Bitcoin eases into the week as traders watch BTC’s $85k resistance

Key takeaways

  • Bitcoin traded below $83,000 on Monday after gaining more than 4% last week.
  • Ethereum slipped below $2,700, while XRP consolidated around $1.500.
  • BTC remains above its 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day exponential moving averages.

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP began the week on a quieter note after last week’s gains. Bitcoin pulled back below $83,100 on Monday, Ethereum traded below $2,700, and XRP hovered around $1.500. 

The moves suggest traders are reassessing the market’s next direction following its recent advance.

Bitcoin’s technical picture remains constructive despite the dip. The largest cryptocurrency is holding above several closely watched moving averages, while its momentum indicators still lean positive. 

The immediate question is whether buyers can carry BTC back toward $85,000 or whether the pause develops into a deeper pullback.

Bitcoin holds above key moving averages

Bitcoin was trading at $83,100 on Monday after rising more than 4% last week. Its retreat from recent highs has so far left the broader near-term uptrend intact: BTC remains above its 50-day, 100-day and 200-day exponential moving averages (EMAs).

The 50-day EMA stands at $77,323. The 100-day EMA is at $73,931, while the 200-day EMA is at $74,253. 

Together, these levels form a series of potential support areas if selling pressure increases. Holding above them would suggest that the latest dip is a pause within the recent advance.

For now, BTC is trading well above that group of averages. That gives buyers room to absorb a modest pullback, although a drop toward the 50-day EMA would represent a more meaningful test of the rally than Monday’s move below $83,600.

The distinction matters after a strong week. A market can ease from its highs while retaining its upward trend, but repeated failures to recover may gradually weaken buyer confidence. Traders will therefore be watching both how far BTC falls and how quickly demand returns.

Momentum cools as $85,000 caps the upside

Bitcoin’s relative strength index (RSI) was near 61, a reading consistent with positive momentum. It remains below the level commonly associated with overbought conditions, leaving room for another rise if buyers regain control.

The moving average convergence divergence (MACD) indicator has cooled but remains slightly positive. 

That combination points to an uptrend that is still present, though less forceful than during the recent rally. Momentum readings can change quickly, so price action around nearby resistance will offer a clearer test.

The first barrier is approximately $85,000. Bitcoin would need to overcome selling around that level to make a stronger case for extending last week’s gains. A failed attempt could keep BTC in a period of sideways trading as buyers and sellers weigh the recent move.

On the downside, the current price area provides the first place to look for support. A more substantial decline would put the 50-day EMA at $77,323 in focus, followed by the longer-term averages near $74,000. Previously established horizontal support levels at $66,500 and $62,300 sit further below.

These levels outline the range of possible tests rather than a forecast that BTC will reach them. For the near term, the contest is much narrower: whether Bitcoin can stabilize above $83,000 and make another attempt at $85,000.

Ethereum’s move below $2,700 and XRP’s consolidation around $1.500 add to the cautious start to the week. 

btc/usd daily chart

Both assets are taking a breather alongside Bitcoin, although the figures provided do not establish equivalent support or resistance levels for either token.

For traders following the three largest cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin’s response to $85,000 may offer a useful gauge of broader market appetite. 

A renewed push above that barrier could signal that buyers remain willing to pursue last week’s gains. Continued consolidation, meanwhile, would leave the market waiting for a clearer direction.

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Uniswap price forecast: UNI risks 15% drop as long liquidations build

Key takeaways

  • Uniswap retreated after climbing to an intraweek high of approximately $10.95.
  • UNI’s weekly RSI has entered overbought territory at around 73.
  • A correction could target $7.83, while losing that support may expose $6.91.

Uniswap (UNI) could decline toward $7.80 over the coming weeks after its latest rally lost momentum near a major resistance area. 

An overbought weekly Relative Strength Index (RSI), a rejection below the $11.51 Fibonacci level and a concentration of leveraged long positions below the market all point to an elevated risk of a correction.

UNI traded near $9.11 on September 25 after reaching an intraweek high of roughly $10.95. Although its longer-term technical structure has improved, the token may need to cool further before attempting another sustained advance.

