Michael Saylor announced on Monday that Strategy had carried out another massive Bitcoin buy. The multi-billion-dollar Bitcoin purchase did not come as a surprise to the market, given that the company had already been raising more money to buy BTC leading up to the day. However, what is interesting is how much BTC the public company now holds and what it means in comparison to other counterparts with large holdings in the market. Strategy’s BTC Holdings Have Now Crossed 800,000 BTC With the most recent buy, where the company bought 34,164 BTC, it has now seen its Bitcoin holdings cross the 800,000 BTC mark for the first time. According to the announcement, this latest BTC buy had set the company back a whopping $2.54 billion with an average price of $74,395 per Bitcoin. Related Reading: Ethereum Flips Key Resistance, ETF Demand Returns, Analysts Eye Next Leg Higher This brought the company’s total holdings to 815,061 BTC, with the total purchase history coming out to $61.56 billion spent so far. This buy also brought down the company’s average buy price for its BTC holdings to $75,527, decreasing its total entry point. With the holdings now sitting above 815,000 BTC, though, this means that Strategy has actually surpassed BlackRock when it comes to BTC holdings. Previously, BlackRock had dominated the market as Spot Bitcoin ETFs gained popularity rapidly, and BlackRock’s holdings grew very fast. However, at the time of writing, the BlackRock IBIT total BTC holdings sit below 800,000, at 798,062, according to data from Bitbo. This is a small gap, but it shows how Strategy’s BTC buys have continued to balloon, going toe-to-toe with BlackRock, which is a company that handles over $12 trillion in assets. Will Michael Saylor Stop Buying Bitcoin? In the past, Michael Saylor has said that Strategy’s move to buy Bitcoin as a treasury asset was not a short-term plan, and this has been proven over the years. The company began buying Bitcoin back in 2020, and five years on, it is still buying BTC and remains the company with the largest BTC holdings in the world. Related Reading: Dogecoin Nears Key Turning Point As TCT Model Begins To Form In an interview with CNBC back in February, Saylor reiterated his stance on Bitcoin, explaining that the company does not plan to sell its Bitcoin holdings anytime soon. So far, the company has not made its exit plan, or if there is one, public yet. So for now, the focus remains on the company’s BTC buys rather than a possible sell. Featured image from Dall.E, chart from TradingView.com
Greek maritime risk firm MARISKS warned shippers of fraudulent Hormuz transit demands paid in bitcoin or USDT, according to Reuters.
Bitcoin’s rebound from the February 6 low at $60,000 is showing early signs of structural improvement, but the move still looks more like a bear market rally than a confirmed breakout, according to CryptoQuant analyst Maartun. In an April 20 video, the analyst argued that while long-term holders are accumulating and strategic capital is entering the market, persistent selling from short-term holders and whales is still capping upside. Maartun framed the current setup as a question of market character rather than raw price performance. Bitcoin is trading around $75,000, roughly 24% above what he described as the bear market low, but he said that alone does not settle whether the market is turning higher in a durable way. “The real question isn’t how far the price has moved. It’s what kind of move this actually is,” he said. “Is this the start of a new trend or just another rally that gets sold into? And that distinction matters because misreading this phase is exactly how capital gets misallocated.” Related Reading: Bitcoin Miner Pain Reaches Critical Threshold — Impact On Price Bitcoin On-Chain Data Still Flashes Caution His core argument is that the foundation beneath the market has improved even if price has not yet confirmed it. Over the last 30 days, long-term holder supply has increased by about 354,000 BTC, a shift he described as “structural accumulation.” In Maartun’s reading, that signals coins are being absorbed and removed from active circulation by participants less sensitive to short-term volatility. “That’s not a small number. That’s structural accumulation,” he said. “Coins are being absorbed and taken out of active circulation. Long-term holders aren’t reacting to short-term volatility. So when their supply increases, it usually means the market is quietly building a stronger base.” That constructive backdrop, however, is only one side of the picture. Maartun said a large part of the recent price push appears to have come from a more tactical mix of strategic buying and speculative positioning. He highlighted a rapid capital raise by Strategy, which he said brought in about $2.66 billion in 48 hours, including $1.16 billion on April 13 and another $1.56 billion on April 14. He argued that such an aggressive capital injection would normally be expected to produce a stronger market response. When that does not happen, the implication is that substantial supply is meeting demand. On that front, Maartun pointed to two seller cohorts. The first is short-term holders, who have moved roughly 60,000 BTC to exchanges. Crucially, he said this is happening while SOPR remains below 1, meaning those holders are exiting at a loss rather than selling from a position of strength. “We’ve seen roughly 60,000 BTC move to exchanges from this group,” he said. “And importantly, this is happening while SOPR is below one, which means they’re selling at a loss. They bought higher and now they’re exiting into strength. That’s classic behavior in a bear market environment.” He did not present that flow as wholly bearish. Instead, he described it as part of a broader rotation in which weaker hands sell into bids provided by stronger buyers. Still, he said it is a feature more commonly associated with bear market rallies than with clean trend continuation. Related Reading: Bitcoin Coinbase Premium Turns Red: Bearish Signal? The second source of supply is whales. According to Maartun, wallets holding more than 100 BTC have been increasing exchange inflows, suggesting that distribution is picking up again at current levels. That matters because it creates a market where improving long-term structure coexists with active near-term selling pressure. Price action, in his view, reflects