Bitcoin falls below $61k amid geopolitical tensions and ETF outflows

Key takeaways

  • The oversold technical conditions may limit the pace of the decline, but the broader market structure remains bearish.
  •  The structure will remain bearish unless BTC can reclaim the $64,000 region and build momentum back above key moving averages. 

BTC Extends Losses Ahead of Key US Inflation Data Bitcoin (BTC) continued its decline on Wednesday, trading below $61,500 as renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and persistent institutional selling kept risk sentiment subdued. 

Investors are also preparing for the release of the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for May, which could significantly influence expectations for Federal Reserve policy. 

Renewed Middle East tensions keep risk assets under pressure

Geopolitical concerns intensified after the United States conducted what it described as self-defense strikes against Iran following the downing of a US Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz. 

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responded by saying it had targeted an airbase in Jordan hosting US forces, as well as locations in Kuwait and Bahrain, and warned of further escalation if US actions continue.

Market participants are closely watching the upcoming US inflation data. Economists expect the May CPI report to show another increase in consumer prices, partly due to elevated energy costs linked to the Middle East crisis. 

If inflation comes in hotter than expected, it could strengthen expectations that the Federal Reserve will maintain a hawkish stance and keep interest rates elevated for longer. 

Higher borrowing costs tend to reduce liquidity and make yield-bearing assets more attractive relative to risk assets, potentially adding further pressure on Bitcoin. 

Institutional demand remains weak. According to CoinGlass, US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded net outflows of $77.44 million on Tuesday, following $91.37 million in outflows earlier in the week.

These withdrawals extend a broader trend of persistent weekly outflows from spot Bitcoin ETFs, suggesting that large investors remain cautious amid macroeconomic uncertainty and geopolitical risks.

Bitcoin technical outlook: Bears retain control

The BTC/USD 4-hour chart is bearish and efficient as Bitcoin maintains a clearly bearish near-term structure. 

Price remains well below all three major moving averages, while a former upward trendline near $73,004 has turned into resistance, reinforcing the view that the medium-term uptrend has been broken. 

The RSI near 38 indicates oversold conditions that could slow the decline, but it does not yet signal a confirmed reversal. 

The MACD remains in negative territory, although downside momentum appears to be moderating, increasing the risk of consolidation rather than an immediate recovery. 

BTC/USD 4H Chart

If the bulls regain control, immediate resistance is seen at the $64,004 level, with the $72,037 zone also posing as a strong supply zone.

No significant support levels are identified immediately below the current price in this setup, leaving BTC vulnerable to further downside if selling pressure persists. 

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Stellar faces renewed selling pressure amid bearish derivatives data

Key takeaways

  • Stellar (XLM) remains under pressure despite a modest rebound following last week’s sharp correction.
  • Derivatives data shows a bearish bias, with long-to-short ratios below 1 and funding rates turning negative for the asset. 

Stellar (XLM) remained under pressure on Tuesday despite staging a modest recovery following last week’s steep market-wide correction. 

Weak derivatives positioning and mixed on-chain signals suggest that recent gains may be corrective rather than the start of a sustained bullish reversal.

Market data indicates traders continue to favor downside exposure, reinforcing a cautious outlook for both assets.

Derivatives markets signal growing bearish sentiment

Recent derivatives data from CoinGlass points to increasing pessimism among traders. The long-to-short ratio for XLM fell to 0.73 on Tuesday, approaching its lowest readings in more than a month. 

A ratio below 1 indicates that short positions outweigh long positions, highlighting expectations for further price declines.

The bearish bias is further reflected in funding rates. XLM’s funding rate turned negative on Monday and continued trending lower into Tuesday. 

Negative funding rates indicate that short sellers are paying long-position holders, a sign that traders are increasingly positioning for downside movement.

CryptoQuant’s market summary data presents a mixed but slightly negative outlook for XLM. Data shows elevated activity across both spot and futures markets, with increased retail participation and buy-side dominance. 

While rising buying activity may seem positive, overheated market conditions often precede short-term pullbacks, limiting the potential for a sustained recovery.

Stellar price forecast: Momentum begins to fade

Stellar is trading near $0.195 on Tuesday, holding above its 50-day and 100-day EMAs at $0.182 and $0.179, respectively.

