Autor Cointelegraph By William Suberg

Bitcoin’s (BTC) rise to $86,000 this week has dragged altcoin markets higher as the industry’s market cap reclaimed $3 trillion.Key points:Glassnode’s Altcoin Cycle Signal printed a new “altcoin season” signal as it reached 81.25 of a maximum 100.Bitcoin dominance, BTC’s market share among crypto assets, failed to break 60% and has stayed rangebound over the past month.On Monday, both Bitcoin and Ether ETFs saw their highest daily inflows since October 2025.Altcoin Cycle Signal flips to favor altcoins over BitcoinA proprietary metric from onchain analytics platform Glassnode has delivered a new “altcoin season” signal this week on the back of recent crypto market upside.Glassnode’s Altcoin Cycle Signal, which compares the market cap of the 250 largest cryptocurrencies relative to Bitcoin, has flipped to favoring altcoin outperformance. Altcoin season — known in crypto circles as ‘altseason’ — refers to periods when altcoins outperform Bitcoin in combined market-cap growth. Glassnode’s metric delivers “altcoin season” signals when relative growth in market cap of the 250 largest altcoins, excluding stablecoins, is temporarily stronger than that of Bitcoin. The exact methodology behind the calculation is not disclosed.The seven-day rolling mean value of the Altcoin Cycle Signal measured 81.25 on its normalized scale from 0-100 as of Monday.“The first rally in August saw altcoins stay relatively flat while BTC moved. However, today’s rally has ignited the full breadth of the altcoin market,” Glassnode reported in a post on X.The combined altcoin market cap reached $1.19 trillion on Tuesday, marking its highest level since late January. Altcoins have increased their market capitalization by 33% since Aug. 19, when crypto markets saw flash upside on the back of an announcement by the US Treasury over interventions in bond markets.Total altcoin market cap one-week chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewBitcoin’s dominance over the total crypto market cap, meanwhile, has continued to act within a narrow range since then, and currently sits at 59.7% versus 59.2% on Aug. 19.Commenting on the current dynamic, trader and commentator Matthew Hyland described a state of “complacency” among Bitcoin investors, suggesting that dominance had already set a macro high when it reached 66% in June 2025. He argued on Saturday that investors have remained unwilling to accept Bitcoin’s lack of progress against altcoins since then.BTC dominance of crypto market cap one-week chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewCrypto ETFs see broad rebound in inflows Crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) reveal a blanket rebound in investor demand across both Bitcoin and altcoin products this week.Related: Kyle Samani predicts SOL flippening, claims ‘no one’ uses ETHOn Monday, the US spot Bitcoin ETFs saw combined inflows of $999 million, while Ether (ETH) ETFs took in $270 million. In both cases, the daily tally was the highest since October 2025, per data from UK-based investment company Farside Investors.As Cointelegraph reported, Bitcoin ETF investors’ aggregate cost basis sat at just below $86,000 at the end of last week, with BTC/USD now attempting to cement that level as support.Bitcoin, Ether ETF netflows data. Source: Farside Investors

Bitcoin (BTC) spiked above $86,000 after Monday’s Wall Street open as US stocks rose amid cooling oil prices.Key points:Bitcoin gained nearly 6% on Monday to briefly trade above $86,000 for the first time since late January.Crypto short liquidations totaled almost $800 million in 24 hours as analysis called the start of a “new bull market.”US stocks opened the week higher as WTI oil prices dipped below $92 per barrel.Bitcoin, US stocks head higher as oil drops furtherTradingView data showed Bitcoin hitting a new 33-week high of $86,332 on Bitstamp, up 5.7% on the day at the time of writing.BTC/USD one-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewUpside quickly returned after Sunday’s weekly close, which, at $81,120, was Bitcoin’s highest since the start of May, as oil prices continued a drop from late last week.Signals from both Qatar’s Foreign Ministry and US President Donald Trump that diplomatic negotiations to end the US-Iran war could resume helped send WTI crude oil as low as $91.59 per barrel on Monday.“Middle East oil flows remain surprisingly strong despite the disruption to Saudi Arabia’s ‌East-West pipeline,” JPMorgan analysts said in a note on Friday, quoted by CNBC and others.CFDs on WTI crude oil one-day chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewA report by The New York Times additionally claimed that the US planned to extend its trade deal with China by six months ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit on Sept. 23-25.The S&P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index were up 1% and 1.6%, respectively, at the time of writing.S&P 500 one-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewCrypto short liquidations near $800 million in 24 hoursBitcoin’s gains, meanwhile, led to increasingly optimistic commentary on longer-term price strength. Related: Strategy buys 950 Bitcoin for $76M, repurchases $174M in STRCIn its latest analysis on X, trading resource The Kobeissi Letter described crypto as being “in a new bull market.” Kobeissi referenced 50% gains for BTC/USD over just two months as crypto short liquidations neared $800 million over 24 hours. BTC/USD vs. crypto liquidations (screenshot). Source: CoinGlassCommenting on Bitcoin’s short-term prospects, Bitfinex Alpha, the research arm of crypto exchange Bitfinex, flagged buyer support, rising open interest and fresh capital inflows to US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) as three key requirements for further price upside.