Wintermute: Institutions Double Down on BTC and ETH, Retail Investors Flock to Meme Coins

BlockBeats News, July 15th, according to TheBlock, Wintermute released a new report stating that during the first half of 2025's bull market, there was a significant divergence in investment strategies between retail investors and institutional investors, leading to a notable differentiation in trading interests, whereas the two had largely moved in sync for many years. The report indicates that institutional investors continued to double down on major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, while retail investors tended to favor Meme coins and other altcoins. Institutions sought a stable investment exposure, while retail investors pursued more novel, higher-risk opportunities.

The disparity between institutions and retail investors in mainstream cryptocurrency investment allocation hit a record high, reaching 30 percentage points. Institutional allocation to mainstream cryptocurrencies remained at 67%, mainly achieved through ETF inflows and other new accumulation tools, while retail allocation to mainstream cryptocurrencies dropped by 9% to 37%. Wintermute's CEO and founder, Evgeny Gaevoy, stated in the report: "This differentiation is not temporary; it indicates that we are in the midst of a more mature, complex, and professionalized crypto market. Investors are no longer chasing the same trends. Institutions view cryptocurrency as a macro asset, while retail traders continue to be attracted to innovation."