Bitcoin ended April with a near-12% gain, marking its second positive monthly close since September 2025, even as the Middle East conflict escalated and oil prices surged to $120 per barrel.
The rally was fueled by sustained spot ETF inflows from U.S. investors, leveraged derivatives positioning, and continued accumulation by Strategy-formerly MicroStrategy.
Michael Saylor's firm made four separate Bitcoin purchases in April totaling approximately $4.13 billion. Strategy's stock (MSTR) broke a nine-month losing streak, closing the month up 32%, its first positive month since July 2025.
Bitcoin is currently trading around $77,350, up 1.9% over the past 24 hours.
Cracks Beneath the Surface
Despite the price surge, not all signals are bullish. CryptoQuant's apparent demand metric remained negative throughout April, signaling a lack of organic spot demand. Analysts at the firm warn that "price gains are speculative rather than structural."
Industry observers point to a potential divergence: recent ETF demand may be tied to cash-and-carry arbitrage strategies, rather than outright long-term conviction. As one analyst noted, "Institutional interest is rising, but not all of it may be driven by long-term conviction."
However, some remain optimistic. Orkun Kilic, CEO of Chainway Labs, described the current environment as a "budding bull market," citing improved regulatory clarity and stronger institutional support.