CoinByte Weekly Wrap: Bitcoin Outperforms Gold After Every Crisis, Study Finds

Happy Friday! Welcome to the 13th instalment of the Coinbyte Weekly Wrap.

The market traded in a firmer and more constructive range this week, with BTC maintaining its upward momentum and pushing toward the US$72,000 level, reaching approximately US$71,996 and posting a weekly gain of around 7.83%. Price action was characterized by a steady climb from the mid-US$67,000 range to above US$71,900 midweek, followed by mild consolidation into the end of the period.Major altcoins also closed the week broadly in positive territory, reflecting improved market sentiment. Ether rose 6.98%, BNB gained 3.22%, Solana advanced 4.99%, and Cardano climbed 5.80%, showing solid participation across large-cap tokens. TRX recorded a more modest increase of 1.73%, while DOGE added 2.41%.Trading activity remained healthy across major cryptocurrencies. BTC’s average daily volume reached approximately US$32.4bn over the past seven days, USDT continued to dominate with around US$66.3bn, while ETH and SOL posted roughly US$15.3bn and US$3.7bn respectively, indicating sustained liquidity and engagement alongside the price advance.Meanwhile, spot ETF flows turned positive this week, with total net inflows of approximately US$53.7m. IBIT led the inflows with a notable US$115.7m addition, highlighting continued institutional preference for flagship products. On the corporate side, institutional accumulation remained active, with Strategy adding 4,871 BTC, while Bitmine significantly increased its ETH exposure with a weekly purchase of 71,252 ETH.Overall, this week’s market action pointed to renewed bullish momentum in Bitcoin, accompanied by broad-based strength across large-cap altcoins, reinforced by steady institutional inflows and continued accumulation.

This week saw regulatory pressure and institutional expansion accelerate across the digital asset sector, as the U.S. Treasury proposed bank-like oversight for stablecoin issuers, requiring full AML and sanctions compliance, while the SEC signaled a shift toward more targeted and pragmatic enforcement.Institutional adoption continued to deepen, with Morgan Stanley launching its spot Bitcoin ETF “MSBT,” marking the first U.S. bank-issued BTC ETF and driving early inflows, while Charles Schwab moved closer to offering direct spot crypto trading, expanding beyond ETF exposure. In parallel, major Swiss banks began testing a CHF stablecoin framework, and SoFi introduced integrated fiat and crypto banking services, highlighting the convergence of traditional finance and digital assets.Market structure and behavior also showed signs of evolution. Bitcoin is increasingly positioning as a forward-looking asset driven by institutional flows rather than reacting to macro policy shifts, while historical data suggests crypto may outperform traditional safe havens like gold in post-crisis recovery phases, reinforcing its role as a high-beta macro asset.At the same time, infrastructure and product expansion remained in focus. CME Group announced new futures for AVAX and SUI, broadening regulated derivatives access, while GSR pushed further into tokenization to build a full-stack Web3 investment banking model. On the technology front, Circle advanced its next-generation blockchain with quantum-resistant security, reflecting growing attention to long-term risks and institutional-grade infrastructure.

Performance

Featured News

Regulation | Treasury Targets Stablecoins With AML Crackdown

The U.S. Treasury proposed new rules requiring stablecoin issuers to implement full anti-money laundering and sanctions compliance programs, including monitoring transactions, reporting suspicious activity and the ability to block or freeze illicit flows, as regulators move to apply bank-like oversight to the sector.link

ETF | Morgan Stanley Brings BTC ETF to Wall Street

Morgan Stanley launched its spot Bitcoin ETF MSBT on April 8, 2026, becoming the first U.S. bank to issue its own spot BTC ETF, with the fund charging a 0.14% fee and recording over 1.6 million shares traded alongside about $34 million in first-day inflows, as low fees and strong distribution drive early institutional demand, marking a further step in the deepening participation of traditional financial institutions in crypto markets.link

More News

Market | Crypto markets have historically outperformed traditional safe-haven assets like gold in the months following major global crises, according to analysis from Brazilian exchange Mercado Bitcoin. The data suggests that while gold often reacts first during periods of uncertainty, crypto tends to deliver stronger returns in the subsequent recovery phase, highlighting its evolving role as a high-beta macro asset rather than a pure hedge. link

Market | Bitcoin is starting to front-run Federal Reserve expectations rather than react to them, according to Binance Research. Following the launch of spot ETFs, BTC’s correlation with global monetary easing has turned negative, suggesting a shift from a reactive asset to a forward-looking one driven by institutional flows. link

Institution | Major Swiss banks are jointly testing use cases for a Swiss franc stablecoin through a sandbox environment, aiming to connect blockchain applications with fiat settlement. The initiative involves multiple institutions and comes as Switzerland currently lacks a widely adopted, regulated CHF stablecoin, signaling growing momentum toward bank-led digital money infrastructure. link

Derivatives | CME Group plans to launch regulated futures for Avalanche (AVAX) and Sui (SUI) on May 4, expanding its crypto derivatives lineup. The contracts will include both standard and micro sizes, reflecting growing institutional demand for regulated exposure to alternative cryptocurrencies beyond Bitcoin and Ether. link

Institution | Charles Schwab is preparing to launch direct Bitcoin and Ethereum trading through dedicated crypto accounts, marking a shift from ETF-only exposure to native asset access. The rollout will begin with a phased launch, allowing clients to buy and hold spot crypto within traditional brokerage infrastructure for the first time. link

Regulation | The SEC acknowledged flaws in its past crypto enforcement approach, stating that some actions failed to effectively protect investors and misapplied regulatory resources. The agency has since dismissed multiple high-profile cases and is shifting toward a framework focused on preventing real investor harm rather than pursuing enforcement volume.link

Tokenization | Crypto market maker GSR is expanding into tokenization through a strategic investment and partnership with a platform backed by a major global bank, aiming to build a full-stack “Web3 investment bank.” The model spans token issuance, advisory, and post-listing liquidity, as the firm positions itself as an end-to-end capital markets provider for real-world assets.link

Infrastructure | Circle is designing its upcoming Arc layer-1 blockchain with built-in quantum-resistant security, introducing post-quantum signatures at launch and expanding protection across wallets, data privacy, and network infrastructure. The phased rollout aims to address long-term risks such as “harvest now, decrypt later,” as institutions prepare for potential breakthroughs in quantum computing.link

Banking | SoFi has launched a business banking platform that allows enterprises to manage fiat and crypto within a single regulated bank. The system supports deposits, payments, and real-time settlement across both traditional currency and stablecoins, enabling 24/7 operations through an integrated infrastructure. link

Institution | Standard Chartered is considering taking full control of its crypto custody arm Zodia Custody and integrating parts of the business into its digital asset division, as the bank moves to internalize custody infrastructure and streamline institutional crypto services.link

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