Bitcoin broke the usual "summer weakness" pattern, rising 25 percent in August and posting the third-highest August return on record.

On Sept. 1 local time, blockchain media outlet Bitcoin Magazine reported that bitcoin showed unusual strength last month, overturning the perception of a "seasonal weakness" period.

Andre Dragosch (안드레 드라고시), head of research at Bitwise Europe, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that "there is still no sign of a summer lull this year." He noted that bitcoin's August performance was the third-highest, after about 66 percent in 2017 and about 31 percent in 2013.

The period from June to September is typically cited as a stretch with weaker average returns than other times. Bitcoin saw low volatility for much of June and July and traded below $65,000. That trend shifted from mid-August.

The turning point was the U.S. Treasury's plan to expand bond buybacks. The Treasury said it would more than double the size of buybacks to respond to pressure in the bond market and interest rates that have surged to their highest level in 20 years. Lower long-term yields can reduce the holding burden for non-interest-bearing assets such as bitcoin and gold. Investment funds then flowed quickly into bitcoin.

U.S. President Donald Trump urging Congress to pass a crypto clarity bill also supported the rise. The digital asset industry has called for clearer regulatory standards for bitcoin, stablecoins and other cryptocurrencies. The vote was delayed, but Trump described the draft of the bill as very strong.

Fund flows were also clear. Investors put more than $2.8 billion into exchange-traded funds in August. That was the biggest amount since October last year, when bitcoin set a new all-time high. As inflows through spot ETFs resumed, upward pressure also built in the spot price.

Bitcoin climbed at one point to the $81,000 range last week, but has since edged back. It is now in the $77,000 range, down about 1.54 percent over 24 hours. The past-month gain tops 20 percent.

The moves show bitcoin is responding more to the macro environment, policy signals and ETF inflows than to simple seasonality. Changes in the U.S. rate environment, discussions on crypto legislation and whether ETF inflows continue are expected to remain factors that shape bitcoin's short-term trend.

OFFICIAL: August 2026 is in the books and it's been the 3rd best August in bitcoin's history. August 2017: +65.6% August 2013: +30.7% August 2026: +25.0% No "summer lull" so far. pic.twitter.com/jwHt2VP5Sk