Bitcoin hovered above $78,000 on Saturday after briefly testing the $80,000 area earlier in the session, while ether, solana, and dogecoin traded higher on the week as the Senate moved ahead with a key crypto policy compromise. The latest price action showed that the market is still being driven by a mix of macro signals, risk appetite, and policy expectations rather than by a single crypto-specific catalyst.
The largest cryptocurrency changed hands at $78,180 in Asian trading hours on Saturday, up 0.8% for the week after recovering from a Wednesday drop to near $75,500. That earlier slide followed fresh reports of military escalation involving Iran, while the rebound came after Friday reports that Tehran had sent a new ceasefire proposal to Washington through Pakistan.
Bitcoin tracks broader market tone
The move in bitcoin came as equities posted a stronger week, with the S&P 500 closing 0.3% higher at a record and extending its weekly winning streak to five. The Nasdaq 100 also reached a new high, supported by strong earnings from large technology names and renewed confidence in growth stocks.
Apple rose 3.2% after delivering a better-than-expected revenue outlook, while Oracle gained 6.5% after reports linked the company to AI work with the Pentagon’s classified networks. That broad risk-on tone helped support digital assets, even as bitcoin remained stuck in a narrow range below the level traders are watching most closely.
Policy progress lifts crypto sentiment
The biggest development for crypto did not come from price charts but from Washington. The Senate released compromise text for the long-negotiated Clarity Act on Friday, ending months of talks between crypto firms and bank lobbyists.
The agreement, shaped by Senators Thom Tillis and Angela Alsobrooks, would block stablecoin issuers from offering yield simply for holding reserves. At the same time, it keeps room for activity-based reward programs that crypto firms design as incentives for using their platforms.
Coinbase quickly voiced support for the compromise. Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal said the language “preserves activity-based rewards tied to real participation on crypto platforms and networks,” adding that this is what the bank lobby said it wanted.
That step clears the way for a Senate Banking Committee markup, where lawmakers can formally debate and amend the bill. Treasury and the CFTC would then have a year after passage to write the detailed rules covering what crypto firms can and cannot do with yield products.
BTC still needs a fresh trigger
Even with the policy backdrop improving, bitcoin has yet to break decisively through the area above $78,000. Daniel Reis-Faria, CEO of ZeroStack, said the current range reflects wider market uncertainty more than weakness inside crypto itself.
“Bitcoin staying below the $78,000 mark isn’t really about crypto right now, it’s about what’s happening in the broader market,” Reis-Faria said. He pointed to the Federal Reserve’s rate decision and the lack of clarity about the next policy move as reasons investors have stayed cautious.
He also noted weaker ETF demand and outflows as signs that institutions are not adding exposure aggressively at the moment. Still, he said bitcoin could move higher quickly if money starts returning through institutions or ETFs.
ETH, SOL and DOGE show different levels of strength
Ether held near $2,310, while XRP traded around $1.39 and solana at $84.57, leaving those major tokens close to flat on the week. Dogecoin stood out from the group, rising nearly 10% over the week to $0.105 as futures open interest reached a year-high earlier in the week.
That split suggests traders are not chasing the entire market in the same way. Instead, flows are favoring select names, while bitcoin continues to wait for a clearer macro signal, stronger ETF demand, or another external catalyst that could help it move well above the $78,000 line.
