Bitcoin Price Forecast, Prediction: $82,100 In Focus After SEC News Lifts BTC

Bitcoin's rally puts September's $82,087 high back in focus, with $80,000 the first test of whether buyers can sustain Friday's gains.

The Bitcoin to US Dollar exchange rate (BTC/USD) surged to $80,352 on Friday, gaining 5.16% from Thursday's close as crypto markets rallied following the SEC's move to open up tokenised share trading.

At 15:18 BST, Bitcoin was close to its intraday high of $80,381, having erased Tuesday's losses.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission announced its five-year conditional exemption on Thursday, allowing qualifying platforms to trade blockchain-based versions of stocks without registering as conventional exchanges.

The measure preserves shareholder protections, with SEC Chair Paul Atkins stating that tokens "must provide holders with the same rights and privileges as the traditional securities, including rights to receive dividends and exercise voting rights."

The announcement followed the Senate's failure to advance the Clarity Act, with regulators pursuing changes under their existing powers.

We see the significance for Bitcoin in improved confidence that US digital-asset regulation can progress despite that legislative setback.

LMAX Group strategist Joel Kruger said "even a modest improvement in macro, geopolitical or regulatory conditions could provide the catalyst for the next major leg higher".