The Crypto Fear and Greed Index reached 74 on Aug. 25, its highest level since Oct. 5, 2025, before easing to 65. Bitcoin set its all-time high the following day. The move ended one of the longest periods of pessimism in the index’s eight-year history, following 106 consecutive days below 50 through Aug. 19. Short liquidations (forced closures of bearish positions) reached $2.74 billion on Aug. 20, affecting 172,202 traders, after the US Treasury doubled its long-end debt buybacks to at least $4 billion per operation on Aug. 19. Bitcoin climbed 23% over the past week and traded near $78,880 on Aug. 26, although it remained 37% below its record. Demand indicators remained cautious: exchange-traded funds were net sellers in 2026, with holdings down roughly 92,000 BTC, while Coinbase premiums for Bitcoin and Ethereum stayed below zero.