Virtual Currency Space

Bitcoin rises after Bank of Japan hikes interest rates to a 31-year high

The Bank of Japan raised its key interest rate by 25 basis points to 1%, the highest level since 1995.

Paris-listed bitcoin treasury company Capital B is working on launching a credit instrument for the European market, according to board director Alexandre Laizet.

Speaking with The Block's Gareth Jenkinson at BTC Prague, Laizet said that the company is focused on launching a bitcoin-backed credit product modeled after Strategy's STRC and Strive's SATA.

"Our role, our responsibility, is to provide for a solution in Europe which is crippled by high taxes, crippled security issues, and old, unadapted regulations for the digital era," Laizet said. "Our laser focus is to provide a digital credit instrument adapted to Europe that could really change the configuration of the markets."

According to Laizet, the upcoming instrument aims to deliver double-digit yields with volatility under two digits, drawing on the company's bitcoin

BTC+0.46%

holdings as the underlying asset. As of today, Capital B holds 3,139 BTC in its treasury.

In late U.S. afternoon trading, bitcoin (BTC) has shed about 1% from its highest levels of the day to $66,500, still higher by 4.5% over the past 24 hours.

There's no such loss of momentum in Elon Musk's SpaceX (SPCX), though, which has added 18% to Friday's gain. At $190, the stock is now higher by 40% since its IPO Thursday night.

The broader Nasdaq is also at about a session high, up 3% minutes before the close of trade.

With Middle East concerns set to fade, market participants could start looking elsewhere for catalysts, be they positive or negative. That may mean a turn towards monetary policy.

The U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting is this week on Tuesday and Wednesday. It's the first to be run by new Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh. Markets aren't expecting any rate changes this week, but do have one or more rate hikes baked in before year-end.

Michael Saylor said on X that the company bought the coins for about $100 million. Saylor had hinted at the move hours earlier with a short post saying, “Another Orange Star,” a phrase he often uses before Strategy Bitcoin updates.

Strategy stock rallied Monday, starting well ahead of the company’s weekly Bitcoin purchase disclosure. It wasn’t the only cryptocurrency-linked stock getting a boost.

Bitcoin climbed to its highest level in nearly two weeks after the US and Iran said they had reached an agreement to end hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

More than $26 million dollars was lost to scams involving cryptocurrency ATMs in Delaware last year, according to some lawmakers.

“These kiosks reduce digital currency to a predatory cash grab,” said Rep. Cyndie Romer, Chair of the House Technology & Telecommunications Committee and a sponsor of a new bill to enact a total ban on all cryptocurrency kiosks within the first state.

Cryptocurrency kiosks, also known as Bitcoin ATMs, are physical machines where customers can buy, sell, or exchange cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin or Litecoin. They are often found in gas stations or grocery stores.

Financial advisers remain bullish on crypto, but not Bitcoin specifically.

Stablecoins and tokenization are now the biggest areas of interest.

The next bull market could be driven by new investors with different interests.

Financial advisers remain interested in crypto despite the recent market downturn, but their attention has increasingly shifted away from Bitcoin, according to Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan.

Corporate bitcoin buying has collapsed from $500 million per day to almost negligible

ETF outflows have dominated the narrative but corporate bitcoin treasuries have gone quiet too, compounding the demand-side weakness.

Jason Williams, host of the "Going Parabolic" podcast, said based on historical cycle behavior that a price floor will settle at $44,488.

The prediction drew support from investor Gary Cardone, who has recently warned that deteriorating conditions could create additional downside pressure for Bitcoin.

Gold, silver and bitcoin fall as traders reassess Federal Reserve's interest rate path.

The Fed is still expected to keep rates on hold this week but traders see a greater likelihood of a hike by October.

It follows selling pressure on stocks on Friday after hotter-than-expected U.S. jobs data reinforced bets on a rate hike from the Fed.

Bitcoin is back above the $60,000 mark after falling below that key level for the first time since October 2024 on Friday.

The world's largest cryptocurrency has lost about 27% of its value in 2026, and it's now about 50% off its all-time high. Despite the carnage, traders aren't backing away from this space. The iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) was among the top 20 most popular tickers in the options market by volume, and two of the top 15 largest options trades by dollar amount were in Strategy and Coinbase on Monday.

Bitcoin has lost half its value since hitting an all-time high in October, and the cryptocurrency's tailspin could deepen if it falls convincingly through ​important levels it has been circling in recent days.

The Federal Reserve targets 2% inflation. The current CPI is 3.3%, according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, above the Fed's target.

Kevin Warsh, the Fed Chair, sworn in on May 22, has committed to tighter inflation discipline. Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack reinforced that stance, warning the central bank may need to act soon to bring inflation back to target.

A CPI reading above analyst expectations would push rate hike odds above 80%, up from 70% currently. Both Bitcoin and gold suffer when rates rise: higher rates make yield-generating assets, such as Treasury bonds, more attractive compared to assets that pay no yield.

Since hitting a record high of $126,000 last fall, bitcoin has dropped to just above $60,000 amid waves of selling. That has erased more than $1.2 trillion in market cap in eight months and wiped out all gains across President Donald Trump’s second term.

On Friday, bitcoin its touched its lowest level since just before Trump’s reelection in 2024.

It’s a stark shift from the start of Trump’s term, when expectations of a more crypto-friendly administration helped fuel a rally to record highs. Bitcoin hit $100,000 for the first time ever one month after the presidential election.

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) prices may not stay in the tank for too long, if chart history is any indication.

The insight: Bitcoin prices have fallen below their 200-day moving average for the first time since 2023. Historically, this has made for a good buying opportunity.

Bitcoin steadied itself after dropping below the key threshold of $60,000, as Strategy Inc. Chairman Michael Saylor resumed making purchases of the token.