Crypto Market Daily Recap – October 4, 2025 (Last 24 Hours, UTC)

SAMI

October 4, 2025 15 mins to read

Table of Contents

Top 10 Cryptocurrency Prices (USD, Excluding Stablecoins)

Below are the latest prices of the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization (excluding stablecoins like USDT, USDC, DAI):

Bitcoin (BTC) – ~$122,600[1]
Ethereum (ETH) – ~$4,520[1]
XRP – ~$3.03[1]
Binance Coin (BNB) – ~$1,172[1]
Solana (SOL) – ~$230.7[2]
Dogecoin (DOGE) – ~$0.256[3]
Tron (TRX) – ~$0.341[3]
Cardano (ADA) – ~$0.859[3]
Hyperliquid (HYPE) – ~$49.0[4]
Chainlink (LINK) – ~$22.3[4]

Prices are quoted in USD. Bitcoin and Ethereum continue to dominate the market by capitalization, together accounting for about 58% and 12% of total market value respectively[5].

Market Overview and Major Drivers

Bitcoin Nears All-Time High: Bitcoin’s price rallied to about $123,900 in the past day – less than 1% below its record high of ~$124,480 set in August[6]. The leading cryptocurrency has gained roughly 3% in the last 24 hours and about 12% over the past week[6][7], kicking off “Uptober” on a bullish note. This surge has pushed the global crypto market cap above $4.2 trillion[8], reflecting broad strength across digital assets.

Macroeconomic Uncertainty Boosting Crypto: The rally comes amid ongoing U.S. political and economic uncertainty. A U.S. government shutdown (now on its fourth day) is driving investors toward safe-haven assets like Bitcoin[7]. Analysts note that Bitcoin is increasingly seen as “digital gold” – a hedge against traditional market volatility during political standoffs[9][10]. Furthermore, expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve will halt or reverse rate hikes (with potential rate cuts in 2026) are improving risk appetite for crypto[11]. Lower interest rates reduce the appeal of bonds and cash, prompting investors to seek higher-yielding alternatives, which has “boosted demand for digital assets”[12][10].

Regulatory Pause and ETF Outlook: The government shutdown has also paused U.S. regulatory processes, including pending decisions on crypto ETFs[13][14]. The SEC confirmed it will not review any new ETF applications during the shutdown[14]. However, this delay hasn’t dampened optimism – traders are betting on a strong Q4 for crypto, anticipating that once the government reopens, several spot altcoin ETF applications (for assets like Litecoin, Ethereum, etc.) could be approved[14]. The mere prospect of these new investment vehicles is contributing to bullish sentiment. In the meantime, Bitcoin futures markets are showing confidence: open interest in BTC futures hit an all-time high of $32.6 billion this week[15], indicating traders positioning for further upside and even raising the risk of a short squeeze if the rally continues.

Institutional Demand and Safe-Haven Narrative: Overall, the last 24 hours underscore how institutional and retail narratives are converging. With the dollar weakening and gold rising, Bitcoin is attracting both “store-of-value” flows and speculative interest as a high-growth asset[16]. “Bitcoin is being treated as a safe-haven by some investors,” analysts observed[9]. Unlike gold, Bitcoin’s price can swing by double digits in a week, so this safe-haven status comes with volatility[17]. Even so, the current environment of fiscal uncertainty and potential monetary easing has clearly tilted in crypto’s favor, helping sustain this momentum.

Altcoin Performance Highlights

Broad Altcoin Rally: Major altcoins followed Bitcoin’s lead in the past day, posting significant gains and higher trading volumes. Ethereum (ETH) regained stability above $4,500, after a choppy September[18]. ETH is trading around $4,520, and analysts note it has technical resistance around $4,600–$4,950 with strong support near $4,200[18]. Notably, Ethereum’s circulating supply has ticked up recently (due to lower activity and burn rates), which “may put mild downward pressure” on price, but institutional interest (including ETF inflows) remains strong, helping to support ETH[19].

Solana (SOL) has been another standout – SOL surged above $230 per coin, with trading volumes up over 50% in recent days[20]. The Solana network’s ongoing protocol upgrades and growing DeFi/DApp activity have fueled positive sentiment[20]. Short-term, SOL faces resistance around $26–$28 (roughly $260 in pre-split pricing) and support at $19–$21, indicating room for a breakout if high volumes persist[20].