that tension. Bitcoin remains below the short-term holder realized price, which he placed around $83,000. Maartun described that level as a key pivot: in bull markets, price tends to hold above it, while in weaker phases it often acts as resistance. For now, Bitcoin is still trading underneath it, and he said the market has yet to produce a clean breakout through major overhead levels. The result is what Maartun called a “fairly balanced but not yet bullish picture.” Long-term holders are accumulating, strategic demand has appeared, and weaker participants are being flushed out. But short-term holders are still selling at a loss, whales are distributing into strength, and price has not reclaimed a key structural threshold. That leaves the market in a conditional state. If demand can continue absorbing supply and push Bitcoin back above the short-term holder realized price, the improving backdrop could begin to translate into a more durable uptrend. Until then, Maartun’s conclusion is more restrained: the internal structure is getting better, but the rally has not yet earned the benefit of the doubt. At press time, BTC traded at $75,088. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) purchased another $256 million worth of Bitcoin on April 21, continuing its aggressive accumulation strategy. The move follows recent buys of 3,672 BTC and 3,899 BTC earlier in the week. With total holdings now valued at over $61 billion at around $76,000 per Bitcoin, IBIT remains the largest spot Bitcoin …
The Crypto Fear & Greed Index climbed above 29 on Monday for the first time since January 29, pulling out of “extreme fear” and settling into plain “fear.” It is a small move on a scale, but in crypto markets, it signals a shift in mood that money tends to follow. Related Reading: XRP A Strong Buy Before 2027 Despite 27% Drop In 2026: Finance Advisory Firm Funds Flow Back In Crypto investment products drew $1.4 billion in fresh inflows last week, according to data from CoinShares — the second-largest weekly figure recorded since January. The gain built on the prior week’s $1.1 billion, stretching the inflow run to three straight weeks and $2.7 billion combined. Total assets under management across crypto exchange-traded products rose close to $155 billion, the highest mark since early February. Just weeks earlier, in March, that figure had fallen as low as $128 billion. CoinShares head of research James Butterfill pointed to a recovering appetite for risk, tied largely to ongoing US-Iran ceasefire talks. Bitcoin’s price added to the mood, briefly pushing toward $78,000 on Friday before pulling back. Bitcoin And Ether Lead, Altcoins Get Left Behind Bitcoin products captured the bulk of the action. Data shows inflows into Bitcoin ETPs reached $1.12 billion for the week, pushing year-to-date totals to $3 billion, with assets under management sitting at $123 billion. US spot Bitcoin ETFs alone accounted for roughly $1 billion of that weekly total. Ether had its strongest week since January, pulling in $328 million. That was enough to flip Ether ETPs into positive territory for the year, with year-to-date inflows now sitting at $197 million. Not everything moved in the same direction. XRP products bled $56 million in outflows, the largest among altcoins. Solana recorded smaller but still negative flows of $2.3 million. Short-Bitcoin products took in just $1.4 million, suggesting only a thin slice of investors are still betting against the market. Inflation Data Gets Brushed Aside Geographically, the US drove most of the action — $1.5 billion in inflows. Germany came in second at $28 million. Switzerland ran the other way, posting $138 million in outflows. Related Reading: Strategy Raises $1.76B War Chest As Saylor Signals Bigger Bitcoin Buy March CPI came in at 3.3% year over year, with core inflation at 2.6%. Based on reports from CoinShares, markets largely looked past the headline number, treating core inflation as contained and supply-driven rather than broad-based. Featured image from Meta, chart from TradingView
A CryptoQuant analyst has explained how the recent Bitcoin recovery has still looked like a bear market rally based on signals in on-chain metrics. Bitcoin Recovery Has Come Alongside A Rise In The LTH Supply In a new thread on X, CryptoQuant community analyst Maartunn has discussed the recent recovery run that Bitcoin has witnessed. This surge has arrived after BTC stabilized into a consolidation range following its low at the start of February. Related Reading: Bitcoin Mining Network Collapsing Into AI At Record Pace, Analyst Warns On-chain data suggests that this bottoming process started alongside an uptick in the supply of the long-term holders (LTHs). The LTHs are defined as investors who have been holding onto their tokens since more than 155 days ago. As the below chart shows, the 30-day change in the supply of this Bitcoin cohort was negative between mid-2025 and January 2026, indicating that the diamond hands of the network were distributing their coins. Since the end of January, however, the metric has flipped negative, a sign that coins have been becoming a part of the LTH supply. Note that this metric has a 155-day delay attached between when buying occurred and when it reflects on the data since coins first have to be held for 155 days before they can be classified into the group. As such, the green netflow doesn’t imply accumulation that’s occurring in the present. What it does suggest, however, is that the market has seen the rise of HODLing conviction as BTC has settled into the consolidation phase. In the last month, 345,000 BTC has matured into the group. “That’s structural strength building under the surface,” noted Maartunn. While the latest price recovery has come alongside a surge in the Bitcoin LTH supply, it has also been met with selling pressure. The short-term holders (STHs), investors with a holding time of 155 days or lower, sent about 60,000 BTC to exchanges. Another metric shows that STHs have been transferring their Bitcoin at a loss recently, suggesting that they have still been exiting at a loss despite the recovery surge. Distribution has not just come from the STHs, but also the large entities holding more than 100 BTC in their wallets, who have seen their exchange inflows pick up. Related Reading: Bitcoin Recovery Fails To Lift Market Sentiment From Extreme Fear The selling pressure from these groups could be why the Bitcoin rally hasn’t been able to push higher despite the trend in the LTH supply and the accumulation from Strategy. “For now, this still looks like a bear market rally…” said Maartunn. “But a strong breakout could quickly shift the trend.” BTC Price Bitcoin surged above $78,000 last week, but the asset has since seen a setback as its price has dropped to $75,300. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com
