Crypto pundit Ash Crypto has drawn attention to speculations about how institutions could be crashing the Bitcoin price on purpose. This comes as the Bitcoin ETFs continue to record massive outflows, which have caused this latest decline for the leading crypto. Pundit Highlights Speculations Of Institutions Purposely Crashing Bitcoin Price In an X post, Ash Crypto claimed there were rumors that institutions are purposely crashing the Bitcoin price so they can buy at lower prices before the Clarity Act is signed into law. The pundit noted that a similar pattern had played out in August 2022, when BlackRock filed for a private Bitcoin trust, and BTC later dropped about 36% before forming a bottom. Related Reading: What To Expect For The Bitcoin Price By EOY 2026 Following that, BlackRock then filed for a spot Bitcoin ETF, and the Bitcoin price later surged by 95%. Ash Crypto noted that BTC hit a new high in January 2024, when spot ETFs were approved. He added that insider institutions are repeating the same strategy with the Clarity Act narrative. The Bitcoin ETFs have largely contributed to the decline in the Bitcoin price, with these funds recording outflows in 13 out of the last 14 trading days. During this period, their total net assets have dropped from around $104 billion to $82 billion. Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor also cited these outflows in his comments on the BTC crash. In an X post, Saylor said that the capital markets are funding the AI buildout at a historic scale, with $400 billion deployed over six months, while BTC ETFs have seen $4 billion in outflows since May 14, pressuring the Bitcoin price. He declared that this is a capital rotation, not a BTC impairment, while adding that volatility creates opportunity. BTC Simply Following The Four-Year Cycle Crypto analyst Benjamin Cowen has reiterated that the Bitcoin price is simply following the four-year cycle. He also mentioned that the bull case for BTC is that if the economy is still doing well after the four-cycle low is put in, then it should have no problem starting its next bull market. Based on historical trends, the bear cycle low could happen by the fourth quarter of this year. Related Reading: Has The Bitcoin Crash Ended After Falling Below $70,000? Meanwhile, Cowen noted that midterm years always feel really bad for crypto, and that this one is even worse, since the Bitcoin price topped on apathy. He opined that Bitcoin will survive, although many crypto assets may die out. Crypto analyst Ali Martinez warned that BTC is not looking good at the moment and that the leading crypto could drop to the next major area of support between $54,000 and $50,000. At the time of writing, the Bitcoin price is trading at around $63,100, down in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Pngtree, chart from Tradingview.com
Bitcoin’s latest pullback has prompted renewed speculation about whether the market is witnessing a period of institutional accumulation rather than a fundamental shift in sentiment. While prices have trended lower in recent weeks, some analysts argue that the decline may be creating an attractive entry point for larger investors looking to build positions before the next major catalyst emerges. How Large Investors Typically Approach Bitcoin Volatile Markets Bitcoin’s recent weakness may be part of a broader accumulation phase rather than a sign of deteriorating long-term fundamentals. An analyst known as Ash Crypto on X stated that institutions are intentionally pushing the price lower to accumulate at a lower price before the Clarity Act is signed into law. Related Reading: Bitcoin Moves Into Accumulation Zone That Will Send It On Next All-Time High Run To $250,000 This perspective draws a similar pattern. In August 2022, BlackRock filed for a private BTC trust, and the BTC price later dropped by roughly 36% before forming a bottom. Less than a year ago, in June 2023, BlackRock filed for the first Spot BTC ETF, an event that preceded a powerful 95% rally. By January 2024, when spot ETFs were officially approved, BTC hit a new high of $126,000. While there is no public evidence proving that institutions are intentionally driving prices lower, the narrative highlights growing expectations that institutions are repeating the same strategy with the Clarity Act. BlackRock’s aggressive selling of Bitcoin highlights exactly what is happening behind the scenes in the market right now. Crypto trader and investor EliZ has noted that this is another demonstration of how the market is often driven by liquidity rather than investor sentiment. If the selling pressure were to continue, the market could simply be experiencing a distribution phase aimed at pushing the price downward, raising cash, and creating fear in the market. These types of cycles are not new; they are dynamics that have played out before. According to EliZ, when market sentiment reaches an extreme bottom, and most traders have lost confidence, that is when big money returns to accumulate, driving the market towards new highs. For now, patience and disciplined risk management remain essential during these periods. Rather than rushing to anticipate every move, understanding that the broader market moves in phases, and this could be one of many. What Negative ETF Flows Could Mean For BTC’s Next Move May marked a notable shift in Bitcoin outflows from ETFs. Analyst Darkfost revealed this trend after examining the chart that compares the number of BTC held by ETFs between the beginning and end of the year, showing a sharp decline in net holdings growth. Related Reading: Bitcoin Is Still Following This Descending Channel Pattern And The Endgame Shows The Bottom Within a single month, net ETF holdings reportedly moved from more than 57,000 BTC earlier in the year to less than 6,940 BTC, pushing the metric back into negative territory compared to the start of the year. Currently, a correlation with the price can be observed, but ETF flow dynamics this year are starting to diverge from those of 2024 and 2025. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com
