Bitcoin (BTC) surged past $125,000 for the first time in its 17-year history during early Asian trading hours, marking a new all-time high and extending its record-breaking 2025 rally. According to data from CoinGecko, trading volume topped $50 billion in the last 24 hours.
The surge triggered a wave of liquidations across the market — with nearly $100 million in Bitcoin short positions wiped out in just one hour, and over $200 million liquidated in the past 24 hours, per CoinGlass.
Analysts attribute the latest rally to a mix of favorable macroeconomic conditions, rising institutional interest, and investors viewing Bitcoin as a hedge amid a prolonged U.S. government shutdown.
“The broader setup remains bullish, with a prolonged government shutdown likely to continue driving interest in hard assets and supporting demand for Bitcoin as an alternative store of value,” said Joe DiPasquale, CEO of BitBull Capital.
At the time of the surge, Bitcoin briefly stalled as traders took profits near the previous record of $124,128, but quickly broke through the resistance level.
Analysts at Standard Chartered expect the bullish momentum to continue. In a note on Friday, Geoff Kendrick, the bank’s global head of digital assets, said Bitcoin could reach $135,000 in the near term and top $200,000 by year-end.
Prediction platform Myriad, developed by Decrypt’s parent company Dastan, had given a 90% probability that Bitcoin would hit $125,000 this week — a forecast that proved accurate. Users on the platform also predict Bitcoin will outperform Ethereum in October.
At press time, Bitcoin continues to trade near its historic peak, reinforcing its status as the best-performing major asset of 2025.
Disclaimer: The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency investments are subject to market risks and volatility.
