Under the global liquidity flood, why does Bitcoin "go against the flow" and weaken while gold hits record highs?

In 2025, the global money supply (M2) grew from approximately $104 trillion to over $115 trillion, marking a historic expansion. However, contrary to traditional perceptions, Bitcoin—considered a “liquidity-sensitive asset”—performed weakly, with its market cap hovering around $1.74 trillion, far from reaching its all-time high. Meanwhile, gold prices broke through $4,500 per ounce, setting a new record, and silver also surged significantly. This stark asset performance divergence reveals that, in the current macro environment of “risk aversion” and “structurally tightening liquidity,” capital is systematically flowing from high-risk digital assets to traditional safe havens like physical precious metals. The once tight link between Bitcoin and global liquidity is loosening, and the market awaits a new, compelling narrative capable of reversing capital preferences.

Macro Paradox: Why Hasn’t Global “Liquidity Injection” Boosted Bitcoin?

According to classic crypto market analysis frameworks, the expansion of central bank balance sheets and money supply is seen as the core macro driver behind rising prices of digital assets like Bitcoin. Historical data also supports this view: whenever liquidity is unleashed, some “smart money” tends to flow into Bitcoin as a hedge against potential fiat currency devaluation. However, the market trends in 2025 are ruthlessly challenging this “law.”

Data shows that in 2025, global M2 money supply increased significantly, from about $104 trillion at the start of the year to over $115 trillion. In detail, the US M2 grew from $21.4 trillion to $22.5 trillion; China’s M2 rapidly rose from 311 trillion RMB to 336 trillion RMB, an increase of about 8%. Logically, this should be a “blooming period” for cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin. Yet, in reality, Bitcoin has been stuck in consolidation after reaching a high near $126,000 in October, failing to convert liquidity advantages into sustained upward momentum.

Behind this paradox lies a structural shift in capital flows. Excess liquidity has not been evenly distributed across all risk assets but has shown a strong “selectivity.” Funds clearly prefer two types of assets: first, those with clear short-term growth narratives and profit support, such as AI-related tech stocks and core infrastructure sectors; second, in the context of geopolitical tensions and fiscal pressures, physical gold—viewed as the ultimate safe haven. Bitcoin seems caught awkwardly in the middle: as “digital gold,” its safe-haven attributes are temporarily overshadowed by physical gold’s centuries-old consensus in times of extreme uncertainty; as a “high-risk tech growth asset,” its narrative appeal and profit visibility are inferior to top-tier tech giants. Therefore, mere growth in total liquidity is no longer a sufficient condition to drive a Bitcoin bull market.

Key macro and market data comparison (2025)

• Global liquidity: M2 supply increased from $104 trillion to $115 trillion.
• Bitcoin performance: Market cap around $1.74 trillion, retraced from highs, remaining below $100,000.
• Gold performance: Price broke through $4,500/oz, reaching a historic high, with a market cap close to $31 trillion.
• Market sentiment indicator: The Bitcoin/Gold ratio continues to decline, indicating a relative preference for gold.
• Liquidity pressure: Secured overnight financing rate (SOFR) remains above the reserve rate (IORB), indicating structural tightening in interbank liquidity.

Gold’s Victory: How Safe-Haven Narratives Are Drawing Funds Away from Crypto Markets?

As Bitcoin struggles below key resistance levels, the gold market is staging a remarkable “comeback.” Gold prices not only broke through the critical technical level of $4,380 per ounce but soared past $4,500, reaching a historic peak. Meanwhile, silver prices also surpassed $70, with percentage gains even exceeding gold. This gold rally vividly illustrates the current deep fears and clear preferences of global capital.

The core logic driving gold’s rise involves multiple “pressures”: fiscal pressures (high government debt in major economies), liquidity pressures (despite M2 growth, interbank market interest rate structures indicate tight available funds), and the resulting monetary credit pressures. The persistent inversion of secured overnight rates above the Fed’s reserve rate suggests declining willingness within the banking system to lend, indicating a “quantity expansion but price tightness” scenario. Meanwhile, the US 10-year Treasury yield tests the 4.20% resistance level and may rise further, reflecting concerns over long-term inflation and debt sustainability. In this complex and unsettling macro landscape, gold—an asset without credit or counterparty risk—serves as a “safe harbor” with amplified importance.