XRP has maintained steady upward momentum. XRP is currently around $3.0 (having traded in a wide range this year)[1]. Investor interest in XRP has been bolstered by positive legal developments for Ripple and new partnerships in cross-border payment solutions[21]. These factors have made XRP a notable outperformer among top altcoins, contributing to “overall market optimism”[21]. (Analyst note: Ripple’s partial court victory against the SEC earlier in 2025 removed a major overhang, which helped XRP roughly 5x in value year-to-date.)

Other Altcoin Movers: Dogecoin (DOGE) jumped about 3% in the last 24 hours[22] – the meme coin is trading near $0.255 and was one of the day’s top gainers among large-caps. Traders often rotate into DOGE and similar tokens when overall momentum is strong. Tron (TRX) and Cardano (ADA) also saw modest gains (~1–2%), reflecting generally positive sentiment across layer-1 platforms. Even traditionally lagging coins like Litecoin (LTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) ticked higher in sync with the broader market. Analysts note that rising altcoin prices, alongside Bitcoin, suggest investors are “not only betting on BTC but on the wider blockchain ecosystem”, anticipating that DeFi, NFTs, and other use-cases will benefit from renewed crypto enthusiasm[23].

Despite these gains, experts caution that altcoins remain volatile. Sudden pullbacks are possible – sharp moves upward can invite profit-taking just as quickly. Traders are advised to “watch for quick reversals that can wipe out gains”, especially in smaller cap coins that saw speculative surges[23][24].

Major News: Corporate & Regulatory Developments

Several notable developments in the past day helped shape market sentiment:

Bakkt Stock Soars: Shares of Bakkt Holdings, a crypto infrastructure firm, skyrocketed over 150% this week[25][26]. In the last 24 hours, Bakkt’s stock surge became a talking point in crypto circles. The rally follows Bakkt’s strategic overhaul – the company eliminated all long-term debt and raised $75 million in fresh capital to bolster its balance sheet[25]. These moves reassured investors about Bakkt’s financial stability and its focus on Bitcoin custody and trading services. The stock’s explosive rise highlights how “investor appetite for crypto-linked firms can accelerate during major Bitcoin rallies,” though some warn the 150% jump may be overextended[25][27]. Nonetheless, Bakkt’s revival is seen as a sign of renewed institutional confidence in crypto infrastructure.
Coinbase & Samsung Partnership: In a boost for crypto adoption, Coinbase and Samsung announced a new partnership to integrate crypto services on Samsung devices. This initiative will create a “crypto gateway” for 75 million Galaxy smartphone users via the One UI software, making it easier for users to access Coinbase’s exchange and wallet features[28]. The news, emerging within the last 24 hours, underscores growing big-tech involvement in crypto. Analysts believe this could significantly increase retail exposure to cryptocurrencies, especially in Asia and other Samsung-heavy markets.
Walmart Enters Crypto Custody: Traditional retail joined the crypto headlines as Walmart’s fintech arm, One (formerly “One Finance”), revealed plans to introduce crypto trading and custody services for customers[29]. Walmart’s One is partnering with a regulated crypto firm to enable buying, selling, and holding crypto within its app. This mainstream adoption development is notable – Walmart is the world’s largest retailer, and its foray into digital assets could both broaden access and signal to regulators the increasing integration of crypto into everyday financial services. Markets reacted positively to the news, viewing it as another step toward normalization of crypto in traditional finance.
Regulatory Outlook – Crypto Legislation: While no new crypto laws were passed in the last day, industry eyes remain on regulatory signals. In the U.S., lawmakers like Sen. Cynthia Lummis are pushing a crypto market structure bill (efforts ongoing despite Washington’s gridlock)[30]. Globally, several jurisdictions are moving forward on clearer rules for digital assets. For instance, Europe’s comprehensive MiCA regulations are in the implementation phase (providing a friendlier framework for exchanges and stablecoins), and this regulatory clarity abroad may pressure U.S. regulators to act once the government reopens. Ongoing court cases – such as the SEC’s appeals in the Ripple case and deliberations on Grayscale’s Bitcoin ETF conversion – also hang in the balance. Overall, the regulatory environment remains a key wildcard for Q4: as one analyst put it, “if regulators tighten their stance on digital assets, the rally could face fresh challenges”[31]. For now, however, no adverse news has emerged, and the market is focusing on the positive signals of institutional adoption and favorable macro trends.

