• Bitcoin demand is omnipresent as it becomes embedded in the financial system.
  • The increasing adoption has made BTC price more predictable given its rising correlation with the global market sentiment.
  • Several technical indicators project the flagship cryptocurrency will surpass $100,000 in market value in 2022.

Bitcoin (BTC) had one of its less volatile years in 2021, with a 138% variation between the highest and lowest price point. Still, the year saw its fair share of whipsaws as BTC’s price action provided more entry and exit levels for investors to profit. 

With the increase in regulation in the blockchain industry, the pioneer cryptocurrency is growing under the wings of the global financial markets to enter the post-pandemic era.

Back to the future….

A brief look at the rise, fall, and rise again of Bitcoin in 2021 can help understand how prices can behave in the future. It goes without saying that certain types of headlines could impact BTC like they did in 2021. 

For instance, when El Salvador made Bitcoin a legal tender, a massive sell-off was triggered, resulting in a 25% correction. The launch of a Bitcoin ETF also increased volatility as it made BTC accessible to institutional investors that do not stand against large daily swings. 

These and more developments helped form two primary price levels that could help understand Bitcoin’s future market value. 

An apparent floor was created around the $30,000 area as BTC tested it three different times with no decisive breaks. Such market behavior proves how agile bulls have been in defending this support level which will now likely hold in any future downturn. Likewise, an important area of interest developed around $42,000 which acted as support and resistance in March, June, July, and December 2021. It is now a pivotal place for any uptrend or downtrend.

 

BTC/USD daily 5Y-chart

The 55-day simple moving average can also act as a guide to possible limited upside returns in 2022. Each time BTC’s price dipped below the 55-day SMA after a rally in 2021, the MA turned into resistance. The 200-day SMA, meanwhile, became a beacon to the downside. Both SMAs, therefore, could help time Bitcoin in the future. .

Watch out for September

Bitcoin is no different from other assets in financial markets in the sense that it also goes through seasonal changes. So, it may pay to look at previous seasonal cycles in order to understand how price might behave in the future.  

A look at Bitcoin’s seasonal chart shows that for the past five years, September has been one of the most painful months for bulls. As a consequence,  August or July may be the best months to realize gains and book profits.

BTC seasonal

BTC/USD Seasonal monthly 5Y-chart

Another strategy arising from this understanding of seasonality is to mark-up pivot and support levels on Bitcoin’s price chart ahead of September, in order to identify possible entry levels after the sell-off. That way, the portfolio can be a bit more defensive and investors can avoid being caught in a trade against the current.

What if Bitcoin puzzles 

At the start of this article, a link was made between Bitcoin and other asset classes, reflecting how intertwined the cryptocurrency is  within the global financial market system. 

The best proof of this comes from the monthly BofAML fund manager survey, where Bitcoin is often seen as the top answer next to equities when asked where to best invest in a risk-on environment. This has created a rule-of-thumb, where Bitcoin now sees buying volume pick up during periods of global risk-on sentiment, likewise Bitcoin will be first on the chopping block when sentiment turns risk-off. 

Monthly Correlation Index

As 2022 looks to be the year when the world finally starts to coexist with Covid and its variants, expect global growth to pick up further and for there to be a rally in US equities. Bitcoin can take advantage of this to enjoy another year of colossal upside potential and further gains. 

A look at a correlation matrix shows Bitcoin has a very close relationship with the Dow Jones Industrial (DJI) composite. When US stocks make new all-time highs or are on the front foot, around 60% (0.579 correlation) of the time BTC is in the green as well.

BTC price action 2022

Fibonacci retracements help identify a few critical levels for Bitcoin in the future. 

As a result of increased institutional interest, Bitcoin will become more and more part of an asset class used for rebalancing investment portfolios. A survey from Natixis Investment revealed that roughly 28% of large enterprises have increased their crypto exposure. Additionally, some of the top retail chains are starting to accept BTC as payment while VISA said that “every bank should have a crypto strategy in 2022.”

