The cryptocurrency market has come under modest selling pressure after a strong run that lifted total market capitalization to $3 trillion last week, and attention is now turning to a heavy slate of U.S. economic data due in the coming days. With PCE inflation and employment reports on the calendar, U.S. macro events are expected to play a decisive role in shaping the market's next trajectory. Investors are also monitoring precious metals, with gold and silver prices having slumped to seven-week lows.

Bitcoin (BTC) was holding above $83,000 at the time of writing, while leading altcoins such as Ethereum (ETH), XRP, BNB, and Solana (SOL) recorded pullbacks of 2-5%.

A Data-Heavy Week for US Macro

After hitting the $3 trillion market cap milestone last week, as reported by The Market Periodical, the crypto market is preparing for a busy stretch of U.S. economic releases, with reports on job openings, inflation, economic growth, and employment all scheduled over the coming days.

The U.S. JOLTS job openings report is due on Tuesday, September 29. Core PCE inflation data and GDP figures follow on Wednesday, September 30, and the non-farm payrolls report is scheduled for Friday, October 2. The core PCE reading carries particular weight because it is the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, making Wednesday's release the data point most closely tied to the Fed's policy outlook.

Bond markets are equally in focus. The U.S. 10-year Treasury has climbed 48 basis points this month to 5.23%, its highest level since 2007, putting September on track for its largest monthly increase since April 2024. According to Coin Bureau, the yield now sits just 5 basis points below its 2007 peak, and a break above that level would put it on course for its highest reading since 2002. For traders weighing exposure to crypto, yields at that level define the return available on cash and government debt — the backdrop against which assets like Bitcoin are positioned.

Monetary policy adds another layer to the backdrop. Since December 2025, the U.S. Federal Reserve has paused its purchases of U.S. Treasury bills, and its balance sheet remains roughly $209 billion larger over that period. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has signaled an intent to potentially restart the purchases. Because Fed Treasury purchases are widely read as a signal on dollar liquidity, any such restart would be a development crypto market participants watch closely.

Bitcoin Price Eyes Bullish Retest at $82,000

Popular crypto analyst Ali Martinez noted in an X post that the Bitcoin price has broken out a double-bottom pattern and is now moving toward the neckline support at $82,000. According to the analyst, if the level holds as support, the retest could present a buying opportunity, and he believes the next BTC price target of $100,000 could arrive as early as the end of October.

Another analyst, Crypto Patel, highlighted in an X post that a daily close by Bitcoin above $82,500 is the key level to watch. Such a close would confirm a higher-timeframe change of character (CHoCH) after the break of the previous lower-high and lower-low structure. BTC subsequently climbed to $87,368, although Patel noted that a new higher high has not yet been confirmed.

Patel added that Bitcoin has faced resistance in the $90,585–$84,694 bearish order block and fair value gap region, while his higher-timeframe bullish outlook remains intact for as long as BTC maintains its bullish structure.

The calendar sets up a convergence worth tracking: Bitcoin is approaching the levels both analysts flag just as the week's pivotal U.S. inflation and growth data land on Wednesday.

Altcoins: Ethereum Eyes Its Best September in a Decade

Alongside Bitcoin, the broader altcoin market has shown solid strength over the past month. Ethereum has led the way with a 10% gain on the monthly chart, while XRP, SOL, ZEC, HYPE, and DOGE have contributed larger gains.

Ethereum is up 11.6% so far in September, putting ETH on pace for its strongest September since 2016. It would also mark only the fourth positive September for the cryptocurrency over the past decade. With three days remaining in the month, ETH still has an opportunity to secure the milestone — and the calendar adds a macro wrinkle, since Wednesday's PCE and GDP releases fall right inside that final stretch.

Analyst Michael van de Poppe said in an X post that current crypto market volatility could trigger a corrective phase, noting that he is adding modestly to his cash positions. Even so, he expects any pullback to be relatively mild, followed by a recovery into the fourth quarter, adding that he remains bullish on Q4.

Source: The Market Periodical — What's Ahead For Crypto Market This Week With US PCE Inflation and Jobs Data?