Bitcoin Soars Above $87,000 In Sudden Move: Here’s The Catalyst

The Bitcoin price spiked to $87,400 on April 21, its highest level since March 29. The intraday rally added more than $3,000 to the asset in less than 24 hours, erasing a substantial portion of April’s drawdown. While the single‑day appreciation of about 4% is not unprecedented for the notoriously volatile asset, the backdrop that accompanied Monday’s advance has market participants treating the move with extra significance.

Why Is Bitcoin Up Today?

The most immediate macro‑economic thread was the sell‑off in the US dollar after National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told reporters on Friday that US President Donald Trump intends to replace Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The dollar index (DXY) slipped to 98.182 on Monday, while capital rotated simultaneously into traditional safe‑haven gold. Spot gold climbed to a new high at $3,385 per ounce, extending its 2025 gain to 28%. In contrast, S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures traded about 0.5% lower.

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Observers seized on the divergence between Bitcoin and risk‑asset benchmarks. Financial author Mel Mattison wrote on X that he is “seeing more evidence tonight of BTC breaking its strong risk‑on/QQQ correlation,” recalling his January thesis that “this is the year BTC breaks that correlation and starts trading more in sympathy with gold.” Apollo founder Thomas Fahrer reached a similar conclusion: “Bitcoin is pumping while stock futures are trading down. It’s almost like the market is treating it like it’s an alternative financial system or something.”

The Kobeissi Letter described the alignment between the two hard‑asset narratives as notable because “Gold has hit its 55th all‑time high in 12 months and Bitcoin is officially joining the run, now above $87,000.” In a follow‑up post, the macro newsletter argued that both assets are “telling us that a weaker US Dollar and more uncertainty are on the way,” crediting part of gold’s strength to President Trump’s publication of a “non‑tariff cheating” list from Sunday that targets currency manipulation, export subsidies and other forms of perceived economic aggression.

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The renewal of trade‑policy anxiety capped a three‑day Easter weekend that had failed, in the words of Kobeissi, to deliver “the trade deals the market priced‑in last week.” Trump’s ninety‑day “reciprocal tariff” pause still has seventy‑nine days remaining, and market sentiment appears increasingly sceptical that a sweeping accord will materialise in that window.

Nonetheless, FOX Business correspondent Charles Gasparino reported on Sunday that a Wall Street executive “with ties to the Trump White House” believes Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is “close to announcing a significant trade deal, likely to be with Japan,” while cautioning that negotiations remain fluid.

Bitcoin Price Breaks Out

Against the macro backdrop, chart technicians pointed to an important structural break on the daily Bitcoin chart. Trader Scott Melker observed that the spot rate is now “breaking through descending resistance from the all‑time high” and must clear $88,804 to invalidate the series of lower highs and lower lows.

The account @ChartingGuy highlighted $94,000—the 0.618 Fibonacci retracement of the entire drawdown—as the “minimum target on this rally,” adding that market behaviour at that level will determine whether the current impulse proves a mere relief bounce or the beginning of a more sustained advance.

Meanwhile, crypto analyst IncomeSharks warned: “Nice to see the downtrend breakout but the timing is important. Sunday is not a day to celebrate a low volume pump while stock markets are closed. If you want to see a bullish moves lets see stocks open red tomorrow and keep this candle green. Then we can have fun.”

At press time, BTC traded at $87,509.

Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com