Bitcoin se enfrenta a un shock de demanda de 240.000 millones de dólares a medida que llegan los reembolsos de impuestos "sorpresos" y las nuevas normas criptográficas del IRS

Tax season is now more connected to Bitcoin’s retail demand. Bitcoin has spent the first half of April trading in the low $70,000s, with recent moves through the $71,000 to $75,000 zone keeping the asset close enough to its highs for retail attention to return quickly. But there’s a more important change happening beneath the surface. A lot of household cash is moving through the U.S. financial system as today's April 15 tax deadline arrives. This year, tax season is also more complicated for people who own crypto. This overlap creates a more interesting situation than the usual talk about ETFs or the broader economy. Recent I RS statistics show just how big the refund channel is now. By April 3, the IRS had sent out 69.8 million refunds, up 3.1% from last year. The total amount refunded was $241.7 billion, a 14.5% increase, and the average refund rose 11.1% to $3,462. Direct deposit refunds stood out even more. The IRS reported 70.3 million direct deposit refunds, totaling $242.9 billion. The average direct deposit refund was $3,454. That’s real money landing in household accounts at a time when Bitcoin is liquid, easy to access, and familiar enough that even a small investment feels possible for people who follow the market. This link gets even stronger as the tax deadline approaches. A recent MarketWatch report said the average refund is now about $351 higher than last year. The IRS has also received over a million fewer returns compared to this time last year. The same report pointed to late-arriving forms and new crypto reporting rules as reasons for the slower pace of filings. Together, these factors are changing how people talk about Bitcoin. ETF buyers, institutions, and corporate treasuries still get a lot of attention, but there’s also a retail cash event happening right now. Some of that money is going to people who already know how to buy Bitcoin quickly. The main point is simple: not every refund turns into a Bitcoin purchase. Households have to set pri