Bitcoin remains under pressure as global markets digest a further shift away from ultra-loose monetary policy in Japan. At its December meeting, the Bank of Japan raised its short-term policy rate to around 0.75% from 0.5%, citing growing confidence that inflation will remain near its 2% target, according to official statements.

The decision reflects stronger wage growth and persistent price pressures. Japan’s headline inflation stays around 2.9% in November, whereas, core inflation held above target for a 44th straight month, based on reported government data. Policymakers emphasised that real rates remain deeply negative, signaling any further tightening will be gradual and data-dependent.

Markets Absorb the Move With Little Shock

In response to the news, Japanese government bond yields surged higher, with long-dated yields hovering near recent highs. Whereas, the Japanese yen weakened modestly, suggesting the interest rate hike was largely priced in. Broader risk assets remained cautious rather than reactive.

Crypto markets, however, stayed under pressure. Bitcoin has slipped around 7% in the last seven days, while Ethereum has fallen by more than 10%, according to market data, reflecting weak risk appetite rather than Japan-specific flows.

Why Japan Still Matters for Bitcoin

For Bitcoin, the relevance lies less in the immediate response and more in the global liquidity backdrop. Japan has long functioned as a key funding market, and higher yields could gradually tighten global financial conditions. Investors are now watching whether continued BoJ normalization feeds into risk assets over time.

Against this backdrop, Bitcoin’s ability to reclaim higher levels will depend on technical confirmation, as traders balance tightening signals against longer-term adoption and structural demand trends.

Bitcoin Technical Analysis: Signs of a Developing Base

Recent candles show selling pressure fading. Long lower wicks followed by small bodies suggest dip buying rather than forced liquidation. Momentum supports that view, with RSI recovering toward 52 after leaving oversold territory, pointing to stabilization rather than continuation lower.

Price action now resembles base formation, not a reversal. On TradingView’s path projection, the preferred scenario is a slow push back toward the channel midline if Bitcoin reclaims the $88,200–$89,200 pivot zone.

Key Levels That Define the Next Move

A sustained move above the pivot would open upside toward $92,000, then $94,200, the prior range high. Failure to hold $84,500 shifts focus to $80,600, where the ascending channel base sits.

From a trading perspective, structure favors patience. Acceptance above $89,200 offers upside setups toward the low-$90,000s, while risk remains defined below recent lows. For now, the correction looks like consolidation, not breakdown.

PEPENODE: A Mine-to-Earn Meme Coin Nearing Presale Close

PEPENODE is gaining momentum as a next-generation meme coin that blends viral culture with interactive gameplay. With over $2.36 mn raised and the presale approaching its cap, interest is building fast as the countdown enters its final stretch.

What makes PEPENODE stand out is its mine-to-earn virtual ecosystem. Instead of passive holding, users can build digital server rooms using Miner Nodes and facilities, earning simulated rewards through a visual dashboard. The concept brings gamification and competition into the meme coin space, giving holders something to do before launch.

The project also offers presale staking, allowing early participants to earn boosted rewards ahead of the token generation event. Leaderboards and bonus incentives are planned post-launch to keep engagement high.

With 1 $PEPENODE priced at $0.0012016 and limited allocation remaining, the presale is entering its final opportunity window for early buyers.

The post Bitcoin Price Prediction: Can the BTC Price Push Above $90,000 With the Latest BoJ Rate Hikes? appeared first on Cryptonews.

Bitcoin is trading at a turning point as macro and chart signals converge. US inflation data and shifting rate expectations continue to shape risk appetite, while price action sits just above $85,000, a level buyers have defended repeatedly.

Technically, BTC remains below key moving averages, keeping rallies fragile. A daily close below support exposes $80,600, while recovery above $90,200 would signal early stabilization.

US CPI Misses, BoE Cuts Rates, ECB Holds: What Today’s Data Means for Markets

Today’s macro releases delivered a coordinated signal from global central banks: inflation pressures are easing, but growth remains fragile, keeping policymakers cautious rather than confident.

