Key Facts
- Bitcoin settled at US$79,116 down 1.54% on Monday after a stronger-than-expected US payrolls report pushed markets to reprice Federal Reserve rate risk.
- Ethereum held firmer at US$2,491 a drop of 0.94%, with ETF inflows and whales pulling coins off exchanges cushioning the decline.
- Brazil’s crypto economy is now overwhelmingly stablecoin-driven with 98% of Q1 2026 purchases made in dollar-linked tokens on US$6.9 billion in volume.
- In Argentina, more than 70% of Bitso purchases were USDT and USDC, and about 75% of workers paid in crypto chose stablecoin salaries.
- El Salvador’s digital-currency remittances reached US$35.4 million in the first half of 2026, up 39.1% from US$25.4 million a year earlier, but still just 0.7% of total remittances.
- Bitcoin fund flows show traders repositioning on the Fed path rather than exiting the market, with spot Bitcoin ETF inflows hitting US$3.8 billion over the strongest three-week stretch of 2026.
Today’s Focus
Bitcoin slipped 1.54% to US$79,116 on Monday, failing to hold the US$80,000 line after a hotter-than-expected nonfarm payrolls report shifted US macro risk appetite. The market is now pricing a growing chance of a September rate hike, which tightens monetary conditions and pressures speculative assets.
Still, the move reads as repositioning rather than flight. Spot Bitcoin ETF inflows reached US$3.8 billion over the strongest three-week stretch of 2026, while Ethereum saw ETF inflows and whales pulling coins off exchanges, limiting its decline to 0.94% at US$2,491.
For Latin America, the action matters less than the region’s stablecoin infrastructure story. Brazil’s Q1 purchases were 98% stablecoins on US$6.9 billion in volume; Argentina shows over 70% of Bitso buys in USDT or USDC; and El Salvador’s crypto remittances rose 39.1% to US$35.4 million in H1 2026, though that remains just 0.7% of total remittances.
What matters today. The real LatAm story is not Bitcoin’s wobbly price but how deeply dollar-linked stablecoins have embedded themselves in payments, savings and remittances.
01 The session in one read
Bitcoin settled at US$79,116 on Monday, a drop of 1.54% that left the largest digital asset below the US$80,000 mark after a stronger-than-expected US nonfarm payrolls report. Traders now see a rising chance the Federal Reserve lifts rates in September, which makes dollar cash more attractive and squeezes riskier assets.
The retreat hit other majors too: Solana fell the hardest at 2.43% to US$103.87, while XRP lost 1.76% to US$1.3978. Ethereum was the outlier, easing just 0.94% to US$2,491 as ETF buying and coins moving off exchanges absorbed selling pressure.
Bitcoin’s drop below US$80,000 looks like a macro-driven pullback after a strong US payrolls print, not a structural exit. ETF inflows remain robust and Ethereum’s steadier performance suggests crypto-specific demand is intact, even as traders hedge a possible Federal Reserve rate hike. The variable to watch is whether September US rate expectations keep repricing higher, which would keep the pressure on Bitcoin and the wider majors through the month.
02 The board
The session shows a classic risk-off tilt with dispersion beneath the surface. Solana’s 2.43% slide to US$103.87 makes it the most rate-sensitive name on the board, reflecting its higher beta to global liquidity conditions.
XRP’s 1.76% decline to US$1.3978 tracked Bitcoin’s move almost tick-for-tick, while Ethereum’s 0.94% fall to US$2,491 signals investors still have a bid for the second-largest asset, supported by ETF inflows and exchange outflows.
| Asset | Level | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin | US$79,116 | -1.54% |
| Ethereum | US$2,491 | -0.94% |
| Solana | US$103.87 | -2.43% |
| XRP | US$1.3978 | -1.76% |
Source: RT close, 2026-09-07. Where a commodity has no spot feed, an exchange-traded tracker or leading producer is shown as a labelled proxy.
