What's driving bitcoin adoption by institutional investors? | Future Focus
On this episode of Yahoo Finance Future Focus, our host Brian McGleenon spoke with Zodia Markets Ireland chair Michael Walsh, about the accelerating institutional adoption of bitcoin.Walsh highlighted a shift in institutional sentiment, revealing that Zodia Markets recently facilitated the first-ever bitcoin trade for a UK pension fund, which allocated 3% of its portfolio to the asset. He also pointed to data from recent SEC filings showing that 1% of US spot bitcoin ETF assets now come from pension funds, marking a milestone in bitcoin’s mainstream financial integration.The conversation expanded to discuss the increasing interest from sovereign wealth funds and even central banks. Walsh referenced the Czech central bank governor's comments on considering bitcoin as part of reserves.The episode also explored the bold bitcoin price prediction by BlackRock (BLK) CEO Larry Fink, who suggested bitcoin could reach $700,000. Walsh acknowledged bitcoin’s speculative nature but underscored historical data and increasing institutional allocations as supportive factors for such high valuations.A major theme of the discussion was the impact of pro-crypto policies under the Trump administration. Walsh explained how regulatory clarity, particularly the repeal of SAB 121 and an executive order prioritizing digital assets, has boosted institutional confidence.
