May 22, 2025

Trading Desk Insights


Bitcoin punches through a new all-time high of $112,000, extending its multi-week grind higher on the back of accelerating institutional inflows and a surge in corporate adoption. The macro backdrop has added fuel to the rally—easing U.S.-China trade tensions and Moody’s downgrade of U.S. sovereign credit have helped reframe BTC as a serious alternative to traditional stores of value. Historically correlated with risk assets, Bitcoin now appears to be charting its own course as equities wobble and capital searches for safe havens.

ETF flows continue to validate the trend. U.S.-listed Bitcoin ETFs have only seen two days of outflows in May, with $1.6 billion in net inflows over the past week alone, and $4.24 billion month-to-date. Since January, public company holdings of BTC have jumped 31% to an estimated $349 billion, now accounting for roughly 15% of total circulating supply. No surprise then that Bitcoin is up 18% year-to-date.

In the derivatives market, bullish positioning is running hot. Open interest is stacked at the $110K, $120K, and $130K strikes, with traders also taking moonshots at $300K calls, underscoring aggressive upside expectations and strong conviction across the curve.

Elsewhere in DeFi, Cetus Protocol—the flagship DEX on the Sui network—was exploited for $260 million. The attacker deployed spoofed tokens to manipulate pool pricing and drain reserves, forcing a halt in trading and wiping out liquidity. Another stark reminder of the risks tied to unvetted smart contracts.

On the macro front, Trump’s tax bill cleared the House, giving Republicans a critical win. The bill, which could add nearly $4 trillion to the deficit, now heads to the Senate. The move rattled bond markets, sending U.S. Treasury yields higher as fiscal concerns re-emerge following Moody’s downgrade of U.S. credit.

The News Room

GENIUS Act Advances in Senate; Blockchain Certainty Act Reintroduced

On May 21, the U.S. Senate approved a motion to proceed with the GENIUS Act, a bill aimed at regulating stablecoins by enforcing strict reserve requirements and compliance with anti-money laundering and know-your-customer protocols. The legislation also includes provisions to restrict large technology companies from issuing stablecoins. Despite earlier delays due to political concerns, the bill has gained bipartisan support and is now open for formal debate and amendments. Simultaneously, the House has reintroduced the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act, which seeks to provide legal clarity for blockchain developers and service providers.

Texas House Passes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Bill

The Texas House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 21 on May 21 with a 101–42 vote, aiming to establish a state-level strategic Bitcoin reserve. The bill proposes creating a special fund to hold Bitcoin in cold storage for at least five years, positioning the cryptocurrency as a state asset to enhance economic resilience and diversify investment strategies. The legislation, co-authored by Sen. Charles Schwertner and Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, now awaits the governor's decision.

BPI Releases Policy Manifesto Advocating U.S. Leadership in Bitcoin Infrastructure

The Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) has published a policy manifesto urging the United States to take a leading role in Bitcoin infrastructure. The document outlines a three-pronged approach: integrating Bitcoin into the U.S. economic and geopolitical strategy, providing regulatory clarity for technology developers and businesses, and redefining Bitcoin mining within energy and infrastructure policies. BPI's framework aims to guide policymakers in understanding the legal, regulatory, and geopolitical aspects of Bitcoin.

Crypto Charts

ETF Flow

Disclaimer

This research is for informational use only. This is not investment advice. Other than disclosures relating to Secure Digital Markets this research is based on current public information that we consider reliable, but we do not represent it is accurate or complete, and it should not be relied on as such. The information, opinions, estimates, and forecasts contained herein are as of the date hereof and are subject to change without prior notification. We seek to update our research as appropriate.

Any forecasts contained herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be relied upon as advice or interpreted as a recommendation. The price of crypto assets may rise or fall because of changes in the broad market or changes in a company's financial condition, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. Past performance is not a guide to future performance, future returns are not guaranteed, and a loss of original capital may occur. Fluctuations in exchange rates could have adverse effects on the value or price of, or income derived from, certain investments. We and our affiliates, officers, directors, and employees, excluding equity and credit analysts, will from time to time have long or short positions in, act as principal in, and buy or sell, the securities or derivatives, if any, referred to in this research.

The information on which the analysis is based has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable such as, for example, the company’s financial statements filed with a regulator, company website, company white paper, pitchbook and any other sources. While Secure Digital Markets has obtained data, statistics, and information from sources it believes to be reliable, it does not perform an audit or seek independent verification of any of the data, statistics, and information it receives.

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