Bitcoin’s price action has sparked fresh optimism among traders, with analysts pointing to two inverse head-and-shoulders (IH&S) formations on the weekly chart.
These patterns, typically bullish, suggest the possibility of a long-term rally that could propel BTC to $360,000.
The current price sits near $115,390.
Smaller Pattern Confirms Breakout
The first IH&S has been in play since November 2024.
Bitcoin broke above the neckline in July at $112,000, confirming the bullish structure.
The measured target for this pattern is around $170,000, implying a nearly 50% gain from current levels.
The rebound from $112,000 indicates that the formation remains intact.
Larger Supercycle Formation
The second IH&S pattern stretches back to March 2021.
Bitcoin crossed above its neckline near $73,000 in November 2024, shortly after the U.S. elections, pushing prices beyond $100,000.
A subsequent retest of $74,400 in April confirmed the breakout, strengthening confidence in the bullish projection.
If the pattern continues to unfold, analysts see Bitcoin climbing as high as $360,000, a 217% increase from present levels.
Analysts Call It “Supercycle Ignition”
Market analyst Merlijn The Trader described the setup as extraordinary.
“The Bitcoin inverse head and shoulders of dreams has now doubled,” he said in a Wednesday post.
“This isn’t a pattern. It’s the supercycle ignition.”
The sentiment underscores growing excitement that Bitcoin could be entering a historic phase of growth.
Short-Term Outlook Remains Bullish
On shorter timeframes, technical analysis also favors upside.
As reported by Cointelegraph, a similar formation on the four-hour chart suggests a near-term target of $120,000, provided BTC holds above $113,000.
This shorter rally would align with broader bullish momentum, giving traders confidence in further gains.
ETFs Fuel Institutional Demand
Institutional participation is also on the rise.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded three straight days of inflows between Monday and Wednesday, totaling $1.15 billion.
The $752 million of inflows on Wednesday marked the strongest single-day figure since mid-July.
Analysts believe this renewed demand reflects growing confidence among institutions even as retail participation wanes.
Market intelligence firm Santiment commented on the surge, saying:
“Money is moving back into Bitcoin ETFs at a rapid rate as retailers impatiently drop out of crypto. Previous crypto rallies were boosted by inflow spikes like this.”
Path Toward Higher Targets
The combination of strong technical structures and institutional inflows provides a supportive backdrop for Bitcoin.
If momentum continues, the possibility of a parabolic rise toward $170,000, and eventually $360,000, cannot be dismissed.
For now, traders are closely watching the $113,000 support and ETF inflow trends as key signals of whether the “supercycle ignition” thesis will hold.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has once again delayed rulings on a wave of cryptocurrency exchange-traded fund (ETF) proposals, adding to an already crowded pipeline of pending applications.
New Deadlines Set for Proposals
In fresh filings this week, the SEC extended deadlines for funds tied to Ethereum, Solana, and XRP.
Franklin Templeton’s Ethereum staking amendment is now set for a decision by November 13, while its Solana and XRP ETF proposals face a November 14 deadline.
Meanwhile, BlackRock’s bid to allow staking in its iShares Ethereum Trust has been pushed to October 30.
The filings only confirm the delays and do not signal how the SEC may ultimately rule. The Commission is using the maximum time permitted before a final decision.
SEC’s Changing Approach to Crypto
The extensions come as the SEC attempts to redefine its approach to digital assets under Chair Paul Atkins.
Since President Donald Trump’s administration began in January, the agency has taken a more open stance, introducing “Project Crypto” to modernize securities rules and create a unified framework for digital asset trading, lending, and staking.
At a global finance roundtable in Paris this week, Atkins underscored the shift. “Crypto’s time has come,” he told delegates.
ETF Applications Continue to Mount
Despite the more pro-crypto rhetoric, ETF decisions remain in limbo.
On Tuesday, the SEC postponed reviews of the Bitwise Dogecoin ETF and the Grayscale Hedera ETF, pushing both deadlines to November 12.
The Commission also issued multiple extensions in August, covering filings for the Truth Social Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF, the 21Shares and Bitwise Solana ETFs, and the 21Shares Core XRP Trust.
Other pending proposals include WisdomTree’s XRP Fund and the Canary PENGU ETF, both delayed until October.
By late August, reports indicated that at least 92 crypto-related ETF applications were sitting with the regulator.
The backlog highlights the SEC’s struggle to balance political momentum, market demand, and regulatory caution in one of the fastest-growing corners of finance.
Cboe Global Markets has announced plans to launch continuous futures contracts for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH), bringing a popular decentralized finance (DeFi) product into US markets for the first time.
