asiftahsin

Virtuals Protocol Price Forecast: VIRTUAL set to extend losses as triple top formation emerges:
Virtuals Protocol price drops over 10% on Monday after a failed breakout above key resistance.
Santiment data shows traders increase profit-taking activity, adding to the selling pressure.
The technical outlook highlights a possible triple top pattern with a potential breakdown, targeting the $1.23 mark.
Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL) price drops over 10% at the time of writing on Monday, trading around $1.78 following a failed attempt to break above a key resistance level over the weekend.

The decline suggests holders may be locking in profits and adding to the selling pressure. From a technical standpoint, forming a potential triple top pattern suggests that bearish momentum could intensify and target the $1.23 mark.
VIRTUAL holders book profits as bearish bets rise
Virtuals Protocol’s on-chain metrics show that VIRTUAL holders are booking some profits, according to Santiment’s Network Realized Profit/Loss (NPL), which computes a daily network-level Return On Investment (ROI) based on the coin’s on-chain transaction volume. Strong spikes in a coin’s NPL indicate that its holders are, on average, selling their bags at a significant profit. On the other hand, strong dips imply that the coin’s holders are, on average, realizing losses.

The chart below shows that the metric showed a strong spike on May 8 and May 9, the highest spike since December 16. Historically, when this spike occurred, prices fell nearly 20% to 30% due to increased selling pressure.
Another bearish sign is Coinglass’s VIRTUAL long-to-short ratio, which reads 0.87, the lowest level in over a month. A ratio below one reflects bearish sentiment in the markets as more traders are betting on the asset price to fall.
$VIRTUAL

Ripple Price Prediction: XRP faces growing downside risks threatening potential return to $3 :
Ripple builds on the Dubai regulatory license, partnering with Zand Bank and Mamo to offer blockchain-based payment services.
Zand Bank believes collaborating with Ripple will enhance its global payment solutions, with an AED-backed stablecoin.
XRP faces steep downside risks, especially if price break below the 50-day EMA, potentially dropping to $2.00.
Ripple (XRP) price hovers at around $2.31 on Monday, extending its gradual drawdown from last week’s high of $2.65, as the broader cryptocurrency market swings between gains and losses amid shifting investor sentiment. Protecting XRP's immediate downside is the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA).
A resumption of the uptrend towards $3.00 could gain bullish momentum after Ripple announced a strategic partnership with United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Zand Bank and Mamo, adding its exposure to the region after securing the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) license in March.
Ripple Payments expands UAE footprint with two strategic partnerships
Ripple announced on Monday in a press release that it had entered into strategic partnerships with UAE-based Zand Bank and Mamo. The entities will leverage Ripple Payments for blockchain-enabled cross-border transactions.
The announcement comes after Ripple secured its landmark DFSA license.
Zand Bank, the UAE’s first digital bank, and Mamo, a fintech focused on simplifying global payments, will tap Ripple’s infrastructure to enhance their cross-border capabilities.
Ripple said that the DFSA license and the partnerships mark a "major milestone" in its broader goal of managing end-to-end payments on behalf of global customers, settling payments in minutes, and reducing time and friction.
$XRP

Bitcoin Price Forecast: BTC gives up weekend gains, signaling potential bull trap as momentum weakens :
Bitcoin dips to around $103,000 on Monday, wiping out Sunday's gains and raising concerns of a short-term correction.
Metaplanet adds 1,004 BTC to its treasury, while spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $603.74 million in net inflows last week.
Technical indicators show weakening momentum, with rising bearish bets hinting at a possible bull trap and near-term correction.
Bitcoin (BTC) starts the week on a weaker note, falling by more than 3% to around $103,000 at the time of writing on Monday after briefly rallying over the weekend. The price action has raised concerns among traders about a potential bull trap, especially as momentum indicators show early signs of exhaustion. Despite continued positive corporate and institutional flows in the form of spot Bitcoin Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and Meta Planet’s accumulation, bearish sentiment appears to be gaining ground in the short term.
Bitcoin price drops to $103,000 as bearish bets increase
CoinGlass data shows that BTC’s long-to-short ratio falls to 0.94, the lowest level over a month. A ratio below one indicates that a larger number of traders are betting on the asset price to fall.
Metaplanet adds more Bitcoin, ETFs log inflows
Despite the increase in bearish bets, BTC corporate and institutional demand continues to strengthen. On Monday, Japanese investment firm Metaplanet announced that it had purchased an additional 1,004 BTC, increasing its total holdings to 7,800 BTC.
Additionally, according to SoSoValue data, US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a total inflow of $603.74 million last week, extending a five-week winning streak that began in mid-April. Bitcoin price should benefit if more corporate companies and institutional inflows continue and intensify. Still, the level of inflows registered last week is way below that seen in prior weeks.
Bitcoin Price Forecast: Momentum indicators signal weakness
$BTC

