Is Bitcoin’s drop to $79K a bear trap as Hormuz tensions escalate?

  • Bitcoin retreated amid clashes in the Strait of Hormuz and rising oil prices.
  • Analysts argue that a limited appetite for full‑scale escalation caps downside risk.
  • Bulls aim for a rebound toward $82,000, but bears could target a breakdown below $78,000.

Bitcoin dropped to around $79,200 in early trading on Friday as fresh military skirmishes in the Strait of Hormuz rattled global risk assets.

The crypto bellwether was witnessing a sharp intraday pullback after a brief run above $80,000, with the latest price swing highlighting prevailing weakness amid potential geopolitical shocks.

However, despite this outlook, is a classic “bear trap” in play?

Iran ceasefire cracks dent Bitcoin momentum

Bitcoin rallied above $82,500 on Monday, igniting further bullish sentiment across the broader cryptocurrency market.

However, BTC has reversed as selling pressure resurfaced, dropping to support near $79,200.

The downturn coincides with fresh clashes in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran accused the United States of striking an oil tanker, prompting retaliatory strikes by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against US warships.

The US says it responded with counterstrikes.

Energy markets reacted swiftly, with Brent crude pushing back above $100 per barrel as local skirmishes reignited fears of supply disruption in the world’s key oil chokepoint.

According to SosoValue, the flare‑up has injected fresh anxiety into the so‑called “14‑point deal” narrative, a diplomatic framework aimed at stabilizing the region.

However, the platform notes that President Donald Trump’s insistence that the ceasefire remains in place, and Washington’s framing of its actions as “self‑defense,” point to a lack of appetite for full‑scale escalation.

“If both sides publicly signal restraint, the damage to global risk appetite remains localized,” SosoValue observed on X.

Bitcoin price forecast: a bear trap or deeper retreat?

According to analysts, a scenario that sees the current macro fallout contained could set the stage for a bullish reversal.

Santiment has noted a wave of profit‑driven holder capitulation in recent days, which it says hints at a potential sharp rebound amid thinning liquidity.

“Capitulation is one of the key ingredients to the beginning of bull runs, and wallets can drop out during both a price fall (out of fear of losing more) or on a price rise (expecting prices to not go any higher),” the firm posted.

Meanwhile, veteran market technician John Bollinger recently flagged Bitcoin’s trend model as flipping positive. BTC has retreated from the upper Bollinger Bands line, but the BBTrend indicator remains bullish.

This suggests a short‑squeeze could materialize if prices hold support levels.

Bulls will also need to reclaim upward momentum on strong volume, largely helped by limited escalation in the Gulf, contained oil‑price spikes, and the crypto‑friendly CLARITY Act.

Key resistance levels could be around $85,000-$90,000. However, if downside risks continue, bears could eye a deeper correction toward the $60,000 support zone.

Bitcoin hovered around $79,615 on Friday morning.

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Cardano price forecast: what does surge to $0.27 mean for ADA?

  • Cardano price was up 5% as bulls broke above $0.27 amid Bitcoin’s surge.
  • Bullish RSI at 66 and rising open interest signal breakout potential.
  • Support could be at $0.25 and $0.23, while $0.30 and 200 EMA near $0.40 are next resistance levels.

Cardano (ADA) traded to above $0.27 as bulls across the cryptocurrency market extended gains toward the key resistance zones.

ADA’s spike aligned with this broader market strength, which has seen renewed investor optimism push Bitcoin’s price past $81,000.

The overall lift already has several altcoins posting double-digit gains, while a few like Toncoin and Zcash have exploded by more than 30% in the past 24 hours.

Cardano price surges to $0.27 as bullish sentiment builds

Data on CoinMarketCap shows Cardano’s price has surged 5% in the past 24 hours and 8% this past week, with ADA decisively extending gains above the pivotal $0.25 level.

This momentum aligns with fresh capital flowing into altcoins, amplifying buying pressure.

Notably, derivatives data further bolsters the bullish narrative.

Open interest in ADA futures has risen to $546 million, signaling heightened trader conviction.

Meanwhile, funding rates for perpetual contracts hovered at positive 0.0074%, and 24-hour spot trading volume was at $129 million.

A lot of this is down to risk appetite returning across markets.

On Wednesday, analysts at QCP highlighted the outlook as largely boosted by geopolitical developments. 

“Trump’s pause on “Project Freedom” is read as a de-escalation signal, sending oil lower, equities higher, and the dollar softer. $BTC has reclaimed $80k alongside the S&P 500’s best month since 2020, trading once again as a high-beta expression of dollar weakness and risk appetite,” they noted.

These factors point to mounting bullish sentiment, and Cardano could capitalize on this and the market’s broader recovery to eye higher levels.

