Bitcoin extended gains on Tuesday, climbing to a two-month high as U.S. corporate earnings got underway and investors absorbed fresh inflation data.
The world’s largest cryptocurrency was up about 4.5% on the day, trading just above $95,500—its strongest level since mid-November, according to CoinGecko.
Traditional markets, meanwhile, have offered a mixed picture. Financial stocks weighed on major U.S. indexes after JPMorgan Chase reported weaker-than-expected results, with shares sliding more than 4%, pulling the broader financial sector lower.
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq remained near recent highs, but the Dow Jones Industrial Average lagged as bank earnings set the tone for the quarter.
Month-to-month gains in both headline and core CPI were modest. The report reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged in the near term, even as markets price in possible cuts later in 2026.
Markets reacted with subdued equity volatility and modest moves in the dollar and Treasury yields.
The inflation outcome, steady but still above the Fed’s 2% target, gives policymakers room to tread carefully on further easing, while keeping alive speculation that rate cuts will come as the economy cools.
Crypto traders have been sensitive to shifts in expectations over liquidity and monetary policy, which helped lift risk assets late last year.
Bitcoin’s ascent this week followed a period of consolidation, with market participants positioning around macro cues and improving sentiment toward digital assets compared with late 2025.
“Bitcoin’s price appears closely tied to expectations around global liquidity,” Abra founder and CEO Bill Barhydt told Decrypt. “Markets anticipate a sharp expansion in the money supply this year, driven largely by increased government bond purchases, while retail stimulus around the midterm elections could provide an additional boost.”
