Bitcoin price prediction: BTC faces critical resistance at $78,000 as ETF outflows mount

  • Bitcoin ETFs posted $1.25 billion in weekly net outflows.
  • BTC must clear $78,152 to sustain bullish momentum.
  • Strategy paused Bitcoin purchases despite holding 843,738 BTC.

Bitcoin (BTC) continued to trade near the $77,000 level on Monday amid growing institutional outflows against improving macro sentiment and rising demand from spot buyers.

The world’s largest cryptocurrency was up 0.5% over the past 24 hours, trading at $77,182 at press time, slightly outperforming the broader crypto market.

The slight rebound pushed BTC’s price closer to a major resistance zone near $78,000, a level that traders are watching closely after weeks of volatile price action and heavy selling pressure from spot exchange-traded funds.

The market is reacting to easing geopolitical tensions after US President Donald Trump said a potential agreement with Iran was “largely negotiated,” reducing fears of a wider Middle East conflict.

Bitcoin ETF outflows continue to pressure sentiment

Institutional demand for Bitcoin ETFs weakened sharply over the past week, with spot Bitcoin ETFs recording roughly $1.256 billion in net outflows between May 18 and May 22, according to CoinGlass data.

Several of the largest withdrawals came from products linked to BlackRock and Fidelity, two firms that played a major role in driving institutional adoption after spot Bitcoin ETFs launched in the United States in early 2024.

The outflows added to concerns that institutional appetite for BTC exposure may be cooling as investors rotate capital toward other sectors, particularly artificial intelligence and semiconductor-focused investments.

At the same time, Strategy, formerly known as MicroStrategy, has paused its aggressive Bitcoin buying campaign this week.

Nevertheless, the company still holds 843,738 BTC, making it the largest corporate Bitcoin holder globally, but it chose to buy bonds instead of adding more Bitcoin to its treasury.

The move attracted attention across the crypto market because Strategy and executive chairman Michael Saylor have been among Bitcoin’s strongest corporate supporters over the past several years.

Meanwhile, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink adopted a more measured tone while discussing Bitcoin’s role in institutional portfolios.

Although Fink highlighted the success of Bitcoin ETFs, his recent comments reflected a more cautious stance compared to earlier bullish statements.

Still, not all institutional activity turned negative. El Salvador added another eight Bitcoin to its national reserves, extending the country’s long-running accumulation strategy under President Nayib Bukele.

Bitcoin dominance rises as traders rotate out of altcoins

Even with ETF outflows accelerating, Bitcoin managed to hold above key support levels as capital continued rotating away from smaller cryptocurrencies and into BTC.

Market data shows Bitcoin outperforming much of the altcoin market during the latest recovery.

At the same time, derivatives activity has increased sharply, with open interest in perpetual futures contracts jumping 11.44% within 24 hours, signalling rising leveraged positioning among short-term traders.

That increase in leverage amplified Bitcoin’s move higher but also raised the risk of sharper volatility if macroeconomic data or market sentiment shifts suddenly.

Technical indicators point to a critical resistance zone

Technical indicators currently present a mixed picture for Bitcoin’s short-term outlook.

Data from 23 technical indicators shows four buy signals and nine sell signals, leaving the broader short-term trend tilted bearish despite the latest rebound.

The most important resistance level sits at $78,152. Bitcoin needs a decisive close above that level to sustain upward momentum and target the next resistance near $79,331.

On the downside, immediate support stands at $76,773. A breakdown below that level could expose Bitcoin to deeper losses, especially if traders begin unwinding leveraged positions.

The 14-day Relative Strength Index currently stands at 47.70, suggesting neutral conditions rather than an overheated market.

Bitcoin price analysis

Moving averages also continue signalling caution.

The Bitcoin price currently trades above only two of the five major exponential moving averages, while remaining below the long-term 200-day EMA, a level many traders use to assess broader market direction.

Analysts are also watching the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level near $76,590, which has emerged as another important support area during the latest consolidation phase.

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Pi Network holds above $0.1500 as exchange outflows hint at recovery

Key takeaways

  • PI is up by 2% in the last 24 hours and maintains its value above $0.1500.
  • The momentum indicators suggest a potential recovery in the near term. 

Pi Network trades steadily above $0.1500 on Friday as recent exchange data points to mild accumulation activity. 

While the token continues to face resistance near $0.1550, declining selling pressure and growing CEX outflows are supporting a cautiously bullish short-term outlook.

CEX outflows signal growing demand for PI

A decline in token balances on Centralized Exchanges (CEXs) is often viewed as a positive sign, as it suggests investors are moving assets into private wallets rather than preparing to sell.

According to PiScan data, roughly 400,000 PI tokens were withdrawn from exchanges over the past 24 hours. 

The steady reduction in exchange reserves may indicate renewed short-term demand and could help fuel Pi Network’s next recovery attempt if the trend continues.

PI technical analysis: PI faces key resistance near $0.1550

The PI/USD 4-hour chart remains bearish despite the positive performance today. At the time of writing, PI trades around $0.1536, remaining below both the 50-period Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at $0.1573 and the 200-period EMA at $0.1680.

