|

Bitcoin Weekly Forecast: BTC recovery rally could be bull trap in disguise, here’s why

  • Bitcoin price could be inflating to trap bulls around the $28,000 region.
  • On-chain data shows a short-term accumulation could be in play on Binance crypto exchange.
  • A decisive flip of the $30,000 psychological level into a support floor will invalidate the bearish thesis.

Bitcoin (BTC) price remains unfazed even after the multiple spot BTC ETF delays from the US Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC). But investors need to be careful with the ongoing BTC rally as it could be a trap for early bulls.

Also read: Enter the Ether: VanEck releases two ETF ads ahead of possible Monday launch

Bitcoin price rise could be deception

Bitcoin (BTC) price is currently close to retesting the 20-week Exponential Moving Average (EMA) as shown in the chart below. The previous article sheds light on a potential fractal that could trigger a massive correction, should history repeat. 

Read more: Bitcoin Weekly Forecast: BTC downside likely after 20-week EMA culls bulls

Bitcoin price has more upside before the sellers trap bulls however. As seen in March 2022, after the bearish crossover between the 20-week EMA and 200-day Simple Moving Average (SMA), BTC recovered above the 20-week EMA and faced rejection at the hands of the 200-day SMA.

If something similar were to happen now, then short-sellers are likely to wait for Bitcoin price to reach roughly $28,000, so that more longs can pile on. 

With the SEC delaying most spot Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF), the bearish news could have already started building up. 

Regardless, the technicals do point toward a short-term bullishness for Bitcoin price. Short-term holders, in particular, are already active, as seen in the previous article.

Read more: This short-term Bitcoin holder indicator forecasts another rally for BTC

BTC/USD 1-day chart

BTC/USD 1-day chart

On-chain data shows short-term accumulation 

According to the data analytics firm CryptoQuant, the Taker Buy Sell Ratio indicator on Binance is seeing an uptick. Shortly after this indicator saw spikes in the Taker Buy Sell Ratio at the start of 2023, Bitcoin price kick-started a massive bull rally.

The current spikes could suggest that short-term accumulation might be happening under the hood. 

BTC Taker Buy Sell Ratio

BTC Taker Buy Sell Ratio

Conclusion: Bull Trap disguised in rally or the other way around?

The outlook explored in last week’s article from last week is still in play. Instead of getting rejected at the 20-week EMA, BTC price could retest the 200-day SMA at nearly $28,000 and face a sell-off.

The bull trap should come into play at this level and kickstart a sell-off. But if BTC does extend, then it is probably heading higher to collect the buy-side liquidity around the $30,000 psychological level as shown in the chart below. 

But if this is, in fact, a play to trap the bears, then Bitcoin price should flip the $30,000 psychological level and hold above it. In such a case, sidelined buyers could jump to accumulate, pushing BTC higher to potentially $35,000. 

BTC/USDT 1-day chart

BTC/USDT 1-day chart

Author

Akash Girimath

Akash Girimath is a Mechanical Engineer interested in the chaos of the financial markets. Trying to make sense of this convoluted yet fascinating space, he switched his engineering job to become a crypto reporter and analyst.

More from Akash Girimath
Share:

Markets move fast. We move first.

Orange Juice Newsletter brings you expert driven insights - not headlines. Every day on your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to our Terms and conditions.

Editor's Picks

Avalanche struggles near $12 as Grayscale files updated form for ETF

Avalanche trades close to $12 by press time on Wednesday, extending the nearly 2% drop from the previous day. Grayscale filed an updated form to convert its Avalanche-focused Trust into an ETF with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

Bitcoin slips below $87,000 as ETF outflows intensify, whale participation declines

Bitcoin price continues to trade around $86,770 on Wednesday, after failing to break above the $90,000 resistance. US-listed spot ETFs record an outflow of $188.64 million on Tuesday, marking the fourth consecutive day of withdrawals.

Michael Selig assumes role as new CFTC Chair, what does this mean for crypto?

Michael Selig has been sworn in to serve as the 16th Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Selig was confirmed by the US Senate to head the commission last week, following his October nomination by the US President Donald Trump.

Crypto.com hires sports trader for event prediction market-making

Crypto.com plans to recruit a quant trader for the sports market-making team to buy and sell financial contracts related to these events. Opponents argue that internal trading desks put operators or their affiliates on the opposite side of customer trades. 

Orange Juice Newsletter – Smart insights by real people. Every day.

A free newsletter highlighting key market trends to help traders stay a step ahead. Daily insights on the most relevant trading topics, compiled by our experts in an easy-to-read format so you never miss an important move.

Bitcoin: Fed delivers, yet fails to impress BTC traders

Bitcoin (BTC) continues de trade within the recent consolidation phase, hovering around $92,000 at the time of writing on Friday, as investors digest the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) cautious December rate cut and its implications for risk assets.