Sonic Labs has launched a new points program to drive DeFi growth and reward users. 

The S&P 500 gained 0.11%, led by utilities, financials, and materials, as lighter inflation eased yields. Focus shifts to December's inflation report and financial earnings. Coindesk Indices, an index measuring broader cryptocurrency market performance was up by 3.03%, with Bitcoin and Ether rising by 3.14%  and 3.24%, respectively in the past 24 hours.

Today's top performer is A8, which surged 29.7% following the launch of Ancient8 SuperApp V3, an all-in-one platform for simplified Web3 management.

Ancient8 (A8), founded in 2021, is a gaming-focused Ethereum Layer 2 network using Optimism and Celestia to enable fast, affordable EVM game development with community-driven developer support. 

, a streamlined platform for managing Web3 activities. It combines staking, token swapping, liquidity management, an NFT marketplace, cross-chain asset bridging, and game discovery into a single user-friendly interface. The app simplifies processes, enhances security, and helps users maximize the potential of their digital assets, catering to both newcomers and experienced users.

Check Out the Latest Prices, Charts, and Data of 

 a new points program to drive DeFi growth and reward users. The program includes three types of points: Passive Points for holding whitelisted assets, Activity Points for deploying assets as liquidity on apps, and App Points (Sonic Gems) for developers to distribute as rewards via their apps. The initiative also features an airdrop of 200 million S tokens and incorporates Rings, a yield-bearing stablecoin protocol that provides liquidity to DeFi apps. Sonic's points program offers a dynamic way for users and developers to enhance their DeFi experience while contributing to the growth of the platform.

Yesterday, the BTC Spot ETF data showed a total flow of $9.7 million, with $0.0 million from GBTC and $9.7 million from non-GBTC sources.

, offering participants a chance to receive tokens as part of the platform's decentralization journey. The airdrop rewards key contributors, including early adopters, active community members, and global partners. Registration is open until January 18, 2025, and participants can claim tokens before the Token Generation Event (TGE) in Q1 2025. Plume's mission is to build a unified onchain economy that connects real-world assets with crypto, and the airdrop is the first step toward that vision. More details and eligibility information can be found on their official website.

Beginner

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Sonic Labs Launches Innovative Points Program to Drive DeFi Growth and Reward Users

GAME by Virtuals (GAME) is a leading AI agent development framework enabling quick creation and deployment of autonomous agents for web3, gaming, and social media.

Few people will argue with the notion that 

 (AI) is the fastest-growing sector in the world of business. This also applies to the 

 industry. Within the broader AI field, however, there's one area that particularly stands out with its growth rates — the niche of 

. Self-contained, autonomous AI workers are growing increasingly popular on blockchains, with leading AI agent cryptocurrencies posting head-spinning price increases.

 (VIRTUAL) and several tokens related to the platform, including GAME by Virtuals (GAME). Leveraging the underlying Virtuals Protocol, GAME is a development framework that lets developers quickly build and deploy autonomous AI agents suitable for various transactional environments. The GAME framework allows AI agents to make complex decisions based on the information supplied, lifting the overall sophistication of such agents to an entirely new level.

Launched in October 2024, the GAME token has appreciated over 3,000% as of January 2025, entering the list of the top 10 AI agent cryptocurrencies by market cap.

 (GAME) is an AI agent development framework powered by the Virtuals Protocol. 

It lets developers quickly build modular, autonomous AI agents and deploy them to various environments, such as gaming, entertainment and social media platforms.

At the core level, GAME is supported by the Virtuals Protocol, a decentralized platform on the 

 Layer 2 chain that’s designed to power tokenized, co-owned AI agents with revenue-generating capabilities. Virtuals Protocol provides an environment for tokenizing and using AI agents for various use cases.

GAME by Virtuals supports low-code, efficient creation and management of AI agents that can easily be plugged into various web3 platforms and even interact in real time with other agents. By default, AI agents developed using the GAME framework are deployed as X (formerly Twitter) agents. In this capacity, they can serve varied purposes for crypto users and 

 (DApp) operators. This could include community building, market monitoring, news and trading signal aggregation, data collection and even API-based integration with external trading platforms.

