Quote from: labestiol on April 12, 2013, 07:07:02 AM

How many institutional investors do you know (or heard of) that are invested in bitcoin ?

There was $10,000,0000 to $20,000,0000 of trading daily for a month. That probably isn't the average neighbor that heard about bitcoin.
Also, there were many narrow times (i.e. 5 to 15 minutes windows) where a $1 million trade would occur in the positive direction.

Bitcoin Magazine (excerpt):

And how about the recent frontpage article in the Financial Times? The relevant passage: Some finance industry entrepreneurs have leapt at the opportunity. Exante, a Malta-based asset manager, set up a Bitcoin fund last year that was largely intended as a fun punt. Wealthy investors each put in $1,000 when Bitcoins were trading at $13 on the understanding they could lose the original investment. Exante predicted that public and media interest would take off when Bitcoins were trading at $100. Managing partner Gatis Eglitis claims they are now getting 20 calls a day from large asset managers looking to invest up to $100m.
- source: http://bitcoinmagazine.com/trace-mayer-on-fox-business-why-bitcoin-is-just-getting-started/

....and consider the Winklevoss twins (FaceBook money) prior/continued involvement:

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/04/11/as-big-investors-emerge-bitcoin-gets-ready-for-its-close-up/