Bitcoin price started a recovery wave from the $73,650 zone. BTC is consolidating and might struggle to clear the $76,500 resistance zone. Bitcoin managed to form a base above $74,000 and started a recovery wave. The price is trading above $75,000 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. There was a break above a bearish trend line with resistance at $75,200 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken). The pair might gain bullish momentum if it settles above the $76,500 zone. Bitcoin Price Aims Higher Bitcoin price extended losses below the $75,500 support zone. BTC even spiked below $74,000 before the bulls appeared. A low was formed at $73,637, and the price is now attempting to recover. There was a move above the $74,500 and $75,000 levels. There was a break above a bearish trend line with resistance at $75,200 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. The pair even surpassed the 50% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $78,344 swing high to the $73,637 low. Bitcoin is now trading above $75,000 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. If the price remains stable above $75,000, it could attempt a fresh increase. Immediate resistance is near the $76,500 level and the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $78,344 swing high to the $73,637 low. The first key resistance is near the $77,250 level. A close above the $77,250 resistance might send the price further higher. In the stated case, the price could rise and test the $78,000 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $78,500 level. The next barrier for the bulls could be $80,000. Another Decline In BTC? If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $76,500 resistance zone, it could start another decline. Immediate support is near the $75,400 level. The first major support is near the $75,000 level. The next support is now near the $74,250 zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $73,650 support in the near term. The main support now sits at $72,000, below which BTC might struggle to recover in the near term. Technical indicators: Hourly MACD – The MACD is now losing pace in the bullish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is now moving lower toward the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $75,000, followed by $74,250. Major Resistance Levels – $76,500 and $77,250.
The latest Bitcoin (BTC) price rebound above $78,000 has sparked renewed optimism across the market, as investor sentiment has flipped bullish. However, not all market watchers are convinced that the momentum will last. Crypto analyst Marmot is warning that the recent price surge may be masking deeper weakness underneath, urging investors and traders not to trust it. As bullish forecasts continue to spread across the market, Marmot believes traders may overlook signals that often precede sharp reversals and major shifts in market direction. Why Bitcoin’s Rally Above $78,000 Could Be A Trap Marmot has warned that Bitcoin’s recent price rally could be a major bull trap rather than a sustained breakout. According to him, the rebound resembles a classic distribution pattern designed to shake out retail traders before a sharp decline occurs. Related Reading: This Indicator Used To Predict Bitcoin Bottoms Is Flashing Below $50,000 In his post on X, the analyst cautioned investors and traders against trusting BTC’s bounce above $78,000, as market participants increasingly call for a price of $100,000 even as the cryptocurrency may still be in a bear market. He argued that Bitcoin’s real market move remains undetected and unknown to virtually 99% of traders despite growing bullish sentiment. Supporting his bearish forecast, Marmot highlighted two identical structures on a Bitcoin price chart, showing that the cryptocurrency had experienced a massive price surge between December 2025 and January 2026 after its all-time high above $126,000. At the time, BTC formed a triangle wedge pattern, where prices climbed to a range between $96,000 and $100,000 before a massive price crash to below $65,000 in February 2026. Marmot’s chart shows that the same pattern is now unfolding in real time. Bitcoin is currently grinding inside a consolidation triangle wedge between roughly $72,000 and $80,000 following its recent price spike. If historical patterns repeat, the analyst expects Bitcoin to experience another major correction, this time down to the $50,000 range. This would represent a more than 33.5% crash from levels above $75,200, at the time of writing. ETF Flows And Liquidity Add Pressure To BTC In his post, Marmot also pointed to several factors that continue to add more pressure on Bitcoin’s price and outlook. He pointed to Spot Bitcoin ETF activity, noting that they had recently recorded their largest outflows in months. He stated that approximately $300 million was withdrawn in a single day, with outflows also seen in Fidelity’s ETF. Related Reading: Iran Ceasefire Drives Bitcoin Above $75,000, But Can It Push BTC To $100,000? Moreover, while retail investors continue buying the dip, Marmot argued that institutions are selling into the strength. Rather than fully exiting the market, the analyst said that large players are rotating capital elsewhere, as part of a broader repositioning. Marmot also claimed that liquidity walls imposed by investment firms such as BlackRock are helping to hold prices up artificially. He noted that the reason is likely to create exit liquidity for smart money while demand from smaller traders remains active. While Marmot has acknowledged that a Bitcoin price crash may not happen immediately, he warned that once liquidity leaves the market, the cryptocurrency’s downside move could be fast and severe. As a result, he has urged traders not to buy near the top while funds are still rebalancing. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