UNI Rally Loses Momentum Below $11.50

Uniswap’s recent rebound brought the price close to the 0.786 Fibonacci retracement level at approximately $11.51. That area represented an important upside target following UNI’s breakout above a long-term descending resistance trendline.

However, the token failed to reach or break the level convincingly. Sellers emerged around $10.95, pushing the price back toward $9.11 and leaving a substantial upper wick on the developing weekly candle.

A long upper wick typically signals that buyers drove the price higher during the period but could not hold those gains. While this pattern does not guarantee a reversal, it indicates that selling pressure has increased near the recent high.

The rejection is especially relevant because it occurred close to major Fibonacci resistance. Unless UNI can reclaim the $10.95-$11.51 region, traders may treat the latest move as an unsuccessful breakout attempt rather than the beginning of another sustained rally.

Overbought RSI raises correction risk

Momentum indicators also suggest that Uniswap’s advance may be becoming stretched. UNI’s weekly RSI has risen to around 73, placing it above the traditional overbought threshold of 70.

An overbought RSI does not automatically mean that a sell-off is imminent. During strong trends, cryptocurrencies can remain overbought for extended periods while prices continue rising. Nevertheless, UNI’s previous sharp weekly rallies have frequently been followed by consolidation or multi-week corrections as traders lock in profits.

The combination of an elevated RSI, resistance near $11.51, and the recent upper wick strengthens the possibility of a short-term pullback.

The first major technical target on the downside is the 200-week exponential moving average at approximately $7.83. A decline from $9.21 to that level would represent a correction of about 15%.

If buyers defend the $7.80-$7.85 area, UNI could establish a higher low and prepare for another attempt at $11.50. Losing that support, however, would expose the 100-week EMA near $6.91.

Despite these near-term risks, Uniswap’s broader chart remains healthier than it was earlier in the year. UNI is still trading above several important weekly moving averages and has broken through a long-term descending resistance line. A pullback to $7.83 could therefore function as a retest of support rather than the start of a larger bearish reversal.

Derivatives positioning creates an additional source of downside pressure. CoinGlass data shows a significant cluster of leveraged long positions around $8.87 on Binance’s UNI/USDT market.

Approximately $5.16 million in liquidation leverage is concentrated near that price. If UNI falls toward $8.87, the move could expose an estimated $10.35 million in cumulative long liquidations.

When a leveraged long position is liquidated, the exchange closes it automatically by selling the underlying exposure. If many positions are forced to close in a short period, that selling can accelerate the decline and trigger further liquidations at lower prices.

This dynamic makes $8.87 a potential liquidity magnet. A modest pullback toward that level could develop into a sharper move if forced selling overwhelms available demand.

The liquidation heatmap also identifies short-position liquidity above the current market, meaning that an unexpected rally could still generate a short squeeze. However, the larger concentration of vulnerable longs immediately below the price makes the downside risk more pressing in the near term.

UNI/USD Daily Chart

Can UNI recover toward $11.50?

Uniswap’s next move may depend on whether buyers can protect the $8.87 liquidity zone and the stronger technical support around $7.83.

A successful defense of these levels would preserve the improving weekly structure and leave UNI positioned for another test of $11.50. A decisive weekly close above that resistance would weaken the correction scenario and could open the door to higher targets.

Conversely, a liquidation-driven decline below $8.87 would increase the probability of a move toward the 200-week EMA at $7.83. If that floor also breaks, the 100-week EMA near $6.91 would become the next significant downside level.

For now, UNI’s longer-term recovery remains intact, but overbought momentum and crowded leveraged positioning suggest that volatility—and potentially a 15% correction—could come first.

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Hyperliquid (HYPE) targets $115 as tokenized asset trading gains momentum

Key takeaways

  • Hyperliquid’s HYPE token has gained 274% year-to-date, making it one of the strongest-performing large cryptocurrencies.
  • CFTC Chairman Michael Selig said US regulators are preparing for tokenization, onchain finance, and continuous markets.
  • Hyperliquid’s HIP-3 markets processed as much as $115 billion in monthly volume in June.

Hyperliquid (HYPE) has climbed 274% since the beginning of the year, outperforming other leading cryptocurrencies as demand for decentralized derivatives and tokenized real-world assets continues to grow.

