Bitcoin falls back to $81,000 as tech stocks slide and AI trade unwinds

Bitcoin slips to $81,000 while stock markets fall

Bitcoin fell back to around $81,000 on Oct. 22, 2026, as technology stocks sold off. CoinDesk's live coverage ended at 5:00 p.m. EDT that day with bitcoin at $81,251.45, down 3.71%.

The Nasdaq, the U.S. stock index heavy with technology companies, was down more than 2% during the session and closed 2.6% lower. CoinDesk described the moves as part of an unwinding of the trade built around artificial intelligence (AI) stocks.

CoinDesk also reported that U.S. interest rates were falling sharply at the same time that oil prices were rising. The article's original headline noted bitcoin's round trip to $85,000 had hurt traders positioned on both sides of the move.

Key numbers from the session

• Bitcoin: $81,251.45, down 3.71%.
• Ether (ETH): $2,382.83, down 4.03%.
• XRP: $1.31, down 4.61%.
• Solana (SOL): $103.30, down 3.83%.
• Hyperliquid (HYPE): $77.12, down 4.86%.
• TRON (TRX): $0.32, down 0.87%.
• CoinDesk 20 index, which tracks a basket of major cryptocurrencies: $2,234.65, down 4.07%.

Reported OpenAI funding round draws attention

CoinDesk's live coverage also cited a CNBC report that OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is close to closing a $30 billion funding round at a $1.25 trillion valuation. CNBC attributed the report to people familiar with the deal.

According to that report, investors from the United Arab Emirates and Philippe Laffont's Coatue are leading the round. It also said OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, has delayed plans for an initial public offering (IPO) until 2027. These details come from CNBC's unnamed sources and have not been confirmed in the supplied material by OpenAI itself.

What is confirmed

Market prices listed by CoinDesk show bitcoin and most large cryptocurrencies lower on Oct. 22, 2026. The Nasdaq closed down 2.6% that day, according to the report. CoinDesk's live blog ended its coverage at 5:00 p.m. EDT.

What is still unclear

The supplied material does not establish a direct cause-and-effect link between the stock selloff, the reported OpenAI funding round and bitcoin's decline. CoinDesk framed the drop as happening alongside an unwinding AI trade, but the material does not include analysis confirming that connection. The OpenAI funding details remain a report based on unnamed sources rather than a confirmed announcement.

Sources

• CoinDesk
• CNBC, as cited in CoinDesk's live coverage