Gold Crosses $4,500 but Bitcoin Price Is Still Down, What’s Happening?

Key Insights:

• Bitcoin price is down in 2025, while gold is up 65% and trading above $4,500.
• BTC price must reclaim $91,300, a 5% rise, to avoid ending the year clearly red.
• Failure to hold $85,200 risks a slide toward $80,530 as macro money stays cautious.

Bitcoin price is under pressure again. Over the past 24 hours, the BTC USD has been down around 1%, trading near $87,000.

The move itself is not large. What matters more is what Bitcoin is being compared to. Gold has crossed $4,500 and is trading near record highs.

At the same time, stocks and other assets are moving up, while Bitcoin remains stuck. This is no longer just a crypto problem. Bitcoin is now falling behind the broader market.

Bitcoin Price Is Losing Ground, But Not To Altcoins

In 2025, money has moved very differently from what many crypto traders expected. Gold is up about 65% this year and is now trading near $4,500, while Bitcoin price struggles.

This move is not driven by excitement. It is driven by fear and caution.

When investors worry about the economy, inflation, or global risk, they often move money into gold. Even rate cut hopes helped Gold more than the BTC USD.

Silver has risen more than 130%. Copper is up around 35%. These are not risky assets. They are used in industry and seen as stores of value when growth slows.

Stock markets are also ahead. The Nasdaq is up close to 20%. Even the S&P 500 has gained around 16%. The Russell 2000 is up roughly 13%.

These gains show that capital is flowing toward large, established markets. Investors are not chasing fast returns with Bitcoin or other crypto assets. They are choosing stability and size.

Now compare that with crypto market. Bitcoin (BTC) is still down for the year.

Ethereum is down even more. Most altcoins are down close to 40%. Plus, the Bitcoin Vs. Gold correlation has dropped significantly, showing no follow-up hopes.

This makes Bitcoin price and other crypto the weakest major asset group in 2025.

This is not happening by accident. High interest rates make borrowing expensive.

When borrowing is expensive, people take fewer risks. Crypto depends heavily on risk-taking. Without that, prices struggle.

Another reason is trust. After heavy losses earlier in the year, many investors are still cautious. It takes time for confidence to return.

Why Bitcoin Price Needs a 5% Move Just to Catch Up?

Bitcoin price began the year near $93,000. That starting point is important.

If BTC USD ends the year far below that level, it confirms underperformance. That is why $91,300 matters so much. It is not a bullish goal. It is a survival level.

From current prices, Bitcoin price needs roughly a 5% rise just to reach that area. Only above $91,300 does Bitcoin avoid finishing the year clearly red.

Above that, the next problem appears near $97,900. This level has stopped Bitcoin several times. Each time the price reached this area, sellers stepped in.

This tells us many holders are still waiting to sell into strength rather than hold for higher prices.

On the downside, $85,200 is the key support for Bitcoin price. Support is a level where buyers usually try to defend the price. Bitcoin has respected this zone so far. But if the price drops below it, the next level is near $80,530.

A move toward $80,530 would place BTC USD far below its yearly starting point. That would highlight how far behind it has fallen compared to gold, silver, and stocks.

What the Bigger Picture Is Saying About Bitcoin?

This situation does not mean Bitcoin is finished or dead. It means the market environment has changed.

Right now, investors want safety. Gold is making new highs. Stocks continue to rise slowly and steadily.

On the other hand, Bitcoin price is moving sideways and struggling to attract strong buying interest. Plus, its negative correlation to yet another market component, the DXY, is also gathering fresh interest.

As DXY eyes a golden cross, it might now be a bit hard for the Bitcoin price to gain that 5% push before the year ends.

Large institutions are not chasing Bitcoin at these levels. They are protecting capital.

Many are waiting for clearer signs of economic easing or lower interest rates before taking risks again. This is why BTC USD rallies fade quickly.

Each rise attracts sellers who want to reduce exposure. That keeps the Bitcoin price price stuck.

For the Bitcoin (BTC) price to stay relevant in this macro race, it must first reclaim $91,300. Until that happens, Bitcoin remains behind assets that are already benefiting from cautious capital flows.