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Bitcoin at $68K triggers nearly $400M in crypto liquidations.

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Crypto Breaking News

Bitcoin (BTC) traded just below the $69,000 mark as traders braced for a pivotal weekly candle close, with prices hovering near the long-term line around $68,300. After a weekend slide, the setup underscores a tug-of-war between a fragile near-term outlook and the possibility of a contrarian move, even as analysts debate the significance of a fresh technical signal.

Historically, the 200-week exponential moving average has anchored multi-year cycles, but this year its reliability has been questioned. Cointelegraph has noted that the long-term EMA has failed to act as a clear support in 2026, complicating investor expectations for a durable bottom or renewed upside. As BTC approached the $68,300 region, traders watched to see whether the weekly close would restore any confidence in the metric or amplify the lingering bearish bias.

Key takeaways

  • Bitcoin remained under $69,000, testing the 200-week EMA near $68,300 as a critical reference point for the weekly close.

  • Market psychology tilted toward caution, with substantial liquidations signaling risk-off dynamics over the past 24 hours.

  • A fresh bullish tempo appeared with a golden cross developing between the 21-day and 50-day moving averages, but durability remains uncertain.

  • Analysts split on the path forward: some warn of continued macro downside even as near-term momentum offers a potential relief rally.

Weekend test of the long-term line

Trading data show BTC price action around the 200-week trend line, a level that has historically framed major cycles even as the asset wobbled through the weekend. The immediate vicinity of $68,300 serves as a focal point for whether bulls can sustain a bid above entrenched resistance or if sellers reassert control as the weekly close approaches.

Extended downside pressure in the days leading into the close produced notable liquidations across the market. CoinGlass reported that more than $300 million in long positions were liquidated, with roughly $100 million in shorts also liquidating in the same window. The liquidation profile underscores a risk-off environment in which traders are shrinking risk exposure into key technical junctures.

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From a chart perspective, BTC’s motion around the 200-week EMA has reinvigorated debate about whether this line can again offer a meaningful foothold. In a broader 2026 context, some analysts have warned that the EMA’s traditional role as a durable support may be waning, complicating the interpretation of daily moves around this level.

Liquidity pressure and trader sentiment

The weekend action underscored a broader mood among market participants: risk appetite remains fragile as macro uncertainties persist. With a large portion of the futures market liquidated into the close, traders may adopt a cautious stance, awaiting a clearer directional cue from the weekly close and any subsequent macro catalysts.

In such a regime, the key question is whether the counter-move, if it occurs, can sustain momentum beyond a relief rally. The balance between safe-haven flows and renewed appetite for risk will likely define BTC’s trajectory over the coming sessions, particularly as market participants await more concrete signals from on-chain data, derivatives activity, and broader market liquidity conditions.

Momentum flicker: the Golden Cross and what it may imply

On the technical front, a visible positive signal emerged as the 21-day simple moving average crossed above the 50-day moving average, a formation often interpreted as a short-term momentum cue. Proponents of the setup cautioned that the cross could herald a temporary lift, though they emphasized that durability would hinge on subsequent price action.

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Keith Alan, cofounder of trading resource Material Indicators, commented on the potential implications, saying the Golden Cross “will likely deliver some short term bullish momentum. Must watch to see if it develops into something durable.” He added a more cautious note, reflecting the prevailing sentiment: “For now…the range game continues.”

These near-term signals come after March saw two “death crosses” on BTC’s daily chart, a pattern historically associated with renewed downside pressure. The market’s interpretation of a Golden Cross in the current environment remains mixed: a possible spark for a bounce, but no guarantee of a sustained breakout without follow-through from higher timeframes.

Bearish undertones persist in higher timeframes

Several well-known traders have stressed that longer-horizon momentum remains skewed to the downside. A prominent analyst reiterated a bearish thesis for the macro cycle, highlighting ongoing fragility in higher timeframes despite any short-term bullish cues. The tension between near-term momentum signals and longer-term risk remains a defining feature of the BTC narrative as the market approaches another pivotal weekly close.

“There are still 0 signs of bear market exhaustion on HTF. No divs, no bear PA exhaustion, no momentum loss, etc.” He also noted a continued outlook for lower prices, saying, “I still have high confidence in seeing 50k and likely a bit lower.”

That sentiment sits alongside reminders from earlier periods that the market can swing on a few data points, even as long-run structural factors weigh on price discovery. The debate over whether BTC can muster a sustained recovery or slide toward new macro-driven lows remains unresolved, with bulls awaiting confirmation from price action and bears watching for any renewed downside momentum.