Bitcoin is making its way into treasury management, becoming part of the corporate balance sheet and common households. For instance, Tesla currently holds BTC as an investment on the balance sheet, which opens the discussion for governments to start building a tax framework that would adopt cryptocurrencies as a legal form of means. 

Even local newly elected officials in the US are already putting pressure on the US government to get  regulatory guidelines on the nascent asset class. Mayor-elect Eric Adams is one of those who said he wants to make New York the crypto capital of the US, and wants his first paychecks in Bitcoin. 

The growing adoption in the US and Europe could outweigh the firm stance from China to outlaw cryptocurrencies, building the case for skyrocketing demand over the next year. 

A Bloomberg survey concluded that Bitcoin is on the path towards $100.000, but it's “more of a question of time, notably due to the economic basics of increasing demand vs. decreasing supply.” 

Other professional traders are also hinting at the fact that BTC could reach $100,000 by the end of 2022, together with Bitwise Asset Management CIO Matt Hougan, and Ballet Crypto CEO Bobby Lee.

A simple FIbonacci retracement level, together with the annual pickup in price valuation shows that Bitcoin could even surpass the $100,000 mark. Taking the same price variation between the low and the high from 2021, projects a price target at around $109,100 for 2022. 

If a Fibonacci retracement is laid on top of that, all the Fibonacci levels match up quite well with technical levels from 2021. The best example is the fact that the 50% Fibonacci retracement level is in line with the all-time high Bitcoin had in 2021 at $68,991. 

BTCUSD daily

BTC/USD daily 5Y-chart

Expect a fierce start to the upside as Bitcoin gains more traction from both retail and institutional investors and even some tailwinds from frameworks by US and other major governments. That should lift the BTC price towards $90,618 at the 23.6% FIbonacci level. After reaching that level, expect some fading to happen – certainly throughout the summer – with support kicking in at $60,000, on the 61.8% Fibonacci level. 

Following a recovery towards $80,000 the seasonal September sell-off will begin, bouncing off the $70,000 level, at the 38.2% Fibonacci level. Price will then probably  hit all-time highs at around $110,000, in the fall. Expect 2022 to close off with a fade and sideways price action movement for BTC between $80,000 and $90,000.


Gregor Horvat projects a bearish correction for the Bitcoin/dollar pair on his Elliott Wave analysis:

BTC/USD Elliott Wave Analysis

fxsoriginal by Gregor Horvat


BTCUSD is in a massive rise since March 2020 lows that we see it as wave (III) that toped in April 2021, so current price action can represents irregular formation for wave (IV) that can be a flat or possibly even a triangle. First support within a triangle is at 35k, followed by 25k if flat. These are important support levels from where we would expect a new strong continuation higher.


fxsoriginal


Forecast Poll 2022

Forecast Q1 - Mar 31st Q2 - Jun 30th Q4 - Dec 31st
Bullish 33.33% 25% 50%
Bearish 58.33% 8.33% 8.33%
Sideways 8.33% 66.66% 41.66%
Average Forecast Price 48507.3333 52830.7500 65427.4167
EXPERTS Q1 - Mar 31st Q2 - Jun 30th Q4 - Dec 31st
Alberto Muñoz 43000.0000 Bearish 53000.0000 Sideways  75000.0000 Bullish
Andrew Lockwood 60000.0000 Bullish  72000.0000 Bullish 85000.0000 Bullish
Andrew Pancholi 62533.0000 Bullish 78600.0000 Bullish 143518.0000 Bullish
Brad Alexander 60000.0000 Bullish 45000.0000 Sideways 50000.0000 Sideways 
Brian Wang 41500.0000 Bearish  50900.0000 Sideways 42150.0000 Sideways
Ivan Cummins 70000.0000 Bullish 55000.0000 Sideways 75000.0000 Bullish
Frank Walbaum 36400.0000 Bearish 52000.0000 Sideways 70000.0000 Bullish
Matias Salord 39000.0000 Bearish 44000.0000 Sideways 25000.0000 Bearish
Navin Prithyani 40000.0000 Bearish 32000.0000 Bearish 44000.0000 Sideways
Nenad Kerkez 52655.0000 Sideways  65469.0000 Bullish 73461.0000 Bullish
Usman Ahmed 37000.0000 Bearish 46000.0000 Sideways 62000.0000 Sideways
Yohay Elam 40000.0000 Bearish 32000.0000 Bearish 40000.0000 Sideways

