Investment firm VanEck maintains a $180,000 year-end Bitcoin price target despite market volatility, while CME basis funding rates hit 9%, highest since February 2025. Bitcoin rebounded to $124,000 on August 13, setting a new all-time high above July’s $123,838 but is now trading close to $115K, 8% down from ATH.

VanEck research shows strong institutional demand, with ETPs buying 54,000 BTC and Digital Asset Treasuries adding 72,000 BTC in July alone. CME basis rates surging to 9% indicate renewed speculative appetite among derivatives traders, matching levels during February’s market peak.

Options markets display bullish positioning with call/put ratios at 3.21x – highest since June 2024 – as investors spent $792 million on call premiums. Implied volatility at 32% – below 50% one-year average – makes options cheaper for buyers. A 25% out-of-the-money one-year call now costs 6% of spot price.

Coinbase CEO predicts Bitcoin could reach $1 million by 2030, citing regulatory clarity and institutional adoption as key drivers. SOL Strategies CEO projects Bitcoin to hit $175,000 by year-end. Galaxy Digital CEO warns near-term million-dollar predictions could signal U.S. economic crisis.

Copper’s head of research suggests Bitcoin is primed for a significant upward leg, projecting a breach of $140,000 in September and $150,000 in early October. Glassnode analysis challenges claims of institutional adoption breaking Bitcoin’s traditional cycles, showing current cycle closely mirrors past patterns.

Derivatives markets exhibit elevated risk appetite, with Bitcoin futures open interest at $67 billion. Ethereum’s derivatives dominance rises, while altcoin liquidations peak at $303 million daily. Recent market pullback seen as strategic repositioning, with technical outlook depending on Bitcoin holding support between $100,000-$110,000.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: VanEck Maintains $180K Bitcoin Forecast as CME Basis Rates Hit 9% Peak