Bitcoin’s Next Big Moves: What to Watch as 2025 Unfolds

Bitcoin isn't just sitting around. The digital asset keeps testing boundaries, pushing traders and institutions to rethink their playbooks as we barrel toward 2026.

The Setup: A Market on Edge

Forget the quiet consolidation narrative. Major players are positioning, liquidity pools are shifting, and regulatory whispers are getting louder. This isn't a waiting game—it's a staging ground.

Catalysts in the Pipeline

Watch the macro tides. Traditional finance's embrace cuts both ways, offering legitimacy while inviting the very scrutiny crypto once bypassed. Every ETF flow and interest rate rumor now sends ripples across the ledger.

The Trader's Dilemma

Is this the calm before another historic surge, or are we setting up for a classic 'buy the rumor, sell the news' event? Sentiment swings faster than block confirmations, leaving retail to chase the whales—as usual.

One thing's clear: the market's memory is short, but the blockchain's is forever. The next major move won't be whispered in boardrooms; it'll be written in code and validated by the network. Just remember, in crypto, 'long-term potential' often means holding through someone else's panic sell. Stay sharp.

As the daily close approaches, BTC remains steady at $85,000, yet still far from the $88,000 support level. Although distancing from daily lows, the crypto market kicked off December on a sour note. With altcoins not experiencing the desired overall bullish phase as 2025 approaches, investors are left with a sense of melancholy. Perhaps the nature of crypto is evolving. Let’s delve into Poppe’s latest forecasts.

What Price Can Bitcoin Reach?

Predicting future price movements often involves analysts drawing lines, despite not having crystal balls. Investors WOULD benefit from not taking these predictions as precursors of the future given analysts often err, much like fortune-tellers. Moreover, the unpredictable nature of cryptocurrencies frequently disproves their forecasts with unexpected surprises.

In his latest analysis, Michael Poppe suggests closely observing the reaction of the price below $83,400. Should buying pressure fall short, he anticipates a retest of lows below $81,000. As a result, BTC may revisit its previous low in the coming days.

“Let’s see how prices react when Bitcoin$85,977 is tested below the $83,400 dip level. If it doesn’t create enough buying pressure, we will test the dip below $81,000 as support, likely in the next few days.”

Current State of Cryptocurrencies

Things aren’t going well in the U.S. stock markets. Although last month saw a decline during the AI bubble discussions, which started reversing with Nvidia’s earnings report, investors longing for past excitement still wait. While there’s a bounce from local lows across the market, one notable aspect is the weakening of tech stocks despite growth in sectors like healthcare. This balance in the general index leads to interpretations of capital flowing out of tech stocks and into these sectors.

The capital transition from technology to other areas could harm cryptocurrencies. James Bull believes it’s still a beneficial period to invest in projects with strong adoption but small market values. However, he disclaims responsibility if the asset value hits rock bottom.

Maartunn from CryptoQuant reminded us of the crucial support level for BTC. Currently, BTC hovers just below it.

“The BTC ETF Realized Price sits at $86,500, a significant support where institutional buyers still profit on average.”