As you may have noticed last week, Bitcoin and all altcoins started pumping hard. This rally was largely propelled by positive movements in trade relations and increasing optimism over a forthcoming U.S. inflation report. That surge pushed the combined market capitalization of all cryptocurrencies above $3.2 trillion. Speculators have started viewing the second biggest cryptocurrency, Ethereum, as indicative for bullish or bearish sentiment in the market along with Bitcoin.

Trade Talk Optimism Boosts Crypto

In reaction to President Donald Trump’s rosy remarks on US-China trade talks, crypto markets pumped. Traders responded by bidding prices up sharply, in a flush of exuberance. This greatly reduced the perceived risk of trade, making it a much more attractive investment environment for digital assets. The current trade negotiations taking place in Switzerland are all the rage on Bitcoin, altcoins and the stock market. Positive outcomes from these discussions can significantly increase investor confidence.

It was positive sentiment about US-China trade talks that ignited bitcoin’s meteoric rise. The cryptocurrency is currently hovering well above the $104,000 mark and approaching its previous all-time high. Ethereum exploded with incredible power once its consolidation range was broken. This resulted in a short squeeze, which caused its price to rocket from $1,800 all the way up to $2,500. The trends among these major cryptocurrencies further highlight how responsive the cryptocurrency market is to global economic and political events.

Inflation Data and Federal Reserve Impact

Another key variable driving the entire cryptocurrency market right now is the release by the U.S. government of inflationary data. Economists anticipate the report will reveal an increase in consumer prices for April, attributing this rise, in part, to companies making tariff-related adjustments. Market participants are keenly attuned to U.S. inflation data given its likely influence on future Federal Reserve monetary policy actions.

Analysts expect that the headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) ticked up from 2.4% in March to 2.5% in April. They see the core CPI remaining unchanged at +2.8%. These numbers provide important information about the economy’s topline health. They can have a huge effect on regulatory approaches to investor strategies in all asset classes, including cryptos as well. Bitcoin and altcoins commonly rally or dump based on U.S. inflation data, which makes it a critical bellwether index for crypto traders and analysts.

Altcoins Soar Amid Market Rally

The bullish optimism in the crypto ecosystem didn’t stop with Bitcoin and Ethereum as a plethora of altcoins saw double-digit increases. This surprising bull run is a clear indication of increasing positive investor sentiment and excitement about the overall digital asset ecosystem. As a result, altcoin prices exploded during the period, contributing significantly to driving the total market capitalization above the $3.2 trillion mark. This phenomenal growth highlights how rapidly the cryptocurrency market is diversifying and maturing.