Bitcoin price failed to stay above $68,000 and dipped sharply. BTC is now consolidating losses and might struggle to recover above $66,000. Bitcoin started a fresh decline and traded below the $66,500 support. The price is trading below $66,500 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. There was a break below a bullish trend line with support at $68,000 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken). The pair might dip again if it trades below the $64,500 and $64,200 levels. Bitcoin Price Dives Over 5% Bitcoin price failed to remain stable above the $67,200 zone. BTC started a fresh decline and traded below the $66,500 support zone. There was a push below $66,000. The price even spiked below $65,000. There was also a break below a bullish trend line with support at $68,000 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. A low was formed at $64,203, and the price is now correcting some losses. There was a move above $64,500, but the price is still well below the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the recent decline from the $68,653 swing high to the $64,203 low. Bitcoin is now trading below $66,500 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. If the price remains stable above $64,200, it could attempt a fresh increase. Immediate resistance is near the $65,250 level. The first key resistance is near the $66,400 level or the 50% Fib retracement level of the recent decline from the $68,653 swing high to the $64,203 low. A close above the $66,400 resistance might send the price further higher. In the stated case, the price could rise and test the $67,000 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $67,600 level. The next barrier for the bulls could be $68,000 and $68,500. Another Decline In BTC? If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $66,000 resistance zone, it could start another decline. Immediate support is near the $64,400 level. The first major support is near the $64,200 level. The next support is now near the $63,500 zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $62,850 support in the near term. The main support now sits at $62,000, 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 – $64,500, followed by $64,200. Major Resistance Levels – $66,000 and $66,500.
Over the past two weeks, the Bitcoin market saw an overwhelming sellers’ dominance, with no significant input from the bulls influencing the price. As the flagship cryptocurrency slipped into a downturn, investors increasingly fled the market out of fear, further pushing prices downwards. However, as the Bitcoin price seems to have found stability, an interesting on-chain revelation has also surfaced. If this change proves sustainable, it could mean something positive for the world’s leading cryptocurrency. Related Reading: Bitcoin Trades Below ETF Cost-Basis As MVRV Signals Mounting Pressure Accelerating OTC Outflows, Sign Of Possible Reversal? In their latest post on the CryptoQuant platform, CoinNiel shares an exciting hypothesis for the Bitcoin price, based on data from the Bitcoin: Total OTC Desk Balance. The analyst points out that the Bitcoin price might be at a point where a reversal is imminent. For context, the Bitcoin: Total OTC Desk Balance metric measures the total amount of Bitcoin currently being held in wallets associated with over-the-counter (OTC) trading desks. When the balance is rising, it often implies that more BTC is being moved to these OTC desks. This is also a telltale sign of increasing sell appetite among Bitcoin’s large holders. On the contrary, falling values on this metric typically indicate that Bitcoin is being withdrawn from OTC desks. By extension, it could imply that institutional demand is growing, or that large holders are no longer positioning for sales. According to the chart shared below, the Total OTC Desk Balance has taken on a sharp downtrend, meaning that there has been a significant amount of BTC sent out of the OTC market. Notably, this switch in investor behavior is happening around the same time as when Bitcoin regained its $68,000 footing. As a result, the BTC market sentiment appears to be shifting from pessimistic to slightly optimistic: instead of accumulating BTC for sale, OTC balances are instead contracting. This could be caused by increased buying from large holders or due to reduced selling appetite among Bitcoin’s market participants. In the scenario where there is increased institutional accumulation of Bitcoin, it could be a sign that the Bitcoin price would soon make a big upside move. On the other hand, reduced selling activity is also good for the Bitcoin price, as it translates as reduced selling pressure, allowing for the short-term recovery of the flagship cryptocurrency’s price. CoinNiel, therefore, states as a caveat that the true drivers behind this dynamic remain to be confirmed. As a result, investors and other market participants should be alert when engaging with the Bitcoin market. Related Reading: Saylor Makes Bold $1M Bitcoin Call — “It’s Zero Or A Million” Bitcoin Price At A Glance At press time, Bitcoin holds a value of $67,953, reflecting a 24-hour devaluation of 0.17% per CoinMarketCap data. Since the past seven days, the flagship cryptocurrency has so far lost about 2.81% of its value. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from Tradingview
Market analyst Michaël van de Poppe has noted an important on-chain development that implies a brewing market rebound. This market insight comes as Bitcoin continues to consolidate below $70,000, reporting a 2.38% loss in the past week. Related Reading: Bitcoin Whale Profit-Taking Sees 7th Surge Since 2024 — What To Expect Bitcoin Short-Term Sharpe Ratio Indicates Bear Market End In an X post on February 21, van de Poppe shares a bullish view on the Bitcoin market, referencing historical data of the Bitcoin Sharpe Ratio – an on-chain metric that measures how much excess return Bitcoin generates per unit of volatility. The Sharpe Ratio is cyclical. It’s highly positive during bull markets but turns negative during extended drawdowns. According to data shared by de Poppe, the Bitcoin Sharpe Ratio has dropped to -38.38 in the short term, which is historically recognized as a low risk accumulation zone. De Poppe explains that the Sharpe Ratio has touched similar levels in the past thrice, in early 2015, early 2019, and late 2022. Each time, this dip has preceded a major price rally. This is because a crash to these extremely low levels on the short-term chart suggests Bitcoin is underperforming in terms of risk-to-reward ratio, presenting the ideal point for a market entry. Over the past five months, Bitcoin has experienced a steep bear market, resulting in a total decline of 45.86% compared to its all-time high in October. In February alone, BTC prices have fallen by over 23% as prices dipped as low as $60,000 at the beginning of the month. De Poppe’s analysis shows that this recent crash has also negatively altered the BTC to Gold ratio, creating a potentially market opportunity due to the imbalance between both assets. Going by the historical price reaction to such conditions, the market expert explains that the Sharpe Ratio has highlighted this opportunity, which he described as super bullish. Related Reading: XRP Tipped As Central Bank Bridge Asset — Bigger Than Bitcoin? Bitcoin Market Overview At the time of writing, Bitcoin trades at $68,299, representing a 0.72% gain in the past day. However, the daily trading volume is down by 50.04% and is valued at $19.15 billion. Notably, market analyst KillaXBT expects Bitcoin to retrace to around $67,800 on Monday in an effort to fill the CME gap created over the weekend. The premier cryptocurrency has shown a solid record on this front, with 96% of the CME gaps observed since 2022 getting filled within a maximum of two weeks. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from Tradingview
At the beginning of February, the price of Bitcoin tumbled to a new low not seen since US President Donald Trump got elected in November 2024. This downside volatility is believed to have been precipitated by the overleveraging in the BTC market at the time. According to the latest on-chain data, the Bitcoin derivatives market has witnessed a massive flush-out over the past week. BTC Market Now At Reduced Risk Of Liquidation Cascades In a fresh Quicktake post on the CryptoQuant platform, trader CryptoOnchain revealed a dramatic flush-out in the Bitcoin derivatives market on Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange by trading volume. The relevant indicator here is the Estimated Leverage Ratio (ELR), which has seen a significant decline in recent weeks. Related Reading: Why Bitcoin Could Be Headed For Another Drop: Research Firm Cites Three Key Risks The Estimated Leverage Ratio is an on-chain metric that measures the ratio of open interest and the reserve of an exchange (Binance, in this case). This indicator tracks the average amount of leverage used by traders in a particular market or exchange. A high ELR value typically implies elevated market risk, signaling that small price movements could potentially lead to significant liquidations and further price movements. As reported by NewsBTC in late January, the ELR was at an extremely high level of around 0.1980, indicating an overheated and highly speculative market. Following the crash of the Bitcoin price, the on-chain metric has also cooled off, falling to around 0.1414. According to CryptoOnchain, this 28% decline in the Estimated Leverage Ratio highlights a shiftbin market dynamics. The market quant said that the drop in ELR suggests that a severe deleveraging event has occurred, with the accompanying price decline causing the closure of several overleveraged long positions. CryptoOnchain added: While the immediate price action was painful, wiping out excess leverage is fundamentally healthy. It removes the “derivatives bubble” and leaves the market structure much lighter and less susceptible to extreme, sudden volatility. The crypto analyst concluded that the risk of further liquidation cascades is reduced, now that the Estimated Leverage Ratio has fallen to normal levels. However, the Bitcoin market needs organic buying pressure and genuine demand from the spot market to rebuild a bullish structure and resume a sustainable upward trend. Bitcoin Price Overview As of this writing, the price of BTC sits around $67,950, reflecting an almost 2% jump in the past 24 hours. According to data from CoinGecko, the premier cryptocurrency is still down by more than 1% on the weekly timeframe. Related Reading: Bitcoin Big-Money Exits: Large-Holder Supply Hits Lowest Since May 2025 Featured image from iStock, chart from TradingView
