Bitcoin News: Retails Hold Keys, Institutions Beg for Crumbs

In latest Bitcoin news spotlight, a trillion dollars flows daily, yet Wall Street giants—banks, hedge funds, and sovereign wealth funds—scramble for leftovers.

That’s Bitcoin right now in 2025. It’s hit a wild milestone: the first asset over a trillion bucks that’s mostly owned by regular folks like you and me.

The numbers don’t lie—retail investors hold 14.6 million BTC, about 69% of the total 21 million that’ll ever exist, while the institutional crowd barely has a piece.

This huge gap is setting up a supply crunch that might shake things up for decades.

Retail Rules the Roost

On February 19, 2025, Serotonin founder Amanda Cassatt shared a chart on her X (formerly Twitter) account.

It showed a 2024 trend: Bitcoin flowed from individual wallets to institutional funds.

– Advertisement –

Yet, Bitwise Invest data expounds on the narrative. Of Bitcoin’s 21 million total supply, individuals hold 14.6 million coins—69.4%.

Institutions? They’re stuck at the starting line. Matt Hougan, Bitwise’s CIO, noted on X that retail dominance persists despite the hype around institutional adoption.

According to Hougan,

“95% of the world’s largest investors have zero exposure to bitcoin,  but 95% of all bitcoin is already owned.”

This retail grip isn’t loosening fast. Individuals aren’t likely to hoard Bitcoin in bulk, unlike institutions.

Prying BTC from millions of retail holders will be slow and messy. The more individuals hold, the tighter the supply gets.

Bitcoin ETF Demand Soars, Supply Dwindles

Institutional appetite is growing. In 2023, Hougan called $10 billion to $30 billion in Bitcoin ETF inflows for 2024 “ridiculous.”

He was wrong. Net inflows hit $38 billion by year-end, as reported by The Coin Republic.

ETFs typically see slow first years, meaning 2025 could dwarf 2024’s numbers.

But here’s the catch: only 5% of Bitcoin’s supply—1.05 million BTC—remains un-mined by 2140.

That’s a drip-feed pace of about 7,500 coins per year. Matching institutional demand without spiking prices looks improbable.

Deep Pockets Enter Quietly

Private funds are joining the fray. Analyst Sam Callahan dropped a thread on X on February 19, 2025, detailing 11 major players—banks, hedge funds, family offices, and more—buying Bitcoin via ETFs.

How’d he know? Funds managing over $100 million file SEC 13F reports quarterly, disclosing holdings.

Key findings: Abu Dhabi’s $1 trillion sovereign wealth fund now owns BTC. Paul Tudor Jones, a legendary investor, holds 4.53% of his portfolio in Bitcoin—his largest position.

Horizon Kinetics’ Murray Stahl? He’s doubled down, rejecting profit-taking for long-term gains.

Bitcoin News: Why Crunch Looms

Individuals own 69% of Bitcoin—14.6 million coins. ETF inflows soared to $36.2 billion in 2024.

Bitcoin news claim that big players like private funds and Saudi wealth funds are jumping in. But only 5% of Bitcoin’s supply remains unmined for the next 115 years.

With 2025 Bitcoin inflows likely to climb and mining rewards shrinking, Bitcoin’s generational crunch is here.

Individuals hold the keys. Institutions? They’re begging for crumbs.