Retail Traders Remain Skeptical Amid Trump Media $BTC ETF Buzz

Irrespective of the eye-catching moves in the crypto market, retail investors are showing skepticism. The new data provided by Stocktwits , a prominent social platform for investors and traders with above 10M consumers, indicates that retail sentiment is seemingly shifting significantly from the Bitcoin hype. Hence, even the key developments like the ($DJT) $BTC ETF filings by Trump Media are unable to get retail interest.

Retail Traders Show Skepticism About Bitcoin Despite of $BTC Ongoing Developments

Interestingly, the retail investors appear to be staying away from the hype. Specifically, the sentiment dealing with Trump Media has remained bearish even following the announcement of a huge $2.44B Bitcoin Treasury Plan. In the same vein, the recent Bitcoin ($BTC) acquisition of GameStop remained unsuccessful in bringing about a change.

Thus, the community sentiment signifies that the retail investors consider this move to be a distraction rather than a crucial growth catalyst. Tom Bruni, Stocktwits’ Editor-in-Chief and VP of Community, also discussed the factors leading to this cautious stance. As per the executive, the retail investors are not taking these splashy headlines seriously anymore.

Bitcoin Hype Remains Fades as Investors Move to AI, Stocks, and Favorable Sectors

On the other hand, they reportedly require consistent performance and business fundamentals. As a result of this, the hype cycle does not appear to be longer enough to keep continuously engaging traders. Apart from that, even Sezzle Inc. ($SEZL) faces reluctant retail activity irrespective of having touched all-time high spots amid supportive economic data.

Stocktwits’ Bruni asserts that this overall scenario indicates skepticism in the case of the firm’s long-term sustainability and valuation. On the other hand, bullish sentiment is rising in the areas that are less speculative in nature, including energy stocks associated with top tech partnerships, drone technology platforms, and artificial intelligence (AI). This points toward a shift in the wider retail sentiment to favoring sectors that display huge growth potential.

Interview Session:

While covering this news article, we also collaborated with Tom Bruni , the Editor-in-Chief of Stockwits. On inquiring, he shared his remarks about the retail market’s Bitcoin ($BTC) skepticism.

• In your opinion, does this Bitcoin skepticism in the retail market indicate a shift for good or only a short-term change?

Ans. The retail skepticism reflects a shift for good. Strategy and other early adopters of the Bitcoin (or crypto) treasury strategy provided a use case for investors at a time when there were fewer ways to add crypto exposure to traditional brokerage and retirement accounts. However, with the proliferation of spot Bitcoin ETFs and other ETPs focused on crypto, the value proposition for the treasury strategy has eroded with investors.

Crypto-focused investors want to see a company embracing Bitcoin and other assets as part of their treasury function, but still care about the fundamentals of the company’s core business. Simply buying crypto or announcing intentions to do so has proven to be a great way to boost a company’s stock price in the short term. However, those moves are primarily driven by traders, not investors, so we often see prices revert lower as the hype dies down and traders move on to the next momentum play.

• What are key fundamentals on the basis of which retail traders are making this shift?

Ans. The key fundamental is that there are better, more direct ways for retail investors to access Bitcoin or crypto than through crypto treasury-focused companies. The allure of short-term gains and momentum remains alive and well for traders, but retail investors are seeking more than financial engineering gimmicks to stay committed to a company for the long term.

• What is your perspective on this sentiment evolution in the case of another big market rally during 2025?

Ans. We’re in an environment right now where most investors are looking at the bright side of any potential adverse situations. A significant amount of uncertainty has been affecting the stock market and economy over the last six months, yet both remain resilient. Until we start to see sustained weakness in either the labor market or corporate earnings, or an inflationary move (in either direction) that prompts the Fed to act, investors are remaining invested.

Closing Remarks

Retail traders are increasingly prioritizing fundamentals over Bitcoin hype, highlighting skepticism toward $ BTC-related headlines like ETF filings from Trump Media. As Tom Bruni highlighted, the easier access to Bitcoin ($BTC) through ETFs has reduced the appeal of corporate crypto strategies. This shift represents a broader trend toward a more sustainable, value-driven investing across sectors like artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology.