Bitcoin Holds Firm, Stocks Waver as Trump Ends US Government Shutdown - Asia Reacts

Crypto stands unfazed while traditional markets blink first.

Bitcoin's proving its resilience again—barely flinching as Trump's signature reopens the US government. Meanwhile, Asian equities can't decide whether to rally or retreat. Typical.

Here's the breakdown:

Digital gold holds the line

No panic-selling, no wild surges—just steady accumulation while fiat markets throw tantrums. BTC's behaving like the adult in the room.

Stocks can't pick a direction

Some indices up, some down, all confused. Traders are pricing in political uncertainty like it's 2020 again. (Spoiler: it's not.)

The real story?

While politicians play chicken with shutdown deadlines, Bitcoin's network keeps humming along—no emergency sessions required. Maybe that 'pet rock' actually runs better infrastructure than Congress.

Closing thought: If markets rallied every time DC kicked the can down the road, we'd all be buying lambos with stimulus checks by now.

Market snapshot

• Bitcoin: $101,839, down 1.5%
• Ether: $3,457, up 0.2%
• XRP: $2.47, up 2.8%
• Total crypto market cap: $3.53 trillion, down 1.5%

Markets Look To Upcoming US Reports For Confirmation Of Softening Labor Conditions

Economists expect delayed reports to trickle out next week, with attention on whether the figures confirm recent signs of labor-market softness in private surveys.

President Trump signs bill to reopen the government. The longest shutdown in US history is over, but it will take time for things to return to normal. https://t.co/wqqceeYUad pic.twitter.com/CCXkplBHYI

In Japan, the Nikkei ROSE 0.5% and the Topix climbed nearly 1% to a record, as investors rotated away from the frothiest AI leaders into broader parts of the economy. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng eased from a one-month high, while the Shanghai Composite added 0.1%.

Wall Street closed split overnight. The Dow Jones Industrial Average notched a record high, even as the Nasdaq slipped, reflecting ongoing profit-taking in high-multiple tech. In Europe, the FTSE 100 finished at a record, bank gains lifted the STOXX 600 to fresh peaks, and Italy’s FTSE MIB hit its highest level in nearly 25 years.

Shutdown’s End Clears Path For Regulators To Resume Oversight And ETF Reviews

Safe-haven moves faded. The US 10-year Treasury yield hovered NEAR 4.07% after an earlier bond bid eased. Gold, which surged nearly 3% overnight, stayed firm above $4,200 in Asian hours as traders balanced easing shutdown risks with lingering macro uncertainty.

Energy softened. Brent crude futures edged down to a three-week low near $62.48 a barrel after OPEC shifted its outlook to a small surplus for 2026, tempering the demand narrative that supported prices earlier in the week.

For crypto traders, the fiscal clarity removes one source of headline risk, but it may not immediately shift flows. With Bitcoin flat and liquidity still thin in early trade, desks are watching the restart of US data for fresh cues on rates and risk appetite.

The shutdown’s end also clears the way for regulators and agencies to return to normal operations, which matters for digital-asset oversight, ETF administration, and enforcement calendars.

Any surprises in the coming data run could reprice rate expectations and Ripple quickly through high-beta assets, including crypto.

For now, the market tone is one of cautious relief. The reopening steadies sentiment, but positioning remains selective as investors parse the path from fiscal restart to a cleaner read on growth, inflation and the next Federal Reserve steps.