Bears Try to Gatecrash the Party, But Whales Keep Snacking: Your Weekly Crypto Reality Check

Bitcoin and select major altcoins have turned down sharply, indicating the bears are trying to crash what was supposed to be a profitable party. The punch bowl has been officially removed, and someone's aunt is asking if this is a bubble again.

Bitcoin is under pressure from the bears, who are attempting to sustain the price below the $66,000 level. Uncertainty regarding the US and Israel-Iran war is capping the upside and putting downside pressure. Apparently, global geopolitics decided to weigh in on crypto markets because apparently nothing is safe from macro anymore.

US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds recorded $171 million in outflows on Thursday—the biggest since the $348 million in redemptions on March 3, according to Farside Investors data. That's a lot of redemptions for those keeping score at home, though BTC is facing selling on rallies, the bulls have successfully defended the $60,000 level since February 6. Somewhere, a whale is probably still loading up because apparently $60K was just too cheap to pass up.

Glassnode said in its latest Week On-chain newsletter that the sharp contraction in BTC's entity-adjusted realized profit from $3 billion per day in July 2025 to $0.1 billion currently suggests the bear market is transitioning into its later stages. Translation: everyone's taking profits like it's a Black Friday sale, which apparently is just how crypto Decembers work now.

A positive sign for the bulls: BTC whales and sharks have continued to accumulate. Santiment said in a post on X that large BTC holders owning between 10 and $10,000 BTC have boosted their holdings by 0.45% in the past month. Historically, an upside breakout happens when large wallets are accumulating and retail is selling. Meanwhile, retail is probably checking their portfolios and wondering where it all went wrong.

Bitcoin price prediction: Buyers could not maintain BTC above the $72,000 level on Wednesday. That may have attracted sellers who pulled the price below the support line of the ascending triangle pattern on Friday. If the BTC price closes below the support line, the bullish pattern will be invalidated. That may intensify selling, pulling the BTC/USDT pair to the $62,500 to $60,000 support zone. Instead, if the price turns up sharply from the current level and breaks above the $72,000 level, it suggests the bulls are attempting to get back into the driver's seat. The pair may then challenge the crucial $74,508 resistance. If buyers overcome the barrier, the pair may surge to $84,000. Because apparently, $84,000 is where everyone's stop loss is apparently set.

Ether price prediction: Ether turned down and fell below the breakout level of $2,111 on Thursday, indicating the bears are trying to make a comeback. Sellers kept up the pressure and pulled the ETH/USDT pair below the 50-day SMA ($2,044) on Friday. The ETH price may decline to the $1,900 level, which is likely to attract buyers. However, if the bears prevail, the pair may collapse to the vital $1,750 support. This negative view will be invalidated in the near term if the price turns up sharply and breaks above the $2,200 level, enhancing the prospects of a rally above the $2,400 level. Ethereum: where every dip is both a buying opportunity and a lesson in humility.

BNB price prediction: BNB has been oscillating between $570 and $687 for the past few weeks, signaling buying near the support and selling close to the resistance. There is minor support at $607, but if the level gives way, the BNB/USDT pair may slump to the $570 level. A strong bounce off the $570 support suggests the pair may remain inside the range for a while longer. The next trending move is expected to begin on a close below $570 or above $687. If buyers clear the overhead hurdle, the BNB price may jump to $790. Alternatively, a close below $570 might sink the pair to the psychological level at $500. Binance Coin: proving that sometimes the best crypto is the one nobody's talking about.

XRP price prediction: XRP turned down from the moving averages on Thursday, indicating the bears remain in control. The XRP price may slide to $1.32 and then to $1.27. Buyers will attempt to aggressively defend the $1.27 level, but if the bears prevail, the XRP/USDT pair may decline to the support line. The first sign of strength will be a close above the moving averages. The pair may then rise to the breakdown level of $1.61, which is expected to pose a substantial challenge for the bulls. If buyers pierce the $1.61 level, the next stop is likely to be the downtrend line. Ripple: because sometimes your lawsuit being over doesn't automatically print money.

Solana price prediction: Buyers attempted to push Solana above the $95 resistance on Wednesday, but the bears held their ground. The SOL price has dipped below the 50-day SMA ($86), indicating the bulls have given up. That suggests the SOL/USDT pair may extend its stay inside the $76 to $95 range for some more time. The next trending move is expected to begin on a break above or below the range. If the bulls propel the price above $95, the pair may reach the $117 level. On the downside, a close below $76 might sink the pair to $67. Solana: the blockchain that goes from "this will flip Ethereum" to "we're just vibing in a range" in the time it takes to say "network congestion."

Dogecoin price prediction: Dogecoin rose above the moving averages on Wednesday, but the bulls could not sustain the higher levels. The DOGE price turned down on Thursday, and the bears have pulled the DOGE/USDT pair below the critical $0.09 support. If the sellers sustain the price below $0.09, the pair may collapse to $0.06. Buyers are unlikely to give up easily. They will attempt to defend the $0.09 level and swiftly push the price above the moving averages. If they succeed, the pair may ascend to $0.10 and later to $0.12. Dogecoin: where technical analysis meets pure chaos energy, and somehow both are correct.

Hyperliquid price prediction: Hyperliquid turned down from $41.59 on Wednesday but is likely to find support in the zone between the 20-day EMA ($37.64) and the breakout level of $36.77. If the HYPE price bounces off the $36.77 level, it suggests the bulls are trying to flip the level into support. Buyers will endeavor to strengthen their position by pushing the HYPE/USDT pair above the $43.77 level. If they can pull it off, the pair may start its northward march toward $50. Contrary to this assumption, if the price continues lower and breaks below $36.77, it suggests the bulls are losing their grip. The pair may tumble to the 50-day SMA ($33.34), which is likely to attract buyers. Hyperliquid: the fresh prince of perps, living in a crypto wonderland.

Cardano price prediction: Buyers pushed Cardano above the 50-day SMA ($0.27) on Wednesday but could not sustain the higher levels. The ADA/USDT pair turned down sharply on Thursday, signaling the bears had renewed their selling. There is strong support at $0.