Bitcoin rose above $87,000 in early October 2026, starting the month positively after closing September with a 6.5% gain. The move matters because the crypto community traditionally calls October “Uptober,” reflecting bitcoin’s historically bullish performance during the month.

The informal term combines the English words “up” and “October.”

Bitcoin’s October record

According to CoinGlass, bitcoin closed October higher in 10 of the 13 years from 2013 through 2025, a positive rate of 76.9%.

Bitcoin’s average October return over that period was 18.71%, while its median return was 12.73%. Its best October was in 2013, when it gained 60.79%, and its worst was in 2014, when it fell 12.95%.

Bitcoin also recorded negative October returns in 2018 and 2025, according to CoinGlass data on the asset’s monthly gains and declines.

Market indicators and policy expectations

Additional metrics cited by Plan B also pointed to bitcoin being in a relatively strong position after the September 2026 close.

According to his data, bitcoin ended September at $83,563. That was above its estimated realized price of $54,000 and its 200-week moving average of $66,000.

The same data showed that 82% of addresses and 71% of bitcoin were in profit.

In August 2026, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong posted his own “vision board” on X. His expected events included a convincing bipartisan vote for the CLARITY Act on September 15, Uptober and the start of a new bull run in the crypto market.

Part of that scenario did not materialize: The U.S. Senate was unable to advance the CLARITY Act on September 15. Bitcoin nevertheless began October positively and traded near $87,000 on the Binance BTC/USDT market, according to TradingView data.

Source: Incrypted