Bitcoin traded at $87,342 at 1:32 p.m. ET on December 24, 2025, down about 0.5% on the day, as Christmas-week liquidity thinned and investors weighed continued spot Bitcoin ETF outflows against a supportive (but uneven) macro backdrop. At that timestamp, BTC’s day range was roughly $86,576 to $88,092, highlighting a market still stuck in a tight consolidation band after failing to reclaim the psychologically important $90,000 level. [1]
That stalled price action is a recurring theme across the day’s reporting and analysis: while U.S. equities are enjoying a year-end “Santa rally,” Bitcoin has struggled to join the party—caught between year-end de-risking, ETF flow volatility, and derivatives positioning that can mute—or suddenly amplify—moves during holiday conditions. [2]
Bitcoin price at 1:32 p.m. ET: where BTC stood and what it signals
At 1:32 p.m. ET, Bitcoin’s quote of $87,342 placed it:
- Roughly 31% below the cycle high near $126,000 set in October, a reminder of how quickly 2025’s momentum cooled. [3]
- Still inside a broader $85,000–$90,000 neighborhood that multiple outlets have highlighted as the market’s “waiting room” into year-end. [4]
- In the context of a wide 52-week range spanning about $74,604 to $126,080, reinforcing the year’s extreme volatility despite today’s relatively muted tape. [5]
For SEO readers asking the simple question—“What is Bitcoin’s price today?”—the practical answer is that Bitcoin is trading in the high-$87,000s on Dec. 24, 2025, and the market’s bigger question is whether BTC can break back above $90,000 or whether the next leg is another push toward the mid-$80,000s. [6]
Why Bitcoin is stuck near $87K on Dec. 24: the three forces dominating today’s tape
Across the day’s coverage, three drivers repeatedly show up:
1) Thin holiday liquidity is magnifying small flows
Several reports point to the same seasonal reality: trading is lighter into Christmas, and lighter markets can make Bitcoin look “quiet” right up until it isn’t. Reuters noted light volumes ahead of the Christmas holiday, and market commentary emphasizes that thin conditions can exaggerate intraday swings. [7]
2) Spot Bitcoin ETF flows have turned from tailwind to headwind
ETF flow headlines are central today—both as a near-term pressure point and as a long-term adoption signal.
- Dec. 23 showed a -$188.6 million net outflow across U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs, with IBIT and several peers posting redemptions (while Dec. 24 showed 0.0 on the tracker at the time of posting). [8]
- Investing.com also cited data indicating U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw nearly $500 million in net outflows last week, framing it as “waning institutional demand” after earlier inflows. [9]
- At the same time, Reuters’ broader 2025 recap highlights how ETF flows can flip quickly—pointing to a prior stretch where BlackRock’s IBIT saw roughly $2.7 billion in outflows over about five weeks through late November. [10]
The takeaway for today’s price: ETFs remain a daily sentiment barometer, and the market is treating outflows—especially during low-liquidity weeks—as a reason to stay cautious near resistance. [11]
3) Derivatives and a looming “mega-expiry” are keeping traders defensive
A recurring point in Dec. 24 analysis is that options and futures positioning can “pin” price within ranges—until expiries pass.
The Economic Times quoted Delta Exchange derivatives analyst Piyush Walke saying: “Bitcoin is trading near $87,000 as thin holiday liquidity, fund outflows and an upcoming options mega-expiry heightened volatility risks.” [12]
Multiple market reports flag Friday, Dec. 26 as a key date for large options expirations, which can act as a volatility catalyst right when liquidity is still thin. [13]
And at least one widely circulated outlook expects that after expiry, the more likely resolution could be up toward the mid-$90,000s rather than a sustained breakdown below $85,000—though that view remains scenario-based, not a guarantee. [14]
ETF outflows vs. institutional adoption: today’s tug-of-war
One of the most important “Dec. 24” themes is that Bitcoin’s short-term softness is happening alongside signs of ongoing institutional infrastructure build-out.
Investopedia reported that while retail sentiment has turned sharply negative, institutions remain bullish, citing commentary from Bitwise’s CIO and noting that, since crypto ETFs launched in 2024, they have accumulated more than 700,000 bitcoin, roughly twice the number of new coins produced over the same period. [15]
That contrast—institutional accumulation over the long run versus outflows and de-risking in the short run—helps explain why Dec. 24 feels so contradictory:
- Bitcoin can be structurally “more adopted” while still being tactically range-bound into year-end. [16]
- ETFs are simultaneously a gateway for long-only capital and a fast exit ramp when positioning gets reduced. [17]
Macro backdrop on Dec. 24: Fed cuts, dollar moves, and gold stealing the “safe haven” spotlight
Today’s macro narrative is unusually relevant to crypto because it touches the two competing stories that Bitcoin often tries to embody: risk asset and store of value.
The dollar and rate-cut expectations
Reuters reported the dollar index around 97.96, with the broader context that the U.S. currency has fallen this year as the Federal Reserve cut rates, and futures traders were pricing two 25-basis-point cuts next year, with the first most likely around April. In that same report, Reuters cited Bitcoin down about 0.39% around $87,330 at the time. [18]
Gold’s record surge is challenging the “digital gold” narrative
Reuters also reported gold pushing past $4,500/oz earlier in the session and notching an all-time high around $4,525/oz before easing, with analysts pointing to rate-cut expectations and uncertainty as drivers. [19]
Investing.com explicitly noted that gold and silver climbed to record peaks while Bitcoin “failed to benefit” from rallies in either equities or precious metals—an awkward moment for the hedge narrative. [20]
In plain English: on Dec. 24, 2025, traditional safe havens are acting like safe havens, while Bitcoin is trading more like an asset waiting for a catalyst—especially with $90,000 still overhead. [21]
2025’s bigger picture: from $126K highs to a year-end stall near $87K
Several Dec. 24 retrospectives frame today’s price as the end chapter of an unusually dramatic year.
