Crypto consolidation continues with neutral sentiment, steady inflows

The cryptocurrency market remained in consolidation mode after last week’s rebound, with benchmark token Bitcoin trading steady around the $114,000 level. Ethereum, the second-largest digital asset, also hovered near the $4,100 mark.  Broader sentiment stayed cautious, as most altcoins came under pressure. Pi (PI) led the decline, slipping around 12 per cent, followed by Story (IP), Zcash (ZEC), and SPX6900 (SPX), each shedding about 8 per cent. Selective buying, however, was evident in a few names such as Hedera (HBAR) and OFFICIAL TRUMP (TRUMP), which gained 17 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively, data from CoinMarketCap showed. 

The overall tone of crypto markets, analysts said, remains neutral, with the Fear & Greed Index steady at 42 — indicating reduced panic and improving investor confidence.

 

Bitcoin trades steady; faces resistance at $116,900

At last check, Bitcoin was quoted at $114,137.81, down 1.56 per cent over the past 24 hours, with a trading volume of $54.23 billion, according to CoinMarketCap. The digital currency moved between $113,566 and $115,779 during the session. Despite the marginal decline, Bitcoin’s market capitalization held firm at $2.14 trillion, underscoring its dominance within the crypto ecosystem.

 

At current levels, Bitcoin trades over 9 per cent below its record high of $126,198, hit on October 7 this year.

 

According to Edul Patel, CEO of Mudrex, Bitcoin is consolidating as traders turn cautious ahead of the U.S. Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. “The overall market sentiment is improving, with the Fear & Greed Index back to ‘Neutral’. Institutions are also showing renewed interest — global crypto investment products recorded $921 million in weekly net inflows. Public companies such as Strategy have resumed accumulation, adding BTC worth $43.4 million,” he said.

 

“With this setup, Bitcoin’s resistance stands at $116,900, while support has strengthened near $111,400, indicating a healthy base for the next leg higher,” Patel added.

 

Riya Sehgal, research analyst at Delta Exchange, noted that Bitcoin remains resilient after testing $116,000. “The tone stays bullish as long as prices hold above key levels. A breakout above $115,750 could push the token toward $118,000,” she said.

Ethereum mirrors Bitcoin; resistance seen at $4,250–$4,320

Ethereum mirrored Bitcoin’s price action. The token was last trading at $4,115.12, down 2.74 per cent in the past 24 hours, with turnover of $35.86 billion. During the session, ETH fluctuated between $4,069.09 and $4,245.06, CoinMarketCap data showed. Its market capitalization stood at $496.71 billion.

 

According to Sehgal, Ethereum has firm support at $4,050. “A sustained move above the $4,250–$4,320 zone could pave the way for a rally toward $4,500,” she said.

Altcoins under pressure; selective gains seen

Among altcoins, Pi (PI), Story (IP), Zcash (ZEC), SPX6900 (SPX), DoubleZero (2Z), Pudgy Penguins (PENGU), DeXe (DEXE), Immutable (IMX), Aster (ASTER), Ethena (ENA), Arbitrum (ARB), Mantle (MNT), Dash (DASH), Worldcoin (WLD), PancakeSwap (CAKE), Aerodrome Finance (AERO), Curve DAO Token (CRV), Injective (INJ), Bonk (BONK), Sei (SEI), FLOKI (FLOKI), Aave (AAVE), Ethereum Name Service (ENS), Uniswap (UNI), Artificial Superintelligence Alliance (FET), Chainlink (LINK), Dogecoin (DOGE), VeChain (VET), Pyth Network (PYTH), and Optimism (OP) were among the top laggards, declining up to 12 per cent over the last 24 hours, showed the CoinMarketCap data.

 

On the other hand, Hedera (HBAR), OFFICIAL TRUMP (TRUMP), MemeCore (M), UNUS SED LEO (LEO), Bittensor (TAO), Algorand (ALGO), and Humanity Protocol (H) advanced as much as 17 per cent.

Broader developments

In a broader context, ETFs linked to Solana, Litecoin, and Hedera are expected to go live within the next few hours, according to the CoinDCX Research Team. Aptos recorded the highest stablecoin inflows, while Solana and Ethereum witnessed notable outflows.

 

Canada, meanwhile, plans to introduce stablecoin regulations in its upcoming Federal Budget, in line with the U.S. GENIUS Act. Citi has partnered with Coinbase to pilot stablecoin-based cross-border payments, while ClearBank has teamed up with Circle to expand USDC and EURC adoption across Europe.

 

On the regulatory front, the White House has nominated Meik Selig, Chief Counsel of the SEC Crypto Task Force, to lead the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

 

Overall, analysts said crypto market sentiment remains neutral, with traders expecting a potential rebound once the ongoing consolidation phase concludes.