While this positioning supports a neutral-to-slightly bullish short-term outlook, XLM continues to face resistance at the 200-day EMA near $0.198.

Technical indicators suggest momentum is cooling. The RSI sits near 45, indicating balanced market conditions. The MACD has slipped below the zero line, signaling weakening bullish momentum and raising the risk of another downside move if buyers fail to regain control.

If the rally resumes, immediate resistance lies at the 200-day EMA at $0.198, with the next upside target at $0.226

XLM/USD 4H Chart

However, if the sellers stay in control, initial support is seen at $0.185, with the next level at the 50-day EMA at $0.182.

A daily candle close below these levels would expose lower support zones at $1.79 and $1.43.

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Worldcoin eyes further upside as open interest climbs above $449m

Key takeaways

  • WLD is down by more than 3% in the last 24 hours and could dip lower in the near term. 
  • Derivatives metrics remain supportive, with WLD’s Open Interest rising steadily alongside a mildly growing number of long positions.

Worldcoin (WLD) has declined by more than 3% on Tuesday, trading below $0.50 while holding above a cluster of key Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs). 

Strengthening derivatives activity and favorable technical indicators suggest the token may have room to extend its recent recovery in the near term.

Rising open interest signals growing market confidence

Data from CoinGlass shows that Worldcoin futures Open Interest (OI) has climbed to $406.86 million, up from $377.25 million recorded on Sunday. 

The metric has been trending higher since mid-May, indicating fresh capital is flowing into the market.

An increase in OI is typically viewed as a sign of growing trader participation and can reinforce ongoing price trends. In WLD’s case, the surge suggests investors are increasingly positioning for additional upside.

Adding to the bullish narrative, CoinGlass data shows the WLD long-to-short ratio has recovered to 1.01. 

A reading above 1 indicates that long positions slightly outnumber shorts, reflecting a market bias toward higher prices. Continued improvement in this ratio could further strengthen bullish sentiment.

Despite the positive derivatives backdrop, some cautionary signals are emerging. According to CryptoQuant’s market summary data, both spot and futures markets are experiencing elevated retail participation and increasingly heated trading conditions. 

The data also points to sell-side dominance, suggesting profit-taking activity could limit the pace of any further gains.

These factors may create short-term headwinds even as broader sentiment remains constructive.

Worldcoin price forecast: Bulls defend key support levels

Worldcoin was trading near $0.509 at the time of writing, maintaining a bullish technical structure above a dense cluster of EMAs.

The 23.6% Fibonacci retracement level near $0.504 has emerged as immediate support, sitting just below the current market price. 

Meanwhile, the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day EMAs remain beneath the market, providing a strong support zone stretching from the upper-$0.30 range to the mid-$0.40 area.

Momentum indicators continue to favor buyers. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands near 53, indicating strong bullish momentum while remaining below overbought levels.

The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator remains in positive territory, signaling that upward momentum is still intact.

If the downtrend continues, immediate support lies at $0.459 (200-day EMA). A daily candle close above this level could expose WLD to lower levels at the mid-$0.30 area near the 100-day and 50-day EMAs

However, if the rally resumes, initial resistance lies at $0.567, with the next target at $0.676 (38.2% Fibonacci retracement).

WLD/USD 4-hour chart

Worldcoin’s improving derivatives metrics, rising Open Interest, and bullish technical setup continue to support a positive near-term outlook. 

While elevated retail participation and selling pressure warrant caution, maintaining support above the $0.50 region could pave the way for a move toward the $0.567 and $0.676 resistance levels in the sessions ahead.

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XRP climbs above $1.15 as derivatives activity improves despite market fear

Key takeaways

  • XRP climbed to around $1.15 on Monday as retail traders cautiously returned to the derivatives market.
  • XRP futures open interest increased from $2.28 billion to $2.44 billion, signaling renewed speculative activity.

Ripple (XRP) edged higher on Monday, trading around $1.15 as risk appetite showed tentative signs of recovery across the cryptocurrency market. While broader sentiment remains fragile, derivatives data suggest retail traders are gradually returning to the market after weeks of caution.

The modest recovery comes amid a challenging macroeconomic backdrop and renewed geopolitical tensions that continue to weigh on investor confidence.

