Recently, I noticed an interesting market phenomenon—large financial institutions are actually increasing their positions when retail investors are panicking.

Last week, one of the top banks in the United States accumulated about $383 million in positions through a Bitcoin ETF during the most pessimistic market sentiment. This is not a small move; it involves trillions of dollars in financial institutions using real money to make a statement. While many retail investors are selling off, they are strategically positioning themselves. This contrast is quite striking.

Why choose ETFs instead of directly buying coins? Essentially, it’s a matter of compliance and risk management. Through ETFs, institutions can participate within a regulatory framework without dealing with technical details like private key management and asset custody. It’s much more convenient for big banks. This is also the main reason why more traditional financial institutions have been entering the space in recent years—ETFs provide a safe and comfortable entry point.

Interestingly, such operations are not isolated cases. Over the past few quarters, multiple institutions within the US financial system have been gradually building exposure to crypto assets through similar methods. What does this reflect? It shows that for long-term holders, maintaining resolve when others are afraid actually presents an opportunity.

There’s an old saying in the crypto world: "Be greedy when others are fearful, and fearful when others are greedy." The actions of these big banks somewhat validate this logic. Retail investors are panic-selling, while institutions are quietly accumulating. The difference is significant. Perhaps this is the biggest distinction between long-term and short-term players—mindset and patience.