$BTC leads the rebound as the crypto market regains risk appetite
🌍 The crypto market saw sharp swings during April 13-18, driven by geopolitics and macro pressure, but the week still ended on a much stronger footing. Early risk-off sentiment came from U.S.-Iran tensions and the oil shock, which pushed capital into a defensive posture, before easing expectations returned and gradually pulled overall sentiment back toward risk-on.
📈 BTC remained the main driver, rebounding from the low-$70K area at the start of the week to around $77K-$78K, while $ETH reclaimed the $2.4K level and posted a stronger recovery than in the prior phase. The synchronized move in the two largest assets helped lift total market capitalization and reinforced the view that this rebound was not just short-term speculation, but also supported by the return of larger capital.
💰 One of the clearest supports was another strong week of positive ETF flows, which helped stabilize sentiment across the market. At the same time, the Fear & Greed Index moved from extreme fear back into greed, showing how quickly short-term expectations improved after a period of heavy caution.
⚙️ Beneath the surface, derivatives data suggests leverage has cooled compared with last month, with BTC open interest easing and funding staying weak for an extended stretch, while ETH began attracting more positioning. That kind of setup often leaves the market cleaner, reduces forced-selling pressure, and creates room for squeeze-driven moves if sentiment keeps improving.
🚀 By the end of the week, capital also began rotating into altcoins and more speculative narratives, although the market’s core engine is still $BTC, ETF flows, and expectations around clearer U.S. regulation. Near-term momentum has turned more constructive, even as risks tied to oil, Fed policy, and sharp derivatives volatility have not fully disappeared.