Crypto market cap reclaims $3 trillion as Bitcoin, altcoins rally

MarketsPublishedSep 22, 2026Bitcoin traded near $86,000 as major altcoins gained, while rising derivatives leverage pointed to growing speculative activity across crypto markets.The cryptocurrency market cap briefly climbed back above $3 trillion earlier on Tuesday as Bitcoin and the biggest altcoins extended a broad rally, while increasing leverage pointed to growing speculative activity. Bitcoin (BTC) traded around $86,000, up about 4.5% over the past 24 hours, according to CoinGecko. Ether (ETH) gained about 2.3% to $2,745, while XRP rose 5.7% to $1.53 and Solana (SOL) advanced 3.6% to $117. BNB gained 1.6%, while Dogecoin (DOGE) was among the stronger large-cap performers, rising about 11%.The total crypto market cap stood just below $3 trillion at the time of writing, up about 4.3% over the previous day. Bloomberg reported that open interest in perpetual futures across crypto had climbed to nearly $160 billion, its highest level since late October 2025. More than $920 million in bearish positions were liquidated on Monday as prices surged, according to the report, raising the prospect that leverage could amplify moves in either direction.US spot Bitcoin ETFs also drew nearly $...