Bitcoin Rallies 7% to $73,500 on Institutional Demand as Leverage Surge Raises Volatility Risk

Bitcoin rose 7% from $68,000 to $73,500 driven by strong institutional demand, CryptoQuant community analyst Maartunn said in a report cited by ChainCatcher. The Coinbase premium widened to $61, signaling increased U.S. institutional participation, while Hyblock data show $790 million in Bitcoin bought via TWAP orders, a method commonly used by large investors to build positions. Bitcoin broke above and held the key $71,700 resistance level, confirming a bullish market structure. Maartunn warned that derivatives leverage has expanded rapidly, with $3.55 billion in new Bitcoin leverage (+18%) and $1.8 billion in new Ethereum leverage (+17%), and cautioned that these positions depend on continued spot demand, as any slowdown could trigger swift liquidations and sharper volatility.