The Bank of England cut its benchmark rate to 3.75%, the lowest level in nearly three years, after UK inflation slowed to 3.2% in November from 3.6%. The decision passed narrowly, highlighting internal concern about cutting too aggressively.

Governor Andrew Bailey said inflation has moved past its recent peak, but warned that UK economic momentum remains weak, with output expected to show little or no growth in the final quarter of 2025. This was a defensive adjustment, not a pivot toward stimulus.

In the euro area, the European Central Bank held rates unchanged, keeping the deposit rate at 2.00% and the main refinancing rate at 2.15%. Updated projections show inflation easing toward target over the medium term, but policymakers reiterated that future decisions will remain data-driven.

The ECB’s message was restraint: policy is restrictive enough, but the case for near-term easing is not yet compelling.

The most market-sensitive release came from the US. November CPI undershot expectations, with headline inflation at 2.7% year-on-year versus a 3.1% consensus, while core CPI slowed to 2.6% against a 3.0% forecast.

At the same time, initial jobless claims held at 224K, but the Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index fell sharply to -10.2, signalling renewed weakness in industrial activity.

Taken together, today’s data suggest that rates are approaching their peak across major economies, while downside growth risks are becoming more visible.

Bitcoin Price Prediction: Bearish Flag Breakdown Keeps $85K in Focus

Bitcoin’s daily chart shows the market entering a technically sensitive phase, with price trading near $85,600, just above a minor support zone at $85,000–$85,100. This area has attracted dip buyers repeatedly, but follow-through has weakened, pointing to fading demand rather than panic selling.

Structurally, Bitcoin has confirmed a bearish flag breakdown, a continuation pattern formed after the sharp decline from the $100,000 region earlier this quarter. The break reinforces that the broader trend remains corrective.

Price remains capped below the 50-day EMA near $94,500 and the 100-day EMA around $100,100, both sloping lower and acting as dynamic resistance. Until those levels are reclaimed, upside attempts are likely to face selling pressure.

Bitcoin Technical Outlook: Momentum Weak, $80K Path Opens

Momentum remains soft. RSI in the high-30s shows limited buying strength without oversold conditions, leaving room for further downside. Recent candles are small and overlapping, pointing to consolidation rather than accumulation, with no reversal signal in place.

A daily close below $85,000 would likely trigger a move toward $83,000, with the bearish flag projecting downside toward $80,600. On the upside, a sustained reclaim of $90,200 is needed to ease pressure and shift focus back to $94,500, where supply remains heavy.

Near term, failed rebounds below $90,000 continue to favor sellers. Deeper dips toward the $80,000 area may attract longer-term buyers rather than aggressive short covering.

PEPENODE: A Mine-to-Earn Meme Coin Nearing Presale Close

PEPENODE is gaining momentum as a next-generation meme coin that blends viral culture with interactive gameplay. With over $2.36 mn raised and the presale approaching its cap, interest is building fast as the countdown enters its final stretch.

What makes PEPENODE stand out is its mine-to-earn virtual ecosystem. Instead of passive holding, users can build digital server rooms using Miner Nodes and facilities, earning simulated rewards through a visual dashboard. The concept brings gamification and competition into the meme coin space, giving holders something to do before launch.

The project also offers presale staking, allowing early participants to earn boosted rewards ahead of the token generation event. Leaderboards and bonus incentives are planned post-launch to keep engagement high.

With 1 $PEPENODE priced at $0.0012016 and limited allocation remaining, the presale is entering its final opportunity window for early buyers.

The post Bitcoin Price Prediction: Bear Flag Strengthens After CPI as $85K Wobbles appeared first on Cryptonews.

Bitcoin is trying to stabilise after a sharp $4,000 sell-off on December 17, trading near $87,000. The immediate question for market participants is straightforward: can BTC recover enough ground to reclaim $90,000 before Christmas, or has the recent drop shifted momentum decisively lower?

The timing matters. Markets are entering a period of thinner liquidity, and US CPI data due today could determine whether risk appetite stabilises or fades further. With inflation expectations shaping interest-rate outlooks, Bitcoin is responding less to crypto-specific developments and more to macro signals.