Reuters’ legal/market analysis recounts Bitcoin’s run to roughly $126,000 in October 2025 and subsequent retreat toward the mid-$80,000s by late November into early December, emphasizing that 30–50% corrections have been common in prior cycles even during longer-term uptrends. [22]
MarketWatch’s year-end review makes a similar point in market language: despite major “wins” for crypto policy and access, the market still underperformed, with Bitcoin down over 6% in 2025 (per its reporting) and many smaller tokens suffering far larger drawdowns. It also cited familiar culprits—profit-taking after Bitcoin cleared $100,000, whale-driven selling, and a large leveraged liquidation event earlier in the year. [23]
That context matters because it’s shaping what traders and long-term investors are actually watching now:
- Not “Is Bitcoin dead?”
- But “What has to change for BTC to reclaim $90K, then trend again?” [24]
Bitcoin forecasts and scenarios on Dec. 24: what analysts are projecting next
Forecasting Bitcoin is always probabilistic, and today’s coverage reflects that—offering a range of scenarios rather than a single consensus call.
Near-term forecast: the range breaks after key catalysts
Several Dec. 24 analyses converge on the idea that Bitcoin is range-bound now, but vulnerable to a sharper move after the holidays and/or after major derivatives expiries.
- The Economic Times cited key technical zones: support near $85,000 and resistance around $89,000, with a breakout beyond those levels likely setting the next directional leg. [25]
- A widely circulated expiry-focused outlook suggests the post-expiry resolution may skew up toward the mid-$90,000s, rather than a sustained break below $85,000—again, as a scenario, not certainty. [26]
2026 and beyond: big targets, but with very different timelines
Investopedia summarized bullish long-range projections while acknowledging short-term uncertainty:
- It cited Standard Chartered projecting Bitcoin could reach $500,000 by 2030 (as an example of “permabull” expectations). [27]
- It also cited Galaxy Digital’s longer-range view that Bitcoin could hit $250,000 by the end of 2027, while describing next year as “too chaotic to predict.” [28]
Policy and regulation as forecast drivers
Dec. 24 reporting suggests 2026 optimism isn’t just about price—it’s about the rules of the road.
- Investopedia highlighted the CLARITY Act as a potential catalyst for market structure, and argued that regulatory clarity could support broader crypto markets (including altcoins), though passage is not guaranteed. [29]
- Reuters added a different twist: with enforcement expectations shifting, private litigation is becoming a more central force in crypto oversight—meaning legal risk may matter more to pricing and business outcomes than many traders have historically assumed. [30]
What to watch next: the checklist for Bitcoin traders and investors after Dec. 24
If you’re tracking Bitcoin price today with an eye toward what could change the tape, Dec. 24 coverage points to a short, practical list:
- Spot Bitcoin ETF flows when full liquidity returns after the holidays—whether outflows persist or reverse. [31]
- The Dec. 26 options expiry and whether it coincides with a volatility spike or a clean break from the $85K–$90K zone. [32]
- Macro headlines tied to 2026 rate-cut expectations and the dollar’s direction, which continue to influence risk appetite. [33]
- The “safe haven” contest as gold holds record territory—especially if geopolitical risk stays elevated and capital keeps rotating. [34]
- Policy and legal signals (market structure bills, stablecoin rules, and litigation risk) that can reshape institutional participation. [35]
Bottom line
At 1:32 p.m. ET on Dec. 24, 2025, Bitcoin’s price of $87,342 captures a market in transition: stronger infrastructure and institutional interest on the one hand, and year-end positioning pressure, ETF outflows, and holiday-thin liquidity on the other. [36]
Whether the next decisive move is a return toward $90,000+ or another trip to the mid-$80,000s may come down less to Christmas-week noise and more to what happens when liquidity normalizes—especially around ETF flows and late-December derivatives expiries. [37]
References
1. www.fool.com, 2. www.investing.com, 3. www.fool.com, 4. news.bloomberglaw.com, 5. www.fool.com, 6. www.fool.com, 7. www.reuters.com, 8. farside.co.uk, 9. www.investing.com, 10. www.reuters.com, 11. www.investing.com, 12. m.economictimes.com, 13. www.thestreet.com, 14. finance.yahoo.com, 15. www.investopedia.com, 16. www.investopedia.com, 17. www.reuters.com, 18. www.reuters.com, 19. www.reuters.com, 20. www.investing.com, 21. www.investing.com, 22. www.reuters.com, 23. www.marketwatch.com, 24. www.investing.com, 25. m.economictimes.com, 26. finance.yahoo.com, 27. www.investopedia.com, 28. www.investopedia.com, 29. www.investopedia.com, 30. www.reuters.com, 31. farside.co.uk, 32. www.thestreet.com, 33. www.reuters.com, 34. www.reuters.com, 35. www.investopedia.com, 36. www.fool.com, 37. m.economictimes.com
