Key points:

• Bitcoin needs to hold above $78,000 to avoid a trend reversal and return to $80,000 as resistance.
• Altcoin buyers have left the scene, keeping in step with Bitcoin’s slight correction.

Bitcoin (BTC) pulled back near $79,000 on Friday, but buying at lower levels pushed the price toward $80,000. The next big question on traders’ minds is whether BTC will resume its uptrend or higher levels will again attract aggressive selling from bears. 

CryptoQuant analyst IT Tech said in a Thursday QuickTake note that BTC needs to rally and maintain above $88,880 for a bottom to be confirmed. Until then, the $85,000 to $88,000 range is likely to see selling by buyers who want to “get out flat.”

However, Bollinger Bands creator John Bollinger has a different view. In an X post on Thursday, Bollinger said that their trend model had turned positive for BTC a day earlier and they had taken a position accordingly.

Crypto market data daily view. Source: TradingView

Among all the positives, a minor negative for the bulls is that BTC exchange-traded funds recorded $277.5 million in outflows on Thursday. That was the first net outflow in May, according to SoSoValue data. That suggests select investors have turned cautious and are booking profits near overhead resistance levels.

Could BTC and the major altcoins bounce off their support levels? Let’s analyze the charts of the top 10 cryptocurrencies to find out.

Bitcoin price prediction

BTC pulled back from $82,850 on Wednesday, signaling that the bears are fiercely defending the $84,000 overhead resistance. 

BTC/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The 20-day exponential moving average ($77,929) is the critical support to watch out for on the downside. If the BTC price rebounds off the 20-day EMA with strength, it signals that the bulls are buying on every minor dip. That improves the prospects of a break above the $84,000 level. If that happens, the BTC/USDT pair may skyrocket to $92,000, then to $97,924.

Sellers are likely to have other plans. They will strive to defend the $84,000 level and yank the price below $74,937. If they manage to do that, the pair may tumble to the 50-day simple moving average ($73,448) and then to the support line.

Ether price prediction

Ether (ETH) closed below the 20-day EMA ($2,304) on Wednesday, indicating that the bulls are booking profits.

ETH/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The next stop on the downside is the 50-day SMA ($2,225), followed by the support line. A solid rebound off the support line suggests the ETH/USDT pair may remain within the channel for a few more days.

The first sign of strength will be a break and close above $2,465. The pair may then rise to the resistance line, where the bears are expected to step in. However, if the bulls prevail, the ETH price may soar to $3,050.

BNB price prediction

BNB (BNB) has pulled back toward the moving averages, suggesting bears are selling on minor rallies. 

BNB/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

If the BNB price bounces off the moving averages with force, it increases the likelihood of a rally to the $687 level. Sellers will attempt to keep the price within the $ 570 to $ 687 range by defending the overhead resistance.

On the other hand, a break and close above the $687 signals that the bulls are back in the driver’s seat. The BNB/USDT pair may rise to $730 and then to $790. Sellers are expected to pose a strong challenge at the $790 level.

XRP price prediction

XRP (XRP) continues to trade near the moving averages, indicating a state of equilibrium between the buyers and sellers.

XRP/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The flattish moving averages and the RSI just below the midpoint do not give either bulls or bears a clear advantage. If the price turns down and breaks below the $1.27 level, the XRP/USDT pair may remain inside the descending channel pattern for a few more days.

On the upside, the bulls are expected to encounter stiff resistance at the downtrend line and then at the $1.61 level. Buyers will have to overcome the $1.61 barrier to signal a potential trend change. The XRP price may then rally to $2.

Solana price prediction

Solana (SOL) is facing selling pressure at the $90.73 level, but a positive for the bulls is that they have not ceded much ground to the bears.

SOL/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The bulls will again attempt to push the SOL price above $90.73. If they succeed, the SOL/USDT pair may surge to $98. Sellers are expected to vigorously defend the $98 level, as a close above it may catapult the pair to $117.

