According to Fixygen, the cryptocurrency market is ending the week on a downtrend: Bitcoin is hovering around $73,500, Ethereum around $2,000, while investors are reducing risk amid geopolitical tensions, outflows from crypto ETFs, and cautious expectations regarding U.S. interest rates.
As of May 29, Bitcoin was trading around $73,550, Ethereum around $2,000. During the day, BTC fell to $72,560, and ETH to $1,970, reflecting continued pressure on the largest crypto assets following a sharp deterioration in market sentiment.
The main external factor of the week was the escalation of geopolitical risks following U.S. strikes on Iran. Against this backdrop, investors shifted to safer assets, oil prices rose, and expectations for a Fed rate cut dimmed due to the potential for increased inflationary pressure. This was a negative combination for the crypto market, as digital assets remain sensitive to liquidity, interest rates, and risk appetite.
Over the week, Bitcoin shifted from cautious consolidation around $76,000 to a decline toward the $73,000 range. As recently as May 24, the market remained in a wait-and-see mode: BTC was trading near $76,000, Ethereum near $2,100, and market participants were assessing outflows from ETFs and the prospects for digital asset regulation in the U.S. By the end of the week, pressure intensified, and the recovery in demand from institutional investors proved insufficient to reverse the market trend.
Flows into exchange-traded funds became a significant factor. According to Farside Investors, on May 26, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a combined net outflow of approximately $648.6 million. The previous week also saw negative trends for these funds: on May 19, outflows totaled approximately $331.1 million; on May 20, $70.5 million; on May 21, $100.9 million; and on May 22, $105.2 million.
According to market estimates, the total outflow from cryptocurrency ETFs over the past two weeks exceeded $2.5 billion. This has become one of the key signals that institutional investors are temporarily reducing their exposure to digital assets amid high volatility and uncertainty in global markets.
Large holders exerted additional pressure on Bitcoin. According to the Economic Times, BTC consolidated around $73,600 amid increased activity from so-called “whales,” and outflows from large addresses reached their highest level since February. The market typically interprets this signal as a possible indication that major players are preparing to sell or reallocate their positions.
Ethereum also remained under pressure. The largest altcoin fell to around $2,000, and spot Ethereum ETFs, according to SoSoValue, recorded several consecutive days of net outflows in mid-May. ETH’s weakness heightened caution in the altcoin market, where investors typically reduce positions more quickly amid declining liquidity.
Among the largest cryptocurrencies, XRP and Solana were also under pressure. According to Barron’s, amid a deteriorating external environment, Ethereum fell more sharply than Bitcoin, while XRP and Solana also lost several percentage points. This confirms that the sell-off was broad-based rather than isolated and affected both core assets and riskier market segments.
A notable event of the week was Tether’s announcement of plans to launch a digital token pegged to the Georgian lari, with the support of the Georgian government. The project could become one of the rare examples of cooperation between a private stablecoin issuer and a government; however, details regarding the token’s structure and the role of regulators remain unclear.
Thus, the crypto market ends the week in a weak position. Short-term dynamics depend on three factors: whether outflows from ETFs continue or stop, investor reactions to geopolitical risks, and expectations regarding Fed interest rates. Until these factors provide the market with a sustainable impetus for recovery, Bitcoin remains in a zone of heightened volatility, while altcoins face even stronger pressure.
The cryptocurrency market remains one of the most volatile segments of global finance. Bitcoin and Ethereum hold the largest market capitalization shares among digital assets, and the launch of spot ETFs in the U.S. has strengthened the crypto market’s link to traditional financial markets, institutional capital flows, and monetary policy expectations.
According to Fixygen, the cryptocurrency market is ending the week in a mode of cautious consolidation: Bitcoin is holding near $76,000, Ethereum is around $2,100, and investors are assessing outflows from spot ETFs, macroeconomic risks, and the prospects for digital asset regulation in the U.S.
At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading around $76,300, and Ethereum around $2,087. Daily price action remained moderately positive following a dip earlier in the week, though the market has yet to return to sustained growth.
Outflows from cryptocurrency ETFs put pressure on the market throughout the week. According to industry reports, spot BTC ETFs in the U.S. recorded significant net outflows, and Ethereum ETFs were also under pressure. Amber Group noted that ETF flows for BTC and ETH shifted to outflows, reflecting more cautious investor sentiment.
WSJ Market Talk painted a similar picture: nearly $1.7 billion flowed out of Bitcoin ETFs over five days, while long-term Bitcoin holders did not exhibit significant selling pressure. Ethereum, according to this review, remained noticeably below its May peak amid sustained outflows from ETH ETFs.
At the start of the week, Bitcoin fell to a more than two-week low, dropping to around $76,000 amid a stock market pullback and rising yields. MarketWatch noted that on May 18, BTC lost about 2.5%, and the intraday low was the lowest since late April.