Cardano price forecast

From a technical perspective, Cardano’s short-term outlook is bullish.

The token is looking for a breakout from a descending triangle pattern, while the price has jumped above the 50-day exponential moving average (EMA) at $0.25.

The picture signals the potential for an extended rally.

Cardano Price Prediction
Cardano price chart by TradingView

Short-term targets cluster around $0.30, marked by a key horizontal resistance line from March highs.

Beyond that, the 200-day EMA near $0.40 looms as the next major hurdle, potentially unlocking a push toward $0.50 if momentum holds.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) on the daily chart stands at 66, firmly in bullish territory but yet to enter overbought levels.

This suggests room for additional gains before any pullback.

If bears take control, key support levels include $0.25 (now acting as dynamic support via the 50-day EMA) and $0.23.

A drop below this mark could temper enthusiasm and bring $0.20 into play.

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Zcash price jumps 36% to $600 resistance; bulls eye cycle high

  • Zcash price climbed 36% to above $600 amid Bitcoin’s uptick.
  • ZEC’s rally comes as a surge in shielded supply highlights Zcash’s strength.
  • Bulls could target $700 and cycle highs, but RSI signals profit-taking.

Zcash (ZEC) is riding the latest wave in the cryptocurrency market, surging alongside Bitcoin’s charge toward $82,000.

As the flagship asset nears this key psychological barrier, altcoins are joining the rally, with Toncoin (TON) climbing 22%, Internet Computer (ICP) gaining 18%, and Near Protocol (NEAR) up 15% in the past 24 hours.

This broad uptick signals a renewed investor appetite for privacy-focused and scalable protocols amid a dip in Bitcoin’s dominance to 54%.

Zcash explodes 36% to above $600

Zcash’s price has skyrocketed 36% over the past week, flirting with the $600 resistance level early Wednesday.

The privacy coin rose to highs of $606 on Coinbase, hitting its highest level since November 2025.

Meanwhile, open interest on major futures platforms like Binance and OKX has surged to $1.3 billion, up from $964 million the day before.

These metrics reflect surging conviction and have helped propel bulls past key resistances at $450 and $540. ZEC hovered at $578 at the time of writing, with the $600 mark now acting as the immediate hurdle.

Why is Zcash price surging?

As noted, Zcash’s ascent gained momentum amid Bitcoin’s rally. However, ZEC’s surge has also accelerated amid key institutional developments.

Robinhood’s late April listing of ZEC for spot trading unlocked access for millions of retail users, including those in New York for the first time, injecting fresh liquidity into the market.

Bulls also rode Grayscale’s filing to convert its Zcash Trust into a spot ETF, a move that could draw billions in traditional capital.

Zcash has also seen its shielded supply rise steadily, underscoring growing adoption for shielded transactions.

Multicoin Capital, which has amassed a substantial ZEC position, highlights this uptick. Co-founder and managing partner Tushar Jain emphasized ZEC’s appeal on X:

We believe that truly private, censorship and seizure resistant assets have clear product-market fit and demand is accelerating. We believe ZEC is the cleanest way to express this thesis in public markets.

Zcash price prediction – cycle highs next for ZEC?

Despite the rally, Zcash remains far from its all-time high set in 2016.

Yet, prices have surged significantly since lows of $15 in July 2024, and this uptick has seen bulls shatter the stubborn supply wall that capped prices since December 2025.

Zcash Price
Zcash price chart by TradingView

Rising to $600 could clear a path for higher levels, with bullish momentum likely bolstered by fresh institutional and retail accumulation amid ETF prospects and privacy demand.

If this holds, buyers will eye $700 as the next target, aligning with last year’s cycle highs. Movement towards $850 and $1,000 could align with an explosive rally across crypto.

However, technical indicators temper immediate optimism. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) on the daily chart sits at 86, signaling overextension and hinting at a pullback.

A retest of support at $452 (the recent breakout level) or deeper at $378 (a multi-month accumulation zone) could attract bears.

But these could offer entry points for renewed upside.

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HYPE eyes breakout toward $50 as Open Interest and TVL surge

Key takeaways

  • HYPE is trading above $44 on Wednesday after over 4% gains the previous day.
  • On-chain data shows an increase in user activity on Hyperliquid as TVL and stablecoin market capitalization rise.

Hyperliquid (HYPE) traded above $44.00 on Wednesday, extending its rally for a sixth consecutive session as rising derivatives activity and growing platform usage strengthened bullish sentiment around the exchange token.

The latest rally comes as investor confidence gradually returns to the broader crypto market, boosting both leverage exposure and user participation across the Hyperliquid ecosystem.