Contrary to this assumption, if the price turns down and breaks below the moving averages, it suggests that the pair may remain inside the tight range for a while longer. A break below the $82.65 level opens the doors for a fall to $76.

Dogecoin price prediction

Dogecoin (DOGE) declined sharply from the $0.12 resistance level on Wednesday, indicating profit-taking by short-term traders.

DOGE/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The 20-day EMA ($0.10) is the critical support level to watch in the near term. If the DOGE price turns up sharply from the 20-day EMA, the bulls will again attempt to pierce the $0.12 resistance. If they manage to do that, the DOGE/USDT pair may rally to $0.14, then to $0.16.

Conversely, a break and close below the 20-day EMA suggest that the pair may remain within the $0.09 to $0.12 range for a few more days.

Hyperliquid price prediction

Hyperliquid (HYPE) turned down from the $43.76 to $45.77 zone on Wednesday, indicating aggressive selling by the bears.

HYPE/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The HYPE price pulled back to the 20-day EMA ($41.69), an important level to watch. If the price turns up sharply from the 20-day EMA, the bulls will again endeavor to clear the overhead hurdle. If they manage to do that, the HYPE/USDT pair may surge to $50.

This bullish view will be invalidated in the near term if the price continues lower and breaks below the 50-day SMA ($40.29). The pair may then descend to $34.45.

Related: Four signs that show Ethereum’s rally is exhausted at $2.4K

Cardano price prediction

Cardano (ADA) continues to oscillate within the broad range of $0.22 to $0.31, indicating a balance between supply and demand.

ADA/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The 20-day EMA ($0.25) has begun to turn up gradually, and the RSI is in positive territory, indicating a slight edge for the bulls. If the price turns up above the moving averages, the bulls will attempt to drive the ADA/USDT pair to $0.30 and, later, to the stiff overhead resistance at $0.31.

Contrarily, a break below the moving averages suggests that the bulls are losing their grip. The bears will then strive to pull the ADA price to the $0.22 support.

Zcash price prediction

Zcash (ZEC) broke above the $560 resistance on Wednesday, but the bears stalled the rally at $607.

ZEC/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The shallow pullback is a positive sign, as it indicates the bulls are not rushing to close their positions. That improves the prospects of the continuation of the uptrend. If the ZEC/USDT pair breaks above $607, the next target is likely $750.

On the downside, support lies at the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement level at $496, then at the 50% retracement level at $462. Sellers will be back in the driver’s seat on a close below the 61.8% retracement level of $428.

Bitcoin Cash price prediction

Bitcoin Cash (BCH) turned down sharply from $486 on Wednesday, suggesting bears are aggressively defending the level.

BCH/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The flattish 20-day EMA ($450) and the RSI near the midpoint suggest that the BCH/USDT pair may remain inside the $419 to $486 range for some more time.

The next trending move is expected to begin on a close above $486 or below $419. If buyers secure a close above $486, the BCH price may start an up move to $520. Alternatively, a close below the $419 support signals the resumption of the next leg of the downtrend toward $375.

SEC Chair Paul Atkins said Friday the agency is considering changes to how securities regulations apply to blockchain-based financial markets and AI-powered financial applications, as digital asset firms increasingly move trading and settlement activity onchain.

Speaking at the AI+ Expo in Washington, Atkins said the SEC is considering formal rulemaking around onchain trading systems, blockchain settlement infrastructure, automated financial applications and crypto vaults that increasingly blur the lines between traditional players.

Existing securities rules were designed around traditional market intermediaries such as brokers, exchanges and clearinghouses, he argued, while newer blockchain systems often combine those functions into a single software protocol. Atkins’ predecessor, Gary Gensler, had held a similar view, though he focused more on centralized exchanges that the SEC argued provided those different functions under one roof at the time, mostly through lawsuits.

“A single protocol can execute a trade, manage collateral, route liquidity, execute trading strategies through vault structures and settle the transaction,” Atkins said.