For bullish momentum to strengthen, PI must break above the $0.1550 resistance zone and reclaim the 50-period EMA. A successful breakout could pave the way for a move toward the 200-period EMA near $0.1680.

Technical indicators suggest sellers may be losing control in the short term. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator and its signal line continue trending upward, although both remain below the zero line. This points to a potential recovery phase within a broader bearish structure.

Meanwhile, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) hovers near the neutral 50 level, signaling balanced momentum as downside pressure gradually fades.

PI/USD 4H Chart

If the bearish trend returns, immediate support emerges at Tuesday’s low of $0.1463. A break below this level could expose PI to further weakness and potentially retest its all-time low near $0.1310.

As long as support holds and exchange reserves continue falling, traders may keep watching for signs of a bullish breakout above the $0.1550 resistance zone.

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Celestia (TIA) extends recovery above $0.44 as retail traders fuel rally

Key takeaways

  • Celestia (TIA) climbed above $0.4400 on Friday, marking its third consecutive day of gains this week.
  • The coin could extend its rally towards the $0.50 psychological level.

Celestia (TIA) climbed above $0.4400 on Friday, marking its third consecutive day of gains this week. The rally appears to be driven largely by growing retail interest and rising social media attention rather than a major fundamental catalyst.

With momentum indicators strengthening and price approaching a key resistance zone, traders are now watching whether TIA can sustain its rebound and push toward the $0.50 level.

Retail demand and social buzz boost TIA

TIA is up10% in the last 24 hours and is now trading above $0.4400 per coin. Retail participation in Celestia has surged as the token emerges as one of the stronger performers in the broader crypto market.

According to CoinGlass data, TIA’s Open Interest (OI) climbed to $68.17 million, rising more than 10% in the past 24 hours. The increase suggests growing leveraged trading activity and heightened speculative interest.

At the same time, TIA’s funding rate stands at 0.0042%, indicating traders are paying a premium to maintain long positions — a sign of bullish market sentiment.

Santiment data also highlights a sharp increase in social engagement surrounding Celestia.

The token’s social dominance rose to 0.024% of all crypto-related discussions, signaling growing attention from retail traders and online communities.

The combination of rising Open Interest and increased social buzz suggests speculative momentum is currently driving the rally.

Celestia technical outlook: Bulls regain control

The TIA/USD 4-hour chart has flipped bullish as Celestia has surged by more than 15% in the last seven days.

The rally began with a strong 6% rebound on Wednesday and has since pushed TIA above several important technical levels, including the 100-day EMA at $0.4015 and the 50% Fibonacci retracement level at $0.4104

These levels are measured from the January 13 high of $0.6257 to the February 6 low of $0.2693.

If the rally persists, the next major resistance lies between $0.4596 and $0.4722, a supply zone that previously rejected bullish attempts earlier this month.

A daily candle break above these levels could pave the way for TIA to extend its rally towards the $0.5224 resistance zone.

Technical indicators continue to favor bullish momentum. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) sits at 67, suggesting buying pressure remains healthy without entering overbought territory.

The MACD indicator is moving toward a bullish crossover as negative histogram bars continue to shrink, signaling weakening bearish momentum.

Together, these signals suggest the current recovery still has room to extend higher if buyers maintain control.

TIA/USD 4H Chart

However, if TIA loses momentum near resistance, traders will likely focus on several key support zones. The first major support zone is the $0.4104 level, which served as a previous demand region.

Failure to defend this support could expose lower demand zones like the 100-day EMA at $0.4015 and the 50-day EMA at $0.3844. Holding above these levels would help preserve the token’s short-term bullish structure.

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XRP price outlook: will the $1.35 support hold or break?

  • XRP is holding a tight range near $1.35–$1.36 under pressure.
  • Most moving averages and signals still show a dominant downtrend.
  • RSI weakness suggests a pause, with $1.35 acting as key support.

XRP is trading at $1.36, sitting almost directly on a key short-term support zone after a steady decline across multiple timeframes.

The price has slipped 7.4% over the past seven days and 6.4% over the past month, extending a broader downtrend that has now reached a 44% drop over the past year.

This puts the current market situation of the Ripple token at the centre of a critical decision point, where bulls and bears are actively testing whether the support at $1.35 can hold.

XRP has entered a tight consolidation phase

XRP has been moving inside a very narrow range between $1.35 and $1.38 over the past 24 hours.

XRP price analysis

This tight consolidation often reflects hesitation in the market, where neither bulls nor bears have enough momentum to force a clear breakout.

The lower boundary of this range, $1.35, has now become the immediate level to watch.

A clean breakdown below this point would place XRP into a weaker technical structure, with little short-term support visible beneath it.

On the upside, the $1.38 level remains the first resistance barrier, and price has repeatedly failed to sustain moves above it in recent sessions.

But despite this compression, momentum indicators suggest the market is still leaning cautiously.

The 14-day RSI sits at 41.94, which is neutral but tilted toward weakness.

On the weekly chart, RSI drops further to 38.67, which is commonly interpreted as oversold territory.

This divergence between timeframes suggests that while short-term selling pressure is cooling, longer-term momentum remains under stress.

