Bitcoin continues to struggle to push decisively above the $66,000 level as 
persistent selling pressure weighs on sentiment across the crypto market. 
Despite intermittent rebound attempts, momentum remains weak, with buyers 
showing limited conviction while volatility stays elevated. The broader 
environment — shaped by cautious liquidity conditions, macro uncertainty, and 
restrained risk appetite — has kept Bitcoin locked in a consolidation phase 
rather than a sustained recovery trend. Related Reading: Why XRP’s 0.16 
Leverage Floor Ends The Era Of The Flash Crash – And the Hope for a Quick 
Recovery Increasingly, Bitcoin is not behaving like “digital gold,” a 
narrative that dominated market discourse for years. Instead of acting as a 
defensive asset during periods of economic stress, Bitcoin has recently traded 
in closer alignment with equity markets, particularly technology stocks. This 
correlation suggests that capital is treating Bitcoin more as a high-beta risk 
asset than as a store of value comparable to precious metals. This shift 
challenges a long-standing thesis within the crypto ecosystem. While the 
digital gold narrative remains influential, current price behavior indicates 
that liquidity cycles, institutional positioning, and broader macro risk 
dynamics are exerting stronger short-term influence. Whether Bitcoin 
eventually reclaims its perceived safe-haven role or continues behaving like a 
risk asset will likely depend on evolving macro conditions and investor 
positioning. Correlation With Nasdaq Highlights Structural Shift According to 
On-Chain Mind, Bitcoin’s correlation with the Nasdaq has structurally 
tightened since 2020, marking a significant shift in how capital allocates to 
the asset. While earlier cycles showed more episodic alignment, recent data 
reveals that BTC now frequently trades in tandem with technology equities. 
Notably, the sharpest correlation spikes have tended to coincide with broader 
market drawdowns, particularly during bear market phases. This pattern is 
critical. In theory, an asset positioned as “digital gold” would be expected 
to decorrelate from risk assets during periods of stress. Instead, the data 
suggests the opposite: when liquidity contracts and equities sell off, Bitcoin 
often follows. These synchronized declines indicate that institutional capital 
increasingly treats BTC as part of the broader risk complex rather than as an 
independent hedge. Whether this development aligns with ideological 
expectations is secondary. The reality is that capital flows, portfolio 
construction frameworks, and macro-driven positioning now play a dominant role 
in Bitcoin’s price formation. Large allocators appear to manage BTC exposure 
alongside growth equities, responding to the same liquidity signals, rate 
expectations, and volatility regimes. Until correlation regimes shift 
meaningfully, Bitcoin’s behavior is likely to remain closely tied to macro 
risk cycles rather than to traditional safe-haven dynamics. Related Reading: 
The $33 Billion Drain: Bitcoin Realized Cap Craters as Capital Abandons the 
Network for a Second Month Bitcoin Price Structure Shows Persistent Downtrend 
Pressure Bitcoin continues to trade under clear technical pressure, with price 
action struggling to reclaim the $66,000–$67,000 zone after a sharp corrective 
move from late-2025 highs. The weekly chart shows a decisive break below the 
50-week moving average, followed by rejection near that level, which now acts 
as dynamic resistance rather than support. This shift typically reflects 
weakening medium-term momentum. Price is currently hovering just above the 
200-week moving average, a level historically associated with major cycle 
support. While this area often attracts strategic buyers, repeated tests 
without strong rebounds can weaken its effectiveness. Volume spikes during 
recent downside moves suggest distribution rather than accumulation, although 
confirmation would require sustained follow-through. Related Reading: The 
Saylor Discount: Why Bitcoin Trading Below Strategy’s Realized Price is a Gift 
for Late-Cycle Allocators Market structure also shows a sequence of lower 
highs since the peak near the $120K region, indicating that bullish 
continuation has stalled. Until Bitcoin reclaims the mid-$70K range and 
stabilizes above key moving averages, rallies may remain corrective rather 
than trend-reversing. That said, proximity to long-term support means 
volatility could increase. Either a structural rebound or a deeper 
capitulation phase remains possible, depending largely on liquidity 
conditions, macro sentiment, and institutional positioning in the coming 
weeks. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com

Digital Gold Is Dead: The Institutional Architecture Binding Bitcoin To The Nasdaq In The 2026 Downturn

Bitwise Asset Management has acquired Chorus One, folding one of the crypto 
industry’s longest-running staking infrastructure firms into its expanding 
onchain division. Bitwise Aims to Build Multichain Muscle Through Chorus One 
Acquisition Bitwise, a San Francisco-based crypto asset manager overseeing 
more than $15 billion in client assets, announced this week that it has 
acquired Chorus […]

