Bitcoin (BTC-USD) opened at $69,289.44 on Thursday, August 20, 2026, 7.1% higher than Wednesday’s opening price. As of 9:15 a.m. ET this morning, the price of bitcoin moved up to $71,980.32.

Ethereum (ETH-USD) opened at $2,251.93 on Thursday, August 20, 2026, up 17.5% from Wednesday’s opening price. The price of ethereum moved higher this morning to $2,293.10 as of 9:16 a.m. ET.

Bitcoin and ethereum prices jumped higher after President Trump pushed Congress to pass the Clarity Act, legislation that defines whether cryptocurrencies are regulated as securities or commodities. The bill is currently stalled in the Senate and scheduled for a procedural vote in September.

A decline in long-term…