Bitcoin and ethereum opened at their highest levels in months on Thursday, August 27, 2026, holding firm despite a slight retreat from earlier weekly peaks. Bitcoin began trading at $79,026.75, a 0.6% increase from Wednesday's opening price. By 8:50 a.m. ET, the price had risen to $79,317.69.
Ethereum started the day at $12,506.74, up 2.6% from the previous day's open. As of 8:50 a.m. ET, ethereum's price had moved down to $2,499.05.
These opening figures mark the highest for bitcoin since early June and for ethereum since August 22, with the latter being the highest opening price observed since January 31, excluding August 22. The prices remain below the highs reached earlier in the week.
Scott Melker, host of The Daily Wolf on Yahoo Finance, predicted that bitcoin prices would move down but stated that it is by no means time for worry. He also addressed the reasons behind the recent price decline.
Comparing Thursday's opening prices to previous periods shows mixed results for both cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin is up 14.1% from one week ago and 20.9% from one month ago, but down 29.3% from one year ago. Ethereum is up 11.3% from one week ago and 28.3% from one month ago, though it remains down 45.5% from one year ago.
Historical data shows bitcoin reached an all-time high of $126,198.07 on October 6, 2025, and an all-time low of $0.04865 on July 14, 2010. Ethereum's all-time high was $4,953.73 on August 24, 2025, while its all-time low was $0.4209 on October 21, 2015.