Geopolitical risks keep investors on edge

Risk-off sentiment remains the dominant market theme as digital assets struggle to sustain gains following a brief rebound over the weekend. Investor caution intensified after Israel and Iran exchanged strikes for the first time since the ceasefire agreement reached on April 8.

Despite the cautious environment, XRP derivatives activity recorded a modest increase. Open Interest (OI) in XRP perpetual futures rose to an average of $2.44 billion on Monday, up from $2.28 billion previously. The increase suggests traders are gradually re-entering the market and taking on additional exposure, even as uncertainty remains elevated.

The rise in futures positioning points to renewed speculative interest, although the increase remains relatively modest compared to previous bullish periods.

Ripple price forecast: XRP faces heavy technical resistance

Although XRP has managed to rebound toward $1.15, the broader technical picture remains bearish.

The token continues to trade below its key moving averages, including the 50-day EMA at $1.33, 100-day EMA at $1.41, and the 200-day EMA at $1.63

These levels create a significant overhead resistance zone that could limit upside momentum.

Additional bearish signals come from the SuperTrend indicator, which remains negative around $1.26, and a descending trendline whose breakout point is located near $1.52. Together, these indicators suggest that rallies may continue to encounter selling pressure.

Technical momentum indicators continue to favor the bears. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is hovering near 32 on the daily chart, reflecting weak buying momentum despite the recent bounce. 

Meanwhile, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) histogram remains below the zero line, reinforcing the prevailing bearish trend.

These indicators suggest that downside risks remain elevated unless XRP can reclaim key resistance levels.

XRP/USD 4H Chart

While XRP has shown resilience by reclaiming the $1.15 level, the token remains trapped within a broader bearish structure. Improving derivatives activity and continued ETF inflows offer encouraging signs, but weak market sentiment and persistent geopolitical uncertainty continue to cap upside potential.

For a stronger recovery to develop, XRP will need to overcome multiple resistance barriers while broader risk appetite across the crypto market improves. Until then, traders remain focused on whether support around $1.05 and the critical $1.00 threshold can withstand further selling pressure.

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Ethereum remains under pressure after double-digit weekly losses

Key takeaways

  • Ethereum continues its downtrend after breaking key support levels and testing a low of $1,505 last week.
  • The broader crypto market remains under pressure following last week’s massive dump.

The cryptocurrency market starts the week on a weak footing, with Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Ripple (XRP) continuing to trade under heavy selling pressure following steep declines last week. 

Bitcoin lost more than 14%, Ethereum dropped over 15%, and XRP shed more than 13%, leaving technical indicators firmly tilted toward further downside risks. 

BitMine boosts Ethereum holdings with largest ETH purchase of 2026

Ethereum treasury company BitMine Immersion Technologies significantly expanded its holdings last week, purchasing 126,971 ETH as the second-largest cryptocurrency declined toward the $1,500 price region.

The acquisition marks BitMine’s largest weekly Ethereum purchase of 2026, underscoring the firm’s continued commitment to accumulating the digital asset despite recent market volatility.

Following the latest purchase, BitMine’s total Ethereum holdings have climbed to 5.54 million ETH. The company stated that it now controls approximately 4.59% of Ethereum’s circulating supply, moving closer to its long-standing objective of owning 5% of all ETH in circulation.

According to the firm, it remains on track to achieve that milestone before the end of the year, further strengthening its position as one of the largest corporate holders of Ethereum.

Ethereum slides below critical support areas

Ethereum is also extending its bearish trend, trading around $1,684 after breaking several key support levels below. The second-largest cryptocurrency remains firmly below its 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day EMAs, currently positioned near $2,058, $2,189, and $2,441, respectively.

The concentration of these moving averages above current price levels suggests that any recovery attempts could face strong selling pressure. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s daily RSI sits at 50, indicating a neutral market condition, while the MACD remains deeply negative, reinforcing the dominance of bearish momentum.

ETH/USD 4H Chart

For bulls to regain control, Ethereum would need to overcome several resistance levels:

  • Immediate resistance at $1,747.
  • Psychological resistance at $2,000.
  • 50-day EMA near $2,058.
  • 100-day EMA around $2,189.
  • 200-day EMA near $2,441.

On the downside, the next significant support level is located around $1,385, a zone where buyers could attempt to slow or reverse further declines if selling pressure intensifies.

 

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