The Bitcoin price seems stable when looking quickly. Over the last 24 hours, the price has been almost unchanged, down only 0.2%. Even during the week, Bitcoin has barely moved, up about 0.7%. The market feels calm, and many traders call this sideways trading.
Men underneath the surface shows several signs that Bitcoin (BTC) is not as weak as it seems. Momentum is changing slowly, sellers are losing will, and large holders continue to plan quietly. Together, these factors explain why positive price forecasts from experts like Tom Lee remain, even though some breakout has not yet occurred.
Momentum and volume signals are slowly getting better
On the daily chart, the Bitcoin price is still respecting the level of 90,100 USD. This area has been a strong base during recent fluctuations and has prevented deeper declines despite the price not managing to rise further.
One of the clearest early signs comes from On-Balance Volume (OBV). OBV shows whether volume is coming into or out of an asset. It helps to detect hidden buying or selling pressure.
Between December 9 and 11, the Bitcoin price made a lower high, while OBV made a higher high. This difference shows that despite the price struggling, buyers were more active beneath the surface.
Do you want more token insights? Sign up for editor Harsh Notariya's daily crypto newsletter here.
The signal became stronger between December 10 and 12. During this time, the Bitcoin price made a lower low, while OBV made a higher low. It tells the same story from another perspective. Sellers pressured the price lower, but with weaker volume.
These two OBV divergences complement each other. Together, they show that selling pressure is decreasing, not increasing. It does not confirm a breakout, but such signals are often seen before one.
Holders and Whales are positioning themselves despite the flat price
Momentum signs alone are not enough. On-chain data provides confirmation. Holder Net Position Change shows whether long-term owners are increasing or decreasing their Bitcoin holdings. Negative values mean selling. Fewer negative values indicate that selling pressure is decreasing.
On December 10, long-term holders sold about 155 999 BTC. By December 13, the number had dropped to about 150 614 BTC. This is a decrease of about 3.4% in selling pressure.
The change is not dramatic, but it is important. Bitcoin is not experiencing any panic selling despite sideways trading. On the contrary, owners are selling less as the price stabilizes. This is often seen during consolidation phases, not when it breaks downward.
The strongest signal comes from 'whales'. The number of people with at least 1,000 BTC is near a six-month high. This figure often reflects large, long-term investors.
Since the end of October, the Bitcoin price has corrected and moved sideways. During the same period, 'whale' actors have continued to buy more. This creates a clear difference. The price has weakened, but the large buyers continue to accumulate. And they rarely act without reason.
This behavior explains why experts like Tom Lee still believe in high Bitcoin prices.
These forecasts are not based on short-term movements. They are grounded in decreased selling, better volume structure, and whales continuing to buy. But the Bitcoin price must confirm this.
Bitcoin price levels that determine whether the bulls take control
For Bitcoin to turn these signs into real movement, price confirmation is required.
The most important level is still 94,600 USD. A daily close above this zone indicates about a 5% move from current levels and breaks above the upper range in the current price movement. It would clearly show that buyers are regaining control in the short term.
If 94,600 USD breaks, the next resistance is at 99,800 USD. If the price holds above that level, the path to 107,500 USD may open up if the market is strong. This could be the first real step towards Tom Lee's aggressive target of 180,000 USD.
If Bitcoin's price falls below 90,000 USD, there is support at 89,200 USD. If the price continues to drop, 87,500 USD will be the next key level. If the price goes below these zones, the positive trend disappears, at least in the short term.
