Bitcoin tops $81,000 as Strategy mulls selling its BTC to fund dividend obligations
Key takeaways
- Dogecoin added another 4% to $0.1158, extending its weekly gain to 14.5% as futures open interest sits at year-highs.
- Ether is the laggard, off 0.3% over 24 hours despite holding a 3.9% weekly gain at $2,376.
- Wall Street gauges closed at all-time highs Tuesday after President Donald Trump signaled progress toward a "final agreement" with Iran and announced a pause on Operation Project Freedom for a short period.
Published May 6, 2026, 4:11 a.m. 2 min read Make preferred on What to know: Bitcoin surged above $81,000 alongside record-setting global equities as easing Iran tensions and renewed AI optimism fueled a broad risk-on rally.Strategy, the largest corporate holder of bitcoin, signaled it may sell part of its 818,334-BTC stash for the first time to help fund dividend payments, sending its shares lower in after-hours trading.Ether lagged the crypto advance amid a turn to net outflows from spot ETH exchange-traded funds, even as other major tokens including Solana and dogecoin posted solid gains.Bitcoin BTC$81,357.53 zoomed past $81,000 in Asian hours Tuesday, according to CoinDesk market data, up 6.7% on the week and riding the broader risk-on tape that has equities printing records on fading Iran tensions and renewed AI optimism.
Other crypto majors caught the bid. Solana zoomed 3% to $87.35. Dogecoin added another 4% to $0.1158, extending its weekly gain to 14.5% as futures open interest sits at year-highs. XRP, BNB and TRX all printed green on the day.
Ether is the laggard, off 0.3% over 24 hours despite holding a 3.9% weekly gain at $2,376. Spot ETH ETF flows turned negative last week, ending a three-week inflow streak.