Thanks to the framework's modular design, a GAME-based agent can include different functions that are easily plugged into and out of it. Additionally, GAME allows developers to create non–X AI agents from scratch to integrate into other environments, such as blockchain games, messaging networks like Telegram and other types of applications. In essence, the programming tool kit provided by GAME allows developers to specify sophisticated agent characteristics and autonomous behavior. For example, GAME-based autonomous agents might operate in gaming, virtual reality (VR) and virtual world applications, providing immersive experiences and carrying out complex tasks.

The development of X-based agents via GAME is a simplified process. Developers can utilize an Agent Sandbox, a test environment provided by the Virtuals Protocol, to specify the key characteristics of their AI agent on X. This is a streamlined way to quickly and efficiently launch a basic social media agent without having to create an agent token. 

After deploying the agent to X, developers can easily add or remove its functionalities to adapt the agent to their specific use cases.

For applications beyond X, developers can build an agent from scratch using the GAME framework's programming functions. In the project's terminology, this is called GAME-as-a-Service. Within this mode, the agent's decision-making rules and characteristics are specified via API calls. For those familiar with AI-based programming, GAME-as-a-Service provides a more powerful and flexible way to build AI agents, with high levels of functional sophistication, as compared to the Agent Sandbox.

To build and launch an AI agent, developers must specify three categories of attributes that define their agent’s behavior and autonomous decision-making: Agent Definition Prompts, High Level Planner (HLP) Context and Low Level Planner (HLP) Context.

— These include the agent’s goal, character card and world information. In essence, this trio of attributes determines the agent’s overall behavior, memory traits, personality, background, tweeting style and the specifics of its virtual environment.

— This high-level tool establishes the input information to provide a dynamic context for the agent's decisions.

— This is a set of instructions for the agent’s expected outputs to execute various actions and functions within its environment.

To build and deploy agents via GAME-as-a-Service, you’re expected to be familiar with technologies like JavaScript and JSON. The Virtuals platform also provides an agent-building software development kit (SDK) in Python.

The GAME by Virtuals framework’s associated crypto token is also known as GAME. As of early January 2025, the project has provided scant information regarding the token’s utility beyond its basic supply specifications. In general, AI agents launched via Virtuals Protocol are monetized using project-specific tokens. Thus, it’s expected that agents built via the GAME framework are monetized using the GAME token, and that the GAME token might also support additional use cases in the future.

For each token on the Virtuals Protocol, including GAME, there’s a corresponding liquidity pool in which each token is paired with VIRTUAL, the protocol’s native cryptocurrency. This facilitates monetization and trading opportunities for AI agents built using the framework.

The GAME token was launched on Oct 26, 2024 and features a maximum, total and circulating supply of 1 billion. Similar to VIRTUAL and other platform-specific tokens on the Virtuals Protocol, GAME has been issued on the Base blockchain.

You can buy the GAME token on Bybit’s Spot market as a trading pair (

Additionally, through Jan 23, 2025, 9AM UTC, you can take advantage of Bybit's campaign dedicated to the GAME token to grab a share of the 

. New users who complete basic identity verification can earn GAME rewards by accumulating a deposit volume of at least 500 GAME, or depositing at least 100 USDT and trading 100 USDT worth of GAME via their first trade using their Bybit account. Existing users can also qualify for rewards by trading at least 500 USDT worth of GAME on Bybit’s Spot market. The more you trade, the larger your share of the prize pool. 

As of Jan 15, 2025, the GAME token is trading at $0.1922, which is 51% lower than its ATH of $0.3918 on Jan 2, 2025, and 7,190% higher than its ATL of $0.002634 on Nov 20, 2024.

Long-term price forecasts for GAME are mostly bullish.DigitalCoinPrice 

 of $0.65 in 2027 and $0.99 in 2030, whileCoinCodex 

 at around $0.202 in 2027, and rise to $0.629 in 2030.

GAME isn't the only AI agent token on Virtuals Protocol. The protocol supports a variety of applications and use cases that focus on AI agent technology, each of which may have its own token. Excluding the main platform-wide cryptocurrency, VIRTUAL, the leading tokens within the protocol's ecosystem include 

As of Jan 14, 2025, GAME is the second-highest-ranked token in the Virtuals ecosystem by market cap, behind AIXBT, the token of the AI agent-based market intelligence solution AIXBT. However, if ranked by 

 (TVL), GAME is actually the top token on the protocol, with a current TVL of $24.85 million.

