Bitcoin's Wild Ride: A Six-Month Recap from April to October 2025

As someone who's been busy mining fiat for the last six months building out some projects, catching up feels like jumping back into a rocket mid-launch.

From April to October 2025, Bitcoin has seen explosive growth, institutional frenzy, regulatory wins, and tech innovations that could reshape the ecosystem.

Here's a breakdown of the key developments i’ve been reading about.

If you're like me and need a refresher, this should get you up to speed.

ON BITCOIN is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Price Movements and Market Performance

Bitcoin kicked off the period with some decoupling from traditional markets.

In April, it was holding steady while ETFs snapped up around 25,000 BTC in just three days, and large amounts flowed out of exchanges.

By May, the hash rate was climbing fast, and a surge in M2 money supply hinted at a coming bull run.

Over 90,000 BTC left exchanges in the previous month, signaling strong holder confidence.

June brought highs and lows: Bitcoin touched $108,000 briefly before pulling back, testing support levels amid negative funding rates that suggested bearish bets.

The summer was choppy, but spot ETF inflows stayed solid one day saw $378 million pour in, and Ethereum products got a boost too.

September shifted gears with heavy institutional buying.

A solo miner hit the jackpot, earning over $350,000 from one block, and analysts started calling for $180,000 by year's end.

Then came October, or "Uptober" as the community calls it.

Bitcoin blasted past $122,000 amid U.S. government shutdown worries, hit a new all-time high above $125,000, and positioned itself as a gold rival for safe-haven status.

ETFs set records with $1.21 billion in daily inflows the biggest of 2025 pushing prices up.

Forecasts now point to $135,000 soon, and some say $200,000 to $300,000 by 2026.

Companies like MicroStrategy cashed in big, reporting $3.9 billion in Q3 gains from their Bitcoin holdings.

Institutional and Corporate Adoption

This period marked a tipping point for big players treating Bitcoin like a core asset.

Strategy(MicroStrategy) and Twenty One went head-to-head on holdings, while GameStop raised $2.7 billion, possibly eyeing more Bitcoin buys.

ETFs dominated, with some days seeing over 5,000 BTC in buys, and new ones like Truth Social's filing popped up.

Real-world integration grew too: BLINK rolled out Bitcoin payments at over 90,000 EV stations, and corporates stocked up on treasuries amid Fed uncertainty.

Regulatory and Governmental Progress

Regulations finally started catching up in positive ways.

California greenlit Bitcoin payments, New Hampshire passed a BTC bill, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency mandated counting Bitcoin as an asset for mortgages.

Internationally, Kazakhstan piloted stablecoin fees, Paraguay eyed a Bitcoin reserve, and Fed Chair Powell confirmed banks can work with crypto.

El Salvador's Bukele pushed for deeper U.S. ties in D.C., and Q4 2025 is lined up for big decisions.

Spot Solana ETFs could get approved soon, spilling over to Bitcoin vibes.

Technological and Ecosystem Developments

On the tech side, Bitcoin's world got more dynamic.

Layer-2 tech advanced: exSatNetwork added smart contracts, full data sync, and quick finality.

Starknet shifted to BTC L2s, and Babylon freed up over $3 billion in liquidity.

A new U.S.-regulated Bitcoin stablecoin launched, backed by T-Bills for instant Lightning payments without bridges.

AI crossed over, with platforms like Eigen, Olas, and Fluence launching alongside Bitcoin stories.

Bitcoin is evolving toward yielding returns, network security, and onchain finance, all while keeping its roots strong.

What's Next?

It's clear Bitcoin isn't slowing down.

With prices soaring, institutions piling in, regs improving, and tech pushing boundaries, the stage is set for more action.

What did I miss? Any big moments that stick in you mind from the summer months?

Drop a comment below.

ON BITCOIN is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.