Bitcoin price outlook: Citigroup predicts $112K despite regulatory roadblocks

  • Citigroup forecasts Bitcoin at $112,000 despite slow US crypto legislation.
  • Bitcoin price ranges show cautious momentum with potential volatility ahead.
  • Institutional demand remains key amid regulatory uncertainty.

Bitcoin has been steadily climbing over the past week, with its price now sitting around $74,000.

This marks a 6.5% increase over the last seven days, showing renewed momentum after several months of sideways movement.

Citigroup, in its latest update, adjusted its 12-month price forecast for Bitcoin to $112,000, from its previous target of around $143,000.

Citi’s move reflects a cautious optimism shaped by both market dynamics and regulatory developments.

Regulatory headwinds weigh heavily

One of the main reasons for Citigroup’s revised forecast is the slow progress on US cryptocurrency legislation. Lawmakers have yet to finalize clear rules on key issues like stablecoins and decentralized finance.

This lack of clarity is affecting institutional adoption.

Investment firms and hedge funds are hesitant to increase exposure without clear regulatory guidance. The window for passing meaningful crypto laws in the Senate is narrowing.

Internal political divisions are slowing the process further.

Without these legislative catalysts, the market may continue to trade in ranges despite overall optimism.

Citigroup notes that this legislative uncertainty could act as a ceiling for Bitcoin in the near term. Even with strong demand from retail and institutional investors, clear rules are needed to support sustained growth.

What traders should watch out for

Ethereum, Bitcoin’s closest competitor, is also experiencing slower growth due to similar challenges.

Citigroup lowered Ethereum’s 12-month target to $3,175, down from over $4,000. Both cryptocurrencies are influenced by network activity and investor demand, which have shown signs of weakening.

Currently, Bitcoin is trading within a 24-hour range of $73,500 to $74,800, showing relatively stable momentum.

Over the past week, it has moved between $69,000 and $75,600, indicating that volatility is still present.

Citigroup outlines several potential scenarios for Bitcoin’s trajectory. In a bear case, a broader economic downturn or continued regulatory delays could push the price toward $58,000.

On the other hand, strong investor interest and institutional flows could drive it up to $165,000.

These scenarios suggest a wide range of outcomes, highlighting the risks and opportunities for traders.

Even in the base case, Bitcoin is expected to trade around $112,000 within 12 months if adoption trends continue and market confidence improves.

This makes it an attractive, though still volatile, asset for those looking to participate in the cryptocurrency market.

The road ahead is clearly influenced by policy decisions, investor sentiment, and market activity, and traders will need to watch for both regulatory developments and demand signals to navigate this landscape successfully.

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Bitcoin price holds above $70k as exchange outflows rise and Iran conflict impact eases

  • Exchange outflows reduce available Bitcoin, tightening the market.
  • Easing Iran tensions boosts investor confidence and trading activity.
  • Traders and institutions step in, supporting the price during dips.

Bitcoin (BTC) has rebounded above $70,000 amid easing impact from the ongoing war between Iran, the United States and Israel.

At the start of the war, the cryptocurrency dipped below $66,000 within days, but it has now stabilised and started to rise, though sluggishly.

At press time, BTC was trading at $71,033, up 4.1% in 24 hours and 7% over the past week.

Exchange outflows tighten available supply

The decline in Bitcoin reserves on exchanges has become a notable trend in recent months.

Holdings on centralised platforms have dropped to levels not seen since 2019, with millions of coins being withdrawn into private wallets or institutional custody.

Bitcoin Exchange Reserve
Source: CryptoQuant

This trend reflects growing confidence among long-term investors, who are increasingly keeping their Bitcoin off-exchange to reduce exposure to sudden liquidations.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs have also contributed to this reduction in available supply.

Since their introduction, the Bitcoin ETFs have absorbed substantial amounts of BTC, storing them in secure cold storage.

This accumulation limits the coins available for active trading, creating a tighter market environment.

Corporate treasuries have further added to the trend, holding significant amounts of Bitcoin for strategic purposes.

Together, these movements mean that while overall demand remains, fewer coins are actively circulating, creating potential for price support.

Geopolitical tensions ease, risk appetite returns

Furthermore, Bitcoin’s price rebound coincides with a decline in market fears over the Iran conflict.

Earlier concerns about potential escalation had briefly pushed oil prices higher and fueled risk-off sentiment across global markets.

But as the situation shows signs of stabilisation, investor confidence is gradually returning, especially after United States President Donald Trump hinted that the war could end very soon.

The easing of these geopolitical risks has allowed traders to step back into Bitcoin positions that had been paused during periods of heightened uncertainty.

Futures markets and institutional desks have also seen renewed activity, helping to support the cryptocurrency even amid broader market volatility.

Oil price fluctuations, which previously pressured Bitcoin along with other risk assets, have also eased as markets adjusted to the changing risk landscape.

