Bitcoin dips below $86,000 as BCH and ZEC rally on CME futures news

Bitcoin fell back to roughly $85,800, a drop of just under 1% in the past 24 hours after briefly reaching an intraday high near $87,300. The pullback came as speculative capital shifted toward other crypto assets.

Futures listing drives Bitcoin Cash rally

Bitcoin Cash (BCH) jumped 28% to almost $349 after CME Group announced it will list futures for BCH and Uniswap (UNI) starting October 19. The regulated futures offering provides institutional investors a way to gain exposure without directly holding the underlying tokens.

Altcoin gains

• Zcash (ZEC) rose 9% to just above $1,646.
• Ripple (XRP) increased 3% to near $1.59.
• Tron (TRX) slipped 2%.

Market context

Analysts noted that the shift into altcoins reflects optimism in both the broader equity market and the altcoin sector, with investors seeking higher‑yield opportunities after parking funds in Bitcoin. Historically, Bitcoin pullbacks have attracted new buyers, tempering the downside.

Outlook for Bitcoin Cash

The CME note highlighted that BCH has reclaimed price levels last seen in late May, after a previous decline from a peak near $660 in early January to a low of $190. Continued buying could keep BCH in the $450 range, where activity was strong between October 2025 and May of this year.