Rootstock Bitcoin Mining Achieves Record High Hashrate Amidst TVL Decline

In a significant development for the Bitcoin ecosystem, Rootstock, a Bitcoin-based smart contract platform, has reached a new milestone in Q1 2025. Merged mining participation soared to an unprecedented 81%, up from 56.4% in the previous quarter. This remarkable growth was driven by support from major mining pools such as Foundry and SpiderPool, enabling Rootstock’s hash power to exceed 740 exahashes per second—surpassing Bitcoin’s total hashrate recorded in October 2024. Messari’s report highlights this achievement as a sign of maturation for the platform, despite a concurrent drop in Total Value Locked (TVL). The surge in mining activity underscores the growing confidence and adoption of Rootstock within the cryptocurrency community, positioning it as a key player in the evolving landscape of Bitcoin-based smart contracts.

Rootstock Bitcoin Mining Hits Record High Despite Drop in TVL

Rootstock, a Bitcoin-based smart contract platform, achieved a milestone in Q1 2025 as merged mining participation surged to an all-time high of 81%, up from 56.4% the previous quarter. This growth was fueled by support from leading mining pools Foundry and SpiderPool, propelling Rootstock’s hash power beyond 740 exahashes per second—surpassing Bitcoin’s total hashrate from October 2024.

Messari’s report frames this as a maturation of Rootstock’s merged mining ecosystem, citing enhanced security and broader miner adoption. The platform’s resilience contrasts with a slowdown in user activity, underscoring a divergence between network robustness and transactional demand.

Bitcoin Price Surges Following Trump Policy Shift

Cryptocurrency markets experienced a dramatic upswing as former President Donald Trump’s decision to roll back chip restrictions injected Optimism into risk assets. The move, coming after a tense Federal Reserve meeting, provided immediate relief to sectors including AI, tech, and digital currencies. Bitcoin spearheaded the rally, briefly touching $99,888 according to macro analyst Raoul Pal.

Market specialists attribute the surge to reduced regulatory pressure on technology supply chains. Nvidia’s lobbying efforts appear to have played a pivotal role in the policy reversal, creating Ripple effects across speculative markets. The crypto sector’s reaction underscores its growing sensitivity to geopolitical developments and trade policies.

Standard Chartered Revises Bitcoin Price Target Upward, Predicts Stronger Surge

Standard Chartered analyst Geoffrey Kendrick has retracted his initial Bitcoin price forecast of $120,000 by Q2 2025, conceding the projection was too conservative. The head of digital assets now anticipates a more aggressive rally, citing institutional accumulation and capital rotation from traditional securities.

Kendrick’s revised outlook follows his July prediction that BTC WOULD reach $120,000—a target he now considers insufficient. The adjustment reflects growing institutional confidence as macroeconomic uncertainty drives demand for alternative assets.

Standard Chartered Raises Bitcoin Price Target to $200K by 2025

Geoffrey Kendrick, Standard Chartered’s head of digital assets research, has revised his bitcoin price forecast upward in a client note, suggesting his previous $120,000 target may prove conservative. The analyst now anticipates BTC could reach $200,000 by 2025 as institutional reallocation accelerates.

Market dynamics show Bitcoin increasingly behaving like risk assets while simultaneously attracting capital fleeing traditional US investments. Kendrick observes this paradoxical positioning creates unique price drivers absent in previous cycles.

Standard Chartered Suggests Bitcoin’s $120K Target May Be Conservative Amid ETF Inflows

Bitcoin is poised for a record-breaking rally as institutional investment flows dominate market dynamics, according to Standard Chartered. The bank notes $5.3 billion in U.S. spot bitcoin ETF inflows over three weeks, with net real flows exceeding $4 billion after adjusting for basis trades—a strategy capitalizing on spot-futures price differentials.

MicroStrategy’s aggressive accumulation strategy now holds 2.6% of Bitcoin’s total future supply, with plans to acquire up to 6% through an $84 billion fundraising effort. This institutional fervor suggests Bitcoin’s projected $120,000 price target for Q2 2024 might underestimate the asset’s upside potential.

Bitcoin Surges Past $100K Again as Market Dominance Exceeds 60%

Bitcoin reclaimed the $100,000 threshold for the third time in history, trading at $100,794 after a 4.11% intraday rebound from $96,150. The milestone follows previous peaks in December 2024 and January 2025, with MicroStrategy’s Michael Saylor projecting a long-term target of $200,000.

Market dominance surpassing 60% signals concentrated investor confidence in BTC over altcoins. This contrasts with earlier $100K breakthroughs when dominance metrics were comparatively lower.