Bitcoin Climbs Past $81,000 as Traders Brace for Warsh's First Jackson Hole Speech

Bitcoin pushed to a fresh recovery high above $81,000 in Asian trading Friday, extending a week-long rally driven by consistent spot ETF inflows and a broader risk-on mood after Nvidia's blockbuster earnings. The advance comes just hours before Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh delivers his first Jackson Hole keynote, an appearance that could set the tone for rate expectations heading into the September 16 FOMC meeting.

The largest cryptocurrency gained roughly 2% over 24 hours, touching $81,280 overnight before settling near the $80,000 strike level that has acted as a magnet ahead of Friday's options cutoff. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have now absorbed $2.8 billion across eight consecutive sessions, the longest inflow streak since April, with August flows surpassing $3 billion to make it the strongest month of 2026 with one trading day remaining.

Nvidia provided the catalyst for Thursday's risk-asset rebound. The chipmaker reported quarterly revenue of $96.2 billion, nearly $4 billion above expectations, and guided third-quarter revenue above $105 billion. Shares surged 9%, adding $442 billion in market value, the second-largest single-day gain in U.S. stock history. The Nasdaq Composite rose 1.3% in response, and Bitcoin followed higher as investors rotated back into growth-sensitive assets.