Bitcoin extends its decline: What’s happening?
Bitcoin has seen a lot of straggles lately, losing more than 20% over the past month and dropping over 40% from its early October high above $126,000.
November became its worst month since June 2022, a period remembered for deep market turmoil.
The recent drop to the $80,000 area marked its lowest point in seven months. Even with a modest recovery afterward, the broader chart still reflects a clear downward trend.
There has also been a noticeable shift in the way sellers behave. For instance, last week Bitcoin reached a point where passive selling pressure on spot markets and perpetual futures stopped driving prices lower.
Liquidity remains stacked above the $92,000 level, which shows that some investors are still willing to sell into strength. However, they are no longer overwhelming the market as they did during the sharp declines in early November.
Institutional support for BTC continues
Institutional flows remain a major part of the story. The iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF recorded about $2.2 billion in outflows in November.
Analysts at Sentora say ETF redemptions are now acting as a mechanical force that accelerates declines by pushing Bitcoin through support zones and creating stress across the market.
JPMorgan recently noted that macroeconomic conditions have become a more dominant driver of crypto prices than the traditional four-year halving cycle. The bank also highlighted that early-stage projects once leaned heavily on large private fundraising rounds, leaving retail buyers to enter later at higher valuations.
Retail participation has faded since then, and institutional investors now play a larger role in providing depth and stability to the market.
Some firms remain confident. ARK Invest increased its exposure to the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF, purchasing more than 70,000 shares. This move seems to reflect ARK’s bullish long-term view on Bitcoin even in a difficult environment.
The big news this month was JPMorgan preparing to launch a structured bond linked to the performance of BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF IBIT. Some investors see this as a sign of speculative short-term strategy.
Anthony Scaramucci, on the other hand, sees a lot of potential for Bitcoin, with a large investment bank launching a Bitcoin-based derivative product.
The Strategy problem
In a recent report, JPMorgan estimates that Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) could face as much as $2.8 billion in outflows if MSCI removes it from key equity indices. This will make it harder for the company to continue sustainable growth.
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About $9 billion of Strategy’s $50 billion market valuation is linked to passive funds that track these indices. Despite all that, Strategy didn’t back down after a $19 billion liquidation event in October.
Some traders even view JPMorgan’s sudden change of stance on Strategy as a major contribution to the October flash crash.
In response to the JPMorgan report, CEO Michael Saylor has argued that Strategy should not be viewed as a fund or a holding company.
He described the company as an operating business with a large software division and a treasury approach that treats Bitcoin as productive capital. The message here is clear: Strategy will continue to buy Bitcoin despite the high-volatility market.
Bitcoin price prediction: What’s next in December?
Veteran trader Peter Brandt has pointed out that recent price action resembles a full dead cat pattern, although the short-term outlook may be shifting. Despite that, Brandt holds a bullish view in the long term.
The $80,000 region remains the most closest support level tested last week. A break below could trigger a slide toward t$70,000 range, which represents a major technical and psychological support area.
In case a deeper market sell-off, Bitcoin could fall into the $60,000 to $65,000 zone, which represents the lowest projected downside under current conditions. Further decline will likely be contained by ETF inflows and treasury companies.
None of this guarantees a reversal, but it signals that bulls are regaining some control of the short-term market. The next few weeks will determine whether Bitcoin can stabilize or whether the downward trend reasserts itself as the new year approaches.