XRP Has to Break Out of This Range Before Challenging $3: Ripple Price Analysis
Ripple has reached a decisive price range of $2.3-$2.5, with an impending breakout determining the upcoming trend. A bullish breakout will pave the way for a sustained rally toward the $3.1 range.XRP Analysis The Daily Chart

XRP’s recent bullish trend has been halted at the upper boundary of a prolonged descending wedge near the $2.7 level, triggering a bearish retracement. However, the price is now consolidating within a decisive and tight range between $2.3 and $2.5, bounded by the wedge’s apex. This zone has become a critical battleground between buyers and sellers.

The current pullback may also be interpreted as a retest of the recently broken 100 and 200-day moving averages, which could reintroduce demand into the market. A breakout from this narrow range appears imminent, and the direction of this breakout will likely determine XRP’s next major move. A bullish breakout above $2.5 would open the door for a sustained rally toward the $3.1 resistance area.
The 4-Hour Chart

On the lower timeframe, Ripple has maintained a broader bullish structure in recent days, breaking out above the descending wedge pattern. However, the asset faced significant selling pressure around the $2.7 resistance and was swiftly rejected, falling back into the wedge formation. This movement suggests a potential bull trap and false breakout.

Currently, XRP is holding above the key support at $2.3, where buying interest could reemerge. If this level holds, a renewed bullish push toward the $2.7 zone is likely. Still, the market is awaiting a decisive breakout from the $2.3–$2.5 consolidation range.

If the breakout is bullish, the price could quickly surge toward the $3.1 resistance. Conversely, a breakdown below $2.3 might trigger a sharp decline toward the $2 support, especially if accompanied by a short-squeeze or panic selling from overleveraged long positions.
$XRP

Ethereum Price Analysis: Can ETH Continue its Run as Major Resistance Levels Approach?
Ethereum has experienced a strong upward rally over the past two weeks, pushing from the $1,500s to above $2,600. However, signs of exhaustion are beginning to surface. While higher timeframes remain bullish for now, short-term caution is warranted.

ETH has hit a technical ceiling just under the $2,900 resistance, which aligns closely with the 200-day moving average. This zone previously acted as a major breakdown point in February and is now serving as a supply area. The RSI also recently entered overbought territory, suggesting that momentum is fading as price approaches this resistance.

A rejection from here could lead to a pullback toward the $2,200 support zone and the 100-day MA located near the $2,100 mark. A confirmed breakout above $2,900 would shift the bias back to bullish, with a potential continuation toward the critical $4,000 zone.
The 4-Hour Chart

Dropping lower on the 4-hour timeframe, Ethereum is showing signs of weakening momentum. After the explosive move above $2,100, the price has been consolidating within a narrow range near the $2,500–$2,600 region.

A clear bearish divergence is now confirmed on the RSI, with price making higher highs while RSI makes lower highs. This typically indicates a potential correction ahead. If ETH loses the $2,450 support, a retracement toward $2,200 and even $2,050 becomes likely. On the flip side, reclaiming $2,600 with strong volume could invalidate the bearish signals and open the path for a run at the $3,000 area.
Sentiment Analysis

The recent rally triggered a sharp wave of short liquidations, which helped fuel the aggressive price surge. As seen in the short liquidation chart, the largest liquidations occurred near $2,400–$2,600, signaling a large portion of sellers were forced out of the market. This typically leads to short-term cooling, as the “fuel” for the rally gets exhausted.

