Bitcoin surges despite individual investors leaving... What's behind the highest return in a year?

▲ Bitcoin (BTC) surge / AI generated image

Bitcoin (BTC) recorded its strongest monthly gain in a year, completely reshaping market dominance, even as individual investor participation declined, thanks to an influx of institutional funds.

Crypto-focused YouTube channel Altcoin Daily, in a video released on May 2 (local time), pointed to institution-led accumulation as the background for the recent five-month upward trend. In April 2026, Bitcoin rose by approximately 12%, recording the highest monthly return in the past year. While exchange trading volume has stagnated, the rising price trend indicates a shift in market participants from individual investors to institutions.

In fact, US Bitcoin spot ETFs saw net purchases of $2.44 billion in April alone, nearly doubling the $1.32 billion inflow from March. Japanese exchange JPX also announced plans to launch virtual asset ETFs, expanding global institutional fund inflow channels. Long-term investors continue to incorporate Bitcoin as an alternative asset to hedge against the decline in dollar value.

Billionaire investor Tim Draper pointed out that it is irresponsible not to hold Bitcoin when the US national debt has exceeded the size of the economy. He emphasized that companies should hold 5% to 15% of their assets in Bitcoin to prepare for financial crises. Michael Saylor, Chairman of Strategy, also stated that holding dollars is a choice that erodes asset value, and securing scarce assets like Bitcoin is key.

The Ethereum (ETH) ecosystem also continued its growth trend, driven by the expansion of stablecoins. Over the past 7 days, the number of Ethereum mainnet transactions hit a record high of 18.5 million, and the M2 ratio of stablecoins also exceeded 1.4%. Ripple is pursuing the expansion of payment and lending services by building enterprise financial infrastructure using XRP.

Bitcoin is establishing itself as a new asset system separate from the traditional monetary system, expanding its influence in the market. With continued institutional fund inflows, the trend of changing global asset allocation structures has strengthened.

*Disclaimer: This article is for investment reference only, and we are not responsible for any investment losses based on it. The content should be interpreted for informational purposes only.*