1247 GMT - Bitcoin eases back below $80,000 as its recent rally loses steam. The cryptocurrency last trades steady at $78,950, having risen to a three-month high of $81,237 overnight, LSEG data show. Bitcoin's recent gains are driven by the U.S. Treasury's announcement last week that it would increase buybacks of long-term debt along with President Trump urging lawmakers to pass the Clarity Act bill for crypto regulation. The rally from levels around $64,000 at the start of last week signals speculative liquidity is quietly returning to alternative asset classes, Tickmill Group's Patrick Munelly says in a note. While a drop in crude prices and a pause in rising Treasury yields offer brief breathing room, the structural narrative is shifting toward fiscal discipline, debt monetization, and currency debasement where investors seek alternative assets, he says.