$ETH

Bitcoin Price Could Be Preparing For Fresh Wave Of Volatility — Here’s Why :
The Bitcoin price action over the weekend has been quite sluggish, reflecting the indecision and fatigue seemingly hovering over the cryptocurrency market at the moment. After a dour performance during the week, the premier cryptocurrency has continued to trade within the $92,000 – $95,000 range on Saturday, May 17.

With the choppy price action, doubt about the Bitcoin price reclaiming its all-time high of $108,786 is starting to creep in. However, the latest on-chain data suggests that the market leader could be gearing up for significant price movements over the next few weeks.

Open Interest Metric Predicts What’s Next For BTC Price

In a recent post on the X platform, blockchain analytics firm Alphractal delved into fresh on-chain observations revolving around the price of Bitcoin and the open interest (OI) cycle. According to the market intelligence firm, the BTC open interest data is exhibiting certain patterns that have coincided with major price moves in the past.

Typically, the open interest metric measures the total amount of money flowing into BTC derivatives at any given period. Meanwhile, the OI Delta indicator estimates changes in the open interest over a specific timeframe.
recently reached the same levels seen during the Bitcoin price rise to its previous all-time high around $73,737 in 2024. This pattern shows that the BTC market could be at the beginning of a cyclical behavioral change.

Alphractal said:

A familiar pattern is emerging: alternating cycles of increase and decrease in the Open Interest Delta — what we might call Phase 1 and Phase 2. After a strong buildup of positions (positive Delta), we often see a nearly proportional drop (negative Delta), showing clear cyclical behavior in the market.

$BTC

$40 Billion Worth Of XRP On The Move – Where Are They Headed?
Onchain data shows that over $40 billion worth of XRP has been moved over the last week, which puts the altcoin on the edge. Specifically, these coins were transferred to exchanges, which indicates that XRP is at risk of a massive sell-off.
Over $40 Billion XRP Moved To Exchanges
CryptoQuant data shows that over $40 billion has been moved to Binance this past week, with the exchange’s reserves surging during this period. This development is usually bearish as it indicates that investors are looking to offload their coins. This comes as the XRP price surged to as high as $2.6, which explains this wave of profit-taking.
Moreover, crypto analyst Ali Martinez revealed that Bitcoin whales have secured profits, selling over 30,000 BTC this week. As such, XRP whales may be simply mirroring this move. Meanwhile, Bitcoinist reported that XRP is reaching oversold levels as net flows turn negative, with the wave of sell-offs heightening.
This selling pressure comes amid Judge Analisa Torres’ ruling in the Ripple SEC lawsuit, which provides a setback for XRP. The judge denied the parties’ motion for an indicative ruling because the filing was procedurally improper. The ruling also sparked a massive sell-off, with XRP dropping over 4%.
XRP risks losing its bullish setup as Martinez revealed that the key support zone is at $2.38, meaning that a drop below this level could lead to a deeper correction. However, a hold above this level could set the altcoin for a rally to new highs as the analyst revealed that there are no major resistance clusters ahead. Crypto analyst CasiTrades had warned that XRP’s failure to hold above the $2.69 resistance could send its price towards $2.30 for a reset.
$XRP

Bitcoin Rally Hits Wall as Price Stalls Below $104K, Analyst Cites Derivatives Pressure :
Bitcoin experienced a notable surge earlier this week, climbing above the $104,000 mark and registering a weekly gain of nearly 10%. However, after reaching this level, the asset appears to have encountered resistance, with upward momentum slowing and price action remaining relatively flat in recent days.

At the time of writing, BTC is trading at $103,663, reflecting a modest 1.7% increase over the past 24 hours. Amid this price performance, one of CryptoQuant’s top analysts, Darkfost, offered insight into the current market stagnation.
Derivatives Market Activity Signals Short-Term Uncertainty

According to his post on X, the root of the slowdown appears to stem from the derivatives market. Specifically, he pointed to the cumulative net taker volume, a metric that tracks the net volume of market orders, remaining in negative territory since BTC crossed above the psychological $100,000 threshold.
This suggests that there are more aggressive sell orders (shorts) than buy orders (longs), creating persistent downward pressure on price. Net taker volume is a useful gauge of real-time trader sentiment, and when it trends negative, it typically signals that market participants expect prices to drop, prompting more short-selling.
Darkfost emphasized that this trend reflects increasing uncertainty among traders about Bitcoin’s short-term ability to reach new all-time highs. While long-term sentiment remains positive, the imbalance in derivatives activity highlights a cautious approach among participants.