GAME by Virtuals is a convenient tool for blockchain developers to launch powerful AI agents — intelligent objects that can perform diverse functions on social media platforms, gaming environments and within a wide variety of other applications. Its framework makes it easy to create X-based agents, and for other platforms and more sophisticated needs a skilled developer has numerous functions and utilities within GAME to play with.

The crypto market also seems impressed with GAME by Virtuals, judging by the GAME token's early performance. As the AI sector, particularly its AI agent niche, continues to flourish and capture the business world's attention, the GAME framework is likely to find more use cases and eager adopters in the AI developer community.

Advanced

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GAME by Virtuals (GAME): Your Gateway to Advanced AI Agent Development

Bitcoin liquid staking is a DeFi mechanism that enables BTC holders to earn passive yields. Learn more about how it works in this article.

The rise of Bitcoin liquid staking marks a significant evolution in cryptocurrency yield generation. At the core of this innovation is Babylon, a non-custodial infrastructure that serves as the foundation for Bitcoin liquid staking protocols like Lombard and pSTAKE. By building on Babylon, these protocols enable BTC holders to earn staking rewards while maintaining liquidity, BTC holders to earn rewards while retaining their assets’ liquidity, bridging the gap between Bitcoin's store-of-value proposition and yield opportunities within 

This article explores how Bitcoin liquid staking works, examines its advantages and risks, and considers whether it’s worth trying. We also analyze the leading Bitcoin liquid staking platforms driving adoption in this rapidly growing ecosystem.

Bitcoin liquid staking is a DeFi mechanism that enables BTC holders to earn passive yields by participating in 

 (PoS) networks and receive tradable tokens that maintain their Bitcoin's liquidity and utility in the broader DeFi ecosystem.

Liquid staking protocols open new yield-bearing opportunities in the Bitcoin ecosystem. While Ethereum liquid staking generates yields through network validation rewards, Bitcoin liquid staking creates returns by securing other blockchain networks, and through 

 that expand the utility of BTC beyond its primary function as a store of value.

Bitcoin liquid staking operates through a straightforward process that bridges traditional Bitcoin holding with DeFi functionality. When users stake their Bitcoin, they interact with specialized DeFi protocols that generate yield while maintaining liquidity.

First, users deposit their Bitcoin into a liquid staking protocol, where it's securely stored using various methods, which can include multi-signature wallets or other security mechanisms depending on the platform.

Users begin by depositing their Bitcoin into their chosen liquid staking protocol, which secures deposits through various methods like 

 or other security mechanisms. In return, they receive 

 (LSTs) representing their staked BTC on a 1:1 basis.

These LSTs can be used across various DeFi applications while the underlying Bitcoin works to secure PoS networks through protocols such as 

. The staking rewards are generated through point systems, protocol incentives or network fees, depending upon the specific Bitcoin liquid staking platform used.

, users' staked Bitcoin helps secure their networks. Rewards are typically distributed daily through the protocol's native tokens, which users can claim while holding their LST positions.

The unstaking process is equally straightforward — users can redeem their LSTs for their original Bitcoin whenever they choose, subject to any applicable unbonding periods or protocol-specific conditions.

Bitcoin liquid staking offers unique opportunities for yield generation, but it comes with its own set of risks that investors should carefully evaluate.

The Bitcoin liquid staking landscape offers diverse options for BTC holders seeking yield opportunities. Following are the top platforms.

Lombard transforms Bitcoin into a yield-generating asset through its LBTC token on Ethereum, with over $1.5 billion in 

 (TVL). The protocol integrates with established DeFi platforms like Morpho, Pendle and Symbiotic, enabling LBTC holders to access lending, borrowing and 

 opportunities. A 5% fee applies to staking rewards.

Following a successful private beta that attracted $230 million from over 4,000 institutional and individual users, Lombard has entered its public beta. Lombard maintains strict security standards through regular audits and a self-custodial model, ensuring LBTC remains fully backed by Bitcoin at a 1:1 ratio.