The HYPE token recently approached the psychological $100 threshold, supported by expanding activity across Hyperliquid’s HIP-3 markets. Those markets allow builders to deploy permissionless perpetual futures, including contracts linked to real-world assets.

Comments from Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Michael Selig have also strengthened expectations that tokenization and round-the-clock markets will become a larger part of the US financial system. 

However, his remarks did not amount to regulatory approval for Hyperliquid or confirm that the platform will be allowed to serve US customers.

US regulators prepare for tokenized markets

Selig discussed the potential impact of tokenization during the 2026 Treasury Market Conference.

He said the CFTC is preparing financial markets for the arrival of large-scale tokenization, onchain finance and 24/7 trading. The chairman compared the shift with the transition from floor-based trading signals to electronic markets.

“Just as the transition from hand signals to electronic trading advanced our financial system, I believe tokenization can do the same for all asset classes,” Selig said.

He added that the regulator is committed to developing clear, principles-based rules intended to support innovation while protecting market integrity.

The comments reflect growing interest among US regulators in blockchain-based markets. The Securities and Exchange Commission recently introduced a temporary Innovation Exemption that allows eligible platforms to test certain tokenized securities products under defined conditions.

Tokenization converts ownership rights in assets such as stocks, bonds, or commodities into blockchain-based digital tokens. Supporters argue that the technology can provide faster settlement, fractional ownership, and continuous trading.

Regulatory support for tokenization could create opportunities for platforms offering real-world asset markets. Still, general statements supporting the technology do not guarantee market access for any specific decentralized protocol.

Hyperliquid would need to satisfy applicable derivatives, securities, and customer-protection requirements before directly offering regulated services in the United States.

HIP-3 volume reaches $115 Billion

HIP-3 has become an important source of growth for the Hyperliquid ecosystem. According to Hyperliquid Analytics, HIP-3 markets processed a recent monthly peak of approximately $115 billion in trading volume in June. Open interest continued rising afterward, reaching nearly $4 billion last month.

Open interest measures the value of outstanding derivatives positions that have not been closed. Its increase suggests traders are maintaining more exposure to HIP-3 markets rather than merely generating short-lived transaction volume.

The combination of high volume and rising open interest points to deeper participation. It may also create additional demand for HYPE because the token plays a central role in the broader Hyperliquid ecosystem.

CoinMarketCap data cited in the original analysis gives Hyperliquid an 18% share of the decentralized trading segment. That position makes it one of the largest venues competing for the expansion of onchain derivatives.

Real-world asset perpetuals have broadened the platform beyond cryptocurrency markets. Traders can use such contracts to gain price exposure without directly owning the referenced traditional asset.

These products can increase accessibility, but they also carry risks. Perpetual contracts use leverage, do not necessarily grant ownership rights, and may depend on external price feeds to track the underlying asset accurately.

Can HYPE reach $115?

HYPE recently moved close to the long-standing $100 price target, bringing a major psychological resistance level into focus.

Round-number thresholds often attract profit-taking because traders place sell orders around prominent levels. As a result, HYPE could experience a pullback after testing or briefly exceeding $100.

The former resistance area near $88 may provide the first meaningful support during such a correction. A successful retest would indicate that buyers remain willing to enter at higher levels and could establish a foundation for the next advance.

The medium-term upside target is approximately $115. The projection uses the length of HYPE’s previous rally to estimate the possible size of its next bullish leg.

HYPE/USD Daily Chart

A move from $100 to $115 would represent a further gain of 15%. Reaching that target would require the token to overcome profit-taking and maintain demand as its year-to-date increase approaches 300%.

If HYPE falls below $88, the immediate bullish structure would weaken, and the market could enter a longer consolidation. Rising open interest also introduces liquidation risk if highly leveraged traders crowd into long positions.

For now, HIP-3’s expanding volume, growing open interest, and broader momentum behind tokenized markets support the bullish outlook. The decisive near-term test is whether HYPE can convert $100 from resistance into support and extend its advance toward $115.