As it stands, the premier cryptocurrency maintains its broader bearish structure, with its price struggling to overcome the $68,000 resistance over the past few days. However, an interesting on-chain development suggests that the Bitcoin price could likely see a relief soon, but only after a certain condition has been met. Realized Profits Show Warning Pattern That Precedes Defined Moves In a recent Quicktake post on CryptoQuant, on-chain analyst MorenoDV revealed that Bitcoin whales have realized more than $208 million in profits. As shown by the Realized Profit By Whales metric, this event — where over $200 million is taken as profit by members of this cohort — marks the seventh such occurrence over the past two years. Related Reading: XRP’s Brutal Supply Compression Signals A Repeat Of The 2024 Expansion Notably, these spikes in profits-taken have not occurred without any impact on price; instead, they have often been followed by market turbulence, which has also mostly preceded the formation of local bottoms. This suggests that large-scale selling from seasoned holders tends to introduce temporary liquidity imbalances. After the supply created by these whales is absorbed, it often leads to price stabilization. Interestingly, this stability has often preceded bullish reversals in the Bitcoin price. However, there have also been a few instances where such profit-taking among this investor cohort coincided with the establishment of local tops. Nonetheless, MorenoDV explained that this profit-taking behavior among the Bitcoin whales typically signals conviction, due to the behavioral consistency of this investor class. As such, these large investors rarely sell impulsively, but when they do, “it signals conviction about near-term price exhaustion or strategic repositioning.” Hence, if history is anything to go by, the analyst explained that the Bitcoin market stands a high chance of experiencing turbulence in the near-term. However, this also comes with the inference that the Bitcoin price is closer to a local exhaustion point than to the start of a bearish market cycle. If institutional flows, or even mid-sized holders, begin accumulating at current levels, the market could interpret this as a healthy rotation, which could in turn translate into bullish momentum. On the other hand, if demand should remain insufficient or if more market participants sell their holdings, downside pressure could be amplified, thereby pushing prices further south. Bitcoin Price At A Glance At the time of writing, the price of BTC stands at around $67,960, reflecting no significant movement in the past 24 hours. Related Reading: The Great Bitcoin Handover: $8.2 Billion BTC Swamps Binance As Retail Momentum Fades Featured image by Dall.E, chart from TradingView
Bitcoin remains range-bound as liquidity clears on both sides, keeping price action indecisive. After months of weakness, demand has finally turned positive, hinting that selling is easing and structural accumulation may be returning. BTC Stays Range-Bound Amid Active Liquidity Clearing Bitcoin remains locked in a range-bound state, characterized by a lack of directional commitment. Currently, the price is actively engaged in clearing liquidity on both sides of the spread. This creates a market environment where expansion is met with selling pressure, while price dips are swiftly absorbed by buyers, trapping the asset in a tug-of-war. Related Reading: Thinking Of Buying The Bitcoin Dip? Here’s What This Metric Says According to Columbus, market liquidity remains exceptionally well-defined both above and below the current price levels. This structure reinforces the ongoing choppy environment, as the market seems content to bounce between established pockets of orders. In such a scenario, the data suggests that patience is the most valuable asset for traders. From this juncture, the market’s trajectory depends on how it reacts after the nearby liquidity is purged. If Bitcoin begins to find acceptance above the current range following a liquidity sweep, the probability shifts toward a bullish expansion, triggering a move into higher upside pockets. Conversely, if the attempt to gain acceptance fails after a sweep, the market remains vulnerable to further downside. This could result in additional sweeping of lower liquidity levels before any sustained recovery can materialize. Until then, the prevailing goal remains a technical clean-up of liquidity before the next major trend is established. Bitcoin Demand Turns Positive After Months Of Weakness CryptosRus recently highlighted that after nearly three months of persistent weakness, Bitcoin’s apparent demand has finally turned back above zero, currently sitting around +1,200 BTC. This marks a notable shift in investors’ sentiment and action in a market struggling with heightened volatility. Related Reading: Bitcoin Extreme Fear Streak Extends To 22 Days As Price Struggles Back in December, demand had bottomed near -154,000 BTC, a quantity that helps explain the sluggish price action that persisted in the following weeks. Since then, the pressure has been quietly easing. Selling activity is slowing, and structural accumulation is beginning to re-emerge, signaling a potential shift in market dynamics. It’s important to understand what this metric represents, which is whether long-term holders are absorbing new supply. When demand is deeply negative, the market tends to struggle. Conversely, when the metric turns positive, it suggests that buying activity is rebuilding, creating conditions for a healthier market structure. That said, the market is not out of the woods yet. A single positive print does not confirm a trend reversal. However, if this recovery in demand persists, it is often one of the earliest indicators that the market is transitioning from a distribution phase back toward accumulation, setting the stage for potential sustained strength in the weeks ahead. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
Bearish sentiments continue to dominate the Bitcoin market as the premier cryptocurrency looks to record a fifth consecutive monthly loss. Presently, prices are consolidating beneath the $70,000 mark, as market bulls struggle to force a decisive breakout above the resistance zone. Amid this choppy price action, data from the Bitcoin options market shows that traders are beginning to expect less volatility but still acknowledge the fragile nature of the market. Related Reading: Why Bitcoin Could Be Headed For Another Drop: Research Firm Cites Three Key Risks Bitcoin Volatility Expectations Drop, Market Panic Fades In an X post on February 20, Glassnode shared its weekly Bitcoin options market update, analyzing the traders’ behavior and sentiment in relation to present market conditions. The market analytics firm reports a notable change in volatility expectations that helps to subside the presently heightened bearish sentiments. According to Glassnode analysts, At-the-money (ATM) implied volatility across maturities has significantly dropped to around 48%, down significantly from recent highs. Because ATM IV reflects the market’s expected move, the decline suggests traders are no longer betting on an immediate price crash. Notably, this shift is reinforced by moves in DVOL, an indicator for measuring aggregate implied volatility expectations. Following initial spikes during the market liquidation in late January/early February, DVOL has fallen by roughly 10 volatility points over the past two weeks, signaling that extreme hedging demand is easing out. In addition, the short-term volatility risk premium (VRP) has turned positive. Earlier this month, one-week VRP plunged to deeply negative levels at -45, as realized volatility far exceeded implied. Since then, implied volatility has repriced higher while realized volatility has stabilized, restoring a premium in short-dated options. Together, these metrics suggest that panic pricing is being reset, and expectations for outsized, volatile moves have declined. Related Reading: XRP Ledger Gets x402 Facilitator For AI Agent Payments: Why This Is Bullish Bitcoin Traders Remain Alert To Downside Despite the cooling in volatility expectations, other metrics show that traders are maintaining a defensive market position. For example, the Put skew, which measures the relative demand for downside protection versus upside exposure, remains quite heightened despite moving off the extreme hedge. After bottoming near the 7 volatility points, the one-week 25-delta skew has rebounded toward 14 vol. The recovery indicates that while extreme fear has subsided, demand for downside insurance remains firm. The taker flow data also tells a similar story. Puts represented two-thirds of last week’s options activity, with outright put buying representing about 34% of total flow. The dominance of protective positioning suggests that market participants are not fully convinced the correction has run its course. In conclusion, the options market is signaling a more measured outlook, where expectations for immediate turmoil have faded, but traders are hedging to hedge against the risk of another downside. At press time, Bitcoin trades at $67,628 following a 0.92% gain in the last 24 hours. More data from Glassnode also shows that Dealers are broadly short gamma across a wide price range between $70,000 and $58,000, a positioning structure that could amplify selling pressure if Bitcoin extends losses. Conversely, a large gamma concentration around $75,000 suggests positioning for a potential rebound. Featured image from Flickr, chart from Tradingview
South Korean lawmakers are ramping up pressure on financial regulators after a system failure at Bithumb, the country’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, led to the accidental distribution of more than $43 billion worth of Bitcoin (BTC) earlier this month. The February 6 incident has triggered political scrutiny of both the exchange itself and the agencies responsible for overseeing the virtual asset market. Behind The Bithumb Massive Bitcoin Mishap According to local reporting by The Korea Times, members of the National Assembly are questioning how such a massive error could slip through despite repeated regulatory inspections. Rep. Kang Min-guk of the main opposition People Power Party disclosed that the country’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) reviewed Bithumb three times between 2022 and 2025. Over the same period, the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) conducted three separate inspections. Yet regulators failed to detect what has now been described as a critical structural weakness in the exchange’s system. Related Reading: ‘Sell Bitcoin Now,’ Peter Schiff Warns, Predicts $20,000 Target On Breakdown Kang argued that existing oversight mechanisms were inadequate. He pointed out that safeguards were insufficient to prevent a situation in which a single employee could initiate massive coin transfers. Kang said: The episode is not merely a technical mishap but a case that lays bare deeper structural weaknesses in the virtual asset market, including complacent supervision and gaps in regulation. Instead of crediting users with Bitcoin worth 2,000 won — approximately $1.38 — the system mistakenly credited 2,000 Bitcoin per user. In total, 620,000 Bitcoin were incorrectly distributed. Rep. Han Chang-min of the minor Social Democratic Party also criticized regulators, questioning whether supervisory authorities had meaningfully evaluated the exchange’s internal systems. “Authorities appeared to be shifting responsibility onto Bithumb despite their supervisory role,” Han said. Broader Crypto Oversight In response to the incident, the FSS extended the deadline for its formal investigation from Feb. 13 to the end of the month, citing the need for additional time. An eight-member inspection team is now intensifying its review, focusing on possible violations related to investor protection and anti-money laundering (AML) compliance. Particular attention is being given to the system architecture that allowed coins not actually held by the exchange to be credited to users. Regulators have not ruled out the possibility that further erroneous distributions could be uncovered. Related Reading: House Democrats Urge Treasury Probe Into Trump Family’s Crypto Venture Separately, financial authorities have reportedly formed an emergency response team in coordination with the Digital Asset eXchange Alliance (DAXA), a self-regulatory body representing domestic exchanges. The team has begun inspections of asset verification and internal control systems at four other platforms — Upbit, Coinone, Korbit, and GOPAX. Any deficiencies are expected to be incorporated into DAXA’s self-regulatory guidelines and could influence the next phase of cryptocurrency legislation in South Korea. At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading at $67,763, marking a 2% decline over the past seven days and showing minimal change since Thursday’s trading session. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
