Bitcoin (BTC) is having a special year. Despite positive news for the price, including institutional purchases and inflows into investment funds, the digital currency has been immersed in a “crypto winter,” rising to $60,000 on February 5, 2026.
Global geopolitical tensions, such as the US-Israel war against Iran and the resulting blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key seaway for global oil production; is having a negative impact at the price of Bitcoin.
This decline also responded to other market factors, including net outflows from spot ETFs, adjustments in leveraged positions, and high temporal correlation with traditional stock markets.
In the midst of this seemingly negative scenario are some opponents who believe the glass is half full. However, it is based on data, not blind optimism. This is the case for Andre Sprone, head of Latin America at MEXC Exchange.
In a statement sent to CriptoNoticias dated April 20, 2026, “Markets are not correcting, they are realigning,” Sprone asserts.. He added that the signs of this realignment are “everywhere, but most people are misinterpreting them.”
Capital flows are being redirected. Risk perception is changing in ways that don’t fit into traditional schemes. The architecture of how global markets allocate value is changing. For those of us who work at the intersection of traditional finance and digital assets, this is not an abstract observation. It has real consequences.
Andre Sprone, leader of MEXC Iberoamerica.
In the current context, The executive pays special attention to oil prices, which he defines as a “geopolitical thermometer.”. Mr. Sprone commented that there is a clear conclusion to the potential inflationary impact of the oil crisis in the Middle East. The main reason is that the macroeconomic environment will not normalize as quickly as most expected.
“With interest rates likely to remain high for an extended period of time and equity valuations remaining under pressure, the search for assets that operate independently of traditional systems is no longer a strategic priority, but a necessity,” said MEXC’s head of Latin America.
Some of these assets include Bitcoin stands out. Sprone did not deny that the digital currency is “well below its all-time high of around $126,000, which was recorded in October 2025.” He also did not deny that “five consecutive months of deficits had an impact on sentiment.” But, he says, “the important thing is below the surface.”
Long-term holders (addresses that held Bitcoin for more than 365 days) saw a significant decrease in sales. Thirty-day net sales fell 87% from early February to early March. These are not free-fall market patterns. Rather, it’s more like a market that’s quietly building its floor.
Andre Sprone, leader of MEXC Iberoamerica.
Beyond the behavior of long-term holders, Sprone identifies a more relevant structural change in this cycle: the demand side.
Demand makes the difference in this cycle
“What’s really different about this cycle[from previous cycles]is on the demand side,” the analyst said.. “Spot Bitcoin ETFs, which did not exist in previous corrections, today represent some demand from institutional investors,” he said. It added that “the corporate treasury continues to allocate capital.” CriptoNoticias reported on a recent case where Strategy (a company led by Michael Saylor) outperformed the BlackRock ETF in Bitcoin holdings.
All of this means that “the infrastructure that connects traditional markets to digital assets is no longer experimental, it’s operational and expanding,” Sprone says.
And the expert added:
So when you hear that Bitcoin “failed” as a hedge or store of value, you know the analysis is incomplete. It may not be completely divorced from equities yet, but its investor base, liquidity infrastructure and institutional integration are fundamentally different than they were just two years ago. he ticker It’s the same. Market around it, no.
Andre Sprone, leader of MEXC Iberoamerica.
The manager goes further and summarizes the transformation that defines a new scenario for the ecosystem according to his vision.
3 Structural Changes Beyond Bitcoin Price
In conclusion, Andre Sprone believes that: “Three changes that go beyond price” and “Beyond short-term movements.”
The first thing to mention is Reregionalization of world trade. As an example, he said, “Sanctions against Russia have redirected the flow of oil, with India reducing imports and China absorbing them. There are new tariffs and industrial policies that are redesigning supply chains.” He added, “In 2025 alone, more than 3,000 new commercial and industrial measures will be implemented globally, triple the number ten years ago.”
Second, he predicts: “Institutional capital has discovered cryptocurrencies and is not retreating.”. According to Sprone, this is “no longer a story, it’s a flow of capital.”
Finally, the executive said: “Latin America emerges as a leading player”. The region is “accustomed to operating in conditions of volatility and uncertainty and now has a competitive advantage in this new scenario.”
According to Mexico’s internal data as of mid-2025, 46% of global users cited inflation hedging as the main reason for holding cryptocurrencies, up from 29% a year ago. In Latin America, That percentage is even higher. The region also leads in public network token holdings, with 74% of users owning tokens. But the most important thing is the level of sophistication. At our recent meeting with KOLs, large traders, and industry leaders in Buenos Aires, the conversation did not revolve around price prediction. They discussed macroeconomics, portfolio construction, and the role of digital assets in a global system that is being redefined in real time.
Andre Sprone, leader of MEXC Iberoamerica.
In short, the current situation in Bitcoin and the crypto market as a whole seems to be calling for: Abandoning superficial judgments based solely on price. The data presented by Sprone paint a more complex and more encouraging picture than the simple red graph suggests.
As the MEXC Director points out, The asset (Bitcoin) may be the same, but the market surrounding it is structurally different from previous cycles. Those who are able to read this change in the background, rather than reacting to short-term noise, will be better able to understand and take advantage of the new scenarios that are being configured globally.
(Tag translation) Analysis and research