Recently launched by the Core Foundation, LstBTC is an 

 blockchain. The protocol enables daily rewards in CORE tokens through a dual staking model, whereby users can stake both Bitcoin and CORE tokens for enhanced yields.

Since its launch in April 2024, Core has attracted over 5,500 BTC (around $500 million) in staked assets and built a comprehensive 

 ecosystem. The protocol leverages Bitcoin 

 power for security, with about 55% of miners contributing to network stability.

 integration, allowing users to earn rewards from Layer 2 activity. The protocol converts deposited BTC into stBTC tokens for DeFi applications, enabling its users to earn daily Lightning Network routing fees without managing node infrastructure.

With over 105 active channels and the capacity to process over 18,000 

 (TPS), Stroom Network is secured by established validators, such as P2P.org and Allnodes. Stroom' 

 structure and multisig system ensure decentralized governance while managing Lightning Network integrations.

Babylon is an infrastructure protocol that enables Bitcoin holders to secure PoS networks through BTC staking without requiring 

 or third-party custody. The protocol has accumulated nearly 24,000 BTC in its ecosystem since launching in 2024.

Babylon’s platform prioritizes security through its innovative timestamping protocol, and partnerships with established validators like P2P.org. Though offering more conservative yields than competitors, Babylon's self-custodial model and robust security features have attracted institutional users seeking to put their Bitcoin to work while they maintain control of their assets.

 simplifies BTC yields through Bitcoin staking on Babylon's infrastructure. With over $35M in TVL, the platform offers two core offerings: a fixed-yield earn product (similar to Bybit Earn) accessible to all users and a Bitcoin LST, called YBTC, that offers tailored Bitcoin yield solutions to institutions.

Users can earn staking rewards from Bitcoin-secured networks by staking native BTC through 

. YBTC, a yield-bearing ERC-20 token on Ethereum backed 1:1 by BTC, connects with BNB Chain, Corn, B Squared, and Bitlayer through LayerZero integration.

Institutions can use YBTC in the BTCfi ecosystem to generate additional yields from DeFi protocols focused on restaking, yield farming, and more. PSTAKE — the protocol's incentivization, governance, and staking token — trades on exchanges like Bybit and can be staked on the Base L2 chain to earn Bitcoin rewards for participating in protocol and community activities.

Bitcoin liquid staking is worth considering if you:

Before participating, investors should carefully evaluate platform security, understand the technical aspects of liquid staking and assess their 

. Additionally, smart contract vulnerabilities and LST price fluctuations present real risks that need to be considered against potential rewards.

Choose a platform that aligns with your expertise level and goals. Established protocols like pSTAKE suit experienced DeFi users, while newer participants might prefer user-friendly platforms, such as Core's LstBTC. Start with smaller amounts of assets to familiarize yourself with the mechanics before committing significant capital.

Bitcoin liquid staking represents a significant evolution in Bitcoin's utility, offering holders new ways to earn yields while participating in the broader DeFi ecosystem. While the technology and protocols are still being developed, growing market adoption and continued innovation suggest a promising future for the Bitcoin liquid staking sector.

Intermediate

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Bitcoin Liquid Staking: New Yield Opportunities for BTC Holders

BlackRock has launched the iShares Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) on Cboe Canada, offering Canadian investors access to Bitcoin through brokerage accounts.

The S&P 500 rose 0.16% as focus shifts to inflation data and earnings reports from major banks. Coindesk Indices, an index measuring broader cryptocurrency market performance was down by 0.16%, with Bitcoin and Ether dropping by 1.14%  and 4.65%, respectively in the past 24 hours.

Today's top performer is AAVE, which surged 4.3% after the announcement of Aave and GHO's expansion across networks for broader integration.

