The cryptocurrency market has staged a dramatic rebound over the past 24 hours, adding roughly $200 billion in value as Bitcoin (BTC) led a sweeping surge across major digital assets.
The rally has reversed the sharp downturn at the start of December, when global macro pressures and liquidations triggered a rapid market slide.
By press time, total crypto market capitalization had climbed to $3.08 trillion, up from $2.88 trillion just a day earlier.
Bitcoin drove much of the momentum, adding about $120 billion over the period, with the asset’s market cap rising to $1.8 trillion. This marked Bitcoin’s strongest daily performance since May 2025, with the price approaching $91,000.
The spike was fueled in large part by a wave of liquidations. Within an hour, roughly $140 million in short positions were wiped out, compared with just $3 million in longs. The mechanically driven swing added more than $75 billion to Bitcoin’s market value in only 10 hours.
Ethereum (ETH) also advanced, trading near $2,996 as its market cap approached $361 billion. Ripple’s XRP hovered around $2.14. BNB gained as well, trading close to $870 and lifting its market value toward $119 billion.
Solana (SOL) saw one of the stronger moves, jumping to roughly $138 and regaining traction after the weekend crash.
Why crypto market is up
A major catalyst behind the sudden shift in sentiment came from traditional finance, where Vanguard, managing nearly $11 trillion in assets, lifted its longstanding prohibition on digital-asset products, allowing its clients to access crypto ETFs.
At the same time, Bank of America authorized its wealth managers to recommend a 1%–4% allocation to spot Bitcoin ETFs, signaling broader institutional acceptance.
The December 1 crash had been triggered by several catalysts, including turbulence in Japanese government bonds after 2-year yields broke above 1% for the first time since 2008, amplifying expectations of a Bank of Japan rate hike.
The move sparked global risk aversion, contributing to more than $573 million in crypto liquidations, mostly longs, during the initial plunge. A warning from China’s central bank about illegal digital-asset activity added further pressure, particularly on Hong Kong–listed crypto firms.
Despite the strong rebound, caution remains, with market skeptics arguing that Bitcoin’s rapid ascent reflects speculative excess rather than sustainable demand.
Featured image via Shutterstock