The exchange operator, which is part of the Chicago Board Options Exchange, said on Tuesday that the contracts are scheduled to begin trading on November 10, pending regulatory review.
Unlike standard futures that require traders to roll their positions into new contracts as they expire, continuous futures will provide long-dated exposure with a 10-year expiration period. This structure is designed to reduce the need for constant position management, a challenge that often deters traditional investors from crypto markets.
Perpetual-Style Contracts for Regulated Markets
Cboe explained that the product will function similarly to perpetual contracts, which have become a dominant form of crypto trading in offshore and DeFi markets due to their lack of expiry dates.
The contracts will be cash-settled and aligned to spot prices through transparent funding mechanisms.
“Perpetual-style futures have gained strong adoption in offshore markets. Now, Cboe is bringing that same utility to our US-regulated futures exchange,” said Catherine Clay, Global Head of Derivatives at Cboe.
Growing Appetite for Perpetuals
Perpetual contracts currently dominate Bitcoin derivatives markets. Research from Kaiko indicates they account for 68% of Bitcoin’s total trading volume in 2025, reflecting widespread trader preference for this format.
CoinMarketCap data shows open interest in perpetual futures has reached $876 billion this year, underscoring their role in driving liquidity and leverage.
By introducing continuous futures, Cboe hopes to attract US traders who have previously turned to offshore exchanges for these products.
A Return to Crypto Expansion
This launch marks a significant step for Cboe, which first introduced Bitcoin futures in 2017 but later scaled back its crypto derivatives efforts.
The renewed push follows a friendlier regulatory environment under the Trump administration, with US agencies showing greater openness to new crypto products.
Other US platforms have already made moves. Bitnomial launched perpetual futures in April, becoming the first exchange to do so under US oversight. Coinbase followed in July with nano Bitcoin and Ether perpetual futures, expanding its offerings to retail-focused traders.
Cboe’s entry into the space suggests growing competition and regulatory acceptance for products that bridge traditional finance with digital assets.
Bitcoin’s recent rally to new all-time highs has been met with heavy selling from long-term holders, raising concerns among analysts that the cryptocurrency could face a deeper correction in the weeks ahead.
Data shows that investors who typically hold Bitcoin for six months or longer have sold more than 241,000 BTC in the past month, worth an estimated $26.8 billion at current prices.
Long-Term Holders Exit Positions
According to CryptoQuant analyst Maartunn, the 30-day rolling supply change for long-term holders (LTHs) has dropped significantly.
“That’s one of the largest drawdowns since early 2025,” Maartunn noted in a recent update.
The selling coincides with Bitcoin reaching an all-time high above $124,500 in August, prompting many seasoned investors to take profits.
Large investors, often referred to as whales, have also added to the pressure by unloading more than 115,000 BTC over the same period.
This trend has compounded the selling pressure and could weigh further on the market.
Institutional Demand Slows
Despite treasury companies now holding a record 1 million BTC, their pace of accumulation has slowed sharply.
Strategy, one of the largest corporate Bitcoin buyers, reduced its purchases from 134,000 BTC in November 2024 to just 3,700 BTC in August 2025.
Other companies also scaled back, acquiring only 14,800 BTC in August compared with 66,000 BTC in June.
CryptoQuant said August purchases fell below 2025 averages of 26,000 BTC for Strategy and 24,000 BTC for other firms.
“Smaller, cautious transactions show institutional demand is weakening,” the firm’s Weekly Crypto Report stated.
Charles Edwards, founder of Capriole Investments, added that the number of companies buying Bitcoin daily has also fallen, a potential sign of “exhausted” institutional interest.
Price Correction and Bear Flag Concerns
The price of Bitcoin has reflected this slowdown.
After peaking at $124,500 on August 16, Bitcoin slid 14% to a seven-week low of $107,500 by the end of the month.
It has since recovered to around $111,500 but remains under pressure.
Chart analysts note that Bitcoin has formed a bear flag pattern on the daily timeframe.
The cryptocurrency recently dropped below the flag’s lower boundary at $112,000, which also aligns with its 100-day simple moving average.
Failure to turn this level into support could see prices fall toward $95,500, marking a potential 14.5% decline from current levels.
Macro Outlook Still Supportive
Not all analysts are bearish.
X user Coin Signals pointed out that the current 13% pullback from the record high is relatively shallow compared with previous drawdowns.
Some forecasts suggest that Bitcoin could still dip below $90,000, but the broader trajectory remains pointed toward new highs in the longer term.
A 30% decline from the August peak would place the bottom around $87,000, which coincides with the realized price for holders who bought within the last six to 12 months.