 

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Nexo says 67% of affluent investors own crypto but few make it central to wealth plans

  • Nexo says 67% of affluent investors own crypto, but integration stays low.
  • Security, fees and platform complexity emerge as key barriers to adoption.
  • US investors show deepest crypto integration despite lower ownership rates.

High-net-worth investors are increasingly buying crypto, but many are still reluctant to make it a major part of their long-term wealth plans, according to a new Nexo survey.

The report found that 67% of affluent investors across the US, UK and Argentina already own crypto. However, security concerns, high fees and complicated platforms are stopping many from using digital assets for retirement planning or replacing traditional investments.

Nexo published its “Future of Digital Wealth 2026” report on September 23 after surveying 1,000 affluent investors. Its new Crypto Integration Index, which measures how deeply crypto is incorporated into investors’ finances, produced an average score of 4.83 out of 10.

Ownership outpaces deeper integration

Nexo said a score near the survey average of 4.83 represents a small, short-horizon crypto position outside retirement planning.

Only 4.7% of surveyed investors scored seven or higher, a level Nexo describes as structurally integrated, where crypto has replaced a traditional asset and forms part of longer-term financial planning.

The report found that just under 20% of respondents expect crypto to become their number-one personal wealth driver over the next decade, ahead of salary, equities and real estate.

More than 40% are already invested in crypto without yet building wealth with it.

“Once an investor gets past the risk perception stage, what’s left is security, fees, and platform user-friendliness and capabilities – the same things we’ve spent years building Nexo to solve,” said Neil Steinhardt, COO, Nexo US.

That’s the gap between owning crypto and actually building wealth with it, and it’s exactly where our platform is designed to meet investors.

Integration also varies by market. Argentina had the highest ownership rate at 74%, but a CII score of 4.62. The US had the lowest ownership at 62%, but the deepest integration with a score of 5.07.

The UK recorded 65% ownership and a CII score of 4.75.

Platform trust becomes the next hurdle

The report said crypto integration peaks among investors aged 35 to 44, with 28% treating digital assets as a core retirement asset.

Investors aged 18 to 25 reported the highest ownership and conviction, with more than 90% holding crypto, but only 2% maintaining a horizon of 10 years or longer.

Among structurally integrated investors with CII scores of seven or more, reported frictions shift towards platform trust. Security concerns were cited by 36%, high fees by 34%, and platform complexity by 28%.

“Risk perception used to be the story in every crypto adoption survey. It isn’t anymore,” said Iliya Kalchev, analyst at Nexo.

In our data, risk perception barely separates investors who’ve built real wealth with crypto from those who haven’t — what actually divides them is whether they’ve substituted crypto for a traditional asset and folded it into retirement planning. For affluent investors it’s the planning and the smoothness of operating with that crypto that remains to be resolved.

The survey was fielded in February and March 2026 through Attest. Respondents needed at least $100,000 in liquid assets in the US and UK, or $40,000 in Argentina, thresholds calibrated to capture the top 25% to 30% of each market by investable wealth.

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Zcash holds above $1,600 as shielded activity and fund inflows surge

Key takeaways

  • Zcash remains above $1,600 after gaining 10% during the previous session.
  • Weekly shielded transactions reached 62,379, their highest level since 2022.
  • The newer Ironwood pool accounted for 55,549 of the shielded transactions recorded last week.
  • A confirmed breakout above $1,700 could put the $2,000 psychological level in focus, while $1,595 is the nearest support.

Zcash (ZEC) continued its rally on Wednesday, trading around $1,619 after gaining 7.5% during the previous session. 

Rising use of the network’s privacy features and stronger demand for regulated ZEC investment products are supporting the token’s positive price action.

The privacy-focused cryptocurrency is also approaching the upper boundary of a bullish channel near $1,700. 

Momentum indicators remain constructive without showing excessively overbought conditions, allowing buyers to attempt another breakout.

A decisive move above $1,700 could carry ZEC into price discovery and bring the $2,000 psychological threshold into view. 

Failure to clear the resistance, however, could trigger a retreat toward support around $1,595 or the $1,422–$1,424 region.

Zcash Shielded activity reaches four-year high

Zcash’s latest rally has coincided with increased use of its shielded transaction system, which allows users to conceal certain transaction details.

