Bitcoin (BTC) has slipped back below the $80,000 mark, continuing a downward trend across the virtual asset market. Major altcoins, including second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization Ethereum (ETH) and Ripple (XRP), are also weakening in tandem. According to CoinMarketCap, as of 11:41 a.m. on the 26th Korean time, bitcoin was trading at $79,472.38, down 1.73% from 24 hours earlier, bringing the question of whether it can recover the $80,000 level back into focus. Bitcoin has repeatedly fluctuated around $80,000 recently but is once again hovering below that level. The market is watching whether bitcoin will attempt to re-enter the $80,000 range or undergo further price correction. Ethereum is also on the decline. At the same time, ethereum was trading at $2,296.95, down 2.96% from 24 hours earlier, with its larger drop than bitcoin's and trading below the $2,300 level drawing attention. Ripple has also failed to escape the weak trend, trading at $1.28, down 1.77% from 24 hours earlier. With major virtual assets all falling together, attention is turning to overall market investment sentiment. Among other major coins, Binance Coin (BNB) fell 0.93% to $735.86, Solana (SOL) dropped 1.59% to $100.64, and Dogecoin (DOGE) declined 2.03% to $0.07625. Meanwhile, Tron (TRX) rose 0.27% from 24 hours earlier to $0.3297, showing a different trend from other major virtual assets. Geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East and caution surrounding U.S. monetary policy are being cited as variables in the market. In particular, market attention is focused on the possibility that price volatility of risk assets could expand ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate decision. However, it is difficult to determine exactly how much these external factors will affect individual virtual asset prices. Whether bitcoin can recover the $80,000 level is expected to be a key factor in gauging the short-term trend. Ethereum, Ripple, and other major altcoins are also drawing attention over what price movements they will show in tandem with bitcoin. [This article was written for the purpose of conveying virtual asset price information and does not constitute investment advice for any specific asset. Virtual asset prices can change rapidly depending on market conditions, so caution is advised when investing.]