Crypto rally broadens as ETF inflows and institutional buying drive prices higher

Bitcoin approached $73,400 on March 16 after a week of steady inflows into spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds. The token rose 2.6% over 24 hours and nearly 9% in the last seven days. Ether, XRP and Solana were higher as well.

US spot Bitcoin ETFs logged their first five-day inflow streak, totaling $767.3 million. Spot Ether funds saw a $160.8 million net inflow for the week. Trading was volatile on March 15, with Bitcoin topping $73,300 earlier before sliding toward $70,500 and then rebounding. Ether gained 4.7% to $2,188, XRP rose 3% to $1.45, and Solana advanced 4.8% to $92.

Andri Fauzan Adziima, research lead at Bitrue, said Bitcoin’s push toward $73,000 was fueled by strong spot ETF demand, short squeezes from liquidations, and steady buying by institutions and large holders amid reduced post‑halving supply. He sees the rebound from the mid-$60,000s as intact, views $70,000 to $71,000 as near-term support, and says a clear move above $73,000 to $74,000 could set up a run toward $80,000.

Technical levels remain in focus. Dominick John, an analyst at Zeus Research, viewed a clean break above $75,000 as a setup for a “stronger bullish continuation.”

The advance came during elevated tensions in the Middle East. Iranian officials have stated they are prepared for a long war with the United States and are willing to continue attacking nearby countries. Oil traded near $98 a barrel as markets assessed risks around the Strait of Hormuz. Adziima characterized Bitcoin’s behavior during the period as “digital gold” resilience.

Traders are watching activity from large buyers. Min Jung, associate researcher at Presto Research, pointed to a recent 17,994 BTC purchase by a corporate buyer and noted that market participants will track the macro outlook, geopolitical developments and whether large buyers keep accumulating Bitcoin.