Bitcoin Surges 25% to $97,000, Altcoins Follow as Institutional Flows Boost Market Confidence

Bitcoin has surged past $97,000, reclaiming a critical level and reinforcing bullish momentum across the market. This move follows weeks of consolidation, positioning Bitcoin just steps away from testing the psychological $100,000 resistance. Institutional appetite remains strong, with firms like BlackRock’s IBIT fund surpassing $43 billion in assets under management due to massive inflows over the past two weeks. These developments, combined with technical confirmation of a pennant breakout, suggest confidence is returning fast, and price discovery may soon resume above historical highs.

Altcoins have mirrored Bitcoin’s momentum, with capital rotating into risk-on tokens as sentiment improves. Market optimism has been fueled by a rebound in social engagement, a rise in Open Interest across derivatives, and declining exchange reserves. Notably, altcoin market dominance has climbed, signaling broader participation. Investors appear to be positioning ahead of potential macro catalysts, including expected ETF-related announcements and further easing in global monetary conditions. As a result, the market outlook has grown increasingly optimistic, with both majors and microcaps seeing renewed demand and stronger technical setups.

Several altcoins are outperforming amid the rally, each driven by unique catalysts. Dogecoin is enjoying revived meme coin enthusiasm, backed by surging social dominance and speculative flows. Sonic has gained traction following major integrations and a notable rise in its total value locked, which underscores increasing utility. Litecoin, long seen as a conservative alternative to Bitcoin, is riding a wave of ETF optimism and broader market interest. Meanwhile, Aerodrome is gaining attention as activity on the Base chain expands. These tokens reflect growing appetite for diverse risk profiles during bullish cycles.

Institutional appetite continues to be a major catalyst for the current rally, with consistent ETF inflows and strategic positioning by large funds. However, what further strengthens the bullish outlook is the negative exchange netflow data. A net outflow of approximately 259.49 million coins, representing a -1.6% change, indicates that more assets are leaving exchanges than entering. This suggests investors are moving their holdings to cold storage or DeFi protocols, reducing sell-side pressure. When combined with clearer regulatory momentum, this trend highlights a strong conviction in long-term crypto exposure.

The rally appears structurally sound, driven by both macro tailwinds and on-chain strength. With Bitcoin eyeing six figures and altcoins showing sector-wide participation, the market is clearly regaining confidence. If institutional flows and regulatory momentum persist, the current bullish trend could evolve into a sustained move higher across the board.