After a rocky start to the year, the Bitcoin ETFs market is gaining significant momentum. With growing institutional interest, weakening U.S. dollar forecasts, and an accommodative macroeconomic environment, Bitcoin and related exchange-traded funds are re-entering bullish territory.

Bitcoin ETFs Ride the Institutional Wave

The latest inflows into Bitcoin ETFs are a clear signal: big money is getting behind crypto. According to The Economic Times, spot Bitcoin ETFs have recorded over $4.2 billion in net inflows in just the past few weeks, fueled primarily by institutional investors increasing their exposure to the digital asset.

Geoff Kendrick, a senior analyst at Standard Chartered, expects that the mid-May 13F filings with the SEC will show even more institutional support for Bitcoin ETFs. This data could confirm a broader shift in asset allocation strategies, including a move away from traditional safe-haven assets like gold.

Indeed, Kendrick has noted that investors may be rotating from gold ETFs into Bitcoin ETFs, viewing the latter as a more attractive inflation hedge and long-term store of value.

Weak Dollar Makes Bitcoin Shine

The U.S. dollar has been on a downward trajectory in 2025, due in part to tariff tensions and shifting investor sentiment. The U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) is down 2.25% in the last month and more than 8% since the start of the year, according to TradingView.

This dollar weakness has bolstered the case for Bitcoin. A depreciating greenback typically benefits hard assets, and Bitcoin, with its capped supply of 21 million coins, is increasingly being seen as “digital gold.”

Forbes reports that several financial institutions now predict a further 15-20% decline in the dollar over the next few years, a development that would likely boost Bitcoin’s long-term value—and by extension, the value of Bitcoin ETFs.

Fed Policy Could Fuel the Crypto Fire

Another catalyst for the current crypto surge is monetary policy. The Federal Reserve is expected to hold rates steady in the near term, but economists project rate cuts beginning in July 2025. According to Barclays, as quoted by Reuters, the Fed is unlikely to move until mid-summer, waiting for more clarity on trade policy and inflation data.

Lower interest rates generally increase risk appetite, pushing investors toward higher-yielding and more volatile assets—like Bitcoin and Bitcoin ETFs. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, there’s a 77.6% chance of a rate cut in July and a 99.5% chance of further easing by September.

Bitcoin Price Predictions Remain Bullish

As confidence grows, so do price targets. Standard Chartered’s Kendrick believes Bitcoin could soon surpass its all-time high of $109,000 and potentially hit $120,000 by the end of Q2. His year-end target is a bold $200,000, assuming institutional inflows continue and macro conditions remain favorable.

Joe Burnett, head of research at Unchained, echoes this sentiment, suggesting Bitcoin could even surge to $250,000 if current tailwinds persist.

Top Bitcoin ETFs for 2025

For investors looking to gain exposure to this bullish trend, several Bitcoin ETFs offer a practical entry point. Among the top picks:

• iShares Bitcoin Trust (NASDAQ:IBIT) 
• Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (OTCQX:GBTC) 
• Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (CBOE:FBTC) 
• ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (CBOE:ARKB) 
• Bitwise Bitcoin ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:BITB) 

For those prioritizing cost efficiency, BITB stands out with an annual expense ratio of just 0.20%, making it ideal for long-term holders. Investors may also consider the newer Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust (OTCQX:BTC), which charges a competitive 0.15% fee.

Final Thoughts

While the cryptocurrency market remains inherently volatile, the long-term thesis for Bitcoin ETFs continues to strengthen. Institutional confidence, weakening dollar trends, and dovish monetary policy are aligning to push Bitcoin—and its associated funds—to new highs.

As always, investors should weigh the risks carefully. But for those with a long-term outlook and an appetite for innovation, 2025 may be the breakout year for Bitcoin ETFs.

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NEW YORK, May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Permanent cloud network AR.IO onramps credit cards for its leading domain name and web-hosting service, ArNS, on the Arweave blockchain

AR.IO, the world’s first permanent cloud network built on the Arweave blockchain, has launched new fiat capability for purchases of its leading domain name service, ArNS, which offers easy access to web3 applications and permanent website hosting. 