According to a recent on-chain study, the Bitcoin market has entered another crucial phase, driven by a growing divergence between retail and whale activity. Related Reading: Bitcoin Struggles Below Resistance While Fibonacci Support Comes Into Focus Whale Positioning Diverges Sharply From Retail Optimism In an X post on May 16, crypto analyst Joao Wedson highlights a clear schism between Bitcoin retail and whale activity. This post’s assertion is based on readings obtained from the Bitcoin: Whale Vs Retail Delta metric. For context, the metric monitors the difference in trading behavior between large Bitcoin holders (whales) and retail traders. By extension, it helps in identifying whether smart money is becoming more bullish or bearish, compared to the bias of Bitcoin’s smaller market participants. According to Wedson, the Bitcoin: Whale Vs Retail Delta has now fallen to its lowest level since January 2024 — the same period where the spot Bitcoin ETFs were launched in the United States. Notably, this period also saw a significant injection of selling pressure from Bitcoin’s large holders. The market analyst notes that the same behavioral pattern that played out in 2024 might be emerging again. According to the market quant, Bitcoin whales are beginning to reduce their exposure to risk as retail continues to buy more Bitcoin, likely under the belief that a price bottom has been established at $60,000. Interestingly, whale activity has often acted as an early warning sign during periods of excessive market euphoria. Large holders typically manage their risks more aggressively, especially after strong rallies. However, Wedson notes that this divergence does not necessarily signal an imminent price correction. Rather, it simply points to a clearly growing state of uncertainty within the Bitcoin market. If other conditions — such as institutional demand and ETF inflows — should align with this already uncertain market, the world’s leading cryptocurrency might face bearish pressure in the near to mid-term. Related Reading: Bitcoin Power Law Forecasts Price Bottom Of $42,800 – Details Bitcoin Market Overview At the time of writing, the Bitcoin price is $78,188. According to data from CoinMarketCap, the premier cryptocurrency is down 1.01% since the past day. On the weekly timescale, Bitcoin is also currently down by over 3% of its value. ETF tracking site SoSoValue also reports that, as of May 15, US BTC Spot ETFs have recorded a staggering weekly net outflow of $1 billion. This figure represents the first negative weekly netflow in Q2, breaking a six-week bullish streak. At press time, the total net assets of Bitcoin ETFs are valued at $104.29 billion, representing 6.58% of the market cap. Featured image from iStock, chart from Tradingview
Bitcoin’s exchange-traded funds closed last week on a rough note — outflows hit $277 million on Thursday, followed by another $145 million on Friday. Yet when the dust settled, the week still ended in positive territory, extending a run that has now lasted six straight weeks. Related Reading: XRP Flashes Historic Rally Signal, Fueling $12 Price Speculation Inflows Total $3.4 Billion Since Early April US spot Bitcoin ETFs have recorded net inflows every week since April 2, pulling in a combined $3.4 billion over that stretch, according to data from SoSoValue. That makes it the longest consecutive inflow streak in more than nine months — the last time funds saw a run this long was a seven-week period between June 13 and July 18, 2025, which drew in roughly $7.57 billion. The current streak’s best week came in mid-April. For the week of April 17, inflows reached $996 million. The most recent week logged $622 million, while the streak’s weakest showing was its very first — just $22 million for the week of April 2. Last week’s numbers told a story of two halves. Monday and Tuesday alone brought in $532 million and $467 million respectively. Then Wednesday slowed sharply to $46 million, before Thursday and Friday swung into outflow territory, nearly erasing what had been a strong start. Macro Pressure Kept Traders On Edge Reports from Bitunix analysts point to broader market caution ahead of the US April Non-Farm Payrolls report. Consensus estimates called for payroll growth of just 62,000 — a steep drop from the prior reading of 178,000 — which reinforced expectations that the labor market was cooling. An ADP report earlier in the week showing 109,000 jobs added complicated that picture, leaving investors uncertain heading into the data release. Geopolitical tensions also weighed on sentiment. Reports indicate that the US and Iran exchanged fire near the Strait of Hormuz, though both sides were said to be leaving room for negotiations. A partial understanding on maritime issues between the two countries was reportedly reached. Bitcoin slipped below $80,000 on Thursday. Analysts flagged heavy liquidity clustering around the $78,000 level, warning that a break below it could set off cascading liquidations. Dense short positioning between $82,000 and $83,000 kept the market caught between two forces. Related Reading: Altcoins Aren’t Going Anywhere — Even After Brutal Crashes: Arthur Hayes Ether ETFs Bounce Back After Prior Week’s Losses Ether ETFs also returned to positive ground. For the week ending May 8, they posted a little over $70 million in net inflows after recording $82 million in outflows the week before. The recovery followed a strong three-week run from April 10 to April 24, which brought in a combined $618 million, with the week of April 17 alone accounting for $276 million. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