Data shows the Bitcoin Fear & Greed Index continues to be inside the extreme fear zone as the cryptocurrency market continues to struggle. Bitcoin Fear & Greed Index Is Still Pointing At ‘Extreme Fear’ The “Fear & Greed Index” refers to an indicator created by Alternative that tells us about the average sentiment present among traders in the Bitcoin and wider cryptocurrency markets. The index uses the data of the following five factors to determine the market mentality: trading volume, market cap dominance, volatility, social media sentiment, and Google Trends. Related Reading: Bitcoin Big-Money Exits: Large-Holder Supply Hits Lowest Since May 2025 When the value of the metric is greater than 53, it means the sentiment shared by the majority of the investors is that of greed. On the other hand, the indicator being under 47 suggests the investors are fearful. Naturally, values lying between the two thresholds indicate the presence of a net neutral mentality. Besides these three main zones, there are also two ‘extreme’ areas called the extreme fear (25 and under) and extreme greed (above 75). Recently, the market has been inside the former of the two. Here is how the latest value of the Bitcoin Fear & Greed Index looks: As is visible above, the Bitcoin Fear & Greed Index has a value of 7, which is pretty deep into the extreme fear zone. In fact, this level of despair is something that the traders have rarely held historically. The Fear & Greed Index has consistently been at similarly low levels during the last couple of weeks, as the below chart shows. Overall, the indicator has been stuck inside the extreme fear territory for 22 straight days now. The recent bad market sentiment is a result of the drawdown that the Bitcoin price has faced. In the past, cryptocurrency markets have often tended to move in the direction that goes contrary to the expectations of the majority. The probability of a contrarian move occurring has generally been the strongest in the extreme sentiment zones as that’s where the crowd is the most sure about the market’s outcome. Given this, the recent extreme fear mentality could help the sector bottom out. The lowest that the metric has gone this cycle is 5, which is similar to the lowest point of the previous bear market. In that bear market, however, the market consolidated and spent more time inside the extreme fear zone even after the low in the Fear & Greed Index, before a bottom was eventually reached. Related Reading: XRP Social Sentiment Hits 5-Week High—BTC, ETH Mood Still Off It now remains to be seen how long Bitcoin and others will take to hit a cyclical low this time around. BTC Price Bitcoin has been unable to make much recovery since its bounce from the $60,000 level as its price continues to trade around $67,700. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com
On-chain data shows the key Bitcoin investors have been distributing recently, with their supply share dropping to the lowest level in months. Large Holder Demand For Bitcoin Has Remained Weak Recently In a new post on X, on-chain analytics firm Santiment has talked about how the Bitcoin investor behavior has compared between the top and low ends of the market. Related Reading: XRP Social Sentiment Hits 5-Week High—BTC, ETH Mood Still Off The analytics firm has chosen these wallet ranges to represent the two sides: 0 to 0.01 BTC and 10 to 10,000 BTC. The former includes the smallest of retail investors, while the latter includes key investor cohorts like the sharks and whales. Below is the chart shared by Santiment that shows the trend in the percentage of the total circulating Bitcoin supply held by each cohort. As is visible in the graph, the 0 to 0.01 BTC cohort has been expanding its supply since the October price peak. Bitcoin has witnessed a deep drawdown inside this window, but the data would imply that it hasn’t held back retail traders from accumulating. In total, this accumulation has expanded the holdings of these small hands by 2.5%, taking their percentage supply share to the highest level since June 2024. While retail has been buying, the sharks and whales have shown a different trajectory. From the chart, it’s apparent that the 10 to 10,000 BTC holders sold alongside the market drawdown between October and December. In January, these investors participated in some buying, which interestingly coincided with a drop in retail holdings. Then, the drawdown toward the end of the month again kicked off a selloff from the key investors. This selloff was steep, in fact sharper than any part of Q4 2025’s distribution phase. Recently, even as Bitcoin has made some recovery from its $60,000 low and found some stability, the big-money investors haven’t shown any return of bullish conviction. Compared to the October peak, the supply of the 10 to 10,000 BTC holders is now down 0.8%, which has taken the network share of this group to the lowest since May 2025. Related Reading: Bitcoin Consolidating In A Triangle—Is A 15% Move Next? The analytics firm explained: Optimally, we begin to see these two Bitcoin groups begin to reverse course. Without key stakeholder support, any spark of a rally will tend to be slightly limited due to the lack of large capital. In another X post, Santiment has also discussed the behavior of the mid-tier Bitcoin holders, occupying the space between retail and large investors. As displayed in the chart, the 0.01 to 1 BTC wallets have seen their combined Bitcoin supply hit a 15-month high following a 1.05% increase since October. Meanwhile, the 1 to 10 BTC hands have reduced their holdings by 0.49% in the same period. BTC Price At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading around $67,400, up 0.7% over the last week. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com
The industry’s largest cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), are enduring one of their most difficult openings to a year on record, according to a recent analysis by Fortune, with both digital assets trading sharply below their previous peaks. Bitcoin is currently down roughly 46% from its all-time high, while Ethereum has fallen about 60% from its record level. The steep declines mark what the publication describes as historically poor year-to-date performances for the assets. Bitcoin, Ethereum Lag While S&P 500, Gold Post Gains While Bitcoin and Ethereum, along with broader crypto prices, have often moved in tandem with equities in recent years, that relationship has weakened over the past two months. Since January, major US stock indices have edged higher. The S&P 500 has gained approximately 0.4%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average has climbed 2.3%. Precious metals have also performed strongly. Gold has surged about 17% since the start of the year, while silver has advanced roughly 14%, even after experiencing a brief drop several weeks ago. Related Reading: ‘Sell Bitcoin Now,’ Peter Schiff Warns, Predicts $20,000 Target On Breakdown The disconnect between cryptocurrencies and broader market gains has prompted some industry observers to declare the arrival of another “Crypto Winter.” “We’re certainly in a Crypto Winter,” said Danny Nelson, a research analyst at crypto asset manager Bitwise. He pointed to investor behavior as evidence of deteriorating sentiment. “You can tell by how investors react to good news,” Nelson said. “They don’t.” ‘We’re Really Close To The End’ Despite the current pullback and the increased challenges for prices seen since the October 10 liquidation event, Nelson argues that the underlying foundation of the industry is strengthening. “Crypto’s reality is getting stronger,” he said, adding that the structural changes underway are likely to outlast the current downturn. Related Reading: House Democrats Urge Treasury Probe Into Trump Family’s Crypto Venture Similar sentiments have been expressed by Tom Lee, cofounder of research firm Fundstrat and a long-time supporter of Ethereum. In a recent interview, Lee suggested the market may be nearing a turning point, stating, “We’re really close to the end.” Whether the latest slump proves to be a temporary correction or a deeper cycle shift remains uncertain. For now, however, the data underscores a challenging start to the year for the cryptocurrency market, even as other asset classes continue to surge. At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $67,595, which is a slight 1% increase compared to Thursday’s prices. Ethereum is trading at around $1,968, with similar gains over the past 24 hours. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
