Bitcoin’s Price May Have Slipped, But Its Popularity Is Skyrocketing

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Well, well, well-Bitcoin‘s price has taken quite a tumble, hasn’t it? It’s dropped a mere 50% since its high-flying days. One can hardly ignore it. But, if you think that’s the full story, let me introduce you to a rather different plotline-courtesy of River, that ever-optimistic financial services firm. According to their latest revelation, Bitcoin’s price chart is only telling a fraction of the tale.

Underneath all that price nonsense, Bitcoin adoption is going through the roof. Governments, banks, institutions, and even your local merchant are all hopping on the bandwagon, at a pace that River deems “historic”-whatever that means. Yet, somehow, this newfound love for Bitcoin hasn’t quite reflected in its price… yet.

5 Countries, Major Banks, And Record Institutional Buying

It seems the governments, once mere spectators in this thrilling financial drama, are now taking center stage. According to River’s “stunning” findings, five countries-yes, five-have decided to embrace Bitcoin in 2025. Luxembourg and Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth funds are now in on the action, as is the Czech Republic’s central bank, alongside Brazil and Taiwan’s enthusiastic purchases.

In total, River’s estimates suggest 23 nations are now dabbling in Bitcoin, whether through state-sponsored mining operations, good old asset seizures, or their very own central bank exposure. A few years ago, this category of ownership didn’t even exist. Fancy that!

What Bear Market?

“There’s no bear market in Bitcoin adoption […] it is compounding in ways that aren’t affecting the price, yet,” River disclosed in their ever-chipper Tuesday report, noting that Bitcoin is still down 50% from its all-time high. A bear market? Oh, please. This is just the universe’s way of keeping us on our toes.

As for the banking world, 60% of the top US banks are now actively crafting Bitcoin-related products for their most discerning customers. Thanks to a slightly less hostile regulatory environment in the US, banks can now hold Bitcoin and even offer related services-something that was, of course, utterly impossible a mere while ago. What a difference a regulation makes!

Money Flowing In

And don’t think the institutions are staying out of this. Oh no, they’ve been throwing money into Bitcoin like it’s the next big thing-because, apparently, it is. Reports show that registered investment advisors have been net buyers of Bitcoin for eight-yes, eight-consecutive quarters. They’ve pumped around $1.5 billion into Bitcoin exchange-traded funds each and every quarter for the past two years. Can you say “convinced”?

All told, institutions managed to scoop up a rather impressive 829,000 BTC throughout 2025. This figure includes purchases made by businesses, governments, investment funds, and ETF vehicles, with a hearty dose of individual investors gaining their first exposure to Bitcoin through their retirement accounts and brokerage platforms. A real grassroots movement, wouldn’t you agree?

Businesses, by the way, were the single largest category of buyers in 2025, according to River’s exhaustive study. And the crypto treasury companies, those brave souls holding Bitcoin as part of their financial strategy, were responsible for a large chunk of those purchases. Adoption among these firms grew 2.5 times compared to the previous year. Who knew Bitcoin would find a cozy spot in the corporate balance sheet?

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2026-02-27 08:12