“It clearly reflects a growing sense of doubt among traders regarding Bitcoin’s ability to reach a new all-time high in the very short term,” he stated. “In such a context, the market loves to prove them wrong.” This sentiment-driven hesitation has slowed the pace of Bitcoin’s rally, even as it remains within striking distance of its January high.
Bitcoin Technical Setup Hints at Bullish Continuation

$BTC

Ethereum Price Risks Further Crash To $2,350 With Lower Lows Formation :
The Ethereum price has ranged low now after making a new monthly high back on Tuesday. This increase had come as a much-needed relief for the crypto market, which had watched the ETH price struggled while Bitcoin thrived. However, the bullish breakout has not lasted long as bears have once again taken control and sellers are now dominating. Given this recent trend, it is possible that the Ethereum price has seen the end of price decline.
Ethereum Lower Lows Present Troubling Trend
Crypto analyst Gianni Pichichero has explained what could be going on with the Ethereum price and why the current trend could be worrying. This goes through the different processes and how the altcoin has been moving since the start of the week, starting from Monday’s bullish rise to the bearish reversal that took the market by surprise.
Gianni explained that the opening range for the week had established the current monthly high before breaking low. This showed an entry of large players into the market as the Ethereum price was pushed up rapidly to touch the $2,700 mark for the first time in over a month. This had set a bullish tone for the week, following into the next day as Tuesday also showed recovery strength,
The next day, Tuesday, the Ethereum price did pump once again and placed a higher high than Monday, suggesting that a continuation was in play. The day also closed out in the green as ETH bulls remained dominant through the trading day.
By Wednesday, there had been a turn in the market, whereas the previous days were dominated by bullish rallies, consolidation was the order of the day. This brought the Ethereum price back inside the opening range high of the week and then marked the first red close of the week.
This first red close, Gianni explains, was a bearish signal. It initially didn’t signal that the Ethereum price would continue to crash. However, it did show that the bullishness that began on Monday might finally be over. Then, by Thursday.
$ETH

EOS price climbs as sentiment improves following $3 million purchase by President Trump's World Liberty Financial :
EOS price rebounds from short-term support at $0.75, boosting bullish sentiment amid broader market consolidation.
President Donald Trump's World Liberty Financial purchases $3 million worth of EOS at an average price of $0.82.
Technically, EOS's upside potential remains as the RSI indicator changes direction upward.
EOS edges 9% higher, trading around $0.85 on Friday, while prices consolidate in the broader cryptocurrency market. The surge in EOS, rebranding to Vaulta to drive a Web3 banking network, comes amid improved sentiment bolstered by United States (US) President Donald Trump's World Liberty Financial buying the token.
World Liberty Financial scoops 3.636 million EOS President Trump's World Liberty Financial has sought exposure to the token, spending nearly $3 million in USDT to buy approximately 3.363 million EOS. According to SpotOnChain, the purchase was completed at an average cost of $0.82.
News of the purchase led sentiment around EOS to improve significantly, paving the way for a quick rebound following a drawdown to $0.75 from a weekly peak at $0.99, reached on Saturday. As shown on the daily chart below, a green candle is approaching the short-term resistance at $0.90, which, if broken, could encourage traders to buy EOS, anticipating potential gains beyond the $1.00 supply zone, tested last weekend and in January.
The recovery from the April low at approximately $0.58 places EOS significantly above key moving averages, ranging from the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at around $0.72, the 100-day EMA at $0.69, to the 200-day EMA at $0.68. With the moving averages playing catch-up to EOS' price, the path with the least resistance could stay upward, boosting chances of a rally beyond the $1.00 near-term target.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicator's reversal from support slightly above the midline of 50 to 58.65 reflects the growing uptrend's strength. Moreover, traders would look for a daily close above the $0.90
$EOS

