#Gate13周年现场直击 Massively raising 1.9 billion in funds! Bitcoin stabilizes at $78k, is breaking $100k just one step away? (Includes 24H real-time data)

The crypto market has recently experienced a strong rebound, with Bitcoin (BTC-USD) becoming the absolute main character— as of press time, Bitcoin is quoted at $78,329.86, with a 24-hour high of $78,662.50, a low of $76,960.00, showing moderate volatility but consistently holding above the $76k key level. More notably, recent institutional capital has flooded in wildly, spot ETF continuous recording massive net inflows, combined with macroeconomic positives and on-chain supply tightening support, can Bitcoin seize the momentum to break $100k? Today, with the latest news, core data, and comprehensive analysis of Bitcoin’s recent trends and future rally or decline logic.

Core Data
Institutions aggressively buying, $1.9 billion inflow into Bitcoin ETF Bitcoin recently staying above $78k is driven mainly by explosive growth in institutional demand, with a series of data confirming ongoing optimism from institutions towards Bitcoin. This is a key difference from previous retail-led markets:
ETF capital inflows hit a new phase high: US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a net inflow of $1.9 billion over the past seven days, surpassing similar periods in March, marking the seventh consecutive day of net inflows. On April 22 alone, inflows reached $335.8 million, with BlackRock’s IBIT Bitcoin ETF contributing $246.9 million, accounting for over 73% of that day’s inflow. Fidelity’s FBTC, Bitwise’s BITB, and others also saw significant inflows. Notably, IBIT has accumulated over $65 billion since inception, becoming a core channel for institutional Bitcoin allocation, while Grayscale’s GBTC saw about $78k net outflow during the same period, reflecting investor preference for lower-cost alternatives.
Large-scale buying by strategy firms: A certain strategy firm disclosed its largest Bitcoin purchase in 17 months, spending $2.54 billion to buy 34,164 BTC, further signaling long-term institutional positioning and providing strong support for Bitcoin’s price. Currently, US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs manage about 1.3 million BTC, worth around $103 billion, with institutional holdings continuing to grow.
On-chain supply tightening intensifies: On-chain data shows Bitcoin balances on exchanges have fallen to multi-year lows of 2.67 million BTC, indicating large amounts of Bitcoin are being locked up long-term, reducing market circulation, and tightening supply-demand relations, further pushing prices higher. This supply tightening, combined with ongoing institutional buying, forms the core support for Bitcoin’s recent oscillating upward trend.
Contradictions emerge: Institutional frenzy vs. retail cooling, hacker attacks haven’t changed the strong pattern Despite Bitcoin’s strong performance, clear contradictions remain: on one side, frantic inflows of institutional funds; on the other, continued retail market cooling; plus, hacker attacks pose potential risks to the crypto market, which can be broken down into two points:
Severe retail-institution divergence: According to Cointelegraph, global retail crypto activity declined 11% in Q1 2026, with retail trading volume dropping to $979 billion year-over-year— the largest pullback since the 2022 bear market and the second consecutive quarter of contraction, mainly due to macroeconomic pressures. In stark contrast, institutional funds keep increasing, with record-high net inflows into spot ETFs, indicating the current Bitcoin market has entered an “institution-led” phase, with retail sentiment gradually losing influence.
DeFi turbulence not affecting Bitcoin: Recently, KelpDAO suffered a $292 million hacker attack, causing severe turbulence in the DeFi market, with total locked value dropping by $14 billion, and risk-averse sentiment rising.
Surprisingly, Bitcoin has remained unaffected, staying above $76k and even steadily rising, thanks partly to strong institutional backing and also reflecting Bitcoin’s role as a safe-haven asset in the crypto market, clearly differentiating from other crypto assets. Additionally, Certik warns that four attack vectors may emerge in 2026, potentially increasing crypto hacking incidents, so subsequent risks should be watched carefully.

