Bitcoin and ethereum prices today, Thursday, August 20, 2026: Crypto prices surge after President Trump pushes for Clarity Act

Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure.

Bitcoin and ethereum prices today, Thursday, August 20, 2026: Crypto prices surge after President Trump pushes for Clarity Act

Catherine Brock · Contributing writer

Thu, August 20, 2026 at 6:40 PM GMT+3 4 min read

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) opened at $69,289.44 on Thursday, August 20, 2026, 7.1% higher than Wednesday's opening price. As of 9:15 a.m. ET this morning, the price of bitcoin moved up to $71,980.32.

Ethereum (ETH-USD) opened at $2,251.93 on Thursday, August 20, 2026, up 17.5% from Wednesday's opening price. The price of ethereum moved higher this morning to $2,293.10 as of 9:16 a.m. ET.

Bitcoin and ethereum prices jumped higher after President Trump pushed Congress to pass the Clarity Act, legislation that defines whether cryptocurrencies are regulated as securities or commodities. The bill is currently stalled in the Senate and scheduled for a procedural vote in September.

A decline in long-term Treasury yields also supported the move up in crypto prices. The yield dip followed the U.S. Treasury's announcement that it would double long-term debt buybacks. Lower long-term borrowing rates tend to increase demand for riskier assets, including digital currencies, as investors seek out higher yields.

Current price of bitcoin

Bitcoin

The price of bitcoin this morning was 7.1% higher/lower than Wednesday's opening price. Here's a look at how the opening bitcoin price has changed versus last week, month, and year:

• One week ago: +9.3%

• One month ago: +7.1%

• One year ago: -38.6%

The all-time high for bitcoin was $126,198.07 on Oct. 6, 2025. The all-time low value for bitcoin was $0.04865 on July 14, 2010.

Ethereum

The price of ethereum this morning was 17.5% higher than Wednesday's open. Here's a look at how the opening ethereum price has changed versus last week, month, and year:

• One week ago: +19.9%

• One month ago: +20.3%

• One year ago: -44.7%

Bitcoin, ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies are rapidly evolving. Follow the latest developments from Yahoo Finance and others here.

What is a crypto credit card?

A bitcoin or crypto credit card generally works just like any other credit card. When you apply and get approved, you'll be assigned a credit limit, and you can use your card to make purchases. If you don't pay your total balance by your card's monthly due date, you'll start to accrue interest at your assigned APR.

The difference is the types of rewards you'll earn. Instead of earning airline miles, rewards points, or cash back on your spending, you'll earn crypto. The percentage back you earn on each purchase — such as 3% back on gas or 2% back at restaurants — is converted from U.S. dollars to bitcoin or another cryptocurrency at the current market value. You can then access your rewards through your connected crypto account.

For example, say you make a $500 purchase that earns 3% bitcoin rewards. You'll earn $15 in U.S. dollars on that purchase. With a bitcoin credit card, your $15 may be converted at the current bitcoin value (about 0.00014 bitcoin in October 2025) and deposited in your crypto account.

The biggest benefit of crypto rewards is the potential for growth over time. Let's say you had a total bitcoin rewards balance worth $100 USD at the end of 2024. By early October 2025, the value of those same rewards would have increased to about $114 — even if you didn't earn any additional rewards over that time.

Learn more: Do you need a bitcoin credit card? What you can gain (and lose) by earning bitcoin rewards on spending

Bitcoin and ethereum price charts

Whether you're brand new to tracking the value of bitcoin and ethereum or a more seasoned crypto investor, Yahoo Finance's price-of-bitcoin chart and price-of-ethereum chart below show a visual history of how the currency's value continues to move and evolve.

(BTC-USD )

Go deeper with AlphaSpace

72,432.72 +3,993.69 (+5.84%)

As of 4:10:14 PM UTC. Market Open.

(ETH-USD )

Go deeper with AlphaSpace

2,326.05 +237.43 (+11.37%)

As of 4:10:17 PM UTC. Market Open.

More on crypto from the Yahoo Finance team:

Do you need a bitcoin credit card? What you can gain (and lose) by earning bitcoin rewards on spending

What you need to know about crypto credit card rewards and how to decide if they're right for you.

Coinbase and American Express to launch 4% bitcoin reward card

The new Coinbase One Card, slated for fall 2025, will earn up to 4% bitcoin back and is exclusively available to Coinbase One subscription members.

How to navigate a crypto meltdown: 'Be willing to hold on'

Financial advisors are reversing course on cryptocurrencies as an investment. So what happens when the next crypto crash occurs?

Ethereum vs. Bitcoin: Understanding the key differences

Compare Ethereum and Bitcoin. Learn the key differences between BTC and ETH, from origins and supply to consensus mechanisms and real-world use cases.

Gemini Credit Card review: Earn crypto rewards by making eligible purchases

Whether you're a digital currency aficionado or a crypto newbie, the Gemini Crypto Credit Card could be worth a look. Here's what to know about this card, its benefits, and its drawbacks.

Trump has called for a strategic bitcoin reserve. How it would work.

President Trump is proposing holding and even adding to the government’s bitcoin store, a significant departure from the previous administration. Here's how the strategic bitcoin reserve would work.