S elling pressure on Bitcoin is easing as investors reduce their bearish exposure. The 25-delta skew, which measures bearish positioning and sentiment, has improved from -10% to -4.5%. This shift reflects a reduced demand for downside protection in the options market.
Related Brief 4h ago
cryptocurrency Bitcoin Price Momentum Rises 51.7% as Institutional ETF Inflows Sustain Demand
Bitcoin price momentum has risen 51.7% and surpassed prior high bands, driven by increasing US spot ETF net inflows and trading volumes. This sustained institutional demand has pushed spot market indicators toward more aggressive buying conditions, as reflected in convexity divergence metrics and rising trading volumes. Speculative positioning has increased, with futures open interest rising 7.2%. However, funding dynamics have shifted sharply, with long-side funding payments declining 198.6%, signaling a growing preference for short positioning or hedging. In the options market, a decline in 25-delta skew indicates a reduction in downside bias, while a contracting volatility spread shows lingering caution. On-chain activity has cooled, with a decline in daily active addresses and entity-adjusted transfer volume. This easing of short-term capital participation and an increase in long-term holder dominance has contributed to greater market stability. As unrealized losses decline and a larger share of circulating Bitcoin supply returns to profit, Bitcoin is trading at approximately $74,713.25.
This improvement follows de-escalation signals in US-Iran and Middle East tensions, including a conditional two-week ceasefire agreed upon by Iran and the US on April 8. The resulting reduction in risk-off pressure has contributed to Bitcoin's current trade price of around $74,420.
Related Brief 6h ago
cryptocurrency Institutional Demand for XRP Grows as Retail Fades and Regulatory Clarity Takes Hold
XRP ETFs have recorded $178 million in inflows this month, even as retail engagement with the asset has dropped 26% in the past week. The divergence underscores a shift in who is driving the market: institutional investors are stepping in as retail traders retreat. XRP trades at $1.40, down 61% from its $3.60 high last year, and the asset’s market cap has shed $128 billion over eight months. Yet the inflows suggest larger players see value where others have lost interest. BlackRock added XRP to its portfolio, following prior investments in Bitcoin and Ethereum, adhering to a consistent volume-first strategy. The firm prioritizes digital assets with infrastructure capable of handling high transaction throughput. Its BUIDL fund, the largest tokenized treasury product on-chain, reflects this infrastructure-focused approach. Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin is now live on the XRP Ledger’s native decentralized exchange, offering programmable liquidity that aligns with BlackRock’s tokenization ambitions. The partnership gains further strength from regulatory clarity: the SEC lawsuit concluded with a ruling that favors Ripple’s position, establishing legal precedent that makes XRP a more viable asset for regulated institutions. Together, Ripple’s payment rail and BlackRock’s institutional reach create a functional framework for tokenized finance — one where infrastructure, not speculation, drives adoption. Institutional investors are accumulating XRP despite declining retail participation and price depreciation.
Since the conflict began on February 28, Bitcoin has risen 13%.
Related Brief 1d ago
cryptocurrency US Institutional Demand Drives $1.1 Billion Crypto Inflow
US investors drove $1.06 billion in inflows into crypto investment products last week, accounting for 95% of the global total. This surge was driven by regulated Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs and favorable domestic economic signals. Total weekly inflows reached $1.1 billion, the largest since early January 2026. Total assets under management rebounded to levels last seen in early February. Bitcoin dominated the activity, capturing $871 million in inflows. Ethereum followed with $196.5 million. Short-Bitcoin investment products recorded $20.2 million in inflows, the highest weekly figure since November 2024.
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