Sentiment Weakens as Risk Appetite Fades

Investor positioning has turned defensive following last week’s decline. The Crypto Fear and Greed Index has fallen to 22, placing sentiment firmly in fear territory. This reflects reduced risk-taking rather than forced selling, with traders scaling back exposure while waiting for clearer confirmation.

ETF activity supports this view. US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a net inflow of roughly 5,210 BTC on December 17, according to CoinGlass data. However, inflows stalled in subsequent sessions. While cumulative net inflows remain substantial at around 626,600 BTC, the lack of consistent daily additions points to hesitation rather than renewed demand.

Trading activity also remains contained. Daily spot ETF trading volume stood near $6.76 billion, with total net assets holding close to $121 billion, indicating stability but limited appetite for aggressive positioning.

Fundamentals Hold, but Macro Sets the Pace; US CPI In Focus

Bitcoin’s longer-term fundamentals remain intact. Circulating supply stands near 19.96 million BTC, continuing its gradual move toward the fixed 21 million coin cap. Network security remains stable, and while institutional activity has slowed, there is no sign of a broad exit from the market.

In the near term, macro conditions are driving price action. Markets are focused on US CPI data due at 13:30 UTC, which carries added weight after October’s report was cancelled and November data were partially incomplete due to the federal government shutdown.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the most recent complete data showed headline CPI at 3.0% year on year, with core inflation slowing to 3.0%.

Consensus forecasts now point to headline CPI at 3.1% and core inflation at 3.0%, both above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.

With daily Bitcoin trading volume near 44 billion dollars, participation appears steady but cautious. A stronger CPI reading could weigh on risk assets, while a softer print may give Bitcoin room to stabilise.

Bear Flag Breakdown Keeps Pressure On

Technically, Bitcoin remains under pressure. The daily chart confirms a bear flag breakdown, signaling continuation of the prior downtrend rather than a pause. BTC is trading below the 50-day EMA near $94,500 and the 100-day EMA around $100,100, both of which continue to cap upside attempts.

Momentum indicators align with this view. The RSI in the low-40s shows persistent bearish pressure without reaching oversold levels. Recent candles reflect weak follow-through on rallies, suggesting buyers are hesitant ahead of macro risk.

Key support sits in the $85,000–$84,000 zone. A daily close below this area would expose $80,600. On the upside, Bitcoin needs to reclaim $90,200 decisively to challenge the bearish structure.

Bitcoin Price Prediction Ahead of Christmas

In the near term, Bitcoin’s path hinges on US CPI and follow-through price action. A move above $90,000 before Christmas is possible, but it likely requires a softer inflation print and a quick reclaim of broken support. Without that, rallies may struggle and remain vulnerable to selling pressure.

For now, Bitcoin appears caught between macro uncertainty and technical resistance. Whether the next move is a recovery toward $96,800 or a deeper test toward $80,000 will depend less on sentiment and more on how markets digest inflation data and risk heading into year-end.

While Bitcoin reacts to macro pressure, some investors are also watching early-stage crypto projects nearing critical presale deadlines.

PEPENODE: A Mine-to-Earn Meme Coin Nearing Presale Close

PEPENODE is gaining momentum as a next-generation meme coin that blends viral culture with interactive gameplay. With over $2.36 mn raised and the presale approaching its cap, interest is building fast as the countdown enters its final stretch.

What makes PEPENODE stand out is its mine-to-earn virtual ecosystem. Instead of passive holding, users can build digital server rooms using Miner Nodes and facilities, earning simulated rewards through a visual dashboard. The concept brings gamification and competition into the meme coin space, giving holders something to do before launch.

The project also offers presale staking, allowing early participants to earn boosted rewards ahead of the token generation event. Leaderboards and bonus incentives are planned post-launch to keep engagement high.

With 1 $PEPENODE priced at $0.0012016 and limited allocation remaining, the presale is entering its final opportunity window for early buyers.

The post Bitcoin Price Prediction: Can the BTC Price Push Above $90,000 Before Christmas After the $4K Dump on Dec.17?  appeared first on Cryptonews.