“For a breakout to be validated, we would want to see net taker buying rather than the profit-taking that capped the advances on 18 and 19 September,” it noted in a Monday blog post, adding: “Coin-denominated open interest would also need to expand, indicating fresh positioning rather than a move driven primarily by short covering. Conversely, a daily close beneath $77,100 invalidates the structure to the downside, exposing the True Market Mean at $76,677.”Exchange BTC open interest data (screenshot). Source: CoinGlassCrypto trader and analyst Rekt Capital, meanwhile, confirmed that BTC/USD had broken out of a cycle of lower highs in place since October 2025, and with it its prior macro downtrend. In his latest X analysis, he identified a new target trading range between $86,681 and $93,659.“If Bitcoin is ready to confirm a breakout from the $60k-$80k Range, its next milestone would be to try to enter the blue-blue Range,” he wrote in commentary on a chart highlighting the range, which figured prominently at the end of 2025.BTC/USD one-week chart. Source: Rekt Capital on X.com

Bitcoin (BTC) spiked above $86,000 after Monday’s Wall Street open as US stocks rose amid cooling oil prices.Key points:Bitcoin gained nearly 6% on Monday to briefly trade above $86,000 for the first time since late January.Crypto short liquidations totaled almost $800 million in 24 hours as analysis called the start of a “new bull market.”US stocks opened the week higher as WTI oil prices dipped below $92 per barrel.Bitcoin, US stocks head higher as oil drops furtherTradingView data showed Bitcoin hitting a new 33-week high of $86,332 on Bitstamp, up 5.7% on the day at the time of writing.BTC/USD one-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewUpside quickly returned after Sunday’s weekly close, which, at $81,120, was Bitcoin’s highest since the start of May, as oil prices continued a drop from late last week.Signals from both Qatar’s Foreign Ministry and US President Donald Trump that diplomatic negotiations to end the US-Iran war could resume helped send WTI crude oil as low as $91.59 per barrel on Monday.“Middle East oil flows remain surprisingly strong despite the disruption to Saudi Arabia’s ‌East-West pipeline,” JPMorgan analysts said in a note on Friday, quoted by CNBC and others.CFDs on WTI crude oil one-day chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewA report by The New York Times additionally claimed that the US planned to extend its trade deal with China by six months ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit on Sept. 23-25.The S&P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index were up 1% and 1.6%, respectively, at the time of writing.S&P 500 one-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewCrypto short liquidations near $800 million in 24 hoursBitcoin’s gains, meanwhile, led to increasingly optimistic commentary on longer-term price strength. Related: Strategy buys 950 Bitcoin for $76M, repurchases $174M in STRCIn its latest analysis on X, trading resource The Kobeissi Letter described crypto as being “in a new bull market.” Kobeissi referenced 50% gains for BTC/USD over just two months as crypto short liquidations neared $800 million over 24 hours. BTC/USD vs. crypto liquidations (screenshot). Source: CoinGlassCommenting on Bitcoin’s short-term prospects, Bitfinex Alpha, the research arm of crypto exchange Bitfinex, flagged buyer support, rising open interest and fresh capital inflows to US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) as three key requirements for further price upside.“For a breakout to be validated, we would want to see net taker buying rather than the profit-taking that capped the advances on 18 and 19 September,” it noted in a Monday blog post, adding: “Coin-denominated open interest would also need to expand, indicating fresh positioning rather than a move driven primarily by short covering. Conversely, a daily close beneath $77,100 invalidates the structure to the downside, exposing the True Market Mean at $76,677.”Exchange BTC open interest data (screenshot). Source: CoinGlassCrypto trader and analyst Rekt Capital, meanwhile, confirmed that BTC/USD had broken out of a cycle of lower highs in place since October 2025, and with it its prior macro downtrend. In his latest X analysis, he identified a new target trading range between $86,681 and $93,659.“If Bitcoin is ready to confirm a breakout from the $60k-$80k Range, its next milestone would be to try to enter the blue-blue Range,” he wrote in commentary on a chart highlighting the range, which figured prominently at the end of 2025.BTC/USD one-week chart. Source: Rekt Capital on X.com

