BTC Breaks the $119K Mark, Led by Strong Moves in XLM and HBAR

Bitcoin set a new record over the weekend, but altcoins Stellar (XLM) and Hedera (HBAR) delivered even stronger performances, capturing traders’ attention with significant double-digit gains.

At 2:20 p.m. UTC on Sunday, Bitcoin (BTC) reached a new all-time high of $119,308, up 1.4% over the past 24 hours, according to CoinDesk data. By 4:11 p.m. UTC, BTC had edged slightly lower to $118,882, holding a daily gain of 1.38%.

The move came despite geopolitical turbulence. Late Friday, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the U.S. will impose a 30% tariff on imports from both the European Union and Mexico, set to begin August 1. Despite the potential economic fallout, crypto markets remained largely unfazed.

Amid the bullish mood, market analysts are predicting higher prices ahead for Bitcoin. Speaking with CNBC, Thomas Lee, CIO of Fundstrat Capital, said BTC could climb as high as $150,000 to $250,000 by year-end, citing a persistent gap between demand and limited supply.

XLM and HBAR Take Center Stage

While Bitcoin’s record-breaking price drew headlines, two altcoins posted even larger gains:

• Stellar (XLM) peaked at $0.4815 around 3:20 p.m. UTC before easing to $0.4578, still up 22% over the past 24 hours. Saturday saw XLM jump 6%, making it the strongest performer among the top 20 cryptocurrencies.
• Hedera (HBAR) surged to an intraday high of $0.2516 at 3:10 p.m. UTC, later trading at $0.2439, marking a 27% gain, the largest among major digital assets for the day.

Analysts Spot Altcoin Rotation Trend

Crypto analyst Rekt Capital noted on X that HBAR’s recent 62% rally closely mirrors its performance during the 2021 bull market. The analyst suggested any short-term pullbacks could serve as bullish retests, potentially setting the stage for a breakout past current resistance levels.

Rekt Capital also observed that even a modest 2.5% decline in Bitcoin’s dominance has already triggered strong altcoin rallies. A larger drop in dominance could fuel a significant rotation of capital into altcoins, he said, potentially igniting a broader altcoin season.

Looking Ahead

With Bitcoin hovering near all-time highs and altcoins showing powerful momentum, the crypto market appears poised for further action. Stellar and Hedera’s recent surges hint at growing investor interest beyond Bitcoin, signaling that altcoins could take a leading role in the months ahead.