Decentral Block Post

Bitcoin (BTC) enters a new week with a question mark over the fate of the market ahead of another key United States monetary policy decision.

After sealing a successful weekly close — its highest since mid-June — BTC/USD is much more cautious as the Federal Reserve prepares to hike benchmark interest rates to fight inflation.

While many hoped that the pair could exit its recent trading range and continue higher, the weight of the Fed is clearly visible as the week gets underway, adding pressure to an already fragile risk asset scene.

That fragility is also showing in Bitcoin’s network fundamentals as miner strain becomes real and the true cost of mining through the bear market shows.

At the same time, there are encouraging signs from some on-chain metrics, with long-term investors still refusing to give in.

The bulls are attempting to achieve a strong weekly close for Bitcoin (BTC), while the bears are attempting to regain their advantage. Analysts are closely watching the 200-week moving average which is at $22,705 and BTC's current setup suggests that a decisive move is imminent. 

Many analysts expect a weekly close above the 200-week MA to attract further buying but a break below it could signal that bears are back in the game. Although the short-term picture looks uncertain, analyst Caleb Franzen said that Bitcoin has been in an accumulation zone since May.

Meanwhile, on-chain analytics firm CryptoQuant highlighted increasing outflows of Ether (ETH) from major exchanges, totaling $1.87 million coins on July 22. Usually, outflows from crypto exchanges suggest that traders are bullish for the long-term hence they may be moving their coins to safety.

Could Bitcoin resume its recovery, attracting buying in select altcoins? Let’s study the charts of the top-5 cryptocurrencies that look strong on the charts.

BTC/USDT

The bears tried to sink Bitcoin back into the symmetrical triangle on July 23 but the bulls had other plans. The rebound off the breakout level from the triangle indicates that buyers are defending the level aggressively.

Axie Infinity (AXS) has been forming a giant bearish reversal pattern since July last year, which could send its prices down by another 95% in 2022.

AXS risks one big breakdown

Dubbed the "inverted cup and handle," the pattern is identified by its large crescent shape followed by a modest upward retracement. It typically resolves after the price breaks out of the rising channel, followed by another break below the cup-and-handle's neckline support.

Meanwhile, as a rule of technical analysis, an inverted cup and handle breakout leads the price to the level at length equal to the maximum distance between the structure's top and support.

AXS's price rally during the second half of 2021, followed by its complete wipeout in 2022, makes a crescent shape trend, which looks like an inverted cup. Furthermore, the recent 50% price rebound from the June 18's local bottom of $11.82 forms an inverted handle, as shown below.

Thus, AXS's technicals appear skewed to the downside, given it breaks below the inverted handle range with a breakdown target of $1, down about 95% from today's price.

Axie Infinity (AXS) has been forming a giant bearish reversal pattern since July last year, which could send its prices down by another 95% in 2022.

AXS risks one big breakdown

Dubbed the "inverted cup and handle," the pattern is identified by its large crescent shape followed by a modest upward retracement. It typically resolves after the price breaks out of the rising channel, followed by another break below the cup-and-handle's neckline support.

Meanwhile, as a rule of technical analysis, an inverted cup and handle breakout leads the price to the level at length equal to the maximum distance between the structure's top and support.

AXS's price rally during the second half of 2021, followed by its complete wipeout in 2022, makes a crescent shape trend, which looks like an inverted cup. Furthermore, the recent 50% price rebound from the June 18's local bottom of $11.82 forms an inverted handle, as shown below.

Thus, AXS's technicals appear skewed to the downside, given it breaks below the inverted handle range with a breakdown target of $1, down about 95% from today's price.

Bitcoin (BTC) found strength at $22,000 into July 24 with bulls still aiming for a solid green weekly close.

Classic levels for end-of-week price focus

Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC/USD halting a weekend drop at $21,900 to return towards the $23,000 on the day.

The pair held a trading range closely focused on key long-term trendlines, which analysts had previously described as essential to reclaim.

These included the 50-day and 200-week moving averages (MAs), the latter particularly important as support during bear markets but which had acted as resistance since May.

“Bullish that we perfectly held the 13d ema + horizontal 21.9k,” popular Twitter trading account CryptoMellany argued in part of her latest update on the day.