Bitcoin has reclaimed the key psychological level of $103,000, setting its sights firmly on testing its previous all-time high above $109,588. With nearly all top 100 cryptocurrencies by market cap rallying into green territory, the crypto community is once again debating a crucial investor decision: should traders remain invested or follow the age-old stock market adage, “Sell in May and go away?”
Whenever Bitcoin prices near record highs, crypto traders confront the recurring question of when to exit their trades. Last year’s meme coin bull run, particularly for tokens based on the Solana blockchain, highlights the importance of having a clear exit strategy. Glauber Contessoto, widely known as the Dogecoin millionaire, famously purchased $250,000 worth of DOGE by maxing out credit cards and investing his life savings, only to see a peak valuation of nearly $3 million wiped out amid the price downturn of 2022. Contessoto’s cautionary tale highlights the critical necessity of timing market exits and profit-taking at or close to market tops.
Data from blockchain analytics firm Santiment confirms this trend, illustrating that significant volumes of traders in meme coins such as DOGE, Shiba Inu (SHIB), and Pepe (PEPE) realized their profits at local market tops. Historically, spikes of transactions indicative of profit-taking in high-performing meme tokens have closely aligned with sharp price peaks.
Meanwhile, despite the old investor notion of exiting markets in May and returning in the fall, the cryptocurrency market structure does not neatly align with traditional financial patterns. Higher volatility, rapid technological evolution, and distinctive investor behavior set crypto apart from equities.
Looking at current conditions, Bitcoin surpassing $100,000 and Ethereum completing its anticipated Pectra upgrade have spurred bullish sentiments among traders. Ethereum’s next major milestone, the $3,000 level—a nearly 20% potential rally from current prices—has also entered investors’ crosshairs. Additionally, stabilized macroeconomic indicators, favorable US trade agreements with China and the UK, and growing institutional appetite for digital assets further support an optimistic outlook for cryptocurrencies beyond May.
Evidence suggests that Bitcoin and altcoin markets may extend positive momentum further into the summer months. According to Coinglass’ historical data, Bitcoin demonstrated sustained monthly gains between June and December in both 2023 and 2024. Should this historical trend recur, holders could leverage gains during the latter half of 2025, possibly transitioning profits into undervalued altcoins in pursuit of greater portfolio diversity.
Furthermore, according to IntoTheBlock analytics, around 97,000 Bitcoin wallet addresses holding approximately 108,000 BTC tokens will become profitable if Bitcoin revisits its all-time highs. Such a scenario carries implications of increased selling pressure as traders rush to lock in profits. Simultaneously, the altcoin season index, which reached an elevated reading of 67 recently—signaling increased altcoin outperformance relative to Bitcoin—suggests continued interest in altcoins as a prominent feature of this market cycle.
Experts remain generally optimistic regarding crypto’s short-term trajectory. James Toledano, Chief Operating Officer at Unity Wallet, stressed that Bitcoin’s performance, maintaining stability near the $104,000 mark, is a sign of healthy consolidation rather than cause for concern. Toledano points to a combination of cautious macroeconomic anticipation and a healthy rotation of capital into leading altcoins, as investors diversify beyond Bitcoin in the current bull run.
Ruslan Lienkha, Chief of Markets at YouHodler, emphasizes short-term caution, noting the potential cap on gains posed by persistent U.S. interest rates and global economic uncertainties. However, he characterized recent fluctuations primarily as normal corrective patterns within a broader bullish market cycle, rather than signs of deeper structural problems.
As Bitcoin again approaches historic highs, the ongoing conversation around investor exit strategies has never felt more urgent. Traders balancing between profit-taking and FOMO will need to carefully calibrate their strategies amid an optimistic yet cautiously constructive environment.
