Daily Crypto Signals: Bitcoin Holds $70K While Ethereum Bears Tighten Grip

Bitcoin reclaimed the $70,000 support level amid cautious market sentiment, as order book data revealed a 40% sell-side imbalance and

Daily Crypto Signals: Bitcoin Holds $70K While Ethereum Bears Tighten Grip

Quick overview

  • Bitcoin has reclaimed the $70,000 support level, but a significant sell-side imbalance and underwater short-term holders pose risks.
  • Ethereum struggles to maintain prices above $2,100 amid ETF outflows and negative perpetual futures funding rates, despite upcoming upgrades.
  • Regulatory discussions between the SEC and CFTC signal potential improvements for the cryptocurrency industry, though challenges remain.
  • A violent robbery in Paris highlights the increasing physical security risks faced by cryptocurrency holders in Europe.

Bitcoin BTC/USD reclaimed the $70,000 support level amid cautious market sentiment, as order book data revealed a 40% sell-side imbalance and short-term holders remain underwater with average cost basis near $88,900. Meanwhile, Ethereum ETH/USD struggled to sustain prices above $2,100, with ETF outflows of $225 million and negative perpetual futures funding rates signaling continued bearish pressure, even as developers announced upcoming upgrades including the Hegota fork and advances in account abstraction.

Daily Crypto Signals: Bitcoin Holds $70K While Ethereum Bears Tighten Grip
Latest crypto market news

Crypto Market Developments

The larger cryptocurrency market is at a turning moment, beset by technological difficulties, security events, and legislative changes. At the FIA Global Cleared Markets Conference in Florida, SEC Chair Paul Atkins called for “coordinated oversight” to usher in a new age of cooperation between the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). A revised memorandum of understanding between the two federal agencies is planned, according to Atkins, who emphasized that “fragmented, redundant enforcement does not increase deterrence — it only increases confusion.” The comments were largely seen as a favorable signal for the cryptocurrency industry, which has long suffered from overlapping and occasionally conflicting regulatory activities, even if digital assets were not specifically named.

On a darker note, a violent home invasion in Paris resulted in the theft of more than 900,000 euros (about $1 million) in Bitcoin from a French couple in their late 50s. Three suspects posing as police officers forced the husband to transfer the funds at knifepoint before tying him up and fleeing in a white van. Armed robbery by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy are among the crimes that French authorities are looking into. The incident highlights the increasing hazards to recognized cryptocurrency holders’ physical security, a trend that has been accelerating throughout Europe.

Following a jury’s deadlock on money laundering and sanctions violation conspiracy charges during Roman Storm’s initial trial, US prosecutors asked for a retrial of the co-founder of Tornado Cash. US Attorney for Manhattan Jay Clayton moved for a fresh trial date in early October. Storm, who was found guilty on a different allegation of running an unregistered money transmitter, called the prosecution an overreach against open-source software development and warned on social media that the retrial might result in up to 40 years in federal prison.

Bitcoin Holding $70K, But Sell-Side Pressure Looms

BTC/USD

 

Although observers caution that the recovery is unsettlingly similar to the bull trap that occurred in January 2026, Bitcoin seems to have steadied over the $70,000 mark. Ask orders on Bitcoin reached a two-month high, with $1.57 billion in sell-side liquidity stacked above the spot price compared to just $1.125 billion in bids below—a nearly 40% supply overhang, according to cryptocurrency trader Ardi, who also noted a large order book mismatch. In the past, this type of high ask liquidity during a range retest indicates that traders are utilizing recoveries as opportunities to take profits rather than as new entry positions.

On-chain measurements give a detailed picture. The average recent purchase is still well underwater because the short-term holder (STH) realized price is close to $88,900. Coins accumulated between November 2025 and February 2026 make up the heaviest supply cluster, which is located between $86,000 and $99,000. This is a crucial resistance area. Realized loss data, however, is becoming better: last week’s net weekly losses decreased to about $264 million, a notable improvement from the $2 billion weekly loss noted during February’s decline below $60,000. Before short-term holders feel safe taking a profit, analysts predict a prolonged move back into the $86,000–$89,000 region, which might allow for a more robust rebound.

Ethereum Bears in Control Despite Upgrade Optimism

ETH/USD

 

For the past month, Ethereum’s price has had difficulty rising beyond $2,100, and derivatives markets indicate that the path of least resistance is still downward. On Tuesday, ETH perpetual futures financing rates turned negative, a typical bearish indication that shows traders are paying more to maintain short positions. Despite a 7% two-day gain, this weakness is indicative of deeper structural issues: between Thursday and Monday, ETF withdrawals reached $225 million, reversing the $169 million inflow from the previous week. In comparison to the 3.75% stablecoin income offered by Sky Lending (previously MakerDAO), the 2.8% native staking yield appears unappealing, discouraging institutional interest.

Ethereum’s long-term development plan is still moving forward, nevertheless. Account abstraction, which enables smart accounts and quantum-resistant wallets, is anticipated to be shipped within a year, according to co-founder Vitalik Buterin. The impending Hegota fork will increase privacy features on sites like Railgun and Tornado Cash and enable the payment of gas fees in non-ETH coins through decentralized exchanges.

Network indicators are still strong: weekly transaction counts have stabilized around 14 million, and no rival has contested Ethereum’s $56 billion total value locked (TVL). However, mood is still precarious with base layer fees averaging just $2.3 million per week, down from a peak of $8 million in early February, and ETH down 54% over the last six months. With put options selling at about a 7% premium to calls, options markets point to a minor return of bullish conviction. However, a significant breakout over $2,200 will require fresh institutional demand and more convincing evidence that Ethereum’s layer-2 approach is translating into native ETH value accrual.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR See More
Arslan Butt
Lead Markets Analyst – Multi-Asset (FX, Commodities, Crypto)
Arslan Butt serves as the Lead Commodities and Indices Analyst, bringing a wealth of expertise to the field. With an MBA in Behavioral Finance and active progress towards a Ph.D., Arslan possesses a deep understanding of market dynamics. His professional journey includes a significant role as a senior analyst at a leading brokerage firm, complementing his extensive experience as a market analyst and day trader. Adept in educating others, Arslan has a commendable track record as an instructor and public speaker. His incisive analyses, particularly within the realms of cryptocurrency and forex markets, are showcased across esteemed financial publications such as ForexCrunch, InsideBitcoins, and EconomyWatch, solidifying his reputation in the financial community.

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