That level could act as a strong support zone if the sell-off deepens.
For now, the market remains caught between profit-taking from experienced holders and cautious institutional demand on one side, and a still-optimistic long-term outlook on the other.
Bitcoin has faced a sharp correction, slipping 14% from its recent all-time high of $124,500 to a seven-week low of $107,400 on Saturday.
The decline has cooled what analysts describe as the “euphoric phase” of the market, with widespread net distribution replacing the bullish momentum.
Market intelligence firm Glassnode said the drop signals “exhaustion” in demand following months of strong inflows that pushed all Bitcoin supply into profit by mid-August.
Cooling After Euphoric Rally
The euphoric phase lasted around three and a half months, with over 95% of the Bitcoin supply in profit.
Glassnode explained that sustaining such conditions typically requires constant capital inflows, which rarely hold over extended periods.
“This behaviour is often captured by the 0.95 quantile cost basis, the threshold above which 95% of supply is in profit,” the firm said.
By August 19, Bitcoin slipped back under this level, a sign that buyers had begun to tire.
Currently, 90% of Bitcoin supply remains in profit, within the $104,100–$114,300 range.
Glassnode noted: “Breaking below $104.1K would replay the post-ATH exhaustion phases seen earlier in this cycle, whereas a recovery above $114.3K would signal demand finding its footing and reclaiming control of the trend.”
Short-Term Holders Under Pressure
The correction has hit short-term holders hardest, with the percentage of supply in profit plunging from above 90% to just 42%.
“Such sharp reversals typically provoke fear-driven selling from top buyers, which is then often followed by exhaustion of the very same sellers,” Glassnode said.
A rebound in price to $112,000 helped lift more than 60% of short-term holder supply back into profit, but analysts warn this remains fragile.
“Only a sustained recovery above $114K–$116K, where over 75% of short-term holder supply would return to profit, could provide the confidence necessary to attract new demand and fuel the next leg higher,” the firm added.
Resistance Levels in Focus
Bitcoin has repeatedly struggled to break past $112,000, showing stiff resistance around the $111,700–$115,500 range.
This zone coincides with the 50-day and 100-day simple moving averages, making it a crucial battleground for bulls and bears.
Trader Daan Crypto Trades observed: “Bitcoin has been consolidating below its previous local range and has failed to retake it. A move back above $112K and holding there would be good in the short term.”
The 20-day exponential moving average, sitting near $112,438, presents another obstacle.
Overcoming these levels could confirm higher lows and potentially set the stage for a renewed attempt at all-time highs.
Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) saw net inflows of $332.7 million on Tuesday, reversing recent trends and outpacing Ethereum ETFs, which recorded $135.3 million in net outflows, according to SoSoValue data.
The latest movement underscores shifting investor sentiment between the two largest cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin Gains Institutional Support
Fidelity’s FBTC led the inflows, securing $132.7 million.
BlackRock’s IBIT followed with $72.8 million, while other firms, including Grayscale, Ark 21Shares, Bitwise, VanEck, and Invesco, also registered inflows.
The rebound comes at a time when Bitcoin’s reputation as “digital gold” is gaining renewed traction among institutional investors.
“Bitcoin is once again attracting institutional flows as its digital gold narrative regains traction,” said Vincent Liu, chief investment officer at Kronos Research.
Ethereum Takes a Hit
By contrast, Ether ETFs faced significant withdrawals.
Fidelity’s FETH lost $99.2 million, while Bitwise’s ETHW shed $24.2 million.
This marked a sharp reversal from August, when Ethereum funds attracted $3.87 billion, compared to $751 million in outflows from Bitcoin ETFs.
Ether products also recorded $164 million in outflows on Friday, further adding to recent losses.
Market Sentiment Shifts
Analysts say the divergence reflects broader macroeconomic uncertainty.
“With gold at all-time highs, appetite for hard assets is clearly strengthening,” Liu explained.
“In this environment of macro uncertainty, BTC is standing out against ETH, which appears to be entering a period of profit-taking,” he said.
Liu suggested that if volatility persists across global markets, Bitcoin could continue to outperform Ethereum thanks to its perceived safe-haven qualities.
Crypto Funds Recover
The shift in flows comes as crypto investment products overall rebounded strongly.
Last week, funds posted $2.48 billion in net inflows, recovering from $1.4 billion in outflows the previous week.
August ended with $4.37 billion in inflows, lifting year-to-date figures to $35.5 billion, a 58% increase compared to 2024.
Despite the rebound, assets under management dropped 7% week-over-week to $219 billion, showing that volatility remains a key factor in the sector.
