Bitcoin is trading around $87,300 as of 2:15 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, after swinging sharply earlier in the session and briefly dipping into the mid-$85,000s. Over the last 24 hours, BTC has moved inside a wide range—roughly $85,449 to $88,063—as traders weigh fresh U.S. labor-market data, risk-off moves in tech stocks, and the market impact of recent ETF outflows and liquidations.
While Bitcoin is showing a modest rebound from the day’s lows, the tone across crypto remains cautious, with market participants watching whether BTC can hold key support levels amid a packed macro calendar and renewed regulatory headlines.
Bitcoin price today: where BTC stands right now
- BTC price (2:15 p.m. ET): about $87,300
- 24-hour range: approximately $85,449 – $88,063
- Ether (ETH) price: about $2,923, slightly lower on the day
The intraday action matches the broader story for Dec. 16: a market that sold off early, then stabilized—yet remains highly sensitive to macro headlines and positioning.
Why is Bitcoin moving today? The drivers behind the Dec. 16 swing
1) U.S. jobs data lands—stronger hiring, higher unemployment, and “shutdown noise”
A key catalyst Tuesday was the release of delayed U.S. labor data. Reuters reported the U.S. economy added 64,000 jobs in November, while the unemployment rate rose to 4.6%, and the report itself was delayed due to a 43-day federal government shutdown, complicating interpretation. [1]
Markets read the mix as neither fully “risk-on” nor fully “risk-off,” but enough to keep rate expectations and cross-asset volatility in play—conditions that often bleed directly into Bitcoin trading.
2) Macro “event risk” is stacked this week: CPI + major central banks
Beyond jobs data, traders are bracing for multiple macro catalysts in quick succession. Reuters highlighted that markets are focused on major central-bank decisions (including the ECB, BoE, and BoJ) later this week. [2]
That matters for Bitcoin because rate expectations and liquidity conditions increasingly influence crypto—especially during periods where BTC trades more like a risk asset than a standalone “digital gold” narrative.
3) Bitcoin tracked the tech mood again as AI concerns weigh on risk appetite
Several Dec. 16 reports tied crypto weakness to softness in technology stocks. Investing.com said crypto prices broadly followed an “extended downturn” in global tech shares as markets took profits amid renewed questions around artificial intelligence. [3]
This is consistent with a 2025 theme: crypto’s correlation to equities—especially tech—rising during risk-off windows.
4) ETF flows flipped negative on Monday—fuel for today’s caution
Even as Bitcoin steadied Tuesday, investors are still digesting a notable pullback in crypto ETP demand.
Decrypt reported that spot Bitcoin and spot Ethereum ETFs shed a combined ~$582.4 million on Monday, including ~$357.6 million of net outflows from spot Bitcoin ETFs, citing Farside Investors data. [4]
Farside’s flow table for Dec. 15 shows the -$357.6 million total outflow figure that Decrypt referenced. [5]
In plain English: after a period where ETF inflows often helped absorb volatility, this week started with ETFs acting as a source of selling pressure instead.
5) Liquidations added momentum to the downside
Leverage remains a major accelerant in crypto drawdowns. Reports on Dec. 16 pointed to hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of liquidations during the slide, which can mechanically push prices lower as forced selling hits thin order books. [6]
The day’s big headlines beyond price: regulation and new product ideas
UK FCA proposes a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive crypto rule set
One of the most significant policy stories dated Dec. 16, 2025 came out of the UK. The Financial Conduct Authority unveiled proposals for regulating crypto markets, including rules for listings, market abuse, capital/liquidity requirements, intermediaries, and staking—open for consultation until Feb. 12, 2026, with implementation expected in 2027. [7]
While this is UK-specific, the larger theme—bringing crypto closer to traditional market standards—can influence institutional comfort and product availability over time.
“AfterDark” ETF proposal: a bet that Bitcoin performs better when U.S. markets are closed
Another conversation driver on Dec. 16: innovation in how investors try to package Bitcoin exposure.
Investopedia reported on a proposed “Bitcoin and Treasuries AfterDark” ETF that aims to capture Bitcoin’s overnight performance (when U.S. stock markets are closed), with a planned 2026 launch under ticker “NGHT.” Investopedia also cited research suggesting stronger average overnight BTC returns compared with U.S. trading hours—while noting that similar time-based strategies have not consistently worked. [8]
This matters for today’s tape because it underscores how closely many investors now tie Bitcoin’s behavior to the U.S. equity-day cycle.
