Bitcoin $87,000 Resistance Holds as Dollar Hits 18-Month High

Bitcoin $87,000 resistance has held once more, and traders are asking why. The price trades near $85,845, down about 0.9 per cent over 24 hours, according to CoinDesk.

The coin rose to within roughly $500 of its late-September peak. Sellers then pushed it back below $86,000. CoinDesk notes this is the second rally in a week to lose momentum.

What is holding back Bitcoin at $87,000

A stronger dollar is one factor. The US currency has reached an 18-month high. Rising bond yields add pressure. CoinDesk links the dollar’s strength partly to fiscal worries in France and political uncertainty in Spain, which weigh on the euro.

Ether trades at about $2,714.98, down 0.5 per cent. It outperformed Bitcoin in the third quarter. Liquidity in the market has been thinner, according to CoinGecko data cited by CoinDesk.

Forecasts remain bullish in places. Citigroup has raised its 12-month Bitcoin price target to $113,000. Targets are opinions, not guarantees, and they change often.

Policy news adds to the picture. The US Treasury’s FinCEN has withdrawn a proposed $10,000 reporting rule for crypto sent to private wallets. The SEC and CFTC have jointly proposed crypto regulations, though a gap remains over spot markets.

Wall Street is also moving closer to crypto rails. More than 60 US stocks, including Nvidia and Tesla, are heading onchain through a planned 24/7 tokenised trading venue.

The technical picture is simple. Bitcoin keeps meeting sellers near $87,000. Until buyers clear that level with volume, range trading may continue. A fall under recent lows would change the view.

Readers who follow the market should watch the dollar and bond yields. They have moved against risk assets lately. For earlier context, see our report on nine days of Bitcoin ETF inflows.

Short-term moves rarely tell the whole story. Longer trends in regulation and adoption matter more to many holders than a single day’s price. Still, the daily chart sets the mood for the market.

This article is for information only and is not investment advice. Crypto assets are volatile and you can lose money. Do your own research.

Fact basis: CoinDesk market reports (6 October 2026). Prices move constantly and may differ when you read this.