Why Bitcoin Is Up Today

Bitcoin rose about 5.8% over the prior 24 hours to around 2:54 p.m. ET Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, helped by easing oil prices and a limited regulatory shift from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. In the broader market, the S&P 500 fell 0.2% and the Nasdaq Composite was flat. Earlier this week, Brent crude nearly hit $110, pushing the 30-year Treasury yield higher and weighing on “risk-on” assets like crypto. By mid-afternoon Friday, Brent was back below $104 and the 30-year yield was down nearly 1% from Tuesday’s high. The SEC approved a five-year exception for firms to trade tokenized U.S. stocks after a comprehensive crypto bill failed in the Senate.