Demand for Bitcoin (BTC) from major institutions has returned to the market in a big way after a period of inactivity. This recovery in buying pressure detected in this month of April 2026 marks the end of the negative trend that has dominated pro-capital behavior since the end of March.
This trend change is supported by the behavior of the Coinbase Premium Index on the volume-weighted version of the CryptoQuant data platform. This indicator calculates the price difference between the American exchange Coinbase and the world’s largest exchange platform Binance. The higher the Coinbase value, the more positive the index.
By placing more emphasis on large-scale projects, This indicator filters out small transactions and focuses on large transactions.. This allows us to distinguish between the movements of whales (entities that own 1,000 BTC or more) or those of institutional investors and retailers.
As seen in the chart, the market experienced an area of negative pressure from the end of March to the beginning of April. During this period, financial institutions were on the sidelines, which contributed to the decline in Bitcoin prices. however, On April 9, a decisive turning point, the panorama changed dramatically..
A market analyst who calls himself “Darkphost” said that while activity “remains relatively calm so far”, the deciding factor is that “the trend has continued since early April” after a cycle of indifference.
Since mid-April, this indicator has been dominated by orange, reflecting a positive premium. “This suggests that institutional buying activity is driving prices higher compared to more retail-driven flows on Binance,” the analyst explained. This phenomenon shows that big capital is willing to pay a premium to acquire assets in the United States.
ETFs and strategies lead Bitcoin purchases
In this context, the US Spot Bitcoin Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) plays an important role. These financial products, which allow investors to gain exposure to BTC prices without directly managing BTC, recorded capital inflows for nine consecutive days from April 14th to 24th. In total, they accumulated a revenue of $2.114 billion.
Adding to this trend is the aggressive strategy of Strategy, which holds the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin reserve. The organization led by Michael Saylor stepped up its acquisition pace last week, purchasing 34,164 BTC. With this move, the company has reached a total reserve of 815,061 BTC in the Treasuryas reported by CriptoNoticias.
Bitcoin is currently trading at levels close to $77,000, which means it has gained nearly 10% in the last month. This increase coincides perfectly with increased inflows into ETFs and the consolidation of large corporate acquisitions.
While this could set the stage for a rise in the Bitcoin market, analyst Knox Ridley remains cautious about the sustainability of this growth. Ridley warned that any rally in the coming weeks is “doomed to fail before reaching the $116,000 area.” ridley fSkeptical that current macroeconomic conditions could limit upside.
The expert noted that a fall in Bitcoin below $62,500 could trigger a fall to the $55,000 or $40,000 range. However, proponents of the current trend argue that institutional support provides a solid foundation. “When bullish trends are supported by this kind of demand, they tend to be more sustainable,” Dirkforst concluded.