Aave (AAVE), founded in 2017, is a decentralized lending platform on Ethereum for lending, borrowing, and earning interest on 17 cryptocurrencies. It uses smart contracts, collateral for loans, and aTokens for interest, along with features like instant loans. Aave is 

 to multiple networks, with ARFCs passed for Linea, Celo, and World Liberty Finance, while Sonic, Mantle, BOB, and Rootstock are in earlier stages. GHO stablecoin is also growing, with expansions to Avalanche and Base already approved. Aave and GHO aim for widespread integration.

 the iShares Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) on Cboe Canada, offering Canadian investors access to Bitcoin through brokerage accounts. The ETF mirrors Bitcoin's price performance by investing in the U.S. iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF, which holds long-term Bitcoin assets. This launch highlights BlackRock’s focus on innovation and simplifying Bitcoin exposure by addressing operational and custody complexities. Cboe Canada, known for pioneering financial products, emphasizes its role in expanding the crypto ecosystem. IBIT and IBIT.U join seven other iShares ETFs on Cboe Canada, enabling investors to trade via standard investment channels.

Yesterday, BTC Spot ETFs experienced outflows totaling $313.6M, including $89M from GBTC and $224.6M from non-GBTC sources.

 its governance token, $ANIME, in January 2025 with a total supply of 10 billion (7.69 billion initially circulating). Community allocation is 50.5%, including 2% for Hyperliquid stakers, Kaito yappers, and Arbitrum users. Completing Azuki's points tasks might help with eligibility for the airdrop.

BlackRock Launches iShares Bitcoin ETF on Cboe Canada for Simplified Crypto Access

Trading

Bitcoin

Technical analysis (TA) helps traders to forecast future price trends based on market sentiments, past price action & volume data. But is TA for you? Learn more.

In technical analysis, the main goal is to help traders analyze the past performance of a trading instrument and predict what may happen in the future. A trader who uses technical analysis, aka technical trader, will evaluate the price fluctuation, volume data, price levels, and trading sessions to 

. While technical analysts generally observe and interpret the price movements and patterns formed in the past to formulate trading ideas to forecast the next price trend.

TA is a common analysis used to assess stocks and other assets in traditional financial markets. But it is also an essential component to trading digital assets in the crypto market. In fact, technical analysis is quick and easy to understand, but it requires discipline and dedication to master it.

In the following section, we’ll look at everything a trader should know about analyzing cryptocurrency using technical analysis.

Technical analysis is used to forecast the future price movement of an asset by analyzing its past price action and volume data — TA focuses on assessing the historical trading activities and chart patterns to identify trends and trading opportunities.

 considers multiple factors regarding price. In fundamental analysis, the most effective price direction comes from economic events, fundamental releases, and geopolitical events.

On the other hand, TA focuses solely on past events, 

, and trading activity. The best part of technical analysis is that it doesn’t require you to be a finance graduate to understand it. Anyone with an understanding of the market forces of supply and demand and the core concept of technical indicators can easily spot favorable trading opportunities.

The foundations of technical analysis appeared in 17th-century Amsterdam and 18th-century Japan. However, modern technical analysis is a result of the work of 

, a financial journalist and the founder of The Wall Street Journal.

Dow was the first person to observe that a trading asset often moves within a trend and remains in a range most of the time. Later on, his work gave birth to Dow Theory, which gave further impetus to technical analysis. 

Technical analysis is a process used to study past price actions and anticipate future price movements. The core concept of price action is that the price in a trading instrument doesn’t move randomly. Instead, there’s a story behind the price movement, and technical analysts can read the price history like a book and predict what may happen next.

Price movement in the cryptocurrency market happens with the change in supply and demand. When supply exceeds demand, a price will move down, and when demand exceeds supply, the price will rise. 

But the main question is when and how the price will move.

Technical analysts’ primary duty is to calculate the overall market context and find the exact point from which the price has a higher possibility of making a move.

TA is the most reliable and effective way to anticipate price movement. However, it requires several tools and elements. For example, besides using 

, volume and liquidity traders often use various charting tools known as indicators. 

Let’s look at the core elements of technical analysis in the cryptocurrency market.

Price action uses price fluctuation and volume charts, allowing traders to predict what may happen in the future.

There are no specific tools for price action traders. However, traders can make profits by analyzing the price chart, while other traders include price levels, patterns, and indicators to observe the price action.

Let’s have a look at how price action pattern works in financial trading:

Sample of head and shoulder candlestick pattern

In the above image, we can see an example of a 

, a potential price action reversal pattern in which any breakout from the neckline indicates a significant price change.