Investor sentiment check: “true believers” keep buying the dip
Even with Bitcoin down sharply from its October peak, some long-term holders are still buying. The Wall Street Journal highlighted dip-buying behavior among committed investors, while also noting the risks of leverage during volatile periods. [9]
In other words: short-term positioning looks fragile, but long-term conviction remains present—an important tension that often defines Bitcoin bottoms and rebounds.
Technical picture and key levels traders are watching
Bitcoin’s intraday low near $85,449 is the level many traders are focusing on as immediate support.
Analysts publishing on Dec. 16 pointed to similar zones and warned that breaks can accelerate momentum:
- DailyForex described BTC as breaking below an $85,000 support area and framed the move as a bearish-flag type setup, with macro events (U.S. data + BoJ) as near-term catalysts. [10]
- Finance Magnates cited bearish technical signals (including a “death cross” narrative) and discussed downside targets that extend toward the mid-$70,000s in a risk-off scenario, while noting that a move back above the low-to-mid $90,000s would weaken that bearish case. [11]
Levels to watch (based on today’s price action + widely cited analyst zones)
- Near-term support: ~$85,500 (today’s low zone)
- Psychological pivot: $90,000 (round-number magnet for both spot and derivatives positioning) [12]
- Upside resistance zone: low-to-mid $90,000s (frequently cited as the area BTC would need to reclaim to improve the technical tone) [13]
Technical levels are not guarantees—but on days like Dec. 16, they often become self-fulfilling reference points because so many traders watch the same numbers.
Forecasts and outlook: what major voices are saying heading into 2026
Despite today’s volatility, forecasts published and circulated this week are increasingly focused on whether Bitcoin’s classic boom-bust cycle is changing.
“End of the four-year cycle?” Grayscale and Bitwise lean toward structural change
Grayscale’s 2026 Digital Asset Outlook argued that 2026 could accelerate structural shifts in digital assets, projecting a new Bitcoin all-time high in the first half of 2026 and calling for the end of the “four-year cycle” framework. Grayscale also pointed to regulatory clarity as a driver of broader adoption and noted it expects the 20 millionth bitcointo be mined in March 2026. [14]
Separately, Investing.com highlighted commentary from Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan, who said Bitcoin may be poised to break its long-standing four-year pattern as the forces behind prior cycles have weakened—while macro conditions and market structure evolve. [15]
Wall Street targets vary widely—but bullish 2026 calls remain common
A market takeaway from Dec. 16 is how wide the forecast range has become:
- A Motley Fool analysis (also syndicated by Nasdaq) cited JPMorgan’s $170,000 2026 price target and referenced Tom Lee of Fundstrat suggesting $250,000 by early 2026 as a bullish scenario (presented as strategist views, not certainties). [16]
- Meanwhile, some bullish forecasters have turned more cautious. MarketWatch summarized Standard Chartered cutting its prior targets, now projecting $100,000 by end-2025 and $150,000 by end-2026 (from higher prior projections). [17]
The key point for readers: today’s BTC price action is occurring in a market where longer-term institutional narratives still skew optimistic—but near-term liquidity, positioning, and macro pressure can dominate for weeks at a time.
What to watch next: catalysts that could move Bitcoin in the next 24–72 hours
If you’re following “Bitcoin price today” with an eye on what comes next, these are the most immediate drivers highlighted across today’s coverage:
- U.S. inflation data (CPI) later this week, which could reset rate expectations and risk appetite [18]
- Central bank decisions (ECB/BoE/BoJ) and any surprises in guidance that impact global yields and the dollar [19]
- Spot Bitcoin ETF flow data—whether Monday’s outflows prove a one-off de-risking event or the start of a larger trend [20]
- Leverage and liquidation risk, which can turn routine dips into fast cascades in thin liquidity [21]
Bottom line
As of 2:15 p.m. ET on Dec. 16, 2025, Bitcoin is hovering near $87,300 after a volatile session that saw BTC briefly slide to the mid-$85,000s. The day’s story is bigger than a single price print: traders are navigating a macro-heavy week, post-shutdown U.S. data surprises, ETF outflows, leverage-driven swings, and meaningful regulatory developments—while longer-term institutional outlooks increasingly argue that 2026 could look structurally different for crypto.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
References
1. www.reuters.com, 2. www.reuters.com, 3. www.investing.com, 4. decrypt.co, 5. farside.co.uk, 6. m.economictimes.com, 7. www.ft.com, 8. www.investopedia.com, 9. www.wsj.com, 10. www.dailyforex.com, 11. www.financemagnates.com, 12. www.dailyforex.com, 13. www.financemagnates.com, 14. research.grayscale.com, 15. www.investing.com, 16. www.fool.com, 17. www.marketwatch.com, 18. www.investing.com, 19. www.reuters.com, 20. decrypt.co, 21. m.economictimes.com
