Bitcoin loses grip near $80,000 as ETH, SOL, DOGE fade on profit-taking

Bitcoin traded at $77,794 on Thursday morning, up 0.4% over 24 hours but well off the $79,388 high hit Wednesday evening, with ether, XRP and Solana all closing red. What to know : Bitcoin briefly touched $79,388 before easing back to about $77,800, standing out as the only major cryptocurrency in positive territory over the past 24 hours while leading weekly gains against mostly flat or weaker rivals. The rally’s concentration in bitcoin, alongside negative funding rates that have persisted for roughly 47 days, suggests a narrow, derivatives-skeptical bid rather than broad-based enthusiasm across digital assets. Geopolitical tensions, including a U.S. naval blockade near Iran, Iranian gunboat fire in the Strait and stalled cease-fire diplomacy, are feeding market uncertainty, with analysts warning that a drop below $76,000 could mark a near-term top unless sentiment or Iran talks improve.