Bitcoin (BTC) remains under pressure as macroeconomic uncertainty continues to weigh on its price action. After making a strong bounce from the local bottom near $75,000 on April 7 and 9, analysts are beginning to question whether BTC could be gearing up for a reversal of the downward trend that’s persisted since the start of the year.BTC/USD 1-day, RSI 1-week. Source: Marie Poteriaieva, TradingView

For some, like the veteran trader Peter Brandt, this trendline is nothing but hopium. As he noted in his X post,

“Of all chart construction, trendlines are the LEAST significant. A trendline violation does NOT signify a transition of the BTC trend. Sorry.”

Others, however, see more reason for cautious optimism. Analyst Kevin Svenson highlighted a possible weekly RSI breakout, pointing out that “Once confirmed, weekly RSI breakout signals have proven to be among the most reliable macro breakout indicators.” 

Ultimately, price is driven by supply and demand—and while both sides of the equation are beginning to show subtle signs of recovery, they are yet to reach the levels needed for a proper breakout. Furthermore, the bulls must cut through a dense sell wall near $86,000 to confirm the reversal. 

Bitcoin demand — Are there early signs of recovery?

According to CryptoQuant, Bitcoin’s apparent demand — measured by the 30-day net difference between exchange inflows and outflows — is showing early signs of recovery after a sustained dip into negative territory.

However, the analysts caution against prematurely declaring a trend reversal. Looking back to the 2021 cycle peak, similar conditions occurred: demand remained low or negative for months, prices temporarily stabilized or rebounded, and true structural recovery only followed extended consolidation. 

This current uptick in demand may simply mark a pause in selling pressure—not a definitive bottom sign. Time and confirmation are still needed to confirm a shifting momentum.

Bitcoin: apparent demand. Source: CryptoQuant

From a trader’s perspective, the apparent demand metric does not look optimistic just yet. Bitcoin daily trade volumes currently hover around 30,000 BTC (spot) and 400,000 BTC (derivatives), according to CryptoQuant. This is, respectively, 6x and 3x less compared to the June-July 2021 period that preceded the last bull run of the 2019-2022 cycle. Despite hopeful comparisons of the current price dip to that period, current volume dynamics suggest a more subdued trader appetite.

Bitcoin trading volume. Source: CryptoQuant

Institutional investors confirm the low demand trend. Since April 3, the spot BTC ETFs have recorded continuous outflows totaling over $870 million, with the first modest inflow not occurring until April 15. Despite this, trading volumes remain relatively high — only 18% below the 30-day average — indicating that some investor appetite for Bitcoin persists.

Related: Crypto in a bear market, rebound likely in Q3 — Coinbase

Bitcoin supply — Will liquidity return?

On the supply side, liquidity remains weak. According to Glassnode’s recent report, the realized cap growth has slowed to 0.80% per month (from 0.83% previously). This points to a continued lack of meaningful new capital entering the Bitcoin network and, as Glassnode notes, “remains well below typical bull market thresholds.”

Furthermore, the BTC balance on exchanges — often used to gauge available sell-side liquidity — has dropped to just 2.6 million BTC, the lowest level since November 2018.

Yet, on a broader macroeconomic level, some analysts see reasons for cautious hope. Independent market analyst Michael van de Poppe pointed out the quickly rising M2 Supply, which, with a certain lag (here 12 weeks), has often influenced Bitcoin price in the past.

“If the correlation remains, he wrote, then I assume that we’ll see Bitcoin rally to an ATH in this quarter. This would also imply a rise in CNH/USD, a fall in Yields, a fall in Gold, a fall in DXY, and a rise in Altcoins.”Global M2 – 12-week lead. Source: Global Macro Investor

Even if bullish momentum and demand returns, Bitcoin will need to clear a critical resistance zone between $86,300 and $86,500, as shown on CoinGlass’ liquidity heatmap, which maps dense clusters of buy and sell orders at different levels.

