Bitcoin Reclaims $67,500 as Crypto Market Rebounds Broadly

Bitcoin and major cryptocurrencies have been whipsawed by shifting expectations for US monetary policy, as the Federal Reserve’s rate path influences dollar liquidity and demand for risk assets. A decline in the perceived likelihood of another rate increase helped stabilize sentiment, while gains in XRP and other large tokens suggested the rebound was broader than Bitcoin alone.

Bitcoin initially climbed back above $77,500 and later surpassed $81,000 as estimated odds of a Fed rate increase fell to 62%. XRP led an early advance among major tokens, while Zcash jumped 15% in the latest session. Most cryptocurrencies gained over the past 24 hours, though on a seven-day basis only Zcash and Hyperliquid remained in positive territory.

Bitcoin’s rebound has gathered pace as a shift in U.S. fiscal policy, renewed spot-ETF demand and Wall Street’s return improve appetite for risk assets. A sustained move above $80,000 matters beyond the market’s largest cryptocurrency: it signals that institutional buying is recovering and is helping lift the broader digital-asset complex, including Ether, after months of uneven trading.

Bitcoin has rallied 38% from its June low and gained roughly 25% during a seven-day advance, pushing above $80,000 for the first time since May. Ether has held above $2,500, while Nvidia’s earnings helped propel technology shares and other risk assets. The acceleration points to stronger market momentum, though analysts warn that the next technical pullback will test whether returning ETF and institutional demand can sustain the recovery.

Bitcoin and Ether are the crypto market’s main gauges of risk appetite, with sharp moves often spilling into altcoins and leveraged derivatives. The latest recovery comes as record-high U.S. equities and easing anxiety over the Federal Reserve encourage investors to take on more risk. Still, sentiment remains fragile after recent volatility and heavy liquidations unsettled traders across digital-asset markets.

Bitcoin reclaimed the $65,000 level in the latest broad-based advance, while Ether jumped more than 3% to break above $1,940. Crypto derivatives positions worth about $213 million were liquidated across the market over the past 24 hours. The Fear and Greed Index rose to 30, signaling an improvement from deeper pessimism, though the reading remained in “fear” territory and pointed to continued caution among investors.

Bitcoin’s recovery from a 21-month low lifted Ether, Solana and other assets, but the market has yet to confirm a trend reversal. US spot Bitcoin ETFs have recently continued to record large outflows, while the Crypto Fear and Greed Index has fallen to 24, in the “extreme fear” zone, signaling that risk appetite among institutions and retail investors remains weak.

Bitcoin recovered above $60,000 after touching $57,737, then briefly broke through $63,000 and climbed to around $64,000. Ether also rose above $1,800. A short-term squeeze liquidated about $160 million in short positions across the market within four hours, while related data put short liquidations at more than $170 million. SharpLink separately bought $16 million of Ether, but analysts said Bitcoin still needs to break above $70,000 to strengthen the reversal signal.

Bitcoin has become more closely correlated with risk assets such as U.S. equities, with oil prices, U.S. Treasury yields and geopolitical developments all influencing investors' risk appetite. Although spot Bitcoin ETFs have continued to record net outflows recently, better-than-expected earnings from NVIDIA provided support for technology stocks and the cryptocurrency market.

As of May 25, oil prices had fallen about 5% in a single day and selling pressure in U.S. Treasuries had eased, helping the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq rebound across the board. Bitcoin rose 0.64% over the previous 24 hours to $77,361, holding above the $77,000 threshold as markets temporarily stabilized.

Bitcoin had retreated steadily since reaching a record $126,000 in October 2025 and came close to $60,000 at one point in 2026. Buying by US spot Bitcoin ETFs and institutions such as Strategy has therefore become a key indicator of whether market demand can stabilize and whether the bear market may be nearing an end.

On April 14, Bitcoin recovered to $74,000 from a weekend low of $70,500. US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $615 million in net inflows last Thursday and Friday, while Strategy spent another $1 billion to buy 13,927 Bitcoin. However, the annualized premium on monthly futures stood at just 2%, below the neutral range of 4% to 8%, leaving the market divided over whether a reversal is underway.

Bitcoin is highly sensitive to interest-rate and inflation expectations. February’s consumer price index from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics matched market forecasts and did not support a near-term Federal Reserve rate cut. Still, falling oil prices helped ease inflationary pressure and supported risk assets including cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin quickly reversed its overnight losses after the February CPI release, first breaking above $70,100 and then climbing past $71,000. Markets also digested news of a 400 million-barrel oil release. Ether, Solana and Cardano (ADA) rose in tandem, showing little drag from weakness in U.S. stocks.

Institutional capital has become a major driver of Bitcoin prices since the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024. An easing of U.S. policy uncertainty, along with gains in U.S. stocks and strong corporate earnings, lifted risk appetite and helped Bitcoin reclaim the $68,000 level.

Bitcoin surged from $62,400 to $68,600 over the past 24 hours, gaining about 9.9% and reaching a weekly high. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs ended five consecutive weeks of net outflows and recorded one of their largest inflow days of the quarter in the latest session, bolstering buying demand. Analysts cautioned, however, that the risk of market volatility had not fully receded.

Bitcoin has failed to reclaim the $70,000 level since its sharp selloff on February 5, 2026, shifting the market’s focus to whether forced selling has subsided. Market maker Wintermute said capital is flowing into defensive and real-world assets, while Matrixport warned that stablecoin supply has stalled, leaving the rebound’s durability dependent on liquidity.

Bitcoin approached $70,000 on February 25 before retreating to about $68,300 in early trading on February 26, after an overnight low of $67,700. It was still up 4.3% on the day. Ether, Solana, Cardano and Dogecoin gained 8.5%, 6.9%, 10.8% and 8.3%, respectively, signaling a shift into high-beta tokens.

Bitcoin and Ethereum had fallen for several consecutive days as investors grew concerned about AI stock valuations and the outlook for global risk assets. Cryptocurrencies often move with risk appetite in U.S. technology shares and Asian equities, making Bitcoin's ability to hold above $66,000 an important gauge of whether market confidence is recovering.

In the latest trading, Bitcoin surged above $66,000, while Ethereum returned to around $1,920, driving a rebound across crypto markets and Asian equities. Investors are now focused on NVIDIA's upcoming earnings and guidance for clues on whether momentum in technology stocks can continue and support the outlook for risk assets.