However, the market partially recovered by the end of the week. The Economic Times attributed Bitcoin’s rebound to $78,000 to improved sentiment following Nvidia’s strong earnings report and stabilizing buyer demand. However, BTC has not yet managed to hold above this level.
According to CoinGecko, the total market capitalization of the crypto market is approximately $2.64 trillion, with Bitcoin’s market cap at around $1.54 trillion and its market share at approximately 58.1%. This indicates that the market remains in a phase of BTC dominance, and a full-scale rotation of capital into altcoins has not yet occurred.
CoinMarketCap also indicates “Bitcoin Season” mode: the altseason index stands at around 37 out of 100, confirming Bitcoin’s dominance over most altcoins. Among the largest coins, BTC, ETH, BNB, Solana, and XRP were rising at the time, though the momentum remained more corrective than impulsive.
For the coming week, the $75,000–$78,000 range remains the key technical benchmark for Bitcoin. Holding above $75,000 could maintain a sideways consolidation scenario with attempts to return to $78,000–$80,000. A break below this level would increase the risk of a move toward lower support levels. For Ethereum, the $2,000–$2,150 range remains important: the weakness of the ETH-ETF and the lack of strong rotation into altcoins limit the potential for a rapid recovery.
The medium-term outlook remains ambiguous. On the one hand, the market is supported by institutional interest, limited BTC supply, and Bitcoin’s unchanged role as the leading crypto asset. On the other hand, outflows from ETFs, uncertainty regarding Fed rates, high correlation with tech stocks, and the weakness of altcoins make the market vulnerable to new corrections.
According to Fixygen, the cryptocurrency market began to recover last week and early this week following a weak start to the year: Bitcoin returned above $80,000 and rose to $81,600 on May 5, while Ethereum traded around $2,380 and Solana around $85–86. According to MarketWatch, Bitcoin reached its highest level since late January, and the CoinDesk Bitcoin Price Index rose for six consecutive days, gaining about 8% over that period.
Last week, Bitcoin mostly traded within the $75,700–$80,000 range, while Ethereum traded around $2,200–$2,380. The market reacted to improved risk appetite, inflows into Bitcoin ETFs, and expectations of greater regulatory clarity in the U.S. According to Saxo, ETF flows were mixed midweek but turned positive again by Friday, supporting the price recovery.
Momentum picked up earlier this week: Bitcoin broke through $80,000 for the first time since late January, and a number of crypto stocks also rose amid discussions of a compromise on the U.S. Clarity Act, which is intended to clarify the regulation of the digital asset and stablecoin markets. Investors.com notes that the bill boosted sentiment in the sector, while demand for a Bitcoin ETF remained one of the drivers of growth.
Nevertheless, the market does not yet appear to be unequivocally bullish. Barron’s points out that, despite Bitcoin’s return above $80,000 and a rise of approximately 17% over the month, it remains significantly below the all-time high reached in the fall of 2025. The publication also notes that geopolitical tensions and the risk of rising oil prices continue to weigh on risky assets.
The main short-term trend is the market’s attempt to consolidate above the psychological $80,000 level for Bitcoin. If buyers hold this level, the next target could be the $84,000–$86,000 range, where profit-taking is likely following a rapid recovery. With weak ETF inflows or a deterioration in the broader market environment, Bitcoin could return to the $76,000–$78,000 range.
Ethereum currently appears weaker than Bitcoin. Its growth is supported by the general market recovery, but ETH has fewer strong drivers of its own. For the picture to improve, Ethereum needs to consolidate above $2,400; otherwise, it may continue to move sideways in the $2,200–2,400 range.
Altcoins remain dependent on Bitcoin’s performance. Solana and other major tokens are recovering, but investors remain cautious: following the sharp market drop at the start of the year, capital is first returning to Bitcoin and only then to riskier assets. Therefore, a full-fledged “alt season” is only possible with sustained BTC growth and reduced volatility.
The base case for the near term is moderately positive: the market may continue its recovery if Bitcoin stays above $80,000, ETF inflows persist, and regulatory expectations in the U.S. remain favorable. The negative scenario involves a return to a downtrend amid intensifying geopolitical risks, rising U.S. yields, or disappointment regarding ETF inflows. In this case, the crypto market may once again enter a defensive phase, where Bitcoin will appear more stable than most altcoins.
For Fixygen.ua, the key takeaway is that the current rally looks more like a recovery rally following a sharp decline than the start of a confident new bull cycle. The market needs three confirmations: Bitcoin’s sustained consolidation above $80,000, stable inflows into ETFs, and a reduction in macroeconomic risks. Without these, the rally may remain a technical bounce within a broader volatile phase.
According to Fixygen, Strategy Inc., one of the largest corporate holders of Bitcoin, purchased $2.54 billion worth of the cryptocurrency last week, according to documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This marks the company’s largest weekly Bitcoin purchase volume since November 2024.
