Monday, 24 August
Tuesday, 25 August
Wednesday, 26 August
What the data actually shows
So what happens next?
Three days. Three attempts at $80,000. Bitcoin still can't close above it.
Bitcoin opened at $77,728, up 0.8% from Sunday. Then it ran. Asian trading pushed it to nearly $80,000, Bitcoin's highest level since May, fueled by more than $220 million in short liquidations. Then US markets opened. Profit-taking kicked in fast. By evening, Bitcoin was back in the high $77,000s. XRP led the pack that week, up 48%. Ether, Solana and BNB all posted double-digit weekly gains too.
Same story, sharper edge. Bitcoin opened at $78,982, broke $80,000, and kept going to $81,257. Two things drove it. The Treasury doubled its bond buyback programme to $4 billion a session, which pulled yields down. And dollar-weakness fears sent capital hunting for a store of value. Bitcoin fit the bill. By evening, most of the day's gains were gone. Back to $78,692.
Third attempt, overnight. Bitcoin hit $81,300, then eased back to around $79,000, where it's holding now. This one feels different though. Ether and Solana are both down close to 4% today, while Bitcoin holds its ground. That's traders banking a week of gains, not losing conviction. CryptoQuant's Bull Score backs that up. It jumped to 80, the highest reading since October 2025.
Bitcoin's three separate tests of the $80,000 level between 24 and 26 August 2026, built from verified data points cited in CoinDesk, Yahoo Finance, Bloomberg, and Investing News Network reporting.
Bitcoin's next real resistance is its 50-week moving average, sitting at $81,033. Wednesday's overnight high was $81,300. That's not a coincidence; it's the exact level that keeps pushing bitcoin back. Clear it with volume, and the next stop is $82,814, the May high Bitcoin hit before falling below $60,000 in June.
The move isn't running on pure leverage either. Funding rates are positive but stay below extreme levels, and long and short positioning remains fairly balanced. That matters. A rally built entirely on leveraged longs tends to unwind fast the moment price stalls. This one hasn't, three pullbacks in three days, and the floor has held near $77,000 each time.
CryptoQuant's Bull Score, which tracks a basket of on-chain and market indicators together, backs that up. It's at 80, the highest since October 2025. Combine that with $77,000 support holding on repeated tests, and you get a market that's cooling off, not breaking down.
Wednesday brings Q2 GDP's second estimate and July's PCE inflation number, both watched hard for Fed clues. Nvidia reports after the close, the market's stand-in for the entire AI trade, after the stock snapped a seven-day losing streak walking into it. Friday's bigger. New Fed Chair Kevin Warsh gives his first Jackson Hole keynote since taking the job. Markets are pricing in 60% odds that the Fed holds rates at 3.50% to 3.75% in September. Dovish, and bitcoin gets the fuel to clear $80,000 for good. Hawkish, and $75,000 support gets tested instead.
Bitcoin is stuck in a tight band right now. $77,000 on the floor, $80,000 on the ceiling, three sessions running. The CLARITY Act's Senate vote on 15 September is still the bigger catalyst on the calendar. But this week decides something too, whether bitcoin walks into that vote strong or is still catching its breath.
Data as of 26 August 2026. Prices and figures sourced from CoinDesk, Yahoo Finance, Bloomberg, and Investing News Network reporting.
India Crypto Research operates independently. The information presented herein is intended solely for educational and informational purposes and should not be construed as financial advice. Before making any financial decisions, it's essential to undertake your own thorough research and analysis. If you're uncertain about any financial matters, we strongly recommend seeking guidance from an impartial financial advisor.
