Bitcoin (BTC-USD) opened at $78,528.41 on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 0.5% lower than Tuesday’s opening price. As of 8:25 a.m. ET this morning, the price of bitcoin moved up to $78,585.58.
Ethereum (ETH-USD) opened at $2,442.30 on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, down 1.6% from Tuesday’s opening price. The price of ethereum moved higher this morning to $2,469.90 as of 8:25 a.m. ET.
The price of bitcoin cleared $80,000 yesterday for the first time in over three months. Prices hit a high of $81,235.03 on Tuesday.
The rally follows a surprise move by the U.S. Treasury Department to double its long-term bond-buying program. And this latest price run has bitcoin bulls out in full force.
Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi published another great crypto article this morning that outlines how bitcoin’s August “price gusher” might only be the start of some long-term gains in the years ahead:
“In our base case, we expect bitcoin to reach new all-time high of $150K by mid-2027 and $300K by 2029 end. However, given the macro regime shift, if institutional capital actively chases bitcoin, we could see an accelerated timeline, with bitcoin potentially peaking at $500K in 2029 and rapid recovery to new all-time highs of ~$200K by mid-2027. We maintain our bitcoin price forecast of ~$1 M million by 2033 end across the base and bull case,” Chhugani said in a note on Wednesday.
Keep reading: Here’s when bitcoin may hit $500,000
Current price of bitcoin and ethereum
Bitcoin
The price of bitcoin this morning was 0.5% lower than Tuesday’s opening price. Here’s a look at how the opening bitcoin price has changed versus last week, month, and year:
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One week ago: +21.4%
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One month ago: +22.1%
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One year ago: -28.7%
The all-time high for bitcoin was $126,198.07 on Oct. 6, 2025. The all-time low value for bitcoin was $0.04865 on July 14, 2010.
Ethereum
The price of ethereum this morning was 1.6% lower than Tuesday’s open. Here’s a look at how the opening ethereum price has changed versus last week, month, and year:
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One week ago: +27.4%
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One month ago: +30.4%
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One year ago: -44.1%
The all-time high for ethereum was $4,953.73 on Aug. 24, 2025. The all-time low value for ethereum was $0.4209 on Oct. 21, 2015.
Bitcoin, ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies are rapidly evolving. Follow the latest developments from Yahoo Finance and others here.
Crypto and taxes
You generally owe taxes when you sell cryptocurrency for more than you paid for it. This also applies when you exchange one digital asset for another. Converting bitcoin into ethereum, for example, isn’t “just a trade” in the eyes of the IRS. It’s a taxable event if the value changes.
Crypto taxes aren’t paid at the time of the transaction, but instead, they’re reported on your tax return for the year in which the transaction took place. So, if you sold crypto for a profit at any point during 2025, that activity is reported when you file your 2025 return in early 2026.
How much tax you pay depends on two main factors:
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How long you held the asset before selling
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Your overall taxable income and filing status
Hold it for less than a year, and you’ll usually face higher rates. Hold it longer, and the rates tend to be lower.
This holding-period distinction matters more than most people realize. A few days can make a difference of as much as 17% or more — so timing matters.
Learn more: Yes, crypto is taxed. Here’s when you have to pay.
Bitcoin and ethereum price charts
Whether you’re brand new to tracking the value of bitcoin and ethereum or a more seasoned crypto investor, Yahoo Finance’s price-of-bitcoin and price-of-ethereum charts below show a visual history of how the currencies’ value continues to move and evolve.
More on crypto from the Yahoo Finance team: