Bitcoin Struggles Near $90K as ETFs Absorb Retail Demand and On-Chain Activity Drops

bitcoinistPublished on 2025-12-10Last updated on 2025-12-10

Abstract

Bitcoin is trading near $90,000 amid weakening momentum, influenced by macroeconomic uncertainty, thin liquidity, and structural market shifts. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs, such as BlackRock’s IBIT, are attracting significant institutional investment, while on-chain activity declines as retail investors increasingly opt for ETF exposure rather than direct ownership. This transition is altering Bitcoin’s economic model, with ETF issuers capturing more value than miners or network users. Price action remains subdued despite supportive events, such as large corporate purchases, with traders cautious ahead of the Federal Reserve’s policy decision. Analysts note recurring sell-offs around the U.S. market open, potentially linked to institutional trading behaviors, and warn that holding the $88,000 support level is critical to avoid further declines. Miners are also under pressure due to low profitability, leading some to shift toward AI infrastructure.

Bitcoin (BTC) is trading uncomfortably close to the $90,000 mark, as a mix of macro caution, thinning liquidity, and shifting market structure continues to weigh on price action.

Related Reading: Wall Street Storms Ripple In Explosive $500 Million Deal

What was once a retail-driven ecosystem is now increasingly shaped by institutional flows, with U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs attracting substantial assets, while on-chain activity trends in the opposite direction. The result is a market that moves, but with participation patterns very different from those seen in earlier cycles.

BTC's price trends to the downside on the daily chart. Source: BTCUSD on Tradingview

Bitcoin ETF Flows Rise as Retail Activity Falls

Since the launch of U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs in early 2024, the network has experienced a steady decline in active on-chain addresses. Analysts attribute this partly to the “convenience trade,” in which retail investors opt for exposure through traditional brokerage accounts rather than managing their own Bitcoin wallets.

BlackRock’s IBIT and similar products now capture a growing share of BTC demand, even as the blockchain itself shows a decline in grassroots participation.

Industry experts argue that this shift fundamentally changes how value circulates in the Bitcoin economy. ETF issuers, not miners or network users, are now capturing a higher share of revenue.

SwanDesk CEO Jacob King describes this as a structural pivot toward off-chain monetization, with Bitcoin functioning more as a financial instrument than a peer-to-peer asset.

BTC Price Pressure Intensifies Around Macro Events

Bitcoin’s recent price behavior reflects both macro uncertainty and intraday volatility patterns. BTC has repeatedly slipped below $90,000 despite developments that historically would support bullish sentiment, such as Strategy’s (formerly MicroStrategy) latest purchase of over 10,600 BTC.

Traders remain cautious ahead of the Federal Reserve’s policy decision, where expectations for a quarter-point rate cut are high. Yet the hesitation is evident: rallies toward $92,000 continue to meet resistance, and liquidity remains thin across spot and derivatives markets.

Consequently, analysts warn that Bitcoin must hold above a key support level near $88,000 to avoid a deeper downside.

Institutional Trading Dynamics Shape Market Movements

A growing number of analysts suggest that predictable sell-offs around the U.S. market open reflect coordinated execution rather than organic selling.

Market watchers point to high-frequency firms, such as Jane Street, which hold large ETF positions, as possible contributors to these recurring patterns. While unproven, the consistency of these drops has added to trader frustration.

Meanwhile, miners face their own pressures. Hashprice has fallen to near-record lows, prompting operators to pivot toward AI infrastructure as mining profitability erodes.

Related Reading: CEOs Of Leading Banks To Discuss Crypto Market Structure With US Senators This Week

With ETFs absorbing demand, macro signals driving sentiment, and miners restructuring their businesses, Bitcoin now sits at a pivotal moment, supported by institutional capital but missing the retail pulse that once defined its cycles.