“We should remember that onchain market structures today are often hybrid in nature, combining elements of what are often referred to as ‘traditional’ and ‘decentralized’ finance,” he said. “We should clarify how the Commission views the spectrum of models that may implicate our statutes through notice and comment rulemaking, using our exemptive authorities where necessary and prudent.”

Atkins’ remarks highlighted the latest step in the regulatory agency’s pivot away from the enforcement-heavy approach under former Chair Gary Gensler. Under President Donald Trump’s administartion, the SEC has issued crypto-related staff guidance, no-action reliefs and public statements aimed at reducing legal uncertainty for digital asset firms.

The chair framed the potential changes as part of a broader shift toward an AI-driven and automated financial infrastructure. He argued that artificial intelligence agents will increasingly participate in markets and financial decision-making at machine speed, while blockchain rails allow those systems to move value instantly.

The SEC, he said, should avoid locking emerging technologies into outdated rules.

“Our job is to set the rules of play and referee the game, not to pick the winning team,” Atkins said.

He also reiterated support for congressional efforts to pass crypto market structure legislation, including the CLARITY Act, which would establish a regulatory framework for digital assets shared between the SEC and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

TeraWulf’s Q1 2026 results show $21 million in AI/HPC hosting revenue versus under $13 million from Bitcoin mining, marking the first quarter where high‑performance compute has overtaken BTC as the company’s primary revenue driver.

TeraWulf’s latest earnings show its business model tilting decisively away from pure Bitcoin mining and toward rented compute for AI and cloud workloads.

In its first-quarter 2026 results, the company reported total revenue of $34 million, with HPC leasing income reaching $21 million and digital asset mining bringing in just under $13 million, according to its earnings release. That marks the first time HPC has overtaken Bitcoin as TeraWulf’s primary revenue driver and follows several quarters of ramp-up at its Lake Mariner facility in New York.

A summary from NS3.AI, cited by Binance’s news feed, noted that Q1 revenue was “relatively stable compared to the same period last year,” but emphasized that the revenue mix has flipped, with more than 60% now coming from HPC hosting. MarketBeat’s transcript of the company’s earnings call highlights the same shift, describing Q1 as “a business in transition from volatile Bitcoin mining revenue to stable, credit-backed, contracted HPC revenue streams.”

From volatile mining to contracted AI compute

Chief financial officer Patrick Fleury told analysts that TeraWulf is deliberately swapping out exposure to Bitcoin’s price cycle for multi‑year, fixed‑fee compute deals. “In summary, 1Q reflects a business in transition from volatile Bitcoin mining revenue to stable contracted HPC revenue,” he said on the call, adding that “mining continues to strategically support this transition” while the company brings more AI capacity online.

The shift is already visible in operations. TeraWulf disclosed that it has 60 megawatts of HPC capacity generating revenue at its Lake Mariner data center and plans to expand that footprint over the rest of 2026. A prior 2025 update said the firm had begun building “dedicated HPC data halls” and remained on track to deliver 72.5 MW of gross HPC hosting infrastructure to Abu Dhabi’s Core42 unit, underlining that its growth market is now AI infrastructure, not new ASIC halls.

Financially, the quarter still looked messy. MarketBeat data show that the company’s net loss widened to about $427.6 million, driven in large part by a non‑cash loss on warrant revaluation as its share price and capital structure shifted. But Fleury stressed that underlying cash generation is improving as more HPC contracts ramp, and that “with more than 50% of first quarter 2026 revenue derived from HPC hosting, and additional compute capacity expected to come online in the second quarter and throughout the remainder of the year, we expect our revenue mix to continue shifting toward stable, contracted HPC hosting revenues backed by investment-grade counterparties,” according to a preliminary statement.

Miners race to become AI infrastructure plays

TeraWulf is not alone in this pivot. Riot Platforms has already reported its own first-quarter 2026 results, showing $167.22 million in total revenue, including $33.2 million from data center operations tied to AI and cloud customers, according to a Yahoo Finance recap. Reuters recently reported that activist investor Starboard Value is pressing Riot to “speed up AI data center deals,” arguing that the company is “well‑positioned to capitalize on booming demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure” thanks to its cheap power and existing campuses.

