Executive Summary
The Story So Far
Why This Matters
Who Thinks What?
Bitcoin briefly dipped below $100,000 twice this week, experiencing a 9.1% decline over the past seven days, yet analysts are characterizing the downturn as a “mid-cycle shakeout” rather than a fundamental trend reversal. The cryptocurrency’s volatility comes amidst fluctuations in the U.S. bond market, though Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) saw a significant inflow of $239 million on Thursday, breaking a six-day streak of redemptions.
Bond Market Volatility and Bitcoin’s Price Action
The recent price drop, which saw Bitcoin fall below $100,000 on Tuesday before a brief recovery and subsequent slip, is being attributed to “U.S. bond market whiplash.” Deutsche Bank analyst Jim Reid noted a sharp yield sell-off followed by a reversal, with the 10-year Treasury yield experiencing its largest daily decline since October 10. This bond market instability triggered a broader “risk-off” sentiment across global markets, impacting the S&P 500 and Nasdaq.
The October 10 market disruption was linked to President Donald Trump’s threats to increase tariffs on Chinese goods, which led to a significant crash in crypto prices and a record $19 billion in crypto derivatives liquidations.
ETF Inflows Suggest Resilience
Despite the short-term price pressure, the $239 million in net inflows into U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs on Thursday indicates continued investor interest. This inflow, led by BlackRock’s IBIT, Fidelity’s FBTC, and Ark 21Shares’ ARKB, ended one of the worst redemption weeks for these funds since their launch in January. Bitunix analyst Dean Chen suggested these inflows indicate “rotation rather than exit,” implying investors are reallocating capital within the crypto space while maintaining their risk appetite.
Improving Macro Conditions and Future Outlook
Analysts are optimistic about Bitcoin’s long-term prospects, citing improving macro conditions. Chen highlighted that with the Federal Reserve ending quantitative tightening on December 1 and having cut rates in September and October, liquidity is expected to become more supportive. This backdrop suggests the current pullback is more a “function of leverage reset rather than fundamental deterioration.”
Prediction markets also reflect a bullish sentiment, with traders on Myriad, a platform launched by Decrypt’s parent company Dastan, assigning a 55.5% probability that Bitcoin’s next major move will take it to $115,000, rather than a decline to $85,000.
