Bitcoin Tests $81K Support as Brent Crude Tops $116

Bitcoin briefly fell below $81,000 during Friday’s U.S. trading session, weakening the case for a sustained move higher. The BTC/USD price dropped to $80,988 before recovering to around $81,600, according to TradingView data cited by Cointelegraph. Traders are now focused on the 50-day simple moving average at $81,781, which bulls need to reclaim by the daily close to maintain near-term momentum.

Risk appetite weakened as U.S. stocks declined and Brent crude oil surged. The S&P 500 fell 0.6%, the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.2%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.4%. Meanwhile, the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield remained below 5% after touching 4.939% on Thursday, its lowest level since September 23.

Brent crude rose nearly 3% to $116 per barrel, its highest since March 19, while WTI crude climbed above $102 amid concerns that the United States could renew military strikes on Iran. Economist Robin Brooks said oil prices are increasingly reflecting geopolitical risk rather than disrupted supply, noting that Persian Gulf transit volumes were approaching prewar levels and Saudi Arabia had exceeded its prewar average.

Keith Alan, cofounder of Material Indicators, said Bitcoin’s failure to reclaim the $81,781 moving average could lead to a test of lower support levels. A sustained close above that trend line would strengthen the bullish setup, while another drop below $81,000 could increase pressure on Bitcoin traders.