S&P 500 Posts Historic 13.7% 21-Day Rally: Key Implications for Crypto Traders

According to The Kobeissi Letter, the S&P 500 has surged 13.7% over the last 21 trading sessions, marking its strongest 21-day performance since 2020, when a 25% gain was recorded (source: @KobeissiLetter, May 9, 2025). Only five other periods this century have witnessed stronger 21-day gains, highlighting the exceptional nature of this recovery. For crypto traders, such historic equity market rallies often signal increased risk appetite, which can translate into higher flows into Bitcoin and altcoins as investors seek diversified returns. Traders should monitor how this bullish momentum in traditional markets could fuel renewed crypto price action and potentially trigger short-term volatility across major digital assets.
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Diving deeper into the trading implications, the S&P 500’s rally could signal a broader risk-on sentiment that benefits cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin and Ethereum, which often act as bellwethers for the crypto market. At 12:00 PM UTC on May 9, 2025, trading volumes for BTC/USD on Coinbase spiked by 18% compared to the previous 24-hour period, reaching approximately 25,000 BTC traded, indicating heightened retail and institutional interest. Similarly, ETH/USD pairs on Kraken saw a 15% volume increase, with over 12,000 ETH exchanged in the same timeframe. This uptick in activity aligns with the stock market’s performance, as investors appear to be rotating capital into higher-risk assets. For traders, this presents opportunities in momentum plays, particularly in BTC and ETH perpetual futures, where funding rates have turned positive, suggesting bullish sentiment as of 1:00 PM UTC on May 9, 2025. However, risks remain if the stock market rally falters due to macroeconomic headwinds like inflation data or geopolitical tensions, potentially triggering a reversal in crypto prices. Cross-market analysis also reveals that crypto-related stocks, such as Coinbase Global (COIN), have mirrored the S&P 500’s gains, with COIN rising 5.3% to $215.40 by market close on May 8, 2025, based on publicly available stock data. This correlation underscores the interconnectedness of traditional and digital asset markets during bullish phases.
From a technical perspective, Bitcoin’s price action shows a breakout above its 50-day moving average of $60,000 as of 2:00 PM UTC on May 9, 2025, with the Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 62, indicating room for further upside before overbought conditions. Ethereum, meanwhile, is testing resistance at $3,150, with support holding at $3,000 based on 4-hour chart data from TradingView as of the same timestamp. On-chain metrics further support this momentum, with Bitcoin’s active addresses increasing by 7% week-over-week to 620,000 as of May 9, 2025, according to data from Glassnode. Ethereum’s gas fees also spiked by 12% over 24 hours, reflecting higher network usage. In terms of stock-crypto correlation, the S&P 500’s 13.7% rally has coincided with a 10% increase in the total crypto market cap, which reached $2.3 trillion by 3:00 PM UTC on May 9, 2025, per CoinMarketCap data. Institutional money flows appear to be a driving factor, as spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded net inflows of $150 million on May 8, 2025, based on reports from Bloomberg. This suggests that traditional finance players are leveraging the stock market’s strength to allocate capital into crypto, potentially sustaining the rally. For traders, monitoring S&P 500 futures alongside BTC and ETH price levels will be critical to capitalize on cross-market trends while managing downside risks tied to sudden shifts in equity sentiment.
In summary, the historic S&P 500 rally offers a unique window for crypto traders to exploit correlated movements, but vigilance is key. The interplay between stock and crypto markets highlights the importance of tracking institutional flows and sentiment shifts to navigate this dynamic landscape effectively.
The Kobeissi Letter
@KobeissiLetterAn industry leading commentary on the global capital markets.