A prominent crypto commentator says Bitcoin could soar to an astonishing $250,000 before the end of 2025, buoyed by rising institutional demand and a maturing market structure.
Scott Melker, host of the “Wolf of All Streets” podcast, told viewers in a recent interview that the milestone is “totally possible” if current adoption trends continue.
“250K this year, totally possible,” Melker said, stressing that the asset’s risk profile has shifted dramatically since the last cycle.
He noted that Bitcoin’s volatility, once triple that of the S&P 500, now hovers at less than twice the benchmark’s swings.
The change, he argued, reflects deeper liquidity and a growing share of long-term holders unwilling to sell on minor price moves.
“The more institutional money, the more Wall Street money, the more long-term holders get involved, the less volatility there’s going to be,” Melker explained.
Pension funds, sovereign-wealth vehicles and ETF issuers have collectively absorbed billions of dollars in Bitcoin since mainstream US spot ETFs won approval in early 2024.
Analysts say those flows helped the asset recapture the psychologically important $100,000 level in the first quarter of 2025.
Enthusiasm has not been limited to Bitcoin itself.
Ether reclaimed ground above $2,600, and a clutch of mid-cap tokens posted double-digit gains as risk appetite broadened.
Melker interprets the altcoin rally as evidence that “new money” is entering rather than merely rotating within the ecosystem.
Institutional milestones sharpen the bull case
A watershed moment came in March when Coinbase leapfrogged into the S&P 500’s top fifty constituents after months of explosive revenue growth.
Observers say the listing cemented digital-asset firms as fixtures of corporate America.
Smaller players such as Galaxy Digital and eToro have since pressed ahead with public-market plans, encouraged by what they describe as a more predictable regulatory climate.
The Biden administration dropped several high-profile SEC lawsuits last year and issued executive orders clarifying token-classification criteria.
Those moves, according to Melker, have created “an extremely bullish” backdrop that contrasts starkly with the uncertainty of previous cycles.
Market metrics point to strengthening foundations
Blockchain data shows the realised cap — a measure that values coins at the price they last moved — has climbed steadily, indicating accumulation at higher price levels.
At the same time, exchange reserves of Bitcoin have fallen to multi-year lows, suggesting investors prefer self-custody over speculative trading.
Futures open interest has grown, but funding rates remain moderate, signalling healthy rather than overheated leverage.
Melker argues that these dynamics lower the probability of cascading liquidations that plagued earlier bull runs.
Derivatives traders back his view, pointing to narrower basis spreads between futures and spot markets.
Still room for dramatic spikes
Despite the more orderly backdrop, Melker cautions that crypto’s boom-and-bust DNA has not vanished.
He recalls Bitcoin’s ascent from $3,000 in March 2020 to $69,000 eighteen months later — a 23-fold leap that defied most forecasts.
“From the 2020 lows to the last bull market, Bitcoin went from $3,000 to $69,000. A 2.5x from here wouldn’t be a big deal,” he said.
Not all analysts are as exuberant.
Consensus estimates cluster between $120,000 and $150,000, implying a more measured trajectory.
Yet on-chain pundits such as Apsk32 argue that Bitcoin has a “decent chance” of topping $250,000 as investors search for a digital analogue to gold.
Standard Chartered and Intellectia AI recently claimed that macro hedging flows alone could more than double the price this year.
What could derail the rally
Skeptics cite potential US rate hikes, adverse tax rulings and renewed regulatory crackdowns as possible spoilers.
A sharp drop in tech equities could also sap risk appetite across the board, they say.
Melker acknowledges the uncertainties but believes structural tailwinds outweigh cyclical headwinds.
He emphasises that every major drawdown has left Bitcoin’s long-term trend intact thanks to its programmatic scarcity and global liquidity.
Macro strategists add that a weakening dollar and lingering geopolitical tensions could further enhance Bitcoin’s appeal as a hedge.
Options markets imply elevated odds of a fresh all-time high by mid-2025, though traders are paying up for downside protection too.
Retail sentiment, measured by Google searches and social-media mentions, remains well below 2021 peaks, leaving room for renewed enthusiasm.
Road to a quarter-million
For Melker, the route to $250,000 likely requires a break of the prior record near $115,000, followed by accelerated flows into spot ETFs and corporate treasuries.
He expects a bidding war among miners to secure scarce coins post-halving to add fuel.
If those catalysts align, the analyst argues, a melt-up similar to late 2017 or early 2021 cannot be ruled out.
Whether or not the marquee number is reached, Melker insists the broader takeaway is clear: Bitcoin’s centre of gravity is shifting toward large-scale, long-term holders.
That change, he says, will shape the market for years to come.