The latest holder data from Santiment shows that crypto adoption is still increasing, even as prices are without a clear bullish trend across the market. Bitcoin is approaching a major wallet milestone, XRP has continued to grow its user base, and Ethereum is dominating the field by a wide margin. Numbers Reveal A Surge In Adoption New figures from on-chain analytics platform Santiment show that cryptocurrencies are witnessing intense adoption across the board. This data is particularly gotten from the holder count from Santiment, which looks at the number of addresses with non-empty balances. Of the bunch, Bitcoin, XRP, and Ethereum are posting numbers that are noteworthy. Related Reading: Here’s Why The Bitcoin And Ethereum Prices Have Been Rising And Falling Sharply Bitcoin’s holder count is now one of the clearest signs of adoption across the crypto industry. Santiment’s latest data shows Bitcoin is currently at about 59.08 million non-empty wallets, bringing the network close to the 60 million mark. This means Bitcoin has built one of the largest ownership bases in crypto despite several months of difficult price action and correction from its 2025 price peak. The timing of Bitcoin’s wallet growth is important because it is coming at the same time institutional demand is starting to improve again. Data from SoSoValue shows that Spot Bitcoin ETF flows witnessed positive flows in March and April, after four straight months of net outflows from late November 2025 through February 2026 that totaled about $4 billion. Santiment’s data places XRP’s non-empty wallet count at 7.8 million. That figure, when viewed in isolation, is somewhat modest against Bitcoin’s tally. However, when viewed in context, it reflects a network that has increased in adoption with unusual consistency over the past 18 months since it started trading in the US again. This growth is also notable because XRP has not had the kind of price performance that would usually be expected to accompany a rising holder base. A Broader Market In Expansion The Santiment snapshot is not limited to only Bitcoin and XRP, and it places the cryptocurrencies in context compared to the rest of the market. According to Santiment, Ethereum is nearing 190 million non-empty wallets for the first time in its history, putting it far ahead of every other large-cap crypto asset tracked in the dataset. Ethereum’s 189.5 million non-empty wallets is itself a headline number, one that places it at 3.2 times Bitcoin’s holder count. Related Reading: Analyst Says High XRP Price Targets Are Dangerous, Here’s Why XRP’s 7.8 million non-empty wallets place it below Dogecoin’s 8.25 million and Tether’s 13.61 million on Ethereum, but above USDC’s 6.76 million, Cardano’s 4.63 million, and Chainlink’s 870,720 non-empty wallets. These holder numbers show how far crypto adoption has grown. Research estimates that about 559 million people now own cryptocurrency in 2026, representing a 9.9% global adoption rate, with further growth expected when clearer regulations take shape in the US and other major jurisdictions. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
Bitcoin is back in a place where bold upside calls are starting to circulate again, and while short-term sentiment is still mixed, one analyst believes the cryptocurrency is setting up for a powerful move that sends the price action all the way to $200,000. The call is built around a long-term cycle structure on the monthly candlestick timeframe chart that treats Bitcoin’s recent price action as part of a larger repeating pattern. The Monthly Chart Case For $200,000 The chart Bitcoin Teddy shared is a monthly Bitcoin chart that maps out three major cycle phases using large green expansion boxes and blue-circled buy zones. These buy zones are situated around a curved support line that connects previous lows. Related Reading: Why You Should Be Paying Attention To The Bitcoin Monthly MACD The first buy zone appeared in 2019, ahead of the move that eventually carried Bitcoin above $69,000. The second buy zone was in late 2022, just before the rally that eventually pushed Bitcoin’s price action to $126,000 in October 2025. The third is the current setup, labeled as a 2026 buy zone near the long-term curved support line, with the projected next peak sitting at $200,000. Each rally is gradually shrinking in percentage terms. The move from 2019 to 2021’s peak was over 2,000%. The move from 2022 to the current peak was over 700%. The expected move from the current accumulation zone to $200,000 is around 233%. When The Chart Says To Buy The “when to buy” part of the forecast is just as important as the $200,000 target itself. Bitcoin Teddy’s chart points to the current region, which is the zone between the long-term curve and the lower part of the latest green box, as the preferred entry window. That