Crypto.news has chronicled this evolution in a broader story on miners’ post‑halving strategies, noting that firms from TeraWulf to Riot and Core Scientific are increasingly describing themselves as “compute infrastructure” companies rather than simply miners. Another crypto.news story contrasted the economics of AI compute versus Bitcoin mining, pointing out that long‑term AI contracts can offer steadier returns than block rewards in a high‑hashrate, high‑difficulty environment.

TeraWulf’s Q1 numbers show that shift moving from pitch deck to P&L. If AI demand for power‑dense, low‑latency data centers keeps rising and BTC’s economics remain cyclical and margin‑compressed, more miners are likely to follow — turning the “hashrate arms race” into a broader fight for who controls the world’s cheapest and most scalable compute.

This story was originally published on CFO.com. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CFO.com newsletter.

Josh Greear didn’t expect to fall in love with the franchise industry when he accepted his first CFO role at Primrose Schools, an early childhood education franchise organization, in 2018. Hooked on the franchise model, Greear stayed with the company for almost eight years.

Greear came to Primrose Schools from restaurant chain Cracker Barrel, where he started as FP&A director in 2009 before being named vice president of strategy and development in 2013. Greear previously held finance positions at organizations that included a healthcare management company and a Home Depot-owned wholesale distribution company.

In September 2025, Greear remained in franchising by joining Authority Brands, which owns 15 home service franchise companies. As CFO, he oversees a finance and technology team of about 100 people serving more than 1,000 franchise owners.

Josh Greear

CFO, Authority Brands

First CFO position: 2018

Notable previous employers:

• Primrose Schools

• Cracker Barrel

• HD Supply

• The Home Depot

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

SANDRA BECKWITH: You joined Authority Brands one month after the current CEO did and following a significant growth period. Why were you the right choice at that pivotal moment?

JOSH GREEAR: Authority Brands has historically grown by adding brands, and that will continue. But the real value is going to come from driving improved unit-level economics for our franchise owners.

In addition to my franchise industry experience, leadership was excited about my background leading operational initiatives, delivering margin expansion, supporting improvements for franchisees, spearheading development and growth and transforming businesses with data.

Your path to CFO ran through a vice president of strategy and business development role at Cracker Barrel – great experience for a CFO-to-be. Was that a deliberate career move? And what did it teach you that pure finance roles hadn’t?

It was absolutely intentional. Sandy Cochran, who hired me when she was CFO before being named CEO, and Larry Hyatt, the subsequent CFO, worked closely with me on my professional development. They eventually created the strategy and development role so I could get experience beyond the traditional finance disciplines.

I worked closely with the board to figure out how to grow the core business, which at the time was producing a lot of cash but had limited future growth options. We needed to determine exactly what the company needed to look like in the future.

It gave me a different type of exposure to the board, one that involved thinking through more longer-term, forward-looking questions. Even more important than that, though, was the opportunity to be a leader driving change. It’s something a traditional finance role doesn’t always expose you to.

You spent about two-thirds of your career outside the franchising world before moving into that industry. How does franchise finance leadership differ?

I am in love with the franchise model because I enjoy working with franchisees who are small business owners with everything on the line.

The biggest finance leadership difference is the opportunity to build relationships with these small business owners. I might be working with a group of owners from The Cleaning Authority or an individual One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning franchisee to help them drive their business and profitability.

It’s not just the number of businesses I can influence, though. It’s also the range, from emerging operators and single- or two-territory owners to more established businesses and larger operators backed by private equity.

Looking back on your career, what do you think was the most pivotal moment … or what “aha” has had a significant impact?

When I worked at HD Supply during the global recession, my business unit was truly fighting to stay in business every day. As we were grinding through that and making tough decisions, I realized that the weight of our choices included whether or not some of our team members had jobs.

Really understanding that people are at the end of these decisions changed my perspective from that point forward.

What are you most proud of in your career?

First, it’s the people I’ve been able to develop.

