The latest Bitcoin move has brought bulls back into control of the short-term chart, but the setup is not as straightforward as a clean breakout into higher prices. The 4-hour structure shows momentum building, trendline support holding, and buyers pushing through to higher highs. 

However, the path to a much larger expansion still appears to have one unfinished step. The technical chart implies Bitcoin may need to revisit an important area before the next major move to at least $97,000 can develop properly.

Bitcoin Breakout Leaves One Important Level Behind

Technical analysis of Bitcoin’s price action on the 4-hour candlestick chart posted on the TradingView platform shows the leading cryptocurrency is already doing the difficult part of the setup. 

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Bitcoin’s price action has moved above the long descending resistance line that had stopped previous rallies, turning the broader 4-hour structure more bullish. The breakout also came while Bitcoin continued to respect the rising support trendline that has guided the recovery since late February to April.

However, breakouts without retests are incomplete. The 4-hour chart also shows that the Bitcoin price has moved ahead of the strongest demand zone, leaving behind the $71,900 to $72,000 region as the area bears may still want to retest. 

Bitcoin Price Chart. Source: TradingView

The Expansion Phase And What It Requires

The most important part of the setup is the support region around $71,900 to $72,000. However, a retest of this range would not be a sign of weakness. It would be the price action doing precisely what it is supposed to do: return to a level of proven demand and absorb remaining sell orders, create a strong buying opportunity, and establish a foundation solid enough to support an expansion to new yearly highs.

Speaking of a run to new yearly highs, the price target proposed by this analysis is a rally to at least $97,400. This means the bullish setup has some room to breathe, but not unlimited room. 

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There is an invalidation level sitting at $67,500. A breakdown below $67,500 would weaken the argument that Bitcoin is only retesting before expansion. Instead, it would mean that the breakout has failed and that sellers have regained control of the short-term structure.

The broader market backdrop is helping the bullish case. Bitcoin’s rebound has coincided with heavy demand through US Spot Bitcoin ETFs, which witnessed $630 million in inflows on May 1.

Bitcoin briefly broke above $80,000 over the weekend, but the move failed to hold as the price reversed before the daily close. A daily close above $80,000 could serve as the first signal of a broader bullish expansion. 

BTC 200 Day Moving Average

The next major confirmation would be a daily close above the 200-day moving average, which is currently at $83,600. Bitcoin has not closed above this moving average since October 2025, making it an important level for bulls to reclaim.

Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com

As Bitcoin (BTC) retests a critical support level, analysts have warned that the leading cryptocurrency is facing its most important week in months, which could make or break its recovery rally.

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Bitcoin Price At A Crossroads

On Tuesday, Bitcoin dropped below the $76,000 support for the first time in a week, falling to the $75,666 level before bouncing. The flagship crypto has been trading between $74,000-$80,000 after breaking out of its three-month range earlier this month.

Amid its recent performance, analyst Sjuul from AltCryptoGems affirmed that BTC is at a make-or-break moment that might decide its fate, as both the technicals and fundamentals “are at a crossroads.”

From a technical perspective, he explained that the cryptocurrency is currently facing “the most relevant resistance on the chart.” Notably, the $80,000 area sits at the top of the rising channel or bear market formation developing on BTC’s chart. It also marks a key horizontal level that has served as a major support zone since the Q4 2024 rally.

In addition, there’s a setup around this level that resembles the price action in January. At the time, Bitcoin traded within a bear flag pattern and faced strong resistance around the $97,000 horizontal level. After failing to reclaim this area, the flagship crypto fell to the $60,000 lows.

According to the analysis, an initial rejection from this level is normal, but investors should monitor BTC’s reaction below it. “As you can see, the local structure remains bullish, so it will be important for buyers to keep momentum here in order to attempt a breakout once again,” Sjuul detailed.

Therefore, the “line in the sand” will be around the $74,000 support, as the structure and former resistance are confluent there. “If bulls manage to hold that level, we truly have a good chance of breaking above $80K and potentially flying to the next resistance level at $86K,” he added.

FOMC Meeting To Determine BTC’s Fate?

Sjuul warned that this week is probably “one of the most important weeks for BTC in months,” listing Wednesday’s FOMC meeting as the biggest catalyst for the market that could push prices in either direction.

He highlighted that it will also be Federal Reserve (Fed) Chairman Jerome Powell’s last meeting. “Wednesday isn’t just a rate decision; it’s Powell’s final press conference. Every word will carry extra weight.”

Analyst Ted Pillows pointed out that the appointment of a new Fed chair has historically put pressure on the markets, with Bitcoin dropping over 50% each time. In January 2014, BTC crashed 84% in the following months after Janet Yellen took over.

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Similarly, the flagship crypto fell 73% and 61% in February 2018 and May 2022 when Powell was confirmed for his first and second terms. If history repeats itself, Bitcoin could see a major correction next month when Kevin Warsh is expected to become the next Fed chair.

Ultimately, Sjuul emphasized the importance of the $74,000 support through this week, noting that if this level is lost, “things could get pretty ugly as we would form a very nasty deviation” back in the previous range, which could open the door for a retest of the February lows.

Featured Image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com

The XRP price is still consolidating around the $1.4 level after months of sideways trading. Despite this weak performance and slow growth, analysts continue to maintain a strong bullish outlook for the cryptocurrency. According to market expert Javon Marks, XRP is now at a critical retest area that could determine its next parabolic move. He believes this retest could act as the trigger for a potential 900% rally, possibly pushing XRP toward $15.

XRP 2014 Fractal Pattern Points To 900% Rally

In his latest XRP price analysis on X, Marks shared a strong bullish outlook for the cryptocurrency, citing historical chart patterns and past price action. The analyst noted that XRP has been maintaining strength off a clear breakout retest area around $1.40, suggesting a major upward move toward $15 could follow. 

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Explaining why this retest zone matters, Marks drew comparisons between XRP’s current cycle and its price action during the 2014-2018 market cycle. Before XRP’s parabolic rally to an all-time high in 2018, the cryptocurrency had broken out of a similar retest zone. 

During that period, XRP formed a descending wedge or triangle pattern from 2014 to 2017, trading sideways within the formation for years. Throughout that phase, the cryptocurrency saw repeated upward surges followed by sharp pullbacks to new lows. However, after a prolonged consolidation period, the price began to move higher and later returned to retest the trendline around the triangle’s upper boundary near $1.40. 

That retest preceded a major breakout, with XRP’s price exploding upward, marking the start of its historical 2017-2018 bull run that pushed its price toward its $3.84 ATH. From that retest area to its peak, XRP recorded a more than 174% gain. Building on this historical setup, Marks believes that XRP is repeating that same pattern in the current cycle. If the formation plays out similarly, the analyst predicts that the cryptocurrency could be setting up for another explosive rally.  

XRP Retest At $1.40 Signals Possible Move To $15

Notably, Marks’ chart shows that XRP has formed the same triangle pattern that led to its parabolic rally in 2018. Since reaching its ATH, the cryptocurrency has traded sideways within that triangle for years. However, unlike the 2014-2018 cycle, XRP had experienced an earlier breakout from the pattern. It broke above the upper trendline in 2025, then surged toward $3.5 before pulling back soon after. 

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Following that reversal, the XRP price has continued trending downwards, trimming most of its past gains. However, Marks noted that the cryptocurrency is now returning to retest this broken trendline. According to him, if XRP can hold this level long enough, it could spark a massive parabolic move toward $15, representing a more than 900% (10x) rally from that level. 

Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com