Bitcoin is struggling to reclaim the $69,000 level as persistent selling pressure continues to dominate the short-term market structure. After multiple failed attempts to establish acceptance above this key psychological threshold, price action reflects a defensive environment marked by reduced risk appetite and elevated volatility. Traders remain cautious, with liquidity conditions tightening and momentum favoring sellers rather than sustained accumulation. Related Reading: Ethereum Breaks the Final Whale Floor In A 2018-Style Capitulation: What To Expect New on-chain data shared by analyst Maartunn adds another layer to the current landscape. According to his insights, Bitcoin whales are firmly dominating the market structure at this stage of the cycle. Over the past 30 days alone, approximately $8.24 billion worth of whale-held BTC has flowed into Binance, marking the highest level of large-holder inflows to the exchange in the last 14 months. Such a concentration of activity suggests that major participants are actively repositioning. The data also underscores Binance’s continued role as the primary liquidity venue for large-scale transactions. When whale flows accelerate toward exchanges at this magnitude, it often signals heightened strategic activity — whether for distribution, hedging, or tactical allocation. As Bitcoin consolidates below resistance, the behavior of these dominant market participants may play a decisive role in shaping the next directional move. Whale Dominance Intensifies As Retail Momentum Cools Maartunn further detailed the 30-day flow breakdown, offering a clearer view of how market participation is evolving. Over the past month, whale inflows to Binance have reached $8.24 billion and continue to trend higher. In comparison, retail inflows total approximately $11.91 billion but have begun to flatten. As a result, the retail-to-whale ratio currently stands at 1.45 and is steadily compressing. Although retail participation remains visible, its momentum is cooling. The pace of smaller deposits has slowed, suggesting declining conviction or reduced speculative activity among short-term traders. In contrast, whale deposits have increased consistently over the same period, indicating that larger entities are either actively positioning or reallocating capital with greater urgency. This dynamic is narrowing the gap between large and small participants on the exchange. When whale flows accelerate while retail flows plateau, market structure tends to become more top-heavy, with price increasingly influenced by institutional-scale actors rather than fragmented retail activity. The key takeaway is clear: large players are becoming more dominant on Binance, while smaller participants are gradually losing relative influence. In the current environment, Bitcoin’s next directional move may depend more heavily on whale strategy than retail sentiment. Related Reading: The 200 Million XRP Exodus: Investors Swap Speculation For Private Custody Bitcoin Tests Critical Support As Downtrend Accelerates Bitcoin’s 3-day chart reflects a decisive loss of momentum following the rejection near the $120,000 region in late 2025. Since that peak, price structure has transitioned into a clear corrective phase characterized by lower highs and accelerating downside pressure. The most recent leg lower shows a sharp breakdown from the $90,000–$95,000 consolidation zone, with BTC now hovering around the $68,000 area. Technically, Bitcoin is trading below the shorter-term moving average, which has rolled over and is sloping downward, reinforcing near-term bearish momentum. The intermediate moving average is flattening and beginning to turn lower, signaling weakening trend strength. Meanwhile, the long-term average remains upward sloping but sits well below current price levels, suggesting that while the macro structure has not fully collapsed, the market is in a transitional phase. Related Reading: The Altcoin Exodus: Trading Volumes Halve As Capital Flees To Bitcoin $65,000 Fortress Volume expanded noticeably during the recent selloff, indicating active distribution rather than a passive drift lower. However, the latest candles show some stabilization near the $65,000–$70,000 support region, an area that previously acted as a breakout zone earlier in the cycle. A sustained reclaim of the $75,000–$80,000 range would be required to restore bullish structure. Failure to hold current levels could expose deeper retracement toward long-term trend support. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com
Bitcoin price corrected gains and tested the $65,650 zone. BTC is now consolidating losses and might start a decent increase if it settles above $68,000. Bitcoin is struggling to recover losses and moving lower below $67,500. The price is trading below $67,500 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. There is a declining channel forming with resistance at $67,400 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken). The pair might dip again if it trades below the $66,500 and $66,000 levels. Bitcoin Price Faces Tough Challenge Bitcoin price failed to remain stable above the $67,500 zone. BTC started a fresh decline and traded below the $67,200 support zone. There was a push below $67,000. The price even spiked below $66,800. A low was formed at $65,650, and the price is now correcting some losses. There was a move above the 50% Fib retracement level of the recent decline from the $68,418 swing high to the $65,650 low. Bitcoin is now trading below $67,500 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. If the price remains stable above $66,000, it could attempt a fresh increase. Immediate resistance is near the $67,400 level. There is also a declining channel forming with resistance at $67,400 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. It is close to the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the recent decline from the $68,418 swing high to the $65,650 low. The first key resistance is near the $68,000 level. A close above the $68,000 resistance might send the price further higher. In the stated case, the price could rise and test the $68,800 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $69,500 level. The next barrier for the bulls could be $70,000 and $70,500. Another Decline In BTC? If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $68,000 resistance zone, it could start another decline. Immediate support is near the $66,000 level. The first major support is near the $65,650 level. The next support is now near the $65,050 zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $64,500 support in the near term. The main support now sits at $63,800, below which BTC might struggle to recover in the near term. Technical indicators: Hourly MACD – The MACD is now losing pace in the bearish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is now above the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $66,000, followed by $65,650. Major Resistance Levels – $67,400 and $68,000.
Bitcoin’s price action is struggling with bearish corrections, repeatedly failing to close daily trading sessions above $70,000. As it stands, Bitcoin is now moving in a tight range below $70,000, and crypto analysts are undecided on its next direction. Some see the current structure as a base for another push higher, but others warn that any bounce could invite new selling. Crypto analyst Sherlock is among the cautious voices, arguing on X that a rally to between $72,000 and $76,000 may not be a recovery but a kill zone for Bitcoin bulls. The $76,000 Breakeven Wall Crypto analyst Sherlock is of the notion that any Bitcoin price recovery to $76,000 from here might not actually be a good thing. Sherlock’s argument is based on the Bitcoin holdings of Strategy. At the time of writing, the company holds 714,644 BTC at an average cost basis of $76,052. That stash represents roughly 3.4% of the total Bitcoin supply that will ever exist. Related Reading: Extreme Bitcoin Shorts Could Predict A Bottom, Here’s The Significance Now that Bitcoin is trading around $68,000, Strategy’s position is significantly underwater, and the company is sitting at an estimated unrealized loss of about $5.7 billion at current prices. In the analyst’s view, every push to the $74,000 to $76,000 range brings this large concentration of supply closer to breakeven. Breakeven levels often act as selling zones. Based on that perspective, the $76,000 area could be risky because it brings Strategy’s position back to its average entry price, and many large holders might consider reducing exposure. That said, there is no indication that Strategy plans to sell. The company has repeatedly stated that it has no intention of offloading its Bitcoin and has even emphasized that its balance sheet could withstand a severe downturn, including a scenario where the Bitcoin price drops below $10,000. ETF Pressure And Bitcoin Cost Basis Sherlock also pointed to Spot Bitcoin ETFs as another source of pressure that might lead to a bull trap. As it stands, about 1.28 million BTC are currently held in these funds, with an estimated average entry price between $84,000 and $90,000. Related Reading: Could A Bitcoin Price Crash Below $10,000 Wipe Out Strategy? Saylor Shares What To Expect Since late 2025, these ETFs have recorded more than $6 billion in net outflows, and the Bitcoin price might face another pressure even if it reaches the average entry price. He also noted that about 63% of invested Bitcoin wealth has a cost basis above $88,000, meaning a large share of buyers in 2025 are sitting on losses, and a rally to their entry levels could also be a bull trap. Therefore, a climb into the $72,000 to $76,000 range could be a bull trap. If it doesn’t, then the next trap could be around $88,000. That said, if every breakeven level triggered selling, then Bitcoin might never form a bottom. At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $66,980. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
The Bitcoin’s recent pullback may look concerning on the surface, but according to Brian Armstrong, the move has more to do with the market psychology than with any deterioration in fundamentals. After a period of strong performance, shifting sentiment and broader market uncertainty are playing a larger role in BTC’s price movement than structural weaknesses within the network or its long-term value proposition. Why Bitcoin’s Core Strengths Remain Intact A crypto expert known as Walter Bloomberg on X has revealed that the Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong believes Bitcoin’s recent slide is temporary and is driven primarily by market psychology rather than weakening fundamentals. Related Reading: Standard Chartered Lowers Bitcoin Forecast: Predicts Price Dive To $50,000 Before Rebound Speaking to the Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC) at the World Liberty Forum in Florida, Armstrong pushed back against the speculation linking the decline to potential Federal Reserve (Fed) leadership changes or emerging risks such as quantum computing. Instead, Armstrong explained that the move reflects investors locking in profits and reacting to what they believe others are thinking. He described the downturn as likely temporary, noting that Coinbase is repurchasing shares and buying more BTC at a lower price. Armstrong emphasized that crypto market cycles are normal, reiterating that BTC remains the best-performing asset of the past decade and that the company continues to focus on long-term growth. Is This The Early Stage Of Another Supply Shock? Bitcoin whales have accumulated more than 200,000 BTC despite the ongoing selling pressure. Analyst Darkfost highlighted that while whale inflows to exchanges have increased recently, their overall holdings have continued to grow. Thus, inflows typically reflect short-term behaviour and can generate immediate selling pressure. Related Reading: Bitcoin Whales Flood Binance As Correction Deepens: On-Chain Data Shows The chart below provides a medium-term perspective by tracking the evolution of the whale-held supply on a monthly average basis. After a sharp drop in this average to nearly -7% on December 15, whale behaviour appears to have shifted over the past month, with their holdings increasing by 3.4%. During this period, the BTC supply by whales grew from 2.9 million BTC to over 3.1 million BTC, representing an accumulation of more than 200,000 BTC. Meanwhile, the last time whale accumulation of this magnitude occurred was during the April 2025 market correction. At that time, this wave of accumulation had helped absorb selling pressure and supported the rally that pushed BTC from $76,000 to $126,000. However, with BTC still consolidating around 46% below its recent all-time high, the current level may be viewed as an attractive accumulation zone. Darkfost noted that it is not surprising to see some whales taking advantage of this opportunity. As selling pressure remains significant, this whale demand may not yet be sufficient on its own to fully counterbalance the broader market. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