Bitcoin continues to struggle around the $108,000 level, with traders facing renewed uncertainty amid signs of large-scale selling and muted market activity during the U.S. Labor Day holiday.
The cryptocurrency traded at $108,711 on Sunday, showing little momentum for a rebound as broader market sentiment weighed heavily on the asset.
Whale Selling and ETF Weakness
Investor confidence has been shaken by reports of long-dormant Bitcoin wallets transferring coins into the market, with some proceeds converted into Ether.
At the same time, inflows to spot Bitcoin ETFs have slowed, removing another source of support for prices.
This negative environment has been compounded by a weak performance in U.S. stock markets, with the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all closing the week lower.
President Trump’s shifting stance on tariffs and his attempts to exert influence over the Federal Reserve board have also added to the uncertainty.
Market Dynamics and Technical Signals
Some investors remain hopeful that the Fed could begin cutting interest rates as soon as late September or October. However, these expectations have done little to boost short-term sentiment.
From a technical perspective, activity in the perpetual futures market continues to dominate price action.
Data shows significant selling pressure from larger cohorts of traders on platforms like Binance, outweighing buying activity in both spot and futures markets.
Retail investors, however, appear more willing to buy dips, particularly in the $112,000–$111,000 range and again at $107,200. This buying activity marks the first significant upside order book signal since late June, when Bitcoin briefly fell below $98,000.
Key Support Levels
Charts suggest notable downside liquidity remains at $104,000, with shorter-term bids emerging at $105,000, $102,600, and $100,000.
Deeper bids in the $99,000 to $92,000 zone indicate some traders are preparing for further declines.
Despite the dip-buying enthusiasm, overall liquidity conditions favor sellers, making it harder for Bitcoin to establish sustained upward momentum.
With U.S. markets closed for the holiday and large Bitcoin holders continuing to offload positions, analysts believe downside risks will remain in play for the near term.
Bitcoin has suffered a sharp pullback after hitting its all-time high earlier this year.
The cryptocurrency has fallen more than 13.75% from its record peak of $124,500, now trading at around $108,791.
This drop broke below its multiyear uptrend support, raising concerns of a deeper market correction.
Historical Patterns Raise Red Flags
Bitcoin’s bull markets have traditionally relied on parabolic support curves as a foundation for sustained rallies.
Temporary dips below this curve have not always been fatal, so long as the relative strength index (RSI) maintained its momentum.
Trouble has historically emerged when both parabola and RSI support failed.
In 2013, that scenario triggered an 85% crash from $1,150 to $150.
A similar breakdown in 2017 led to an 84% plunge from nearly $20,000 to $3,100.
Again in 2021, Bitcoin lost both supports and tumbled 77% from $69,000 to roughly $15,500.
The Current Outlook
By late August 2025, Bitcoin slipped under its long-term trendline support.
However, RSI remains above its critical uptrend, leaving some room for optimism.
The key test will come if RSI weakens.
A breakdown there could send Bitcoin toward its 50-week exponential moving average, around $80,000, by year’s end.
Such a move would mirror previous cycle corrections that reset investor sentiment before renewed rallies.
Analysts Suggest Pullback Could Be Temporary
Some analysts argue that the current correction may not signal the end of the bull cycle.
BitBull, a popular crypto market commentator, described the recent breakdown as a possible “fakeout.”
Even a move briefly under $100,000 could fit Bitcoin’s historical pattern of forcing out weaker hands before rebounding, he argued.
That would put the $80,000–$100,000 range as both a bearish target and a potential launchpad for the next upward move.
Cycle Indicators Suggest Room to Grow
Market analyst SuperBro pointed to the Pi Cycle Top model, a long-trusted tool for identifying Bitcoin’s cycle peaks.
The model tracks two moving averages: the 111-day simple moving average and twice the 350-day simple moving average.
When the 111-day line rises to cross above the 350-day x2 line, it has historically marked major cycle tops.
These crossovers were evident in 2013, 2017, and 2021 — each followed by sharp corrections.
At present, however, the crossover has not occurred.
SuperBro believes this indicates Bitcoin has not yet reached its peak and forecasts a possible top at $280,000.
Investor Sentiment at a Crossroads
Despite the pullback, Bitcoin’s long-term cycle signals remain intact.
For now, the correction resembles past volatility episodes that preceded stronger rallies.
If RSI holds and cycle indicators stay supportive, analysts suggest that the latest decline could ultimately prove to be a consolidation phase rather than the start of a long downturn.
Bitcoin tumbled below $108,000, marking its lowest level in 50 days.
