Bitcoin BTC$79,042.03 climbed above $79,000 on Wednesday, hitting its strongest level since early February as a long-awaited breakout attempt gathered momentum.

The largest crypto rose 4.5% over the past 24 hours, leading major altcoins ether (ETH), BNB BNB$648.54, Solana (SOL) and XRP higher. The broad-market CoinDesk 20 Index advanced 3.5%.

Crypto-linked stocks also rose. Strategy (MSTR), the largest corporate BTC holder, jumped 10% while stablecoin issuer Circle Internet (CRCL) gained 9% and crypto exchange Coinbase (COIN) rose 6%. Bitcoin miners MARA Holdings (MARA) and Riot Platforms (RIOT) added 6%-7%.

The broader macro backdrop also turned supportive. The S&P 500 rose 0.9%, and the Nasdaq added 1.3% to record highs, extending the…