- Bitcoin’s price stability near $110K, alongside strong ETF inflows and whale activity, signals increasing institutional trust in the crypto market.
- While top altcoins like WIF and ZEC post strong gains, others like FRAX and CETUS decline. Small-cap tokens like GXC and pStake surge over 85%.
- ETH sees $248M in ETF inflows as BlackRock and Fidelity prepare ETH staking ETFs, reflecting bullish sentiment despite market consolidation.
The cryptocurrency market opened the week with a relatively stable performance, as Bitcoin maintained its position near the $110,000 mark. After a quiet weekend, the world’s largest digital asset posted a 2.18% daily gain,currently trading at $109,015 during early hours.
Ethereum followed with moderate strength, gaining 3.54% to trade around $2,582. While overall momentum appears cautious, market sentiment continues to lean toward optimism, reflected by a Fear & Greed Index score of 73.
According to Crypto Rank, the past 24 hours saw total liquidations of $212 million across major exchanges, signaling ongoing volatility. The current global crypto market cap stands at $3.62 trillion, maintaining its position after a period of accelerated growth earlier this month.
Altcoins Diverge Amid Market Pause
Among the top-performing altcoins, Worldcoin (WLD), Dogwifhat (WIF), and Zcash (ZEC) recorded notable 24-hour gains. WLD was up 2.2% currently trading at $1.39 followed by WIF up 6.2% and ZEC 10.5% currently trading at $52.40.
The rise in these tokens suggests increased speculative interest despite broader market consolidation. On the opposite end, Frax (FRAX), Cetus (CETUS), and Maker (MAK) led the day’s losses, continuing recent downward trends amid a shift in trading volume and market focus.
Institutional Inflows Into BTC and ETH Signal Renewed Market Confidence
Institutional interest in major cryptocurrencies appears to be strengthening, as both Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs record notable inflows. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw their highest single-day net inflow since April 29, totaling 7,869 BTC. The 7-day moving average also rose, indicating a steady increase in institutional demand.
Additionally, a major whale on Hyperliquid, identified as @JamesWynnReal, reportedly closed a $1.2 billion long position in Bitcoin, marking a significant move amid recent price stability.
Ethereum followed suit with $248.2 million in net inflows to ETH-based ETFs this week. Firms such as BlackRock and Fidelity are reportedly preparing to launch Ethereum staking ETFs, which could offer exposure to ETH staking yields.
BlackRock recently stated that concerns over Ethereum’s fundamentals are overstated, describing current FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) as excessive. The firm remains bullish on Ethereum’s long-term potential, citing its integral role in decentralized finance.
Together, the rising inflows into BTC and ETH ETFs point to growing institutional confidence despite ongoing regulatory discussions, suggesting that investor sentiment in the crypto sector is stabilizing.
Small-Cap Tokens Surge as GXC and pStake Lead 24-Hour Gains
Several small-cap tokens led gains in the past 24 hours. GXChain(GXC) currently trading at $0.6275 has surged 86.91% bringing its market cap to$46.35M. pStakeFinance follows with a 85.21% currently trading at $0.08688 with its volume at $168.53 which is a 1012.80%.
Other small gainers include AVA holo which saw a +36.7% followed by alrightbuddyHL with+31.9% and Reployai +27%.
Bybit Adds USDC on Aptos Amid Institutional Demand
Bybit has announced support for native USD Coin (USDC) deposits on the Aptos network, with functionality going live on May 26 at 10:00 UTC. Withdrawals will be enabled on May 29. Aptos joins Ethereum, Solana, and other major blockchains with native USDC issuance, allowing users to transact more efficiently without relying on third-party bridges.
The addition of Aptos to Bybit’s USDC support list could boost usage of the Layer 1 chain, particularly as centralized exchanges expand multi-chain access to stable assets amid rising demand for secure, scalable infrastructure. Meanwhile, decentralized exchange Axiom has reached $100 million in revenue just four months after its launch, highlighting growing momentum in the DeFi sector.
