On October 5, the total crypto market capitalization soared to a new record — $4.35 trillion. The main reason is the almost vertical growth of Bitcoin, which broke through the $125,000 mark. Against this backdrop, the market has fully returned to a bull phase.
The previous high, around $4 trillion, was set at the end of September. But this time, the surge was much stronger. The strong inflow into Bitcoin, Ether, and their ETFs accelerated amid the ongoing shutdown in the US.
Total crypto market capitalization hit a new high. Source: CoinMarketCap
Crypto market capitalization hits new ATH
Several factors are behind the sharp market growth. On October 4, Bitcoin set a new high, breaking through $125,506. Ether, which had long hovered around $4,000, finally broke out and was trading around $4,500 on October 5.
Together, BTC and ETH now make up over 65% of the entire crypto market capitalization — about $3 trillion is accounted for by just these two coins.
The surge was also influenced by a spike in institutional interest. According to media reports, since the beginning of 2025, spot ETFs for Bitcoin and Ether have attracted over $70 billion. This not only made it easier for traditional investors to enter, but also confirmed once again that crypto is becoming part of the mainstream financial market.
See also: Bitwise CEO: Solana has an advantage over Ethereum in staking ETFs
In September, the market slowed down — this month is historically considered unfavorable for Bitcoin. But with the arrival of October, the situation changed dramatically. The last week was the best since the start of the year — coinciding with the first days of the US shutdown.
Investors are increasingly looking at cryptocurrencies as a way to preserve capital in an unstable economy. Bitcoin is no longer just a speculative asset — it is increasingly called ‘digital gold’, especially amid debt pressure and weakening national currencies.
Forecast for the end of 2025
The crypto market is no longer something separate: there are more and more intersections with traditional finance, and more institutional money. Some countries are already setting new rules, others are just discussing them, and developers are releasing products that once seemed impossible. Digital assets are gradually becoming part of the larger financial world.
See also: Crypto funds are coming under corporate control
Segments like real asset tokenization, decentralized finance, and stablecoins are already expanding crypto’s use cases. The biggest Wall Street players are testing tokenized products, but investors are still watching: will the market maintain its pace in the fourth quarter?
Analysts believe that Bitcoin could reach $160,000 by the end of the year. And if institutional money keeps coming in, by 2031 the price could rise above $350,000.