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What readers should watch next

The immediate focus for BTC markets is the weekly candle close and how price behaves in the aftermath. If the price can hold above key support near the 200-week EMA and demonstrate follow-through above near-term moving averages, a cautious upside tilt could emerge. Conversely, failure to defend the region around $68,000–$68,300 may invite renewed selling pressure and retesting of lower support bands.

Investors should also monitor liquidity patterns and derivatives activity as they often foreshadow the next directional move. In addition, traders will be paying close attention to any shifts in macro sentiment or changes in the risk-on/risk-off appetite that can influence Bitcoin’s risk premium and its correlation with broader markets.

This ongoing narrative—between a fragile near-term bounce and the weight of higher-timeframe bears—will likely shape price action in the weeks ahead. As always, readers are advised to conduct their own research and consider how these developments fit their risk tolerance and investment horizon.

Risk & affiliate notice: Crypto assets are volatile and capital is at risk. This article may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure

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ETH Stretch: Could Tom Lee Build a Better Flywheel Than Saylor?

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Brian Armstrong's Bold Prediction: AI Agents Will Soon Dominate Global Financial

TLDR:

  • Bitmine holds 4.6 million ETH, with 3 million actively staked and generating around $180 million annually.
  • Ethereum’s 2.8% staking yield cuts the cost gap, meaning Lee needs only 8–9% more to match Saylor’s offer.
  • Bitmine has been acquiring over 60,000 ETH weekly, building a low cost basis ahead of any product launch.
  • Unlike Bitcoin, Ethereum’s native protocol yield subsidizes the dividend structure, making the flywheel self-reinforcing.

ETH Stretch may be the next big institutional product to emerge in the crypto market. Bitmine, led by strategist Tom Lee, currently holds 4.6 million ETH.

That figure represents nearly 4% of Ethereum’s total circulating supply. Of that holding, 3 million ETH is actively staked, generating around $180 million per year in protocol rewards.

Analyst Axel Bitblaze recently argued that Lee has the infrastructure to launch a Stretch-style fixed-yield product on this existing base.

Ethereum Staking Yield Creates a Structural Cost Advantage

Michael Saylor’s Stretch product offers a fixed 11.5% yield, with all proceeds going into Bitcoin. This buying pressure has pushed hundreds of millions into BTC each week.

Many credit this as a key reason Bitcoin held above $69,000. Without this demand, some analysts suggest prices would sit near $50,000.

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Tom Lee, however, already runs a yield engine that Saylor does not have. Bitmine’s staked ETH generates about 2.8% annually from Ethereum’s protocol.

That income covers part of any fixed dividend Lee would need to pay out. Lee would only need to generate an additional 8–9% to match Saylor’s offer.

Bitblaze noted on X that this cost structure allows Lee to undercut Stretch on yield expenses. That margin could make the product more attractive to institutional capital.

Wall Street typically responds well to yield products with stronger cost profiles. Staking income is a meaningful competitive edge in this space.

Additionally, Bitmine has been buying over 60,000 ETH per week in current market conditions. The firm’s cost basis remains low, and Ethereum sentiment is broadly negative.

Those two factors create a favorable window for any product announcement. A low cost basis combined with native yield strengthens the overall case considerably.

The Ethereum Flywheel and Its Reflexivity Potential

The mechanics of an ETH Stretch product follow a clear and self-reinforcing loop. Every dollar raised would go toward buying more ETH on the open market.

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More ETH purchased means more ETH available for staking. More staked ETH then generates additional protocol rewards to help fund the dividend.

This cycle differs from Saylor’s model in one key respect: Ethereum has native yield. Bitcoin has no protocol income, yet the BTC Stretch flywheel has still gained traction.

Ethereum’s staking rewards subsidize the structure from the start. That makes the feedback loop cheaper to run and easier to grow.

Bitblaze argued that Saylor’s flywheel works despite Bitcoin having no yield. Lee’s version, by contrast, would run on Ethereum’s own protocol income.

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That distinction changes the product economics entirely. A yield-backed demand engine does not rely solely on price appreciation. It draws strength directly from the Ethereum protocol itself.

Should Lee announce such a product while sentiment is low, the price response could be rapid. Institutional capital targeting yield would flow in, driving ETH demand higher.

Higher ETH prices improve staking returns in dollar terms, attracting still more capital. That loop, once active, tends to accelerate.

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Ethereum Price Prediction: ETH Price Could Reach $2,500 as BNB Weakens and Pepeto Shows the Utility Gains That Matter

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Ethereum Price Prediction: ETH Price Could Reach $2,500 as BNB Weakens and Pepeto Shows the Utility Gains That Matter

BlackRock launched the iShares Staked Ethereum Trust on March 12, and the fund pulled in $254 million in its first week, making it the fastest growing crypto ETF this quarter.

