According to @KobeissiLetter, the average funding spread, a gauge of institutional demand for long equity exposure via futures, options, and swaps, jumped roughly 20 basis points in recent days to its highest level since December 2024 (source: @KobeissiLetter, Sep 20, 2025). The move followed disappointing non-farm payrolls data two weeks ago, which increased market expectations for additional Federal Reserve rate cuts (source: @KobeissiLetter, Sep 20, 2025). Professional investor positioning has been steadily recovering since April, though the funding spread remains well below the peak seen in November 2024 (source: @KobeissiLetter, Sep 20, 2025). For crypto markets, higher institutional risk appetite in equities has historically coincided with stronger comovement between Bitcoin and stocks since 2020, making this uptick a relevant macro signal for digital assets (source: IMF, Crypto Prices Move More in Sync With Stocks, Jan 2022).

According to @rovercrc, big institutions are stacking short positions in ETH and he frames this as potential fuel for the next rally via a short squeeze based on his X post and chart dated Aug 18, 2025, source: Crypto Rover on X, Aug 18, 2025. Traders should validate the claim by checking CFTC Commitments of Traders for CME Ether futures and comparing with exchange-level ETH perpetual funding and open interest before positioning, source: CFTC COT reports; CME Group market data; major exchange derivatives dashboards. A practical setup is to look for rising open interest with flat price action, funding turning negative, and visible liquidation clusters above recent highs before breakout longs, source: CME Group derivatives education; major exchange metrics. Invalidate the squeeze bias if open interest contracts while price drops and funding turns positive, indicating shorts covering rather than adding, source: CME Group derivatives concepts; major exchange metrics.

According to Crypto Rover, the approval for Ethereum ETF staking is imminent, with institutional investors already adjusting their portfolios in anticipation (source: @rovercrc, June 4, 2025). This shift is expected to trigger increased demand for ETH, potentially driving up both price and on-chain activity. Traders should watch for volatility and liquidity surges as institutional money enters the market, which may also influence related altcoins and DeFi protocols. Monitoring regulatory developments and on-chain data will be essential for capturing trading opportunities linked to the upcoming ETF approval.