Bitcoin is showing renewed strength after a sharp rebound, signaling that buyers are stepping back in at key levels. With momentum building and price pushing higher, attention is now shifting toward the $79,000 resistance zone, where a breakout could confirm continued upside and open the door for a stronger rally. Selling Pressure After Initial Reaction Bitcoin saw an immediate response to yesterday’s developments, facing notable selling pressure as the market processed the news. Analyst Kamile Uray highlights that while the initial reaction was bearish, the possibility for a continued rally remains on the table, provided the immediate low of $73,371 is successfully defended. Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Gives Back Gains, But Structure Remains Bullish However, a 4-hour candle close below this mark would likely trigger a deeper correction toward the $68,720 level, which represents the critical 0.618 Fibonacci retracement of the most recent upward wave. Holding this support provides the foundation for a fresh leg up. On the bullish side, a decisive close above $79,000 would signal a continuation of the broader uptrend toward much higher targets. Uray identifies a major resistance cluster between $98,000 and $107,000–$109,000. Should the price face a rejection at these elevated levels, traders should expect a return to the previous support zones, ranging from $73,371 to the $66,000 region. Examining the daily timeframe, the $65,666 level serves as a pivot point. As long as Bitcoin maintains its position above this threshold, the overall structure remains skewed toward a potential rise. A failure to hold the $65,666 level would shift the focus to lower support levels at $63,823, $62,433, and $60,000. The most critical warning comes at the $60,000 mark; a daily close below this psychological and technical barrier would likely extend the corrective phase significantly. Bitcoin Bounces Strongly As Week Kicks Off In his most recent update, analyst Michaël van de Poppe noted a relatively strong upward bounce for Bitcoin on Monday. This movement is particularly significant as it occurs during a period where markets typically trend toward a risk-off stance ahead of the weekly opening. The ability of Bitcoin to push higher against this cautious backdrop suggests underlying strength in current demand. Related Reading: Bitcoin Breakout Confirmed, But Is It Real Or A Bull Trap? A key factor in this analysis is the recent decoupling from traditional safe-haven assets. While Bitcoin has shown resilience and upward momentum, gold has trended downward. Looking at the weekly outlook, the presence of a price gap at the $77,300 level remains a primary focal point for traders. Given the strength of the recent bounce and the existing technical vacuum toward that higher level, Bitcoin is expected to fill this gap and achieve new highs before the current week concludes. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
While April has been one of the turbulent months for the crypto markets, it has been one of the stronger months for Bitcoin. The monthly returns of the star crypto have exceeded 10% for the first time in the past 10 months, mainly after undergoing 5 straight bearish months followed by a rebound in March. …
For over a decade, Bitcoin has been championed as a financial system beyond the reach of government institutions or elite influence. Its decentralization narrative, built on open-source code, distributed consensus, and a global network of participants, has made it a symbol of financial independence. However, fresh waves of speculation tied to the Epstein files are now challenging that perception, pushing the conversation into more uncomfortable territory. Who Actually Influences The Bitcoin Network In Practice? A narrative is spreading that the Jeffrey Epstein Files reveal that Israel hijacked control of the Bitcoin network over a decade ago. The Matrixbot revealed on X that Israel was paying salaries of 60% of BTC core developers and offered highly exclusive gifts behind the scenes. Related Reading: Bitcoin Pioneer Adam Back Addresses Mention In Epstein Files Furthermore, Epstein and Israel were also the major investors in Blockstream, a company that works with Tether and exerts significant influence over BTC. They can manipulate the BTC price by issuing unbacked Tether, controlling the network code because they hired most of the developers, and own a majority of the nodes. According to Matrixbot, this claim shows that Israel has direct access to the code and influence over the BTC. The idea of decentralization is clearly illusory, and it is deeply concerning that the network could be manipulated by a single state operating behind the scenes. Record Realized Losses Signal Extreme Market Stress In Bitcoin This bear cycle has driven Bitcoin into one of the largest aggressive realized losses in dollar regimes in its history. OnChainMind has noted that at the peak of the downturn, the network recorded nearly $1 billion per day in net realized losses. Data shows that the bulk of the early selling pressure originated from investors who had entered the market just 3 to 6 months ago, often referred to as weak hands. Related Reading: Bitcoin LTH Data Turns Cautious: Supply Rises, But SOPR Stays Below 1.0 Currently, a more resilient cohort of holders who held for 6 to 12 months is beginning to show signs of strain. Historically, when progressively stronger hands begin to capitulate, it signals a late-stage bear market dynamic. Crypto trader known as ctm_trader has also pointed out that Bitcoin has been grinding higher, with 7 out of the last 8 two-day candles closing green. This kind of non-stop upward price action is often difficult to sustain, leading to massive liquidations. The last time BTC printed a similar structure, the price pulled back nearly half the move within hours, triggering large-scale liquidations and wiping out millions. Now, the liquidity sitting below is even larger. At the same time, indicators are flashing an overbought market. As the recent price action and structure are bearish, and BTC just swept the recent highs, it raises the possibility that the market could be positioning for a larger move to the downside. Featured image from Peakpx, chart from Tradingview.com
The firm said it is exploring the potential to deploy bitcoin mining, but remains committed to progressing the site for UK energy security.
