- Bitcoin price could rise 10% to the three-day supply zone if the $40,000 psychological level holds as support.
- Ethereum price defending the critical support at $2,147 could precipitate a 7% climb to $2,293.
- Ripple price could scale a recovery, with 12% gains in the cards for XRP as downward support grows.
Bitcoin (BTC) price has shown weakness over the past few days, in what has been presented as a cool-off following weeks of being overbought. The lull extended to Ethereum (ETH) price as well as Ripple (XRP) price as markets ready for the final weeks of 2023.
Also Read: Bitcoin cool-off prepares markets for crypto’s final two weeks of 2023
Bitcoin price could push north amid intensifying spot ETF wars
Bitcoin (BTC) price is attempting a recovery, coming on the back of intensifying spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) wars. It comes after reports that Bitwise and BlackRock continue to fuel Bitcoin ETF approval hopes amid ongoing meetings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
Marketing wars are already heating up — we don’t even have approvals yet https://t.co/VDWqQs6tn3
— James Seyffart (@JSeyff) December 18, 2023
With the $40,000 psychological level holding as support, Bitcoin price could push north to confront the three-day supply zone stretching between $44,074 and $47,488. A three-day candlestick close above the mean threshold (midline) of this order block would confirm the continuation of the uptrend. Such a move would constitute a 10% move north above current levels.
Increased buying pressure, enough to flip the supply zone into a bullish breaker above the $48,000 level, would set the tone for Bitcoin price to test the $50,000 psychological level. In a highly bullish thesis, the king of cryptocurrency could extend even higher to reclaim the November 2021 highs above $69,000.
Technical indicators support the bullish outlook, with the Relative Strength Index (RSI) deviating away from a southbound movement after being subdued. This, coupled with the Awesome Oscillators (AO) and the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) which are still in the positive territory, show that the bulls maintain a presence in the BTC market, thereby accentuating the bullish outlook.
BTC/USDT 3-day chart
On the flipside, if he supply zone holds as a resistance block, Bitcoin price could extend the fall. A three-day candlestick close below $37,800 would invalidate the overall bullish outlook.
Also Read: Bitcoin price dips below $41,000 on Monday amidst BTC transaction fee surge
Ethereum price defends the $2,147 support
Ethereum is defending the critical support at $2,147, a line of defense that if held, could precipitate a 7% climb to $2,293.
Like in the case of BTC, the RSI is also showing strength as more bulls flock the scene, with both the AO and MACD holding in the positive territory. Should this sustain, Ethereum price could soon fall back into the cover of the ascending parallel channel, within which the uptrend would be restored.
ETH/USDT 3-day chart
On the flip side, enhanced seller momentum could see Ethereum price extend the fall, testing the mid-April supply zone that now acts as a bullish breaker. A break and close below its midline at $2,075 on the three-day timeframe would confirm the extension of the fall.
Increased selling pressure could see Ethereum price test the $1,935 support. A decisive candlestick close below this level would invalidate the bullish outlook.
Ripple price could recover amid mounting support
Ripple (XRP) price could pivot around the confluence between the 50-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) and the horizontal line at $0.5573 to scale a recovery rally after an 18% rejection from the November 6 supply zone extending from $0.6447 to $0.6885 on the three-day timeframe.
A decisive move above the midline of this order block at $0.6678 would confirm the uptrend, setting the pace for XRP price to confront the $0.7333.
Shattering the aforementioned barricade would send Ripple price into the July supply zone stretching from $0.7322 to $0.7990. To confirm the continuation of the trend, the price must record a three-day candlestick close above its midline at $0.7667.
XRP/USDT 3-day chart
On the other hand, the RSI remains subdued to the downside, pointing to falling momentum. If the sellers have their say, Ripple price could extend the fall, invalidating the bullish thesis by closing below the $0.5773 support.
In the dire case, the fall could extend for Ripple price to flip the 100-day SMA into a support at $0.5306. Worse, an extended move south could see XRP price test the support floor at $0.4595.
Also Read: XRP price risks 7% fall as Ripple lawyer names ‘the single biggest threat to crypto in the US’
(this article was corrected on December 18 at 20:53 GMT to say, in the third paragraph of the Bitcoin Technical Analysis section, that if the buying pressure increases, not selling pressure.)
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
Editors’ Picks
Is Altcoin Season here as Bitcoin reaches a new all-time high?
Bitcoin reaches a new all-time high of $98,384 on Thursday, with altcoins following the suit. Reports highlight that the recent surge in altcoins was fueled by the victory of crypto-friendly candidate Donal Trump in the US presidential election.
Shanghai court confirms legal recognition of crypto ownership
A Shanghai court has confirmed that owning digital assets, including Bitcoin, is legal under Chinese law. Judge Sun Jie of the Shanghai Songjiang People’s Court shared this opinion through the WeChat account of the Shanghai High People’s Court.
BTC hits an all-time high above $97,850, inches away from the $100K mark
Bitcoin hit a new all-time high of $97,852 on Thursday, and the technical outlook suggests a possible continuation of the rally to $100,000. BTC futures have surged past the $100,000 price mark on Deribit, and Lookonchain data shows whales are accumulating.
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.
Bitcoin: New high of $100K or correction to $78K?
Bitcoin surged to a new all-time high of $93,265 in the first half of the week, followed by a slight decline in the latter half. Reports highlight that Bitcoin’s current level is still not overvalued and could target levels above $100,000 in the coming weeks.
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.