Top 3 Price Prediction Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple: BTC on the verge of breakout, ETH and XRP hold key support levels :
Bitcoin price inches closer to the critical $105,000 resistance; a daily close above could trigger a run toward its all-time high.
Ethereum tests key support at the 200-day EMA of around $2,438, a crucial level for maintaining a bullish structure.
XRP stabilizes near the 50-day EMA at $2.27, defending support amid broader market consolidation.
Bitcoin (BTC) price is approaching a crucial resistance level at $105,000 on Friday; a breakout would determine whether bulls regain full control. Ethereum (ETH) and Ripple (XRP) prices hold key support zones that may dictate the next directional move. As BTC nears a potential breakout point, ETH and XRP must defend their support levels to sustain the broader bullish momentum.
Bitcoin could rally toward its all-time highs if it closes above $105,000
Bitcoin has failed to close above the $105,000 resistance level and has faced multiple rejections since Sunday. BTC has been consolidating below this resistance level for the past four days. At the time of writing on Friday, it is nearing the key resistance level at $105,000.
If BTC breaks and closes above $105,000 on a daily basis, it could extend the rally toward the all-time high of $109,588 set on January 20.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) on the daily chart reads 70, hovering around its overbought levels of 70, indicating bullish momentum. However, traders should be cautious as the chances of a pullback are high due to its overbought condition. Another possibility is that the RSI remains above its overbought level of 70 and continues its upward trend.
On the other hand, if BTC faces rejection around $105,000, it could extend the decline to retest the psychological support level at $100,000.
Ethholds strong around its 200-day EMA
Eth price retested and found support around its 200-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at around $2,438 on Monday and rallied 7.38% the next day. However, ETH lost most of its recent gains and declined until Thursday.
$BTC

Bitcoin Weekly Forecast: BTC stabilizes near $103,000 amid trade optimism, rising institutional demand :
Bitcoin price stabilizes around $103,000 on Friday after facing multiple rejections at the key $105,000 resistance level throughout the week.
Risk-on sentiment prevails, driven by global trade deals, strong corporate accumulation, and spot ETF inflows.
Traders should be cautious as defunct exchange FTX announces its second round of repayments to creditors.
Bitcoin (BTC) price stabilizes at around $103,000 when writing on Friday, after facing multiple rejections at the key $105,000 resistance level throughout the week. Risk-on sentiment prevails, driven by global trade deals between the United States (US) and other countries, strong corporate accumulation, and spot Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) inflows. However, traders should be cautious as defunct exchange FTX announces its second round of repayments, which would inject volatility into the crypto market.
Trade deals and softer US CPI fuel risk-on sentiment
Global markets were buoyed this week by major trade developments and cooling inflation data from the US.
On Monday, the US and China agreed to a 90-day tariff reduction deal, lowering US tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, and Chinese tariffs on US goods from 125% to 10%. The agreement followed high-level talks in Geneva, led by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, alongside Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.
A trade deal between the US and the UK was also announced last week. Both deals show signs of easing global trade tariff tensions and uncertainty, boosting investors' confidence and risk-on sentiment for risk assets like Bitcoin.
The QCP’s capital report this week highlighted “a rollback in tariffs and sparking a fresh wave of risk-on sentiment,” buoyed by an unexpectedly bullish turn in US trade diplomacy.
On Tuesday, Washington signed a landmark $600 billion trade pact with Saudi Arabia.
During the same period, the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) data came in below expectations.
$BTC

XRP price risks slashing weekly gains as liquidations surge amid falling network growth :
XRP price peaked at $2.65 on Wednesday, stalling the uptrend amidst a market-wide slowdown.
Long liquidations reach $8.44 million over the past 24 hours as the uptrend targeting $3.00 falters.
Declining network growth signals reduced demand and engagement as fewer new addresses are created on the XRP Ledger.
Ripple (XRP) price slides slightly on Thursday to $2.51 after peaking at $2.65 on Wednesday. The two-week streak from support around $2.12 mirrored bullish sentiment in the wider crypto market, supported by strong fundamentals in the broader crypto market. However, a slump in XRP's network growth points to declining user engagement, which could inhibit the uptrend eyeing the $3.00 psychological resistance in the mid-term.
Progressive talks between the United States (US) and China resulted in a 90-day trade truce, accelerating recovery in global markets. Earlier, the US and the United Kingdom (UK) struck a bilateral trade agreement easing trade between the two nations.
XRP rally slows as network activity shrinks
The XRP Ledger showcases mixed signals with Sentiment's Network Activity metric consistently falling from nearly 16,000 addresses in January to approximately 3,400 addresses on May 7.
Declining network growth for XRP indicates fewer new addresses and reduced user engagement, signaling weaker demand. The 78.7% figure could undermine the rally, as observed with the XRP price (green line) on the chart below. Since its peak of $3.40 in January, XRP tumbled to $1.61 before reversing the trend in the second week of April.
Meanwhile, XRP's price hovers at $2.53, as liquidations in the derivatives market surge. CoinGlass highlights $10.14 million in liquidations over the past 24 hours. Long positions accounted for the lion's share of the liquidations at $8.44 million compared to $1.69 million in shorts.
$XRP