Some other examples of price patterns are as follows:

Candlesticks are the most effective tool used in technical analysis. Japanese candlesticks (similar to OHLC charts) 

 most technical analysts in the world. The core idea of using candlesticks is to observe the current candle formation and, based on a single candlestick or group of candlesticks, anticipate what may happen next.

Candlesticks usually show reversal and continuation price setups. Using this tool as an indicator, any reliable candlestick reversal from a support level points out a good buying opportunity, as shown in the image below:

Now, we’ll move to how a continuation price format appears with the candlestick formation:

Overall, technical analysts should know how to analyze cryptocurrency using candlesticks from an appropriate 

Price action covers the nature of trends. During an impulsive trend, the price makes new highs or lows, with aggressive buying or selling pressure. On the other hand, in a corrective trend, price barely makes new highs or lows. 

Let’s see an example of impulse and correction from a Bitcoin chart:

In mid-May 2021, Bitcoin’s price was in a correction. After testing the $60,000 resistance level, an impulse trend led to an aggressive move from $60,000 to $30,000 in just 12 days.

These aggressive movements indicate the price’s momentum. When the impulsive movement is in the seller’s direction, the market momentum is bearish. In that case, traders should take only sell trades. On the other hand, buying and holding a cryptocurrency is profitable when the market momentum is bullish.

In the beginning phases of technical analysis, there was no electronic charting system. Traders used to write prices using paper and pen.

Now, technology makes trading more effective, especially in the cryptocurrency market. Traders can use 

 to see the possible price movement in a more predictive way.

Technical indicators show the current position of price based on specific metrics. However, to obtain a reliable outcome from technical analysis, traders should know how to use several important indicators.

In technical analysis, there is no way to ignore indicators. Traders should know how to use the basic indicators in the following section.

RSI is a momentum indicator that plots results on a scale of 1–100. It shows the overbought and oversold conditions of assets. If the 

 moves below 30, it indicates a bearish pressure in the price. 

Moreover, when the RSI indicator moves to the oversold zone, i.e., above 70, it means an asset is overbought and may experience price bounces. Because RSI is a momentum indicator, the price can stay overbought or oversold for a long time. Therefore, as with most other technical indicators, RSI signals are more efficient and reliable with long-term trends and when combined with additional indicators.

RSI indicator showing the overbought and oversold levels.

The above image shows how the price changes its direction from the overbought and oversold areas.

 shows the average price of a crypto trading asset for a particular time frame. A daily MA of 20 represents the average price of the last 20 days’ price movements. The core idea of using a moving average is to anticipate price movement by observing the price’s behavior.

For long-term price analysis, simple moving average (SMA) works well, while for short-term price analysis, exponential moving average (EMA) is effective. The best part of using EMA is that it places more weight and significance on the most recent data points. It identifies bullish or bearish signals based on crossovers and divergences from the historical average.

Based on the above picture, the long-term trend is bearish as the price remains below the 200 SMA. Therefore, traders can find sell signals using the 20 EMA toward the selling direction.

 is another commonly used momentum indicator. It shows the connection between two key moving averages. When a MACD histogram moves above zero, it indicates a bullish market. Likewise, if the reading crosses below the signal line, it shows a bearish price movement for an asset.

Therefore, the primary idea is to determine the upcoming price direction by observing the location of the histogram. Another approach is to match highs and lows with the price, thereby finding divergence. When divergence occurs, it’s a sign the price is likely to change its direction.

In the above image, we can see Bitcoin’s price moving down to 35,000 and forming a regular divergence with the MACD. Later on, the price moves higher, followed by higher highs in the MACD histogram.

 are a technical indicator used widely in various markets, including stocks, futures, and currencies. In the 1980s, John Bollinger developed this tool that grants exceptional insights into the relationship between price and volatility. Additionally, you can use Bollinger Bands to identify both overbought and oversold levels. This capability can help you both as a trend-following instrument and for finding breakouts. 

How do we calculate Bollinger Bands in the daily time frame?

To assess the SMA of security, we commonly utilize a 20-day SMA. This is the initial phase in calculating Bollinger bands. As the first data point, a 20-day SMA averages the closing prices for the initial 20 days. The following data point would drop the maximum price, add the price on day 21, and take the average. The standard deviation of the security’s price will be attainable after that.

The breakdown of the mechanism of bollinger bands in a trading chart.

