17h fa
Bitcoin Nears $80K as Short-Term Holders Take Profit
Bitcoin's market structure is nearing a decision point as the price presses up against the $80,000 area. On April 17, BTC rose 2.57% to reclaim $76,000, with an intraday spike to $78,000—a level it had not revisited for more than 70 days. With BTC now trading about 4% below $80,000, on-chain selling pressure is starting to build.
CryptoQuant data show BTC rebounded cleanly from the realized price of the 18m–2y long-term holder (LTH) cohort near $62,000. Price has also moved above the cost basis of the 1m–3m short-term holder (STH) cohort at roughly $75,620, a zone that typically draws additional supply.
The reason is simple: once Bitcoin trades above their cost basis, STHs are often the first to sell and lock in gains. Even though BTC is only around 2.6% above that level, ongoing profit-taking indicates traders are already positioning for potential overhead resistance near $80,000. To keep the rally intact, buyers need to absorb this supply; if not, momentum may fade before a clean attempt at an $80,000 breakout.
Positioning in derivatives suggests a squeeze remains possible. On the daily chart, BTC's RSI has climbed to a three-month high and is approaching 75, following an almost 10% rebound from $70,000. The reading signals strong momentum but also raises the risk of near-term cooling.
At the same time, short interest appears to be turning more aggressive. Funding rates remain deeply negative, and negative Funding Rates jumped nearly 400% on April 17, falling from −0.003 the prior day to −0.0148 as BTC rallied about 2.5% toward $78,000.
Combined, an overbought RSI, STH profit-taking, and persistently negative Funding Rates help explain why downside bets look attractive into the $80,000 area. If bulls absorb selling pressure, the same setup could flip quickly into a bear trap.
Institutional flows add a supportive backdrop. More than $650 million has recently moved into Bitcoin ETFs, with BlackRock's IBIT representing nearly 45% of total inflows. Alongside a positive Coinbase Premium Index (CPI), the data point to underlying bid support. If risk appetite holds, a move through $80,000 driven by a short squeeze remains increasingly plausible.
Summary: Profit-taking and heavier short positioning put Bitcoin at a pivotal point near $80,000 resistance. Strong ETF inflows and underlying demand could turn bearish positioning into a short-squeeze breakout.
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USDC-0.01%
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