Welcome to the US Morning Crypto News Briefing—your essential rundown of the most important developments in crypto for the day ahead.

Grab a coffee to see what experts have to say about Bitcoin’s (BTC) price outlook. Key investment strategies are driving the next directional bias for the pioneer crypto.

Is a $90,000 Breakout Imminent for Bitcoin?

Crypto markets continue to reel from Trump-infused volatility, which weighs heavily on investor sentiment. Traders and investors are bracing for macroeconomic headwinds that continue to temper modest gains. 

Among them is Trump’s tariff chaos, which provoked China’s retaliatory stance. Adding another layer of complexity to the US crypto news, Federal Reserve (Fed) chair Jerome Powell ruled out a near-term rate cut, citing economic uncertainty and risks from trade policy.

Reports also indicate that China is liquidating seized cryptocurrencies through private firms to support local government finances amid economic struggles.

The macro context also includes Jerome Powell’s hawkish Federal Reserve (Fed) stance, which ruled out a near-term rate cut.

Amidst this uncertainty, investors may delay allocating capital to high-volatility assets until the macroeconomic outlook stabilizes.

This likely explains Bitcoin’s stunted outlook, oscillating between the $80,000 and $90,000 psychological levels.

However, despite the concerns, analysts are still optimistic, citing key investment or trading strategies. BeInCrypto contacted Blockhead Research Network (BRN) analyst Valentin Fournier, who alluded to the Wyckoff price cycle.

“Our base case remains an accumulation phase, with occasional dips likely before Bitcoin can make a clean break above the $89,000–$90,000 resistance,” Fournier told BeInCrypto.

The Wyckoff Price Cycle, developed by Richard Wyckoff, is a technical analysis framework to identify market trends and trading opportunities. It consists of four phases:

• Accumulation: Where smart money buys at low prices, often marked by a “spring” (a false breakdown).
• Markup: A bullish phase with rising prices.
• Distribution: Where smart money sells at highs, also featuring a “spring” (false breakout).
• Markdown: A bearish phase with declining prices.

Fournier added that because Bitcoin dominance continues to rise, this suggests altcoins could continue underperforming in the short term.

He also noted that, in contrast to Bitcoin’s strength, trade tensions have affected traditional markets more.

“This is highlighted by Nvidia’s decline following new export restrictions on chips to China,” he said.

What Does Options Data Say?

If the accumulation phase thesis is true, it aligns with a recent analysis by Deribit’s Tony Stewart, highlighting trader sentiment favoring the upside.

The bullish cohort is buying $90,000 to $100,000 Calls, suggesting bets on a price rise for Bitcoin. However, others are bearish, buying $80,000 Puts and selling $100,000+ Calls, indicating they expect a decline or hedging.

Likewise, funding strategies reveal bullish traders are rolling up positions from $84,000 to $90,000 Calls and selling lower Puts ($75,000) to finance their bets. This indicates confidence in a near-term rally.

Chart of the Day

Traders analyze these repeating phases’ price action, volume, and market structure. Based on that, they can spot reversals and time entries or exits while understanding institutional behavior.

Byte-Sized Alpha

• Bitcoin whales withdrew over $280 million from exchanges in one day, signaling a bullish move toward cold storage amid market volatility.
• Gary Gensler warns that many altcoins lack solid fundamentals, and their value is driven more by sentiment, making them unsustainable.
• CEO Richard Teng confirms that Binance advises global governments on crypto policy and helps countries establish crypto reserves.
• Coinbase forecasts short-term crypto volatility through mid-May 2025, citing economic pressures and trade policy uncertainties.
• Ethereum’s dominance has dropped to 7.3%, hitting a 5-year low, which analysts view as a rare long-term buying opportunity.
• A16z urges the SEC to modernize crypto custody rules, advocating for RIAs to self-custody digital assets under clear safeguards.
• Bitcoin struggles below $85,000, and open interest remains stagnant below $36 billion, indicating indecision among traders. Positive funding rates hint at renewed optimism.
• Base reveals ambitious Q2 roadmap only hours after a meme coin, allegedly promoted by insiders, triggered a trading frenzy and abrupt collapse. 

Crypto Equities Pre-Market Overview