While the ethereum price prediction shows a path toward $2,500, Pepeto is drawing attention with exchange infrastructure already live, more than $8 million raised, and a Binance listing approaching. The wallets entering now are targeting returns the ethereum price prediction needs the full cycle to deliver.

Ethereum Price Prediction Gains Support After BlackRock Staked ETF Pulls $254 Million in One Week

BlackRock launched ETHB on March 12 on Nasdaq, staking 70% to 95% of its Ethereum holdings and paying investors roughly 82% of staking rewards through monthly payouts, according to CoinDesk.

The fund reached $254 million in assets within seven days, according to Decrypt. Goldman Sachs reported over $1 billion in Ethereum ETF holdings, and Larry Fink called blockchain infrastructure necessary at Davos this year.

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The ethereum price prediction has institutional money behind it, but from $2,083 the path to $2,500 is a 20% move that takes patience.

Ethereum Price Prediction and the Presale Offering Returns ETH Cannot Match

Pepeto

As rug pulls grow more common, the cost of entering a project without checking its contracts keeps rising. Every cycle, traders lose more capital to scams that grow harder to detect with each new method. Doing your own research takes hours most people do not have, and it still misses the risks buried in smart contract code.

Pepeto was designed to end that problem before your money is at risk. The exchange is already running while the presale fills. The risk scorer examines every contract for hidden traps and scam patterns, giving you a clear answer in seconds instead of hours of digging through code, so you act with confidence instead of guessing.

The cofounder who took the original Pepe coin to $11 billion with nothing is now building an exchange with zero fee trading, cross chain transfers at zero cost through the bridge, and a SolidProof audit completed before the presale opened. A former Binance expert is on the dev team, 195% APY staking compounds in wallets that positioned early, and the presale has crossed more than $8 million with the Binance listing approaching.

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At $0.000000186 with the same 420 trillion supply that reached $11 billion under Pepe, matching that market cap is over 150x, and Pepeto has the exchange infrastructure Pepe never built. The wallets filling the presale are taking the entry that disappears the moment trading begins, and the holders who are not inside yet are the ones who will spend this cycle wishing they had moved.

Ethereum Price Prediction: Can ETH Reach $2,500 With BlackRock Leading Institutional Demand?

ETH trades near $2,083 as of March 22, holding above the $2,000 support that formed a floor since mid February, according to CoinMarketCap.

BlackRock’s ETHA holds $6.5 billion and the new staked ETHB already sits at $254 million after one week. Resistance levels form at $2,235 and $2,380, and if both break cleanly the next ethereum price prediction target is $2,500.

Losing $2,000 could trigger a pullback toward $1,800. Even the bullish $2,500 scenario is a 20% move from current prices, a return that requires months of positive conditions and institutional follow through.

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BNB

BNB trades near $631 as of March 22, steady despite the broader correction, according to CoinMarketCap. The Binance ecosystem keeps BNB supported, but from $631 the token needs to reclaim $720 before any meaningful run begins.

A 2x requires BNB above $1,200, a level it has never held. Neither the ethereum price prediction nor BNB delivers the distance a presale to exchange listing compresses into the moment trading opens.

Ethereum Price Prediction Points to $2,500 but the Presale Entry Points to Where Wealth Was Built

The ethereum price prediction has BlackRock behind it, the staked ETF is pulling institutional money, and the $2,500 target is realistic. But the smart money wallets filling Pepeto at presale pricing are building positions that expect returns ETH from $2,090 takes years to match.

The crypto news will cover this moment after the Binance listing, and the only question is whether you lock in your position on the Pepeto official website today or pay a higher price later from wallets that moved while you were still reading about ETH.

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BlackRock is staking ETH for 3% yield. The wallets inside Pepeto are targeting 150x, decide which return fits this cycle.

Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale

FAQs

What is the ethereum price prediction for today?

The ethereum price prediction targets $2,500 if ETH holds above $2,000 support. Investors seeking faster returns are looking at Pepeto, where matching Pepe’s market cap is over 150x from presale.

Why is Pepeto trending alongside the ethereum price prediction?

Pepeto has become the presale drawing the most capital because it combines a working exchange with the same supply that took Pepe to $11 billion, positioning it for returns ETH cannot match from $2,083.

How does the ethereum price prediction compare with early presales like Pepeto?

The Pepeto official website offers a presale where the Binance listing compresses the return window into days, while the ethereum price prediction from $2,083 to $2,500 is a 20% move requiring months.

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Disclaimer: This is a Press Release provided by a third party who is responsible for the content. Please conduct your own research before taking any action based on the content.

