Bitcoin extended its steep correction on Friday, plunging toward the $100,000 mark as a combination of macro pressure, political headlines, and fading risk appetite hit digital assets. BTC-USD fell 1.7% to $100,420 at 09:28 ET, logging a second consecutive weekly decline and now down over 20 % from its October record high of $126,000—technically entering a bear phase. Total crypto market capitalization erased more than $120 billion this week as leveraged positions collapsed and investors shifted to cash amid a global risk-off mood.
On the daily chart, Bitcoin trades inside a compressed corridor between $100K–$102K support and $114K resistance. Both the 100- and 200-day moving averages have flipped into resistance after rejections near $110K, triggering a retest of the $101K liquidity pocket. The repeated failure to regain momentum above $106K marks exhaustion of short-term buyers. A decisive close under $99K would expose the macro accumulation band at $93K–$95K, where on-chain data suggests the next heavy layer of long-term demand lies.
Zooming into the 4-hour structure, price compression shows consecutive lower highs and constant pressure on the $101K–$102K base—a textbook pre-breakdown formation. Any rebound faces tight resistance at $106K, then $110K. Only a break above $108K with expanding volume—currently averaging $67.2 billion daily—would flip sentiment back toward neutrality.
Realized-price metrics reveal intense friction between short-term capitulation and mid-term accumulation. Wallet cohorts holding 1–6-month coins are underwater, with realized cost bases near $107K–$110K, turning those zones into overhead supply as holders aim to exit at breakeven. In contrast, the 6–12-month band, centered around $95K–$96K, has historically provided durable support during capitulation waves. Sustained defense above that zone would confirm absorption by long-term capital and preserve the broader bullish cycle structure; a clean breakdown beneath would signal a new macro reset.
After six straight days of withdrawals totaling $2.05 billion, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs finally saw $240 million in inflows on Thursday. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) led with $112.4 million, followed by Fidelity’s Wise Origin (FBTC) at $61.6 million and Ark 21Shares’ ARKB at $60.4 million. Bitwise’s BITB added $5.5 million, bringing total daily ETF volume to $4.77 billion. Despite this rebound, cumulative institutional flows remain net-negative for the month, signaling caution rather than conviction. The return of inflows suggests that some professional desks view the $100K region as tactical accumulation territory rather than full-scale capitulation.
On-chain tracking shows that over 319,000 BTC—worth roughly $32 billion—have reactivated in the past month, mostly coins held for six to twelve months. This surge in previously dormant supply implies that some long-term investors are locking in profits after the record high. Total whale addresses (10K BTC +) have decreased by 3.5 %, consistent with a redistribution phase rather than outright panic. The 30-day net position change for long-term holders turned negative for the first time since March 2024, confirming profit realization during a macro uncertainty window.
Bitcoin’s slide parallels the global equity downturn led by tech—Nasdaq -4 % weekly, S&P 500 -2 %—and compounded by the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, which froze key data like the non-farm payrolls report. Political developments added fuel: President Trump declared his ambition to make the U.S. “the Bitcoin superpower,” unveiling the U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and new crypto-friendly legislation. His rhetoric briefly steadied sentiment mid-week before risk aversion returned. Traders now treat Washington headlines as real-time catalysts equal to Fed policy shifts; volatility spikes have aligned closely with presidential statements since early October.
Correlation between BTC-USD and the Nasdaq 100 tightened to 0.81 this week, underscoring its risk-asset behavior amid equity turbulence. However, intraday trading showed emerging divergence as Bitcoin stabilized near $100K while equities extended losses, hinting at early defensive positioning by digital-asset funds. Gold rose 0.19 % to $3,998.70, and the Dollar Index slipped 0.21 % to 99.52, suggesting partial rotation from fiat hedges into digital ones. The 10-year Treasury yield’s slide to 4.08 % also relieved pressure on crypto leverage funding rates, now averaging 8.6 % APR, down from 11 % two weeks ago.
Internationally, spot Ethereum ETFs in the U.S. posted $12.5 million in net inflows after six losing sessions, while Asian funds continued outflows, especially from Hong Kong-listed Bitcoin trackers. Altcoins mirrored Bitcoin’s weakness: Ethereum (ETH-USD) fell to $3,230 (-4 %), XRP (XRP-USD) dropped 4.4 %, BNB (BNB-USD) slid 0.8 %, and Solana (SOL-USD) lost 4.1 %. Total altcoin market dominance declined to 37 %, while Bitcoin’s dominance surged past 60 %, reaffirming its safe-haven status within crypto.
Despite the slump, speculative capital is flowing into new scaling ventures like Bitcoin Hyper (HYPER), a layer-2 network built on the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM). The project has raised $26.1 million, sold 655 million tokens, and promises 45 % APY staking returns. Its presale momentum amid market weakness highlights investor appetite for yield-bearing Bitcoin-linked assets. Institutional analysts view such projects as early indicators of a structural shift toward yield-enhanced Bitcoin ecosystems rather than purely speculative derivatives.
Short-term momentum remains negative while stochastic RSI hovers near 15.2, implying an oversold market primed for a technical rebound. Immediate resistance stands at $104K–$105K, followed by $115K–$116K, where a sustained breakout could reinstate the bull structure. The 61.8 % Fibonacci retracement aligns at $109,990, marking the pivot level for any recovery. On the downside, failure to defend $99K opens the door to $93K–$95K, the high-volume demand node identified on-chain. Traders are watching funding rates and open interest on CME Bitcoin futures—currently $17.4 billion, down 8 % week-over-week—for confirmation of sentiment inflection.
The U.S. administration’s embrace of Bitcoin as a “strategic asset” is reshaping its market identity. The proposed Strategic Bitcoin Reserve would formalize government exposure, mirroring early accumulation seen in El Salvador and Argentina. Analysts argue this political integration reduces regulatory risk long-term but introduces event-driven volatility. Global adoption of reserve strategies could trigger a “crypto reserve race,” challenging gold’s dominance as a sovereign hedge.
After four losing weeks out of five, sentiment around BTC-USD is defensive but not broken. ETF inflows hint at tactical accumulation, while on-chain absorption near $95K remains intact. Structural data suggest the correction is nearing exhaustion rather than collapse. Given the consolidation between $95K–$105K, TradingNews.com assigns a Hold / Bullish Bias outlook for Bitcoin with near-term volatility expected. A weekly close above $108K would confirm strength and target $115K, while a breakdown below $95K would turn the setup short-term Bearish toward $88K.
Bitcoin’s battle at $100K defines the next phase—either the foundation for the next leg higher or the reset that clears the board for accumulation by stronger hands.
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