Cover image from ChatGPT, BTCUSD chart from Tradingview

Related Reads

Trend in US Stocks: A Post Triggers a 930-Point Rebound, Tonight Belongs to SpaceX

On Thursday (June 11, U.S. Eastern Time), Wall Street staged a textbook V-shaped reversal. The Dow Jones surged 929.97 points (+1.86%) to close above 50,000, while the Nasdaq and S&P 500 rose 2.54% and 1.75%, respectively. The rally occurred despite the hottest PPI report in years, with May data showing a 6.5% year-on-year surge, the highest since 2022. The market ignored the inflation data, focusing instead on reports that former President Trump called off a planned strike on Iran, hinting at a potential multi-party peace agreement draft. This sparked a sharp drop in oil prices, fueling hopes that inflation may have peaked. Sector rotations were stark: previously battered AI hardware and cyclical stocks led the gains, while defensive sectors that hit record highs the prior day were sold off. Chip stocks like Micron and Intel saw sharp rebounds. In contrast, software giant Oracle plunged nearly 10% despite beating earnings, with concerns over cloud revenue and cash flow. Adobe also fell after hours despite raising guidance, as its CFO announced departure. The rally's sustainability is questioned, driven largely by social media posts about unconfirmed geopolitical developments. Inflation risks remain, with pipeline pressures still high. Meanwhile, the market's risk appetite faces a major test with SpaceX's historic IPO. Priced at $135 per share, it aims to raise ~$75 billion with a $1.75 trillion valuation, becoming the largest U.S. IPO ever. It will join the Nasdaq 100 in 15 days, triggering massive index fund buying. However, critics cite extreme valuation (88x sales) and market liquidity concerns.

marsbit21m ago

Trend in US Stocks: A Post Triggers a 930-Point Rebound, Tonight Belongs to SpaceX

marsbit21m ago

The Trillion-Dollar Valuation Test: Are the Three Super IPOs a Tech Stock Frenzy or a Crypto Market Nightmare?

Trillion-Dollar Valuation Test: Are the Three Mega IPOs a Tech Stock Frenzy or a Crypto Market Nightmare? The capital market in 2026 is witnessing a highly anticipated wave of tech IPOs, centered on SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic. Collectively valued at over $3.5 trillion, their potential listing represents one of the largest such waves in recent years. This raises concerns about market liquidity, valuation bubbles, and potential capital outflows from other assets like crypto. SpaceX's valuation narrative has shifted from rocket launches to becoming a global infrastructure play via its Starlink satellite network, which now drives most revenue. Despite ongoing losses, investors focus on its long-term growth potential. OpenAI and Anthropic represent the core productivity engines of generative AI. Their public listings would offer the first direct investment opportunity in large foundation model companies, potentially triggering a repricing within the AI sector. Market fears of a massive "capital drain" from these IPOs are likely overstated. Historical precedents like Alibaba and Saudi Aramco show that mega-listings primarily cause capital reallocation, not destruction, within the vast equities market. Systemic risk is rarely triggered by IPOs alone. For stock markets, short-term volatility and sector repricing are expected, especially for AI concept stocks. Long-term, these listings could reinforce the tech sector's importance. For crypto, direct competition for speculative capital exists, particularly affecting AI-themed tokens. However, crypto's trajectory remains more tied to its own cycles, macro liquidity, and Bitcoin ETF flows rather than a single IPO event. The real risk lies not in the listings themselves but in the sky-high growth expectations embedded in these valuations. If future revenue, profitability, or commercialization progress disappoints, significant valuation resets could follow, impacting high-growth tech stocks. Ultimately, the market's direction hinges on macroeconomic conditions and whether these companies can deliver on their ambitious promises.

链捕手38m ago

The Trillion-Dollar Valuation Test: Are the Three Super IPOs a Tech Stock Frenzy or a Crypto Market Nightmare?

链捕手38m ago

Trillion-Dollar Valuation Test: Are the Three Super IPOs a Tech Stock Frenzy or a Crypto Market Nightmare?

