How Bitcoin reacted to the Personal Income and Outlays on 13 March 2026

The short answer

Hardly a reaction. In the 15 minutes after the figure came out, Bitcoin's price swung 1.28 times as much as in a normal 15 minutes that day. For a Personal Income release, 2.03 times is usual. An hour later the price was 0.84% higher.

1.28x

Quiet

Trading (volume ratio)
1.00x
usual for Personal Income: 2.52x
Price at 8:30 AM
$72,412.15
15 minutes later
−0.10%
One hour later
+0.84%
range 1.29%, hour before 0.42%
BTC/USDT, 15 minutes candles around the release, 8:30 AM America/New York

The dashed orange line is the release. Chart data from Binance.

Open
71,482.53
Close
70,916.78
24h change
-0.80%
24h high
73,913.74
24h low
70,559.02
24h volume
34,504 BTC

The release

Released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis on 13 March 2026 at 8:30 AM EDT. The Personal Income and Outlays came in at 0.4% for January 2026, against 0.3% in December 2025. Personal income is rising faster than before.

It arrived at the same moment as Durable Goods Orders, Durable Goods Orders Excluding Transportation, Gross Domestic Product Report, Personal Consumption Expenditures and Core Personal Consumption Expenditures, so the reaction measured on this page belongs to all of them together.

Measured by Clometrix

Bitcoin's volatility ratio was 1.28x, against 2.03x for a typical Personal Income release since 2021. Its volume ratio was 1.00x, against a typical 2.52x. Under 1.5x is not a reaction at all: the market barely noticed this release. Both compare the quarter hour of the release with an ordinary quarter hour that same day, where 1.00x is no change: volatility is how far the price ranged, volume how much traded.

How Bitcoin moved

Bitcoin was at $72,412.15 when the figure came out. Fifteen minutes later it was 0.1% lower, and an hour later 0.84% higher. Its high-to-low range in the hour after was 1.29% of its price, against 0.42% in the hour before.

What made it matter

Since 2021, Personal Income releases in the two weeks before a Fed decision have moved Bitcoin more than those at other times: a median volatility ratio of 2.13x across 18, against 1.81x across 52. This one came out 5 days before the Federal Reserve's 18 March rate decision. Its own ratio of 1.28x compares with 2.13x for those, so it moved the price less than its circumstances would suggest.

What it means

Volume showed no elevation at all, holding at 1.00x while the event's typical reading stands at 2.55x. The market therefore absorbed the data without measurable disruption, even though the print arrived alongside Durable Goods Orders, GDP, PCE and Core PCE figures.

Price action remained contained. Bitcoin sat at $72,412.15 at the 8:30 AM release, moved 0.1% lower within fifteen minutes and stood 0.84% higher after one hour. Its high-low range reached 1.29% of spot in the following hour, up from 0.42% in the hour before.

The release fell five days before the Federal Reserve's March policy decision, a window in which Personal Income prints have produced a median volatility ratio of 2.13x across eighteen observations. The 1.28x outcome therefore fell short of the pattern normally associated with that timing. Traders reviewing the record may conclude that proximity to a policy meeting does not guarantee an outsized move when the broader data cluster itself elicits limited attention.

How it compares

Across 69 Personal Income releases since 2021, Bitcoin's usual price swing is 2.03x. This one was 0.63 times the usual.

MutedOrdinaryStrongExceptional

Thin line: Personal Income's usual, 2.03x. Thick line: this release, 1.28x. Under 1.5x counts as no reaction at all.

Minute by minute

Each row is the time after the release, with the same length of time before it for comparison.

After High Low Close Change Range Range before Volume
1 minute 72464.50 72358.14 72442.18 0.04% 0.15% 0.07% 24 BTC
5 minutes 72631.53 72358.14 72399.48 -0.02% 0.38% 0.13% 163 BTC
10 minutes 72631.53 72330.67 72419.41 0.01% 0.41% 0.22% 213 BTC
15 minutes 72631.53 72330.67 72342.09 -0.10% 0.41% 0.25% 249 BTC
30 minutes 72884.68 72330.67 72784.73 0.51% 0.76% 0.41% 874 BTC
1 hour 73264.17 72330.67 73023.17 0.84% 1.27% 0.42% 2,490 BTC
2 hours 73897.00 72330.67 73738.52 1.80% 2.12% 0.51% 6,248 BTC
4 hours 73913.74 71154.54 71393.26 -1.43% 3.73% 1.38% 13,283 BTC
6 hours 73913.74 70841.23 71195.34 -1.71% 4.16% 1.92% 16,794 BTC
8 hours 73913.74 71154.54 71393.26 -0.27% 3.73% 1.44% 18,228 BTC
12 hours 73913.74 70559.02 70916.78 -2.11% 4.54% 2.22% 20,981 BTC

Every coin at this release

Coin Price swing Usual for Personal Income Reaction
Bitcoin 1.28x 2.03x Quiet
Ethereum 0.84x 1.77x Quiet
XRP 0.00x 1.81x Quiet
BNB 1.01x 1.75x Quiet
Solana 1.12x 1.57x Quiet
Dogecoin 2.39x 1.52x Strong
TRON 1.00x 1.43x Quiet
Cardano 2.10x 1.90x Ordinary
Chainlink 0.80x 1.62x Quiet
Sui 0.00x 1.53x Quiet
Bitcoin Cash 1.39x 1.69x Quiet
Hedera 1.31x 1.51x Quiet
Avalanche 1.55x 1.55x Ordinary
Litecoin 1.14x 1.64x Quiet
Gram Not measured 1.32x -
Shiba Inu 2.56x 1.75x Strong
Uniswap 1.47x 1.49x Quiet
Polkadot 0.00x 1.50x Quiet
Aave 1.21x 1.58x Quiet
Bittensor 1.22x 1.68x Quiet
NEAR Protocol 1.00x 1.43x Quiet
Aptos 1.30x 1.73x Quiet
Internet Computer 1.00x 1.50x Quiet
POL (prev. MATIC) 1.93x 1.60x Ordinary
Filecoin 1.00x 1.51x Quiet

What is the Personal Income and Outlays?

Personal Income measures the change in the total value of income received from all sources by consumers. Income is closely correlated with consumer spending, which accounts for a majority of overall economic activity.

Every Personal Income release for Bitcoin

Questions about this page

Is 1.28x a lot?

No. Under 1.5x the market barely noticed the release.

Will the next Personal Income do the same?

Nobody can say. A forecast shows the range Bitcoin moved in after past Personal Income releases, so you can plan for the likely size of the move.

More questions · Glossary

Disclaimer

The data analysis, forecasted results and projections provided herein are based on historical price action and market trends. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information, these predictions are speculative and should not be considered a guarantee of future performance. Market conditions can change rapidly, and past performance is not indicative of future results. Trading and investing involve significant risk, and you should conduct your own research and consult with a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions. We do not assume any liability for any losses that may result from reliance on this information.