The upper and lower bands work as dynamic support and resistance to the price, while the middle point shows the average price of these lines. Thus, any rejection from the upper and lower bands can be an entry point for a trade, and the middle point is the first take-profit level.

 is an indicator that uses the core concept of supply and demand in regard to price. We all know that price fluctuates with changes in supply and demand, but there is a price level where supply and demand remain almost the same. This level is known as the equilibrium point.

In financial trading, a pivot point represents the point of equilibrium. When a price approaches this level, it may work as a support or as resistance. Moreover, the pivot point includes multiple support and resistance levels below and above the equilibrium point, which can also serve as price shift points.

Any lines above the pivot point are resistant in the above image, and those below the pivot point are supported. The basic approach is to find a reliable candlestick formation from pivot points and to consider the support of, and resistance to, take-profit levels.

Fibonacci numbers are an important mathematical phenomenon found everywhere in the natural world. In financial trading, 

helps traders identify the correction and extension amount of a price. For example, after an impulsive trend, traders can expect 38.2%, 50%, or 61.8% Fibonacci correction before making another impulsive move.

Additionally, the Fibonacci extension tool helps predict how long a price may go after a correction. It uses significant values like 161.8% or 261.8% to indicate a potential take-profit or price reversal point.

Fibonacci Retracement and Extension illustration.

The above image indicates 38.2%, 50%, and 61.8% retracement in the Bitcoin chart,  with its price ultimately dropping to the 361.8% extension level.

On April 25, 2021, Bitcoin’s price rejected the $49,000 support level with a bullish daily close. Later on, the price made a new high on May 12 with the price of $57,732, creating hope for a new all-time high above $60,000. At that time, most of the technical indicators showed buy signals on the daily chart. However, strong fundamental news regarding a 

, which crashed the market from $59,507 to $30,065 in mid-May.

The above scenario is a perfect example of one in which technical analysis has failed due to the unanticipated rules and regulations imposed on the crypto market. Here traders are using multiple indicators and trading tools to anticipate the price movement. However, as always, there is no guarantee that the price will follow the indicated direction. Plus, TA can be inaccurate due to personal bias and subjectivity.

In technical analysis, the biggest drawback is that any fundamental event, or perhaps geopolitical news, can invalidate all technical outlooks. The ultimate challenge is to take maximal benefit from trade with minimal risk. 

The best approach is to study a cryptocurrency’s background and obtain reliable information about it. Identify recent news and developments, and match the technical analysis with the direction of fundamentals.

Another drawback of technical analysis is that it depends on past price actions. Technical analysis usually fails given if the market does not present a clear pattern or trend. To add on, it is often difficult to find previous data for new coins. Even if previous data is found, it might not be reliable due to volatility.

Despite dealing with empirical data, technical analysis can also fail during periods when markets don’t present a clear pattern or trend.

Fundamental analysts emphasize qualitative factors, whereas technical analysts focus on historical price charts to assess an asset’s performance. While both generate an efficient market hypothesis, the technical trading strategies still rely on how a trader perceives the information from these analyses.

The fundamental analysis (FA) considers the macro conditions of the assets to predict the future price movement. For example, the high consumer adoption in 

) or the strong support from the community may be the key drivers for DeFi’s token price surge. Thus, taking these factors into considerations help traders to predict future movements of an asset, whether it’s overvalued in a 

Technical traders tend to assess the market psychology through quantitative data analysis. Technical analysts tend to be more objective in drawing reasonable trading decisions. The use of market data in technical analysis like historical data, chart patterns, past trading activity, and market sentiment eliminates the basic assumptions. Traders then use the identified previous market patterns to predict future price trajectories. As such, TA is more suitable for 

Still, to have the best of both worlds, traders are recommended to take considerations into technical and fundamental analysis to formulate a best trading strategy.

In technical analysis, the main goal is how to analyze cryptocurrency and predict future movement. The good news is that financial instruments follow their past price actions most of the time.

Keep in mind that no technical analysis is perfect, and using TA cannot guarantee you 100% accurate signals. Professional technical analysts always consider the weakness of every trading signal and keep a risk management system as a high priority. 

Why Is Technical Analysis Important to Trade Bitcoin?

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