In April 2025, Bitcoin completed its fourth block reward halving in history, reducing the reward from 6.25 BTC per block to 3.125 BTC, resulting in an instantaneous reduction of the new supply by half. This drastic contraction on the supply side has often triggered price increases in the following 6 to 12 months based on past experiences. Meanwhile, due to the decrease in the number of new coins after the halving, market supply pressure has increased, indicating that the scarcity of Bitcoin is further strengthened.
Halving not only directly affects the daily new Bitcoin supply but also increases the operational pressure on some smaller or higher-cost miners, potentially leading to the shutdown of mining equipment and further reducing market supply. On the other hand, on-chain data shows that the number of long-term investors holding one or more Bitcoins continues to rise, reflecting the growing confidence of the entire community in Bitcoin.
In the first half of 2025, several new spot and futures Bitcoin ETFs received regulatory approval, significantly increasing the activity of institutional investors. Moreover, some companies in the technology and payment sectors incorporated Bitcoin into their balance sheets as a hedging tool, sending positive signals. In addition, discussions about Bitcoin on social media surged, helping to attract a new wave of retail funds into the market, further boosting market sentiment.
As the inflation data of major global economies declines, central bank policies may shift from tightening to neutral or easing, and a weaker dollar index is favorable for the strength of dollar-denominated digital assets. However, in terms of regulation, the EU has officially implemented the MiCA framework, and the US has strengthened compliance requirements for crypto custody. Although this does not severely suppress Bitcoin, a transparent and predictable policy environment will become the cornerstone of market stability and institutional confidence.
In recent months, the Bitcoin inventory on exchanges has continued to flow out, with a net reduction of over 30,000 coins, indicating that assets are being withdrawn from exchanges to cold wallets, suggesting a clear trend towards decentralized holding. The daily active addresses remain above one million, and the transfer volume has reached an annual high, indicating active network usage. In the derivatives market, the contract premium has also turned positive from negative, with the 3-month basis reaching 4%, reflecting strengthening bullish sentiment in the market.
The price prediction for Bitcoin in 2025 is full of uncertainty, but a comprehensive assessment from the perspectives of the halving mechanism, institutional participation, and macro policies suggests that the price is expected to maintain an upward trend. For newcomers, it is more crucial to understand the logic of market operations and to manage risks cautiously, avoiding the blind chasing of price rises and falls. By holding a long-term perspective and combining it with a sound strategy, one can continue to profit in the cryptocurrency market.