TLDR
- Bitcoin rose 4.3% to $81,069, briefly touching a near four-month high above $82,000
- Fed Governor Waller signaled he favors holding rates steady, easing pressure on crypto markets
- US spot Bitcoin ETFs pulled in $730.9 million on Thursday, the highest daily inflow since January
- BlackRock’s IBIT led inflows with $454 million, about 62% of the total
- CryptoQuant flagged weak fresh demand, with $83,000 identified as the key bull market threshold
Bitcoin climbed 4.3% to $81,069 on Friday, continuing a rebound that has now stretched into a third consecutive week of gains. The world’s largest cryptocurrency briefly hit above $82,000 in the prior session, a level not seen in nearly four months.
The move was driven largely by easing concerns about US interest rate hikes. Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller told Reuters he is leaning toward keeping rates steady at the Fed’s upcoming meeting, particularly if inflation data shows signs of cooling.
His comments triggered a sharp drop in US Treasury yields. That matters for Bitcoin, which is sensitive to yield movements given its speculative nature. Following Waller’s remarks, the probability of a September rate hike on CME Fedwatch fell to 50.4%, down from over 60% earlier in the week.
Analyst Ash Crypto posted on X that Bitcoin has broken above the Weekly 50-day moving average at $80,400, calling it a “massive breakout.” He identified $83,000 as the next major resistance level, saying a weekly close above the 50 MA would confirm the start of a new bull market.
MASSIVE BREAKOUT IN BITCOIN$BTC is trading above the Weekly MA 50 at $80,400, with $83K now the next major resistance.
If BTC closes weekly candle above 50 MA and holds that level it will confirm the bull market has started. pic.twitter.com/2rI2qZx7up
— Ash Crypto (@AshCrypto) September 3, 2026
ETF Inflows Hit Eight-Month High
US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $730.9 million in net inflows on Thursday, the largest single-day total since January 14, when funds attracted $843.6 million. The surge followed just $101.2 million in inflows the day before.
BREAKING : 🇺🇸 BlackRock and other ETFs bought $730.87 million worth of Bitcoin.
That's the 3rd highest inflow of 2026.
Institutional demand is back. pic.twitter.com/NIggruKzPE
— Ash Crypto (@AshCrypto) September 4, 2026
BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) led the pack with $454 million, accounting for around 62% of all inflows. ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) added $137.7 million, while Fidelity’s FBTC brought in $74.4 million. VanEck’s HODL and WisdomTree’s BTCW were the only funds to see outflows, losing $19.6 million and $5.2 million respectively.
Regulatory Progress Adds to Momentum
SEC Chair Paul Atkins added to positive sentiment, saying he expects the Senate to vote on the Clarity Act on September 15. He called on lawmakers to pass the bill and send it to President Trump by month-end. Atkins also said the SEC is preparing its own crypto legislation to work alongside the act.
Strategy, the top corporate Bitcoin holder, rallied nearly 18% on Thursday as crypto stocks broadly gained.
CryptoQuant noted that Bitcoin holders realized 23,000 BTC in net profits on August 21, the highest single-day total this year, pointing to profit-taking during the rally. The firm placed Bitcoin’s 365-day moving average at roughly $82,300, historically the dividing line between bull and bear markets.
