Crypto Today: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP trim gains despite resilient ETF inflows
- Bitcoin slides for a second consecutive day as ETF inflows remain steady but show signs of tapering.
- Ethereum’s recovery loses momentum below the 100-day EMA despite rising spot ETF inflows.
- XRP edges down, trading within the $1.10-$1.15 range, as the MACD continues to signal bullish momentum.
Cryptocurrency prices are trending lower on Thursday, pressured by renewed inflation concerns stemming from ongoing tensions between the United States (US) and Iran and persistently elevated Oil prices. Bitcoin (BTC) is approaching short-term support at $65,000, with upside resistance remaining firm at $67,000.
Meanwhile, altcoins, including Ethereum (ETH) and Ripple (XRP), mirror Bitcoin’s neutral-to-bearish tone, testing key support levels at $1,900 and $1.13, respectively.
Crypto market sentiment is in Fear territory, with a minor drawdown to 31 on Thursday from 33 the day before, according to the Fear & Greed Index. If this weakness persists, it could negatively impact appetite for risk assets, in turn reducing demand and the tail force in the broader crypto market.
Bitcoin and Ethereum attract capital inflows as XRP lags
Institutional demand for Bitcoin spot Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) remains robust, marking a seventh straight day of consistent inflows, albeit with a notable drop to $69 million on Wednesday from $203 million the previous day. SoSoValue data shows cumulative inflows approaching $52 billion, while average net assets under management hover around $80 billion. This highlights persistent long-term institutional confidence in the largest crypto asset.
Ethereum spot ETFs continue to recover, with Wednesday’s inflows reaching $73 million, almost double Tuesday’s $37 million. Cumulative inflows edged higher to $11.23 billion from $11.15 billion over the same period, while average assets under management climbed to $10.57 billion, compared to $10.48 billion on Tuesday.
Appetite for XRP ETFs has significantly lagged that for Bitcoin and Ethereum, with activity remaining muted on Wednesday. Looking back, inflows totaled $2.5 million on Monday and roughly $6 million on Tuesday. According to SoSoValue, cumulative inflows are steady at $1.49, with net assets averaging $1 billion, underscoring investors' long-term interest in XRP investment products.
Price analysis: Bitcoin upside stays capped
Bitcoin trades at $65,722, holding above the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at $65,164 but still capped well below the 100-day EMA at $68,027 and the 200-day EMA at $73,734, which keeps the broader bias bearish despite the latest rebound. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) around 57 and the positive Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) histogram hint at improving bullish momentum, yet price remains structurally constrained under the major trend EMAs and the prevailing downward resistance trendline.
On the topside, initial resistance is seen at the 100-day EMA around $68,027, with a stronger cap at the 200-day EMA near $73,734, where sellers are likely to reassert control if the rally extends. On the downside, immediate support emerges at the 50-day EMA at $65,164, while a deeper pullback would expose the former resistance-turned-structural level around the trendline break price at $59,189, which acts as a more distant demand zone in the current configuration.
Altcoins outlook: Ethereum and XRP struggle to renew momentum
Ethereum trades around $1,930, keeping a capped tone as it sits above the 50-day EMA at $1,832 but remains below the 100-day EMA at $1,938 and the 200-day EMA at $2,175. The MACD histogram holds in positive territory, while the RSI hovers near 64, suggesting bullish momentum that has yet to overcome the overhead trend barriers.
On the topside, immediate resistance lies at the 100-day EMA at $1,938, with a more significant hurdle at the longer-term 200-day EMA near $2,175. On the downside, the first notable support aligns with the 50-day EMA at $1,832, where a break lower would hint at a deeper corrective phase despite the currently constructive momentum.
XRP, on the other hand, trades at $1.13, capped by a dense layer of overhead moving averages. The 50-day EMA near $1.15, the the longer-term 100-day and 200-day EMAs at $1.23 and $1.44, respectively all sit above price, keeping the near-term tone bearish despite a mildly constructive momentum backdrop.
The MACD indicator holds in positive territory with the line above the signal and a modest positive histogram, while the RSI around 55 hints at steady, but not aggressive, buying interest.
On the downside, initial support appears at the Bollinger middle layer around $1.11, with a deeper cushion at the lower band near $1.06 if selling pressure resumes. On the topside, bulls would first need to reclaim the 50-day EMA at $1.15 to ease immediate downside pressure, followed by the Bollinger upper layer at $1.16 as the next hurdle. Only a sustained break above the 100-day EMA at $1.23 would begin to challenge the broader bearish bias while the 200-day EMA at $1.44 remains a far more distant structural cap.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool. Know more.)
Crypto ETF FAQs
An Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) is an investment vehicle or an index that tracks the price of an underlying asset. ETFs can not only track a single asset, but a group of assets and sectors. For example, a Bitcoin ETF tracks Bitcoin’s price. ETF is a tool used by investors to gain exposure to a certain asset.
Yes. The first Bitcoin futures ETF in the US was approved by the US Securities & Exchange Commission in October 2021. A total of seven Bitcoin futures ETFs have been approved, with more than 20 still waiting for the regulator’s permission. The SEC says that the cryptocurrency industry is new and subject to manipulation, which is why it has been delaying crypto-related futures ETFs for the last few years.
Yes. The SEC approved in January 2024 the listing and trading of several Bitcoin spot Exchange-Traded Funds, opening the door to institutional capital and mainstream investors to trade the main crypto currency. The decision was hailed by the industry as a game changer.
The main advantage of crypto ETFs is the possibility of gaining exposure to a cryptocurrency without ownership, reducing the risk and cost of holding the asset. Other pros are a lower learning curve and higher security for investors since ETFs take charge of securing the underlying asset holdings. As for the main drawbacks, the main one is that as an investor you can’t have direct ownership of the asset, or, as they say in crypto, “not your keys, not your coins.” Other disadvantages are higher costs associated with holding crypto since ETFs charge fees for active management. Finally, even though investing in ETFs reduces the risk of holding an asset, price swings in the underlying cryptocurrency are likely to be reflected in the investment vehicle too.
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