Hyperliquid sees rising retail demand and platform activity

CoinGlass data show HYPE futures Open Interest (OI) climbed to $1.75 billion on Wednesday from $1.62 billion the previous day, signaling an increase in leveraged positions and fresh capital entering the market.

The sharp rise in Open Interest suggests traders are increasingly positioning for additional upside as bullish momentum accelerates.

At the same time, DeFiLlama data indicate Total Value Locked (TVL) on Hyperliquid increased more than 2% over the last 24 hours to reach $1.556 billion, reflecting stronger inflows into the protocol.

Growing TVL is typically associated with rising user engagement and improving platform fundamentals, as more capital flows into decentralized finance applications built on the ecosystem.

Hyperliquid also continues to rank among the strongest-performing DeFi protocols by revenue generation.

Excluding stablecoin protocols, Hyperliquid currently leads the sector in seven-day revenue with $11.58 million, underscoring sustained trading activity and demand for the platform.

Technical outlook: HYPE targets a breakout above $50

Technically, Hyperliquid maintains a strong bullish structure as price action continues to trade comfortably above the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs), all of which continue to slope upward and reinforce the broader uptrend.

Momentum indicators also support the bullish outlook. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) remains firmly in positive territory on the 4-hour chart, signaling sustained upward momentum, while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) hovers near 74, reflecting an overbought condition.

On the upside, the next key resistance level is the R1 Pivot Point near $45.52. A decisive breakout above this barrier would bring the broader descending trendline resistance near the psychological $50.00 level into focus.

HYPE/USD 4H Chart

A sustained close above the $50 region could trigger a stronger bullish continuation phase and potentially open the door for a broader medium-term rally.

On the downside, immediate support sits near the rising trendline around $40.00, followed by the 50-day EMA near $39.76.

Additional downside protection is seen at the 100-day EMA around $37.45 and the 200-day EMA near $36.45 if broader market conditions weaken and trigger a deeper correction.

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BCH targets breakout above $500 as bullish derivatives sentiment surges

Key takeaways

  • Bitcoin Cash price extends gains on Wednesday, up over 3% since Tuesday.
  • Derivatives data support a bullish bias, with increasing open interest and long positions accumulating.

Bitcoin Cash (BCH) continued its strong recovery on Wednesday, climbing above $489 and extending weekly gains beyond 8% as bullish positioning across the derivatives market reinforced the ongoing rally.

The broader crypto market backdrop remains supportive, with Bitcoin (BTC) holding near the $82,000 level, while technical indicators suggest BCH could be preparing for a breakout above the psychological $500 barrier.

Bullish derivatives activity strengthens BCH outlook

According to CoinGlass data, Bitcoin Cash futures Open Interest (OI) jumped to $683.83 million on Wednesday from roughly $642 million recorded on Sunday.

The increase in Open Interest signals fresh capital entering the market, typically reflecting growing trader participation and stronger buying activity that could further support BCH’s upward momentum.

Additional derivatives data also point to strengthening bullish sentiment. CoinGlass shows BCH’s long-to-short ratio rising to 1.25 on Wednesday, marking its highest level in more than a month. A ratio above one indicates that a larger share of traders are positioning for additional upside.

Meanwhile, CryptoQuant data presents a largely constructive outlook for Bitcoin Cash despite some mixed signals. The platform’s summary metrics highlight increased whale activity across spot and futures markets alongside cooling market conditions, both of which historically support upside continuation.

However, persistent sell-side dominance in the spot market could limit the pace of the rally and create short-term volatility near key resistance levels.

Technical outlook: BCH bulls target rally above $500

Bitcoin Cash trades near $489.60 after breaking above several important technical levels. The token now holds comfortably above the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at $457.91 and the 100-day EMA at $478.47, reinforcing the bullish structure following the breakout above a former descending trendline near $449.56.

Momentum indicators continue to favor buyers. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) on the 4-hour chart has climbed toward 70, approaching overbought territory but still signaling strong bullish momentum.

At the same time, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) remains firmly in positive territory and continues to expand, suggesting buying pressure remains dominant.

On the upside, immediate resistance is located near the 200-day EMA at $497.05. A decisive daily close above that level could open the door for a push toward the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement level at $515.06.

Beyond that, bulls may target the 50% retracement near $544.56, followed by the 61.8% Fibonacci level around $574.07 if momentum accelerates.

BCH/USD 4H Chart

On the downside, immediate support sits near the confluence zone between $478.47 and $478.55, where the 100-day EMA aligns with the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement level.

Additional support is found at the 50-day EMA near $457.91, while the former breakout trendline around $449.56 could attract renewed dip-buying interest during deeper pullbacks.

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