Bitcoin has regained the $81,000 level for the first time in three months, with expectations for the U.S. CLARITY bill drawing attention as a backdrop to the rebound.

CoinPost, a blockchain media outlet, reported on May 5 that the possibility of progress on the U.S. CLARITY bill lifted market sentiment and supported bitcoin’s price recovery.

The market is focusing on the view that the rebound is not just a price recovery but is also tied to expectations of easing regulatory uncertainty. As discussions continue in the U.S. Congress to clarify regulatory jurisdiction over cryptocurrencies and their legal nature, analysis says expectations have risen for possible institutional reforms.

Bitcoin’s move back above $81,000 is being read as more than a short-term bounce. The market recently struggled to find clear direction as interest rates, macro variables and regulatory issues combined, but this time policy-related expectations have been a key factor behind a recovery in investor sentiment.

Market participants see clearer regulation as potentially improving conditions for institutional inflows. The crypto market has seen heightened volatility depending on issues such as spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs), exchange regulation and criteria for determining whether an asset is a security. Observers say clearer standards could also lower barriers for major investors to access the market.

Recently, hopes for the bill’s passage resurfaced as a compromise was mentioned over issues surrounding stablecoin rewards. The issue reflects conflicting interests between banks and the crypto industry, and prospects have emerged that progress in related discussions could accelerate long-delayed Senate review.

Still, steps remain before the bill is actually passed, including Senate discussions and voting, and the drafting of detailed rules. As a result, the market atmosphere is that it is more focused on whether regulatory discussions can lead to legislative outcomes than on the immediate price rebound.

It is also too early to say whether this recovery will lead to a trend reversal. It is difficult for the market’s direction to be fixed on bill expectations alone. How far the legislative process advances and how related discussions connect with other digital asset regulatory frameworks remain key variables.

In this situation, the market is watching both the price rebound and whether policy progress follows. Bitcoin’s return to $81,000 signals that investor sentiment has revived, but whether gains are sustained depends on whether regulatory clarification leads to actual institutional change.