Top 3 Gainers Amp, Aethir, Helium: AMP, ATH lead market gains as broader crypto market cools :
Collateral token Amp registers the highest gains in the last 24 hours among the top 200 cryptos by market capitalization.
Artificial Intelligence token Aethir holds steady despite the overbought RSI and resistance at $0.054.
Helium struggles to hold onto gains, dropping to $4.00 as upside risks surge under the 200-day EMA resistance.
The cryptocurrency market is taking a breather on Thursday after sustaining gains for almost two weeks, buoyed by heightened risk-on sentiment amid easing trade tensions between the United States (US) and China. While most top currencies are either stable or losing ground, Ethereum ecosystem tokens Amp (AMP) and Aethir (ATH) have defied the broad-based drawdown, stealing the spotlight among the top 200 cryptocurrencies, to post the highest gains in the last 24 hours.
On the other hand, Helium (HNT), which also posted gains in the last 24 hours but is partly erasing them on Thursday, faces growing upside risks after rejection below the seller congestion at around $4.38.
Amp’s uptrend is steady above $0.005
Amp’s price edges higher on Thursday, increasing by more than 3% to trade at $0.0051. The digital collateral token, which offers instant, verifiable assurances for any value transfer, boasts over 16% growth in value in the last 24 hours, defying the pullback in the broader crypto market.
Amp’s price sits above key moving averages ranging from the 200-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at $0.0049, the 100-day EMA at $0.0045, to the 50-day EMA at $0.0042, signifying a strong bullish momentum and the token’s ability to sustain recovery in upcoming sessions.
A daily close above the 200-day EMA would encourage traders to keep their exposure to AMP, eyeing another leg up to $0.0065, a level tested last in January as support and in February as resistance.
$AMP

$BTC
Bitcoin Price Forecast: BTC retreats further as chances of major breakthrough in Russia-Ukraine peace talks weaken :
Bitcoin price edges below $102,000 on Thursday after repeated rejections at the $105,000 resistance over the past five days.
Neither US President Donald Trump nor Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to attend the Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Turkey.
Traders should be cautious as the BTC long-to-short ratio reaches its lowest level in a month, increasing bearish bets.
Bitcoin (BTC) price is edging below $102,000 at the time of writing on Thursday after repeated rejections at the $105,000 resistance over the past five days. Traders look towards Turkey, where Ukraine-Russia peace talks are held, although chances of a major breakthrough look dim as neither US President Donald Trump nor Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to attend the meetings.
Putin won't attend peace talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend Thursday’s proposed peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey, Reuters reported. As for Trump, the US President said he would go to the talks on Friday "if it is appropriate."
Russia will instead send a delegation led by presidential adviser Vladimir Medinsky and Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who has firmly stated he would only engage directly with Putin, is expected to decide on Kyiv’s participation after a meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan later on Thursday. From the US, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg are expected to attend.
Ukraine has yet to officially confirm its presence or name a delegation, casting uncertainty over its response. The likelihood of talks yielding meaningful progress toward ending the Russia-Ukraine war is slim without top leaders.
However, any positive outcome could restore investor confidence, trigger a risk-on sentiment across markets, and drive up prices of risk assets like Bitcoin.
Bitcoin price edges down as bearish bets increase.

