Bitcoin and ethereum prices today, Monday, October 5, 2026: Bitcoin back above $86,000 after higher rate expectations fade

Bitcoin (BTC-USD) opened at $86,513.38 on Monday, October 5, 2026, up 2.1% from Sunday’s opening price. As of 7:37 a.m. ET this morning, bitcoin dipped to $86,121.88.

Ethereum (ETH-USD) opened at $2,726.72 on Monday, October 5, 2026, up 1.5% from Sunday’s opening price. The price of ethereum moved slightly lower this morning to $2,717.55 as of 7:37 a.m. ET.

Bitcoin and ethereum prices opened higher this morning, as Bitcoin reclaims the $86,000 threshold following a softer-than-expected jobs report that caused higher rate expectations to fade:

The Labor Department reported that the US added 29,000 jobs in September, missing expectations. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2% from 4.1% in the previous month.

Economists expected a gain of 90,000 jobs last month, following a revised print of 133,000 job gains in August.

The CME Group’s FedWatch tool currently shows an 80.6% chance the Fed will hold rates steady in a few weeks and only a 19.4% chance rates will rise by 25 basis points. Compare that to just one week ago, when there was a 29.1% expectation rates would stay the same and a 70.9% chance rates would move higher.

Current price of bitcoin and ethereum

Bitcoin

Bitcoin’s price this morning, Monday, October 5, 2026, was up 2.1% from Sunday’s opening price. Here’s a look at how the opening bitcoin price has changed versus last week, month, and year:

• One week ago: +2.4

• One month ago: +8.6%

• One year ago: -29.3%

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, Monday, October 5, 2026, was 1.5% higher than Sunday’s open. Here’s a look at how the opening ethereum price has changed versus last week, month, and year:

• One week ago: +1.5%

• One month ago: +11%

• One year ago: -39.3%

The all-time high for ethereum was $4,953.73 on Aug. 24, 2025. The all-time low value for ethereum was $0.4209 on Oct. 21, 2015. 

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

How Bitcoin works

Bitcoin is a type of cryptocurrency, which is a currency that exists only in digital form and operates without government or banking oversight. By comparison, the U.S. dollar, the EU euro, the Canadian dollar, and other national currencies have paper versions and are issued by their respective governments.

Bitcoin relies on a public digital ledger that validates and records transactions and verifies bitcoin ownership. This ledger is called the blockchain, and it is globally distributed — that is, decentralized — across a broad, worldwide network of servers.

Decentralization is a fundamental aspect of cryptocurrencies. Decentralization facilitates peer-to-peer payments with no banking intermediary, enhanced security, and defense against manipulation attempts.

Learn more: What is Bitcoin, and how does it work?

How to buy Bitcoin in 2026

There are several ways to buy Bitcoin. You can go through a crypto exchange, a fintech app, or a traditional brokerage that will allow you to buy into a bitcoin ETF.

Before placing a trade, though, decide what you actually want: full ownership of your bitcoin and private keys — or easy price exposure inside a familiar, regulated system.

Whichever avenue you take, it’s important to remember that bitcoin remains a high-risk, highly volatile asset compared to many other investments. Prices can surge or drop quickly, sometimes without warning. If you’re considering buying bitcoin, assume volatility is part of the deal.

Learn more: Is bitcoin’s price volatility an investing opportunity? Here’s how to buy bitcoin.

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 currencies’ value continues to move and evolve.

More on crypto from the Yahoo Finance team: