PI steadies at $0.1770 amid core team’s mainnet upgrade plans

Key takeaways 

  • Pi Network’s PI token holds steady at $0.1730, up 4.5% from the previous day. 
  • The Pi Core Team’s upgrade to enable smart contracts, with a deadline set for April 27, is a potential catalyst. 

Pi Network’s PI token has managed to hold steady around $0.1770 as of Friday, adding a 4.5% gain from the previous day. 

The Pi Core Team (PCT) is driving momentum with the impending upgrade to the mainnet, which will enable smart contract functionality—expected to be a key catalyst for price movement.

PI rallies ahead of the Protocol 22 upgrade

PI is up 4.5% in the last 24 hours, outperforming the broader cryptocurrency market. The rally comes after the Pi Core Team announced that April 27 is the final deadline for all mainnet nodes to complete necessary steps for remaining connected to the network, as part of the Stellar Protocol version 22 upgrade. 

While this upgrade will cause a brief 15-minute downtime during internal data transfer, it lays the groundwork for future improvements. Additionally, the full upgrade to version 26 is slated for June 22, ahead of Pi2Day on June 28.

Will PI rally higher in the near term?

The PI/USD 4-hour chart is bearish and efficient, trading above the $0.1770 level. However, Pi Network remains in a bearish posture, with the token still trading below the 50-, 100-, and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs). 

The immediate resistance level is marked at $0.1785, corresponding to the 50-day EMA, followed by stronger resistance at $0.1865 (100-day EMA) and $0.2334 (200-day EMA).

However, momentum indicators present mixed signals. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 71 is above the neutral 50 line, and is heading into the overbought region.

PI/USD 4H Chart

The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) crossing above its signal line indicates growing bullish momentum. 

On the downside, key support is found at $0.1556, near the February 23 low, with further weakness potentially exposing $0.1310 if the market slips below this level.

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(CAKE) tops $1.60, bullish sentiment grows amid rising Open Interest

Key takeaways

  • PancakeSwap is holding above the key support level at $1.55, hinting at an upside move ahead.
  • Rising open interest alongside positive funding rates signals increasing participation.

PancakeSwap (CAKE) is trading in the green above $1.60 on Thursday after finding support around this key level the previous day. Positive derivatives data, along with constructive price action, suggest that CAKE could continue its upward trajectory in the coming days.

Bullish derivatives data pushes CAKE higher

CoinGlass data reveals a sharp increase in the futures’ Open Interest (OI) for PancakeSwap, which rose to $32.48 million on Tuesday and climbed further to $32.28 million on Thursday, the highest level since March 17. 

The steady increase in OI signals that new money is entering the market, which could sustain CAKE’s ongoing price rally.

Additionally, the funding rates are showing a positive shift, further supporting the bullish sentiment. CoinGlass’ OI-Weighted Funding Rate for CAKE turned positive on Wednesday and reads 0.0056% on Thursday. 

This indicates that long positions are paying short positions, further suggesting that the market sentiment remains bullish.

PancakeSwap price forecast: momentum indicators suggest further rally

The CAKE/USDT 4-hour chart is bullish and efficient, as Pancakeswap is trading at $1.60 at press time.

The coin retains a constructive bias, supported by its positioning above the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs) at $1.46 and $1.57, respectively. 

CAKE’s current price action indicates that underlying demand continues to drive the recent advance, despite CAKE remaining below the 200-day EMA at $1.81, which marks the upper boundary of the broader corrective structure.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) on the daily chart is at 64, suggesting that while the price has firm upside momentum, it could be vulnerable to consolidation as it nears overbought territory. 

The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) remains positive, reinforcing the bullish short-term outlook.

On the upside, initial resistance is found at the 50% retracement of the latest swing at $1.67, followed by the 61.8% Fibonacci level at $1.78 and a nearby horizontal resistance at $1.79. The 200-day EMA at $1.81 represents a more substantial barrier.

CAKE/USDT 4H Chart

However, if the bears regain control, immediate support lies at the 100-day EMA at $1.57, followed by the 38.2% retracement at $1.55. 

A deeper pullback could test the 50-day EMA at $1.46 and the 23.6% Fibonacci level at $1.40, with stronger structural support emerging near $1.28.

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Pepe (PEPE) surges 9%, drawing interest from whales

Key takeaways

  • PEPE is up 9% in the last 24 hours, making it one of the best performers among the top 50 cryptocurrencies by market cap.
  • The rally comes amid renewed interest from whales and retail investors. 

Pepe (PEPE) has extended its gains by roughly 9% at press time on Thursday, as the broader cryptocurrency market recovers from a risk-off sentiment following truce negotiations between the US and Iran.

With large wallet investors, commonly referred to as whales, reaccumulating PEPE, and retail interest steadily rising, the frog-themed meme coin is gaining traction. 

PEPE rallies as the broader market recovers

The cryptocurrency market’s recovery is sparking a shift toward risk-on sentiment, with traders becoming more optimistic. 

This has led to renewed attention on meme coins, including Pepe. Data from CoinGlass shows that the PEPE futures Open Interest (OI) has surged by 20% in the past 24 hours, reaching $228.67 million. 

This increase suggests that more traders are betting on PEPE’s price to increase in the near term.

Furthermore, large wallet investors holding over 100 million PEPE tokens are steadily rebuilding their positions, signaling a long-term bullish outlook. 

Santiment data reveals that investors with holdings ranging from 100 million to 1 billion PEPE tokens now own 10.64 trillion PEPE, up from 10.59 trillion on February 15. Investors with over 1 billion PEPE tokens now control 3.64 trillion PEPE, up from 3.60 trillion in late February, reinforcing the interest of whales in the asset.