Here’s What Can Send ETH Above $3K: Ethereum Price Analysis :
Ethereum has extended its bullish rally, rising sharply toward a critical multi-timeframe resistance zone. The asset is showing strong momentum, but it’s now approaching a confluence of technical barriers that could either trigger a continuation breakout or a healthy retracement.
ETH has pushed through multiple resistance zones and is now testing the $2.6K—$2.7K region. It aligns with the 200-day moving average and the lower boundary of the long-term channel, which was broken to the downside weeks ago.
The RSI is also now in overbought territory, printing above 75, hinting at potential exhaustion. A daily close above $2.7K would confirm a bullish breakout and open the door to $3K+, while rejection from this level could pull ETH back toward the $2.2K support level.
The 4-hour chart shows a textbook breakout from a descending channel followed by strong bullish follow-through. The asset is consolidating just above the $2.6K zone after a vertical leg higher.
There’s still room to stretch toward the $2.8K area, but the current sideways price action combined with a declining RSI suggests cooling momentum. A break below $2.6K could trigger a short-term correction toward $2.1K before the next leg.
Funding rates across all major exchanges remain slightly positive, reflecting bullish market sentiment. However, they are not yet at extreme levels, indicating the rally may still have fuel left. Ethereum’s open interest has also climbed significantly alongside the price, suggesting new positions are entering the market rather than closing out shorts, typically a sign of genuine momentum.
That said, traders should remain cautious. The elevated RSI on the daily chart and crowded positioning shown by the rise in funding rates could set the stage for a short-term flush if ETH gets rejected at key resistance. Historically, such sentiment surges have been followed by local tops or consolidation phases.
$ETH

Ethereum’s (ETH) 40% Rally at Risk as US Investors Cash Out :
Leading altcoin Ethereum has surged by over 40% in the past week, fueled by renewed optimism across the cryptocurrency market. At press time, the coin rests solidly above the psychological $2,500 price mark.
However, this rally may be losing steam, especially as US-based investors appear to be cashing out. How will this impact ETH’s price performance in the near term?
ETH’s Price Rally Faces Risk as US Investors Exit
According to CryptoQuant, ETH’s Coinbase Premium Index (CPI) reached a weekly peak of 0.022 on May 10 and has since trended downward. As of this writing, the metric sits at 0.0063.
This metric has noted a decline despite ETH’s 5% price rally during the same period. This suggests increased selling pressure from US investors, a trend that can weigh heavily on the altcoin’s price.
ETH’s CPI measures the difference between the coin’s prices on exchanger. It is a good indicator for tracking US investor sentiment.
When the CPI rises, it means ETH is trading at a premium on exchanger compared to international exchanges, reflecting stronger buying pressure from US-based institutional and retail investors.
Conversely, when the CPI falls—or worse, turns negative—it signals that demand on exchanger is lagging behind global markets, due to profit-taking or waning interest among US buyers. ETH’s falling CPI amid its price rally indicates that American investors are exiting their positions and realizing gains, rather than buying into the rally.
Moreover, readings from ETH’s Price-to-Daily Active Addresses (DAA) divergence, an on-chain metric that compares price movement with network activity, confirm this bearish outlook. Per Santiment, the metric has been negative over the past few days even as ETH’s price climbs. As of this writing, it is at -58.2%.
This negative value indicates that a corresponding rise in user engagement does not support ETH’s recent price gains. In essence, not enough demand is driving ETH’s rally, hence it risks a pullback in the near term.

Bitcoin Price Forecast: BTC retreats as focus turns to Ukraine-Russia peace talks :
Bitcoin price stabilizes near $103,500 on Wednesday after repeated rejections at the $105,000 resistance over the past four days.
Ukraine-Russia negotiations in Istanbul this week could act as a bullish catalyst for risk assets, including BTC, if talks bear fruit.
Market structure remains constructive, with BTC funding rates turning mildly positive, echoing healthy risk sentiment as seen in past bull phases like October 2023–2024.
Bitcoin (BTC) is stabilizing near $103,500 at the time of writing on Wednesday, following multiple failed attempts to break above the $105,000 resistance level. Ukraine-Russia negotiations in Istanbul starting on Thursday could act as a bullish catalyst for risk assets, including BTC, if talks bear fruit. Meanwhile, BTC’s market structure stays healthy, with funding rates turning mildly positive, mirroring the constructive conditions seen during previous bull runs like October 2023–2024.
Ukraine-Russia high-level talks could boost risky assets
The Washington Post report on Wednesday highlights that Russia and Ukraine are set to hold their first high-level, face-to-face negotiations since 2022, taking place this Thursday in Istanbul.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin proposed the talks, partly in response to increasing Western pressure for a 30-day ceasefire as a step toward lasting peace. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg are expected to attend, marking renewed diplomatic engagement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accepted the offer at face value and pushed to elevate the talks to a presidential level, challenging Putin to meet directly.
While a direct meeting between the two leaders remains uncertain, the outcome of Thursday’s negotiations could prove pivotal. If the talks yield meaningful progress toward ending the Russia-Ukraine war, it could restore investor confidence, trigger a risk-on sentiment across markets.
$BTC