area sits around the $60,000s up into the $70,000s, with the blue circle placed close to the latest corrective low in February. Related Reading: Analyst Sounds Bitcoin Warning: This Surge Above $78,000 Should Not Be Trusted Bitcoin has since rebounded from that February low, and the broader market has started to stabilize, with Spot ETF inflows returning to more consistent levels. Despite that recovery, price action has not fully broken away from the highlighted accumulation band. It is still within the same broader zone identified on the chart, meaning the setup to the $200,000 projection is still technically in place. At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $77,880. Therefore, the path from current levels to $200,000 would require approximately a 156% gain from around $77,000, a move that several institutional analysts believe is achievable within the current cycle window. Goldman Sachs filed for its first Bitcoin ETF product shortly after Morgan Stanley launched its own spot Bitcoin ETF, showing that large financial firms are still pushing deeper into Bitcoin-linked products. Featured image from Pngtree, chart from Tradingview.com
Anthony Scaramucci, the financier and SkyBridge Capital founder who briefly served as White House communications director, has made a bold case for Bitcoin’s long-term value. According to him, Bitcoin’s market cap is well on track to reach $21 trillion, and this is because of its fixed supply, its growing institutional footprint, and a monetary trust system built over 16 years without any central authority. But if Bitcoin were to reach a market cap of $21 trillion, how much would 1 BTC be worth? The $21 Trillion Logic Bitcoin has a fixed supply cap of 21 million BTC baked into its protocol and is immutable by design. This means there will never be more than 21 million Bitcoin in existence, and at a point, investors will be able to only own fractions of Bitcoin. Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Could See Another Crash, But What Is The Long-Term Prognosis? According to Scaramucci, Bitcoin has checked every characteristic that has defined money throughout human history. Bitcoin’s edge is that its trust model is decentralized, its supply is fixed, and its network has now operated long enough to gain credibility with both retail and institutional investors. That is why there is a high possibility of its market cap reaching as high as $21 trillion. Scaramucci positions this as a ceiling still below gold’s total market capitalization, which currently stands at approximately $33 trillion according to data from CompaniesMarketCap. This gap is closable, and Bitcoin offers structural advantages in the process. “You can move it faster, you can store it more easily,” he said. “ On a fully diluted basis, the math lands exactly at a round figure for BTC. A $21 trillion market cap divided by Bitcoin’s maximum supply of 21 million coins gives a price of $1 million per BTC. At the time of writing, only 20,018,784 BTC have been mined, which means there are about 981,216 Bitcoin still left to be mined. That’s less than 5% of the total supply. At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at about $76,534, which means a rise to $1 million will translate to a 1,200% increase from here. Wall Street Is Coming To Bitcoin Institutional inflow is the most important factor when it comes to the possibility of the Bitcoin price hitting extravagant price targets like $1 million. Notably, Scaramucci cited institutional momentum as evidence that the structural shift is already in progress. Related Reading: Analyst Sounds Bitcoin Warning: This Surge Above $78,000 Should Not Be Trusted Morgan Stanley launched its own Spot Bitcoin ETF on April 8, 2026, trading under the ticker MSBT on NYSE Arca, making it the first major US commercial bank to issue such a product directly. Goldman Sachs is also in the process of launching its Spot Bitcoin ETF, having submitted paperwork to the SEC for the Goldman Sachs Bitcoin Premium Income ETF. Therefore, the question of whether Bitcoin eventually reaches $1 million per coin and a $21 trillion market cap is ultimately a question about the pace and durability of institutional adoption. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
The latest Bitcoin (BTC) price rebound above $78,000 has sparked renewed optimism across the market, as investor sentiment has flipped bullish. However, not all market watchers are convinced that the momentum will last. Crypto analyst Marmot is warning that the recent price surge may be masking deeper weakness underneath, urging investors and traders not to trust it. As bullish forecasts continue to spread across the market, Marmot believes traders may overlook signals that often precede sharp reversals and major shifts in market direction. Why Bitcoin’s Rally Above $78,000 Could Be A Trap Marmot has warned that Bitcoin’s recent price rally could be a major bull trap rather than a sustained breakout. According to him, the rebound resembles a classic distribution pattern designed to shake out retail traders before a sharp decline occurs. Related Reading: This Indicator Used To Predict Bitcoin Bottoms Is Flashing Below $50,000 In his post on X, the analyst cautioned investors and traders against trusting BTC’s bounce above $78,000, as market participants increasingly call for a price of $100,000 even as the cryptocurrency may still be in a bear market. He argued that Bitcoin’s real market move remains undetected and unknown to virtually 99% of