Quick Take
  • The crypto market is up today, with the cryptocurrency market capitalisation rising by 1.1% to $3.37 trillion.
  • At the time of writing, 60 of the top 100 coins have seen increases over the past 24 hours.
  • Also, the total crypto trading volume stands at $166 billion.
  • Eight of the top 10 coins per market capitalisation have seen their prices appreciate over the past 24 hours, as of Thursday morning (UTC).

What Happened

“The rally revived positive sentiment among market participants at a time when risk assets show mixed performance, and investors are assessing opportunities with greater caution,” he wrote. “The cryptocurrency has once again moved to the centre of financial attention, consolidating its role as a barometer of appetite for innovation and alternative hedging.”

Market Context

The crypto market is up today, with the cryptocurrency market capitalisation rising by 1.1% to $3.37 trillion. At the time of writing, 60 of the top 100 coins have seen increases over the past 24 hours. Also, the total crypto trading volume stands at $166 billion.

Eight of the top 10 coins per market capitalisation have seen their prices appreciate over the past 24 hours, as of Thursday morning (UTC).

Bitcoin (BTC) appreciated by 2.2% since this time yesterday, currently trading at $97,053. This is the highest increase in the category today.

Ethereum (ETH) increased by 1.1%, now trading at $3,367. This is the category’s second-best performer.

On the other hand, Dogecoin (DOGE) and XRP (XRP) recorded drops over the past day. DOGE is down 2.4% to the price of $0.1447, while XRP fell 1.6% to $2.11.

When it comes to the top 100 coins per market cap, 60 are up today, compared to 95 yesterday. Two of these posted double-digit increases.

Provenance Blockchain (HASH) is the category’s best performer. It’s up 20.5%, now trading at $0.02652.

He argued that Bitcoin struggled in 2025 due to liquidity, while gold and the Nasdaq continued rising. “Dollar liquidity must expand” for BTC to outperform, Hayes said.

Antonio Di Giacomo, Senior Market Analyst at XS.com, commented that Bitcoin posted a notable bullish move, climbing to the $97,800 area, its highest level in nearly two months.

The primary catalyst, the analyst argues, was a 13,600 BTC purchase by Strategy, its largest since July 2025. The company reinforced its position as the world’s largest corporate BTC holder. “Beyond the volume, the implicit message to the market was clear: institutional conviction in the asset remains intact,” Giacomo said.

“However, the rally was not accompanied by uniform enthusiasm across all market segments. Despite price strength, signs have emerged that retail demand, particularly in the United States, remains relatively weak. This contrast suggests that the current move is driven more by technical and institutional factors than by emotional or speculative enthusiasm among the broader public.”

The analyst noted that the market is being increasingly dominated by institutional decision-making. The price movements are driven less by mass speculative impulse and more by medium- and long-term capital allocation strategies.

In conclusion, he says, BTC’s recent advance reflects a market increasingly sustained by institutional capital, with major corporate purchases and ETF inflows setting the tone. While retail demand still appears subdued, the current structure suggests a stronger and less speculative foundation than in previous cycles. If this institutional support persists and is eventually joined by renewed interest from the broader public, the outlook for the cryptocurrency could remain favourable in the coming months.

Why It Matters

Meanwhile, BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes said that Bitcoin could climb to new all-time highs in 2026.

“If this balance holds, Bitcoin could remain resilient even during consolidation phases, as long as institutional flows continue to support the asset. However, to accelerate the bullish cycle further, many analysts believe a more substantial return of retail participation will be necessary, as it has historically fuelled the most explosive rallies.”

Details

Crypto Winners & Losers

The lowest increase was Solana (SOL)’s 0.1%, currently standing at $145.

The next on the list is Internet Computer (ICP), having appreciated 11.2% and now standing at $4.21.

While two more coins are up by around 6%-7% each, the rest increased by 2% and less per coin.

On the red side. Canton (CC) fell the most in the same timeframe. It’s down 8.3% to $0.1301.

Next up is Pepe (PEPE), recording an 8.1% drop to $0.000006108.

BTC Moves Back to Centre of Financial Attention

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