Economist and longtime Bitcoin (BTC) critic Peter Schiff has issued a fresh warning to cryptocurrency investors, arguing that the world’s largest digital asset could face a steep decline if a key price level fails. Schiff Predicts 84% Bitcoin Crash In a Thursday social media post on X, Schiff said that a break below $50,000 would likely open the door to a much deeper selloff. “If Bitcoin breaks $50K, which looks likely, it seems highly likely it will at least test $20K,” he wrote. Related Reading: Revealed: The Biggest Bitcoin Holders Of 2026, According To Arkham Data A drop to that level, he noted, would represent an 84% fall from Bitcoin’s all‑time high of $126,000 reached last October. While acknowledging that Bitcoin has experienced similar collapses in the past, Schiff argued that the current environment is different. He pointed to what he described as unprecedented hype, higher leverage in the system, greater institutional ownership and a much larger overall market capitalization. “Sell Bitcoin now!” he urged. BTC ‘Not Fit’ As Reserve Asset Schiff, who has long championed gold as a superior store of value, has repeatedly questioned Bitcoin’s role in the global financial system. In a previous interview, he said BTC is unsuitable as a reserve asset for central banks, contending that its volatility would make it impractical to hold in large quantities without causing market instability. Related Reading: Goldman Sachs CEO Says US Must Codify How Crypto ‘Will Operate’ According to Schiff, although some sovereign wealth funds and governments have taken limited positions in Bitcoin‑related products, those allocations remain small and are often motivated by performance pressure rather than deep conviction. He has also expressed skepticism about the durability of institutional demand. Schiff predicted that professional investors’ interest in Bitcoin could wane over time and warned that more recent entrants to the market may ultimately suffer losses if prices retreat sharply. At the time of writing, the leading cryptocurrency is trading at $66,900, with the largest resistance level at $70,000 and support floors at $65,800 and $62,800, limiting additional losses in the near term. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
Blockchain analytics platform Arkham has released a new report identifying the largest known Bitcoin (BTC) holders at the start of 2026, offering a detailed snapshot of how the cryptocurrency is distributed across individuals, corporations, governments, and financial institutions. Top Bitcoin Holders Looking across major ownership categories, Arkham’s verified on‑chain data shows that the largest individual holder remains Bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Nakamoto’s wallets contain 1,096,358 BTC, valued at approximately $75 billion, representing 5.5% of the total supply. Among cryptocurrency exchanges, Coinbase ranks first. The digital asset platform holds 993,069 BTC worth roughly $68 billion, accounting for about 5% of the circulating supply. Related Reading: Macro Wobbles May Send Bitcoin Back To The $50,000s, Industry CEO Claims Binance, Robinhood, and Upbit also rank among the largest cryptocurrency exchange holders, with approximately 660,000 BTC, 184,000 BTC, and 180,000 BTC, respectively. In the US sport Bitcoin exchange‑traded fund sector (ETF), BlackRock stands out as the largest ETF issuer by Bitcoin holdings, with 761,801 BTC valued at about $52 billion, equivalent to 3.8% of supply. Asset manager and also crypto exchange-traded fund issuer Grayscale currently holds 218,000 BTC valued at around $20 billion, with all of its assets custodied by crypto exchange Coinbase. Strategy Leads Corporate BTC Race Strategy, formerly known as MicroStrategy, remains the largest public corporate holder. The company has accumulated Bitcoin steadily since August 2020, making purchases every few weeks. Its total holdings now stand at 714,644 BTC, worth approximately $54.3 billion. Of that amount, 415,230 BTC are directly confirmed on‑chain, valued at $28 billion, representing 2.1% of supply, while the broader total equates to roughly 3.5%. Other public companies are also building significant reserves. MARA, a North American Bitcoin mining firm, operates nine mining facilities and averaged 22.7 BTC mined per day in September 2025. Arkham data shows MARA controls 13,000 BTC on‑chain, valued at about $864 million, though the company reports a treasury reserve of 53,200 BTC. The Biggest Private And Government Holders Private companies also command sizable Bitcoin positions. Tether leads this group with 96,369 BTC valued at $6.5 billion, representing 0.48% of total supply. SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, holds 8,285 BTC, according to Arkham’s verified data. Additionally, the Bitcoin Treasuries website lists Block.one as the largest private corporate holder with 164,000 BTC. However, Arkham notes that Block.one’s holdings cannot be independently verified on‑chain. Related Reading: $274 Billion In Potential Bitcoin Selling Could Hit Markets, Expert Says Government holdings form another key category. Arkham’s data identifies the United States government as the largest verified state holder, with 328,372 BTC worth approximately $22 billion, representing 1.64% of the total supply. The United Arab Emirates is also emerging as a major player. Arkham identified significant mining activity in the Gulf state, with 6,800 BTC attributed to operations conducted by Citadel, a public mining firm majority‑owned by the UAE Royal Group through International Holding Company (IHC). At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading at around $66,299. It registered losses of 2% and 1.2% in the 24-hour and seven-day time frames, respectively. This has prevented the token from surpassing the nearest resistance wall at $70,000. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
A cryptocurrency analyst has highlighted how Bitcoin has been trading inside a Triangle that could set up a 15% move for the asset. Bitcoin Is Potentially Consolidating Inside A Symmetrical Triangle In a new post on X, analyst Ali Martinez has talked about a technical analysis (TA) pattern that Bitcoin has been trading inside recently. The pattern in question is a “Triangle,” which is a type of consolidation channel that, as its name suggests, has a triangular shape. Related Reading: Bitcoin Bearish Momentum Losing Steam? Analyst Flags Key Metric The pattern is characterized by two converging trendlines. The lower of these is considered likely to be a point of support for the price, while the upper one that of resistance. A break out of either of these bounds can imply a continuation of trend in that direction. Triangles can be of a few different types based on the orientation of the trendlines with respect to each other and the graph axes. In an Ascending Triangle, the upper level is parallel to the time-axis. Similarly, the lower level being parallel creates a Descending Triangle. When both trendlines approach each other at a roughly equal and opposite slope, the pattern formed is known as a “Symmetrical Triangle.” The Triangle shared by Martinez that Bitcoin has been trading inside is the closest to this type. Below is a chart that shows the trajectory in cryptocurrency’s hourly price inside the pattern at the time of the post. As is visible in the graph, the 1-hour Bitcoin price found a bounce from the lower level of the triangular channel shortly before the post. Since then, however, BTC has seen some decline, which has taken it below the support line. This could be a potential indication that a breakout is occurring. In the post, Martinez had noted that the Triangle could set up a potential 15% move for the asset. This figure is based on the fact that Triangle breakouts are generally assumed to end up being of the same length as the height of the channel at the point where the trendlines are the furthest apart. Related Reading: Bitcoin Accumulation Notably Weaker Than Nov 2025 Bounce: Glassnode If the latest price drop indeed reflects a break out of the pattern for Bitcoin, then this 15% move could possibly follow to the downside. Symmetrical Triangles tend to have an equal probability of a breakout occurring in either direction, since there is roughly an equal bias both up and down. This time, however, it would appear that the bearish direction might be the one in store for BTC. BTC Price Bitcoin has dropped to the $66,300 mark following its drop over the past day. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com
Bitcoin price corrected gains and tested the $66,000 support. BTC is now consolidating losses and might decline further below the $65,500 zone. Bitcoin is struggling to recover losses and moving lower below $67,200. The price is trading below $67,200 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. There is a declining channel forming with resistance at $68,000 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken). The pair might dip again if it trades below the $66,000 and $65,500 levels. Bitcoin Price Dips Again Bitcoin price failed to remain stable above the $68,000 zone. BTC started a fresh decline and traded below the $67,500 support zone. There was a push below $67,000. The price dipped below the 76.4% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $65,072 swing low to the $70,935 high. Finally, the price found some support near the $66,000 zone. It is now consolidating losses and there is a declining channel forming with resistance at $68,000 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. Bitcoin is now trading below $67,200 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. If the price remains stable above $66,000, it could attempt a fresh increase. Immediate resistance is near the $67,350 level. The first key resistance is near the $68,000 level. A close above the $68,000 resistance might send the price further higher. In the stated case, the price could rise and test the $68,800 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $69,500 level. The next barrier for the bulls could be $70,000 and $70,500. More Losses In BTC? If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $68,000 resistance zone, it could start another decline. Immediate support is near the $66,000 level or the 83.2% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $65,072 swing low to the $70,935 high. The first major support is near the $65,500 level. The next support is now near the $65,000 zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $64,200 support in the near term. The main support now sits at $63,500, 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 – $66,000, followed by $65,000. Major Resistance Levels – $67,350 and $68,000.
