Bitcoin, Ethereum Open Higher May 15 Before Morning Pullback

Bitcoin and ether opened higher on May 15, 2026, before giving back part of their gains in early U.S. trading, as investors weighed trade optimism against persistent inflation concerns tied to stalled Iran peace talks. Bitcoin (BTC-USD) opened at $81,069.54, up 2.3% from Thursday’s $79,276.95 open, but slipped to $80,596.43 by 7:10 a.m. ET. Ether (ETH-USD) opened at $2,282.46, up 1.1% from $2,257.57, then fell to $2,257.73. The moves followed President Donald Trump’s China summit, which ended with progress on economic and trade initiatives but no meaningful advance on Iran negotiations. Bitcoin and ether have traded in narrow ranges over the past two weeks, reflecting subdued momentum across major cryptocurrencies.