Although the price of Bitcoin has fallen by nearly half from its historical peak, a remarkable increase in adoption rates has been observed. The new report published by financial services company River shows that 2025 stands out as a year when Bitcoin becomes widespread among both institutions and governments.
Institutions and Banks Are Turning to Bitcoin
According to River’s estimates, firms and public entities reportedly purchased a total of 829,000 Bitcoins during the year. Corporate treasuries, exchange-traded funds, sovereign funds and government institutions lead these purchases. It was also noted that registered investment advisors in the USA have been purchasing Bitcoin uninterruptedly for the last eight quarters, and an average of $1.5 billion of funds have been transferred to Bitcoin ETFs every quarter in the past two years.
A large portion of these investors access crypto assets indirectly through brokerage firms and retirement plans. The report also draws attention to the significant change in the field of traditional finance. It was stated that 60 percent of the largest banks in the USA are now developing Bitcoin-focused products, and thanks to the more favorable regulatory environment, banks have the opportunity to store Bitcoin and offer innovative solutions to customers.
Retail Adoption and Lightning Network Growth
It was emphasized that in 2025, Bitcoin purchases, especially by companies with crypto assets, will double and half. The tripling of the number of businesses accepting payments in Bitcoin in the US and the 74 percent growth in Bitcoin payment usage worldwide indicate acceptance at the retail level.
On the technology side, it was observed that Lightning Network activity increased significantly. Payment volume via Lightning exceeded $1.1 billion per month, a 300 percent jump. River attributes this increase to infrastructure growth and more companies and individuals using the network.
States’ Approach to Bitcoin is Changing
During the year, new developments also attracted attention in terms of countries and official institutions that own Bitcoin. In addition to public funds in Luxembourg and Saudi Arabia, the Czech Central Bank purchased Bitcoin and Brazil and Taiwan held this asset in their official reserves. It was stated that a total of 23 countries have Bitcoin portfolios through various means, mining, confiscation or reserve allocation.
In River’s statement, it was stated that despite fluctuations in market sentiment, belief in Bitcoin continues, similar to the growth rate in the early days of the internet.
River’s statement included the statement, “There is no bear market in Bitcoin adoption.”
The report points out that despite price movements and temporary declines, infrastructure and user confidence continue to grow. The company underlines that Bitcoin is positioned as a store of value on a global scale.
