The past week brought a wave of volatility to the crypto market — but not panic. After Bitcoin reached a new all-time high, a sharp correction followed, pulling altcoins down with it. Yet under the surface, momentum is quietly shifting: Ethereum is seeing record inflows, XRP is cooling off after a major run, and long-term signals still point upward. Is this a healthy pause before the next breakout? Let’s break it down.
Volatility Hits Bitcoin and Altcoins, But the Trend Remains Up
Bitcoin (BTC) slipped below 99.000 € ($116,000) this week, triggering more than 620 ($730) million € in liquidations across the crypto market. Over 213,000 traders were wiped out, and altcoins like ETH and DOGE also saw heavy losses. The drop followed Bitcoin’s recent all-time high of 104.870 € ($123,100), making the pullback even sharper — but not unexpected.
Despite the sudden move, bullish sentiment remains intact. Analysts highlight the importance of the 98.000 € ($115,000) support level: holding above it could confirm the correction is healthy. A breakdown, however, may lead to a retest of 96.700 € ($113,500) or even 94.150 € ($110,530).
Large players aren’t backing off. A whale just placed a 20,2 ($23.7) million € bet on BTC hitting 170.000 € ($200,000) by year-end, while the Bitcoin risk index remains at zero — suggesting no overheating. Even after a $9.6B whale transfer and another $1.1B added to exchanges, prices have largely stabilized.
With the Fear & Greed Index still showing “Greed,” and technical signals beginning to reset, many analysts see this as part of a normal rotation, not the end of a trend. For now, the market points more toward a healthy correction — not the end of the bull cycle.
Ethereum Outpaces Bitcoin in Volume and Inflows
For the first time in over a year, Ethereum (ETH) trading volume has overtaken Bitcoin’s, both in spot markets and in ETF inflows — signaling a shift in investor focus. Over the last six trading days, ETH ETFs attracted €2,04 ($2.4) billion, nearly triple the inflows into Bitcoin ETFs. BlackRock’s ETHA fund alone accounted for nearly 75% of that volume.
This move is reflected on-chain as well. According to data from CryptoQuant, ETH spot volume surpassed BTC, and the ETH/BTC volume ratio spiked above 1 for the first time since June 2024. That shift follows weeks of declining Bitcoin dominance, a trend that often marks early stages of capital rotation into altcoins.
This shift suggests that investors are rotating capital into Ethereum and altcoins, not abandoning Bitcoin, but looking for higher potential growth elsewhere.
Big names are backing the move. Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz expects ETH to “knock on 3.407 € ($4,000)” soon and even outperform Bitcoin in the next few months. Other analysts believe ETH could reach 4.250 € to 8.500 € ($5,000 to $10,000) by the end of the year.
Ethereum’s strong performance is also visible on charts. It has risen 77% since late June, and its dominance is increasing as Bitcoin’s market share continues to drop.
It doesn’t mean Bitcoin is out of the picture — but right now, ETH and altcoins are gaining ground faster. Analysts point to growing institutional demand, favorable U.S. regulation, and upcoming ETH staking ETF expectations as key drivers.
While the broader crypto rally may still be waiting on macro triggers like rate cuts and global liquidity easing, Ethereum’s momentum shows that risk appetite is returning — and altcoins are starting to lead the way.
Xrp Cools Off After Big Rally — Correction Or Setup?
Ripple (XRP) fell sharply this week, dropping nearly 19% from recent highs and triggering over €96 ($113) million in liquidations. The price briefly touched 2,51 € ($2.95), pulling back from its local high of 3,12 € ($3.66). Despite the drop, analysts say this looks more like a healthy correction than a reversal.
According to market analysts, XRP had become overbought, meaning it rose too quickly and was due for a cooldown. Indicators like the RSI (Relative Strength Index) have now reset to more neutral levels, which often clears the way for a more stable climb. Technical support around 2,56 € ($3) is being watched closely — if it holds, many believe XRP’s uptrend could continue soon.
Short-term, analysts are eyeing a recovery toward 3,58 € ($4.20), while medium-term targets between 4,26 € and 8,52 € ($5 and $10) are still in play. Some even project 8,52 € to 12,78 € ($10 to $15) if momentum returns and market conditions improve.
Behind the scenes, whales are accumulating. Over 2,700 wallets now hold at least 1 million XRP each, the highest number ever recorded. This growing concentration has helped push XRP’s price up 45% over the past month, even after this week’s drop.
XRP still trades near its all-time high of 3,27 € ($3.84), and with regulatory clarity, ETF support, and strong demand, many analysts believe the token remains one of the top altcoin contenders for the next big move.
This week reminded us that volatility is a natural part of any bull cycle. Bitcoin’s pullback may have shaken short-term traders, but the broader trend remains intact. Ethereum is leading investor interest, and XRP is holding strong despite the correction.
Still, the market is waiting for two key catalysts that could ignite the more explosive phase of this cycle: a cut in interest rates and a return of global liquidity (M2) into risk-on assets like crypto. Once these conditions align, the next major move could come quickly.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
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