Alphractal adds another layer of insight through its Alpha Price Chart, which incorporates realized cap, average cap, and onchain sentiment — and comes to the same conclusion. According to the chart, BTC must decisively break above $86,300 to restore short-term bullish sentiment. If the price weakens again, support levels lie at $73,900 and $64,700.

Bitcoin: Alpha price. Source: Alphractal

Overall, calling a trend reversal at this stage may be premature. Liquidity remains thin, macroeconomic headwinds persist, and investors remain cautious. Still, Bitcoin’s resilience above $80,000 signals strong support from long-term holders. A decisive breakout above $86,300 could shift market sentiment—and, in a best-case scenario, ignite a new rally. For such a move to be meaningful, however, it must be backed by spot market volume, not just leverage-driven activity.

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Publicly listed Bitcoin miners sold over 40% of the collective coins mined in March, representing the largest monthly BTC liquidation for mining firms since October 2024 and reversing the post-halving trend of accumulating Bitcoin (BTC) for a corporate treasury strategy, according to TheMinerMag, which screened data from 15 publicly traded mining companies.

The increased liquidations come amid widespread macroeconomic uncertainty in financial markets and the business sector, likely signaling that companies are selling their BTC to reduce shortfalls caused by the current economic climate.

Mining firms offloading BTC to cover operational expenses contributes to selling pressure on the cryptocurrency, which can result in a price volatility. According to CoinGlass, Bitcoin posted a 2.3% loss in March, following a 17.39% correction the previous month.

Related: CleanSpark to start selling Bitcoin in ‘self-funding’ pivot

Miners struggle amid macroeconomic turmoil

High costs, operational hurdles, and fierce competitiveness within the Bitcoin mining industry are amplified by the effects of a trade war on businesses, financial markets, and global supply chains.

Kristian Csepcsar, chief marketing officer at BTC mining service provider Braiins, recently told Cointelegraph that producing all of the hardware components used for mining BTC in the United States is not possible.

US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies will impact all aspects of the supply chain, making components and business-to-business services more expensive, eroding miner profitability, Csepcsar said.

Trump’s threats of taxing energy imports also added to the uncertainty facing some US-based mining firms, as energy costs are a critical input in determining profit margins for miners.

Hashlabs CEO Jaran Mellerud predicted that higher costs from trade tensions may benefit mining firms outside the US as hardware manufacturers and resellers offload equipment originally meant for US customers to other jurisdictions at lower prices.

“Importing machines to the US will now cost at least 24% more compared to tariff-free countries like Finland,” Mellerud wrote in an April 8 X post.

The executive concluded that mining Bitcoin in the US will become economically unfeasible if 24% tariffs are levied on mining components. Mellerud also predicted US firms would gradually lose market share as a result of the tariffs.

Magazine: AI may already use more power than Bitcoin — and it threatens Bitcoin mining

As digital assets gain mainstream adoption, establishing a legal framework for stablecoins is a “good idea,” said US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

In an April 16 panel at the Economic Club of Chicago, Powell commented on the evolution of the cryptocurrency industry, which has delivered a consumer use case that “could have wide appeal” following a difficult “wave of failures and frauds,” he said.

Powell delivers remarks at the Economic Club of Chicago. Source: Bloomberg Television

During crypto’s difficult years, which culminated in 2022 and 2023 with several high-profile business failures, the Fed “worked with Congress to try to get a […] legal framework for stablecoins, which would have been a nice place to start,” said Powell. “We were not successful.”

“I think that the climate is changing and you’re moving into more mainstreaming of that whole sector, so Congress is again looking […] at a legal framework for stablecoins,” he said. 

“Depending on what’s in it, that’s a good idea. We need that. There isn’t one now,” said Powell.

This isn’t the first time Powell acknowledged the need for stablecoin legislation. In June 2023, the Fed boss told the House Financial Services Committee that stablecoins were “a form of money” that requires “robust” federal oversight.

