|

The crypto market is trying to form an uptrend

Market picture

The crypto market cap rose by 1.4% to $2.31 trillion. Cryptocurrencies and equities are now out of sync (there was profit-taking in equities), but they maintain a general upward bias. The crypto market is forming an uptrend, which will be confirmed if local highs exceed the previous high of $2.32 trillion.

Bitcoin received a jolt on Tuesday, first jumping 4% in four hours to almost $68K and then losing over 4.6% to $64.7K. The market digested this influx of stop orders and soon began to rise again, trading near $66.8K at the time of writing. It will be interesting to see the bulls and bears continue to battle on a retest of $68K. The first cryptocurrency was not allowed to go higher in July, but now the bulls have the breakdown of the descending channel and an active pullback from the 200-day moving average on their side. At the same time, the RSI on the daily timeframe is not yet in the overbought territory, leaving room to run.

Ethereum looks weak now, approaching $2,700—the area of previous peaks—but it needs to break through. Perhaps a return of risk appetite in the equity markets will spark new momentum for the second-largest cryptocurrency to rise towards $3,000.

News background

The funding rate for perpetual bitcoin contracts has hit a multi-month high, indicating bullish sentiment and a growing influx of liquidity, notes The Block.

CryptoQuant notes that demand for Bitcoin has surged, rising at the fastest monthly pace since April 2024. Open interest (OI) in derivatives rose to a record $19.8 billion.

Standard Chartered predicts that Bitcoin could hit an all-time high ahead of the US election. Donald Trump’s increased odds of victory, significant inflows into spot bitcoin ETFs, and increased activity in the BTC call options market are fuelling sentiment.

MicroStrategy shares are a leading indicator of a potential bullish breakout, according to Bernstein. They are up 190% year-to-date, while BTC is up just 55%.

The US Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) fined TD Bank a record $1.3 billion for facilitating money laundering through cryptocurrencies.

Author

Alexander Kuptsikevich

Alexander Kuptsikevich, a senior market analyst at FxPro, has been with the company since its foundation. From time to time, he gives commentaries on radio and television. He publishes in major economic and socio-political media.

More from Alexander Kuptsikevich
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

Crypto market outlook for 2026

Year 2025 was volatile, as crypto often is.  Among positive catalysts were favourable regulatory changes in the U.S., rise of Digital Asset Treasuries (DAT), adoption of AI and tokenization of Real-World-Assets (RWA).

Sberbank issues Russia's first corporate loan backed by Bitcoin

Russia's largest bank Sberbank launched the country's first Bitcoin-backed corporate loan to miner Intelion Data. The pilot deal uses cryptocurrency as collateral through Sberbank's proprietary Rutoken custody solution.

Bitcoin recovers to $87,000 as retail optimism offsets steady ETF outflows

Bitcoin (BTC) trades above $88,000 at press time on Tuesday, following a rejection at $90,000 the previous day. Institutional support remains mixed amid steady outflow from US spot BTC Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and Strategy Inc.’s acquisition of 1,229 BTC last week.

Traders split over whether lighter’s LIT clears $3 billion FDV after launch

Lighter’s LIT token has not yet begun open trading, but the market has already drawn a sharp line around its valuation after Tuesday's airdrop.

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.