Bitcoin has climbed above $72,000 for the first time in more than two months, with regulatory optimism, institutional demand and one of the largest short squeezes in crypto history combining to send the market sharply higher.
The rally accelerated after President Donald Trump hosted leading crypto executives at the White House and renewed his call for Congress to pass the Clarity Act, legislation that would establish the first comprehensive U.S. regulatory framework for digital assets. Bitcoin's move above $72,000 was first reported by Bitcoin Magazine.
Bitcoin briefly touched $72,344, gaining nearly 12% in 24 hours after spending much of July and August below $65,000. While the rebound marks Bitcoin's strongest rally in weeks, the world's largest cryptocurrency still trades roughly 43% below its October 2025 all-time high of approximately $126,000, highlighting how much ground remains after a volatile year.
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Washington Delivers the Catalyst
Markets responded almost immediately to Wednesday's White House crypto summit. Meeting with executives from companies including Coinbase and Kraken, Trump urged lawmakers to move forward with the Clarity Act, arguing that regulatory certainty would help the United States maintain its leadership in digital assets.
"Now we need Congress to take the next step by passing the Clarity Act," Trump said, while also suggesting he would consider recommendations to expand the U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
The legislation, expected to receive a Senate vote in September, would define whether digital assets fall under securities, commodities or payment stablecoin regulations, ending years of uncertainty between the SEC and CFTC.
More Than $3 Billion in Shorts Wiped Out
The rally quickly turned into a full-scale short squeeze. As Bitcoin broke above key resistance levels, more than $3.1 billion in bearish crypto positions were liquidated across derivatives markets, making it one of the largest single-day liquidation events on record.
Bitcoin alone accounted for roughly $1.77 billion of those forced buybacks, creating additional upward pressure as traders rushed to cover losing positions. The liquidation wave helped push Bitcoin through several technical resistance levels that had capped prices for nearly six weeks.
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Unlike many previous rallies driven primarily by leverage, this one also has significant spot demand behind it.
U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted approximately $517 million in net inflows during the latest trading session, lifting weekly inflows above $1 billion. Since launching in January 2024, spot Bitcoin ETFs have accumulated more than $52 billion in net inflows, underscoring continued institutional appetite despite recent market volatility.
Crypto-related equities rallied alongside Bitcoin. Shares of Coinbase, Strategy, MARA Holdings, Riot Platforms, Circle and several other publicly traded crypto firms all moved higher as investors priced in a more favorable regulatory environment.
Macro Tailwinds Return
Politics wasn't the only factor supporting the move.The U.S. Treasury announced it would more than double its long-term government bond buyback program, helping push Treasury yields lower and weakening the U.S. dollar.
That shift improved liquidity conditions across financial markets and reduced the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets such as Bitcoin and gold. The softer macro backdrop encouraged investors to rotate back into risk assets after months of elevated geopolitical tensions and persistent interest-rate uncertainty.
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A Different Kind of Bitcoin Rally
This rebound looks different from many of Bitcoin's sharp moves earlier this year. Instead of relying on a single catalyst, the market is being supported by three separate forces: improving macroeconomic conditions, renewed institutional buying through spot ETFs and growing confidence that Washington may finally deliver the regulatory clarity the industry has sought for years.
Whether Bitcoin can build on the move will likely depend on two factors over the coming weeks. Congress still needs to advance the Clarity Act when it returns in September, while sustained ETF inflows will be needed to absorb profit-taking after such a rapid rally.
For now, however, the market appears to be pricing in a future where regulatory uncertainty begins to fade just as institutional capital starts flowing back into Bitcoin.
Reporting by Lidia Yadlos
