
Wall Street floods into Bitcoin Futures as CME trader count hits all-time high
The number of large Open Interest holders in CME Bitcoin Futures has surged to a record 217 by the end of May, marking a staggering 36% rise from early 2024. This sudden influx is indicative of institutional investors’ growing interest in Bitcoin as a strategic asset for long-term accumulation, rather than a reactive trading play.
Despite recent market fluctuations, which saw Bitcoin’s price dip to around $103,984 following a 1.64% 24-hour decline at the time of writing, institutional participation has shown no signs of slowing down. In fact, this increased interest is largely driven by concerns over mounting economic and geopolitical risks, particularly in light of ongoing uncertainty surrounding former President Donald Trump’s trade policies.
This trend aligns with an observed increase in corporate Bitcoin adoption, with prominent companies like Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) and Metaplanet mirroring the move. Strategy has recently expanded its holdings by acquiring 705 BTC for approximately $75.1 million, bringing its total stash to a substantial 580,955 BTC. Meanwhile, GameStop added 4,710 BTC to its treasury, while Trump Media raised a significant $2.32 billion in a private round explicitly to fund future Bitcoin purchases.
This unprecedented commitment from major players underscores the cryptocurrency’s role as a hedge against global instability and volatility. What’s more, this shift towards long-term holdings signals a fundamental change in how institutional investors perceive Bitcoin – no longer just a speculative asset but a vital component of their investment portfolios.
As Bitcoin edges closer to new highs, attention shifts away from short-term gains and instead focuses on the cryptocurrency’s broader implications.
Source: ambcrypto.com