Yeliz Akmaca 
Bitcoin briefly erased all its yearly gains over the weekend as heavy selling pressure dragged the price below key support levels. The broader crypto market downturn pushed BTC back under 94,000 dollars, raising concerns among investors despite high expectations for the year.
Bitcoin tests a key support level
Weekend sell-offs pulled Bitcoin down to 93,029 dollars, slipping below the 93,507-dollar level where the year began. A mild rebound lifted BTC back toward 94,209 dollars, yet overall pressure on the crypto market remains intact. Meanwhile, investors continue to question why the market failed to recover even after the U.S. government ended its 43-day shutdown. This development created a contrast with the optimistic expectations that dominated early 2025.
Corporate interest rises, but the price remains under pressure
The strong outlook at the beginning of 2025 was supported by the Trump administration’s pro-crypto stance and increasing corporate Bitcoin treasury allocations. Additionally, fresh inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs boosted expectations. Despite these favorable factors, BTC continued its decline as regulatory momentum increased. A major reason behind the weak price action has been profit-taking by long-term holders and OG Bitcoin investors. According to Glassnode analysts, this behavior is not panic-driven but rather a typical late-cycle pattern. At the same time, leading altcoins such as Ethereum and Solana have also fallen between 7 and 28 percent, showing that the downturn is market-wide.
Bitcoin cycle debate resurfaces
Analysts have renewed discussions on whether the classic four-year Bitcoin cycle still applies. With institutional participation rising, some believe traditional models have lost their predictive power. However, several experts still expect a strong bull phase in 2026. Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan argues that macroeconomic conditions combined with the “debasement trade” could trigger a new surge in BTC. Furthermore, the continued growth of stablecoins and tokenization supports the long-term expansion of the crypto ecosystem. Greater user adoption and clearer regulations are also listed among the constructive long-term factors.
BTC Analysis
Our analyst reports that Bitcoin continues to maintain its long-term upward trend on the weekly chart. The sharp correction from 110,000 dollars in January to 74,000 dollars created the same panic cycle seen in previous market phases. From that level, BTC rallied strongly toward 126,000 dollars, forming a new upward leg. A similar scenario remains possible in the current structure.
Technically, the potential reversal zone sits between 88,000 and 73,000 dollars. The price may bounce earlier, but the key factor is whether a confirmed breakout follows. Without such a breakout, BTC could revisit 106,000 dollars before turning downward again. For this reason, waiting for breakouts instead of trying to catch the exact bottom offers a safer strategy.
As long as the 73,000-dollar level holds, the overall trend structure is not expected to face major deterioration. Investors seeking to move with the trend may benefit from waiting for clearer direction and confirmation.
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