As of Wednesday morning, Bitcoin (BTC) is trading over $96K, up nearly 2% in the last 24 hours, marking a continued recovery from April’s lows around $75,000. Late Tuesday evening ET, Bitcoin surged over $97K.
The world’s largest cryptocurrency is now within striking distance of the critical $100,000 milestone amid renewed institutional and political tailwinds.
Tower Research and Citadel Quietly Build Bitcoin Positions
According to a new leak first reported by Bloomberg, Wall Street’s high-frequency trading elite are increasing their exposure to crypto markets.
Tower Research Capital, one of the biggest players in algorithmic trading, has reportedly ramped up its capital allocation to crypto and upgraded its market-making infrastructure—joining Citadel Securities, which has also been bulking up on digital assets.
This quiet buildup aligns with growing optimism around regulatory clarity under the Trump administration, which has begun rolling back Biden-era crypto restrictions and signaling a fast track for digital asset legislation.
Trump’s Crypto Embrace Spurs Wall Street Reentry
Former President—and now again U.S. President—Donald Trump’s embrace of Bitcoin has helped reignite Wall Street’s interest in crypto. His administration has made it clear that it views Bitcoin and blockchain as essential tools for U.S. financial competitiveness.
In recent weeks, Trump’s crypto czar, David Sacks, made headlines with a rare bullish BTC price prediction. Now, insiders believe Trump’s pro-Bitcoin posture could help reboot the institutional Bitcoin bull run that stalled earlier in the year.
$2 Billion in ETF Inflows Signal Renewed Demand
Wall Street’s return isn’t just anecdotal. Spot Bitcoin ETFs are seeing massive inflows again.
According to data from SoSoValue, Bitcoin ETFs pulled in nearly $2 billion last week alone—marking a strong reversal after months of outflows that tracked broader stock market volatility.
ETF behemoth BlackRock is leading the pack. Its iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) took in over 5,600 BTC on May 6, valued at more than $530 million.
In the last 15 days, IBIT has absorbed more than $4.5 billion in investor capital.
“The flows are back in a big way,” said Robert Mitchnick, head of digital assets at BlackRock, during a recent crypto panel.
Advisors May Soon Recommend BTC to Clients
Perhaps the most seismic shift: top Wall Street asset managers controlling a combined $10 trillion are expected to “open for business” on Bitcoin later this year.
That means financial advisors at these firms could be allowed to formally recommend Bitcoin ETFs to their clients—a regulatory greenlight that could unleash a flood of mainstream money.
This move would mark the first time advisors can recommend Bitcoin within a traditional portfolio framework, potentially ushering in billions more in long-term capital inflows.
The Quiet Bitcoin Boom Is Getting Loud
Bitcoin’s recent price rally is being driven by far more than speculation—it’s being underpinned by real, institutional money, a friendlier regulatory climate under Trump, and technological reinvestment by some of Wall Street’s most sophisticated trading firms.
With $2 billion in fresh ETF inflows, high-speed traders scaling up, and the possibility of financial advisors formally joining the fold, the groundwork is being laid for a historic Bitcoin breakout.
The only thing left? A Fed decision that could pour even more fuel on the fire.