Bitcoin continues to trade within a tight range, but beneath the surface, structural weakness is becoming increasingly evident. With price holding below the key $72,000 level, now acting as resistance, the broader technical outlook remains fragile, and any short-term consolidation may simply be masking underlying downside risk. Bitcoin Enters Clear Corrective Phase Bitcoin has entered a clear corrective phase after peaking in the $120,000–$125,000 region. Crypto analyst Alejandro₿TC notes that the weekly structure has broken to the downside, with the latest leg unfolding impulsively, a sign that momentum currently favors sellers rather than buyers. Related Reading: Bitcoin Ready To Bounce Again? The Major Accumulation Trend You Should Be Aware Of The key level to watch is the $72,000–$74,000 zone. Previously acting as strong support, this area has now been lost and flipped into resistance. As long as Bitcoin continues to close below this range on the weekly timeframe, any upward movement should be viewed as a corrective bounce rather than confirmation of a sustained reversal. On the downside, the $50,000–$52,000 region stands out as the primary magnet. This zone represents a significant weekly demand area and the base of the prior impulsive rally. If bearish pressure persists, it becomes the most logical target for a deeper retracement. The upcoming monthly close in 11 days could be decisive. A close below $72,000 would confirm the breakdown and increase the probability of further downside. Structurally, the market remains weak beneath that level, while a decisive reclaim above $74,000 would mark the first meaningful signal that strength is returning. Compression Intensifies Near $68,000 With volatility compressing as price trades within an increasingly narrow band, Bitcoin continues to coil tightly around the $67,000–$68,000 region. The lack of decisive movement in either direction suggests that the market is building energy for a larger expansion move. Related Reading: Bitcoin Eyes Untapped Liquidity: $64,000 Support Could Be Next Target According to Columbus, liquidity continues to build above the $70,000 level, and notable bids remain layered between $64,000 and $66,000. With liquidity stacked on both sides, the market is effectively squeezed between opposing forces, waiting for a catalyst. The longer Bitcoin remains trapped inside this tightening structure, the more aggressive the eventual breakout tends to be. Compression phases like this typically end with strong displacement, as one side of the market is forced to unwind positions. From here, sustained acceptance above the $69,500–$70,000 area would likely open the door for momentum toward heavier liquidity zones overhead. On the other hand, failure to reclaim that threshold keeps downside probes into the mid-$60,000s firmly in play, especially if bids begin to thin out under pressure. The next decisive move will likely be driven by which side of liquidity gets targeted first. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
The World Liberty Forum held this week at Mar‑a‑Lago featured remarks from President Donald Trump’s sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., who used the event to reaffirm their strong support for Bitcoin (BTC) and repeat their long‑standing $1 million price projection for the cryptocurrency. ‘Never Been More Bullish On Bitcoin’ Speaking on Wednesday, Eric Trump described himself as “a huge proponent of Bitcoin” and said he has never felt more optimistic about the asset’s future. “I’ve never been more bullish on bitcoin in my life,” he said, arguing that the digital currency has the potential to eventually reach $1 million per coin. Related Reading: Macro Wobbles May Send Bitcoin Back To The $50,000s, Industry CEO Claims However, amid falling Bitcoin prices, Eric acknowledged the asset’s volatility and characterized price swings as typical for an emerging technology with significant growth potential. In his view, Bitcoin’s upside contrasts sharply with traditional fixed‑income investments such as municipal bonds or US Treasuries (T-Bills), which generally offer lower yields. At the same time, Donald Trump Jr. offered sharp criticism of the traditional banking system, calling it a “Ponzi scheme” and arguing that the family’s move into crypto was not driven by trend‑chasing but by necessity. Trump Brothers Accuse Banks Of Political ‘Debanking’ During an interview with CNBC at the forum, Donald Trump Jr. said his family turned to digital assets after banks closed “hundreds of accounts” belonging to the Trump Organization in early 2021. “You know, we didn’t get into crypto because we were on the leading edge,” Trump Jr. said. “We got into it out of necessity. They basically forced us into it.” The brothers attributed the account closures to the political fallout following the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol, when supporters of their father stormed the building while contesting the 2020 presidential election results. Related Reading: $274 Billion In Potential Bitcoin Selling Could Hit Markets, Expert Says They also claimed that banks had “debanked” other smaller clients over their conservative political views. Eric Trump said their crypto initiative, World Liberty Financial, is part of a broader effort to reshape the financial system. “We’re trying to modernize finance,” he said, adding that the family felt ostracized by mainstream institutions during that period. “We’re the most canceled people in the world in 2020, 2021,” he said. As of this writing, Bitcoin is still consolidating at approximately $66,258. This represents a 50% difference from the current trading prices and the all-time high of $126,000, which was reached last October. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
An analyst has highlighted how the Bitcoin Inter-exchange Flow Pulse has continued to be in a bearish phase recently, but its value is starting to flatten out. Bitcoin IFP Could Be Reaching A Low In a new post on X, CryptoQuant community analyst Maartunn has talked about the latest trend in the Bitcoin Inter-exchange Flow Pulse (IFP), which is an on-chain indicator that tracks the BTC flows occurring between centralized spot and derivatives exchanges. Related Reading: Bitcoin Accumulation Notably Weaker Than Nov 2025 Bounce: Glassnode When the value of this metric rises, it means more of the cryptocurrency is flowing from spot to derivatives platforms. Such a trend implies speculative interest in BTC is going up. On the other hand, the indicator witnessing a decline suggests traders may be taking a lower risk approach as they are reducing their transactions to derivatives exchanges. Now, here is the chart shared by Maartunn that shows the trend in the Bitcoin IFP and its 90-day moving average (MA) over the past decade: As displayed in the above graph, the Bitcoin IFP was on the rise during the last few months of 2024, but in 2025, a reversal occurred in the indicator. Flows to derivatives exchanges started declining and before long, the metric slipped under its 90-day MA. A cross below this MA is considered to signal the start of either a bear market or a correction phase for the cryptocurrency. Over the course of 2025, the signal maintained as the IFP continued to go down and failed to find a break above its 90-day MA. Interestingly, Bitcoin still rallied during the second half of the year to a new all-time high (ATH). Back in 2021, a similar pattern emerged as BTC observed another leg of the bull run in the second half of that year alongside a bearish signal on the IFP. From the chart, it’s visible that this previous IFP bearish transition remained all the way until the bottom of the 2022 bear market, where it flattened out before reversing up. A similar pattern was also observed during the 2018 bear market. As such, given the historical precedence, it’s possible that Bitcoin might find a bottom alongside a reversal in the IFP this time around as well. Related Reading: Bitcoin Bull-Bear Cycle Indicator Drops To Deepest Level Since FTX Bottom The early signs of such a reversal may even potentially be beginning to appear, as the indicator has been switching to a sideways trajectory recently. “The Inter-Exchange Flow Pulse is still in a bearish phase, but it’s starting to flatten out,” noted the analyst. Naturally, it’s still too early to tell whether derivatives flows are witnessing a real trend shift, so it only remains to be seen how the IFP will develop in the near future. “A shift here could signal changing capital flows,” said Maartunn. “Watch this metric closely in the coming weeks.” BTC Price At the time of writing, Bitcoin is floating around $67,300, up 1.3% over the last week. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com
Bitcoin remains stuck below the $70,000 mark, a level that once served as a crucial floor for the cryptocurrency but has now turned into its most significant near-term barrier. After losing that support, the asset has struggled to regain momentum, and analysts warn that a combination of macroeconomic uncertainty and weak buying pressure could push the asset back into the $50,000 range — a level not seen since September 2024. Iran Tensions, Fed Uncertainty And ETF Withdrawals Market sentiment has noticeably deteriorated in recent weeks. “Sentiment is clearly bleak in crypto markets,” said Noelle Acheson, author of the Crypto is Macro Now newsletter. She pointed out that although traditional financial institutions continue to make meaningful strides in adopting digital assets, those developments have not translated into stronger prices, which she noted, is weighing further on investor confidence. Related Reading: Top Expert Projects Bitcoin Bear Market To End In Less Than 365 Days Broader macroeconomic forces are adding to the unease. According to Bloomberg, traders are assessing escalating geopolitical tensions involving Iran, as well as renewed debate over whether the economic impact of artificial intelligence (AI) could extend beyond the technology sector. At the same time, expectations surrounding Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate cuts have shifted back into focus following last week’s inflation data, injecting additional uncertainty into risk markets. Capital flows are not offering much relief. US-listed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded a fourth consecutive week of net outflows, with $360 million pulled last week alone. Bitcoin At Risk Of Drop To $50,000 “Macro news has been closely correlated with crypto’s risk profile over the last 12 months,” said Paul Howard, senior director at market maker Wincent. He expects Bitcoin to remain range-bound as it searches for a new catalyst to revive sentiment. Howard added that a pending US Supreme Court ruling on tariffs, expected Friday, could have a more meaningful market impact than routine Federal Reserve minutes or inflation reports. Related Reading: XRP Outlook Slashed: Standard Chartered Lowers Forecast From $8 To $2 Amid this debate, investors view $60,000 as a pivotal support level for Bitcoin, but that floor could give way if risk appetite weakens further, according to Robin Singh, CEO of crypto tax platform Koinly. Singh cautioned that the market does not yet display the type of deep capitulation typically associated with durable cycle lows. “One macro wobble, another wave of uncertainty, or even just sustained chop in the mid-$60,000s could easily tip this into a sharper flush back into the $50,000s,” Singh said. “This doesn’t have the same full capitulation feel we’ve seen at true cycle bottoms in the past.” At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading at around $68,000, marking a 29% decline over the past thirty days. Compared to the all-time high of $126,000 reached last October, CoinGecko data shows a 46% difference between the current trading price and the all-time high. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