Bitwise Bets Bigger on Staking With Chorus One Takeover

XRP price started a decent increase above $1.40. The price is now 
consolidating gains and might aim for more gains above the $1.50 zone. XRP 
price started a decent upward move above the $1.420 zone. The price is now 
trading above $1.4250 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. There was a 
break above a key bearish trend line with resistance at $1.3820 on the hourly 
chart of the XRP/USD pair (data source from Kraken). The pair could continue 
to move up if it settles above $1.50. XRP Price Rally Reaches Resistance XRP 
price started a fresh upward move above $1.40 and $1.420, like Bitcoin and 
Ethereum. The price gained pace for a clear move above the $1.450 resistance. 
There was a break above a key bearish trend line with resistance at $1.3820 on 
the hourly chart of the XRP/USD pair. The bulls even pumped the price toward 
the $1.50 zone. A high was formed at $1.4936 and the price started a 
consolidation phase. There was a drop below the 23.6% Fib retracement level of 
the upward move from the $1.3125 swing low to the $1.4936 high. The price is 
now trading above $1.420 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. If there is 
a fresh upward move, the price might face resistance near the $1.460 level. 
The first major resistance is near the $1.50 level, above which the price 
could rise and test $1.5450. A clear move above the $1.5450 resistance might 
send the price toward the $1.650 resistance. Any more gains might send the 
price toward the $1.720 resistance. The next major hurdle for the bulls might 
be near $1.80. Another Decline? If XRP fails to clear the $1.460 resistance 
zone, it could start a fresh decline. Initial support on the downside is near 
the $1.420 level. The next major support is near the $1.4030 level or the 50% 
Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $1.3125 swing low to the 
$1.4936 high. If there is a downside break and a close below the $1.4030 
level, the price might continue to decline toward $1.3820. The next major 
support sits near the $1.3430 zone, below which the price could continue lower 
toward $1.320. Technical Indicators Hourly MACD – The MACD for XRP/USD is now 
losing pace in the bullish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The 
RSI for XRP/USD is now above the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $1.420 and 
$1.4030. Major Resistance Levels – $1.460 and $1.50.

XRP Price Rally Accelerates, $1.50 Resistance Could Decide Next Move

The governance staking overhaul could enhance decentralized decision-making 
and align long-term incentives, potentially boosting platform stability.
The post Trump-backed World Liberty plans governance staking overhaul to 
reward active participation appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Trump-backed World Liberty plans governance staking overhaul to reward active participation

The crypto markets are sitting in a mood that rarely looks like hope. Fear 
sits very high, and that kind of fear has traders asking whether the worst is 
already behind them or still to come. Extreme Fear And Market Signals Reports 
note the Crypto Fear &amp; Greed Index recently hit a low of 11, one of the 
weakest readings this year. That kind of reading has shown up near big turns 
before, but it is not a guarantee of an instant rebound. Related Reading: 
Bullish Signal? Coinbase Bitcoin Premium Turns Positive After Months In Red 
Some pieces of market data point to deeper stress — consumer credit trouble, 
weak housing figures, and loan strain — while other parts of the market, 
especially certain tech sectors, have kept rising. One analyst warns that what 
looks like calm at the surface may be hiding pressure underneath. Jesse Eckel 
argues the broader economy has been dragged forward by gains in AI-driven 
stocks, even though many everyday measures show strain. His view: investors 
who want exposure to AI’s upside may find it easier to chase smaller crypto 
tokens than to buy into giant tech firms. AI Speculation Spreads To Smaller 
Tokens That logic is simple. Big tech stocks are expensive. Smaller crypto 
projects promise bigger upside for retail traders who want a quick win. 
Analysts say this pattern could push money into crypto rails when mania 
returns, and that retail buyers often prefer instruments that feel close at 
hand and cheap. Yet there is a difference between wanting a bet and finding a 
solid reason to make one, and that difference matters to outcomes. A Paid 
Model’s Bold Numbers Some forecasts backing the bullish case come from an AI 
model accessed by market participants. The model gave numbers that look 
dramatic: roughly $155,000 for Bitcoin by the end of 2026 and about $240,000 
by 2027. Those figures are treated as directional estimates, not precise 
promises, and the analyst using the model stressed they should guide thinking 
rather than dictate it. How This Might Play Out If money does rotate from 
expensive tech shares into speculative crypto bets, the flow would likely 
start small and then build as headlines and social chatter amplify the move. 
Related Reading: Is Bitcoin The Poor Man’s Hedge Against Inflation? Coinbase 
CEO Thinks So That could lift small tokens first. Big moves often happen after 
long stretches where few people expect them. But the timing is hard to pin 
down. Market sentiment can stay negative for a long time even when conditions 
for a rebound are present. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from 
TradingView

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