Daily Market Update: Bitcoin Holds $77K as S&P 500 and Nasdaq Hit Record Highs

TLDR

• Bitcoin climbed back above $77,000, up 1.8%, after pulling back to $75,000 earlier this week
• The S&P 500 closed above 7,200 for the first time ever; the Dow surged over 790 points
• Apple beat earnings expectations, with strong iPhone sales and growth in China boosting sentiment
• Geopolitical risk from a potential U.S.-Iran military escalation is capping Bitcoin’s upside
• Altcoins rose across the board, with Dogecoin leading meme tokens up 2.4%

Bitcoin rebounded on Thursday, climbing back above $77,000 as stock markets hit fresh record highs and investor appetite for risk assets improved.

The world’s largest cryptocurrency traded 1.8% higher at $77,143. It had pulled back to lows near $75,000 earlier in the week before recovering.

Bitcoin jumped 12% in April, helped by optimism around a temporary U.S.-Iran ceasefire and a strong run on Wall Street.

Earlier in April, Bitcoin had briefly rallied above $79,000. A key resistance level at $80,000 has repeatedly capped further gains over the past month.

Analysts say Bitcoin has increasingly moved in line with broader market trends, behaving more like equities during periods of high liquidity and positive sentiment.

Wall Street Closes April on Record Highs

The S&P 500 closed above 7,200 for the first time on record Thursday, gaining just over 1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged more than 790 points, a gain of 1.6%. The Nasdaq Composite added nearly 0.9% and also reached a new high.

US stock futures edged slightly higher on Friday morning, building on Thursday’s gains.

Apple reported better-than-expected fiscal second-quarter results after the closing bell. The stock jumped roughly 3% in after-hours trading. Strong iPhone sales and growth in China were key highlights from the report.

Investor sentiment has also been supported by a solid first-quarter earnings season overall. All three major indexes now sit well above where they started 2026.

Iran Risk Weighs on Bitcoin’s Rally

Geopolitical uncertainty is keeping a lid on Bitcoin’s gains. Reports on Thursday said President Trump was set to be briefed on potential military options against Iran.

Iran warned that any U.S. attack would trigger “long and painful strikes” on American positions in the region. The Strait of Hormuz remained effectively shut, and Brent crude surged above $126 per barrel before retreating.

Ethereum rose 1.6% to $2,284.74. XRP gained 0.6% to $1.38. Solana added 1.6% and Cardano climbed 1.3%.

Dogecoin led meme tokens with a 2.4% gain.

Looking ahead, markets are watching earnings from Exxon Mobil, Chevron, and Moderna before Friday’s open.

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