Traditional domain name platforms require ongoing subscription renewals and rely on centralized infrastructure. ArNS, however, is supported by AR.IO’s network of 400+ gateways, making it decentralized and globally accessible. Users also have the option to buy a permanent domain name that never expires, nor does any data attached to it.

AR.IO users have long been able to buy credits for uploads to the network with fiat, $AR, $MATIC, $SOL, $ETH, and $ETH on Base. But starting today, they can use a simple credit card to purchase credits in a one-time transaction. This is made possible through AR.IO’s “Turbo” – an open-source bundler for the Arweave ecosystem that also bridges fiat to crypto. 

Commenting on the launch of ArNS’s new credit-card capability, Phil Mataras, founder and CEO of AR.IO, says, “With ArNS and its permanent purchase option, you will never, ever, lose access to your domain name or your website because you forgot to pay a subscription or the chain or provider removed or lost your data. This is a unique feature that sets us apart from any other DNS provider out there – and this couldn’t come at a better time as we see online information being deleted and manipulated at a rapid pace.”

More than simply pointing to data, ArNS domains are programmable smart contracts designed to trigger integrations, on-chain logic, and automations. With every name, users can permanently host apps, websites, and data via Arweave. This decentralized storage solution provides an alternative to centralized services that protects users from outages due to missed payments or provider issues.

Creating a new standard for digital identities, ArNS doesn’t just replace traditional DNS, it reinvents it for a sovereign, decentralized global internet.

About AR.IO

AR.IO is the first permanent cloud network, providing decentralized, censorship-resistant access to data, storage, and domains. Built on Arweave, AR.IO ensures information and applications remain universally accessible, tamper-proof, and free from centralized control. Its incentivized gateway network enhances reliability, while self-sovereign, permanent domains eliminate renewals and offer true digital ownership. AR.IO envisions an internet that is resilient, equitable, and neutral, where businesses, creators, individuals, and society as a whole are empowered to thrive.

To learn more about AR.IO, users can visit https://ar.io/ and follow @ar_io_network on X

About ArNS

ArNS (Arweave Name System) is a decentralized, permanent, smart domain name system built on the Arweave blockchain and powered by the AR.IO network. ArNS stands apart from other web2 and web3 name systems through its flexible options to lease or permanently purchase without renewals or subscriptions. With ArNS, users can permissionlessly publish websites, point to data, apps, or identities for uninterrupted access via a censorship-resistant, globally distributed gateway network. All entries are stored permanently and immutably on-chain, ensuring trustless, verifiable, and tamper-proof naming for a truly sovereign web.

Contact

Rebecca Jones
Block3 PR
rebecca@block3.pr 

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The return of stock market greed is dominating headlines and driving price action in both equities and digital assets. As risk appetite surges among investors, the cryptocurrency market is riding a parallel wave of momentum that could define trading strategies in Q2 2025.

Stock Market Greed Reawakens in 2025

On May 6, 2025, the widely watched Fear & Greed Index finally tilted back into “Greed” territory for the first time this year, according to a post by market analyst AltcoinGordon. The index, a barometer of investor sentiment, indicates that optimism is rapidly returning to Wall Street. Major benchmarks like the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite reflected that mood, climbing 1.2% and 1.5% respectively by mid-morning trading.

This bullish energy is not confined to traditional finance. The rise in stock market greed typically spills over into speculative corners of the market—including cryptocurrencies—creating short-term trading opportunities for those watching the cross-market correlation.

Crypto Traders Respond to Equity Market Euphoria

Crypto markets responded swiftly to this sentiment shift. Bitcoin (BTC) jumped 3.5% between 8:00 AM and 2:00 PM EST, pushing toward $68,000 on exchanges like Binance and Coinbase. Leading altcoins followed suit, with Ethereum (ETH) gaining 4.1% and Solana (SOL) surging 5.8% during the same window.

Trading volume surged across the board. Binance reported a 22% increase in ETH/USDT pair volume, while Bitcoin’s BTC/USDT saw an 18% uptick in 24-hour activity. These moves suggest that institutional investors are treating crypto as a high-beta asset class in a broader risk-on environment.

