Total crypto market capitalization tumbled from $239 billion on September 5 to $200 billion on September 6, according to data from CoinMarketCap. One of the probable triggers for the fall was a Business Insider report that Goldman Sachs was dumping its plans to launch a cryptocurrency trading desk.
On September 6, Goldman Sachs Chief Financial Officer Martin Chavez called the news as “fake.” He clarified that the investment bank is still working on a type of derivative for Bitcoin. Though this news stabilized markets, it did not result in a sharp price recovery. This shows that the bulls are cautious, following frequent failed attempts to start a new uptrend.
Coinbase crypto exchange has said that it is exploring the option of creating a cryptocurrency-based exchange-traded fund (ETF) with the help of BlackRock. While institutional players are considering entering this space, retail investors are losing interest as cryptocurrencies plunge to new lows.
In a recent survey by YouGov Omnibus, 49 percent of respondents were glad they had not purchased Bitcoin, while 15 percent wish they had purchased Bitcoin earlier, but believe it already too late to invest. Only a few respondents have any plans to buy Bitcoin in the near future. This shows that sentiment is largely bearish among retail investors and might be a contrarian signal of a bottom formation in the near future.
Do any cryptocurrencies show signs of a change in trend? Let’s find out.
BTC/USD
Bitcoin hit our suggested stops on long positions at the breakeven on September 5. The cryptocurrency has formed a series of lower highs in 2018, shown as ellipse on the chart. Joining all the turning points forms a bearish descending triangle pattern, that will complete on a breakdown and close below $5,900.
Another bearish pattern that is setting up is the head and shoulders, which will also complete on a breakdown below $5,900. So, the key level to watch on the downside is the support zone of $5,900–$6,075.04, which has held on four previous occasions this year.
If the bulls hold the support zone, the BTC/USD pair will make another attempt to form a higher high and start a new uptrend. The first sign of strength will be a break out above the downtrend line of the triangle and the right shoulder. The failure of a bearish pattern is a bullish sign. The bullish trend will further be confirmed on a rally above $8,566.4.
On the other hand, if the bears sustain below the $5,900 level, a drop to $5,450 and thereafter to $5,000 is possible.
We shall wait for the virtual currency to show some strength before suggesting any long positions.
ETH/USD
Ethereum is in a firm bear grip with both moving averages trending down and the RSI in the oversold territory. The bulls are trying to defend the psychological level of $200 but are unable to push prices higher.
A break below the September 6 lows will increase the probability of a fall to the pattern target of $192.93.
After the recent breakdowns, we believe that the ETH/USD pair will have to undergo a long bottoming process before a new uptrend starts. Traders should wait for the decline to end and a new bullish pattern to form before attempting a buy.
XRP/USD
Ripple fell to a low of $0.26801 on September 6 where some buying emerged, but every small rise is facing selling pressure. A break of the $0.24508–$0.27 support zone will resume the downtrend and push prices to the next support level at $0.24001.
Both moving averages are sloping down, which shows that the sellers still have the upper hand.
If the XRP/USD pair scales above $0.37390, it will indicate that buying interest is returning. A breakout above the downtrend line might start a new uptrend. Traders should wait for a new buy setup to form before initiating any long positions.
BCH/USD
The bulls defended the critical support of $473.9060 on September 6 but are facing selling at the $529 mark. If support breaks, Bitcoin Cash could plunge to $400.
If the support holds, the BCH/USD pair will again attempt to break out of the moving averages. We will turn positive if the bulls sustain above the $670 mark. Until then, traders should avoid bottom fishing at lower levels.