Title: Trillion-Dollar Valuations at Stake: Super IPOs of SpaceX, OpenAI, Anthropic – Tech Boom or Crypto Nightmare? TL;DR: A wave of mega-tech IPOs is approaching, featuring SpaceX (targeting a $1.75 trillion valuation), OpenAI (~$852B), and Anthropic (~$965B), with a combined potential valuation exceeding $3.5 trillion. This tests the market's pricing of innovation and sparks debate on liquidity impact. * **SpaceX**'s valuation is now driven more by its Starlink global communications infrastructure than its core rocket business. * **OpenAI & Anthropic** offer the first major public investment opportunities in foundational AI models, potentially repricing the entire AI sector. * Concerns about a market-wide "liquidity drain" are likely overblown; history shows large IPOs mainly cause fund reallocation, not disappearance, and rarely trigger systemic risk. * Crypto markets, especially some AI-themed tokens, may face short-term fund competition, but their long-term trajectory depends more on macro liquidity, regulation, and Bitcoin cycles. * The real risk lies not in the IPOs themselves, but in whether these companies can justify their sky-high valuations with future revenue growth and profitability. Unmet expectations could lead to significant repricing pressure. Ultimately, these IPOs represent a massive market pricing of next-gen tech infrastructure, not a prelude to a market crash. The broader market direction will be determined by macro conditions, corporate earnings, and risk appetite.

marsbit38m ago

Trillion-Dollar Valuation Test: Are the Three Super IPOs a Tech Stock Frenzy or a Crypto Market Nightmare?

marsbit38m ago

Who Will Take Over After SpaceX's IPO?

SpaceX is set to go public on June 12 with a $1.8 trillion valuation, but only about 5.56 billion shares (4.2% of the total) will be initially available for trading. Buy-side pressure is expected in three distinct waves. First, the IPO subscription at a fixed $135 per share, which is oversubscribed by nearly 4 times. Second, immediate secondary market trading post-listing. Third, and most significant, the forced buying by passive index funds. The Nasdaq 100 index has modified its rules to include SpaceX just 15 trading days after its IPO, despite its small float, which will compel hundreds of tracking funds to buy large quantities of stock. However, this initial supply shortage will not last. A staged lock-up release is designed for the approximately 54% of shares held by VCs, early employees, and other insiders (excluding Elon Musk's 42%, which is locked for 366 days). Releases begin after the Q2 earnings report, with subsequent unlocks at multiple intervals up to 180 days post-IPO. This means selling pressure from insiders will gradually increase throughout the latter half of the year. A key counterbalance is scheduled for mid-December during the Nasdaq 100's annual rebalancing. By then, the public float will have expanded significantly, forcing index funds to buy more shares, potentially providing institutional support after months of insider selling.

marsbit1h ago

Who Will Take Over After SpaceX's IPO?

marsbit1h ago

Anthropic Apologized, But the Business of 'Safety' Hasn't Stopped

On June 11, Anthropic apologized not for a model failure, but for a lack of transparency. Its new Claude Fable 5 model was found to be secretly rerouting requests from users engaged in advanced AI model development to a weaker version, Opus 4.8, without any notification. The company's response—promising future notifications for such "downgrades"—was met with user skepticism. The article argues the core issue isn't technical but commercial: Anthropic's "safety" measures are primarily a business strategy. A key feature, the "intelligent safety classifier," marketed as user protection, is described as a tool for "competitive defense" to protect Anthropic's market lead by limiting rivals' research capabilities. This covert mechanism was designed for low "false positives," precisely targeting AI researchers. Anthropic's model involves a calculated three-step process: publishing alarming security research to amplify public anxiety, offering its Fable 5 model with a "safety classifier" as a premium-priced solution, and cashing in through a planned high-value IPO. This contrasts with OpenAI's more direct "tool-and-traffic" approach. The apology, merely changing a secret downgrade to a visible one, is seen as a business "patch" rather than a principled shift. The incident risks damaging Anthropic's "safest AI" reputation among the developer community, which underpins its valuation and appeal to government and corporate clients. Ultimately, the article concludes that for Anthropic, safety is a business, and the apology is merely customer service for that business.