traders despite growing bullish sentiment. Supporting his bearish forecast, Marmot highlighted two identical structures on a Bitcoin price chart, showing that the cryptocurrency had experienced a massive price surge between December 2025 and January 2026 after its all-time high above $126,000. At the time, BTC formed a triangle wedge pattern, where prices climbed to a range between $96,000 and $100,000 before a massive price crash to below $65,000 in February 2026. Marmot’s chart shows that the same pattern is now unfolding in real time. Bitcoin is currently grinding inside a consolidation triangle wedge between roughly $72,000 and $80,000 following its recent price spike. If historical patterns repeat, the analyst expects Bitcoin to experience another major correction, this time down to the $50,000 range. This would represent a more than 33.5% crash from levels above $75,200, at the time of writing. ETF Flows And Liquidity Add Pressure To BTC In his post, Marmot also pointed to several factors that continue to add more pressure on Bitcoin’s price and outlook. He pointed to Spot Bitcoin ETF activity, noting that they had recently recorded their largest outflows in months. He stated that approximately $300 million was withdrawn in a single day, with outflows also seen in Fidelity’s ETF. Related Reading: Iran Ceasefire Drives Bitcoin Above $75,000, But Can It Push BTC To $100,000? Moreover, while retail investors continue buying the dip, Marmot argued that institutions are selling into the strength. Rather than fully exiting the market, the analyst said that large players are rotating capital elsewhere, as part of a broader repositioning. Marmot also claimed that liquidity walls imposed by investment firms such as BlackRock are helping to hold prices up artificially. He noted that the reason is likely to create exit liquidity for smart money while demand from smaller traders remains active. While Marmot has acknowledged that a Bitcoin price crash may not happen immediately, he warned that once liquidity leaves the market, the cryptocurrency’s downside move could be fast and severe. As a result, he has urged traders not to buy near the top while funds are still rebalancing. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds have finally returned to positive territory after enduring five straight weeks of capital withdrawals. Flow data shows that the just-concluded week delivered a strong rebound in investor demand, although the late surge was not enough to fully repair the damage recorded earlier in February. Investors Pour $787 Million Into Spot Bitcoin ETFs According to data from SoSoValue, Spot Bitcoin ETFs posted a combined $787.31 million in net inflows during the week, which was the first green weekly print after five consecutive weeks of outflows. The turnaround was mostly facilitated by three straight days of positive flows on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, which helped tip the balance back into positive territory. Related Reading: Bitcoin Sell-Off Slows Down, But The Road To Recovery Is Long — Analyst Last week’s numbers and the change in momentum show that institutional and ETF-based investors chose last week to step back into Bitcoin after an extended period of consecutive outflows. However, despite the strong weekly performance, the entire monthly net flow still ended in red due to the depth of withdrawals that occurred earlier in the month. As such, February ultimately closed with a total net outflow of $206.52 million from Spot Bitcoin ETFs. Spot Bitcoin Weekly Netflows. Source: SoSoValue The resilience of ETF holders was also highlighted by crypto pundit Nate Geraci on the social media platform X. He noted that investors in Spot Bitcoin ETFs have largely maintained conviction during recent Bitcoin downturns. Geraci’s remarks described the recent withdrawals as modest in the broader context of the asset class’s overall growth. He pointed out that since Bitcoin reached its record high in early October, Spot Bitcoin ETFs have experienced about $6.5 billion in net outflows. However, he also noted that this figure is small relative to the $55 billion that the funds have attracted since their launch in January 2024. He also referenced the over $1 billion in inflows from Tuesday to Thursday, which is another example of how quickly sentiment can change. Spot Ethereum ETFs Follow The Recovery The rebound was not limited to Bitcoin-based funds. Spot Ethereum ETFs also recorded investor interest midweek, breaking what would have become a six-week streak of consecutive outflows. For the week, Spot Ethereum ETFs finished with a net inflow of $80.46 million. Although smaller in scale compared to Bitcoin’s figures, the inflow is the first broader stabilization in crypto ETF sentiment. Spot Ethereum Weekly Netflows. Source: SoSoValue Related Reading: Vitalik Buterin Lays Out A Plan To Make Ethereum 1,000 Times More Capable Taken together, the inflows into both Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs indicate that institutional appetite may be rebuilding after several weeks of consecutive withdrawals. Whether this is the beginning of a sustained recovery or a short-term relief bounce will also depend on broader market conditions and how current geopolitical tensions resolve in the weeks ahead. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
In this week’s Crypto Long & Short Newsletter, Gregory Mall of Lionsoul Global on how ETFs have shifted a growing share of bitcoin volatility into U.S. equity options markets.