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Latin America — Cross-Market Board
| Instrument | Last | Change | YoY | Prev. | High | Low | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IBOV | 187,206.89 | -0.56% | +21.85% | 188,268.59 | 168,310 | 167,142 | — |
| IPSA | 11,220.10 | -0.16% | — | 11,238.58 | 11,210 | 10,984 | 1,513,213,483 |
| IPC MEX | 63,815.90 | -0.45% | +12.17% | 64,106.82 | 66,121 | 65,405 | 108,886,187 |
| MERVAL | 3,098,898 | -1.87% | +30.51% | 3,022,485 | 3,042,365 | 2,991,150 | — |
| COLCAP | 2,589.69 | -1.41% | — | 9.04 | 9.05 | 9.02 | 4,133 |
| BVL PERÚ | 59,373.28 | -0.32% | — | — | — | — | — |
| USD/BRL | 5.16 | +0.01% | -5.13% | 5.16 | 5.18 | 5.14 | — |
| EUR/BRL | 5.95 | +1.01% | -5.83% | 5.89 | 5.98 | 5.94 | — |
| USD/MXN | 17.06 | -0.24% | -8.58% | 17.10 | 17.08 | 17.01 | — |
| USD/CLP | 913.98 | +0.04% | -5.67% | 913.65 | 915.11 | 906.68 | — |
| USD/COP | 3,140 | +0.03% | -22.04% | 3,139 | 3,141 | 3,105 | — |
| USD/PEN | 3.36 | -0.66% | -4.82% | 3.38 | 3.38 | 3.35 | — |
| USD/ARS | 1,493 | +0.10% | +12.96% | 1,491 | 1,494 | 1,480 | — |
| USD/UYU | 40.27 | +1.24% | +1.80% | 39.77 | 40.27 | 40.23 | — |
| USD/PYG | 5,939 | +1.68% | -19.54% | 5,841 | 5,939 | 5,925 | — |
| USD/BOB | 11.64 | -0.76% | +72.04% | 11.73 | 11.72 | 11.64 | — |
| USD/DOP | 58.34 | +1.25% | -3.44% | 57.62 | 58.34 | 58.04 | — |
| USD/CRC | 445.92 | +0.89% | -9.71% | 441.97 | 448.50 | 445.92 | — |
03 What moved it
The dominant driver was US macro data. A hotter payrolls print forced investors to reprice the Federal Reserve’s next step, with a September rate hike now seen as a genuine possibility. Bitcoin fund flows show traders repositioning on that Fed rate path rather than exiting the asset class outright.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs took in US$3.8 billion over the strongest three-week stretch of 2026, evidence that institutional appetite persists even as the spot price wobbles. On Ethereum, whale accumulation and steady ETF inflows kept the decline shallow, hinting that long-term holders are using the dip to add exposure.
04 The Latin American read
For Latin America, Bitcoin’s daily swings matter less than the region’s deepening embrace of stablecoins. Brazil’s Q1 2026 crypto purchases were 98% stablecoins on US$6.9 billion in volume, confirming that local use is about dollar exposure, not speculation on Bitcoin’s price.
In Argentina, more than 70% of Bitso purchases were USDT and USDC, and roughly 75% of workers paid in crypto choose stablecoin salaries. El Salvador’s digital-currency remittances reached US$35.4 million in H1 2026, up 39.1% from a year earlier, but that still represents just 0.7% of total remittances.
The stickiness of this stablecoin demand is rooted in cost. Latin America and the Caribbean received nearly US$170 billion in remittances in 2024, and stablecoin transfers can cut fees by as much as 92% versus traditional channels where average costs run 5% to 7%.
05 The names to watch
Brazilian banks are expanding crypto offerings as regulation takes shape: Itaú, Nubank and Banco do Brasil now sell more than a dozen tokens each to retail clients, though none touches crypto with its own balance sheet. That is a careful, compliance-first push into a market that is already overwhelmingly stablecoin-centric.
In El Salvador, the remittance data tells a story of slow but real adoption. The 39.1% jump in digital-currency remittances is meaningful, yet 0.7% of total remittances shows Bitcoin’s legal-tender experiment still runs far behind dollar-linked transfers in practical importance.
06 The outlook
The week ahead hinges on whether US rate expectations keep rising. If the market continues pricing a September hike, Bitcoin is likely to struggle near US$80,000 and the high-beta names like Solana will stay under pressure. Watch the spot Bitcoin ETF flow data: continued inflows would signal that long-term buyers see this pullback as a chance to accumulate, while outflows would mark a genuine mood shift.
07 What to watch
- US September rate expectations: If markets price a higher chance of a Fed hike, Bitcoin and Solana face renewed pressure below current levels.
- Spot Bitcoin ETF flows: Sustained inflows after the US$3.8 billion three-week stretch would confirm the pullback is repositioning, not exit.
- Ethereum whale activity: Continued exchange outflows would support ETH’s relative strength and could pull the broader market back up.
- LatAm stablecoin volumes: Brazil’s 98% stablecoin share and Argentina’s USDT/USDC dominance signal whether dollar-linked tokens keep growing regardless of Bitcoin’s price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Bitcoin fall on Monday?
A stronger-than-expected US nonfarm payrolls report pushed markets to price a higher chance of a September Federal Reserve rate hike, which pressured risk assets like Bitcoin.
Why did Ethereum hold up better than Bitcoin?
Ethereum benefited from ETF inflows and whales pulling coins off exchanges, which absorbed selling pressure and kept the decline to just 0.94%.
What is driving crypto adoption in Latin America?
Stablecoins tied to the dollar are the main story: Brazil’s purchases were 98% stablecoins in Q1 2026, and Argentina shows over 70% of buys in USDT or USDC.
Is El Salvador’s Bitcoin adoption working?
Digital-currency remittances grew 39.1% to US$35.4 million in H1 2026, but they still represent only 0.7% of total remittances, so stablecoins remain far more practical for most users.
Market data: RT
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error
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