Bitcoin Surges Past $90,000 Amid Market Moves and Fed Commentary on Dec 17, 2025
On December 17, 2025, Bitcoin surged above $90,000 at the start of the U.S. trading session, marking its first rise beyond that level since the previous weekend. This price increase occurred alongside significant gains in precious metals, with silver jumping nearly 5% to a record above $66 per ounce, while gold and copper each rose by more than 1%.
Federal Reserve Governor Chris Waller, considered a leading candidate for the next Fed chair, remarked that interest rates were currently about 50 to 100 basis points above the neutral level and indicated that inflation is unlikely to rebound. These comments came amid the market movements.
Open interest on Bitcoin declined slightly from approximately 669,000 BTC to 665,000 BTC as prices climbed, suggesting the rally was driven primarily by short sellers closing their positions rather than new long positions entering the market. This price move has been characterized as a deleveraging rally.