XRP’s technical structure remains under bearish control

A broader look at the trend shows that XRP is still trading below all major exponential moving averages (EMAs) on the daily chart.

These include the 10-day, 20-day, 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day EMAs, which are all positioned above the current price.

This signals a clear bearish structure, where every major trend line is acting as resistance rather than support.

In technical terms, this type of stacking usually reflects a market that has not yet completed a full reversal phase.

In addition, out of 23 tracked technical indicators, 13 are currently pointing to sell signals, while only 3 suggest buying conditions, and 7 remain neutral.

Moving averages alone account for 12 sell signals with zero buy signals, reinforcing the view that the long-term trend has not shifted back in favour of buyers.

At the same time, oscillators like the MACD and the RSI present a slightly different picture. With 3 buy signals against 1 sell signal, short-term momentum indicators show early signs of stabilisation.

However, this has not yet been strong enough to counter the dominant bearish trend formed by the moving averages.

The next directional move will depend heavily on whether buyers can defend the $1.35 support zone or whether selling pressure forces a breakdown into lower price territory.

Short-term estimates point to movement toward $1.39, while broader yearly forecasts place 2026 within a wide range between $0.82 and $2.12.

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Near Protocol coin is up 29% today: here’s why the NEAR price is rising

  • AI developments helped push NEAR Protocol trading volume over $1 billion.
  • The price of NEAR coin broke above a multi-year bearish trendline.
  • Eyes are now on the support at $2.20 and the resistance at $2.30 for the next move.

NEAR Protocol surged nearly 29% in the last 24 hours, making it one of the strongest-performing large-cap cryptocurrencies in the market today.

The rally pushed the token to around $2.26 after trading as low as $1.73 earlier in the day.

Near Protocol price

NEAR’s trading activity also climbed sharply, with daily volume approaching $1 billion as momentum accelerated across major exchanges.

The reason why the Near Protocol coin price is rising

One of the biggest drivers behind the latest Near Protocol price jump is the growing interest in AI-focused blockchain projects.

NEAR Protocol has increasingly been associated with the AI sector due to its recent product developments, including AI integrations, intent-based transactions, and tools designed for autonomous agents.

The project recently highlighted progress around its NEAR Legion project.

The concept focuses on allowing AI agents to interact with blockchain networks, execute transactions, and coordinate activities without requiring constant human input.

This narrative has gained traction as the broader technology sector shifts attention toward agentic AI systems.

Notably, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has repeatedly discussed the growing role of agentic AI in future software and computing systems.

That trend has spilled over into the crypto market, where traders are now looking at blockchain networks that could support machine-to-machine transactions and decentralised AI infrastructure.

NEAR Protocol has also expanded its Intents framework, which simplifies cross-chain interactions and transaction execution.

The technology is designed to let users or AI agents specify desired outcomes rather than manually executing every transaction step.

The market has responded positively to this development because it addresses one of crypto’s biggest problems: user experience.

Another development that attracted attention this week was the launch of PII anonymisation tools by NEAR AI.

The feature is designed to improve privacy for large language model applications by protecting sensitive information before it reaches AI systems.

Privacy-focused AI infrastructure has become an important discussion point as companies and developers face growing concerns around data protection and compliance.

The AI angle around NEAR carries additional weight because of the project’s leadership.

NEAR co-founder Illia Polosukhin previously co-authored the “Attention Is All You Need” research paper, which introduced the Transformer architecture that powers modern AI models such as ChatGPT and Gemini.

Analysts have increasingly pointed to this connection as evidence that NEAR’s AI strategy is more than just branding.

Technical breakout and short liquidations accelerated the rally

Beyond the AI narrative, technical factors also played a major role in today’s rally.

NEAR recently broke above a multi-year descending trendline that had capped its price since the 2022 bear market.

Analysts had been watching the $1.90 resistance zone closely because it acted as a ceiling during several previous recovery attempts.

Once the token moved above that level, buying momentum accelerated rapidly.

The breakout was accompanied by a sharp rise in trading volume, which is often viewed as confirmation that a move has strong market participation behind it.

NEAR also reclaimed several major moving averages during the rally, improving the token’s overall technical structure.

Short liquidations added further fuel to the move. Data from derivatives markets showed that most crypto liquidations tied to NEAR over the past 24 hours came from short positions.

As the price continued to rise, traders betting against the token were forced to buy back their positions, creating additional upward pressure.

NEAR price forecast

The Near Protocol token has gained nearly 60% in the last 30 days and is now up more than 43% over the past week.

However, despite the rally, NEAR remains far below its all-time high of $20.44 reached in January 2022.

The token is currently trading about 89% below that peak, although it has recovered more than 325% from its all-time low recorded in November 2020.

Moving ahead, the first major support zone sits around $2.20.

Holding above this level could help maintain bullish momentum in the near term. Below that, the $1.90 area remains important because it previously acted as a breakout resistance zone.

On the upside, the immediate resistance range sits between $2.30 and $2.40 after the latest surge stalled near those levels.

A decisive move above that region could open the door toward the psychological $3.00 level, which many traders are now monitoring as the next major target.

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