Extreme Fear Drags BTC Down
Extreme Fear Drags BTC Down Weekly close under $60K or above $70K?
BTC
3.74%
· 9h
BTC$BTC’s action this week is telling, not because it’s bullish, but because it speaks to sentiment exhaustion.
We just saw the Crypto Fear and Greed Index on CoinMarketCap hit some of its lowest levels of the year, and over the last 90 days has barely budged out of extreme pessimism.
Yesterday: Extreme Fear - 8
Last Week: Extreme Fear - 5
On December 15, 2018, BTC reached a low of $3,023 while the Fear & Greed Index registered 11.
On March 17, 2020, BTC hit $3,897 with the index at 8.
On June 18, 2022, BTC fell to $17,420, with the index reading 6.
Most recently, on February 12, 2026, BTC traded around $67,293 while the Fear & Greed Index showed 5.
These readings aren’t noise. They reflect a market that’s been grinding lower with minimal conviction.
Since the recent breakdown attempts, BTC$BTC has been dancing between key levels. The real story now is in the weekly close dynamics, will we confirm sub-60K pressure, or find enough support to push back toward 70K?
Here’s what stands out: The Fear & Greed Index signaling extreme fear often precedes volatility compressions, not immediate rallies.
Price behavior near macro support levels shows buyers aren’t capitulating wholesale, even amid fear.
But liquidity conditions remain tight and macro headwinds aren’t gone. This feels less like confirmation of a new leg and more like a market seeking balance between exhausted sellers and cautious buyers.
If BTC stabilizes above critical levels and fear begins to thaw, sentiment could improve quickly. If not, we stay range-bound and choppy markets test conviction.
For now this is a narrative of relief, not triumph.Manage risk. Observe how levels hold. And remember: markets turn not when fear disappears, but when selling pressure finally stops.
Extreme Fear Drags BTC$BTC Down Weekly close under 60K or above 70K?
Well this depends on what technical structure and price action are saying on the chart because the Extreme Fear that is in the market currently as kept Sellers (Bear) in control and also because Bitcoin always follows priority scenario, to be precise here, After BTC failing to consolidate above the key technical & volume level at $68,000, price rolled over into a confident decline.
However, the projected buyer zone has not yet been tapped, and the market has formed only a local rebound.
CURRENT STRUCTURE
Buying attempts are occurring on weak volume
Resistance is forming near current prices with increasing activity
Liquidity magnets remain below price
The priority remains on the seller’s side.
ALTERNATIVE SCENARIO
A retest of $68,000 the previously defended level could trigger renewed selling pressure.
In that case, intraday shorts remain valid, targeting the $65,000–$63,000 buyer zone.
🟢 Buy Zones
• $65,000–$63,000 (maximum volume area)
• $72,200–$56,000 (daily buying zone)
🔴 Sell Zones
• $72,500–$75,200 (selling pressure)
• $77,800–$79,200 (accumulated volume)
• $82,000–$85,500 (volume anomalies)
• $87,600–$90,500 (accumulated volume)
Until price reclaims and holds above $68K with strong volume confirmation, rallies appear corrective rather than impulsive
BITCOIN MAY LOOK QUIET, BUT THE OPTIONS MARKET IS ALIVE.
BTC$BTC is chopping between $65K–$73K, yet under the surface, the derivatives market is tense.
Open interest has surged to 452k BTC$BTC (up from 255k BTC after December expiry).
1- and 3-month implied volatility jumped roughly 10 vols.
Put demand spiked, skew widened from 6% to 18%.
This isn’t about betting on a rally. It’s aggressive hedging.
Even more telling: options remain cheap relative to realized volatility, meaning there’s fuel for implied volatility to rise further, not fall. The pressure is building, not easing.
Dealers are short gamma between $58K–$74K. Translation: once Bitcoin breaks out of this range, hedging flows can amplify the move, and history shows downside cracks can be brutal.
On the chart, price seems calm. In the plumbing, stress is screaming. And when that gap widens, Bitcoin rarely stays quiet for long.
#BTC Price Analysis# #Altcoin Season#
A weekly close under $60K looks more likely than above $70K right now.
Recovery above $70K would need strong buying momentum and renewed confidence.
Extreme fear is weighing heavily on Bitcoin, causing sellers to dominate the market.
Support around $60K is being tested, and a weekly close below this level could reinforce bearish sentiment.
Investors remain cautious and hesitant to enter long positions amid uncertainty.
A rebound above $70K would require strong buying pressure and a shift in market psychology.
Short-term volatility is high, making risk management essential for traders.
Sentiment indicators show that fear is currently stronger than optimism.
The next few days will be critical in determining whether Bitcoin consolidates or falls further.
Patience and careful observation are key in navigating this volatile phase