Bitcoin price outlook

Technical indicators suggest that Bitcoin is in a strong bullish rebound, although momentum has been uneven.

Bitcoin price chart
Bitcoin price analysis | Source: TradingView

While short-term swings remain, the underlying supply-tightening trends and renewed institutional demand offer a structural basis for continued price resilience.

Investors appear cautious but committed, signalling that the market may continue to hold its gains as long as supply pressures remain and macro conditions stabilise.

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Bitcoin price drops below $66k as Iran conflict escalates: Here’s what to expect

  • Bitcoin drops below $66K as Middle East tensions spark volatility.
  • $6.39 billion ETF outflows show weakening institutional crypto demand.
  • BTC swings between $63K–$65K; traders watch support and rate policy.

Bitcoin (BTC) has slipped below the $66,000 mark as global markets react to escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The rising conflict between Iran, the US, and Israel has prompted a wave of uncertainty that is affecting risk assets, including cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin, in particular, is showing sharp intraday swings in response to news developments.

Early trading saw BTC fall as low as $63,000 before it recovered to above $65,000.

This volatility reflects a mix of geopolitical fear and active liquidations in the derivatives market, with more than $130 million in long positions being forced to close and amplifying the downward pressure on the cryptocurrency.

The US, Israel, Iran war has sent shockwaves across markets

The current situation in the Middle East has made investors jittery.

Traditionally, Bitcoin has sometimes been viewed as a hedge during global crises, but recent behaviour shows it acting more like a risk asset.

Notably, Bitcoin’s price has been moving in close correlation with equities, particularly major stock indices, rather than holding steady in turbulent times.

Gold and oil, however, have seen upward movements, with oil prices surging amid anticipation of supply disruptions.

The price of Gold has also climbed modestly, reflecting its traditional safe-haven status.

These shifts indicate that money is flowing away from riskier assets like Bitcoin and toward instruments perceived as more stable during geopolitical stress.

Long-term BTC holders, however, are showing resilience.

After the initial sell-off, many investors took the opportunity to buy at lower levels, which contributed to a partial recovery.

This has prevented Bitcoin from falling as sharply as some other risk assets, demonstrating that there is still significant support at levels around $65,000.

Institutional demand weakens

US-listed spot bitcoin and ether exchange-traded funds have recorded sustained outflows over the past four months, pointing to a sharp cooling in institutional participation in digital assets.

Investors withdrew $6.39 billion from bitcoin ETFs during the period, the longest continuous monthly decline since the products launched in January 2024, according to SoSoValue data.

Ether ETFs also saw $2.76 billion in outflows.

The retreat coincided with a steep fall in token prices, with bitcoin dropping from above $126,000 in early October, while ether has fallen more than 60% from its August highs near $4,950.

Spot ETFs had previously served as a visible channel for institutional inflows after their debut and following pro-crypto political developments in 2024.

However, demand weakened after the October market downturn, reportedly linked to pricing inefficiencies on offshore exchange Binance.

Although recent sessions have seen intermittent inflows, analysts say a consistent return of capital is required for a durable recovery.

What this means for Bitcoin going forward

Traders should expect more volatility in the short term since Bitcoin is sensitive to headlines, and any further escalation in the Middle East could trigger additional sharp movements.

Traders should keep a close eye on the technical support level near $63,000, while resistance around $68,000 to $70,000 remains a key target for recovery.

Also, besides the Middle East war, monetary policy may also play a role in the next BTC price movements.

If central banks respond to the conflict with interest rate adjustments or liquidity measures, Bitcoin could benefit indirectly.

Historical trends suggest that geopolitical crises followed by rate cuts or monetary easing often support risk assets, and cryptocurrencies could be no exception.

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Bitcoin price recovery falters, drops to $67k as popular analyst predicts major crash

  • Bitcoin stalls near $67,000 after partial recovery from all-time highs.
  • On-chain data shows half of BTC is held at a loss, hinting at market fatigue.
  • Analyst warns deeper correction possible, with bottom around $45,000.

Bitcoin’s recent recovery attempt has stalled just below $70,000, with the cryptocurrency slipping back to around $67,250 at press time.

The drop comes as the broader crypto market struggles to maintain upward momentum following a few months of volatility.

After reaching an all-time high of $126,080 in October 2025, Bitcoin (BTC) has now retraced nearly half of its value.

All eyes are now on the cryptocurrency as it appears to consolidate around $67,000 after the steep drawdown.

Analyst Willy Woo warns of further downside

Renowned on-chain analyst Willy Woo has predicted a significant price correction following the recent bounce.

He estimates that the bear market bottom could be around $45,000, with more extreme scenarios potentially testing $30,000 or even lower.

Woo’s caution stems from declining liquidity across spot and derivatives markets, which historically reduces the strength of rallies.

