Coverage wrapped up on September 18, 2026, at 8:45 PM. Another central bank raised interest rates overnight, this time the Bank of Japan, though the decision failed to stop the depreciation of the yen.
Crypto stocks surge as bitcoin jumps past $81,000
The cryptocurrency market surged at the end of the week, shaking off a sudden international pivot toward restrictive monetary policy as the SEC’s innovation exemption overshadowed the collapse of the Clarity Act.
Over the preceding 24 hours, Bitcoin advanced nearly 6%, Ethereum increased by 7.3%, XRP climbed 8.9%, and Solana jumped 12.7%.
Digital asset equities advanced universally, with numerous tickers posting double-digit gains, including Coinbase (COIN) up 11.7%, Strategy (MSTR) up 16.4%, Gemini (GEMI) up 31%, Securitize (SECZ) up 21.7%, and MARA Holdings (MARA) up 13.7%.
Solana eyes another leg higher, breaking out to a fresh seven-month high
Solana (SOL) reached new multi-month peaks following a multi-week consolidation period after its roughly 50% surge in August. On Friday, SOL rallied over 10% in a single day to reach $112, marking its highest value in seven months and outpacing both bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH).
This momentum extended into the Solana decentralized finance ecosystem, where Jupiter (JUP) as the trading aggregator token, Raydium (RAY) as the decentralized exchange, and Meteora (MET) as the liquidity and trading protocol all advanced alongside SOL.
JUP, RAY, and MET each climbed roughly 15% to 20% over the trailing 24 hours.
Crypto rally catches bears offside, wiping out $470 million in shorts
As the digital asset recovery gained momentum on Friday, short sellers anticipating a continuation downward faced significant liquidations.
According to CoinGlass data, approximately $470 million worth of bearish crypto derivatives contracts were wiped out over the past 24 hours.
Bitcoin bears sustained the heaviest damage, with $238 million in BTC short positions liquidated as the leading token breached $81,000 during the session.
Ether (ETH) short sellers also faced losses, as roughly $85 million in bearish bets were liquidated while ETH climbed back toward $2,600.
Such liquidations frequently accelerate upward momentum since exchanges forcibly shutter losing short positions, which sparks additional buying pressure across derivatives platforms.
HYPE jumps to new all-time high following a CFTC rule-making proposal submitted Thursday
Hyperliquid’s HYPE token achieved a record peak near $92, advancing roughly 11% over the trailing 24 hours as traders responded to prospective developments in U.S. digital asset oversight.
This upward move happened simultaneously with the CFTC submission of a regulatory proposal titled “Regulation Crypto Asset Transactions and Regulation Crypto Asset Markets” to the White House Office of Management and Budget for evaluation.
Specific details regarding the proposal remain private. This submission represents an initial phase within the regulatory procedure as the CFTC explores ways to govern crypto markets via its current statutory powers.
Bitcoin nears $81,000 as U.S. stocks turn red and 10-year treasury yield tops 5%
Bitcoin trades above $80,000, displaying relative strength while traditional U.S. equities drop into negative territory. The Nasdaq 100, S&P 500, and Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) all declined, alongside the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) and iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV).
Meanwhile, crypto-oriented equities are climbing, with Strategy (MSTR) higher by 11%, Coinbase (COIN) gaining 9%, and Robinhood (HOOD) advancing 7%.
Sovereign bond yields are resuming their climb, with the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield moving back above 5% alongside gains in Germany, France, and the UK. The U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) is drifting upward toward 100.5, while precious metals record minor increases.
Bitcoin climbs over $80,000 as U.S. markets open, wiping away week’s losses
Bitcoin (BTC) pushed upward during the opening moments of the U.S. trading session, moving past $80,000 to register a 5% gain over the last 24 hours.
Earlier in the week, driven by the collapse of the Clarity Act and the Federal Reserve interest rate increase, bitcoin had retreated down to $75,000.
Cryptocurrency-linked equities posting gains included Strategy (MSTR) up 7.5%, Coinbase (COIN) up 5.5%, and Circle (CRCL) up 5.7%.
Anthony Pompliano’s ProCap to be added to Russell 2000
Starting Monday, ProCap Financial (BRR) will be added to the Russell 2000 benchmark small-cap index, alongside inclusion in the Russell 3000.
