Bitcoin closed August 2026 at about $78,600 after gaining 24.95%, marking the first positive August in a comparable post-peak bear-market phase, according to Ash Crypto and CoinGlass data. The move contrasts with August losses in 2014, 2018 and 2022, but does not establish that Bitcoin has entered a new bull market. Bitcoin also posted its strongest August since 2017 and was up nearly 33% in the third quarter with one month remaining. At the start of September, geopolitical tensions pushed Bitcoin below $77,000 before it recovered most of the decline. The cryptocurrency traded near $78,000, with a market cap near $1.57 trillion and dominance above 58%, while remaining down close to 29% for the year and more than 38% below its October 2025 all-time high.