In this week’s Crypto Long & Short Newsletter, Adeniyi Abiodun predicts that 2026 is the year Wall Street starts building on blockchain, not around it. Then, Andy Baer’s first Vibe Check of the year, reviewing the crypto’s quarterly mood swings in 2025 and the energetic start to 2026.
Spot bitcoin ETFs have seen persistent outflows ($3.55 billion in November), and stablecoin supply has declined, indicating capital is leaving the market, NYDIG Said.
Over the last two years, the performance of the US-based Bitcoin ETFs (exchange-traded funds) has been a fair reflection of the current market sentiment. With consecutive weeks of capital outflows, there is no doubt about the predominantly bearish climate of the market. This worsening sentiment can be seen in BTC’s dip below the psychological $100,000 price level. While selling pressure from various investor classes has been identified as one of the major factors behind BTC’s price decline, it is difficult to overlook the concurrent woeful performance of the Bitcoin ETFs. Bitcoin ETFs Record $492 Million Outflow To Close Week According to the latest market data, the US Bitcoin ETF market registered a daily total net outflow of over $492.1 million on Friday, November 14. This latest round of withdrawals marked the third-straight day of negative outflows for crypto-linked investment products. Related Reading: Is Bitcoin Falling Because Of Strategy Sell-Offs? On-Chain Data Fuels Debate Leading this massive capital outflow is the largest BTC exchange-traded fund by net assets, BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (with the ticker IBIT). Data from SoSoValue shows that over $463.1 million was withdrawn from the spot BTC ETF on Friday. Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) recorded the second-highest net outflow of $25.09 million on the day. Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) and WisdomTree Bitcoin Trust (BTCW) were the only other Bitcoin ETFs that recorded negative outflows to close the week, with $2.06 million and $6.03 million, respectively. Grayscale’s Bitcoin Mini Trust (BTC) was the only spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund that posted a capital influx on Friday, adding $4.17 million to its assets. On Thursday, September 13, the Bitcoin exchange-traded products registered their second-worst daily performance, with a total net withdrawal of $869.86 million. Meanwhile, Friday’s $492 million outflow worsened the US-based Bitcoin ETFs’ weekly record, bringing it to a total net outflow of over $1.11 billion. Bitcoin Lags Under $100,000: Price Overview Unsurprisingly, these Bitcoin ETFs’ woeful performances have coincided with the recent price decline below the crucial $100,000 level. As seen since launch in 2024, the price of BTC tends to move in tandem with the Bitcoin exchange-traded funds. As of this writing, the premier cryptocurrency is hovering around the $95,500 mark, showing some tame bullish action in the past 24 hours. According to data from CoinGecko, the price of BTC is down by nearly 7% in the past seven days. While selling pressure from spot investors continues to affect the market leader, an uptick in Bitcoin ETF demand could help kickstart a turnaround for the cryptocurrency. Related Reading: Bitcoin Market Top May Be In As Analyst Shares 1,064-Day Bull Cycle Pattern – Details Featured image from iStock, chart from TradingView
A recent debate on the social media platform X has drawn attention to XRP’s long-term price outlook after an XRP enthusiast, Crypto Bitlord, proposed a rather wild scenario where the cryptocurrency teleports to $500 instantly. His post, which imagined XRP being used by the US government to pay off its $35 trillion debt, caused some reactions across the XRP community. In response, well-known crypto analyst ChartNerd stepped in to temper expectations, explaining that while XRP’s future is bright, such a leap to $500 is far from realistic this market cycle. ChartNerd’s Take On Realistic XRP Targets ChartNerd’s comments immediately stood out for their grounded tone, especially amongst reactions filled with predictions of explosive, instant gains. Responding directly to Bitlord’s vision of XRP rocketing to $500, ChartNerd clarified that XRP’s price will not trade at that price target this cycle. “$XRP will not teleport to $500,” he said. Related Reading: XRP Strengthens Under The Weight Of Heavy FUD And Loss-Selling, What This Means For Price Instead of a three-digit price, the analyst noted that the XRP price can only realistically reach the double-digit threshold in this cycle. “Realistically, it could definitely teleport to $13-$27 this cycle,” he continued. This double-digit price target, although very bullish compared to XRP’s current price action, pales in comparison to other bullish projections from other crypto analysts, with many anticipating triple-digit price targets and others even predicting a run to $1,000 and beyond. As conversations around potential XRP ETFs continue to gain momentum, one commenter asked ChartNerd