Initially established during the bitcoin treasury firm surge of 2025, ProCap shifted its strategic focus toward agnetic finance. It will rebrand as Silvia under the new ticker symbol SVIA starting September 22, while continuing to hold more than 5,000 bitcoin.
Yen slides despite Bank of Japan rate hike, putting renewed pressure on Bessent
Even though the Bank of Japan raised interest rates by 25 basis points to 1.25%, the Japanese yen dropped by more than 1% over the past 24 hours, bringing the USD/JPY exchange rate to 157.65.
This situation places renewed strain on Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who previously intervened to support the local currency when USD/JPY hovered near 162. The yen has now erased approximately half of its appreciation against the dollar since that policy action.
The Federal Reserve also implemented a 25-basis-point rate hike earlier in the week, bringing the federal funds target band to between 3.75% and 4.00%. With additional monetary tightening anticipated and the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) holding above 100, the yen may experience further downside pressure.
Warren Buffet steps down as chairman of Berkshire Hathaway after 61 years
Warren Buffett is relinquishing his role as chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, the $1 trillion enterprise he directed for 61 years. The 96-year-old legendary investor shared his departure via a shareholder letter released Friday, according to CNBC.
Buffett, well known for his skepticism toward bitcoin, will transition into the role of chairman emeritus and board director, the conglomerate stated in an independent release. His son Howard Buffett, who has not publicly disclosed a stance on cryptocurrencies, will assume the chairmanship, while Susan Decker maintains her position as lead independent director.
“Father Time always wins,” Buffett remarked in the official release. “He has, however, been generous with me. He has given me the opportunity to see Berkshire reach a point where I am more confident than ever about what lies ahead.”
Risk assets climb as bitcoin tops $78,000
Risk-on assets are appreciating prior to Friday’s opening bell on U.S. exchanges. The Invesco QQQ ETF advanced 0.5% during pre-market activity, whereas bitcoin expanded more than 2% to trade above $78,000. Gold also showed strength, ticking up an additional 1% to reach just under $4,400.
Simultaneously, the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield rested at 4.96%. Artificial intelligence equities trended higher, with memory and semiconductor exchange-traded funds reporting positive returns.
CoinDesk parent Bullish (BLSH) and Securitize (SECZ) climbed 3% and 7% respectively, building on Thursday’s robust performance following the announcement that the SEC provided an innovation exemption to support tokenized equity transactions.
Coinbase (COIN) and Robinhood (HOOD) also capitalized on the announcement, advancing approximately 5% on Thursday and adding another 2% in pre-market dealings on Friday.
HYPE, ZEC and SOL lead crypto rally as bitcoin retakes $78,000
Hyperliquid’s HYPE increased by more than 11% to approach $89 during Asian morning trading on Friday, leading large-cap tokens according to CoinDesk data. Zcash (ZEC) climbed 8% to roughly $1,472, and Solana (SOL) grew 6% to push past $106.
BNB and DOGE each appreciated by about 4%, while XRP, ether, and bitcoin advanced 2%. TRX lagged behind with gains under 1%.
Bitcoin hovered just beneath $78,000 after dropping to $75,972 during U.S. trading hours, thereby erasing its overnight decline and securing a third consecutive positive session. Total market capitalization across the digital asset sector increased 2% to reach roughly $2.66 trillion.
None of the top 40 most liquid digital assets recorded losses over the timeframe, noted FxPro senior market strategist Alex Kuptsikevich, who observed that market participants are “cautiously shifting their focus towards altcoins” despite an otherwise dormant altcoin season indicator. NEAR paced the group with a 30% advance, trailed by UNI up 26% and APT higher by 18%.
This movement accompanied rising equities and a broader risk-friendly sentiment, occurring one day after the Federal Reserve’s quarter-point rate increase passed without triggering the typical distress observed in traditional financial markets.
Bitcoin encounters resistance near the upper threshold of its current trading channel around $82,000. Kuptsikevich anticipates that weekend profit-taking might stall any immediate breakout attempts.
Originally published at https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2026/09/18/live-updates-hype-leads-altcoin-rally-as-bitcoin-recovers-toward-usd78-000.
