diff --git a/cli/utils.py b/cli/utils.py
index 013a2b34d..c65cc7e25 100644
--- a/cli/utils.py
+++ b/cli/utils.py
@@ -24,6 +24,17 @@ ANALYST_ORDER = [
 CRYPTO_SUFFIXES = ("-USD", "-USDT", "-USDC", "-BTC", "-ETH")
 
 
+def is_valid_ticker_input(value: str) -> bool:
+    """Whether a ticker entry is acceptable (charset + length).
+
+    Allows the characters Yahoo symbols use, including ``=`` for futures/forex
+    like ``GC=F`` and ``EURUSD=X`` (#980), and ``^`` for indices. Empty input is
+    allowed (it defaults to SPY downstream).
+    """
+    v = value.strip()
+    return not v or (all(ch.isalnum() or ch in "._-^=" for ch in v) and len(v) <= 32)
+
+
 def get_ticker() -> str:
     """Prompt the user to enter a ticker symbol, preserving exchange suffixes.
 
@@ -34,9 +45,8 @@ def get_ticker() -> str:
     ticker = questionary.text(
         f"Enter ticker symbol (e.g. {TICKER_INPUT_EXAMPLES}):",
         validate=lambda x: (
-            not x.strip()
-            or (all(ch.isalnum() or ch in "._-^" for ch in x.strip()) and len(x.strip()) <= 32)
-            or "Please enter a valid ticker symbol, e.g. AAPL, 000404.SZ, 0700.HK."
+            is_valid_ticker_input(x)
+            or "Please enter a valid ticker symbol, e.g. AAPL, 000404.SZ, 0700.HK, GC=F."
         ),
         style=questionary.Style(
             [
@@ -54,13 +64,26 @@ def get_ticker() -> str:
 
 
 def normalize_ticker_symbol(ticker: str) -> str:
-    """Normalize ticker input while preserving exchange suffixes."""
-    return ticker.strip().upper()
+    """Resolve user input to its canonical Yahoo symbol (single source of truth).
+
+    Delegates to the data layer's ``normalize_symbol`` so the symbol the CLI
+    passes through the pipeline is exactly the one the data path will price
+    (e.g. ``BTCUSD`` -> ``BTC-USD``, ``XAUUSD`` -> ``GC=F``). Falls back to the
+    plain upper-case if the data layer is unavailable.
+    """
+    try:
+        from tradingagents.dataflows.symbol_utils import normalize_symbol
+
+        return normalize_symbol(ticker)
+    except Exception:
+        return ticker.strip().upper()
 
 
 def detect_asset_type(ticker: str) -> AssetType:
-    normalized_ticker = ticker.strip().upper()
-    if normalized_ticker.endswith(CRYPTO_SUFFIXES):
+    """Classify on the canonical symbol so e.g. BTCUSD and BTC-USDT both read as
+    crypto (#981/#982), matching what the data path will actually fetch."""
+    canonical = normalize_ticker_symbol(ticker)
+    if canonical.endswith(CRYPTO_SUFFIXES):
         return AssetType.CRYPTO
     return AssetType.STOCK
 
