However, it has faced resistance below the $26400 level, primarily influenced by concerns over the debt ceiling.
Here we go again? This is like Groundhog Day, or better yet, The Boy Who Cried Wolf.
Why must bitcoin be affected by the US debit ceiling?
Because it happens every year, it's almost a tradition now. Simply the fears that if an agreement is not reached, which never ends up happening, the US could have problems paying its debt, with the negative consequences for the economy in general that this would have.
I don't think it is exactly debt ceiling.
Interest rates are a much more important factor.
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With high interest rates, money will naturally flow to more conservative assets..
Probably. I believe as you do (I understand) that it is a combination of the two factors, the most important being the rate policy. The stock market also reacted downwards and it is because of what you say: many investors with high rates prefer to buy fixed income or government debt that gives them a high fixed interest rate instead of investing in more volatile assets that can potentially give them more returns but also losses. So they play it safe, which is a false sense of security, because all these investments such as government bonds always give you a return lower than inflation, so you are actually losing money, even if it is little.