Institutional Investment Flows

Surging ETF Inflows: Institutional money is pouring into crypto at record levels. Over the past week, crypto investment funds and ETFs saw massive inflows, highlighting strong demand. In fact, U.S. Bitcoin ETFs recorded an all-time high single-day inflow of about $676 million as Bitcoin crossed $120K[32]. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) alone attracted $405 million of that in one day, pushing its assets under management to roughly $90.9 billion[33]. This “record ETF inflow” streak extended over three consecutive days, totaling $1.6 billion for the week so far[34]. Year-to-date, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have amassed $22.8 billion in net inflows[35], far surpassing expectations. Collectively, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF products now manage about $156 billion in assets[36], a staggering figure that showcases the scale of institutional engagement through regulated vehicles.

Why this matters: These inflows indicate institutional investors rotating aggressively into Bitcoin via ETFs. At the current pace, ETF buying is outpacing new BTC supply by ~2.7x – over the last month, ETFs bought an estimated 112,000 BTC while only ~41,000 BTC were mined[37]. This supply-demand imbalance creates upward pressure on prices. “Institutional demand is outstripping miner supply”, noted analysts, calling it a structural support for the bull market[37].

Institutional Adoption of Ether: Bitcoin isn’t the only beneficiary of big investors. Ethereum-focused funds have also seen steady inflows. While precise 24h figures aren’t available, Ether’s relatively stable performance above $4K is partly credited to ETF-related buying (multiple Ether futures ETFs launched earlier, and the first U.S. spot Ether ETFs were approved in 2024[38][39]). Institutional interest remains strong, with ETF inflows supporting ETH’s price stability even as retail trading was tepid[19]. Moreover, traditional finance giants like Franklin Templeton have publicly stated that “digital assets are exploding into traditional finance”, pointing to increased integration of crypto in portfolios and products (e.g. tokenized Treasury funds)[40].

Venture Capital and M&A: Outside of public markets, crypto venture funding and acquisitions also ticked up. Inflows of venture capital were reported into Web3 startups (though at lower levels than last year), and there’s growing buzz about IPO plans for large crypto firms as the market rebounds[41]. Just this week, Wall Street banks eyed over $200B in potential crypto-related IPO valuations (e.g. for major exchanges and mining companies)[41]. This signals that big institutions are not just buying tokens but also investing in crypto companies – a positive sign for the industry’s ecosystem.

Takeaway: Institutional capital is flowing into crypto on multiple fronts – ETFs, funds, equities, and infrastructure. This trend has provided a solid underpinning to the recent price rally. As one market strategist noted, “Liquidity from traditional markets has been flowing into [Bitcoin] since the ETF launch”, bolstering the bull case[42]. However, it’s worth monitoring if these inflows sustain; sudden outflows or profit-taking by institutions could temper the rally if sentiment shifts.

Expert Opinions and Short-Term Outlook

Market experts and analysts offered a range of insights on what to expect next:

Bullish Price Targets: Major banks are turning optimistic. Standard Chartered’s head of digital assets, Geoff Kendrick, forecasts Bitcoin could reach ~$135,000 in the near term and “as high as $200,000 by year-end” if current trends persist[43]. This ambitious target is based on Bitcoin’s historical Q4 strength and the idea that prolonged U.S. fiscal uncertainty (e.g. a drawn-out shutdown) can further drive “digitally scarce assets” higher[44][45]. Similarly, strategists at JPMorgan have highlighted Bitcoin’s relative undervaluation compared to gold – they estimate a theoretical price of around $165,000 if Bitcoin’s market value eventually equaled gold’s role as a hedge[46].
Trader Sentiment: High-profile crypto traders are increasingly confident. Paul Howard, senior director at trading firm Wincent, admitted he was skeptical of Bitcoin’s rebound initially, but has “flipped bullish” after seeing the strength of this week’s advance[47][48]. “With BTC back at levels last seen in mid-July, total market cap above $4T, we are now more likely to stay above $115K,” he noted, adding that he expects a “sustained rally above $120,000 in the coming weeks” barring any macro shocks[47][49]. Many traders are eyeing the all-time high (~$124.5K) – a clean break above that could trigger fresh technical buying. Short-term price targets in the $128K–$130K range were mentioned if new highs are confirmed, whereas on the downside, ~$110K is seen as strong support (helped by an institutional “buy the dip” mindset)[50].
Cautionary Views: Not everyone is unequivocally bullish. Veteran investor Ray Dalio struck a cautious tone regarding Bitcoin’s long-run role. In remarks this week, Dalio acknowledged Bitcoin as an “alternative money” to watch, but doubted it will become a reserve currency for central banks[51][52]. He pointed out that Bitcoin still has unproven store-of-value credentials due to high volatility[53]. More pointedly, Dalio raised concerns about Bitcoin’s code and regulatory risks – suggesting that “the code could be broken to make it less effective through government controls”, i.e. future technological or regulatory actions might undermine Bitcoin’s security or usage[54][55]. He also noted that Bitcoin’s fully public ledger (transparent transactions) is a double-edged sword: great for trust, but “a weakness for state actors” who may not want such transparency[56]. Dalio’s skepticism reminds investors that risks remain, from potential technical vulnerabilities to the perennial threat of stricter government intervention.
Cycle Analysis: Crypto veterans are also debating where we are in the market cycle. After a +100% year-to-date rally in BTC, some analysts argue this run is built on stronger fundamentals than previous hype-driven cycles – citing institutional involvement, corporate adoption, and clearer regulations in many regions as reasons to believe this uptrend is more sustainable[57]. Others, however, caution that “crypto markets often move in boom-and-bust cycles” and that the rapid run-up, including things like a 150% weekly gain in a crypto stock (Bakkt), could be signaling overheated speculative fervor[57]. Risk management is advised. “While crypto can offer high rewards, it carries equally high risks,” one expert warned, urging investors not to overleverage and to diversify exposure[58].