Ripple Price Prediction: XRP bulls hold steady, eyeing $3.00 :
XRP futures Open Interest surged by more than $1 billion in the past week, driving speculative activity towards the token.
Increasing trader interest keeps the XRP rally steady, with bulls aiming for highs above $3.00.
Risk appetite remains elevated as whales increase exposure to XRP, betting on extended gains in the short term.
Ripple’s (XRP) price trades broadly stable at around $2.60 on Wednesday, upholding the recent bullish trend as crypto markets cheer amid improved sentiment. An increase in exposure to XRP among the whales, especially those holding more than 10 million XRP, could accelerate the rally. The uptrend mirrors a noticeable increase in the XRP futures Open Interest (OI) by over $1 billion in the past week, pointing to rising trader interest.
XRP futures open interest soars by over $1 billion in a week
XRP's consistent price increase from the tariff-triggered crash to $1.61 in April continues to attract traders and investors. Glassnode’s data released Tuesday revealed a remarkable surge in the XRP futures OI by more than 41.6%, or over $1 billion, in leverage positions in a week.
OI had been volatile since mid-February, peaking around $3.2 billion in late February before sliding to $2.2 billion around mid-March. Sideways fluctuations continued through April before surging to a three-month high of $3.42 billion.
Looking ahead: XRP bulls hold steady, eyeing $3.00
XRP’s price hovers around $2.60 at the time of writing, reflecting increasing trading volume and trader confidence in the uptrend targeting highs past $3.00. The cross-border money transfer token sits significantly above key moving averages, including the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at $2.26, the 100-day EMA at $2.24 and the 200-day EMA at $2.02, adding credence to the bullish outlook.
Looking ahead: XRP bulls hold steady, eyeing $3.00
XRP’s price hovers around $2.60 at the time of writing, reflecting increasing trading volume and trader confidence in the uptrend targeting highs past $3.00.
$XRP

XRP price rally stalls reflecting potential profit-taking :
XRP hits $2.65, but pares gains amid a crypto rally fuelled by a US-China trade deal.
Under Paul Atkins's leadership, the SEC will develop a rational regulatory framework for crypto asset markets.
Atkins said during the Crypto Task Force roundtable that policymaking will not depend on ad hoc enforcement actions.
XRP drops to test $2.40 support as RSI nears midline, signaling increased bearish momentum.
Ripple (XRP) price trims gains to exchange hands at $2.44 at the time of writing on Tuesday, as the crypto market puts the brakes on the rally triggered by the trade deal between the United States and China, on top of last week's limited bilateral trade agreement with the United Kingdom (UK). The sudden pullback from Monday's highs triggered massive liquidations totaling $35 million in the last 24 hours, according to CoinGlass data. Longs accounted for the lion's share of the liquidations at $22.82 million, hinting at declining trader interest in XRP's short-term price action.
Meanwhile, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair, Paul Atkins, said during the Crypto Task Force roundtable on Monday that the Commission needs to keep pace with innovation, calling for regulatory changes to position the United States (US) as the "crypto capital of the planet," as envisioned by President Donald Trump.
XRP uptrend stalls as profit-taking ramps up
XRP's price extended the previous week's uptrend, reaching highs of $2.65 on Monday before correcting to trade at $2.44 at the time of writing. The cross-border money remittance token gained traction amid renewed risk-on sentiment, as investors welcomed trade talks between the US and China.
Based on the 12-hour chart, XRP sits significantly above key moving averages, including the 50-, 100- and 200 Exponential Moving Average (EMA), forming a confluence support around $2.23.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicator's rejection from near overbought territory to 63.17 exemplifies a strong bearish momentum.
$XRP