Bitcoin Price Prediction: BTC Battles Below $90K Resistance as Rising Trendline Fuels Bullish Momentum

Bitcoin's price action hits a wall just shy of the $90,000 mark—but the technical foundation isn't cracking.

The Resistance Wall

That $90,000 level is proving to be a tough nut to crack. Sellers are defending it fiercely, creating a classic consolidation zone. Every push higher gets met with a wave of profit-taking, keeping the price pinned below a key psychological and technical barrier.

The Bullish Backstop

Don't mistake hesitation for collapse. The rising trendline—drawn from the last major swing low—is holding firm. It's acting like a dynamic floor, catching each dip and propelling the price structure upward. This isn't a breakdown; it's a coiled spring.

The Waiting Game

Markets hate uncertainty, but they love momentum. Right now, Bitcoin is building energy. Volume is contracting, a classic sign of indecision before a major move. The longer it consolidates below $90,000, the more explosive the eventual breakout tends to be—provided that trendline support stays intact.

The Bigger Picture

Forget the daily noise. The macro structure remains defiantly bullish. Higher lows, sustained buying on dips, and a clear narrative of digital scarcity versus fiat dilution—the thesis is unchanged. A brief pause below a round-number resistance is just that: a pause. It gives traditional finance, always a few steps behind, another chance to catch up before the next leg up.

Remember, in crypto, patience isn't just a virtue—it's a strategy. The trend is your friend until it bends, and right now, it's pointing north. Just ask any hedge fund manager still trying to price it on a discounted cash flow model.

Bitcoin prices are now consolidating just below key resistance after failing to sustain a breakout above $90,000, a level widely viewed as a psychological and technical inflection point. With January approaching, traders are weighing whether this pause reflects healthy consolidation ahead of a renewed rally or a warning sign of prolonged range-bound trading amid elevated volatility.

Bitcoin Price Today Struggles Below $90K Resistance

Bitcoin briefly pushed above $90,000 on December 29 before sellers regained control, sending the price back into its prior trading range. According to data aligned with Yahoo Finance, BTC reached an intraday high NEAR $90,378 before retreating toward the $87,600–$87,800 zone. Failed breakouts at round-number levels like $90,000 often act as volatility compression points, where price consolidates before choosing direction.

Bitcoin briefly cleared $90K but slipped back, with bulls needing a decisive reclaim of the $92K–$94K zone to regain control. Source: @TedPillows via X

Crypto analyst Ted Pillows emphasized that the rejection carries broader implications for market control. “$BTC broke above the $90,000 level today but failed to hold above it. As long as Bitcoin doesn’t reclaim the $92,000–$94,000 zone, bulls won’t be in control,” Ted wrote on X.

This $92,000–$94,000 region has repeatedly capped upside attempts, making it a clear invalidation level for near-term bullish momentum. Until price can reclaim and hold above this range, rallies may continue to face supply pressure from short-term sellers.

Bitcoin Technical Analysis Today Shows Mixed Signals

From a bitcoin technical analysis standpoint today, the broader structure remains constructive but unconfirmed. BTC continues to trade above a rising base supported by an ascending trendline, suggesting buyers are still defending higher lows. This behavior often signals accumulation rather than distribution, particularly when downside momentum fails to accelerate after rejections.

Bitcoin holds above a rising trendline, testing key resistance with cautious bullish momentum toward $100K. Source: TheSignalyst via X

TradingView analyst TheSignalyst noted that recent sell-offs have lacked follow-through. “Despite the prior sell-off, bears are no longer able to push price lower, signaling structural strength building beneath the surface,” the analyst observed.

However, the presence of strength does not guarantee upside continuation. If Bitcoin were to lose the ascending trendline on a closing basis, it WOULD weaken the current bullish structure and increase the probability of extended consolidation or a deeper pullback.

Descending Broadening Wedge Fuels Bitcoin Price Prediction Optimism

Adding context to the bullish case, analyst Captain Faibik highlighted a descending broadening wedge on the BTCUSDT 8-hour chart. This pattern typically reflects expanding volatility, with price swings widening as market participants battle for control. While such formations can precede upside breakouts, they are also known for false signals if volume confirmation is absent.

Bitcoin edges toward an upside breakout from a descending broadening wedge, raising hopes that January could mark the start of a renewed bullish move. Source: @CryptoFaibik via X

“$BTC is on the verge of upside breakout from a descending broadening wedge. If breakout is successful, January could be a bullish month,” Faibik stated.

Notably, the upper boundary of this wedge aligns closely with the $90,000 resistance area, reinforcing its importance. A clean breakout supported by strong volume would improve the probability of trend continuation, while repeated failures could prolong sideways price action.

Final Thoughts

Bitcoin’s rejection above $90,000 has placed the market in a waiting phase rather than a clear reversal. The ability of price to hold above rising support suggests underlying demand remains intact, but the failure to reclaim higher resistance levels keeps the short-term outlook uncertain. For traders, this environment typically favors patience and confirmation over aggressive positioning.

Bitcoin was trading at around 87,622, down 0.21% in the last 24 hours at press time. Source: Bitcoin price via Brave New Coin

Until Bitcoin decisively clears the $92,000–$94,000 zone, price action is likely to remain range-bound, with consolidation shaping near-term behavior. A confirmed breakout would strengthen the bullish thesis for January, while a breakdown below trend support would shift focus toward extended consolidation. In the coming sessions, Bitcoin’s response to these technical boundaries should provide clearer insight into whether the market is preparing for expansion or simply absorbing volatility before its next move.