Zcash dips 1% as Ironwood adoption and futures demand strengthen

Key takeaways

  • Zcash dipped 1% on Tuesday following Monday’s rally. day, 
  • The Ironwood shielded pool now holds 3.07 million ZEC, representing 70% of total shielded volume.
  • ZEC is approaching the apex of a symmetrical triangle, with resistance near $528.

Zcash (ZEC) dipped 1% on Tuesday despite the massive rally on Monday. The surge earlier this week comes as rising Ironwood adoption and stronger derivatives activity supported demand.

The privacy coin trades above $500 and is approaching the apex of a symmetrical triangle pattern. A breakout above the upper trendline could strengthen the bullish outlook and bring the $600 region into focus.

Ironwood shielded volume crosses 3 million ZEC

Migration to Zcash’s Ironwood shielded pool continues to gain traction following the discovery of a counterfeiting vulnerability affecting the network’s older pool infrastructure.

Data from Zkp.baby shows that Ironwood’s shielded volume reached 3.07 million ZEC on Monday. The pool now accounts for approximately 70% of the total ZEC held in shielded pools.

Meanwhile, volume in the older Orchard pool has declined to 761,889 ZEC as users continue migrating their holdings.

The shift toward Ironwood indicates growing adoption of the updated shielded infrastructure. It also suggests that users are responding to the network’s security changes while maintaining demand for Zcash’s privacy features.

Zcash’s derivatives market is also showing renewed retail participation. CoinGlass data shows that ZEC futures Open Interest decreased 1% over the past 24 hours to $924.16 million. The decrease signals that traders are closing new positions or allocating more capital to existing contracts.

Zcash price outlook: ZEC approaches triangle breakout

Zcash trades above $500 on Tuesday, maintaining a mildly bullish technical outlook as it holds above the 50-day Exponential Moving Average at approximately $490.

The 200-day EMA near $420 also supports the broader bullish structure. Meanwhile, the price is contracting between two converging trendlines, forming a symmetrical triangle on the daily chart.

This pattern typically indicates declining volatility before a larger directional move. However, the triangle does not confirm whether the eventual breakout will be bullish or bearish.

Momentum indicators provide mixed but improving signals. The Relative Strength Index has risen above its neutral level to 55, suggesting renewed buying pressure.

The Moving Average Convergence Divergence indicator remains marginally below its signal line, pointing to some lingering downside pressure. A bullish crossover would provide additional confirmation that buyers are regaining control.

Zcash faces immediate resistance at the triangle’s upper trendline near $528. A sustained daily close above this level would confirm a bullish breakout and could propel ZEC toward the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement at approximately $595. This level is calculated from the decline between $690 and $250.

ZEC/USD 4H Chart

Clearing $595 would bring the psychologically important $600 level into focus and strengthen the prospect of a broader trend continuation.

On the downside, the 50-day EMA near $490 provides initial support. A breakdown below this moving average could extend the correction toward the 50% Fibonacci retracement at $470.

If selling pressure intensifies, the 200-day EMA at approximately $420 represents the next major support level. Holding above these moving averages would preserve Zcash’s broader recovery structure.

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Chainlink pauses near $9.56 as ETF inflows support breakout hopes

Key takeaways

  • Chainlink trades around $9.42 after gaining more than 14% last week.
  • A long-to-short ratio of 0.76 and negative funding point to weakening derivatives sentiment.
  • Spot LINK ETFs attracted $2.07 million on Monday, their largest daily inflow since July 22.
  • Losing support at $9.39 could trigger a pullback toward $8.94 and the $8.60–$8.50 region.

Chainlink (LINK) is struggling to overcome resistance near $9.56 on Tuesday, pausing after rallying more than 14% during the previous week.

Weakening derivatives indicators suggest that bullish momentum may be losing strength. However, renewed institutional demand through spot LINK exchange-traded funds could support another attempt to move higher.

Derivatives traders adopt a bearish stance

CoinGlass data shows early signs of weakening sentiment in Chainlink’s derivatives market.

LINK’s long-to-short ratio stands at 0.90 on Tuesday, close to its lowest level in a month. A reading below one indicates that short positions outnumber long positions, suggesting more traders expect the price to decline.

Chainlink’s funding rate also turned negative, falling to minus 0.0050%. Negative funding means short-position holders are paying traders with long exposure, reflecting a bearish imbalance in the perpetual futures market.