He suggests that Bitcoin may briefly climb to the mid-$70,000 range before facing renewed downward pressure.

On-chain signals hint at market fatigue

On-chain metrics suggest that Bitcoin may be entering the later stages of a bear market cycle rather than the early phase.

Roughly half of all circulating BTC, nearly 9.2 million coins, are currently held at a loss, according to the latest weekly report by on-chain analytics firm Glassnode.

Historically, such levels indicate significant selling pressure and potential capitulation, yet the pace of accumulation by long-term holders hints at a market beginning to stabilise.

Some analysts view these patterns as signs that bitcoin’s price may be closer to a bottom than the start of a prolonged decline.

The balance between holders in profit and those in loss is an important measure of market sentiment, and it shows that while short-term volatility remains high, there is underlying support at current levels.

Bitcoin ETF inflows show cautious optimism

Institutional investors have recently stepped back into the market, with Bitcoin ETFs recording over $1 billion in net inflows over a few days.

This trend follows a period of withdrawals totalling nearly $3 billion, signalling that some investors see the current price as a buying opportunity.

Spot ETFs, in particular, are attracting attention from long-term investors looking for regulated exposure to Bitcoin.

The renewed interest demonstrates that, despite the pullback from all-time highs, there is confidence in the asset’s long-term prospects.

However, inflows are not a guarantee of sustained upward momentum.

Short-term technical indicators suggest that Bitcoin is trading near the top of a tight consolidation range between $67,000 and $68,000, and a breakout above this zone could spark a rally, although rejection may force the price back toward $63,000 or lower.

 

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STRK price outlook as Starknet prepares to launch strkBTC, a shielded Bitcoin for private transactions

  • strkBTC will enable private Bitcoin transactions on Starknet’s DeFi network.
  • STRK is down nearly 70% in 90 days, closely tracking Bitcoin’s movements.
  • The key STRK price levels to watch are the support at $0.04 and the resistance at $0.045.

Starknet is gearing up for a major move in the decentralised finance (DeFi) space with the upcoming launch of strkBTC, a Bitcoin-based asset designed to bring privacy and confidentiality to transactions on its Layer-2 network.

According to a press release by Starknet, the new asset will allow users to transact Bitcoin within DeFi without exposing balances or counterparties.

It is built with shielded transfers in mind, giving users the flexibility to maintain privacy while interacting with the DeFi ecosystem.

strkBTC will be issued deterministically from verifiable Bitcoin deposits, meaning that the minting process does not rely on discretionary control.

This ensures that the token’s supply mirrors actual Bitcoin deposits on the network, creating a transparent and verifiable foundation for its use.

Users can choose between public and shielded modes, enabling confidential transactions while still preserving regulatory compliance.

This is achieved through selective disclosure mechanisms, which allow necessary audits without exposing the broader network activity.

The launch of strkBTC is part of Starknet’s strategy to increase Bitcoin adoption in DeFi while addressing concerns that have historically held back institutional participation.

By combining privacy, composability, and auditability, Starknet aims to attract both retail and institutional users to its ecosystem.

Starknet (STRK) market reaction

Starknet’s native token, STRK, has been under significant pressure in recent months.

The token has dropped roughly 70% over the past 90 days, reflecting a broader trend in cryptocurrency markets.

Its current price sits near $0.042, with a 24-hour decline of over 8%.

However, market activity remains moderate, with a 24-hour trading volume of around $52 million and a total value locked (TVL) on the network of roughly $446 million.

The upcoming strkBTC launch may provide a catalyst for renewed interest.

The introduction of a privacy-focused Bitcoin asset could enhance the utility of the Starknet network and increase demand for STRK as a governance and utility token.

In addition, STRK’s performance is closely tied to Bitcoin’s price movements, and the stabilisation of BTC above $66,000 could help STRK consolidate in the range of $0.04 to $0.045.

On the other hand, a sustained move below $0.04 may see the STRK token test the $0.035 support zone.

Investors should also keep an eye on broader market sentiment indicators, such as the Fear & Greed Index.

Historically, movements out of extreme fear have preceded market rebounds, suggesting that even in a downtrend, relief rallies are possible.

STRK price forecast

Starknet (STRK) remains in a cautious position, with short-term consolidation possible, although long-term direction is dependent on broader crypto market recovery and the success of strkBTC’s adoption within Starknet’s DeFi ecosystem.

The launch of strkBTC adds an important layer of fundamental support for STRK, as the token’s utility within the network is set to increase.

For short-term traders, the key levels to watch include the immediate support at $0.04 and the resistance at $0.045.

A break above $0.045 could signal the start of a more sustained recovery, especially if Bitcoin shows strength simultaneously.

Conversely, a drop below $0.04 would likely signal further downside toward $0.035, continuing the current bearish trend.

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