Technical outlook: Can Pepe sustain its rally?

The PEPE/USD 4-hour chart continues to be bearish and inefficient despite rallying above the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) for the second consecutive day.

PEPE is now trading at $0.000003877, testing the 100-day EMA at $0.00000411, with no clear directional bias. 

A decisive daily candle close above this level could pave the way for further gains, potentially reaching the 200-day EMA at $0.00000550.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 62, suggesting moderate momentum with potential room for further upside before entering overbought territory. 

PEPE/USD 4H Chart

Meanwhile, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) shows steady upward movement, supporting the bullish trend.

However, if the bears regain control, PEPE’s key support lies at the 50-day EMA, near the broken trendline, at $0.00000364.

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Dogecoin stays below $0.10 despite deflationary model

Key takeaways

  • DOGE is down 0.5% and continues to trade below the $0.10 psychological level.
  • The coin has been consolidating and could rally higher in the near term. 

Dogecoin (DOGE), the largest meme coin with a market capitalization of $14.27 billion, represents over 0.50% of the $2.49 trillion cryptocurrency market as of Wednesday. 

Dogecoin underperforms despite a disinflationary model

Dogecoin defends its inflationary model, stating that inflation will decrease gradually to 3.1% from 3.6% as the total DOGE supply increases. 

The assumption driving this claim is that demand for the meme coin will remain steady, supported by its robust community that uses DOGE for tipping, institutions launching DOGE-focused Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), and its growing use in Decentralized Finance (DeFi) services.

While the narrative suggests a stable demand, it may not guarantee sustained positive pressure on DOGE’s price.

While Dogecoin’s fixed issuance model reduces inflation relative to the increasing supply, it does not necessarily reduce the overall supply, as deflation would. The continued minting of 5 billion DOGE per year could become a persistent downside risk, especially during periods of low demand.

Dogecoin’s strategy emphasizes practical usage as a currency rather than hoarding, and it incentivizes miners to secure the network. However, the ongoing supply pressure may limit the effectiveness of this disinflationary model in the long term.

In addition to this, institutional demand for DOgecoin remains muted. Since the launch of DOGE spot ETFs on November 24, there have been just 15 days of inflows, totaling a net asset value of $10.80 million. With 79 days showing no flows and two days with net outflows, institutional interest in DOGE remains limited.

The Dogecoin Treasury currently holds just over 780.54 million DOGE, which represents 0.51% of the total DOGE supply. Gaining further institutional support is key for Dogecoin to progress into the global financial system, providing the demand necessary to support the disinflationary model.

DOGE could rally above $0.10 if the bulls regain control

The DOGE/USD 4-hour chart remains bearish and efficient despite the broader crypto market rallying recently. At press time, DOGE is trading at $0.094 after rejecting at the $0.098 swing high earlier this week.

The RSI of 55 is above the neutral 50, indicating a fading bearish momentum. The MACD lines are also above the zero region, adding further bullish narrative to the pair.

DOGE/USD 4H Chart

If the bulls regain control, DOGE could surpass the $0.098 swing high and hit the $0.10 psychological level for the first time since March 16.

However, if the bearish correction persists, DOGE could retest the Sunday low of $0.09012 in the near term.

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Bitcoin dips below $74K amid Middle East tensions and mixed market signals

Key takeaways

  • BTC eases back from 76k, a monthly high.
  • Technical indicators suggest further correction in the near term.

Bitcoin has dropped below $74,000 after pulling back from a monthly high earlier this week. The cryptocurrency surged from $70K at the start of the week to hit $76K on Tuesday, before easing to its current level. 

Mixed signals for the crypto market

The US Navy has confirmed a full blockade of Iranian ports, amplifying concerns over oil supply disruptions and pushing prices higher from three-week lows. However, President Trump has suggested that the conflict may be nearing an end, which has tempered further upside in oil prices and kept hopes of a de-escalation alive. 

In addition to that, treasury yields have been on a downward trend, supported by softer-than-expected PPI data for March, which rose 0.5% month-on-month, below the 1.2% forecast. This easing of inflation concerns benefits Bitcoin, as lower yields signal improving liquidity and reduce the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets like crypto.

The US stock market has also been resilient, with the Nasdaq posting its tenth consecutive winning session, gaining nearly 10% in April. Crypto markets have mirrored this strength, with Bitcoin up approximately 8.5% so far this month. 

These parallel moves suggest that Bitcoin is increasingly trading as a macro-sensitive asset, responding to broader market sentiment rather than purely crypto-specific factors.

Despite the current market conditions, institutional demand continues to support Bitcoin’s price action. Spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $411 million in net inflows on Tuesday, despite a $291 million outflow the previous day. This brings total net inflows for April to $741.9 million.

The growing institutional acceptance of Bitcoin is further highlighted by Goldman Sachs’ filing with the SEC for a Bitcoin premium income ETF, signaling a deeper commitment to crypto from traditional finance. 

BTC could retest low support levels

The BTC/USD 4-hour chart is bearish and efficient as Bitcoin is down by more than 1% in the last 24 hours. 

Currently, Bitcoin is trading within a rising channel that has been in place since early February. BTC is testing a key resistance level around $76K, which coincides with both the March high and the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement of the October high near $126K. 

BTC/USD 4H Chart

If the bulls regain control and Bitcoin embarks on a sustained break above $76K, it could target $80K, followed by $85K and the 200-day SMA at $88K.

On the downside, Bitcoin has initial support near $71K, with stronger support at $69.6K, the 50-day SMA. A move below $65K would signal a lower low, indicating a shift in market sentiment.

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