Meanwhile, crypto-related equities saw a bounce as well. Shares of Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) rose 2.8% by midday, mirroring strength in the underlying digital asset markets. These correlated gains hint at capital rotation into crypto-adjacent sectors, likely driven by portfolio managers betting on a sustained uptrend in speculative assets.

Technical Signals: Is a Pullback Coming?

From a technical standpoint, traders are eyeing potential resistance. On May 6, 2025, Bitcoin’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) climbed to 68 on the 4-hour chart, nearing overbought levels. Ethereum’s RSI also rose to 65. While not extreme, these metrics suggest caution is warranted.

On-chain data supports the bullish case, with Glassnode reporting a 7% week-over-week rise in active Bitcoin addresses. This implies growing network activity and user engagement—often a precursor to sustained upward momentum.

However, the market’s emotional tilt toward stock market greed also increases the risk of sharp reversals if macroeconomic data underwhelms or profit-taking begins.

Institutional Impact and ETF Watch

Crypto ETFs are increasingly seen as sentiment indicators. While spot Bitcoin ETFs saw modest inflows on May 6, any acceleration in those flows could serve as confirmation of institutional confidence. Traders are watching ETF activity as a proxy for broader market acceptance of digital assets.

Additionally, fintech and blockchain stocks have benefited from this momentum. If the Nasdaq continues to rally, stocks like Block Inc. (NYSE:SQ) and Marathon Digital Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:MARA) could attract fresh capital alongside DeFi tokens and layer-1 assets like Avalanche (AVAX).

What Comes Next?

Stock market greed creates a fertile environment for short-term rallies across risk assets, but crypto traders must stay alert. If sentiment reverses, the impact on volatile digital assets could be amplified.

The best strategy? Use momentum to your advantage but set tight stop-losses. Watch correlation trends between equities and crypto. Monitor ETF flows. And most importantly, prepare for both euphoria and sudden corrections.

Staying informed is essential in these fast-moving environments. Traders should keep an eye on macroeconomic indicators, central bank commentary, and earnings season data—all of which can quickly shift sentiment. In a market driven by emotion, knowledge and discipline remain your greatest trading assets.

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Debates over crypto regulation reached a boiling point this week as House Democrats and Republicans held rival roundtables, each offering sharply different views on how—and whether—to regulate digital assets. The split was catalyzed by growing concerns around former President Donald Trump’s deepening involvement in the crypto industry, just months into his latest presidential term.

While Republicans focused on legislative progress and bipartisan proposals, Democrats, led by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), condemned Trump’s personal crypto ventures and alleged conflicts of interest.

Democrats Slam “Crypto Corruption” Linked to Trump

During the Democratic roundtable, Waters labeled Trump’s digital asset dealings as blatant crypto corruption, accusing Republicans of enabling what she described as a coordinated effort by the Trump family to profit from an unregulated market. Trump’s affiliated company, World Liberty Financial, has already launched a stablecoin, and his family introduced a series of memecoins earlier this year.

“I am deeply concerned that Republicans aren’t just ignoring Trump’s corruption—they are legitimizing it,” said Waters. Her remarks come amid rising alarm over the former president’s sway over federal agencies that oversee cryptocurrency enforcement.

Other Democrats, including Reps. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), echoed these sentiments, arguing that while they are subject to strict ethics rules, Trump appears to bypass such accountability. “They can parade around, and we can’t even be in a local parade,” Garcia noted in frustration.

Republican Focus: Frameworks and Bipartisan Progress

On the other side of the aisle, House Republicans continued with their own crypto regulation roundtable, emphasizing legislative initiatives such as FIT 21—a market structure bill previously backed by 71 Democrats. Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.) framed the roundtable as part of a constructive process to build a modern regulatory regime for digital assets.

“We’re approaching it in a fresh way,” Hill said. “To my friends on the other side of the aisle, our doors are always open.”

Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.), one of the few Democrats who remained in the Republican-led meeting, said, “Crypto isn’t going away. We have a responsibility to be part of the solution.”

The Republican side also discussed a new draft bill released Monday, which proposes clearer roles for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), alongside enhanced disclosure requirements.

