Story’s IP has extended its bullish streak, recording another day of gains as its uptrend continues. In the last 24 hours alone, IP has surged 11%, making it the second-highest gainer during this period.
Over the past week, the altcoin has climbed 17%, bucking the broader market decline and solidifying its position as one of the strongest performers.
IP’s Short-Term Outlook Remains Bullish as Buying Pressure Builds
Readings from the IP 12-hour chart hint at a sustained price growth in the short term. For example, the coin’s Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) supports this bullish outlook.
After spending an extended period below the signal line (orange), IP’s MACD line (blue) flipped above it during Wednesday’s trading session, posting a green histogram bar.
This bullish crossover suggests a bullish shift in momentum, indicating increasing buying pressure. The appearance of a green histogram bar reinforces the strength of this trend, signaling that IP’s uptrend could continue. If sustained, this momentum may attract more traders, potentially driving the coin’s price even higher.
Additionally, IP’s Aroon Up Line, which tracks the strength of its trends, confirms that the current rally is still intact, indicating that the uptrend may not be slowing down anytime soon. At press time, this indicator is at 92.86%.
When an asset’s Aroon Up Line is close to 100%, it indicates a strong uptrend. The metric suggests that IP is consistently reaching new highs within the review period. This is true of the coin, which currently trades at $5.91, its highest since March 8.
IP Holds Strong Above Support—Can It Reclaim Its $7.95 All-Time High?
At its current price, IP trades strongly above the support floor formed at $5.54. If the bullish pressure in its spot markets remains, IP could continue its upward trend and attempt to revisit its all-time high of $7.95.
On the other hand, a resurgence in profit-taking among IP holders would invalidate this bullish projection. In that scenario, the coin could lose its recent gains, fall below the $5.54 support, and drop toward $4.05.
The number of publicly traded companies buying and holding Bitcoin (BTC) has surged to 80 in 2025, a 142% increase from just 33 companies in 2023.
This trend reflects the growing acceptance of Bitcoin as both a strategic reserve asset and a hedge against inflation.
Why Public Companies Are Holding Bitcoin in 2025
Digital asset brokerage firm River revealed that 80 public companies hold Bitcoin, up from just 33 two years ago.
“80 public companies are now buying Bitcoin. Two years ago there were 33. Two years from now there will be…?,” River posed.
Public Companies Holding Bitcoin. Source: River on X
The companies embracing Bitcoin span multiple industries, with a strong concentration in technology and finance. The technology sector accounts for half of the public companies holding Bitcoin. Bitcoin Treasuries data shows firms like MicroStrategy (now Strategy), Tesla, and Block stand at the forefront of integrating Bitcoin into their financial strategies.
The remaining 5% comprises companies from other sectors, including retail and energy. These firms experiment with Bitcoin holdings for transactions and balance sheet diversification.
Several key factors are driving the adoption of Bitcoin among public companies. Inflation hedging has become a major consideration as firms look for alternative stores of value beyond traditional assets.
“Bitcoin is the currency of freedom, a hedge against inflation for middle-class Americans, a remedy against the dollar’s downgrade from the world’s reserve currency, and the off-ramp from a ruinous national debt. Bitcoin will have no stronger advocate than Howard Lutnik,” US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr said recently.
Additionally, investor pressure has played a role as institutional investors and shareholders increasingly push companies to diversify into digital assets. Regulatory clarity and pro-crypto policies in some regions have further encouraged corporate adoption.
Cumulative Bitcoin Holdings Continue to Rise
Meanwhile, public companies have been accumulating Bitcoin at an unprecedented rate. Between 2020 and 2023, they collectively held approximately 200,000 BTC. In 2024 alone, an additional 257,095 BTC was acquired, doubling the total from five years ago.
In the first quarter of 2025, an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 BTC has already been added. Noteworthy, MicroStrategy and Fold Holdings lead the acquisitions. Coinbase’s recent institutional investor survey also indicated that 83% of institutions plan to increase their crypto asset allocation by 2025.
The surge in Bitcoin adoption by public companies coincides with a new wave of crypto-related IPOs (initial public offerings). Notable firms, including Gemini and Kraken, plan to go public, highlighting increased institutional confidence in the digital asset space. These IPOs provide fresh capital inflows and further legitimize the broader crypto market.
Bitcoin has also become a financial lifeline for struggling companies seeking to boost their stock prices. Some firms with declining revenues have turned to Bitcoin investments to attract new investors and strengthen their market position. As a result, Bitcoin is playing an increasingly significant role in corporate strategies.
Beyond corporate treasuries, Bitcoin’s rising adoption also influences financial planning in other areas. Parents increasingly choose Bitcoin as an alternative to traditional college savings plans, betting on its long-term growth potential to fund education expenses.
With 80 public companies now holding Bitcoin, the trend shows no signs of slowing. If the current growth trajectory continues, institutional adoption will deepen as more companies turn to Bitcoin.
A US federal judge has ordered Apple to eliminate policies that limited app developers’ ability to direct users to external payment options.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers’s April 30 ruling marks a pivotal moment for crypto developers building on iOS.
Will Apple Ease Restrictions on ‘Off-App’ Crypto Payments?
According to court filings, the ruling stems from Apple’s long-running legal battle with Epic Games. The gaming company had challenged Apple’s App Store practices as anti-competitive.
In 2021, the court issued an injunction requiring Apple to allow developers to offer alternative payment methods for their application users.
However, Apple responded by adding restrictive features such as warning screens and complicated redirects. These measures discouraged users from leaving its in-app purchase system, where the company takes a 30% commission on transactions.
The court found these changes unacceptable and ruled that Apple cannot add new barriers or charge fees for off-app payments.
“Apple, despite knowing its obligations thereunder, thwarted the Injunction’s goals, and continued its anticompetitive conduct solely to maintain its revenue stream,” the judge wrote.
Under the new directive, Apple cannot charge fees or place additional hurdles for off-app transactions.
For those curious on what the new Apple vs Epic ruling will (and won’t) do for mobile apps:
– Apps can accept crypto payments rather than routing through the Apple app store (with a 30% fee). This is huge for integration with mobile wallets where users can spend their crypto… pic.twitter.com/d66O3NOiNP
The company has since updated its App Store Guidelines to allow developers to include external payment links, provided certain conditions are met.
“Apps may allow users to browse NFT collections owned by others, provided that, except for apps on the United States storefront, the apps may not include buttons, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms other than in-app purchase,” Apple’s updated guideline reads.
This change opens new possibilities for crypto-based apps that previously struggled under Apple’s tight ecosystem.
Crypto community members pointed out that apps can now support direct payments using digital assets like USDC, ETH, and SOL. This allows them to bypass Apple’s system and avoid the 30% commission.
Also, iOS apps can finally enable in-app NFT purchases. This removes the friction of redirecting users to external web browsers and could significantly improve the mobile user experience.
Moreover, the decision makes it easier for developers to gate app features using NFTs. Apple had previously restricted this practice to prevent fee avoidance.
However, as developers pointed out, fiat-to-crypto onboarding remains a challenge. While the new policy makes crypto use easier once assets are acquired, users still need to complete KYC procedures to purchase tokens.