Related: Stablecoins are the best way to ensure US dollar dominance — Web3 CEO

Support for stablecoin legislation is growing

The election of US President Donald Trump has ushered in a new era of pro-crypto appointments and policy shifts that could make America a digital asset superpower. 

Washington’s formal embrace of cryptocurrency began earlier this year when Trump established the President’s Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, with Bo Hines as the executive director. 

Hines told a digital asset summit in New York last month that a comprehensive stablecoin bill was a top priority for the current administration. After the Senate Banking Committee passed the GENIUS Act, a final stablecoin bill could arrive at the president’s desk “in the next two months,” said Hines.

Bo Hines (right) speaks of “imminent” stablecoin legislation at the Digital Asset Summit on March 18. Source: Cointelegraph

Stablecoins pegged to the US dollar are by far the most popular tokens used for remittances and cryptocurrency trading.

The combined value of all stablecoins is currently $227 billion, according to RWA.xyz. The dollar-pegged USDC (USDC) and USDt (USDT) account for more than 88% of the total market. 

Magazine: Unstablecoins: Depegging, bank runs and other risks loom

Former FTX CEO Sam “SBF” Bankman-Fried has moved from a transit facility to a California prison that once housed infamous gangster Al Capone.

According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website, officials moved Bankman-Fried from the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City briefly to the Federal Correctional Institution in Victorville before transferring him to a facility in Terminal Island in Los Angeles, California.

The federal institution was once home to criminals like former Theranos chief operating officer Ramesh Balwani and Capone, who was convicted of tax evasion in 1931.

During his 2023 trial and following his conviction on seven felony counts in 2024, Bankman-Fried was housed at the Metropolitan Detention Center in New York. However, officials moved the former FTX CEO after he was the subject of an interview by right-wing political commentator Tucker Carlson — an activity reportedly unsanctioned by authorities.

Related: Sam Bankman-Fried posts for the first time in 2 years, FTX Token pumps

It’s unclear whether Bankman-Fried will remain at the California facility until his tentative release date in 2044. A New York judge initially allowed SBF to remain in the state to assist during the appeal of his conviction and sentence — a process that could be hampered by the former FTX CEO’s current location.

Moving to the right for a pardon?

Since the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, reports have suggested that Bankman-Fried may be attempting to reach out to right-wing advocates in an attempt to secure a presidential pardon. Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht received a pardon from Trump during his first few days in office — reportedly in a push to win over libertarians in the election — and is scheduled to appear at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas.

Other former FTX executives, including Caroline Ellison and Ryan Salame, remain incarcerated in different facilities and largely out of the news since reporting to prison. FTX co-founder Gary Wang and former engineering director Nishad Singh were the only two individuals named in the initial indictment who received time served rather than prison.

Magazine: XRP win leaves Ripple and industry with no crypto legal precedent set

Auradine, a Silicon Valley-based startup that specializes in equipment for AI data centers and Bitcoin mining, has announced a raise of $153 million in a Series C funding round. The new capital will go to increasing the company’s product suite of infrastructure for AI and blockchain technology.

The Series C round was led by StepStone Group and included participation from Maverick Silicon, Premji Invest, Samsung Catalyst Fund, Qualcomm Ventures, and others. Auradine said the round was oversubscribed but did not disclose by how much or at what valuation the funds were raised.

Along with the funding round, Auradine announced the launch of AuraLinks AI — its new business group dedicated to networking solutions targeting data centers’ energy and cooling costs.

According to Goldman Sachs, energy demand due to AI data centers is expected to rise 165% by 2030. Building a small-scale AI data center can cost $10 million to $50 million, while large-scale AI data centers can cost hundreds of millions.

Auradine designs and manufactures application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and related systems for Bitcoin mining. The company sees a strategic opportunity in the current US-China trade tensions and US President Trump’s push to boost domestic manufacturing. Among its main competitors is the Chinese-based firm Bitmain, which reportedly holds a 90% market share in the Bitcoin manufacturing sector.

