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Bitcoin climbed sharply on Wednesday after major corporate holder Strategy announced a fresh multibillion dollar purchase of the cryptocurrency. Gains were partly capped, however, as data pointed to continued weakness in U.S. retail demand.
The world’s largest cryptocurrency rose 3.4% to $95,001.9 by 01:01 ET, after touching a near two month high of $96,033.3 late Tuesday.
The rally was driven primarily by renewed institutional buying, with Strategy stepping back into the market in force after weeks of relative inactivity.
Strategy Makes Its Largest Bitcoin Buy Since July
Michael Saylor’s Strategy disclosed that it purchased 13,627 Bitcoin at an average price of $91,519, spending about $1.25 billion. The transaction lifted the company’s total Bitcoin holdings to 687,410 coins, cementing its position as the world’s largest corporate holder of the asset.
The purchase was the firm’s biggest since July and was funded through the issuance of common stock and preferred equity. The move helped ease concerns that Strategy had begun slowing its accumulation, after buying only small amounts since mid December.
Strategy’s stock has lost nearly half its value in 2025, weighed down by both falling Bitcoin prices and growing investor skepticism toward its debt driven accumulation strategy. The prolonged downturn in Bitcoin had also sparked fears that the company could eventually be forced to sell part of its holdings to meet obligations. The latest purchase signaled renewed conviction from management.
U.S. Retail Demand Remains Soft
Despite the institutional boost, indicators suggested that retail participation in the United States remains subdued. Bitcoin on Coinbase continues to trade at a discount to global averages, according to Coinglass data.
Because Coinbase holds a dominant share of the U.S. retail market, this price gap is widely viewed as a proxy for domestic sentiment. The discount has persisted since mid December, coinciding with a period of broader price weakness, underscoring the lack of enthusiasm among smaller investors.
Altcoins Outperform After CPI Data
Broader crypto markets outpaced Bitcoin, drawing support from U.S. inflation data that largely met expectations. Core CPI came in slightly below forecasts and matched November’s pace, but the report did little to alter expectations that the Federal Reserve will leave interest rates unchanged later this month.
Ether surged 6.1% to $3,325.22, trimming earlier gains, while XRP rose nearly 4%. Solana and BNB advanced between 2.5% and 3%, and Cardano jumped more than 7%.
Among memecoins, Dogecoin gained almost 6%, while $TRUMP added over 5%.
While Strategy’s aggressive buying has reignited momentum, the persistent weakness in U.S. retail demand suggests that the latest rally is still being driven primarily by institutions rather than a broad based return of speculative appetite.
