Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) on Thursday evening crossed the $100,000 milestone for the first time in three months, fueling debate over whether this marks the beginning of a sustainable bull run or a momentary technical breakout.

Experts are now focused less on the price level itself and more on what the breakout signals for Bitcoin’s evolving role in global finance.

What Experts Are Saying: Speaking with Benzinga, Christian Thompson, Managing Director at the Sui Foundation said he believes the narrative is shifting from passive holding to real-world use cases.

"Bitcoin hitting $100,000 is a big milestone, but the real story is what happens next," he said. "We're entering a phase where you can actually use it -- to borrow, lend or access new kinds of financial tools."

Thompson noted that platforms like Sui are enabling developers to build more practical and secure applications, likening the current transition to the shift from plug-in to battery-powered tools: "It suddenly made everything more mobile, more accessible, and easier to build with. That's what we're seeing with Bitcoin now."

Bitcoin is currently trading at $101,450, having reached an intraday high of $101,784, up about 5% in the past 24 hours. Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) is also rallying, up 13%, while Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) and XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) gained 10% and 6%, respectively.

Duncan Moir, President of 21Shares, emphasized Bitcoin’s growing identity as a standalone asset class.

"Bitcoin’s recovery to $100,000 isn't just a milestone: it's a powerful confirmation that crypto is entering a new era," Moir said in a note to Benzinga. "Investors are no longer treating Bitcoin as just a speculative play. It's becoming a strategic allocation and a store of value."

From a technical perspective, Arthur Azizov, Founder of B2 Ventures, pointed to key breakouts.

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"BTC has broken out of the descending channel and pennant formation, both indicating bullish patterns," he said.

While he warned that the current RSI suggests an overbought condition, he noted strong volume support and identified $103,000–$105,000 as the next key resistance zone.

Azizov also linked the rally to geopolitical developments and institutional demand.

"Trump's announcement about removing tariffs on UK steel and aluminum and the Fed’s decision to preserve rates have lifted risk assets.

Meanwhile, Strategy's (NASDAQ:MSTR) move to increase its BTC reserves is reinforcing institutional confidence."

Grigore Roșu, CEO of Pi Squared, added that Bitcoin's price action reflects broader sentiment.

"The upswing follows the Fed's recent decision to maintain interest rates, alleviating pressure on risk assets," he said. "Ethereum's 12% rally in the past 24 hours also reflects confidence, driven by the successful implementation of its Pectra upgrade."

Anthony Anzalone, CEO of XION, echoed those views, stating: "Bitcoin crossing $100k solidifies its role as ‘digital gold.’ Some experts like Charles Hoskinson are even more bullish, predicting BTC could reach $250k by the end of 2025."

Meanwhile, Alice Liu, Head of Research at CoinMarketCap, stressed that macro trends are playing a crucial role.

"The U.S. Dollar Index has dropped 9% since January, and the U.S. M2 money supply has risen 4% year-on-year--both supportive of Bitcoin," she told Benzinga.

She also noted that Bitcoin exchange balances are at their lowest since 2018, indicating long-term accumulation. "It's still too early to call this a full-fledged bull market, but the fundamentals are aligning."

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