Bitcoin reached $80,000 per coin right after the US Treasury Department announced an increase in its long-term bond buyback program covering 10-30 year maturities. The sovereign debt purchase target was doubled from $2 billion to at least $4 billion, scheduled to begin on September 9, 2026. Anthony Pompliano immediately responded to the Treasury announcement, calling it a clear signal that “the money printer will never stop”. The market embraced the narrative of infinite money supply, and Bitcoin reacted aggressively by breaking past the $80,000 mark.
US spot Bitcoin ETFs pulled in a full $1.918 billion in fresh inflows across just five trading sessions ending August 21, 2026. Ethereum followed with net inflows of $697.2 million over the same period. Combined fund flows into the two assets touched $2.6 billion, locking in the strongest capital inflow record for Ethereum ETFs since October 2025.
A Different Collateral Structure
Bitcoin Open Interest (OI) using crypto as margin now accounts for only 12% of the total market. This crypto-margin usage has dropped sharply compared to the near-100% dominance typical throughout 2019 to 2020. The majority of derivatives traders today prefer dollar stablecoins as collateral. The use of stablecoins cuts the inherent risks of crypto margins: collateral value remains fully intact during sharp Bitcoin price corrections, curbing the risk of cascading liquidations that trigger panic.
Coinbase is preparing to launch derivatives trading services for the UK region this month, partnering with Hyperliquid to facilitate leverage positions up to 50x. A trader on the Aster DEX platform was recorded opening a 50x long position with capital of 49 BTC, valued at $3.95 million. That move is now sitting on an unrealized profit of $810,000, representing a 1,025% gain.
Smaller Whales Take Profit
On-chain data records from @lookonchain show that two whale addresses closed their BTC long positions as the price surged. Both addresses had held their positions open for nearly two full months before finally cashing out to lock in a net capital profit of $11.6 million.
This profit-taking by mid-sized wallets topped Google News coverage today. Discussions centered on the fact that the surge past $80,000 was largely characterized by profit-taking from lower-tier whales, sparking heated debate over whether the move is bullish or bearish for the market heading into next week.
Fresh liquidity injections from the US government have provided certainty for risk asset investors, while different trader groups lock in profits at their chosen levels.
Reported by @APompliano on X.
Also read: What Is Bitcoin Halving?
Also read: $9.5 Billion Loss Turns Into Largest Profit in History - Michael Saylor Holds 840,447 Bitcoin
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only, not financial advice. Cryptocurrency assets are highly volatile and carry significant risk. Always do your own research (DYOR) and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
