Ether leads crypto's hold above key levels as bitcoin steadies over $63,000

Summary

• Ether led major cryptocurrencies higher over the past week, rising about 12% as bitcoin held above $63,000 and reclaimed its late-June losses.
• Crypto prices stayed firm even as the AI- and chip-driven stock rally lost momentum, breaking the recent pattern of money rotating out of tokens and into technology shares.
• Traders see bitcoins hold above $63,000 as an early sign of a more durable recovery, though a stronger dollar and upcoming U.S. inflation data leave the market without a clear catalyst for further gains.

Ether (ETH) led crypto majors into Monday as bitcoin held above $63,000, steadying after a week that pulled it off its lows and back to its highest in more than a month.

Bitcoin traded around $63,207, little changed on the day but up 5.5% over seven days, per CoinDesk data. Ether was the stronger performer over the week, up 12.4% to about $1,777, while BNB and dogecoin each gained around 5.5%. Solana held near $80.77 with an 11.2% weekly rise and Hyperliquid's HYPE led the majors, up 14.6% on the week. XRP traded at $1.14, up 9.4% over seven days.

The gains held even as the backdrop turned cautious. A rebound in semiconductor and technology shares lost steam, reviving doubts about how durable this year's AI-driven rally is. South Korea's Kospi fell 1.4% as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix declined, and an MSCI gauge of Asian chipmakers slipped.

Brent crude fell 0.6% to about $71.70 a barrel, easing some inflation pressure ahead of the U.S. price data due later this month.

The dollar strengthened against all its major peers, a headwind for crypto that has tracked the currency's moves through the past quarter.