Bottom line: The short-term outlook leans bullish if external conditions remain favorable. Key themes like ETF momentum, macro easing, and tech adoption support further upside in the coming weeks. But seasoned voices urge vigilance – sudden news (e.g. a regulatory crackdown or a tech glitch) could spark a rapid correction. For now, the balance of expert opinion suggests guarded optimism as we head deeper into Q4 2025.

Crypto Word of the Day: Spot Bitcoin ETF

Spot Bitcoin ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund): This is an investment fund traded on stock exchanges that holds actual Bitcoin as the underlying asset. In a spot Bitcoin ETF, the fund’s managers purchase and custody bitcoins in a secure vault, and then issue shares that investors can buy and sell on traditional markets[59][38]. Each share of a spot ETF tracks the real-time price of Bitcoin.

Why it matters: A spot Bitcoin ETF gives mainstream investors a regulated, convenient way to invest in Bitcoin without needing to handle crypto directly. Investors can add Bitcoin exposure to their portfolios through a brokerage account just as they would buy stocks or gold ETFs[59]. The ETF structure also offers institutional-grade custody, addressing concerns about securing private keys. In theory, greater accessibility via spot ETFs can bring in more capital and liquidity to the Bitcoin market, potentially reducing volatility over time[60].
Context: The first U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs were approved in early 2024[38]. Since then, they have become a major channel for institutional investment into crypto. In this recap, we saw how record inflows into Bitcoin spot ETFs helped drive Bitcoin’s price surge. Products like BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) are examples of spot ETFs – they directly hold BTC and have amassed tens of billions of dollars in assets from investors seeking crypto exposure[33]. Spot ETFs differ from futures-based ETFs, which hold derivative contracts rather than the asset itself. The advent of spot Bitcoin ETFs is widely seen as a milestone in crypto’s maturation, bridging the gap between traditional finance and the crypto markets by making Bitcoin investment as easy as buying any stock or fund.

Sources: Reputable news outlets and data sources were used in compiling this report, including The Economic Times[6][7], CoinDesk[47][49], Bitcoin Magazine/BitcoinMagazine Pro[45][46], TradingNews[33][37], and Investopedia[59][38], among others. These provide a verified basis for the prices, events, and analyses discussed. Each key point is hyperlinked to the original source for further reading.

[1] [2] [3] [4] Top Cryptocurrency Prices and Market Cap

https://www.coindesk.com/price

[5] [44] [45] [46] Bitcoin Price Soars to $122,000, Standard Chartered Projects $200,000 BTC by Year-End

https://cryptorank.io/news/feed/e524e-bitcoin-price-soars-to-122000-standard-chartered-projects-200000-btc-by-year-end

[6] [7] [9] [10] [11] [12] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [31] [43] [57] [58] Bitcoin Ethereum Solana XRP crypto market rally: Bitcoin nears all-time high as Ethereum, Solana, and XRP rally; Bakkt stock surges 150% – The Economic Times