According to the disclosed information, the purchase was financed using funds raised by Strategy through a $2.18 billion placement of preferred shares, as well as common shares.
Amid this news, the price of Bitcoin rose 0.6% on Monday, reaching $75,136. Over the past month, the cryptocurrency has risen 6% in value.
At the same time, Strategy’s own shares fell 3% in pre-market trading in the U.S.
Strategy Inc. is an American software development company, formerly known as MicroStrategy. In recent years, it has become one of the most prominent public corporate investors in Bitcoin, making the purchase of cryptocurrency a key element of its financial strategy. The company regularly raises capital through stock and debt offerings to further expand its cryptocurrency reserves.
According to Fixygen, this week was marked by high volatility for the crypto market, but by the end of the week, digital assets had managed to recoup a significant portion of their losses. As of Friday, Bitcoin was trading around $71,530, having risen to $73,900 during the day. Ethereum held steady at $2,120, with an intraday high of $2,200. This indicates that, following a nervous reaction to the escalation in the Middle East, the market has once again shifted toward buying the dips.
The main external driver of the week remained the conflict surrounding Iran. Oil jumped to $119.5 per barrel at the start of the week, and by Friday, Brent was hovering around $100, which intensified fears of a new round of inflation and a deterioration in global risk sentiment. Against this backdrop, the crypto market initially traded like a classic risk asset but then began to appear more stable than stocks and a number of other volatile instruments.
According to Fixygen analysts, institutional flows provided support to the market. According to CoinShares, for the week ending March 9, digital investment products attracted $619 million, with nearly all of the positive momentum coming from the U.S. Bitcoin accounted for $521 million in net inflows, Ethereum for $88.5 million, and Solana for $14.6 million, while XRP, conversely, saw a notable outflow of $30.3 million. The week prior, the market had already seen $1 billion in inflows following five weeks of outflows, indicating a gradual return of demand after the February correction.
However, the week’s performance was uneven. CoinShares notes that in the first three days, investors poured $1.44 billion into digital assets, but then on Thursday and Friday, outflows of $829 million followed due to a spike in oil prices. In other words, the market remains extremely sensitive to macroeconomics: as soon as traders again saw the risk of higher inflation and tighter interest rate expectations, appetite for crypto assets immediately deteriorated.
From a fundamental perspective, the week was rather neutral-to-positive. On the one hand, expectations remain that the U.S. ETF market will continue to gradually expand the presence of institutional capital in cryptocurrencies. On the other hand, difficulties have resurfaced in the U.S. regarding a key bill to regulate the crypto market: negotiations have stalled due to a dispute between banks and crypto companies over the future model for stablecoin products. This means that the market continues to receive support from capital but lacks full regulatory clarity.
In the short term, the market looks like this: Bitcoin has once again consolidated above the psychological threshold of $70,000, while Ethereum is holding the $2,000 range. This is a positive sign following the nervousness seen in February and March. But if the oil shock drags on and inflationary pressure intensifies, cryptocurrencies could quickly return to a mode of sharp sell-offs. For now, the week has largely ended in favor of the bulls: institutional money has returned, Bitcoin has rebounded, and the market has shown that even against the backdrop of war and high oil prices, it is not yet ready to enter a full-blown phase of capitulation.
According to Fixygen, the crypto market spent the week in a mode of restrained correction and sideways movement. Bitcoin fell by approximately 1.9% over the period, from $68,978 to $67,700, maintaining a trading range of $65,740-70,167. Ethereum fell by approximately 2.0% over the same week, from $1,998.79 to $1,957.86, with a range of $1,907.76 to $2,037.08.
As of February 22, CoinMarketCap estimated Bitcoin’s capitalization at $1.35 trillion at a price of about $67,660, and Ethereum’s capitalization at $236.3 billion at a price of about $1,957.8. Trading volumes indicated the dominance of stablecoins in circulation: USDT traded around $42.19 billion per day, which is significantly higher than the total turnover of BTC and ETH for the same period.
The main factors of the week were continued tension around capital flows into crypto instruments and cautious risk appetite. The market discussed protracted outflows from US spot Bitcoin ETFs and deteriorating sentiment amid macroeconomic uncertainty. At the same time, by the end of the week, Bitcoin showed relative stability at around $68,000, even amid news of tariff initiatives in the US.
The news agenda also highlighted the topic of stablecoin regulation and sanctions compliance. The Financial Times wrote about the European Commission’s proposal to expand the sanctions regime and effectively ban crypto transactions related to Russia, including references to specific payment solutions and stablecoin projects. Against this backdrop, on February 16, CoinDesk took a detailed look at the case of the ruble-pegged stablecoin A7A5 and its attempts to scale up amid sanctions pressure.
According to Fixygen, the market will assess how stable demand is after a series of outflows from ETFs, how quickly risk appetite responds to trade tariff signals, and new regulatory steps in the US and EU.