Crypto Rally Pauses as Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP Confront Technical Hurdles

Key Moments

Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Ripple (XRP) halt a two-day rebound. The impact of Vanguard Group’s decision to remove its crypto ETF ban is now fading.
Spot Ethereum and Ripple ETFs attracted $140.16 million and $50.72 million in inflows on Wednesday, while Bitcoin ETFs posted a $14.90 million outflow.
BTC, ETH and XRP all trade near key resistance or support zones, with mixed technical signals across RSI, MACD and major moving averages.

Recovery Momentum Cools Across Major Cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Ripple (XRP) pause their two-day advance on Thursday as enthusiasm tied to Vanguard Group’s decision to lift its ban on crypto Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) begins to fade. Meanwhile, institutional appetite for Ethereum and XRP remains firm. However, Bitcoin ETF flows have turned negative. Price action across all three assets is now approaching key technical levels.

The overall technical picture remains mixed. Each asset is testing or nearing critical resistance or support zones that could shape the next directional move.

Institutional Flows Favor Ethereum and XRP Over Bitcoin

Spot ETFs tied to Ethereum and Ripple drew solid inflows on Wednesday. This activity reflects what many describe as a pro-crypto shift among traditional financial players. Ethereum spot ETFs recorded $140.16 million in net inflows, while Ripple products added $50.72 million.

In contrast, Bitcoin ETFs posted a mild setback. They recorded an outflow of $14.90 million on Wednesday and ended a five-day streak of net inflows. This divergence underscores shifting institutional positioning: flows for Bitcoin and Ethereum appear more volatile, whereas confidence behind XRP remains comparatively resilient.

Asset	ETF Flow (Wednesday)	Recent Flow Trend
Bitcoin (BTC)	– $14.90 million	Ended five-day streak of inflows
Ethereum (ETH)	$140.16 million	Net inflows
Ripple (XRP)	$50.72 million	Net inflows; confidence remains strong

Bitcoin Holds Above New Support, but Upside Tests Await

Bitcoin trades above $93,000 after a two-day bounce, having secured a daily close above the $92,800 level. That area, aligned with the April 28 low, has now been converted into support and signals a bullish breakout that could potentially open the way toward the June 22 low at $98,200.

Based on the Supertrend Indicator, a move beyond that $98,200 threshold would confirm a new bullish phase and generate a fresh buy signal.

Momentum indicators on the daily chart point to easing downside pressure. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) has recovered to 48 after dropping into oversold territory in late November. In parallel, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) continues to grind higher, with green histogram bars building above the zero line, indicating strengthening upside momentum.

On the downside, a failure to hold $92,800 could leave BTC vulnerable to a deeper pullback into a demand band between $84,700 and $80,600.

Ethereum Benefits from Strong On-chain Activity and Technical Support

Ethereum’s on-chain activity has intensified this week. Transactions per Second (TPS) surpassed 34,000 on Wednesday, setting a record as the Fusaka upgrade went live.

At the same time, data from Santiment shows Network Growth – defined as the number of new addresses based on their first transaction – has risen to its highest level in five months, signaling expanding participation in the network.

ETH trades above $3,200 on Thursday at the time of writing, consolidating after gaining more than 14% over the previous two sessions. The token is moving toward a critical descending resistance trendline drawn from the October 7 and October 27 highs on the daily chart, with that barrier now coming into play near $3,250.

If Ethereum breaks through this trendline, the 50-day and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs) at $3,361 and $3,475, respectively, are expected to act as dynamic resistance before prices potentially challenge a supply zone around $3,650. Both RSI and MACD for ETH, similar to BTC, indicate a gradual build-up in buying pressure.

On the downside, the psychological $3,000 level is the first notable support, followed by the November 21 low at $2,623 if selling intensifies.

Ripple Faces Overhead Pressure After Recent Gains

Ripple trades about 1% lower at press time on Thursday after printing two consecutive bullish daily candles earlier in the week. Overhead supply around $2.20 is capping the latest rebound and creating the risk of a reversal below the $2.00 round number if sellers manage to force a negative daily close.

The RSI has slipped to 47, moving away from the midpoint and hinting at renewed selling headwinds. Even so, the MACD line and its signal line continue to edge higher, suggesting that underlying upside momentum has not completely faded.

If XRP falls below $2.00, the next key level to watch is support at $1.90, which is associated with the June 22 low. On the upside, if the recovery resumes, immediate resistance is seen at the 50-day EMA near $2.31.