Related: How to mine Bitcoin: A beginner’s guide to mining BTC

Crypto mining market to grow at CAGR 13% until 2034

According to Precedence Research, the cryptocurrency mining market was valued at $2.5 billion in 2024 and is expected to have a compound annual growth rate of 13% until 2034. If that prediction is accurate, the mining market will reach a size of $8.2 billion by 2034.

The rising Bitcoin hashrate, coupled with the increasing energy demands following each halving, is intensifying competition in the mining sector. As a result, the push for greater efficiency and advanced technology may create openings for new players to gain market share.

Trump’s dual desires to make the US “the crypto capital of the planet” and bring manufacturing on-shore may also play a role. The US accounts for over 40% of the Bitcoin (BTC) hashrate, but US-based miners still rely heavily on China-manufactured rigs.

Auradine’s $80 million Series B round, like its Series C, was oversubscribed. In total, the company has raised over $300 million across all funding rounds.

Magazine: Asia Express: Bitcoin miners steamrolled after electricity thefts, exchange ‘closure’ scam

Auradine, a Silicon Valley-based startup that specializes in equipment for AI data centers and Bitcoin mining, has announced a raise of $153 million in a Series C funding round. The new capital will go to increasing the company’s product suite of infrastructure for AI and blockchain technology.

The Series C round was led by StepStone Group and included participation from Maverick Silicon, Premji Invest, Samsung Catalyst Fund, Qualcomm Ventures, and others. Auradine said the round was oversubscribed but did not disclose by how much or at what valuation the funds were raised.

Along with the funding round, Auradine announced the launch of AuraLinks AI — its new business group dedicated to networking solutions targeting data centers’ energy and cooling costs.

According to Goldman Sachs, energy demand due to AI data centers is expected to rise 165% by 2030. Building a small-scale AI data center can cost $10 million to $50 million, while large-scale AI data centers can cost hundreds of millions.

Auradine designs and manufactures application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and related systems for Bitcoin mining. The company sees a strategic opportunity in the current US-China trade tensions and US President Trump’s push to boost domestic manufacturing. Among its main competitors is the Chinese-based firm Bitmain, which reportedly holds a 90% market share in the Bitcoin manufacturing sector.

Related: How to mine Bitcoin: A beginner’s guide to mining BTC

Crypto mining market to grow at CAGR 13% until 2034

According to Precedence Research, the cryptocurrency mining market was valued at $2.5 billion in 2024 and is expected to have a compound annual growth rate of 13% until 2034. If that prediction is accurate, the mining market will reach a size of $8.2 billion by 2034.

The rising Bitcoin hashrate, coupled with the increasing energy demands following each halving, is intensifying competition in the mining sector. As a result, the push for greater efficiency and advanced technology may create openings for new players to gain market share.

Trump’s dual desires to make the US “the crypto capital of the planet” and bring manufacturing on-shore may also play a role. The US accounts for over 40% of the Bitcoin (BTC) hashrate, but US-based miners still rely heavily on China-manufactured rigs.

Auradine’s $80 million Series B round, like its Series C, was oversubscribed. In total, the company has raised over $300 million across all funding rounds.

Magazine: Asia Express: Bitcoin miners steamrolled after electricity thefts, exchange ‘closure’ scam

An appellate court has granted a joint request from Ripple Labs and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to pause an appeal in a 2020 SEC case against Ripple amid settlement negotiations.

In an April 16 filing in the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the court approved a joint SEC-Ripple motion to hold the appeal in abeyance — temporarily pausing the case — for 60 days. As part of the order, the SEC is expected to file a status report by June 15.