Together, the indicators suggest that derivatives traders are becoming more cautious after LINK’s double-digit weekly rally.

However, heavily bearish positioning could also increase the possibility of a short squeeze if Chainlink breaks through its nearby resistance levels.

Institutional demand showed improvement at the beginning of the week. Data from SoSoValue shows that spot Chainlink ETFs recorded $2.07 million in net inflows on Monday. This represented the products’ largest single-day inflow since July 22.

The increase suggests that institutional investors are rebuilding exposure to LINK following its recent recovery.

Continued ETF inflows could help absorb profit-taking and provide the demand needed for Chainlink to overcome the 200-day Exponential Moving Average. However, a single day of positive flows is insufficient to establish a lasting trend.

A sustained series of inflows throughout the week would provide stronger confirmation of renewed institutional interest.

Chainlink price outlook: LINK tests the 200-day EMA

Chainlink trades around $9.42 on Tuesday and remains above its 50-day and 100-day EMAs, positioned at $8.50 and $8.60, respectively.

Holding above these moving averages supports a mildly bullish medium-term outlook. However, LINK remains below the 200-day EMA at $9.56, which is limiting the current recovery.

The token has reclaimed the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement at $9.39, establishing this level as immediate support.

Momentum indicators remain constructive but show that LINK may be approaching stretched conditions. The Relative Strength Index is near 67, just below the overbought threshold of 70, while the Moving Average Convergence Divergence indicator remains positive.

These readings suggest that buyers retain control but may encounter increasing resistance following last week’s sharp rally.

A decisive daily close above the 200-day EMA at $9.56 would strengthen Chainlink’s bullish outlook and bring the horizontal resistance at $9.92 into focus.

LINK/USD 4H Chart

Clearing both barriers could allow LINK to test the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement at $10.04. Beyond that, the cycle-high region around $10.87 represents the next major bullish objective.

On the downside, the 61.8% Fibonacci level at $9.39 provides the first line of support. A break below this area could trigger a pullback toward the 50% retracement at $8.94.

Stronger support is concentrated between the 100-day EMA at $8.60 and the 50-day EMA at $8.50. Holding this zone would preserve the medium-term recovery structure, while a decisive breakdown could return control to sellers.

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Pi Network defends $0.0839 support following latest Node upgrade

Key takeaways

  • Pi Network edges higher on Monday as buyers defend the $0.0839 support level following two consecutive daily declines.
  • The Pi Core Team released Node version 0.6.2 after successfully testing distributed computing capabilities across the network.
  • A break below $0.0786 could invalidate the recent channel breakout, while a recovery above $0.1000 could strengthen the bullish outlook.

Pi Network (PI) edges higher on Monday as buyers attempt to defend the key $0.0839 support level following two consecutive days of losses.

The mild recovery comes after the Pi Core Team released a new Node upgrade focused on advancing the network’s distributed computing capabilities. However, PI’s technical outlook remains mixed, with weak derivatives activity and indecisive momentum limiting confidence in a sustained rebound.

Weak market sentiment weighs on Pi Network

Pi Network remains a highly speculative cryptocurrency whose price is heavily influenced by broader market conditions, retail demand and the strength of its community.

CoinMarketCap’s Crypto Fear and Greed Index stands at 38 on Monday, reflecting cautious sentiment and reduced risk appetite among investors.

Renewed geopolitical tensions involving Israel, Lebanon, the United States and Iran have contributed to uncertainty across risk assets. This defensive environment could make it more difficult for speculative tokens such as PI to attract fresh capital.

The Pi Network community continues to anticipate further ecosystem development around its reported base of 18 million Know Your Customer-verified users.

The Pi Core Team released version 0.6.2 of its Node software on Saturday. The upgrade follows a successful test of distributed computing capabilities across Pi Nodes and could provide a foundation for additional network utilities.

Expanding the role of individual Nodes beyond transaction validation could strengthen the network’s functionality and provide new use cases for participants. However, the upgrade’s long-term impact will depend on whether developers introduce applications that generate sustainable user demand.

Social activity showed a modest increase following the announcement. Santiment data indicates that Pi Network’s Social Dominance rose to 0.01% on Sunday from 0.009% on Saturday. Social Volume also increased to 12 from 8 over the same period.

