Bitcoin Hovers Near $95K as Post-Halving Scarcity and ETF Demand Rekindle Crypto Bull Run

Bitcoin (BTC) is flirting with the psychologically important $95,000 mark again, buoyed by surging spot-ETF inflows and the lingering supply shock from last year’s halving. The flagship cryptocurrency traded between $92,910 and $95,350 in the past 24 hours, extending a rally that has already added more than 30 percent since January.

Analysts say fresh demand from U.S. exchange-traded funds is colliding with a dribble of new coins coming onto the market, creating the tightest supply-demand squeeze since 2021. “Institutional positioning has become the dominant driver of price,” noted Jocelyn Fernandes of Mint, pointing to steady buy-side pressure as BTC consolidates just under its record highs.

Ether Steps Onto Wall Street

Momentum isn’t limited to Bitcoin. On April 9 the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved options trading on spot Ethereum ETFs, giving institutions a new hedging tool and signalling a maturing regulatory stance toward digital assets.

Halving Economics Tighten the Screws

The fourth Bitcoin halving on April 20 2024 sliced the block reward to 3.125 BTC. Historical cycles suggest price appreciation typically accelerates 6–18 months after each halving; so far, BTC has held to that script, climbing more than 30 percent in the year since the event.

Venture Capital Tiptoes Back

Deal-makers are returning as well. Private-market tracker PitchBook says crypto start-ups raised roughly $2.4 billion in Q4 2024, a 13 percent jump quarter-on-quarter, and early indications point to an even stronger Q1 2025.

Memecoin Mania Still Rules Retail

Retail traders, meanwhile, are chasing memes: total memecoin capitalisation ballooned from $20 billion in January 2024 to about $120 billion by year-end, a 500 percent explosion fuelled by DOGE, PEPE and a wave of Solana-based spin-offs.

Regulatory Flashpoints Ahead

• United States: Crypto is an election-year talking point, with rival candidates floating everything from a national Bitcoin reserve to a sweeping stablecoin framework.
• Asia: Hong Kong’s Stablecoin Bill heads for a second reading on May 21, aiming to license fiat-referenced tokens.
• Middle East: Dubai’s rise as a crypto hub continued this week with TOKEN2049 drawing 15,000 delegates and heavyweight speakers from BlackRock to Goldman Sachs.

Outlook

With ETF inflows steady, volatility subdued and halving-driven scarcity tightening each day, strategists see a realistic path to six-figure BTC before year-end—provided macro conditions don’t sour. But as memecoin pumps remind us, sentiment can swing quickly. For now, at least, digital assets appear to have reclaimed their seat at the high-risk, high-reward table of global finance.