April 16 order approving a motion to hold an appeal in abeyance. Source: PACER

The SEC’s case against Ripple and its executives, filed in December 2020, was expected to begin winding down after Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse announced on March 19 that the commission would be dropping its appeal against the blockchain firm. A federal court found Ripple liable for $125 million in an August ruling, resulting in both the SEC and blockchain firm filing an appeal and cross-appeal, respectively.

However, once US President Donald Trump took office and leadership of the SEC moved from former chair Gary Gensler to acting chair Mark Uyeda, the commission began dropping multiple enforcement cases against crypto firms in a seeming political shift. Ripple pledged $5 million in XRP to Trump’s inauguration fund, and Garlinghouse and chief legal officer Stuart Alderoty attended events supporting the US president.

Related: SEC dropping Ripple case is ‘final exclamation mark’ that XRP is not a security — John Deaton

Despite support for the end of the case coming from both Ripple and the SEC, the August 2024 judgment and appellate cases leave some legal entanglements. Alderoty said in March that Ripple would drop its cross-appeal with the SEC and receive a roughly $75 million refund from the lower court judgment. It’s unclear what else may result from negotiations over a settlement in appellate court.

New leadership at SEC incoming

Acting chair Uyeda is expected to step down following the US Senate confirming Paul Atkins as SEC chair on April 9.

During his confirmation hearings, lawmakers questioned Atkins about his ties to crypto, which could create conflicts of interest in his role regulating the industry. In financial disclosures, Atkins stated he had millions of dollars in assets through stakes in crypto firms, including Securitize, Pontoro and Patomak.

Magazine: SEC’s U-turn on crypto leaves key questions unanswered

An appellate court has granted a joint request from Ripple Labs and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to pause an appeal in a 2020 SEC case against Ripple amid settlement negotiations.

In an April 16 filing in the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the court approved a joint SEC-Ripple motion to hold the appeal in abeyance — temporarily pausing the case — for 60 days. As part of the order, the SEC is expected to file a status report by June 15.

April 16 order approving a motion to hold an appeal in abeyance. Source: PACER

The SEC’s case against Ripple and its executives, filed in December 2020, was expected to begin winding down after Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse announced on March 19 that the commission would be dropping its appeal against the blockchain firm. A federal court found Ripple liable for $125 million in an August ruling, resulting in both the SEC and blockchain firm filing an appeal and cross-appeal, respectively.

However, once US President Donald Trump took office and leadership of the SEC moved from former chair Gary Gensler to acting chair Mark Uyeda, the commission began dropping multiple enforcement cases against crypto firms in a seeming political shift. Ripple pledged $5 million in XRP to Trump’s inauguration fund, and Garlinghouse and chief legal officer Stuart Alderoty attended events supporting the US president.

Related: SEC dropping Ripple case is ‘final exclamation mark’ that XRP is not a security — John Deaton

Despite support for the end of the case coming from both Ripple and the SEC, the August 2024 judgment and appellate cases leave some legal entanglements. Alderoty said in March that Ripple would drop its cross-appeal with the SEC and receive a roughly $75 million refund from the lower court judgment. It’s unclear what else may result from negotiations over a settlement in appellate court.

New leadership at SEC incoming

Acting chair Uyeda is expected to step down following the US Senate confirming Paul Atkins as SEC chair on April 9.

During his confirmation hearings, lawmakers questioned Atkins about his ties to crypto, which could create conflicts of interest in his role regulating the industry. In financial disclosures, Atkins stated he had millions of dollars in assets through stakes in crypto firms, including Securitize, Pontoro and Patomak.

Magazine: SEC’s U-turn on crypto leaves key questions unanswered

An appellate court has granted a joint request from Ripple Labs and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to pause an appeal in a 2020 SEC case against Ripple amid settlement negotiations.

In an April 16 filing in the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the court approved a joint SEC-Ripple motion to hold the appeal in abeyance — temporarily pausing the case — for 60 days. As part of the order, the SEC is expected to file a status report by June 15.

