Crypto investors turn bearish the last 2 weeks – Do 2025 predictions even matter?

The crypto market is experiencing a tumultuous period, with Bitcoin leading the bearish slump. While Bitcoin saw significant gains earlier this month, it has since experienced a sharp decline. The altcoin market has followed suit, with many major tokens facing steep losses, leaving investors wondering whether the market will stabilize or continue its downward trajectory

The crypto market has seen a drastic shift in sentiment over the past few weeks. According to an X post from Santiment, the transition from bullish to bearish sentiment has occurred rapidly, with the altcoin market experiencing a significant pullback while Bitcoin is seeing renewed interest.

😱 The crypto majority has flipped their moods from bullish to bearish in an alarming fashion these past 2 weeks. As market caps have corrected (particularly altcoins), there is far less interest in meme coins and far more interest back on Bitcoin. This crowd FUD is a healthy… pic.twitter.com/9ByahlY7MZ

— Santiment (@santimentfeed) December 23, 2024

With the broader crypto market capitalization dropping to $3.47 trillion, a 2.2% downtick, per Coingecko data, the next steps for BTC and altcoins remain uncertain.

Bitcoin’s volatility; Path to $100K blocked?

Bitcoin’s price has been on a rollercoaster ride recently. Just last week, BTC reached a new all-time high, surpassing $108,000 for the first time. This surge was followed by a sharp reversal after the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on Wednesday. 

Bitcoin’s price plummeted below $100,000 and continued to fall, hitting a low of $92,000 by Friday. Although BTC briefly recovered to $99,000 on Saturday morning, the relief was short-lived, and it settled at $96,000 on Sunday.

This recent correction has left Bitcoin’s value down by approximately 12% from its peak of $108,000 on December 17. Despite some brief rallies, the overall trend appears to be bearish, with losses deepening as the market digests the rapid price swings. 

The cryptocurrency asset hit an intraday low of $93,810 on Monday morning, only to recover slightly to $96,000. At press time, BTC is changing hands for just over $96,100 on popular exchanges like Binance.

BTC’s price movements have sparked concern among traders, particularly with the “bearish engulfing” weekly candle, a technical pattern that signals a potential continuation of the downward trend. 

#BTC

Bitcoin has confirmed a Bearish Engulfing candlestick formation$BTC #Crypto #Bitcoin https://t.co/KnIptVe958 pic.twitter.com/XwUWCkjTvM

— Rekt Capital (@rektcapital) December 23, 2024

According to crypto analyst Rekt Capital, the correction has now wiped out all of Bitcoin’s gains from the past month, leaving the market in a more “fragile” state.

Altcoins struggling in the wake of Bitcoin’s decline 

Bitcoin’s pullback has had a ripple effect throughout the cryptocurrency market, particularly among altcoins. Many altcoins have experienced steep declines in the past few days, with Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) seeing notable losses. 

Ethereum failed to hold its ground above $3,500 and has since dropped to around $3,350, marking a 3.5% daily loss. XRP, another major altcoin, saw its price fall from just under $2.4 to $2.21 as the broader market downturn took hold.

Other altcoins, including Solana (SOL), Dogecoin (DOGE), Cardano (ADA), and Avalanche (AVAX), have faced even more significant daily declines. Some, like APT, have lost up to 3.4% in value in the last day, while the overall altcoin market remains deep in the red. 

However, it is not all bleak in the altcoin space. AAVE, a decentralized finance (DeFi) token, has been a notable exception, gaining roughly 10% amid the broader market downturn. The asset now sits at the $338-$340 level, a notable price resilience in a largely negative market.

The broader altcoin market is grappling with losses, and many tokens are struggling to maintain their value. The recent downturn has left the market in a state of uncertainty, with investors uncertain about whether bullish predictions will stand in 2025.

Analysts’ predictions: A bearish trend looms 

Fears of a bearish crypto market phase have been on the rise across the community. Some analysts are predicting that the correction could deepen in the coming months. Michael Pizzino, an Australian crypto analyst, highlighted a potential bearish signal forming in major cryptocurrencies like ETH and SOL, suggesting a possibility of a longer downturn than many had anticipated moving into 2025.

“We now have the potential for a macro double top which is a very bearish signal. Now, it’s early days…[but] we shouldn’t ignore the same signal popped up in Bitcoin away from that March top and it did lead to a very lengthy and severe draw down in the market,” he said.

However, Pizzino also emphasizes that broader macroeconomic trends for Bitcoin remain positive. While short-term market movements can be volatile and unpredictable, long-term trends for Bitcoin are still largely bullish, with key support levels intact. 

He cautions against relying too heavily on short-term analysis and suggests that investors remain adaptable, especially in times of market uncertainty.

David Lawant, head of research at crypto prime broker FalconX, highlighted the potential for increased volatility as the year draws to a close, citing a “low-liquidity environment.” Lawant also pointed out that December 27 is set to witness the largest crypto options expiry event in history, with nearly $18 billion in BTC and ETH contracts set to expire.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs also experienced bearish signals, with a significant outflow that saw the market shed nearly $950 million on Thursday and Friday as market participants reacted to the ongoing downturn.

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