The drop triggered $137 million in liquidations of leveraged long positions, catching traders off guard.
The decline followed weakness in the Nasdaq 100, which fell 1.2% amid doubts over the long-term strength of the artificial intelligence sector.
Trade Deficit Adds to Investor Concerns
Market sentiment worsened after the U.S. reported a 22% jump in its July trade deficit.
The gap between imports and exports widened to $103.6 billion, exceeding forecasts.
Economists warned this could drag on economic growth in the third quarter, adding to uncertainty.
Insider Sales Signal Caution
Investor unease deepened after data revealed an unusual trend in insider trading activity.
X user Malone_Wealth noted that the top 200 trades by executives and large shareholders last week were all sales.
Major moves included Walmart’s Jim C. Walton with $961 million, Snowflake’s Frank Slootman at $164 million, and Amer Sports’ Dennis J. Wilson with $160 million.
Other significant sales included Dutch Bros’ Travis Boersma at $81.5 million and Klaviyo’s Andrew Bialecki at $73.7 million.
Chinese Banking Stress Adds Pressure
China added another layer of concern.
Its five largest banks reported record-low margins and rising delinquencies, with retail banks writing off $5.2 billion in bad loans in the first quarter—an eightfold jump year-on-year.
The figures highlighted mounting risks in the Chinese financial system.
AI Sector Weakness Intensifies
Meanwhile, the artificial intelligence sector is showing signs of strain.
Nvidia revealed that nearly half of its data center revenue comes from just two customers, raising questions about reliance.
Despite delivering solid quarterly results, Nvidia shares fell 4.7% over two sessions.
Super Micro Computer, a major Nvidia partner, added to concerns by warning of potential issues in its financial reporting.
Its shares dropped more than 5% as a result.
Bonds Reflect Risk Aversion
In the bond market, investors sought safety in U.S. Treasurys.
The two-year yield fell to 3.62%, its lowest level in four months and down from 3.80% the week before.
This decline suggests growing risk aversion, as investors preferred lower yields in exchange for security.
Outlook for Bitcoin
Alongside these global risks, Bitcoin faces its own pressures.
Long-dormant whales have been selling, while miners continue steady outflows.
Despite these factors, analysts suggest the broader macroeconomic picture remains the primary driver of Bitcoin’s latest decline.
With traders cautious ahead of the U.S. national holiday, volatility could remain elevated in the coming sessions.
Around 27% of British adults would consider including cryptocurrency in their retirement plans, according to a new survey by Aviva.
The findings suggest that crypto could eventually capture a portion of the UK’s multitrillion-pound pension market.
Of those open to crypto in retirement funds, just over 40% said they were motivated by the potential for higher returns.
The survey, conducted by Censuswide between June 4 and 6, polled 2,000 UK adults.
Pension Withdrawals Already Taking Place
The study also revealed that 23% of respondents would consider withdrawing part, or all, of their existing pension savings to invest in crypto.
With over 80% of UK adults holding pensions worth a combined £3.8 trillion, widespread adoption could direct significant capital into the sector.
The survey follows developments in the United States, where President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order permitting 401(k) retirement plans to include Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
The U.S. order potentially opens crypto access to more than $9 trillion in retirement assets.
Young Investors Lead the Way
One in five UK adults surveyed — equivalent to around 11.6 million people — reported holding or having previously held crypto.
Two-thirds of that group still own some form of digital assets.
Among younger investors, particularly those aged 25 to 34, nearly 20% said they had already withdrawn pension funds to invest in crypto.
That group formed a large portion of the 8% of all respondents who admitted to doing the same.
Risks Remain a Major Concern
Despite growing interest, respondents flagged security and regulatory issues as leading concerns.
Hacking and phishing were cited as the biggest risks by 41% of participants, while 37% pointed to a lack of oversight and consumer protection.
Price volatility was identified as the third biggest worry at 30%.
Aviva’s managing director of wealth and advice, Michele Golunska, acknowledged crypto’s appeal but urged caution.
“We mustn’t forget the value of the good old pension,” she said.
“It comes with some powerful benefits, like employer contributions and tax relief, that can make a real difference to your long-term financial wellbeing.”
Regulation Moves Slowly
The UK has been taking gradual steps toward stronger crypto oversight.
In May, regulators unveiled a draft framework to treat exchanges and service providers more like traditional financial firms, focusing on compliance, transparency, and consumer protection.
Banks have been slower to embrace crypto.
According to another survey, 40% of UK investors reported their bank had either blocked or delayed payments to crypto providers.
This cautious approach shows that while enthusiasm for crypto pensions is growing, significant barriers remain.