Bitcoin Hits New Heights in May Amid Institutional Surge and Regulatory Progress
May proved to be a landmark month for Bitcoin and the broader crypto landscape, driven by massive treasury investments, key regulatory advances, and strategic acquisitions, according to Travis Kling of Ikigai Asset Management.
The crypto market witnessed unprecedented institutional adoption, with Bitcoin climbing to an all-time high of $112,000. Corporate heavyweights like MicroStrategy (MSTR) made headlines by acquiring $2.7 billion in BTC across four separate purchases. Meanwhile, Bitcoin spot ETFs attracted $5.2 billion in inflows, underscoring growing mainstream demand.
Several firms joined the rush to bolster their Bitcoin holdings. Trump Media & Technology Group and Twenty One Capital collectively committed billions to Bitcoin treasury strategies, while David Bailey’s Nakamoto Holdings raised $710 million via a reverse merger to follow a similar path.
Beyond Bitcoin, public companies such as SharpLink Gaming and VivoPower announced significant private placements to adopt Ethereum and XRP treasury strategies, signaling increased diversification within the crypto asset space.
On the regulatory front, momentum accelerated with New Hampshire and Arizona pioneering state-level Bitcoin reserve legislation. The Senate advanced the GENIUS Stablecoin Bill, the SEC clarified that staking does not classify as a security, and the OCC confirmed U.S. banks’ legal ability to buy, sell, and custody Bitcoin.
Strategic acquisitions also shaped the month, with Coinbase acquiring derivatives exchange Deribit for $2.9 billion, strengthening its market position despite a recent user data breach. Kraken unveiled plans to launch tokenized stocks on Solana, and the SUI network secured $200 million in funding for its Cetus protocol—highlighting ongoing innovation in the Web3 space.
International players made waves too: Japan’s Metaplanet and France’s Blockchain Group raised hundreds of millions to expand their Bitcoin holdings. The Nasdaq index climbed 9%, just shy of its own record highs, reflecting strong risk appetite across markets.
Finally, Stripe’s integration of stablecoin accounts capped off a month marked by accelerating institutional involvement and maturation of the crypto ecosystem.