Data from Blockworks shows that the network processed 62,379 shielded transactions last week. That was the highest weekly total recorded in four years, suggesting that demand for Zcash’s privacy functionality is increasing alongside its price.

The Ironwood pool accounted for 55,549 of those transactions, representing approximately 89% of the weekly total. The concentration of activity in the newer pool indicates that users are increasingly adopting the latest version of Zcash’s shielded infrastructure.

Unlike transparent blockchain transactions, shielded transfers can use cryptographic proofs to verify that a transaction is valid without publicly exposing all of its underlying information. This functionality is central to Zcash’s value proposition as a privacy-oriented network.

Increasing shielded activity may provide a stronger fundamental basis for ZEC’s rally because it suggests that network usage is rising rather than the price move being driven entirely by speculation.

One strong week does not establish a sustained adoption trend, however. Shielded transaction volumes will need to remain elevated over a longer period to demonstrate that the increase represents a durable change in user behavior.

Institutional investment products have provided another source of support for Zcash. Grayscale’s ZEC-focused product recorded $32.81 million in inflows on Tuesday, according to SoSoValue data. The inflow lifted the product’s net assets under management to approximately $979.48 million.

The sizeable daily increase indicates growing investor demand for ZEC exposure through a regulated investment vehicle. Such products allow investors to follow the token’s performance without independently purchasing, storing, and securing it.

Zcash has also gained additional institutional exposure in Europe. 21Shares recently launched a ZEC-focused exchange-traded product on Euronext, expanding the range of regulated channels through which investors can access the privacy token.

The combination of inflows into Grayscale’s product and the availability of the new 21Shares ETP points to improving institutional confidence. Continued inflows could reduce the amount of ZEC circulating freely in the market and support prices if demand remains strong.

Nevertheless, investment-product flows can reverse quickly. Traders will need to determine whether Tuesday’s inflow marks the beginning of a sustained trend or reflects a temporary response to ZEC’s recent price performance.

Zcash approaches $1,700 channel resistance

Zcash was trading around $1,619 on Wednesday, maintaining its bullish short-term structure.

On the four-hour chart, ZEC remains comfortably above its major exponential moving averages. The 50-period EMA stands near $1,424, the 100-period EMA is around $1,295, and the 200-period EMA sits at approximately $1,108.

Trading above all three averages shows that buyers remain in control across multiple short-term time frames. Their bullish alignment also provides several potential layers of support if the token experiences a pullback.

ZEC is now approaching a descending resistance line connecting the August 23 and September 19 highs. That barrier is situated near $1,700.

Meanwhile, a rising trendline connecting the September 2 and September 16 lows forms the lower boundary of a bullish channel. The structure indicates that buyers have repeatedly entered the market at progressively higher prices.

A confirmed breakout above the channel resistance could strengthen the rally and push ZEC into price-discovery territory. Under that scenario, the next notable target would be the round-number level at $2,000, representing a potential gain of roughly 25% from $1,600.

A breakout should ideally be supported by increasing trading volume and a sustained close above $1,700. A brief move beyond the resistance followed by a rapid reversal could instead signal a failed breakout.

Zcash’s momentum indicators continue to support the bullish outlook. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence indicator remains in positive territory and has crossed above its signal line. The crossover suggests that upward momentum is strengthening as ZEC tests the upper boundary of its channel.

ZEC/USD Daily Chart

The Relative Strength Index stands near 63. The reading is above the neutral midpoint of 50 but below the conventional overbought level of 70, indicating strong momentum without suggesting that the rally is excessively stretched.

If ZEC fails to overcome $1,700, its first support sits near $1,595, corresponding with the September 19 high. Holding that former resistance as support would keep the immediate breakout thesis intact.

Below $1,595, the next important area lies between $1,422 and $1,424. That zone combines the September 18 low with the four-hour chart’s 50-period EMA, making it a stronger potential support region during a deeper correction.

For now, rising shielded usage, institutional inflows, and constructive technical signals support the upside bias. The next decisive test is whether buyers can convert the $1,700 resistance into support and extend the rally toward $2,000.

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