Bitcoin Adoption Hit Records in 2025 Despite Price Slide, River Finds

River attributes the divergence to steady ETF inflows by advisors alongside broader participation from banks, corporations, states.

Overview

In 2025, institutions accumulated roughly 829,000 BTC across corporations, funds, ETFs, and government-linked entities, according to River.
Businesses were the largest buyers last year, adding about $54 billion to treasuries as the number of public companies holding Bitcoin rose 2.5x to 194.
Registered investment advisors have been net buyers for eight straight quarters, channeling about $1.5 billion per quarter into spot Bitcoin ETFs.
About 60% of the largest U.S. banks are building Bitcoin products, reflecting deeper integration within traditional finance.
Payments usage accelerated, with U.S. merchant acceptance tripling, global adoption up 74%, Lightning volume up roughly 300% to over $1.1 billion per month, and at least 23 countries now holding Bitcoin including five new in 2025.