marsbit1h ago

Anthropic Apologized, But the Business of 'Safety' Hasn't Stopped

marsbit1h ago

Trading

Spot
Futures

Hot Articles

What is $BITCOIN

DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN): A Comprehensive Analysis Introduction to DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) is a blockchain-based project operating on the Solana network, which aims to combine the characteristics of traditional precious metals with the innovation of decentralized technologies. While it shares a name with Bitcoin, often referred to as “digital gold” due to its perception as a store of value, DIGITAL GOLD is a separate token designed to create a unique ecosystem within the Web3 landscape. Its goal is to position itself as a viable alternative digital asset, although specifics regarding its applications and functionalities are still developing. What is DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN)? DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) is a cryptocurrency token explicitly designed for use on the Solana blockchain. In contrast to Bitcoin, which provides a widely recognized value storage role, this token appears to focus on broader applications and characteristics. Notable aspects include: Blockchain Infrastructure: The token is built on the Solana blockchain, known for its capacity to handle high-speed and low-cost transactions. Supply Dynamics: DIGITAL GOLD has a maximum supply capped at 100 quadrillion tokens (100P $BITCOIN), although details regarding its circulating supply are currently undisclosed. Utility: While precise functionalities are not explicitly outlined, there are indications that the token could be utilized for various applications, potentially involving decentralized applications (dApps) or asset tokenization strategies. Who is the Creator of DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN)? At present, the identity of the creators and development team behind DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) remains unknown. This situation is typical among many innovative projects within the blockchain space, particularly those aligning with decentralized finance and meme coin phenomena. While such anonymity may foster a community-driven culture, it intensifies concerns about governance and accountability. Who are the Investors of DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN)? The available information indicates that DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) does not have any known institutional backers or prominent venture capital investments. The project seems to operate on a peer-to-peer model focused on community support and adoption rather than traditional funding routes. Its activity and liquidity are primarily situated on decentralized exchanges (DEXs), such as PumpSwap, rather than established centralized trading platforms, further highlighting its grassroots approach. How DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) Works The operational mechanics of DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) can be elaborated on based on its blockchain design and network attributes: Consensus Mechanism: By leveraging Solana’s unique proof-of-history (PoH) combined with a proof-of-stake (PoS) model, the project ensures efficient transaction validation contributing to the network's high performance. Tokenomics: While specific deflationary mechanisms have not been extensively detailed, the vast maximum token supply implies that it may cater to microtransactions or niche use cases that are still to be defined. Interoperability: There exists the potential for integration with Solana’s broader ecosystem, including various decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms. However, the details regarding specific integrations remain unspecified. Timeline of Key Events Here is a timeline that highlights significant milestones concerning DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN): 2023: The initial deployment of the token occurs on the Solana blockchain, marked by its contract address. 2024: DIGITAL GOLD gains visibility as it becomes available for trading on decentralized exchanges like PumpSwap, allowing users to trade it against SOL. 2025: The project witnesses sporadic trading activity and potential interest in community-led engagements, although no noteworthy partnerships or technical advancements have been documented as of yet. Critical Analysis Strengths Scalability: The underlying Solana infrastructure supports high transaction volumes, which could enhance the utility of $BITCOIN in various transaction scenarios. Accessibility: The potential low trading price per token could attract retail investors, facilitating wider participation due to fractional ownership opportunities. Risks Lack of Transparency: The absence of publicly known backers, developers, or an audit process may yield skepticism regarding the project's sustainability and trustworthiness. Market Volatility: The trading activity is heavily reliant on speculative behavior, which can result in significant price volatility and uncertainty for investors. Conclusion DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) emerges as an intriguing yet ambiguous project within the rapidly evolving Solana ecosystem. While it attempts to leverage the “digital gold” narrative, its departure from Bitcoin's established role as a store of value underscores the need for a clearer differentiation of its intended utility and governance structure. Future acceptance and adoption will likely depend on addressing the current opacity and defining its operational and economic strategies more explicitly. Note: This report encompasses synthesised information available as of October 2023, and developments may have transpired beyond the research period.

363 Total ViewsPublished 2025.05.13Updated 2025.05.13

What is $BITCOIN

Discussions

Welcome to the HTX Community. Here, you can stay informed about the latest platform developments and gain access to professional market insights. Users' opinions on the price of BTC (BTC) are presented below.

活动图片

Top Questions