Bitcoin (BTC) climbed above $75,000 on Friday, continuing its strongest rally in months. The flagship cryptocurrency is on track to record its best week in over two years as improving regulatory sentiment, lower bond yields, and a $3 billion short squeeze push prices higher.
The flagship cryptocurrency surged over 7% on Wednesday and another 5.36% on Thursday, decisively crossing $70,000 and closing at $73,011. The price is up 3.42% during the ongoing (Friday) session at $75,411.
Short Squeeze and Macroeconomic Headwinds Power Bitcoin Rally
The flagship cryptocurrency is up almost 8% over the past 24 hours and nearly 20% over the week, and remains on course for its highest weekly gain in over two years. The broader cryptocurrency market has also pushed higher, with Ethereum (ETH) up nearly 5%, Ripple (XRP) up 17%, and Solana (SOL) up over 5%. 24-hour trading volume has risen to $137.28 billion, while the overall cryptocurrency market cap rose 6.79% to $2.53 trillion. The most telling sign of shifting market sentiment is the Fear and Greed Index, which jumped to 69, firmly in “greed” territory.
The rally began on Wednesday (August 19), when the US Treasury announced it would double the buyback operations for the 10- to 20-year and 20- to 30-year nominal coupon operations from $2 billion to $4 billion per operation. The announcement came after 30-year bond yields hit 5.337%, the highest since 2007. Yield dropped to 5.192% following the announcement. The effect of these buybacks on the markets is almost immediate, improving liquidity conditions across the market. Rachel Lucas, an analyst at BTC Markets, stated,
“The real driver was the US Treasury doubling long-dated bond buybacks, which pulled long yields lower and lifted risk appetite broadly. Nothing has rewritten Bitcoin’s long-term case, but nothing’s rewritten its volatility either.”
President Trump’s renewed calls to Congress to advance the CLARITY Act, following a meeting with top crypto industry executives, also buoyed market expectations of a favorable regulatory environment in the US.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs Could Dictate Momentum
Meanwhile, some analysts believe ETF and spot demand will play a major role in dictating whether the breakout holds. Nicolai Søndergaard, senior research analyst at Nansen, stated that while forced short covering fueled Bitcoin’s rally, rising institutional demand and better liquidity conditions had already put the market on an upward trajectory. Søndergaard highlighted stable open interest to show that the rally was being driven by more than just traders adding fresh leverage.
“Bitcoin’s move above $70,000 reflects a combination of forced short covering, renewed institutional demand and a more supportive liquidity backdrop.”
Meanwhile, spot Bitcoin ETFs added over $600 million on Thursday, the highest since May, and marking their fourth consecutive day of inflows. Bitcoin ETFs have registered $1.61 billion in inflows so far this week, with the figure expected to climb higher on Friday as institutional investors buy strongly. Søndergaard believes spot trading and ETF inflows will determine whether BTC can build support above $70,000 and push higher once forced buying reduces. BTC’s price action has pushed it above the 20-week and 200-day moving averages and the estimated short-term holder cost basis, putting buyers in profit.
Nick Ruck, LVRG Research Director, believes the US Treasury’s announcement to double bond buybacks has improved institutional investor sentiment, helping to reverse months of substantial outflows.
However, he cautioned that only progress on the CLARITY Act, a clear course of action on interest rates, and broader access to crypto through retirement accounts could help establish a positive institutional trend.
“Sustained inflows are unlikely without additional confirmation. Until those catalysts develop, inflows will likely remain temporary rather than structural.”
Bitcoin Momentum Stretched
However, momentum is stretched, with the one-hour RSI around 78 and the four-hour RSI above 85. Positive funding rates also indicate that leveraged long positions were picking up. If BTC holds above $70,000, it could extend its rally higher, while a drop to around $69,000 could indicate a retest rather than a reversal.
White House Pushes for Crypto Legislation
President Trump met with top crypto executives from Coinbase, Ripple, Gemini, Chainlink Labs, Kraken, among others. Following the meeting, Trump urged Congress to approve the CLARITY Act, establish clear market rules, and divide market oversight between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Bitget Wallet Research Analyst Lacie Zhang believes the Trump administration must show lower borrowing costs, progress in high-growth industries, and a robust financial market before the November midterms.
The SEC’s Regulation Crypto Assets also provided a policy catalyst, offering crypto companies and startups exemptions under specific circumstances. However, Zhang warned that failure to advance the CLARITY Act, conflict of interest controversies, and waning regulatory momentum could sour investor sentiment.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.