The figures suggest that the Node upgrade generated slightly more discussion, although overall social engagement remains limited.

Pi Network’s derivatives market continues to show reduced trader participation. According to CoinAnk, PI futures Open Interest declined to $8.81 million from $9.12 million on Friday.

Open Interest measures the notional value of outstanding derivatives contracts. A decline generally indicates that traders are closing leveraged positions or reducing their exposure.

The continued reduction in PI futures Open Interest suggests that speculative interest is weakening despite the latest technical upgrade and Monday’s mild price recovery.

Pi Network struggles to extend falling-channel breakout

Pi Network maintains a bearish short-term bias as its price consolidates below $0.0900.

PI previously broke above a falling-channel pattern on the daily chart, creating the possibility of a bullish reversal. However, the token has failed to produce meaningful upside follow-through, reflecting weak buying demand.

At the time of writing, buyers are defending the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement level at $0.0839. The retracement is measured from the recent decline between $0.1341 and $0.0703.

A sustained break below $0.0839 could expose the former channel resistance trendline near $0.0786. A decisive daily close below this level would weaken the bullish breakout structure and raise the risk of deeper losses.

Pi Network’s daily momentum indicators provide little evidence of a strong recovery. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence indicator remains only marginally above its signal line and is at risk of forming a bearish crossover. Such a move would indicate that downside momentum is beginning to strengthen.

The Relative Strength Index stands at 45, below its neutral midpoint of 50. This reading reflects modest bearish pressure but remains consistent with range-bound trading rather than an oversold market.

PI/USD 4H Chart

On the upside, the psychological threshold at $0.1000 represents the first major resistance level.

This area is reinforced by the 50% Fibonacci retracement at $0.1022, creating a meaningful supply zone where sellers could limit any recovery.

A decisive breakout above $0.1022 would strengthen PI’s recovery prospects and could open the way toward the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement at $0.1190.

Until PI generates stronger buying demand and derivatives participation begins to recover, its near-term outlook is likely to remain cautious.

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Bitcoin volatility could surge as BTC trades within the $62,300–$66,500 range

Key takeaways

  • Bitcoin trades around $63,500 after recording a modest decline last week.
  • US spot Bitcoin ETFs suffered $389.71 million in net outflows during the week.
  • BTC has consolidated between $62,300 and $66,500 since mid-July as trading volume and implied volatility decline.

Bitcoin (BTC) trades slightly higher at around $63,500 on Monday after posting a modest correction during the previous week.

Improving risk sentiment is supporting the mild rebound, although institutional demand remains cautious following weekly outflows from US spot Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs).

Bitcoin has traded broadly sideways since mid-July, with its price confined to a narrow range and volatility falling to unusually low levels.

Analysts warn that the period of calm may be approaching an end, with a sharp move potentially determining BTC’s next short-term trend.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs record $389.71 million in weekly outflows

Institutional demand weakened last week as US spot Bitcoin ETFs registered combined net outflows of $389.71 million, according to SoSoValue.

The negative flows indicate that institutional investors reduced their exposure through regulated Bitcoin investment products.

If ETF outflows continue or accelerate this week, they could increase selling pressure and push BTC toward the lower boundary of its consolidation range.

However, a return to net inflows could help Bitcoin stabilize and provide the demand needed for another attempt at breaking through nearby resistance.

A Monday report from 10x Research highlighted the sharp decline in cryptocurrency trading volumes from their post-inauguration and October flash-crash peaks.

Bitcoin is now compressed within its narrowest trading range in several months. The research firm noted that similar periods of extremely low volatility have historically been temporary and often preceded substantial price movements.

The compression indicates that buyers and sellers have reached a temporary balance. Once either side gains control, the resulting breakout could produce a rapid increase in volatility.

Bitcoin options data also points to changing expectations among market participants.

Implied volatility has declined to historically subdued levels, indicating that options traders currently expect limited price fluctuations. This calm persists despite several cautious market signals, including spot ETF outflows, continued stablecoin withdrawals, and Strategy—formerly known as MicroStrategy—acting as a net seller for four consecutive weeks.

Together, these factors suggest that Bitcoin may be approaching a volatility expansion.

The direction of the breakout remains uncertain. A sustained move above resistance could attract momentum buyers, while a breakdown below support could trigger renewed selling and force leveraged positions out of the market.