From a project standpoint, it’s my role in creating a new restaurant concept from scratch for Cracker Barrel. From deciding what space and format we should target to creating the brand and business model, I led concept creation for fast-casual chain Holler & Dash Biscuit House. Watching it open, then win awards, was a really exciting time for me.

What advice would you give to others in finance hoping to become CFOs?

Find good mentors who can help you think about your development. I’ve benefited from several.

Make sure you learn your business, too. When I was in Home Depot’s internal audit leadership training program, working in stores helped make the numbers real while I built trust and increased my influence.

• HYPE token gains driven by strong earnings and rising protocol revenue.
• HIP-3 growth lifts Hyperliquid’s open interest to about $1.43 billion.
• Hyperliquid price eyes $45–$50 if the support near $43.5 holds.

Hyperliquid (HYPE) is currently trading around $42.78, up roughly 1.6% in the last 24 hours, and has been showing resilience within a tight intraday range between $42.06 and $43.06.

Over the past week, HYPE’s price action has expanded slightly, with HYPE moving between $40.75 and $44.65, showing a gradual buildup rather than sharp volatility.

The uptick is coming from ecosystem growth, institutional involvement, and a steady rise in derivatives activity across the platform.

Earnings-driven momentum and ecosystem expansion

The HYPE price hike is closely tied to strong performance updates from Hyperliquid Strategies Inc., one of the largest holders of the token.

The firm reported a Q1 net profit of around $152.5 million, largely driven by gains linked to its HYPE holdings.

However, Hyperliquid Strategies has recorded a $165 million net loss over the past nine months, mainly due to unrealised valuation swings and tax adjustments.

This contrast highlights how closely its financial performance is tied to HYPE price action.

Despite the volatility in earnings, the company has remained consistent with its HYPE accumulation strategy.

The company continues to hold roughly 20 million HYPE tokens and has deployed more than $220 million into building its position.

Hyperliquid Strategies also maintains a debt-free structure with over $100 million in cash reserves, reinforcing long-term conviction rather than short-term trading behaviour.

At the Hyperliquid protocol level, activity has also been expanding.

The HIP-3 upgrade has pushed open interest to approximately $1.43 billion, with total derivatives open interest across the platform now estimated near $1.75 billion.

A large portion of this activity is coming from tokenised real-world assets such as oil, gold, and equities, showing that usage is not limited to crypto-native trading pairs.

Buybacks, burn mechanics, and institutional flows

One of the strongest structural drivers behind HYPE’s bullish stance remains its evolving token economy.

Across recent updates, more than 45 million HYPE tokens have been removed through buybacks and burns, tightening supply dynamics at a steady pace.

The upcoming HIP-4 upgrade is expected to further strengthen this structure by directing trading fees toward additional buyback and burn activity.

On the revenue side, the platform has been generating consistent traction.

Weekly protocol revenue has been reported at around $11.58 million, while total value locked stands near $5.42 billion, reflecting sustained capital participation.

HYPE technical analysis

From a technical standpoint, HYPE has been attempting to stabilise above a key breakout zone around $43.50–$43.60.

Holding this region is seen as important for continuation, while resistance remains positioned near $45.70–$45.80.

Momentum indicators remain supportive, with the Relative Strength Index (RSI) hovering around 57.61, suggesting strong but not overheated conditions.

At the same time, MACD trends remain positive, aligning with the broader upward bias seen over the past several sessions.

Hyperliquid (HYPE) price forecast

The short-term outlook for HYPE remains cautiously bullish, driven by a combination of earnings-backed narratives, rising derivatives activity, and ongoing token supply reduction mechanisms.

If HYPE holds above the $43.50 support zone, momentum could extend toward the next resistance at $45.70.

A clean breakout above this level would open the path toward the widely watched $50 price zone, which aligns with both technical projections and recent analyst expectations tied to expanding open interest and protocol revenue growth.

On the downside, failure to maintain support could trigger a pullback toward the $40–$42 range, where earlier accumulation has previously taken place.