whether his projections accounted for the billions in possible ETF inflows and the tokens expected to be locked in treasury funds and liquidity pools over the next few months. His response showed that his analysis was not detached from these developments. ChartNerd explained that even if XRP captured half of Bitcoin’s ETF trading volume from the past two years, the result would still translate to a market capitalization of roughly $1.2 trillion, bringing the price closer to his $27 upper target rather than $500. Most ultra-bullish XRP price predictions are contingent on the cryptocurrency gaining adoption among banks and players in traditional finance. However, adoption models grow over years, not weeks, with ChartNerd adding that “these developments take time, and triple digits are not possible until many a year down the line.” Staying Grounded Amid Bold Predictions Another user remarked that Bitcoin once faced similar disbelief before breaching $100,000, meaning that XRP could surprise skeptics in the same way. ChartNerd, however, maintained his cautious stance with the response, “Highly unlikely imo, we shall see. I’ll stick to double digits.” Related Reading: Market Expert Reveals Why The XRP Price Is Still Crashing Amid Good News Surrounding Ripple Such comparisons overlook the fundamental differences between Bitcoin’s and XRP’s market dynamics, especially when it comes to their circulating supplies. At the time of writing, XRP is trading at $2.66, a 1% increase in the past 24 hours and a 9.2% rise over the last seven days. To reach the hypothetical $500 level, XRP would need to surge by roughly 18,690% from its current price. By contrast, hitting $13 or $27 would represent gains of approximately 388% and 915%, respectively. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com
Large holders are reportedly swapping BTC into spot ETF shares without selling, making it easier to borrow against or include in estate plans.
Ethereum ETFs also saw redemptions, losing $1.89 million, while cryptocurrency prices edged higher.
After a week of notable crashes, Bitcoin has again seen life breathed into its price trajectory and has reclaimed its mark above $90,000. The major primer for the return of bullish momentum was the announcement of a US crypto strategic reserve by President Donald Trump over the weekend, which could be the beginning of an extended rally for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. With the return of bullish momentum, veteran financial analyst Peter Brandt listed six reasons Bitcoin has flipped bullish. Peter Brandt Lists Six Reasons Bitcoin Has Turned Bullish Bitcoin has seen its value rise by approximately 9% in the past 24 hours, adding about $166 billion to its market capitalization. This marks a swift change from the decline last week, which saw Bitcoin declining to fill a CME gap below $80,000. Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Enters Ascending Phase After Cup And Handle Formation At $105,000, Here’s The Next Target Renowned for his deep technical expertise, Peter Brandt took to social media to outline six reasons why Bitcoin has now returned to a bullish trajectory. His observations are rooted on a series of technical developments that have unfolded over the past week. Brandt’s first key point is Bitcoin’s recent 30% correction. Notably, Bitcoin’s recent crash to a bottom at $78,900 marked a 30% correction from its January 30 all-time high of $108,786. This level of pullback is typical in strong bull markets and often precedes the next leg up. The second reason why Bitcoin has flipped bullish is its ability to find support along its parabolic advance despite the recent dip. Another factor reinforcing Bitcoin’s bullish outlook is the successful retest of a CME futures gap below $80,000. Interestingly, this gap had been a key concern even as Bitcoin rallied to above $100,000 in January, with technical analysis warning of a drop toward this level. Now that the CME gap has been filled, the next step is the resumption of bullish momentum. Brandt also highlighted the emergence of a “foot shot doji” candlestick pattern, which typically indicates the exhaustion of selling pressure and a potential reversal. Furthermore, he referenced the Factor three-day trailing stop rule to indicate that Bitcoin is regaining strength. Lastly, he pointed to a high-volume “puke out,” where sellers have exited Bitcoin in capitulation. Taken together, these signals suggest that Bitcoin’s latest rally is not just a temporary bounce but a confirmation of bullish momentum. What’s Next For BTC As Bullish Signals Strengthen? At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $92,443 and everything surrounding its fundamentals now points to a continued move upwards in the coming weeks. Interestingly, you could argue that institutional invesments through Spot Bitcoin ETFs have yet to be factored into the price of Bitcoin following Trump’s announcement of a US crypto strategic reserve. Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Risks Crash: Analyst Paints Picture Of Drop Below $30,000 The announcement came over the weekend when traditional markets were closed, meaning the bullish momentum was largely driven by retail traders. With this, Bitcoin is likely to push past the $100,000 mark again before the end of the week as institutional inflows pick up. Featured image from iStock, chart from Trsdingview.com
