Bitcoin Hits $70,000 as Institutional Focus Shifts Toward Ethereum Staking

• Bitcoin surged past $72,000 following a two-week ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran, fueling a broad recovery in global risk assets.
• While MicroStrategy added 41,000 BTC in March, its accumulation rate has slowed relative to the aggressive growth seen in 2025.
• Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) has emerged as a major institutional force, staking over 3.3 million ETH to control nearly 4% of the total supply.

Bitcoin reclaimed the psychological $70,000 level this week, peaking at $72,700 as geopolitical de-escalation sparked a sharp rally across both traditional and digital markets. The recovery follows a period of intense volatility in late March where BTC dipped below $66,000 amid tensions in the Middle East. However, an initial two-week ceasefire agreement has sent oil prices tumbling 15% and renewed investor appetite for risk, according to market data from Myfxbook.

Despite the headline price action in Bitcoin, a significant shift is occurring within corporate treasuries. MicroStrategy, the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, continued its multi-year buying streak by adding 41,000 BTC in March, bringing its total holdings to 762,099 BTC. While the firm remains committed to its “Bitcoin Yield” strategy, the pace of accumulation has shown signs of stabilization compared to the massive capital raises of the previous year, as noted by MEXC News.

In contrast, Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) is executing an aggressive pivot toward Ethereum. The company recently launched MAVAN (Made in America Validator Network), its proprietary staking solution, and has already staked 3,334,637 ETH—valued at approximately $7.1 billion. Bitmine now controls nearly 4% of the total ETH supply, positioning itself as a dominant validator in the post-Fusaka upgrade landscape.

Analysts suggest that this institutional supply squeeze in Ethereum may offer more momentum than Bitcoin in the short term. With nearly 28.5% of the total ETH supply now locked in staking contracts, the available float on exchanges continues to tighten. For traders looking to capitalize on this divergence, pair trades involving long positions on ETH against laggards like Solana (SOL) are gaining traction as a way to hedge against broader market resistance at the $73,000 level for Bitcoin.

As of April 10, the total crypto market capitalization stands at $2.44 trillion, with institutional interest increasingly bifurcating between Bitcoin’s store-of-value narrative and Ethereum’s yield-generating infrastructure.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute advice of any kind. Readers should conduct their own research before making any decisions.

The post Bitcoin Hits $70,000 as Institutional Focus Shifts Toward Ethereum Staking appeared first on Cryptopress.