Bitcoin
Bitcoin Stalls Below 100-Day and 200-Day Moving Average Resistance Near $70,000
19 Aug 2026, 11:03
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Technical indicators point to a bearish setup as Bitcoin trades below its 100-day and 200-day simple moving averages, with a confirmed 50/200-day bearish crossover reinforcing near-term weakness.
<p>Bitcoin's price action has run into a wall of technical resistance this month, with the cryptocurrency trading below both its 100-day and 200-day simple moving averages -- a setup technical analysts commonly read as a bearish signal for medium-term momentum.</p>
<p>As of mid-August, Bitcoin's 100-day simple moving average sits near $67,692 and its 200-day simple moving average near $70,007, both registering as resistance levels on standard technical analysis screens. With spot BTC changing hands around $65,000, price remains roughly $2,700 below the shorter average and close to $5,000 below the longer one -- a gap that has kept the asset boxed into a range between $62,500 support and resistance stretching from $65,000 up toward $70,000.</p>
<p>The setup follows a broader deterioration in Bitcoin's trend structure. A bearish crossover between the 50-day and 200-day moving averages -- commonly known as a "death cross" among traders -- has already materialized on the daily chart, a pattern historically associated with extended periods of weak momentum, even though it is a lagging indicator that can arrive after much of a decline has already happened.</p>
<p>Shorter-term averages tell a similar story. The 20-day exponential moving average, sitting near $64,147, has flipped from support to resistance in recent sessions, meaning Bitcoin has struggled even to reclaim ground on a much shorter timeframe. Together with the 100-day EMA near $66,735, these levels form a cluster of overhead resistance that bulls will need to clear in sequence before longer-term moving averages come back into play.</p>
<p>The stakes attached to these levels are not purely technical. Earlier in 2026, Bitcoin tested resistance near its 200-day SMA and EMA around the $82,000 mark, a level that at the time was seen as pivotal for determining whether the broader uptrend from the current cycle would resume. Since then, Bitcoin has fallen roughly 20% from that zone, dragging both the 100-day and 200-day averages lower with it and leaving the asset well below where it stood when that test occurred.</p>
<p>Analysts remain split on what comes next. A base-case scenario for August points to Bitcoin holding in the $65,500 area, with a more constructive path opening up only if the asset can hold $62,500 support and reclaim $66,500 on strong volume -- a combination that would put a retest of $70,000 resistance back in play. Several major banks, including Citigroup, Standard Chartered and Bernstein, have trimmed their 2026 Bitcoin price targets since January, with no large bank raising its forecast over the same stretch, underscoring the more cautious mood building around the asset's medium-term trajectory.</p>
<p>For now, the 100-day and 200-day moving averages stand as the clearest technical line in the sand: a decisive close above both would be the first concrete signal that Bitcoin's broader downtrend since its October 2025 peak is beginning to fade.</p>
<p>As of mid-August, Bitcoin's 100-day simple moving average sits near $67,692 and its 200-day simple moving average near $70,007, both registering as resistance levels on standard technical analysis screens. With spot BTC changing hands around $65,000, price remains roughly $2,700 below the shorter average and close to $5,000 below the longer one -- a gap that has kept the asset boxed into a range between $62,500 support and resistance stretching from $65,000 up toward $70,000.</p>
<p>The setup follows a broader deterioration in Bitcoin's trend structure. A bearish crossover between the 50-day and 200-day moving averages -- commonly known as a "death cross" among traders -- has already materialized on the daily chart, a pattern historically associated with extended periods of weak momentum, even though it is a lagging indicator that can arrive after much of a decline has already happened.</p>
<p>Shorter-term averages tell a similar story. The 20-day exponential moving average, sitting near $64,147, has flipped from support to resistance in recent sessions, meaning Bitcoin has struggled even to reclaim ground on a much shorter timeframe. Together with the 100-day EMA near $66,735, these levels form a cluster of overhead resistance that bulls will need to clear in sequence before longer-term moving averages come back into play.</p>
<p>The stakes attached to these levels are not purely technical. Earlier in 2026, Bitcoin tested resistance near its 200-day SMA and EMA around the $82,000 mark, a level that at the time was seen as pivotal for determining whether the broader uptrend from the current cycle would resume. Since then, Bitcoin has fallen roughly 20% from that zone, dragging both the 100-day and 200-day averages lower with it and leaving the asset well below where it stood when that test occurred.</p>
<p>Analysts remain split on what comes next. A base-case scenario for August points to Bitcoin holding in the $65,500 area, with a more constructive path opening up only if the asset can hold $62,500 support and reclaim $66,500 on strong volume -- a combination that would put a retest of $70,000 resistance back in play. Several major banks, including Citigroup, Standard Chartered and Bernstein, have trimmed their 2026 Bitcoin price targets since January, with no large bank raising its forecast over the same stretch, underscoring the more cautious mood building around the asset's medium-term trajectory.</p>
<p>For now, the 100-day and 200-day moving averages stand as the clearest technical line in the sand: a decisive close above both would be the first concrete signal that Bitcoin's broader downtrend since its October 2025 peak is beginning to fade.</p>