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Iran Warns of Regional Energy Strikes After Trump Threats Over Hormuz Strait

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Brian Armstrong's Bold Prediction: AI Agents Will Soon Dominate Global Financial

TLDR:

  • Trump issues 48-hour ultimatum demanding Iran reopen the Strait or face power plant strikes.
  • Iran warns of full closure of the Strait and retaliation against regional energy infrastructure.
  • Tanker traffic dropped 90%, increasing concerns over global oil supply and market stability.
  • Iranian officials list potential targets, including Israel and US-linked energy assets.

Iran war live Trump Strait of Hormuz tensions intensified after a 48-hour ultimatum triggered threats of energy infrastructure attacks, raising risks of wider regional escalation and disruption to global oil transit routes.

Trump Issues 48-Hour Ultimatum

The United States has issued a direct warning to Tehran. In his statement, President Donald Trump demanded that Iran fully reopen the Strait within 48 hours. 

He threatened attacks on major Iranian power plants if the demand is ignored. The ultimatum highlighted the strategic significance of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of global oil shipments pass. 

Tanker traffic has already fallen by nearly 90% in recent weeks, raising concerns about energy supply disruptions worldwide.

Trump’s statement did not clarify whether nuclear-linked power plants, such as Bushehr, would be included in the strike. This uncertainty added to regional tension, as the potential for collateral damage remains high.

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 “If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN the Strait, the US will hit major power plants first,” Trump’s statement read, reflecting the firm deadline.

Iran Warns of Retaliation and Regional Impact

Iranian officials outlined a detailed response as spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari confirmed that the Strait remains partially open under controlled access. He however, warned that any strike on power plants would trigger immediate retaliation.

Iran indicated that a full closure of the Strait would follow any attack, with reopening dependent on reconstruction of damaged infrastructure. 

Officials also listed potential regional targets, including power plants in Israel, companies with American shareholders, and energy infrastructure in countries hosting US bases.

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Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, further emphasized the scale of potential consequences. He warned that attacks on Iranian infrastructure could lead to the irreversible destruction of energy networks across the Gulf, maintaining elevated oil prices for an extended period.

Previous demonstrations of Iran’s reach, such as the strike on Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG terminal, showed the country’s capability to disrupt regional energy systems. 

Regional and international actors are monitoring the situation closely, highlighting the strategic and economic stakes.

Iran war live Trump Strait of Hormuz tensions remain critical as the 48-hour deadline approaches, with both sides maintaining firm positions and regional stability at stake.

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BTC Performance Driven By Individuals While Central Banks Drive Gold Price

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Gold, Bitcoin Price, Bitcoin ETF

The divergence between gold and Bitcoin (BTC) in 2026 can be explained by two distinct segments of buyers, according to Stephen Coltman, head of macro at crypto exchange-traded product (ETP) provider 21Shares.

Gold’s rally over the last three years has been primarily fueled by central bank buying, while Bitcoin is more widely held by individuals than financial institutions, Coltman told Cointelegraph. He said:

“Physical gold has a greater geopolitical strategic role currently, as the asset of choice for state actors who want to store wealth in a way that is protected from rival powers. This has meant that it has traded with greater sensitivity to deteriorating international relations.”

However, BTC has more utility for individuals who may use it as an alternative “lifeline” when local banking infrastructure fails during times of crisis, and accessing the traditional financial system is not possible. 

Gold, Bitcoin Price, Bitcoin ETF
Gold falls below the 50-day exponential moving average, a key support level. Source: TradingView

“Shortly after the conflict started, both the Dubai and Abu Dhabi exchanges were shut down following missile and drone strikes from Iran,” which, he said, is a “stark reminder” of how valuable 24/7 access is in wartime situations or other emergencies.

Coltman told Cointelegraph that the inverse correlation between BTC and gold means that investors should hold both to benefit from each asset’s unique properties.

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Ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical shocks over the last several years drove gold to an all-time high of nearly $5,600 per ounce in January 2026.

However, heightened volatility dragged the precious metal back down to about $4,497 per ounce, leading to renewed debate among analysts about gold’s role as a store of value asset, and how it will perform against Bitcoin in the coming years.

Related: Bitcoin vs gold shows potential bottom signals as BTC bulls defend $70K

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Financial analysts are split on gold versus BTC dominance

Bitcoin is likely to outperform gold over the next three years, according to macroeconomist Lyn Alden.

“It’s usually a pendulum between the two. If gold has gone up as much as it did, the entire diminishing return story per cycle is going to be erased in the coming one, too,” Alden said.

However, former hedge fund manager Ray Dalio expects that BTC will never replace gold as a store-of-value asset because it still trades like a risk-on asset with correlation to technology stocks, while gold is entrenched as a reserve asset in the banking system.

Magazine: Is China hoarding gold so yuan becomes global reserve instead of USD?

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