Bitcoin continues to struggle to reclaim the $70,000 level, with persistent selling pressure keeping the market in a defensive posture. Price action has repeatedly failed to establish sustained momentum above this psychological threshold, reflecting cautious sentiment among both institutional and retail participants. While volatility has moderated compared with the sharp declines seen earlier in the cycle, the broader structure still suggests a market searching for direction rather than entering a clear recovery phase. Related Reading: Ethereum Whale Losses Mirror Past Bottoms: Accumulation Continues Despite Pressure Recent on-chain data from a CryptoQuant analyst offers additional context by examining whale positioning. Wallets holding between 1,000 and 10,000 BTC currently control approximately 4.483 million BTC as of February 16, 2026. Within this cohort, long-term holder whales — those holding coins for more than 155 days — dominate with roughly 3.196 million BTC, or about 71.3% of the total. Short-term whales, defined by holding periods under 155 days, account for around 1.287 million BTC, representing 28.7%. Although newer whales have modestly increased balances in recent months, structural control remains firmly with long-term holders. This imbalance suggests that while newer capital faces ongoing pressure, more established investors continue to anchor the market. Whether this dynamic supports stabilization or precedes further volatility remains an open question. Whale Cost Basis Signals Redistribution Rather Than Capitulation The analyst emphasizes that the most decisive signal comes from comparing realized price — the on-chain average acquisition cost — across different whale cohorts. Short-term holder (STH) whales currently show a realized price near $88,494, while long-term holder (LTH) whales maintain a significantly lower cost basis around $41,626. With Bitcoin trading close to $68,795, the contrast is pronounced. Newer whales are sitting on roughly a 22% unrealized loss, whereas long-term whales retain an estimated 65% profit margin. This asymmetry highlights a familiar market dynamic: recent capital is under pressure, while structurally entrenched holders still operate from a position of strength. When price declines accelerate, short-term whales historically tend to capitulate first, locking in losses. Recent realized profit data suggest this process has already intensified since Bitcoin’s October all-time high, with deeper negative spikes appearing as the correction progressed. Historically, similar configurations observed in 2019 and 2022 corresponded with redistribution phases rather than systemic collapse. Supply gradually shifted from lower-conviction participants toward stronger holders. The key threshold remains the LTH realized price near $41.6K. As long as Bitcoin trades above that level, structural capitulation is not confirmed. Instead, the current phase appears to reflect conviction transfer rather than widespread market destruction. Related Reading: Hyperunit Whale Dumps $500M In Ethereum As Massive Crypto Bet Turns Sour Bitcoin Holds Key Support As Downtrend Structure Remains Intact Bitcoin price action on the 3-day timeframe continues to reflect a structurally weak market following the sharp rejection from the late-2025 highs near $125,000. Since then, BTC has printed a sequence of lower highs and lower lows, confirming a clear intermediate downtrend. The recent drop toward the $65,000–$70,000 zone highlights persistent selling pressure, particularly after repeated failures to reclaim higher moving averages. From a technical perspective, price is currently trading below the 50-, 100-, and 200-period moving averages, all of which are beginning to slope downward. This alignment typically signals bearish momentum and suggests rallies may continue to face resistance. The 200-period average near the mid-$90,000 region now represents a major structural barrier rather than support. Related Reading: Liquidity Or Liability? History’s Hard Lessons For The XRP Momentum Play Volume dynamics reinforce this interpretation. Selling spikes accompanying recent declines appear stronger than buying activity during rebounds, indicating distribution rather than accumulation in the short term. However, the stabilization near the $65,000–$70,000 range suggests a potential consolidation phase rather than immediate continuation lower. Key support sits around the recent local low near $60,000. A sustained breakdown below that level could trigger another volatility expansion, while recovery above $80,000 would be required to neutralize the current bearish structure and shift sentiment toward stabilization. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com
On-chain analytics firm Glassnode has highlighted how accumulation during the recent Bitcoin drop has looked weaker than some past crashes. Bitcoin Accumulation Trend Score Doesn’t Indicate Strong Accumulation In a new post on X, Glassnode has talked about the latest trend in the Accumulation Trend Score of Bitcoin. This indicator tracks whether the BTC investors are accumulating or distributing right now. Related Reading: Bitcoin Bull-Bear Cycle Indicator Drops To Deepest Level Since FTX Bottom The metric determines this by taking into account for two factors: the balance changes happening in the wallets of the holders and the size of the balances themselves. The latter factor means that larger entities have a higher weightage in the indicator. When the value of the Accumulation Trend Score is greater than 0.5, it means the large holders (or a large number of small entities) are in a phase of accumulation. The closer is the metric to the 1.0 level, the stronger is this behavior. On the other hand, the indicator being under the 0.5 mark suggests distribution is dominant on the network. The selling can be considered the strongest at a value of zero. Now, here is the chart shared by Glassnode that shows the trend in the 7-day moving average (MA) of the Bitcoin Accumulation Trend Score over the last few years: As displayed in the above graph, the Bitcoin Accumulation Trend Score took a yellow shade as the cryptocurrency’s January recovery rally topped out and a move downward followed. This suggests that the investors were distributing. As the coin has stabilized above $65,000 recently, the indicator’s color has changed to a darker one, implying it has broken back above the 0.5 mark. While this is a sign that there has been some accumulation at the post-crash price levels, the degree of it hasn’t been too high. From the chart, it’s apparent that this behavior is in contrast to how the market reacted to the November crash. Back then, the Accumulation Trend Score took a deep purple shade, indicating an aggressive amount of accumulation from the big-money hands. The LUNA and FTX crashes from the 2022 bear market were also met with a similarly extreme accumulation behavior. It now remains to be seen whether the lack of demand this time around will mean that Bitcoin will take some time to settle into a low. Related Reading: 46% Of Bitcoin Supply Now In Loss—What It Could Take For A Bottom In some other news, Glassnode has shared an update in an X post on how the major Bitcoin on-chain price models are looking. As is visible in the graph, Bitcoin’s decline has meant that its price is now trading under all major on-chain pricing models except for the Realized Price, corresponding to the cost basis of the network participants as a whole. This level is currently located at $54,900. BTC Price Bitcoin has stagnated since its recovery from the $60,000 low as its price is still floating around the $68,000 level. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com
While much of the market’s attention remains fixed on the Bitcoin (BTC) short-term price outlook for the remainder of the year, some early industry voices are raising a far longer-term concern — one that could introduce as much as $274 billion in potential selling pressure over the next decade. Quantum Risk Debate Grows In a recent post on social media, market expert Crypto Rover pointed to what he described as a growing conversation among early Bitcoin analysts and long-time participants in the space. According to the analysis, the warning is not coming from retail traders reacting to daily price swings. Instead, it is being discussed by so-called “OG” holders — investors who have been involved with Bitcoin since its earliest years. Related Reading: Top Expert Projects Bitcoin Bear Market To End In Less Than 365 Days The issue at the center of the debate is not macroeconomics or regulatory shifts, but quantum computing. A segment of early adopters believes that advances in quantum technology may no longer be a distant or purely theoretical risk. Within the next five to ten years, they argue, quantum systems could become powerful enough to challenge the cryptographic foundations that secure the Bitcoin network. If quantum machines were able to break or significantly weaken that encryption, older wallets — particularly those using early-generation security standards — could become vulnerable. The concern is not that Bitcoin’s network is currently weak, but that a sufficiently advanced quantum breakthrough could expose dormant coins whose private keys were once thought secure. This is where the potential supply shock comes into focus. Potential Return Of Early-Era Bitcoin An estimated 4 million BTC from Bitcoin’s early years, particularly before 2011, are considered inactive or lost. Markets generally treat those coins as permanently out of circulation, effectively reducing Bitcoin’s usable supply. However, Rover asserts that if quantum computing were ever able to unlock even a portion of those wallets, that supply could theoretically return to the market. To understand the magnitude of such a shift, Rover points to recent history. Since 2020, institutions and corporations have collectively accumulated roughly 3 million BTC, which played a key role in driving BTC from $10,000 to peak levels above $120,000. Related Reading: XRP Outlook Slashed: Standard Chartered Lowers Forecast From $8 To $2 The expert warns that if 4 million Bitcoin were suddenly viewed as potentially liquid supply, it would represent a long-term overhang far exceeding the scale of recent institutional accumulation. However, Rover highlighted that quantum computing does not represent an imminent danger to Bitcoin’s security. The technology is continuously evolving, and there is no confirmed ability to break modern cryptographic standards at scale. BTC was trading at roughly $67,800 at the time of writing, representing a 2.6% decrease over the previous seven days, according to CoinGecko data. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