April 16 order approving a motion to hold an appeal in abeyance. Source: PACER

The SEC’s case against Ripple and its executives, filed in December 2020, was expected to begin winding down after Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse announced on March 19 that the commission would be dropping its appeal against the blockchain firm. A federal court found Ripple liable for $125 million in an August ruling, resulting in both the SEC and blockchain firm filing an appeal and cross-appeal, respectively.

However, once US President Donald Trump took office and leadership of the SEC moved from former chair Gary Gensler to acting chair Mark Uyeda, the commission began dropping multiple enforcement cases against crypto firms in a seeming political shift. Ripple pledged $5 million in XRP to Trump’s inauguration fund, and Garlinghouse and chief legal officer Stuart Alderoty attended events supporting the US president.

Related: SEC dropping Ripple case is ‘final exclamation mark’ that XRP is not a security — John Deaton

Despite support for the end of the case coming from both Ripple and the SEC, the August 2024 judgment and appellate cases leave some legal entanglements. Alderoty said in March that Ripple would drop its cross-appeal with the SEC and receive a roughly $75 million refund from the lower court judgment. It’s unclear what else may result from negotiations over a settlement in appellate court.

New leadership at SEC incoming

Acting chair Uyeda is expected to step down following the US Senate confirming Paul Atkins as SEC chair on April 9.

During his confirmation hearings, lawmakers questioned Atkins about his ties to crypto, which could create conflicts of interest in his role regulating the industry. In financial disclosures, Atkins stated he had millions of dollars in assets through stakes in crypto firms, including Securitize, Pontoro and Patomak.

Magazine: SEC’s U-turn on crypto leaves key questions unanswered

Tokenization company Securitize has expanded its digital asset operations by acquiring MG Stover’s fund administration business, in a move the company said has significantly grown its assets under management and ability to serve institutional clients.

With the acquisition, MG Stover’s fund administration business has been absorbed into Securitize Fund Services, Securitize’s wholly owned subsidiary, the company disclosed. 

Securitize Fund Services now manages more than $38 billion in assets across 715 funds. 

Founded in 2007, MG Stover offers full-service fund administration spanning traditional financial industries like hedge funds, venture capital and private equity, as well as digital asset funds. 

A Securitize spokesperson informed Cointelegraph that the acquisition pertains only to MG Stover’s fund administration business and not the company as a whole.

In an emailed statement to Cointelegraph, Securitize co-founder and CEO Carlos Domingo said, “The MG Stover acquisition significantly strengthens our institutional offering by adding one of the most experienced digital asset fund administration teams in the industry to Securitize Fund Services.” He continued:

“Legacy fund administrators were never designed for the speed, complexity, or global reach of digital assets. Their systems struggle with the pressure of 24/7 markets, and they weren’t built to handle stablecoin flows or real-time settlements.”

Securitize is one of the largest real-world asset (RWA) tokenization companies, having issued more than $3.3 billion in onchain assets, most notably the BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund, also known as BUIDL.

BUILD currently has nearly $2.5 billion in assets, according to industry data. 

BUIDL leads the booming market for tokenized US Treasurys. Source: RWA.xyz

Related: VC Roundup: 8-figure funding deals suggest crypto bull market far from over

Tokenization market heats up

Tokenized RWAs are a rapidly expanding segment of the blockchain industry, attracting both traditional investors and crypto-native users. 

RWA growth has defied the broad downtrend in the cryptocurrency market, with the total value of onchain financial assets surging 11.2% to $21 billion over the past 30 days, according to RWA.xyz.

Amid the tokenization wave, Securitize recently partnered with Ethena Labs to create a new blockchain for the RWA economy. The forthcoming Converge blockchain will allow retail and institutional investors to access tokenized assets and decentralized finance applications. 

Meanwhile, the Mantra blockchain recently unveiled a $109 million ecosystem fund to bootstrap startups building across the RWA and DeFi economies. 

Related: Bitwise makes first institutional DeFi allocation