Bitcoin's Bull Score surged from 30 to 80 in a single week — the fastest reversal in a year — as the cryptocurrency climbed 24% since August 17 to an intraday peak of $81,272 on Binance, the highest level since May 15, 2026, according to CryptoQuant data. At press time, BTC traded near $79,224, up 1.9% over the past 24 hours.
Why the gauge flipped
The Bull Score's jump puts it at its most bullish since October 6, 2025, when Bitcoin traded at $124,000. Eight of the ten inputs in the score are now flashing green, the firm said. Apparent spot demand is growing at its fastest monthly pace since late December, and spot and futures demand are expanding together for the first time since early October 2025.
Julio Moreno, head of research at CryptoQuant, said the market regime has switched to bull for Bitcoin, but price must cross above the 365-day moving average for official confirmation.
Two macro catalysts
The rally has been helped by two policy signals. The US Treasury said it will double long-term bond buybacks to at least $4 billion per operation starting September 9, and President Trump hinted that Washington might buy Bitcoin. Neither is a done deal, but both have traders leaning bullish.
Profit-taking is creeping in
Trader unrealized profit margins spiked to 20.5%, the highest since June 2025. Whales realized a record $614 million in profits on August 20. Exchange inflows for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP have jumped — a pattern that often precedes selling pressure. So far it hasn't stopped the uptrend, but it's worth watching if the price stalls.
What's still needed
The 365-day moving average sits near $83,000, and Bitcoin needs a daily close above it for the bull market to be officially confirmed. The broader macro backdrop is supportive: asset managers hold nearly $375 billion in long S&P 500 futures, close to record highs, and institutional exposure in emerging and developed markets is at or near record levels.
The next big test comes at the weekly close. If BTC settles above $83,000, the bull case gets a lot easier to make. If it doesn't, the same gauge that flipped so fast could flip just as quickly.
