Bitcoin Nears $64K as Semiconductor Rally and Stronger Yen Boost Market Momentum

Bitcoin rebounds toward $64K as AI chip rally and currency moves fuel gains

Bitcoin recorded its strongest performance of the week during Asian market hours, recovering from a turbulent stretch that included an oil price spike, bond market losses, and escalating U.S.-Iran tensions.

BTC surged 3.5% on Friday to nearly $64,000 after recovering from a selloff triggered by President Trump’s warning that military action against Iran could expand. The cryptocurrency fell to roughly $61,850 before buyers returned, with around $28 billion in bitcoin changing hands over the past 24 hours. CoinDesk data showed bitcoin gained 4.2% over the full week.

Other major cryptocurrencies also moved higher. Ether climbed 2.6% to $1,760, finishing the week with a 4% gain. Solana rose 2.6% to $78 but remained down 2.1% for the week, making it the only major token still in negative territory. XRP advanced 2.2%, TRON increased 1.2% and posted the strongest weekly performance among major assets at 4.7%, while Hyperliquid’s HYPE added 1.8% to $68. Dogecoin gained 2.6% but remained slightly negative for the week.

The quick recovery was partly fueled by derivatives activity rather than a major shift in underlying demand. Traders rapidly reduced exposure following the Iran headlines and then rebuilt positions shortly afterward, creating a sharp reversal in prices.

“Once liquidations start driving market moves, prices can travel faster than actual demand would normally justify,” said Shawn Young, chief analyst at MEXC Research. He noted that bitcoin’s next challenge is holding the recovery zone between $60,000 and $63,000.

Risk appetite also improved across Asian markets as investors returned to semiconductor stocks on renewed optimism around artificial intelligence growth. MSCI’s Asia Pacific equity index gained 1.4%, cutting its weekly decline to less than 1%.

South Korea’s Kospi index, often viewed as a gauge for AI-related investment sentiment, jumped 4%. Memory chipmaker SK Hynix was among the biggest beneficiaries after pricing a $26.5 billion American depositary share offering, ranking among the largest equity sales of the year.

Currency and bond market moves also supported the rally. The Japanese yen strengthened 0.6%, while longer-term Japanese government bond yields declined after Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said pension funds should increase allocations toward domestic assets. Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar weakened further and moved toward its second consecutive weekly decline.

Bitcoin’s gains were not tied to any major crypto-specific developments during the week. There were no significant ETF inflows, major blockchain upgrades, or exchange-related events. Instead, BTC absorbed several macro shocks, including energy market volatility, a global bond selloff, shifting Federal Reserve expectations, and renewed U.S.-Iran conflict concerns before ending the week higher.

Market watchers are increasingly focused on the dollar’s decline as a key driver. Bitcoin’s latest advance came partly as the value of the currency it is priced against weakened. If dollar weakness continues and the AI-driven technology rally remains strong, crypto markets may continue taking cues from semiconductor trends and broader risk sentiment rather than developments within the blockchain sector.

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