Michael Saylor’s Strategy has acquired 34,164 BTC for about $2.54B at an average price of $74,395 per Bitcoin. This latest purchase brings its total holdings to 815,061 BTC, accumulated for roughly $61.56B at an average cost of $75,527. The firm also reports a 9.5% BTC yield year-to-date in 2026. The move highlights Strategy’s continued aggressive …
This significant investment may influence Bitcoin's market dynamics, potentially impacting its volatility and institutional adoption trends.
The post Strategy spends $2.5B on Bitcoin in one of its largest single buys to date appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Strategy's total holdings account for more than 3.8% of the 21 million bitcoin supply cap — worth around $61 billion.
Bitcoin fell below $74,000 after weekend gains faded, following rising US-Iran tensions after a reported cargo ship seizure and retaliation threats. The price is now moving between key levels, with $74,000 as support and $76,000–$77,000 as resistance, while traders also watch a possible CME gap and liquidity zones. Sentiment remains divided between bullish continuation and …
Ripple’s long legal battle with the US Securities and Exchange Commission is finally over — and one major financial firm says that resolution, combined with a battered token price, may be setting up a rare entry point for XRP investors. Related Reading: Strategy Raises $1.76B War Chest As Saylor Signals Bigger Bitcoin Buy Regulatory Wins Fuel Fresh Optimism The Motley Fool, a US-based financial advisory firm, says XRP could be worth buying before 2027, pointing to two developments it believes most investors are overlooking. The firm’s report comes as XRP trades around $1.41, down 20% so far this year and more than 60% from its peak of $3.60 reached last summer. Ripple’s case with the SEC — which started in December 2020 — was settled in May 2025. A court dismissed the remaining appeals in August 2025. That outcome cleared a cloud that had followed the token for years, making it a far less risky proposition for large financial institutions that had previously stayed on the sidelines. New legislation is also taking shape. The GENIUS Act was signed into law last year. The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act cleared the House in July 2025 and is still working its way through the Senate. Together, reports say these laws are beginning to lay out clearer rules for how digital assets are treated in the US. A Broader Bet Than Cross-Border Payments For years, Ripple’s main pitch to banks was straightforward: use XRP to move money across borders faster and cheaper than traditional networks like SWIFT, which has processed global transactions since 1973. That argument gained some traction but never broke through at scale. Banks, by nature, are slow to abandon systems they already trust. So Ripple changed course. Rather than staking everything on replacing one system, the company began building out a wider network of projects and partners. A key move came in June 2025 with the launch of XAO DAO, a community-run initiative designed to fund development within the XRP ecosystem. Related Reading: Bitcoin Pulls Back Below $74K As Iran Tensions Rise Again Reports indicate Ripple is also positioning its technology to support anti-fraud tools and to help move traditional financial products — like exchange-traded funds — onto blockchain networks. According to the Motley Fool, this wider approach could be exactly what large institutions need to feel comfortable getting involved. Price Drop Seen As A Window Institutional interest in XRP is growing. Data shows XRP-linked exchange-traded funds are on pace for record inflows in April 2026, pulling in $65 million so far this month alone. Featured image from Meta, chart from TradingView
Publicly listed Bitcoin miners liquidated more than 32,000 Bitcoin during the first quarter of 2026, marking a record sell-off as the industry's largest operators redirect billions in capital toward artificial intelligence. This historic shift is unfolding precisely as the economics of Bitcoin validation reach a critical pressure point. With mining profitability hovering near cyclical lows, […]
The post Public miners dump record BTC and are pivoting to AI — is Bitcoin’s security backbone starting to hollow out? appeared first on CryptoSlate.
