We just kicked off Q4, and the crypto markets are officially in a holding pattern. After a pretty iconic third quarter, Bitcoin is currently hovering just under the $84k mark, while Ether is chilling right above $2,700.
The Q3 recap
Let’s be real, Q3 was a massive W for the bulls. Bitcoin closed out the quarter up 42.7%, marking its best performance since early 2024. Ether honestly ate, pulling in a 70.8% gain—its strongest showing since the 2021 bull run. But remember, the market is always volatile. Never treat these historical pumps as a guarantee for your own bags.
The macro energy
Right now, all eyes are on interest rates. The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield hit a 24-year high overnight at 5.362% before pulling back to 5.282%. The vibes are definitely cautious, as traders are lowkey hedging their bets ahead of tomorrow’s U.S. Nonfarm Payrolls Report for September. Economists are predicting a 90,000-job gain and unemployment holding steady at 4.1%.
Also, keep an eye on the APAC region. It’s becoming a major testing ground for how stablecoins integrate into regulated finance, with new mapping around rules and use cases for assets like RLUSD.
Why it matters
Markets rarely go up in a straight line forever. Between the shifting macro landscape and tomorrow’s employment data, the plot thickens for crypto prices. Stay risk-aware and never trade with money you can’t afford to lose—this is definitely not financial advice.
