- Bitcoin and Ethereum saw a notable decline in retail adoption, as reflected by shrinking network activity.
- Will Q2 signal the onset of a deeper corrective cycle?
According to the chart below, since Bitcoin’s [BTC] post-2020 bull cycle, the expansion of unique wallets and active addresses has slowed, particularly among wallets holding balances exceeding $1.
This stagnation aligns with the adoption curve model, suggesting institutional accumulation has consolidated BTC into fewer high-value wallets.
Source: Fidelity Investments
In simple words, large-scale entities, such as MicroStrategy (MSTR) have concentrated holdings, reducing the need for broad wallet distribution. As a result, broader distribution among retail participants has declined.
Ethereum [ETH] has mirrored this trend, registering its lowest adoption rate in 2025. As institutional dominance grows, on-chain metrics may become less reliable for assessing retail adoption in the future.
The market impact of this structural shift could be profound. Institutional wallets increasingly dictate liquidity cycles. For instance, Bitcoin’s sharp retracement to $77k in February directly correlated with sustained BTC ETF outflows.
On the 25th of February, BTC ETFs registered a net outflow of $1.4 billion, catalyzing a 5.11% price decline within 24 hours. Ethereum ETFs have similarly remained in a persistent sell-side phase, struggling to attract fresh inflows.
More critically, these institutional outflows have coincided with Trump’s aggressive tariff policies, adding a macroeconomic layer to crypto market volatility.
As Q2 unfolds, the administration appears to be in full “reset” mode. While market reactions remain uncertain, Bitcoin and Ethereum’s failure to replicate their Q1 rally raises the question:
Will Q2 bring a bleak bearish cycle?
Food for thought: Is Bitcoin and Ethereum’s Q2 cycle at risk?
Within two weeks, Bitcoin has reclaimed $88k as BTC ETFs reverted to net inflows. MSTR capitalized on this momentum, accumulating 6,911 BTC for $584 million at an average acquisition price of $86k.
Ethereum followed suit, briefly retesting $2k. However, its prolonged consolidation, coupled with declining network adoption and subdued institutional inflows, suggests underlying structural weakness.
If BTC encounters resistance and retraces, ETH’s price action could be vulnerable to a deeper corrective phase.
Source: TradingView (ETH/USDT)
Weak fundamentals and selective accumulation by high-value wallets could act as a headwind for both Bitcoin and Ethereum’s Q2 rally.
Historically, BTC’s Q1 strength has triggered an altcoin surge, yet this cycle’s price action has diverged. The key differentiator? Heightened macroeconomic volatility.
If institutional capital inflows fail to offset this volatility in the upcoming quarter, both Bitcoin and Ethereum may face distribution pressure and delay a full-scale trend continuation.
- Bitcoin and Ethereum saw a notable decline in retail adoption, as reflected by shrinking network activity.
- Will Q2 signal the onset of a deeper corrective cycle?
According to the chart below, since Bitcoin’s [BTC] post-2020 bull cycle, the expansion of unique wallets and active addresses has slowed, particularly among wallets holding balances exceeding $1.
This stagnation aligns with the adoption curve model, suggesting institutional accumulation has consolidated BTC into fewer high-value wallets.
Source: Fidelity Investments
In simple words, large-scale entities, such as MicroStrategy (MSTR) have concentrated holdings, reducing the need for broad wallet distribution. As a result, broader distribution among retail participants has declined.
Ethereum [ETH] has mirrored this trend, registering its lowest adoption rate in 2025. As institutional dominance grows, on-chain metrics may become less reliable for assessing retail adoption in the future.
The market impact of this structural shift could be profound. Institutional wallets increasingly dictate liquidity cycles. For instance, Bitcoin’s sharp retracement to $77k in February directly correlated with sustained BTC ETF outflows.
On the 25th of February, BTC ETFs registered a net outflow of $1.4 billion, catalyzing a 5.11% price decline within 24 hours. Ethereum ETFs have similarly remained in a persistent sell-side phase, struggling to attract fresh inflows.
More critically, these institutional outflows have coincided with Trump’s aggressive tariff policies, adding a macroeconomic layer to crypto market volatility.
As Q2 unfolds, the administration appears to be in full “reset” mode. While market reactions remain uncertain, Bitcoin and Ethereum’s failure to replicate their Q1 rally raises the question:
Will Q2 bring a bleak bearish cycle?
Food for thought: Is Bitcoin and Ethereum’s Q2 cycle at risk?
Within two weeks, Bitcoin has reclaimed $88k as BTC ETFs reverted to net inflows. MSTR capitalized on this momentum, accumulating 6,911 BTC for $584 million at an average acquisition price of $86k.
Ethereum followed suit, briefly retesting $2k. However, its prolonged consolidation, coupled with declining network adoption and subdued institutional inflows, suggests underlying structural weakness.
If BTC encounters resistance and retraces, ETH’s price action could be vulnerable to a deeper corrective phase.
Source: TradingView (ETH/USDT)
Weak fundamentals and selective accumulation by high-value wallets could act as a headwind for both Bitcoin and Ethereum’s Q2 rally.
Historically, BTC’s Q1 strength has triggered an altcoin surge, yet this cycle’s price action has diverged. The key differentiator? Heightened macroeconomic volatility.
If institutional capital inflows fail to offset this volatility in the upcoming quarter, both Bitcoin and Ethereum may face distribution pressure and delay a full-scale trend continuation.
