Bitcoin retreats to $84,000 as traders eye U.S. inflation data

Bitcoin retreats — Bitcoin gave up early gains to trade near $84,000 on September 30, 2026, as the market awaited the release of key U.S. inflation data.

The leading cryptocurrency’s price action remained tentative ahead of the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index report for August. Analysts noted that the core PCE reading, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, came in slightly below expectations at 0.2% month-over-month versus a forecast of 0.3%.

In a separate development, Standard Chartered initiated coverage of Ethena’s ENA token, highlighting institutional interest in specific crypto assets. Meanwhile, the Bank of Korea announced plans for its first gold purchase in 13 years, a move seen by some observers as a potential diversification of reserves away from traditional fiat currencies.

The broader crypto market showed mixed signals, with traders largely adopting a wait-and-see approach pending further economic clarity from the inflation figures.