After Bitcoin went from zero to $112,000, many investors may believe that "the opportunity has passed," but that's not quite the case.

“Have I missed the crypto bandwagon?” This question is increasingly being asked by traditional investors, especially after Bitcoin hit all-time highs above $111,000 and made headlines again. The feeling is that it may be “too late” to catch the wave.

But wait! A closer look at the current scenario shows just the opposite: we are just getting started. I have listed five detailed reasons that explain why.

1. Institutional adoption is still in its early stages

Institutional giants have recently begun to embrace bitcoin as an investment option for clients. Goldman Sachs, for example, is already the largest holder of shares in BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) ETF, with approximately $1.4 billion in shares.

For a bank that until recently was known for its skepticism about cryptocurrencies, this change is extremely symbolic. Since the positions belong to the clients and not directly to the bank, it signals a growing confidence in offering the asset class, a move that should be replicated by large institutions throughout 2025.

Other giants are following suit. BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, achieved the 5th largest inflow of any ETF in the US in 2025 with its Bitcoin ETF. In addition, Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, has stated several times throughout the year that Bitcoin is the “new global standard for value exchange.”

Despite this rapid movement, only about 10% of institutional portfolios in the US have exposure to bitcoin, according to a study by ARK Invest. This means that we still have almost 90% of institutional capital out of the game — clearly demonstrating how early we are in the current cycle.

2. Regulatory clarity is growing

Another key point to understand that this is still an early stage is the recent advances in the regulation of the sector. The lack of regulatory clarity has been a major obstacle for institutional investors, but this is rapidly changing.

In the US, the Genius Act, a bill to regulate stablecoins, has already advanced to a vote in the US Congress. This legislation will require full reserves, greater transparency and clear prudential standards, reducing the uncertainties that have kept conservative investors away.

Furthermore, in March 2025, the OCC (US banking regulator) officially clarified that financial institutions can offer custody of digital assets, operate stablecoins and integrate blockchain technologies into their operations, as long as they comply with strict risk management policies. This is a major shift from the restrictions that were in place years ago.

In Europe, the MiCA regulation came into full force at the end of 2024. Japan and Singapore already have clear and functional licensing regimes in place. This global regulatory convergence clearly indicates that governments would rather integrate the crypto sector than ban it.

3. Bitcoin in the sights of corporate strategies

In addition to banks, companies are adopting cryptocurrencies in their financial strategies. Pioneers such as MicroStrategy and Tesla attracted attention in 2020 and 2021, but now new examples are beginning to emerge, including in Brazil.

In 2025, Brazilian company Méliuz became the first company listed on the Brazilian stock exchange to hold Bitcoin as part of its strategic cash reserve. After shareholder approval to allocate up to 10% of its cash in BTC, the company has already accumulated around 320 BTC (~US$30 million).

Each new company following this path increases the network effect, creating favorable conditions for other companies to adopt the same model. Considering that less than 7% of the world’s population holds cryptocurrencies, the room for corporate and user growth is still enormous.

4. Bitcoin as collateral: the next step in financial integration

Another potential value unlock is the use of bitcoin as collateral in traditional financial transactions. In April of this year, mining company Riot Platforms secured a $100 million line of credit from Coinbase, offering its bitcoins as collateral with 150% collateralization. Imagine this optionality extended to everyone through large financial institutions, and the impact this would have on the market.

This modality opens doors for investors and companies to obtain liquidity without having to sell bitcoin, further encouraging the retention of the asset in the long term.

With the OCC demonstrating regulatory openness to this model, it will come as no surprise to see large traditional banks like Goldman Sachs or Citi offering BTC-backed loans soon.

This will make bitcoin comparable to assets traditionally accepted as collateral (stocks and real estate), reinforcing its integration into the traditional financial market.

5. It's still early, like the early days of the internet

The current feeling is very reminiscent of the early 2000s with the internet. Many at that time also believed it was "too late" to invest, without realizing that they were witnessing the beginning of a profound transformation.

The fact that so many people today are still questioning whether they missed out on the opportunity to invest in crypto clearly suggests that we are far from saturation. Those with a long-term view understand that the best years are likely still ahead.

Conclusion

No, you haven’t missed the crypto bandwagon. Institutional adoption is just beginning, regulations are still being solidified, and corporate integration is in the early stages. Yes, volatility exists, but that’s precisely why unique opportunities arise for patient and strategic investors.

We are closer to the beginning of this story than the end. For long-term investors, the best is probably yet to come.