Bitcoin continues to struggle to reclaim the $70,000 level, with price action increasingly confined to a broad range above $60,000. This consolidation reflects persistent selling pressure near resistance while buyers appear willing to defend lower levels, creating a temporary equilibrium rather than a clear directional trend. Market sentiment remains cautious, with traders closely watching liquidity conditions, macro signals, and on-chain flows for clues about the next decisive move. Related Reading: Ethereum Whale Losses Mirror Past Bottoms: Accumulation Continues Despite Pressure A recent CryptoQuant analysis provides additional context by highlighting a noticeable shift in miner behavior. According to the data, the pace of Bitcoin withdrawals from trading platforms has accelerated significantly in recent weeks. Since the beginning of February, roughly 36,000 BTC have been withdrawn from exchanges — a substantial figure compared to previous months. Such withdrawals are often interpreted as a reduction in immediate selling intent, as miners typically move coins off exchanges when prioritizing long-term holding or alternative liquidity strategies. While this does not guarantee bullish price action, it can reduce short-term supply pressure in spot markets. Miner Withdrawals Signal Potential Shift In Bitcoin Supply Dynamics The analysis further highlights the scale and distribution of recent miner withdrawals from exchanges. More than 12,000 Bitcoin were reportedly withdrawn from Binance alone, while the remaining volume — exceeding 24,000 BTC — was spread across multiple other trading platforms. This broad-based movement suggests coordinated repositioning rather than isolated activity by a single entity, pointing to a wider shift in miner liquidity management strategies. Such behavior is often interpreted as a move toward longer-term storage. Miners typically transfer holdings to cold wallets when they are less inclined to sell immediately, reducing the amount of Bitcoin readily available on exchanges. This can signal increased confidence in future price appreciation or a strategic decision to manage liquidity outside active trading venues. Daily withdrawal intensity has also accelerated notably. At one point, more than 6,000 BTC were withdrawn in a single day, marking the highest daily level since last November. This pace clearly exceeds the activity observed in January, reinforcing the view that miners may be entering a repositioning phase. While not inherently bullish, sustained exchange outflows from miners can contribute to tighter spot supply conditions, potentially influencing price stability and market sentiment over time. Related Reading: Hyperunit Whale Dumps $500M In Ethereum As Massive Crypto Bet Turns Sour Price Consolidates Below Resistance Bitcoin price action continues to reflect structural weakness, with the chart showing a clear downtrend following the rejection from the late-2025 highs. Successive lower highs and lower lows remain intact, confirming that bearish momentum has not yet been invalidated. The recent decline toward the mid-$60K range appears to be stabilizing temporarily, but price has not reclaimed any major technical resistance levels. The moving average structure reinforces this view. Price remains below key trend indicators, which are sloping downward and acting as dynamic resistance. This alignment typically reflects sustained selling pressure rather than a completed correction. Until Bitcoin reclaims these averages convincingly, upside recoveries are likely to face repeated selling interest. Related Reading: Liquidity Or Liability? History’s Hard Lessons For The XRP Momentum Play Volume behavior also deserves attention. The sharp spike accompanying the recent drop suggests forced selling or panic-driven liquidation rather than orderly distribution. However, the subsequent reduction in volume during consolidation indicates that aggressive sellers may be temporarily exhausted, though not necessarily absent. From a technical standpoint, the $60K–$65K zone is emerging as an important short-term support area. A sustained breakdown below it could open the door to deeper downside. Conversely, recovery above the $70K region would be required to weaken the current bearish structure and signal potential stabilization. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com
Bitcoin price corrected gains and tested the $66,500 support. BTC is now struggling and might decline further below the $65,000 zone. Bitcoin is struggling to recover losses and moving lower below $67,500. The price is trading below $67,500 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. There is a declining channel forming with resistance at $68,850 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken). The pair might dip again if it trades below the $66,500 and $66,000 levels. Bitcoin Price Dips Further Bitcoin price failed to remain stable above the $68,500 zone. BTC started a fresh decline and traded below the $67,800 support zone. There was a push below $67,200. The price dipped below the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $65,072 swing low to the $70,935 high. However, the bulls remained active near the $66,500 zone. Besides, there is a declining channel forming with resistance at $68,850 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. Bitcoin is now trading below $67,500 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. If the price remains stable above $66,500, it could attempt a fresh increase. Immediate resistance is near the $68,000 level. The first key resistance is near the $68,850 level. A close above the $68,850 resistance might send the price further higher. In the stated case, the price could rise and test the $69,200 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $70,000 level. The next barrier for the bulls could be $7`,200 and $72,000. Another Decline In BTC? If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $68,850 resistance zone, it could start another decline. Immediate support is near the $66,500 level or the 76.4% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $65,072 swing low to the $70,935 high. The first major support is near the $66,000 level. The next support is now near the $65,000 zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $64,200 support in the near term. The main support now sits at $63,500, below which BTC might struggle to recover in the near term. Technical indicators: Hourly MACD – The MACD is now gaining pace in the bullish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is now below the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $66,500, followed by $66,000. Major Resistance Levels – $68,000 and $68,850.
After an extended period of relative stability, Bitcoin has entered a renewed phase of volatility, with price swings accelerating to levels not seen in nearly a year. The sudden shift signals a potential turning point in market dynamics, as tightening liquidity conditions, changing investor sentiment, and increased trading activity drive sharper movements across the crypto market. How Rising Volatility Signals A Change In Market Regime Bitcoin volatility has returned to levels not seen in almost a year. A full-time crypto trader and investor, Daan Crypto Trades, has highlighted on X that ever since the tariff-related market dump, BTC price action has remained unusually slow, and it is rare to see a daily candle move of 5% or more. Over the past few weeks, the broader market breakdown has seen a notable change. Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Holds The Line, But Can Bulls Force A Break Higher? The rise in volatility mirrors broader instability across all other markets, which is definitely not a calm period for markets around the world. Meanwhile, elevated volatility often creates attractive opportunities for short-term traders. Daan emphasized that his primary focus remains on the next larger market swing and accumulating BTC at the lowest possible levels, with a long-term horizon in mind. According to investor Jelle, buying Bitcoin at the bottom of the last cycle is not because he anticipated the exact price, but because the market showed remarkable resilience following the collapse of FTX. When FTX collapsed, BTC sold off roughly 20%, but in a market deep into a bear phase, the price action began moving sideways, sweeping previous lows and eventually forming higher lows. After months of downside, the market had already absorbed so much negative information that even a major systemic shock failed to drive prices significantly lower. Jelle noted that these structural shifts bear losing strength and bulls gradually regaining control are the key signals he is watching for again. While there are price levels where he’s willing to take action, the decision ultimately depends on the broader market context. The focus is on bears losing momentum and bulls starting to show early signs of strength, because the market will eventually show its resilience. From Accumulation To Price Discovery Bitcoin has entered a critical accumulation phase that could define the next nine months of the cycle. Analyst Aralez stated that the price has entered a zone where the market will form a bottom, but growth should not be expected within 3 to 5 months of accumulation before the breakout. Related Reading: Bitcoin Sharpe Ratio Sinks To Historical Lows — Accumulation Next? However, the outlook suggests that this accumulation phase will eventually resolve to a decisive move higher, leading to a new all-time high near $130,000. After a confirmed break above $126,000, it could open the door to $250,000. Under this scenario, Ethereum and other high-cap altcoins are expected to follow BTC’s momentum. Also, altseason and Memecoin season will revive, showing 100 times growth in days. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com
Bitcoin (BTC) may be positioning for another significant upward move as on-chain data suggests strong accumulation activity among long-term holders. A CryptoQuant author, Darkfost on X, highlighted a significant rise in demand from accumulator addresses that consistently acquire and retain Bitcoin. According to him, the current behavior of these investors could influence market sentiment and trigger a price bounce in Bitcoin. Bitcoin Accumulation Activity Suggests Future Upside Darkfost’s CryptoQuant chart analysis shows that monthly accumulation from “accumulator addresses” now averages around 372,000 BTC, up sharply from 10,000 BTC per month in September 2024. This substantial increase in long-term buying indicates a strategic positioning that contrasts with the recent short-term trading behavior in the market. Related Reading: Extreme Bitcoin Shorts Could Predict A Bottom, Here’s The Significance His chart also shows that demand from accumulator addresses was steadily increasing each year. According to the analyst, Bitcoin’s latest price decline appears to have created opportunities for these long-term investors to continue buying aggressively. Rather than reacting to ongoing price volatility, they appear to be focused on Bitcoin’s future growth and are positioning ahead of any potential bounce. Notably, Darkfrost has indicated that the scale of the recent accumulation is unprecedented, suggesting a large portion of Bitcoin has consistently been removed from circulation. As demand continues to increase and supply declines, this could create ideal conditions for an upward price movement. The recent accumulation trend also highlights a major contrast between short-term trading and deliberate positioning. Accumulator addresses tend to show a disciplined, patient approach to investing, which has historically aligned with periods of stronger market performance. Their aggressive buying may act as a stabilizing factor in the market and provide early indicators for a possible price rebound. The same principle applies to periods with notable sell-offs and weak demand. When investor sentiment is low, particularly in highly volatile conditions, it can contribute to more pronounced downtrends. How Accumulator Addresses Are Identified Darkfost notes that CryptoQuant identifies accumulator addresses using a detailed set of criteria. According to him, these addresses show no outflows and must have purchased a minimum amount of BTC in their latest transaction. Each address must also have at least two separate purchasing events or inflows, hold a minimum total Bitcoin balance, and have been active at least once over the past seven years. Related Reading: Why The Bitcoin Price Crash Toward $60,000 Was “Necessary” To ensure accuracy, CryptoQuant also excludes known exchanges and miner addresses, as well as any addresses that interact with smart contracts. This framework helps reduce distortions and provides a clearer picture of long-term holders actively accumulating Bitcoin. Darkfost emphasized that the identification and selection process is precise and thorough, allowing confidence in the validity of the observed accumulation. While CryptoQuant takes extensive measures to be accurate, the report acknowledges that selection is not perfect and cannot capture every entity, such as centralized exchanges or miners. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com