Bitcoin Slides Below US$63,000; Crypto Friday Wrap
Key Facts
- Bitcoin closed at US$62,976 down 0.67% day-on-day in the settled session of Friday, August 14, 2026.
- Ethereum ended at US$1,881 a modest 0.18% decline, outperforming most major tokens.
- Solana fell 1.12% to US$75.33 the steepest drop among the four tracked majors.
- XRP slipped 1.00% to US$0.998 dipping back below the one-dollar mark.
- Bank Leumi will offer Bitcoin, Ether and Solana through its investment app from early 2027, Israel’s largest bank confirmed.
- SharpLink plans to stake US$200 million of Ethereum via Lido, roughly 12% of its total Ether holdings.
Today’s Focus
Bitcoin drifted lower on Friday, August 14, 2026, closing at US$62,976 after a 0.67% decline. Ethereum held firmer at US$1,881, down just 0.18%, while Solana and XRP lost about 1% each.
The session lacked a single dominant catalyst. Instead, a mix of institutional adoption news, security concerns and profit-taking after recent strength set the tone.
For Latin America, the moves are a ripple, not a wave. Stablecoin usage for remittances and everyday payments remains the region’s main crypto story, and that continued regardless of Bitcoin’s daily wiggle.
What matters today. Bitcoin’s small Friday dip matters less for Latin America than the steady build-out of bank custody and staking infrastructure abroad.
01 The session in one read
Bitcoin eased on Friday, August 14, 2026, closing at US$62,976, a decline of 0.67% from the prior session. The dip was orderly and did not test any obvious panic level.
Ethereum slipped just 0.18% to US$1,881, showing relative strength as investors weighed new staking demand. Solana fell 1.12% to US$75.33, while XRP lost 1.00% to finish at US$0.998.
Friday’s price action was mild, but the news flow was structural. Bank Leumi tapped Galaxy for custody and a major treasury buyer committed a further US$200 million, widening the institutional rails around crypto. For Latin America, the everyday story stays stablecoins for remittances and payments, largely detached from Bitcoin’s daily wiggle.
02 The board
The four-tracked majors all traded in the red, but the dispersion was tight. Bitcoin’s US$62,976 close put it roughly 0.67% below Thursday, while Solana’s 1.12% drop to US$75.33 made it the session’s laggard.
XRP’s US$0.998 close just below one dollar was a psychological marker, though the move was minor. Ethereum’s US$1,881 level kept it within a whisker of the US$1,900 zone that has acted as a pivot in recent weeks.
| Asset | Level | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin | US$62,976 | -0.67% |
| Ethereum | US$1,881 | -0.18% |
| Solana | US$75.33 | -1.12% |
| XRP | US$0.998 | -1.00% |
Source: RT close, 2026-08-14. 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 | 166,934.20 | -0.10% | +21.85% | 167,100.95 | 168,310 | 167,142 | — |
| IPSA | 11,042.67 | +0.39% | — | 11,000.07 | 11,210 | 10,984 | 1,513,213,483 |
| IPC MEX | 64,573.59 | -0.39% | +12.17% | 64,826.39 | 66,121 | 65,405 | 108,886,187 |
| MERVAL | 2,947,349 | -1.77% | +30.51% | 3,022,485 | 3,042,365 | 2,991,150 | — |
| COLCAP | 2,452.46 | +0.84% | — | 9.04 | 9.05 | 9.02 | 4,133 |
| BVL PERÚ | 58,104.31 | +0.40% | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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 day’s newsflow mixed bullish adoption signals with fresh security worries. Israel’s largest bank, Bank Leumi, said customers will be able to buy, hold and sell Bitcoin, Ether and Solana directly through its investment app from early 2027, working with Galaxy’s custody stack.
SharpLink said it will stake US$200 million of Ethereum through Lido, roughly 12% of its total ETH holdings, to earn yield while staying liquid. Yet Decrypt reported a French tax data leak of more than 678,000 taxpayers could fuel targeted scams against Bitcoin holders.
Galaxy Research also flagged that losses from Coldcard Bitcoin thefts have slowed but could still top US$150 million, suggesting vulnerable holders have migrated or already been drained. On the institutional side, Kraken parent Payward grew revenue 17% even as spot trading volume fell, with funded accounts up 42%.
04 The Latin American read
For Brazil, Argentina and El Salvador, Friday’s mild price slide is background noise. What matters more is the continued institutionalisation of custody and staking rails abroad, which lowers the cost for Latin American banks and fintechs to offer crypto services via the same stacks.
Stablecoins remain the region’s dominant use case for remittances and dollar-linked savings, especially in Argentina where currency controls persist. Bitcoin’s 0.67% fall does not change that utility.
El Salvador’s Bitcoin exposure remains a fiscal watch item, but no new headline moved it on Friday. Brazilian and Argentine users are more likely to track Solana and Ethereum for DeFi and payments than to react to a single daily candle.
05 The names to watch
Galaxy Digital is now the custody partner for Bank Leumi’s retail crypto rollout, a model that could be replicated by Latin American banks seeking regulatory cover. Payward’s 17% revenue growth despite lower trading volume shows the value of funded accounts and non-transaction revenue, a lesson for regional exchanges.
Lido’s staking product got a US$200 million endorsement from SharpLink, reinforcing Ethereum staking as an institutional yield strategy. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin ETF and Grayscale’s Ethereum staking ETF appear in endowment disclosures, though Dartmouth’s crypto exposure value has dropped.
06 The outlook
The market is drifting between macro caution and structural adoption. Bank Leumi’s early 2027 timeline for Bitcoin, Ether and Solana trading suggests regulators are slowly warming, but no single catalyst is likely to break Bitcoin out of its current range immediately.
For Latin American readers, the key question is whether local banks move from stablecoin pilots to direct crypto custody. If Brazil’s largest lenders announce partnerships with established custodians, that would matter far more for regional adoption than Friday’s 0.67% dip.
07 What to watch
- Bank Leumi rollout: Whether Latin American banks follow Israel’s largest bank in offering direct Bitcoin, Ether and Solana trading via app.
- Lido staking flows: SharpLink’s US$200 million stake signals institutional yield appetite; watch for similar commitments from regional treasuries.
- French tax leak fallout: The 678,000-record leak could fuel phishing and fake recovery scams targeting crypto holders.
- Payward revenue mix: Kraken parent’s 17% revenue rise despite volume decline shows exchanges can grow without relying on trading fees alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Bitcoin close on Friday, August 14, 2026?
Bitcoin closed at US$62,976, down 0.67% day-on-day.
Which major crypto fell the most?
Solana fell the most, down 1.12% to US$75.33.
What was the biggest adoption news?
Bank Leumi, Israel’s largest bank, said it will offer Bitcoin, Ether and Solana trading through its app from early 2027, using Galaxy’s custody.
Why does this matter for Latin America?
Institutional custody and staking rails abroad lower the cost for Latin American banks and fintechs to offer crypto services, especially for stablecoin remittances.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error
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