 

After 2021’s end-of-year sell-off, bitcoin is set to recover in 2022 and may even reach the $70K level by Q4. The U.S. will likely embrace cryptocurrencies in the year to come but will apply more regulations. With only 10% of the Bitcoin supply left to mine and with the hashrate doubling as more and more miners join the network, BTC has nowhere to go but up!

by Frank Walbaum

Bitcoin has generall started the last few years strongly before hitting some speed bumps in the second and fourth quarters. Expect risk on to be the main theme for early 2022 with retail investors returning to meme and crypto. More adoption by coporations will drive early price appreciation. Bitcoin is one of the more momentum orientated assets and expect this momentum to slow as summer approaches.

by Ivan Cummins

Bitcoin is going to 100k and up. Investors are looking into more risker assets.

by Nenad Kerkez


Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.

If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.

FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.

The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.

Recommended content


Recommended Content

Editors’ Picks

Polygon joins forces with WSPN to expand stablecoin adoption

Polygon joins forces with WSPN to expand stablecoin adoption

WSPN, a stablecoin infrastructure company based in Singapore, has teamed up with Polygon Labs to make its stablecoin, WUSD, more useful in payment and decentralized finance.

More Cryptocurrencies News
Coinbase envisages listing of more meme coins amid regulatory optimism

Coinbase envisages listing of more meme coins amid regulatory optimism

Donald Trump's expected return to the White House creates excitement in the cryptocurrency sector, especially at Coinbase, the largest US-based crypto exchange. The platform is optimistic that the new administration will focus on regulatory clarity, which could lead to more token listings, including popular meme coins.

More Crypto News
Cardano's ADA leaps to 2.5-year high of 90 cents as whale holdings exceed $12B

Cardano's ADA leaps to 2.5-year high of 90 cents as whale holdings exceed $12B

As Bitcoin (BTC) gets closer to the $100,000 mark for the first time — it crossed $99,000 earlier Friday — capital is rotating into alternative cryptocurrencies, creating a buzz in the broader crypto market.

More Bitcoin News
Shiba Inu holders withdraw 1.67 trillion SHIB tokens from exchange

Shiba Inu holders withdraw 1.67 trillion SHIB tokens from exchange

Shiba Inu trades slightly higher, around $0.000024, on Thursday after declining more than 5% the previous week. SHIB’s on-chain metrics project a bullish outlook as holders accumulate recent dips, and dormant wallets are on the move, all pointing to a recovery in the cards.

More Shiba Inu News
Bitcoin: Rally expected to continue as BTC nears $100K

Bitcoin: Rally expected to continue as BTC nears $100K

Bitcoin (BTC) reached a new all-time high of $99,419, just inches away from the $100K milestone and has rallied over 9% so far this week. This bullish momentum was supported by the rising Bitcoin spot Exchange Traded Funds (ETF), which accounted for over $2.8 billion inflow until Thursday. BlackRock and Grayscale’s recent launch of the Bitcoin ETF options also fueled the rally this week. 

Read full analysis
Best Forex Brokers with Low Spreads

Best Forex Brokers with Low Spreads

VERIFIED Low spreads are crucial for reducing trading costs. Explore top Forex brokers offering competitive spreads and high leverage. Compare options for EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, and Gold.

Read More

BTC

ETH

XRP