Rising bond yields are putting pressure on equities, and the article suggests this is now also impacting bitcoin, which previously decoupled. while btc has been steady recently, increased correlation with traditional risk assets could lead to further downward pressure.
The surge in treasury yields increases borrowing costs and can lead to risk aversion in markets, which is pressuring equities and is now suggested to be impacting bitcoin as well, despite its earlier decoupling. the options market also shows 'peak fear'.
The article discusses recent events and immediate market reactions to rising bond yields and geopolitical fears (iran war) that began in late february, suggesting a near-term impact.
Markets Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email Stocks start catching up with bitcoin’s earlier price crash to $60,000 as bond yields rise Stocks look to be catching with BTC's earlier crash to nearly $60,000. By Omkar Godbole Mar 23, 2026, 5:32 a.m. Make us preferred on Google Stocks catch up with earlier BTC weakness as Treasury yields surge. (sergeitokmakov/Pixabay) What to know : Nasdaq and S&P 500 futures hit September lows as rising Treasury yields Stocks look to be catching with BTC's earlier crash to nearly $60,000. Bitcoin BTC $ 68,605.68 began the year on a painful note, even as equity markets remained buoyant. But stock traders’ luck is now running out, as rising bond yields pressure valuations. Prices for bitcoin plunged to nearly $60,000 from around $90,000 in the first five weeks of the year, according to CoinDesk data. The decline marked a sharp decoupling from the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, which were trading at or near record highs at the time. Analysts wondered how long the divergence would last — whether bitcoin would quickly bounce back or stocks would eventually catch up with the weakness in bitcoin. The latter appears to be happening. Since the Iran war began on Feb. 28, fears over inflation and fading Fed rate-cut expectations have pushed U.S. Treasury yields sharply higher, putting pressure on equities. The stock market’s weakness, appearing weeks after BTC’s decline, underscores the cryptocurrency’s role as a leading indicator for traditional risk assets. Traders in conventional markets often watch BTC to gauge overall risk sentiment, particularly on weekends or during days when traditional exchanges are closed. Yields rise, stocks drop The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note rose to 4.41% soon before press time, the highest since Aug. 1. The benchmark borrowing cost has risen by 48 basis points since the onset of the Iran war. The U.S. two-year yield has jumped 57 basis points to 3.94%. Treasury yields are considered the benchmark for risk-free interest rates and borrowing costs in the economy, such as corporate bonds, mortgages, student loans, etc., are priced relative to Treasuries. So, when yields rise, lenders typically increase rates on loans to maintain their spreads, which pushes borrowing costs higher for businesses and consumers. This leads to risk aversion in equities, which we are beginning to see now. Futures tied to Wall Street's tech heavy index Nasdaq fell to 23,890 points early Monday, the lowest since Sept. 11. The S&P 500 e-mini futures fell to 6,505 points, also the lowest since September. CoinDesk recently highlighted that the price patterns of major stock indices bear a striking resemblance to bitcoin's price action leading up to its crash. This similarity has raised concerns among analysts, suggesting that stocks could be at risk of further declines if the pattern continues to play out. "Bitcoin has been at the top of the risk-assets iceberg, and its collapsing price could be early days of a broader drawdown -- particularly if surging commodity volatility trickles up to stocks," Bloomberg's Senior Commodity Strategist Mike McGlone said in a recent report. Bitcoin steady Having crashed early this year, BTC has held largely steady between $65,000 and $75,000 in recent weeks. As of writing, the cryptocurrency changed hands at $68,790. Yet, pricing in options market shows peak fear , resulting in a record bias for put options, or derivative contracts offering protection from price slides in BTC. Bitcoin News Markets More For You XRP drops 3.7% as break below $1.40 signals renewed downside risk By Shaurya Malwa 28 minutes ago Traders are watching the $1.38–$1.40 zone after repeated failures to reclaim resistance. What to know : XRP has fallen below the key $1.40 support level and remains under pressure as sellers dominate and recovery attempts falter. The token is trading in a descending channel between roughly $1.38 and $1.42, with repeated failures to reclaim $1.40–$1.41 turning that zone into near-term resistance. Traders are watching whether the $1.38–$1.40 area can hold as support, as a decisive break lower could open the way toward the thinner $1.30–$1.32 support zone. Read full story Latest Crypto News XRP drops 3.7% as break below $1.40 signals renewed downside risk 28 minuti fa Bitcoin holds $68,300 as gold crashes for a ninth day and Asian stocks drop 38 minuti fa Sam Bankman-Fried’s parents tell CNN no customer money was lost. FTX creditors see it differently. 50 minuti fa South Korea crypto liquidity tumbles as stablecoin balances plunge 55% and stock buying rises 1 ora fa If one trader can force the outcome of a prediction market, it shouldn’t be tradable 10 ore fa The SEC explains how it's viewing a crypto security: State of Crypto 11 ore fa Top Stories Senators say they've reached compromise on yield to advance crypto market bill 20 mar 2026 Bitcoin miners are losing $19,000 on every BTC produced as difficulty drops 7.8% 23 ore fa Ethereum faces make-or-break moment in high-stakes balancing act as scaling, quantum and AI pressures mount 12 ore fa Gold falters as macro pressures build, bitcoin holds liquidity trend 14 ore fa The genius and the danger of STRC: How Strategy’s new funding model bends so it doesn't break 13 ore fa Bitcoin options signal extreme fear as downside protection premium hits new all-time high, says VanEck 21 mar 2026