- Bitcoin’s price dropped below $100,000 in October for the first time since June, indicating market maturity rather than a downturn.
- Long-term bitcoin holders have sold significant amounts this year, reflecting a major supply shift enabled by increased institutional buying.
- Investor Jordi Visser describes this transition as bitcoin’s “silent IPO,” where early holders distribute coins to newer, more cautious investors.
- Bitcoin’s trading behavior is changing, with ETFs and institutional allocations now stabilizing price movements and reducing volatility.
- More conservative investors such as pension funds and corporate treasuries are beginning to consider bitcoin for diversification, signaling growing acceptance in mainstream finance.
The price of bitcoin fell below $100,000 in early October, marking the first time since June that it has traded at this level. This decline does not indicate a bear market but reflects a shift toward a more stable and mature market phase. The change is connected to shifts in ownership and investor behavior amid broader growth in institutional involvement.
Galaxy Digital‘s research shows that more than 470,000 bitcoins, worth approximately $50 billion, have changed hands this year after being held for at least five years. This transfer of coins from early holders to newer investors is the largest supply migration in bitcoin’s history and has been supported by the growing institutional presence in the market.
Investor Jordi Visser describes this process as bitcoin’s “silent IPO,” where early holders slowly and methodically sell their positions to newer, more risk-aware buyers. This orderly handoff resembles the transition seen when a company goes public, helping to reduce price swings and volatility.
Alex Thorn, head of research at Galaxy Digital, notes that bitcoin’s era of extreme price gains—such as 100x or 1,000x increases—is likely over. He lowered his year-end price target from $185,000 to $120,000 to reflect changes in market dynamics rather than a break in bitcoin’s overall value proposition. Thorn describes bitcoin as entering a “maturity era” where exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and institutional allocations play a larger role than speculative momentum trading.
This year’s market is unlike the boom of 2021, with retail investors largely absent except for brief memecoin speculation. Additionally, leverage in crypto futures dropped sharply following a market correction on October 10, falling from a $220 billion peak to around $142 billion within days. At the same time, many cryptocurrencies remain significantly below their all-time highs, and investor focus has shifted towards Artificial Intelligence, reducing bitcoin’s role as the primary speculative asset.
More cautious investors such as pension funds and insurance companies are now exploring bitcoin as part of their portfolios, viewing it similarly to Gold for diversification and long-term stability. Morgan Stanley recently allowed financial advisors to recommend crypto ETFs to a broader client base, lowering the minimum asset requirement to $0 from $1.5 million.
These developments demonstrate bitcoin’s evolution from a highly volatile speculative asset to one with increasing acceptance among traditional financial institutions and investors seeking steady growth and diversification.
✅ Follow BITNEWSBOT on Telegram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X.com, and Google News for instant updates.
Previous Articles:
- MegaETH Revokes $1M Token Allocation Over Hedging Plan
- SoFi Becomes First U.S. Bank to Launch Crypto Platform for Users
- Square Launches Bitcoin Payments for 4M U.S. Merchants
- Quantum Computing Threat Urges Immediate Shift to Post-Quantum Encryption
- Dubai Penthouses Ignite $24M Bidding Wars Among Ultra-Rich
