TL;DR
- 67% of institutions are optimistic about Bitcoin’s price for the next 12 months.
- Spot Bitcoin ETFs in the U.S. are the main catalyst for new allocations.
- 64% of current institutional holders plan to increase their crypto exposure.
Coinbase revealed the results of its most recent survey. What predominates is a strong bullish sentiment among institutional investors heading into 2026. According to the exchange’s “2025 Mid-Year Outlook Report for Institutional Investors,” 67% (nearly two-thirds) of participants maintain an optimistic outlook for Bitcoin over the next 12 months.
This optimism is not just passive. The report details that 64% of institutions currently holding cryptocurrencies plan to increase their allocations over the next year.
The main catalyst behind this growing interest is, without a doubt, the launch and success of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States. These products have provided a regulated and accessible investment vehicle, removing many of the barriers to entry that previously held back institutional capital.
In addition to ETFs, the Coinbase survey notes that greater regulatory clarity in the U.S. is fostering confidence. The recent passage of the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act (FIT21) in the House of Representatives, along with efforts to repeal the SEC’s SAB 121 accounting guidance, are seen as positive steps toward a clearer operating framework for digital assets.
From Speculative Asset to Store of Value
The survey also highlights a significant shift in the perception of Bitcoin. Optimistic institutional investors no longer view the cryptocurrency primarily as a speculative asset. Instead, the narrative has consolidated around Bitcoin as a “long-term store of value” or “digital gold.”
This change in perception is reinforced by the current macroeconomic environment, marked by persistent inflation and growing debt levels in the United States. The appetite for digital assets is expanding.
The Coinbase report also found that 30% of institutional investors who do not currently own cryptocurrencies intend to initiate a position in the next 12 months. This data suggests that the “institutionalization” of Bitcoin is far from over and that the flow of capital into the sector could continue to accelerate, with optimistic institutional investors leading adoption as a macro hedge and a key component in diversified portfolios.
