this the beginning of the next big rally?

If corporate balance sheets, Wall Street cash, and political angst are any indication - Bitcoin’s setting the stage. It just needs the right moment to step into the spotlight.

Bitcoin price outlook

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is showing some buy pressure within a sell zone, hinting that the sellers could swoop in strongly at any time. However, the volume bars have shown bullish dominance over the past few days with little pushback from sellers, hinting at a potential uptick. If we see a price uptick, bulls could encounter resistance at the $110,500 and $111,891 price levels. Conversely, if we see a drawdown, sellers could find support at the $107,210, $105,000, and $100,900 support levels. 

Source: Deriv MT5

Disclaimer:

The information contained within this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as financial or investment advice. We recommend you do your own research before making any trading decisions.

This information is considered accurate and correct at the date of publication. Changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact the accuracy of the information.

The performance figures quoted are not a guarantee of future performance.