[News Brief] Apr 22, morning | Bitcoin Spot ETFs See Net Inflows for 9 Straight Trading Days, Total Reaches $2.1 Billion

Bitcoin Spot ETFs See Net Inflows for 9 Straight Trading Days, Total Reaches $2.1 Billion

Bitcoin spot ETFs posted net inflows for nine consecutive trading days. Cumulative inflows during this stretch reached about $2.1 billion, though some market participants said the recent rally was driven mainly by ETF inflows and short liquidations, while underlying spot demand remains weak.

According to Odaily, citing SoSoValue data, Bitcoin spot ETFs recorded net inflows of $14.45 million on April 24, extending the streak to nine trading days. Total inflows over this run came to around $2.1 billion. Total inflows for last week were $823.7 million, while BlackRock's IBIT alone saw weekly inflows of $983 million.

Market interpretation, however, was mixed. According to CryptoQuant founder Ki Young Ju, the Bitcoin market is currently being led by futures activity. Open interest continues to rise, but excluding ETF inflows and purchases by MicroStrategy, apparent on-chain demand remains negative.

A senior analyst at CEX.IO also said the recent rise relied heavily on short liquidations. Since April 13, short liquidations have totaled about $2.8 billion, well above long liquidations of $1.8 billion. Some ETF demand may also have come from basis arbitrage strategies involving buying IBIT and shorting CME Bitcoin futures. This is a market-neutral strategy rather than a pure bullish bet.

The options market also showed signs of caution. The 25-delta skew remains in negative territory, suggesting investors are paying a premium for downside protection.

Sen. Cynthia Lummis Says U.S. Crypto Market Structure Bill to Reach Turning Point in May

U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis said a crypto market structure bill is expected to reach a key milestone in May.

According to Watcher.Guru, Lummis said the legislative process for the bill would arrive at an important turning point during May. The market structure bill is widely viewed as a core legislative effort that would define regulatory jurisdiction over digital assets and standards for operating trading markets.

Her remarks raised expectations that the U.S. Congress may accelerate efforts to establish a clearer regulatory framework for crypto assets. U.S. lawmakers have already been discussing legislation centered on stablecoins and market structure as part of broader integration into the regulated financial system.

SEC Chair Paul Atkins Says Crypto and Blockchain Innovation Will Strengthen U.S. Economy and Finance

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Paul Atkins said cryptocurrency and blockchain innovation would strengthen the U.S. economy and financial system.

According to Watcher.Guru, Atkins made the remarks while expressing a positive view of the growth potential of the digital asset industry and related technologies. As a public statement from the SEC chair, the comments are being interpreted as a signal that expectations for a shift in the U.S. regulatory stance may be rising.

Debate has continued in the U.S. over regulatory clarity and the integration of crypto into the mainstream financial system. While the remarks are broadly positive for the market, no specific policy measures were announced.

Colombia’s Largest Pension Fund Launches Bitcoin Fund

Colombia’s largest pension fund has launched a Bitcoin fund, according to @pete_rizzo_ on X.

The pension fund reportedly said that denying Bitcoin means ignoring the reality of global markets. The move is being interpreted as another example of growing Bitcoin adoption among traditional financial institutions such as pension funds.

U.S. Rep. Nick Begich Introduces Bill to Protect Bitcoin Self-Custody Rights

U.S. Representative Nick Begich introduced a bill to protect the right to self-custody Bitcoin, according to Bitcoin Magazine on X.

Citing the bill’s language, Begich said the ability to directly hold one’s private keys is a core principle supporting financial sovereignty, privacy, and individual freedom.

The bill is being seen as an effort to more clearly establish self-custody rights for Bitcoin holders within the legal framework.

Solana Foundation Weighs Post-Quantum Security Upgrade With Falcon

According to Odaily, the Solana Foundation said core developer Anza and Jump Crypto’s Firedancer have aligned on considering the adoption of the Falcon digital signature scheme as a potential post-quantum security measure.

Solana said the immediate threat from quantum computing remains low, but it has prepared a phased upgrade roadmap in response. The plan includes continued research into Falcon and other alternatives, applying post-quantum security methods to new wallets if necessary, and then gradually migrating existing wallets.

Solana noted that Blueshift’s quantum-resistant foundation technology, Winternitz Vault, has already been operating on the network for more than two years. The foundation added that Solana’s high-speed, low-latency architecture is compatible with such security systems and that any transition is unlikely to result in major performance degradation.

Gemini Launches Agentic Trading Feature Integrated With ChatGPT and Claude

Gemini has launched an “agentic trading” feature that connects AI models such as ChatGPT and Claude directly to trading accounts, allowing them to automatically monitor assets and execute trades, according to Wu Blockchain.

The feature is based on the open MCP standard and is designed to let users manage crypto trading accounts in a more automated way through AI.

The announcement comes as competition in AI-powered investment tools intensifies, and reflects the broader trend of exchanges moving faster to improve trading automation and user convenience.

25,200 ETH Moved From Anonymous Wallet to Beacon Deposit Contract

According to Whale Alert, 25,200 ETH was moved from an anonymous wallet to a beacon deposit address. The transaction was worth about $57.4 million.

The transfer may be related to Ethereum staking. However, as a single on-chain transaction, it should not be taken on its own as a definitive signal of additional accumulation or a market trend reversal.

23,400 ETH Transferred From Anonymous Wallet to Beacon Deposit Contract

According to on-chain tracking account Whale Alert, 23,400 ETH was transferred from an anonymous wallet to the beacon deposit contract.

The transaction was worth about $53.3 million. Transfers to the beacon deposit contract are generally interpreted as being related to Ethereum staking, and the market can view them as a supportive signal because they may reduce circulating supply.

However, the identity of the sender and the precise purpose of the transfer were not disclosed.

DDC Enterprise Aims to Increase Bitcoin Holdings to 5,000 BTC by End of 2026

U.S.-listed Asian food platform DDC Enterprise is seeking to increase its Bitcoin holdings from 2,383 BTC to 5,000 BTC by the end of 2026, according to PANews citing The Block.

Benchmark initiated coverage on DDC with a Buy rating and a $3 price target. The firm said DDC has a clear roadmap to expand its Bitcoin holdings while maintaining financial flexibility through equity-related transactions.

Benchmark estimated that DDC is trading at about 0.45x its adjusted net asset value multiple, with net asset value per share of about $3.61, above its current share price of $1.65.

DDC reported fiscal 2025 revenue of $39.2 million, up 4.6% year over year, and posted its first annual profit on an adjusted EBITDA basis. The company also launched an AI-based Bitcoin treasury management system to support capital allocation and risk management.