According to BlockBeats, on October 1, CoinDesk senior analyst James Van Straten noted that retail investors may not be as prevalent in the current cryptocurrency cycle and have become increasingly sophisticated.
James highlighted that retail investors were a significant factor in the previous cryptocurrency bull market, contributing to the rise in digital asset prices and market enthusiasm. Many of these investors entered the crypto market for the first time during the COVID lockdowns from 2021 to 2022.
The current bull market cycle, which began in mid-2023, is more institutionally driven. Presently, the main discussions revolve around ETFs and the gradual but steady adoption of traditional finance (TradFi). So far, retail investors have not returned in the same numbers, with meme coins being an exception.