diff --git a/tests/test_cli_symbol_handling.py b/tests/test_cli_symbol_handling.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e599a4e09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_cli_symbol_handling.py
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+"""CLI symbol validation/classification must agree with the data path.
+
+Regressions for #980 (validation rejected GC=F), #981 (BTCUSD misclassified as
+stock), #982 (BTC-USDT accepted but unpriceable on Yahoo).
+"""
+import pytest
+
+from cli.models import AssetType
+from cli.utils import detect_asset_type, is_valid_ticker_input, normalize_ticker_symbol
+from tradingagents.dataflows.symbol_utils import normalize_symbol
+
+
+# --- #982: stablecoin-quoted crypto normalizes to Yahoo's -USD pair ---
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("raw,expected", [
+    ("BTCUSD", "BTC-USD"),
+    ("BTCUSDT", "BTC-USD"),
+    ("BTC-USDT", "BTC-USD"),
+    ("BTC-USDC", "BTC-USD"),
+    ("ethusdt", "ETH-USD"),
+    # non-crypto must be untouched
+    ("AAPL", "AAPL"),
+    ("GC=F", "GC=F"),
+    ("600519.SS", "600519.SS"),
+    ("EURUSD", "EURUSD=X"),
+])
+def test_normalize_symbol_crypto_and_passthrough(raw, expected):
+    assert normalize_symbol(raw) == expected
+
+
+# --- #980: validation accepts Yahoo futures/forex symbols ---
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("value,ok", [
+    ("GC=F", True),
+    ("EURUSD=X", True),
+    ("AAPL", True),
+    ("0700.HK", True),
+    ("^GSPC", True),
+    ("", True),                 # empty -> defaults to SPY downstream
+    ("bad symbol!", False),     # space + '!' rejected
+    ("A" * 40, False),          # too long
+])
+def test_ticker_input_validation(value, ok):
+    assert is_valid_ticker_input(value) is ok
+
+
+# --- #981/#982: asset-type classified on the canonical symbol ---
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("raw,expected", [
+    ("BTCUSD", AssetType.CRYPTO),
+    ("BTC-USDT", AssetType.CRYPTO),
+    ("BTC-USD", AssetType.CRYPTO),
+    ("ETHUSD", AssetType.CRYPTO),
+    ("AAPL", AssetType.STOCK),
+    ("GC=F", AssetType.STOCK),
+    ("600519.SS", AssetType.STOCK),
+])
+def test_detect_asset_type(raw, expected):
+    assert detect_asset_type(raw) == expected
+
+
+def test_cli_normalize_delegates_to_data_layer():
+    # CLI must produce the same canonical symbol the data path will price.
+    for raw in ("XAUUSD", "BTCUSD", "btc-usdt", "AAPL"):
+        assert normalize_ticker_symbol(raw) == normalize_symbol(raw)
diff --git a/tradingagents/dataflows/symbol_utils.py b/tradingagents/dataflows/symbol_utils.py
index 0036a8c41..9a8e61881 100644
--- a/tradingagents/dataflows/symbol_utils.py
+++ b/tradingagents/dataflows/symbol_utils.py
@@ -89,12 +89,36 @@ _ALIASES = {
 _YAHOO_SAFE = re.compile(r"^[A-Za-z0-9._\-\^=]+$")
 
 
+# Crypto quote currencies that all map to Yahoo's USD pair. Yahoo lists only
+# ``<BASE>-USD`` (not the USDT/USDC stablecoin pairs), so a broker symbol quoted
+# in any of these resolves to ``-USD`` (#982). Longest first so ``USDT``/``USDC``
+# match before the ``USD`` substring.
+_CRYPTO_QUOTES = ("USDT", "USDC", "USD")
+
+
+def _normalize_crypto(s: str) -> str | None:
+    """Return ``<BASE>-USD`` if ``s`` is a known crypto quoted in USD/USDT/USDC.
+
+    Accepts dashed or undashed forms: ``BTCUSD``, ``BTCUSDT``, ``BTC-USDT``,
+    ``BTC-USDC`` all resolve to ``BTC-USD``. Returns None otherwise.
+    """
+    compact = s.replace("-", "")
+    for quote in _CRYPTO_QUOTES:
+        if compact.endswith(quote):
+            base = compact[: -len(quote)]
+            if base in _CRYPTO_BASES:
+                return f"{base}-USD"
+            break
+    return None
+
+
 def normalize_symbol(raw: str) -> str:
     """Map a user/broker symbol to its canonical Yahoo Finance symbol.
 
     Resolution order (first match wins):
       1. Explicit alias table (metals, energy, index CFDs).
-      2. Crypto rule: ``<BASE>USD`` where BASE is a known crypto -> ``BASE-USD``.
+      2. Crypto rule: a known crypto base quoted in USD/USDT/USDC (dashed or
+         not) -> ``BASE-USD``.
       3. Forex rule: six letters that are two ISO currency codes -> ``PAIR=X``.
       4. Otherwise the upper-cased symbol is returned unchanged (plain
          equities, ETFs, Yahoo-native symbols like ``GC=F`` or ``^GSPC``).
@@ -110,12 +134,11 @@ def normalize_symbol(raw: str) -> str:
     # Broker CFD/qualifier suffixes Yahoo never uses.
     s = s.rstrip("+")
 
+    crypto = _normalize_crypto(s)
     if s in _ALIASES:
         canonical = _ALIASES[s]
-    elif len(s) == 6 and s[:3] in _CRYPTO_BASES and s[3:] == "USD":
-        canonical = f"{s[:3]}-USD"
-    elif s[:-3] in _CRYPTO_BASES and s.endswith("USD") and "-" not in s:
-        canonical = f"{s[:-3]}-USD"
+    elif crypto is not None:
+        canonical = crypto
     elif len(s) == 6 and s[:3] in _FOREX_CURRENCIES and s[3:] in _FOREX_CURRENCIES:
         canonical = f"{s}=X"
     else: