Crypto Prices Today: Bitcoin Holds $64K as Ethereum Outperforms

Crypto is closing the week in cautious green after a whipsaw few days. A softer-than-expected inflation print early in the week pushed Bitcoin briefly above $65,000 and Ethereum over $1,900, before a sixth straight day of U.S. airstrikes against Iran pulled risk assets back down. As of now, the majors are holding modest weekly gains, but the market remains firmly below where it started 2026.

Here's what moved this week and what to watch next.

Where are crypto prices right now?

As of this weekend, here's the snapshot for the majors:

• Bitcoin ($BTC): ~$64,300, up roughly 3.3% on the week but still down around 27% year-to-date
• Ethereum ($ETH): ~$1,860, the standout performer of 2026 with a positive YTD near +40% while the rest of the majors sit in the red
• $XRP: ~$1.14, the most muted weekly move among the majors, holding just above the $1 support level
• Solana ($SOL): leading the majors on the week with gains near +5%, trying to reclaim its previous trading range
• $BNB: ~$610, up over 1% on the day

Bitcoin dominance sits around 57%, and total 24-hour market volume is hovering near $36 billion. Sentiment has recovered from June's "Extreme Fear" lows but remains fragile.

What drove the market this week?

Three forces defined the week. First, a softer inflation report early in the week reignited hopes of a less hawkish Fed, sparking the mid-week surge that briefly took Bitcoin over $65K. Second, geopolitics reasserted itself — a sixth day of U.S. airstrikes against Iran, with the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed and oil prices climbing, dampened appetite for risk-based assets like crypto. Third, ETF flows kept whipsawing: after June's record $4.5 billion in net outflows — the worst month on record for U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs — early July saw flows partially reverse, and the market is watching closely for the first sustained "consecutive net inflow week" that many analysts see as the signal to re-engage.

Ethereum continued to quietly outperform. Analysts point to ETH's historical tendency to lead broader crypto recoveries, and its technical setup — having reclaimed key moving averages while pressing toward 100-day EMA resistance near $1,944 — looks stronger than Bitcoin's right now.

Why is Bitcoin still underperforming?

The short version: Bitcoin's 2026 pain hasn't come from crypto fundamentals — it's come from flows and macro. ETF outflows removed a large structural source of demand, a hawkish Fed under Chair Kevin Warsh kept the dollar firm, and capital rotated into AI stocks for much of the year. Warsh's June meeting delivered an unambiguously hawkish message, with the dot plot now pointing toward a possible hike in 2026 rather than a cut. Until ETF flows turn durably positive, Bitcoin's biggest structural bid remains a swing factor rather than a tailwind.

What to expect next week

The calendar is dominated by one event: the Federal Reserve's July 28–29 FOMC meeting. Markets are now pricing a meaningful probability of a rate hike, a stark shift from the rate-cut expectations that carried into the year. This meeting is widely viewed as the decider for whether the recent bottom holds or another leg lower opens up.

Key things to watch:

• The Fed meeting (July 28–29): the single biggest catalyst. A hawkish hold or hike keeps the dollar elevated and pressures crypto; any dovish surprise could be the relief catalyst risk assets are waiting for.
• ETF flows: watch for a sustained multi-day inflow streak — that's the signal many institutions want before re-engaging.
• Key Bitcoin levels: support around $58,000 and resistance near $63,800–$65,000. Holding above $61,000 keeps the recovery case alive; a clean break above the 100-day EMA opens the door toward the $68,000–$70,000 zone.
• Ethereum: a break above ~$1,944 resistance would confirm ETH's leadership narrative.
• Geopolitics: developments around Iran and the Strait of Hormuz remain a live risk-off wildcard that can override the technical picture at any time.

Expect range-bound, headline-driven trading in