The Bitcoin-to-Gold ratio offers an excellent window into capital rotation. Currently, this ratio has broken below key technical levels and continues to decline toward the 9-10 range, clearly indicating that gold is in a relatively stronger phase. This suggests that, even amid macro uncertainties, incremental and existing funds prefer gold over Bitcoin as a safe haven. With a market cap of nearly $31 trillion, gold can absorb vast amounts of capital flowing out of other markets. The stark contrast is evident: in the face of genuine risk aversion, the “digital gold” narrative still requires longer-term stability to prove itself, while traditional physical gold, with its undeniable historical consensus, wins the first half of this cycle.

Institutional Behavior Decoded: What Do ETF Fund Flows Reveal About Cautious Expectations?

As a vital bridge between traditional finance and crypto, spot Bitcoin ETF fund flows serve as a barometer of “smart money” sentiment. Unfortunately, recent data does not signal optimism. By December, Bitcoin ETF flows have shown a mixed pattern of inflows and outflows, lacking a clear net positive trend. This indicates that institutional investors are not blindly “buying the dip” but are engaging in more nuanced position management and tactical adjustments.

This “selective participation” or even “selling on rallies” behavior reflects a nuanced view of Bitcoin: it is an important, non-negligible asset allocation option but not a core asset to be overweight at all times. Institutional funds display clear price sensitivity—when Bitcoin approaches $90,000 resistance levels, selling interest increases, restraining further price breakthroughs. This differs fundamentally from earlier retail-driven FOMO-driven irrational rallies. Institutional involvement brings stability and long-term capital but also introduces mean reversion forces and rational pricing based on macro fundamentals, potentially reducing Bitcoin’s volatility but also limiting explosive upward moves.

Moreover, institutional caution aligns with broader macro trading logic. In an environment where interest rates may remain high long-term, and the economy is expected to avoid hard landings or soft landings, large-scale asset allocation favors more certain sectors—such as short-term government bonds benefiting from real interest rates, tech giants with monopolistic advantages and stable cash flows, and, as previously mentioned, gold. For Bitcoin, many institutional investors are likely waiting for a clearer signal: either a dramatic, undisputed shift toward easing in macro liquidity, or a disruptive application breakthrough within Bitcoin’s ecosystem that can redefine its growth narrative. Until then, their strategy may lean toward “holding and observing” rather than “aggressive accumulation.”

Future Outlook: Bitcoin’s Breakthrough Path and Capital Rotation Prospects

Faced with the decoupling of liquidity and price performance, and the dominance of gold, what will be Bitcoin’s future trajectory? The market awaits a decisive breakout signal. In the short term, technical and sentiment factors form a classic “wait-and-see” game. Bitcoin is trapped within a broad range, with $100,000 as a strong resistance and $80,000 to $75,000 as key supports. Volatility compression suggests a temporary equilibrium between bulls and bears, requiring significant external energy to break.

Potential paths to break this deadlock include two directions. The first is “gold cooling, capital rotation”. Historical experience shows that Bitcoin’s major rallies sometimes begin when gold’s gains plateau or retreat temporarily. When gold no longer hits new daily highs, some risk-seeking speculative funds may reassess undervalued crypto assets. Whether this rotation occurs depends on whether the core drivers of gold’s rise—such as geopolitical crises or debt concerns—ease. The second is a strong internal narrative revival for Bitcoin—driven by new technological milestones (e.g., explosive growth in Layer 2 ecosystems), regulatory breakthroughs (e.g., passage of comprehensive crypto legislation in the US), or the unexpected adoption by major institutions or countries. Such endogenous drivers could lead to a healthier, more sustainable rally.

For investors, current strategies require patience and discipline. Until the Bitcoin/Gold ratio shows clear bottoming signals or Bitcoin itself effectively breaks $100,000 with significant volume, the market is likely to continue favoring “more gold, less Bitcoin.” Viewing this period as an “observation and positioning phase” rather than a “dash for the finish” may be wiser. The market is undergoing a profound cognitive reshaping: Bitcoin is no longer just a simple liquidity function; its price discovery process is becoming more complex, intertwined with macro narratives, asset competition, institutional behavior, and technological evolution. Only by understanding and accepting this complexity can one better navigate each upcoming market turn.