Bridging the Divide on Crypto Oversight

One notable point of agreement emerged from former CFTC Chair Timothy Massad, who joined the Democrats’ roundtable. Massad proposed a collaborative approach, urging Congress to create a self-regulatory organization jointly overseen by the SEC and CFTC. He described it as a pragmatic way to impose order on the crypto space without overhauling securities laws.

“It brings those two agencies together, which I think is very important,” said Massad. Waters tentatively agreed that finding a regulatory middle ground was possible—but made clear that Trump’s conduct remained her main concern.

Crypto Spats Move to Social Media

As if the divide on Capitol Hill weren’t deep enough, the official X (formerly Twitter) accounts for the House Financial Services and Agriculture Committees began trading insults. When Republicans posted, “While @RepMaxineWaters rushed out the door, adults remain in the room,” Democrats snapped back, calling the GOP “too scared to stand up to a President breaking the law.”

The exchanges got more personal when Republicans posted footage of Waters blowing a kiss to now-convicted FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. Democrats retaliated with a reminder: “Meanwhile, the leader of your party is a twice-impeached, convicted felon. Try again.”

Why Crypto Regulation Is More Urgent Than Ever

The ongoing drama underscores a critical reality: crypto regulation is no longer a partisan curiosity—it’s a national priority. With figures like Donald Trump actively shaping the digital asset market, the stakes have never been higher. Whether through stablecoin oversight, conflict-of-interest safeguards, or bipartisan rulemaking, lawmakers are under increasing pressure to deliver meaningful reform. The only question is whether the politics of personality will derail that mission.

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NEW YORK, May 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Testnet Opens Door to Decentralized Trading, Borrowing, Earning, and Stablecoins on Bitcoin‘s Foundation.

Bitcoin‘s market cap sits close to $2 trillion, but its potential remains largely untapped, locked behind centralized solutions. The Alpen testnet is now publicly available, a major step toward unleashing that potential with programmability and scalability through zero-knowledge proofs. This milestone brings decentralized trading, borrowing, earning, stablecoins, and more one step closer to Bitcoin.

“Bitcoin‘s not just for holding anymore,” said Simanta Gautam, CEO and co-founder of Alpen Labs. “Alpen equips developers with tools to build and users with the ability to engage with Bitcoin in all the ways they’ve wanted, no middlemen required. Some of the best teams in the space are already building on it, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.”

The Alpen testnet allows developers to experiment, build, and test BTC applications once confined to centralized exchanges, custodians, or wrapped tokens on other chains. For users, it offers a glimpse into an open future financial system that’s secure and self-custodial.

Alpen distills years of research by the Alpen Labs team into secure, trust-minimized programmability for Bitcoin. Alpen’s EVM compatibility enables crypto‘s largest developer base to use familiar tools to tap into Bitcoin‘s massive liquidity. Alpen’s BitVM2-based Strata bridge will provide applications with the most secure, trust-minimized BTC upon launch. Alpen’s zk-rollup architecture enables faster, lower-cost transactions while inheriting Bitcoin‘s unmatched security.

“I believe this represents one of the most important breakthroughs in blockchain history, uniting Bitcoin‘s unmatched security with the programmability we’ve waited 15 years for. Alpen is a game-changer for Bitcoin, and we’re proud to back a team that’s pushing the ecosystem to new heights.” — Nic Carter, Partner at Castle Island Ventures

Founded in 2022 by four MIT alumni and backed by Ribbit Capital, Stillmark, DBA, cyber•Fund, Castle Island Ventures, and others, Alpen Labs is reshaping Bitcoin‘s ecosystem into one where builders can securely innovate. This testnet paves the way for an upcoming mainnet launch that seeks to redefine Bitcoin‘s future.

Users can learn more at alpenlabs.io and read the launch blog post.

About Alpen Labs

Alpen Labs is shaping the next chapter of Bitcoin‘s story. With Alpen, Bitcoin gains programmability and scalability, enabling decentralized trading, lending, stablecoins, and more without compromising security or decentralization. Founded in New York by four MIT grads, Alpen Labs is connecting innovative finance to the world’s most trusted digital money.

Contact
Founder & CEO
Phil
21M Communications
phil@21mcommunications.com 

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SOURCE Alpen Labs

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