The Crypto Fear & Greed Index crept up two points to 29 out of 100 on Monday — its highest reading since late January — but that number still signals fear among Bitcoin investors. Related Reading: Strategy Raises $1.76B War Chest As Saylor Signals Bigger Bitcoin Buy Markets had barely settled from a rough weekend before the index was being watched again as a barometer of just how shaky confidence remains in the crypto space. That unease has a clear cause. A two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, which had given financial markets a brief lift and helped keep oil prices in check, is now under serious strain. It is set to expire Wednesday. Source: Alternative.me US Military Seizure Rattles Markets The trouble started Saturday when Iran said it would shut down key oil shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz. Bitcoin, which had climbed to $78,300 on Coinbase late Friday — its strongest price since early February — quickly gave up those gains. By Saturday and into early Sunday, it had slid to between $75,000 and $76,000. Then came Sunday night. The US military opened fire on an Iranian cargo ship and later took control of it, saying the vessel had attempted to break through a US blockade of Iranian ports. Tehran called the move a ceasefire violation and vowed retaliation. Iran also pulled out of peace talks scheduled for Monday in Islamabad, Pakistan. Bitcoin dropped sharply. It briefly fell under $74,000. JUST IN: Bitcoin falls under $74,000 after Iran rejects second round of peace talks with the US. pic.twitter.com/Bxyx687J3a — Watcher.Guru (@WatcherGuru) April 19, 2026 Stock Futures And Oil Feel The Pressure Too Crypto was not the only market caught off guard. S&P 500 futures fell 0.78% Sunday night. Nasdaq-100 futures dropped 0.6%. Dow Jones futures lost roughly 450 points, or about 0.89%. Oil moved in the opposite direction. With Iran threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most critical shipping corridors for crude — oil futures surged more than 4.5%, pushing above $95 a barrel. Related Reading: Alibaba AI Model Puts XRP Price Between $7 And $42 By Year-End Ceasefire Expiry Puts Wednesday In Focus The coming days will likely determine where things head next. With Iran rejecting new negotiations and the ceasefire window closing fast, traders are watching closely. The brief rally Bitcoin enjoyed last week, built partly on hopes that US-Iran tensions were cooling, has been wiped out. At last check, Bitcoin was trading near $75,098. Featured image from Meta, chart from TradingView
Michael Saylor has signaled that Strategy, formerly MicroStrategy, may be preparing to buy more Bitcoin, reviving a pattern investors now treat as an early marker for another weekly treasury announcement. On April 19, the company’s executive chairman posted a screenshot of Strategy’s Bitcoin portfolio tracker on X with the phrase “Think Even ₿igger.” Historically, Saylor […]
The post How Strategy’s STRC could propel the Michael Saylor’s firm Bitcoin holdings past BlackRock’s IBIT this week appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Morgan Stanley's MSBT logged a weekly net inflow of $71 million in the first full trading week since its debut.
Anthony Scaramucci and analyst Back expect Bitcoin to reach between $500,000 and $1 million this cycle. Scaramucci highlights Bitcoin’s fixed supply of 21 million coins, saying a $1 million price would align with gold’s market value. Back points to rising ETF inflows, corporate accumulation, and growing institutional participation as key drivers. Bitcoin currently trades near …
Bitcoin price started a fresh decline from the $78,400 zone. BTC is consolidating and might struggle to stay above the $73,500 support. Bitcoin failed to stay above $76,500 and corrected gains. The price is trading below $75,500 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. There is a connecting bearish trend line forming with resistance at $75,600 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken). The pair might extend losses if it stays below the $75,500 and $76,000 levels. Bitcoin Price Dips Again Bitcoin price failed to stay above the $77,500 resistance zone. BTC formed a top near $78,350 and started a fresh decline. There was a move below the $76,500 level. The price dipped below the $75,500 and $75,000 levels. A low was formed at $73,637 and the price is now consolidating losses below the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $78,343 swing high to the $73,637 low. Bitcoin is now trading below $76,000 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. If the price remains stable above $73,500, it could attempt a fresh increase. Immediate resistance is near the $74,750 level. The first key resistance is near the $75,500 level. There is also a connecting bearish trend line forming with resistance at $75,600 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. A close above the $75,500 resistance might send the price further higher. In the stated case, the price could rise and test the $76,000 resistance and the 50% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $78,343 swing high to the $73,637 low. Any more gains might send the price toward the $77,200 level. The next barrier for the bulls could be $78,000. Downside Continuation In BTC? If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $75,500 resistance zone, it could start another decline. Immediate support is near the $74,000 level. The first major support is near the $73,500 level. The next support is now near the $72,500 zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $71,200 support in the near term. The main support now sits at $70,000, below which BTC might struggle to recover in the near term. Technical indicators: Hourly MACD – The MACD is now gaining pace in the bearish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is now below the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $74,000, followed by $73,500. Major Resistance Levels – $75,500 and $76,000.
