the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Bitcoin has reached a new all-time high, surging past the $110,000 mark on May 22, 2025 — a historic date known as Bitcoin Pizza Day. The leading cryptocurrency rose by over 4% in the last 24 hours, trading at $111,489 with a 77% increase in trade volume, according to CoinMarketCap.
This sharp rally has propelled Bitcoin’s market capitalization to $2.21 trillion, making it the 5th largest asset in the world, surpassing tech giants like Amazon.
What Is Bitcoin Pizza Day?
Bitcoin Pizza Day, celebrated annually on May 22, commemorates the first-ever real-world Bitcoin transaction. On this day in 2010, programmer Laszlo Hanyecz paid 10,000 BTC (then worth $41) for two pizzas from Papa John’s. Today, those 10,000 BTC would be valued at over $1.1 billion, highlighting the exponential growth of cryptocurrency over the past 15 years.
Why Is Bitcoin Rising?
1. Record Spot ETF Inflows
One of the primary drivers behind Bitcoin’s current surge is the unprecedented inflow into Bitcoin spot ETFs. In the last 10 trading sessions, these funds have attracted $2.2 billion, reflecting strong institutional demand.
“Bitcoin has entered uncharted territory. This isn’t just market hype—it reflects a growing trust in digital assets,” said Ashish Singhal, Co-founder of CoinSwitch.
2. Regulatory Support
The recent approval of the Genius Act and the Stablecoin Bill have improved investor sentiment by providing a more structured regulatory framework. These legislative moves signal growing government support and recognition of crypto’s long-term viability.
3. Institutional and Hedge Fund Interest
Sumit Gupta, Co-founder of CoinDCX, pointed out that Bitcoin futures have crossed $74 billion, driven heavily by institutional players and hedge funds. On-chain data also indicates massive market activity, with over 123,000 traders liquidated, totaling $522 million in the past 24 hours.
4. Macroeconomic Factors
With global economic uncertainty still looming, Bitcoin is increasingly viewed as a hedge against inflation, outperforming traditional assets like gold and the S&P 500, which have only delivered 35% and 13% yearly returns, respectively—compared to Bitcoin’s 53% gain.
5. Retail Investor Return
Data from CryptoQuant suggests a steady return of retail investors. Smaller wallets are becoming active again, indicating renewed confidence and liquidity in the market.
“Fresh liquidity and broad-based optimism are pushing Bitcoin to new heights,” said Edul Patel, CEO of Mudrex.
Bitcoin’s Global Momentum
The cryptocurrency’s rise isn’t just a technical rally—it reflects global momentum, expanding utility, and institutional validation of digital assets. With countries exploring Bitcoin adoption and central banks experimenting with blockchain-based currencies, the crypto narrative is shifting from speculation to mainstream integration.
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