Bitcoin continued dominance has remained a defining feature of the current market cycle, with the leading crypto asset receiving most of the inflows into the market. At the time of writing, Bitcoin’s dominance over the entire market is at 60.3% after a 4% increase in the past 24 hours. Notably, crypto analyst Rekt Capital pointed to the 71% dominance level as an important threshold for crypto investors still awaiting an altcoin season. Reaching 71% Is Critical For An Altcoin Season The Bitcoin dominance chart, which tracks Bitcoin’s market capitalization in relation to the entire crypto market, has consistently risen throughout this cycle, even during periods of price corrections. Bitcoin’s dominance has been fueled by institutional demand after the introduction of Spot Bitcoin ETFs and market dynamics favoring BTC as a potential reserve for countries. Related Reading: Altcoin Season Paused Forever? What The Rising Bitcoin Dominance Says Will Happen A direct consequence of this prolonged Bitcoin dominance has been the sluggish performance of the altcoin market. Although some altcoins like Solana and XRP have managed to outperform Bitcoin for brief periods, the capital has consistently rotated back into Bitcoin, preventing a sustained altcoin market breakout. However, some analysts believe a significant shift could be very close, with Bitcoin dominance now sitting at a multi-year high. One such analyst is an analyst known as Rekt Capital on social media platform X. His analysis reveals a historical pattern where altcoin seasons emerge whenever Bitcoin dominance reaches a key threshold and subsequently faces rejection. According to a Bitcoin dominance chart that accompanied his analysis, Bitcoin’s dominance has been rejected around the 71% level three successive times in the past. Interestingly, each rejection has been marked by Bitcoin’s dominance falling over multiple monthly candles, as altcoins outperformed Bitcoin throughout those months. The most recent occurrence of this pattern was during the 2021 bull market. At the time, Bitcoin dominance briefly spiked above 72% before reversing course. Once rejected, it entered a five-month downtrend, ultimately stabilizing around the 40% level as altcoins took control of the market. Will 71% Trigger A New Altcoin Season? Although Bitcoin’s dominance is not at 71% yet, it is still steadily inching upward towards this level. Particularly, Bitcoin’s dominance is at 60.3%, and there are no signs of slowing down. This means that investors banking on a repeat of rejection around 71% might have to wait longer for the dominance to even reach this level. Related Reading: Bitcoin Forms First Daily Death Cross On Dominance Chart In 4 Years, What To Expect Next If the 71% dominance level eventually becomes a local top again, historical patterns suggest altcoins could experience rapid gains. However, unlike in previous cycles, Ethereum may not take the lead in an altcoin season this time around. The leading altcoin has struggled to gain momentum this cycle as recent market dynamics have diminished its dominance in relation to other altcoins like XRP, Solana, and Dogecoin, which are witnessing more interest among crypto traders. Featured image from LinkedIn, chart from Tradingview.com
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.
Following the success of its U.S.-based spot Bitcoin ETF, BlackRock is now preparing a BTC-based fund to be listed in Europe.
Following President Trump’s tariff announcements, ether was one of the hardest hit, dropping 36% to a low of around $2,100 on Monday.
While Trump’s potential tariffs were already an escalating concern last week, the full impact is yet to be reflected in the weekly figures.
In January, the 12 spot bitcoin ETFs saw about $5.25 billion in monthly inflows, up from $4.53 billion in December 2024.
Purpose Investments filed a preliminary prospectus with Canadian regulators for the proposed launch of the Purpose Ripple (XRP) ETF.
Standard Chartered see bitcoin reaching $130,000 in the next two months as institutional inflows accelerate and market sentiment shifts.
The Bitwise CIO suspects it won’t be fully overcome just yet but anticipates shorter and shallower pullbacks than in years past.
Several investor groups are trying to ramp up their crypto activity amid the political shift under President Trump, according to Bernstein.
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.
Unusually, no digital asset investment products saw net outflows last week, CoinShares’ Head of Research James Butterfill noted.
Standard Chartered's Geoff Kendrick says institutional investor activity could dampen intensity of altcoin season.