Bitcoin (BTC) starts a new week at its highest levels in nearly eight months as bulls propel the market to $85,000.Key points:Bitcoin hit $85,248 on Monday, marking its highest levels since Jan. 29.BTC price action is approaching the breakeven point for US spot Bitcoin ETF investors near $86,000.Markets eyed oil prices below $94 per barrel and bond yields amid talk of US-Iran war diplomacy.Bitcoin passes $85,000 after weekly closeBitcoin is facing a key breakout at the time of writing as it hits $85,000 and sets new 33-week highs. Data from TradingView shows BTC/USD advancing after setting a weekly close of $81,120 on Sunday, its highest since the week of May 4.BTC/USD one-week chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewCrypto short liquidations spiked as a result, with CoinGlass putting the cross-crypto 24-hour total at over $600 million.Crypto liquidation history (screenshot). Source: CoinGlassThe latest move higher has implications for the views of many market participants on whether price will hold above the prior local high of $82,950 from May. Last week, trader and analyst Rekt Capital described Bitcoin as facing a “moment of truth” as it coiled up below this level.BTC/USD one-week chart. Source: Rekt Capital on X.comRekt Capital warned that a bearish divergence was playing out on the relative strength index (RSI) indicator on daily time frames, where lower highs for the indicator came with higher highs for price. He stated that this indicates a lack of underlying momentum to support the highs, increasing the risk of a sudden reversal.With the return to $84,000, the daily RSI is approaching “overbought” territory at 70 at the time of writing. Bitcoin has reclaimed its 50-week exponential moving average (EMA) at $77,769, previously marked as a key prerequisite for upside continuation. BTC/USD one-day chart with 50-week EMA; RSI data. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewBitcoin ETF investors near breakeven pointVarious investor cohorts also returned to aggregate profit, including Bitcoin corporate treasuries, holdings of which have a cost basis of around $80,500. Now, price is approaching its cost basis for investors in US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Per data by onchain analytics platform Glassnode, this cost basis currently sits at $85,638.Bitcoin cost-basis data. Source: Glassnode on X.comBitcoin exchange-traded products saw a strong finish to the week, as investors added BTC exposure during a rally to $81,000. US ETFs saw net inflows of $435 million on Friday, their largest daily tally since Sept. 3, per data from UK-based investment company Farside Investors.Despite the CLARITY Act failing to advance in the Senate last week, Thursday saw two US regulators — the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) — move ahead with crypto-related policies. This provided a boost to crypto stocks and appeared to lift the mood among investors, with $159 million in net crypto ETF inflows on the day.US spot Bitcoin ETF netflows (screenshot). Source: Fidelity Investments In a departure from the norm, the largest Bitcoin ETF, BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), did not account for the lion’s share of inflows. Instead, most investors piled into Fidelity Investments’ Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC), which accounted for $310 million of the total. In their analysis of recent market developments, the onchain analytics platform CryptoQuant discussed this change in ETF netflow composition. “The key change is therefore not simply positive ETF activity, but a clear redistribution of flow leadership: IBIT went from dominating FBTC by nearly six times on September 3 to FBTC recording almost three times IBIT’s holdings netflow on September 18,” CryptoQuant stated in a blog post.Oil falls as Trump hints at Iran dialogueA comparatively quiet week for US macro data prints is shifting the focus firmly onto oil as inflation expectations for the remainder of 2026 are adjusting higher.After spiking above $100 per barrel last week, WTI crude oil traded below $94 on Monday amid hopes of fresh diplomatic efforts to resolve the situation in the Middle East. CFDs on WTI crude oil one-day chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewOn Sunday, Majed Al-Ansari, a spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said that attempts to restart talks between the US and Iran had been ongoing “for the past couple of weeks.”“A lot of ideas have been thrown back and forth,” he told Bloomberg. “This is just one iteration of these documents going back and forth, and we’re trying to bridge the gap and find the right moment to move forward.”In a telephone call with Fox News on Sunday, US president Donald Trump reportedly described his options in the Iran conflict as “wiping Iran out, letting them rot economically, or making a deal.” Trump added that he would “probably be open” to meeting with Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian at the United Nations General Assembly this week.Markets see two more Fed rate hikes in 2026As Cointelegraph reported, the shutdown of several oil-shipping routes has already had knock-on effects for fuel prices worldwide. Even as central banks are tightening policy by hiking interest rates, the full impact of the supply shock is yet to be felt. Last week, Saudi Arabia warned the EU that its refineries would not be receiving shipments in October. The latest data from the CME Group’s FedWatch Tool shows that markets now expect the US Federal Reserve to raise its benchmark rate by another 0.25% at its October meeting. The odds of this outcome sit at 53% as of Monday. The