Bitcoin now trading at 6-month low: Here we decode why
What's the story
Bitcoin has seen a major drop today, falling over 23% from its all-time high of over $126,000 a month ago. The world's largest cryptocurrency is now trading at a six-month low of under $100,000. This decline comes amid global weakness in risk assets and fading expectations of a US Federal Reserve rate cut in December.
Market analysis
Bitcoin's price movement today
Bitcoin is currently trading at $97,162.73, its lowest since May 2025. The cryptocurrency hit an intraday low of $96,841.60 today. Despite the recent downturn, Bitcoin is still up by about 5% this year and has gained over 40% since the 2024 US election. Other cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum and Solana have also witnessed significant declines in their prices today.
Expert opinions
Whale selling and investor caution
Analysts at CoinSwitch Markets Desk have noted that the US government's end of shutdown could take time to affect key economic indicators, keeping investors cautious. They also pointed out a trend of whale selling with long-term holders offloading over 815,000 BTC in the last month. Edul Patel, CEO and Co-Founder of Mudrex, said Bitcoin prices fell as investors became cautious amid delays in key economic data like CPI and jobless claims.
Market volatility
US stock market sees significant decline
The US stock market's recent rally, fueled by the end of the government shutdown, appears to have lost steam. On Thursday, all three major Wall Street indexes recorded their largest daily percentage drops in over a month as investors tempered expectations for interest rate cuts amid inflation concerns. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.65% to 47,457.22, while S&P 500 and NASDAQ also closed lower at 6,737.49 and 22,870.36 respectively.
Future outlook
Fed rate cuts in question, putting pressure on growth assets
With key economic reports delayed, traders are re-evaluating whether the Federal Reserve can justify rate cuts in the near term. This is putting further pressure on growth assets like cryptocurrencies and tech stocks. In derivatives markets, demand for downside protection has increased with protective puts below the $100,000 strike seeing significant interest.
Price prediction
What lies ahead for Bitcoin?
According to CoinSwitch Markets Desk, Bitcoin is facing resistance at $101,000. If it manages to hold above this level, a retest could be possible. A move beyond this could trigger an upward trend for Bitcoin. Patel predicts that Bitcoin will find support at around $96,000 before recovering toward $105,000 in the coming days.