Michael Saylor’s company has already lined up the money. Now the question is how much Bitcoin it plans to buy with it. Related Reading: Alibaba AI Model Puts XRP Price Between $7 And $42 By Year-End Saylor’s Signal Fires Up The Market Strategy’s executive chairman posted his well-known “Orange Dots” chart on X over the weekend, adding just three words: “Think even Bigger.” The chart maps every Bitcoin purchase the company has ever made. In crypto circles, its appearance has become a reliable preview of an imminent acquisition announcement — and Monday is the day Strategy most commonly makes those announcements public. The post landed after a string of major purchases. On April 13, Strategy spent $1 billion on Bitcoin. The week before that, it dropped $330 million. Both buying rounds were preceded by the same chart. This time, Saylor’s caption suggests the next move could top them both. A War Chest Already Sitting Ready The fuel for that purchase appears to already be in place. Strategy’s STRC instrument has raised enough capital to fund up to $1.76 billion in Bitcoin acquisitions, based on reports tracking the company’s fundraising activity. The company routinely uses proceeds from STRC to bankroll its Bitcoin buying program, so the timing of that capital raise lines up with the weekend post. At the time of writing, Strategy holds 780,897 Bitcoin across its corporate treasury. The company’s average purchase price sits at $75,577 per coin. At current market prices, the entire stash is valued at roughly $58 billion — a figure that would shift significantly with any large new purchase. Bitcoin Price Holds Flat Despite The News The market has not moved much on Saylor’s hint. Bitcoin was trading around $75,500, down less than 1% in the 24 hours following the post. Geopolitical pressure has been a drag on price action, with US President Donald Trump accusing Iran of violating ceasefire terms — a development that has kept risk appetite subdued across financial markets. Related Reading: XRP Expansion Into Solana Sparks Fresh Demand, Ripple CEO Says One signal watched closely by analysts did break out over the weekend, though. Bitcoin Dominance — the share of total crypto market value held by Bitcoin — pushed above a key resistance level on the three-day chart, clearing a descending trendline it had been stuck under for some time. Reports from crypto analysts indicate that if the breakout holds, more capital could rotate into Bitcoin at the expense of smaller coins. For Strategy’s playbook, that kind of market shift would not be unwelcome. Featured image from MetaAI, chart from TradingView
According to data from a recent on-chain evaluation, the Bitcoin mining sector is once again flashing warning signals, as a key industry health metric now hovers above historically critical levels. In this scenario, the Bitcoin price stands a chance to regain past grounds, but only if a specific pattern plays out. Bitcoin Miner Financial Stress Approaches Capitulation Levels Seen In Past Cycles On Saturday, April 18th, MorenoDV put out a Quicktake post on the CryptoQuant platform, revealing an ongoing dynamic shift among Bitcoin miners. The relevant indicator here is the Miner Financial Health Index 7D-SMA metric, which tracks the short-term trend of miners’ overall economic condition. Related Reading: Analyst Says Bitcoin Is Going To $170,000: Here’s When To Buy And When To Sell This metric combines four key factors – including hashprice (revenue per unit of computing power), block profitability, fee share, and total miner revenue. When these are measured together, it becomes apparent whether miners are operating in optimal conditions or are under severe stress. According to the crypto expert, the index currently displays a still-growing value of 27.7%, which is actually quite close to a historically relevant level (20%). Usually, when this metric falls to this critical 20% threshold, it indicates that mining conditions are becoming more difficult; that there is insufficient fee support, or that even rewards are declining. Interestingly, MorenoDV showed that historical data backs up this observation. Per the crypto pundit, sustained readings above this seen in the 2019, 2020, and 2022-2023 market cycles have aligned with the last stages of a capitulation phase — representing moments when weaker miners are forced out of the market. Market Bottoms May Follow Miner Capitulation, Not Peak Stress Despite the apparent risks in the current cycle, the analyst explained that the situation appears to lean more towards a recovery scenario. As previously mentioned, the Financial Health Index now sits above the historically relevant 20% mark and continues to grow higher. Typically, when this recovery above 20% occurs, it serves as a telltale sign that the “forced selling phase” is being swallowed up. MorenoDV pointed out that this is often because marginal players must have exited; network conditions have become stable — thus, the remaining miners are working in more optimal economic conditions. The crypto expert further noted that this transition often coincides with the exhaustion of bearish momentum in the Bitcoin price. Hence, if the Miner Financial Health Index is indeed transitioning, it might be important to keep an eye out for further recovery of the index. As of this writing, Bitcoin is valued at around $75,829, reflecting an almost 2% price decline since the past 24 hours. Related Reading: Bitcoin LTH Data Turns Cautious: Supply Rises, But SOPR Stays Below 1.0 Featured image from iStock, chart from TradingView
Crypto traders traded more than $500 million in synthetic oil futures over the weekend on the decentralized exchange Hyperliquid, betting that renewed military conflict in the Middle East could push crude prices back to $100 a barrel. The surge in blockchain-based trading followed Iran's abrupt decision to shut the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, […]
