Bitcoin Surges Past $81,000 as Privacy Coins Lead Charge

Bitcoin broke above $81,000 on Friday after clearing the $81,309 level that had capped its late-August advance. This push through recent resistance marked a decisive shift in momentum for the cryptocurrency, with traders absorbing a market-wide burst of energy and $318.6 million in liquidations across digital assets.

The broader move was hardly confined to Bitcoin. Ether gained 4.52% over 24 hours, XRP climbed 5.58%, and Solana advanced 3.04%, reinforcing the sense that risk appetite had spread across major tokens.

However, it's the privacy-coin surge that stands out for both magnitude and mystery. Zcash rose 16.55%, Dash jumped 19.24%, and Monero added 5.89% over 24 hours without an obvious catalyst identified for their outperformance.