Bitcoin Stalls at $81K as U.S. Inflation Hits 3-Year High: Is the $126K Rally Still on Track?

Bitcoin (BTC) is currently navigating a high-stakes tug-of-war between worsening macroeconomic headwinds and relentless institutional accumulation. After a brief surge toward $83,000, the premier digital asset has settled around the $81,000 mark, as markets digest a hotter-than-expected U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) report.