Bitcoin remains confined between $62,300 and $66,500

Bitcoin maintains a mildly bearish technical bias as it trades below important Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs).

BTC has consolidated between the horizontal support level at $62,300 and resistance at $66,500 since mid-July. The cryptocurrency trades around $63,300–$63,500 on Monday after successfully defending the lower boundary during the previous week.

The range has become increasingly tight, reflecting reduced volatility and limited directional conviction.

Bitcoin’s daily momentum indicators remain slightly bearish. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence histogram is marginally negative, indicating that downside momentum has not completely faded.

The Relative Strength Index stands near 45, below its neutral midpoint of 50. This reading suggests that sellers maintain a modest advantage despite Bitcoin’s stabilization above $63,000.

Neither indicator currently signals extreme bearish conditions, but both show that BTC lacks the momentum required for a convincing upside breakout.

The horizontal floor at $62,300 remains Bitcoin’s most important immediate support level.

A daily close below this area would confirm a breakdown from the consolidation range and could extend the decline toward the yearly low at $57,800, established on July 1.

BTC/USD 4H Chart

On the upside, Bitcoin faces initial resistance at the 50-day EMA of $64,313. A daily close above this average would ease some of the immediate selling pressure.

The next major obstacle sits between the 100-day EMA at $66,392 and the horizontal resistance level at $66,500.

As long as Bitcoin remains below its 50-day EMA and the $66,392–$66,500 resistance cluster, rallies may continue to attract sellers. A sustained recovery above both moving averages would improve the technical outlook and strengthen the case for a bullish breakout.

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LDO surges as SharpLink seeks to stake $200m in ETH via Lido

Key  takeaways

  • SharpLink Gaming plans to stake $200 million worth of Ethereum through Lido.
  • The allocation will be converted into wrapped staked ETH and held with Anchorage Digital.
  • wstETH enables SharpLink to earn staking rewards while retaining access to DeFi liquidity.

SharpLink Gaming (SBET) plans to allocate $200 million worth of Ethereum to Lido as the company seeks to generate additional returns from its expanding ETH treasury.

The Ethereum will be staked and converted into wrapped staked ETH, known as wstETH. Anchorage Digital will provide institutional custody for the assets, according to SharpLink’s announcement on Thursday.

The allocation adds Lido to SharpLink’s wider staking and restaking strategy, allowing the company to earn Ethereum network rewards while maintaining greater flexibility over how it deploys its holdings.

SharpLink expands its Ethereum staking strategy

SharpLink is pursuing ways to increase the productivity of the ETH held on its balance sheet instead of leaving the assets idle.

Through Lido, the company will stake $200 million in ETH and receive wstETH in return. The token represents staked Ethereum and the rewards generated from participating in the network’s proof-of-stake validation system.

Unlike directly staked ETH, wstETH can be transferred, traded or used within compatible decentralized finance applications while the underlying tokens continue generating staking rewards.

The structure could allow SharpLink to earn a base Ethereum staking yield while retaining the option to deploy its wstETH across other protocols.

SharpLink CEO Joseph Chalom described the allocation as an expansion of the company’s strategy to make its ETH holdings more productive. He said wstETH provides composability while allowing the company to maintain institutional risk standards.

SharpLink will custody the resulting wstETH with Anchorage Digital. The decision provides the company with a regulated institutional custodian while it increases its exposure to Ethereum’s staking and decentralized finance infrastructure.

Institutional custody is particularly important for corporate crypto treasuries because companies must manage operational, cybersecurity and governance risks alongside potential investment returns.

SharpLink did not disclose whether Anchorage Digital would also facilitate deployment of the wstETH into other DeFi platforms or whether the assets would initially remain in custody.

Technical forecast: LDO targets the $0.3370 resistance

The LDO/USD 4-hour chart remains bearish despite Lido rallying over the past few hours. However, the technical indicators suggest that the bulls could push the price higher in the near term.

The RSI of 57 is above the neutral 50, indicating that the bears are no longer in control of the market. The MACD lines also add further confluence to the bullish narrative.

If the rally persists, LDO could target the first major resistance at the $0.3370 level, which also coincides with the TLQ on the 4-hour timeframe.

LDO/USD 4H Chart

An extended rally could allow LDO to reclaim the $0.4063 swing high for the first time since July 27.

However, if the bears regain control, LDO could retest last week’s low of $0.2716 in the near term.

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