Future Price Movement Predictions: Breaking $100k depends on two key variables
Based on current market dynamics, institutional flows, and macro policies, Bitcoin’s future trend shows “short-term consolidation, medium- to long-term focus on policies and institutions.” Whether it can break $100k hinges on two critical variables, with specific predictions as follows:
1. Short-term (1-2 weeks): Consolidation with attempts to break $79k resistance
Core judgment:
Bitcoin is likely to remain in the $76,000–$79k range in the short term, with attempts to challenge the $79k key resistance, but risks of pullback should not be ignored.
Supporting factors: Continuous institutional inflows, high daily net ETF inflows; on-chain supply tightening persists, reducing circulating supply and supporting prices; technically, Bitcoin remains above the 7-day and 30-day moving averages, in a strong zone. Analyst Michaël van de Poppe notes Bitcoin has tested the $79k technical level, with slight pullbacks but overall steady upward trend.
Resisting factors: Recent gains are substantial, profit-taking pressures are rising; resistance near $79k is strong, requiring significant capital to break through; retail market cooling, lack of retail funds to sustain momentum, making sustained breakout difficult.
2. Medium- to long-term (3-12 months): Can it break $100k? Two key factors
According to CryptoNews, whether Bitcoin can break $100k depends mainly on the progress of Federal Reserve Chair nominee Kevin Wals’ nomination and the implementation of the “Clear Act,” both of which will directly influence institutional inflows:
Federal Reserve reshuffle and monetary policy direction: Kevin Wals emphasized Fed independence at a Senate confirmation hearing, explicitly stating that cryptocurrencies are now part of the US financial system and calling the US CBDC “a bad policy choice.” His stance significantly impacts the crypto market. However, Polymarket traders estimate only a 28% chance of Wals being confirmed before May 15, with uncertainty about his monetary policy stance—if confirmed and adopts a dovish approach, it could further boost institutional inflows into Bitcoin; if hawkish or blocked, market sentiment may cool. Wals’ portfolio heavily invests in crypto, raising concerns about conflicts of interest among lawmakers, which could also affect the confirmation process.
Progress of the “Clear Act”: Seen as the most important US crypto regulation bill, it aims to clearly define SEC and CFTC regulatory boundaries for digital assets, establishing a clear compliance path, reducing legal risks, lowering compliance costs, and boosting long-term institutional confidence. Passed by the House in July 2025, if enacted before the mid-term elections, it could provide a stable regulatory framework, further attracting institutional capital and pushing Bitcoin higher. If delayed, regulatory uncertainty might suppress institutional interest, delaying the $100k breakthrough.
Moreover, Wall Street’s optimistic outlook also supports Bitcoin’s long-term prospects. “Wall Street’s oracle” Tom Lee predicted Bitcoin could reach $200k by year-end, while analyst Bernstein believes Bitcoin could hit a cycle peak of $150k–$200k within 6–12 months, with the crypto bull market lasting until 2027. Additionally, the Trump administration’s positive stance on crypto, such as exploring allowing 401(p)ension plans to invest in cryptocurrencies, opens policy space for long-term capital entry.

Core Summary: Under institutional dominance, view volatility and opportunities rationally
The core logic of Bitcoin has shifted from retail sentiment dominance to a “dual drive” of “institutional funds + regulation expectations,” which is key to its ability to remain above $78k amid DeFi turbulence and retail cooling.
For ordinary investors, the main approach is “don’t chase highs, focus on core, control positions”: avoid blindly chasing high above $78k in the short term, beware of pullbacks near $79k resistance, and consider re-entering around $76,000 after a correction; in the medium to long term, focus on two signals—Wals’ nomination progress and the “Clear Act” implementation. If both are positive, institutional inflows will continue, greatly increasing the probability of Bitcoin breaking $100k; if not, timely risk management is necessary.
Do you think Wals will be successfully confirmed as Fed Chair? Will the “Clear Act” be enacted as scheduled? Feel free to share your views in the comments!

Crypto market volatility remains high; the data and analysis in this article are for reference only and do not constitute investment advice.