CME also shows a near 40% chance of a third 0.25% hike before the end of the year.Fed target-rate probabilities (screenshot). Source: CME GroupOn Tuesday, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Thomas Barkin will speak to the CFA Society Baltimore in an appearance that could shed further light on the Fed’s current inclination on future policy. Barkin is due to provide “insights on the current economic landscape, the latest monetary policy developments, and his outlook for the U.S. economy.”Analysis sees stocks holding gains as yields coolUS bond yields continued to come down from multidecade highs on Monday as borrowing costs fell with oil’s retreat.Related: Here’s what happened in crypto todayThe US 30-year yield traded at 5.301% on Monday, having cooled from its highs of 5.425% seen on Sept. 11, with these marking its highest levels since June 2004.US 30-year bond yield one-day chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewAfter reacting positively to the announcement of US bond-market interventions in August, Bitcoin market participants continue to monitor any events surrounding yields. In a report for CME on Sept. 16, Jim Iuorio, CEO of JI Financial Strategies, argued that interventions may represent a liquidity tailwind for Bitcoin and crypto markets.“Perhaps markets viewed these actions as being dollar-negative, pushing money back into dollar hedges like gold and Bitcoin,” he said.In its latest analysis, Mosaic Asset Company saw the potential for stocks to preserve their own strength amid tightening macro conditions.“While investors are wondering what the Fed’s rate hiking cycle means for the S&P 500, evidence of strong economic growth should help keep the earnings outlook in tact. As long as the Fed is hiking at a measured pace that doesn’t call into question the growth outlook, the rally in equities can persist,” it summarized at the weekend.

Bitcoin (BTC) jumped past $80,000 around Friday’s Wall Street open as fuel-crisis woes spread through global markets.Key points:Bitcoin gained 6% on Friday as concerns about oil supply saw US bond yields reverse higher.Crypto markets liquidated $250 million in short positions over four hours.BTC price momentum now faces the familiar resistance levels first encountered in May.BTC surges 6% as US bond yields turn upwardData from TradingView showed BTC/USD filling pockets of upside liquidity to reach local highs of $81,034 on Bitstamp.BTC/USD four-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewA cluster of short positions above the spot price came under fire as a result. Per data from CoinGlass, cumulative cross-crypto short liquidations sat near $250 million over four hours.BTC liquidation heatmap. Source: CoinGlassUS WTI crude fell to lows of $94.8 per barrel, only to begin climbing again during the Asia trading session. It is circling $98 at the time of writing.CFDs on WTI crude oil one-day chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewIn a report on Friday, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that countries may have no choice but to cut usage. In March, the IEA released 400 million barrels from its emergency reserves amid the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.“Prices for crude and oil products had eased from their April peaks in the months that followed as emergency IEA stocks were released, Strait of Hormuz bypass routes boosted Middle East exports, producers outside the region raised output, flows out of the Persian Gulf partially recovered and global demand softened,” it wrote.“But if Gulf supplies remain constrained in the coming months and commercial inventory buffers continue to deplete rapidly, higher prices and further demand reductions may be required to close the supply-demand gap.”The report calculated oil flows through Hormuz at 7.6 million barrels per day in August, 13.1 million below the daily tally before the US-Iran war.Gulf producers oil exports, February-August 2026 (millions of barrels/day). Source: IEAUS bond yields once again rose amid the oil uncertainty. The US 30-year yield reached 5.34% on the day, up 90 basis points.US 30-year bond yield one-month chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewEarlier, Cointelegraph reported on rising yields in multiple nations forcing central banks to raise interest rates — a move seen in both the US and Japan this week.Analyst: Bitcoin price faces key breakout test nextCommenting on low-time frame BTC price action, trader and analyst Rekt Capital said that bulls now faced a “moment of truth.”Related: Bitcoin adds to bull-market hopes as price metric prints fourth-ever bullish crossA chart uploaded to X showed $82,000 as a key level for BTC/USD to break though. Failing to do so would constitute a double rejection pattern together with the price action that ended the mid-May rebound.BTC/USD one-day chart. Source: Rekt Capital on X.comBitcoin’s latest upside saw it reclaim its True Market Mean, the aggregate cost basis of all coins acquired on secondary markets, which currently sits at $76,660.“That puts price back above a crucial level and back into a bullish regime,” onchain analytics platform Glassnode told X followers on Friday. The cost basis for Bitcoin’s corporate treasuries, meanwhile, lies at $80,500, further reinforcing the significance of the current local range.  Bitcoin cost-basis data. Source: Glassnode on X.com