Short-Term Price Action
As of early May 2025, Bitcoin is trading around $96,000, slightly below the psychological $100,000 mark and down about 0.47% on the day.
The 1-hour chart shows a clear descending trendline, indicating short-term downward pressure and a series of lower highs since the recent local peak.
Price has been consolidating just below resistance at $96,297, with several failed attempts to break above the trendline, suggesting that Bitcoin is indeed facing difficulty in mounting a sustained upward move in the very short term.
Recent Market Context
Despite this short-term struggle, Bitcoin has demonstrated strong recovery in recent weeks. After a significant correction in early April (down to $74,000), BTC rebounded by 24% and is now up roughly 15% month-over-month, firmly above key support levels.
Technical analysis points to a period of “narrow consolidation” below resistance around $95,000–$96,000. This zone has become a battleground between buyers and sellers, with overhead resistance proving tough to break.
Momentum and Demand
On-chain metrics show that Bitcoin’s demand has turned positive for the first time since February, signaling a shift in investor behavior and hinting at renewed accumulation.
However, institutional inflows (especially from US-based ETFs) remain subdued compared to previous peaks, which may be contributing to the current lack of explosive upside momentum.
Medium-Term Outlook
Most analysts remain bullish for May and beyond. The consensus is that the current consolidation is likely a pause before another leg higher, with several sources predicting a move above $100,000 if Bitcoin can break current resistance with strong volume.
Support levels are well-defined at $95,000 and $93,500, with a deeper correction potentially bottoming near $91,000. As long as daily closes remain above $95,000, the bullish structure is considered intact.
Bullish technical indicators (such as a MACD crossover and accelerating RSI) suggest that upward momentum could resume soon, especially if volume returns.
Conclusion
Bitcoin is currently struggling to break out of a short-term downtrend and faces resistance just below $100,000, with clear signs of consolidation and indecision among traders. However, the broader trend remains bullish, with technical and on-chain indicators suggesting that this is likely a temporary pause before a potential move higher later in May or June. If Bitcoin can decisively break above $100,000 with renewed volume, further upside toward $105,000 and beyond is anticipated.