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An artificial intelligence model developed by Alibaba has projected that XRP could surpass $7 this year, with an upper estimate reaching as high as $42 — a range that would push the cryptocurrency’s total market value somewhere between $400 billion and $2.52 trillion. Related Reading: XRP Expansion Into Solana Sparks Fresh Demand, Ripple CEO Says The projection lines up with forecasts made by several human analysts who have been calling for a sharp revaluation of the asset. Regulatory Shift Seen As Turning Point US regulators appear to have drawn a clearer line in the sand. The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission jointly issued a classification framework that places XRP, Bitcoin, and Ethereum under the category of digital commodities. The move marks a significant departure from the SEC’s earlier stance, which had treated XRP as a security — a classification that weighed heavily on the token for years. Reports indicate that many in the industry believe this shift could open the door for wider institutional participation in XRP-based products and services. Adding to that momentum, the proposed Clarity Act — if passed — is expected to further define the rules around crypto assets used in cross-border payments and financial infrastructure. XRP has long been positioned as a tool for international money transfers, and clearer rules could accelerate its adoption by banks and payment companies. Bitcoin And Ethereum Leading The Charge The XRP outlook does not exist in isolation. Analysts have tied its potential price movement to broader gains expected across the crypto market. Bitcoin is being watched closely, with some projections placing it as high as $250,000. Ethereum is also drawing attention, with forecasts built around growth in tokenization and stablecoin activity pointing toward a potential price around $10,000. Driving part of that optimism are Bitcoin exchange-traded funds launched by BlackRock and Fidelity Investments, which have attracted significant institutional money. Morgan Stanley recently added to that list with its own Bitcoin ETF, now trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Grayscale Investments’ head of research, Zach Pandl, has suggested that XRP is due for a meaningful valuation shift once regulatory conditions stabilize — a view shared by analysts who argue the token has been priced well below what its real-world use and adoption justify. Related Reading: Bitcoin, Ethereum Trading Expands As Charles Schwab Enters Crypto Market Early Movers Warned Of Closing Window Some analysts are framing the current period as a transfer of wealth from those who wait to those who act early — echoing patterns seen during earlier Bitcoin bull cycles when retail investors entered too late to capture the biggest gains. XRP is currently trading around $1.50. Featured image from MetaAI, chart from TradingView
Bitcoin price faced a rejection near the crucial resistance, plunging by 2.62% to reach close to $75,000. The rally seems to be driven by geopolitical news, as the recent gains have completely faded. The IRGC fully blocked the Strait of Hormuz again, which has intensified the selling pressure on the token. After another rejection near …
A recent on-chain analysis suggests that Bitcoin is once again showing divergence across its investor cohorts, specifically between institutional players and retail investors. According to this analysis, the Bitcoin price may have more room for growth than we have seen so far in this cycle. Related Reading: Bitcoin Breakout Confirmed, But Is It Real Or A Bull Trap? Bitcoin ETF Flows Align With Coinbase Premium Index Readings In a recent Quicktake post on the CryptoQuant platform, crypto research and education firm XWIN Research Japan delves into the dynamics of the Bitcoin market noting that a crucial structural shift is emerging. The relevant indicators in this analysis are the Total Bitcoin Spot ETF Net Inflows, the Coinbase Premium Index, and the Fear & Greed metrics. The ETF inflows measure the net amount of Bitcoin moving into or out of Spot ETFs; the Coinbase Premium tracks the price difference between Coinbase and other exchanges. According to the XWIN Research Japan, ETF Flows and the Coinbase Premium at (~0.56)are displaying a positive correlation signalling aligning inflows with spot demand. However, XWIN Research Japan points to an important distinction: institutional buying actually precedes ETF inflows, not the other way around, as is popularly believed. Hence, the rising values from Coinbase Premium which signal that US investors are buying again, and are the essential drivers of Bitcoin’s price. Related Reading: XRP Expansion Into Solana Sparks Fresh Demand, Ripple CEO Says Fear And Greed Index Reveals Persistent Retail Fear On the contrary, the analytics group notes that the Fear & Greed index is telling a less optimistic story. The experts highlight that the index remains quite low, with readings still within the range of 10-30, indicating that retailers are still outside the action. This “sidelining” of retailers might have roots in the recent losses they incurred, while institutional investors continue to accumulate due to “flow and structure.” Therefore, this behavior creates the classic “Wall of Worry” rally, in which a cryptocurrency’s price (Bitcoin, in this case) rises despite widespread market skepticism. Thus, XWIN Research Japan explains that this could ultimately mean the market is in the early or even mid phase of an “institutional-led uptrend,” in which retail participation is exempt from the factors actively driving prices. In a scenario where retail activity picks up with predominantly bullish intent, the premier cryptocurrency could be in for further upside. As of press time, Bitcoin is valued at $75,703, with CoinMarketCap data showing the world’s leading cryptocurrency has lost 2.24% of its value over the past day. Featured image from PickPik, chart from Tradingview
Charles Schwab announced this week that it will begin selling Bitcoin and Ethereum directly to its 39 million brokerage clients. They will appear in the same account view as stocks, ETFs, and retirement funds, in the same app, under the same brand, one click from the S&P 500 index fund a customer bought for their […]
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