Key points:

Bitcoin remains above $100,000, but buyers are struggling to sustain prices above $105,000.

Strong altcoin performances suggest an altseason has started.

Bitcoin (BTC) is trading above $103,000, with buyers attempting to drive the price to the all-time high of $109,588. Research firm Santiment said in a post on X that Bitcoin whales and sharks, holding 10 to 10,000 Bitcoin, accumulated 83,105 Bitcoin in the past 30 days, suggesting that “it may be a matter of time” before Bitcoin’s all-time high is taken out.

Along with Bitcoin, analysts are also gradually turning positive on altcoins. A host of factors, such as falling Bitcoin and USDT dominance and a rally in select altcoins, suggest that an altcoin season may be around the corner.

Crypto market data daily view. Source: Coin360

However, not everyone is bullish in the short term. Alphractal CEO Joao Wedson said in a post on X that Bitcoin is at the “Alpha Price” zone, which could attract profit booking by long-term holders or whales.  

Could Bitcoin challenge the all-time high? Will altcoins continue their rally even if Bitcoin consolidates? Let’s analyze the charts of the top 10 cryptocurrencies to find out.

Bitcoin price prediction

Bitcoin rebounded off $100,718 on May 12, indicating that the bulls are trying to flip the psychologically important $100,000 level into support.

BTC/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

If the price maintains above $100,000, the possibility of a retest of the all-time high increases. There is stiff resistance in the $107,000 to $109,588 zone, but if it is crossed, the BTC/USDT pair could skyrocket to $130,000.

The risk to the upside is a sharp pullback below the 20-day exponential moving average ($98,407), which could tempt several short-term buyers to book profits. That could sink the pair to the 50-day simple moving average ($89,952). 

Ether price prediction

Ether (ETH) skyrocketed above the $2,550 resistance on May 13, but the higher levels are attracting sellers.

ETH/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The overbought level on the RSI signals a possible correction or consolidation in the near term. If the price slips below $2,550, the bears will try to strengthen their position by pulling the ETH/USDT pair below $2,400. If they can pull it off, the pair could extend the pullback to the 20-day EMA ($2,147).

Contrarily, a bounce off $2,550 indicates that the bulls are buying on every minor dip. That enhances the likelihood of a rally to $3,000.

XRP price prediction

XRP’s (XRP) rally is facing resistance at $2.65, but a positive sign is that the bulls have not ceded ground to the bears.

XRP/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

That improves the prospects of a rally above $2.65. Once the resistance is scaled, the XRP/USDT pair could ascend to $3. Buyers are expected to face significant resistance from the bears in the $3 to $3.40 zone.

The 20-day EMA ($2.32) is the vital support to watch out for on the downside. If the price turns down sharply from $2.65 and breaks below the 20-day EMA, it suggests that bears remain sellers on rallies. That could result in a range formation between $2.65 and $2.

BNB price prediction

Buyers have kept BNB (BNB) above the breakout level of $644 but are struggling to push the price above the $675 level.

BNB/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The rising 20-day EMA ($627) and the RSI in the positive territory indicate that buyers have an edge. A break and close above $675 opens the doors for a possible rally to the overhead resistance of $745.

This positive view will be invalidated in the near term if the price turns down and breaks below the 20-day EMA. If that happens, the BNB/USDT pair could descend to the 50-day SMA ($603).

Solana price prediction

Solana (SOL) resumed its up move after breaking above the $180 resistance on May 13, but the bulls are struggling to hold on to the higher levels.

SOL/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The bears have pulled the price back below $180 on May 14. If they sustain the lower levels, the SOL/USDT pair could skid to the 20-day EMA ($159). A solid bounce off the 20-day EMA suggests the bullish momentum remains intact. The bulls will then try to catapult the pair to $210.

Contrarily, a break and close below the 20-day EMA signals that the breakout above $180 may have been a bull trap. The pair may then tumble to $153.

Dogecoin price prediction

Dogecoin (DOGE) bounced off the breakout level of $0.21 on May 13, signaling that the bulls are trying to flip the level into support.

DOGE/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The 20-day EMA ($0.20) has started to turn up, and the RSI is near the overbought territory, indicating advantage to buyers. A break and close above $0.26 signals the resumption of the rally. That opens the doors for a rally to $0.28 and thereafter to $0.31.

Instead, if the price turns down and breaks below $0.21, it suggests a lack of demand at higher levels. The DOGE/USDT pair may then slump to the 50-day SMA ($0.17), which is likely to act as strong support.

Cardano price prediction

Buyers have successfully held the retest of the neckline in Cardano (ADA), indicating buying on dips.

ADA/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The bulls will try to resume the up move by pushing the price above $0.86. If they manage to do that, the ADA/USDT pair could pick up momentum and rally toward the pattern target of $1.01.

This optimistic view will be negated in the near term if the price turns down and breaks below the neckline. That suggests the bears have overpowered the bulls. That could sink the pair to the 50-day SMA ($0.68).

Related: Ethereum retakes 10% market share, but ETH bulls shouldn’t celebrate yet

Sui price prediction

Sui (SUI) has been sandwiched between $4.25 and $3.90 for the past few days, indicating that the bulls are holding on to their positions as they anticipate another leg higher.

SUI/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

If buyers propel the price above $4.25, the SUI/USDT pair could pick up momentum and surge to $5. Buyers may find it difficult to clear the overhead zone between $5 and the all-time high of $5.37.

Alternatively, if the price turns down and closes below $3.90, it suggests that the bulls are booking profits. The pair may descend to the 20-day EMA ($3.57), which is likely to attract buyers. If the price rebounds off the 20-day EMA, the bulls will make another attempt to overcome the barrier at $4.25.

Chainlink price prediction

Chainlink’s (LINK) up move is facing selling at the resistance line, but a minor positive is that the bulls have not ceded much ground to the bears.

LINK/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The upsloping 20-day EMA ($15.43) and the RSI near the overbought zone indicate the path of least resistance is to the upside. A short-term trend change will be signaled if buyers pierce the resistance line. The LINK/USDT pair could then rally toward the target objective of $21.30.

Sellers will have to tug the price below the neckline to gain strength. That could pull the pair to the 50-day SMA ($13.96). A break and close below the 50-day SMA suggest the pair may remain inside the descending channel pattern for some more time.

Avalanche price prediction

Avalanche (AVAX) bounced off the breakout level of $23.50, indicating that the bulls have flipped the level into support.

AVAX/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

There is minor resistance at $28.78, but it is likely to be crossed. If that happens, the AVAX/USDT pair could rally to $31.73 and subsequently to $36.

The 20-day EMA ($22.63) is the critical support to watch out for on the downside. If bears want to make a comeback, they will have to quickly pull the price below the 20-day EMA. The pair may then slide to $19, which is likely to attract buyers.

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.

VanEck has launched a new actively managed exchange-traded fund (ETF) designed to invest in stocks and financial instruments offering exposure to the digital economy, the asset manager said on May 14.

The VanEck Onchain Economy ETF (NODE) is listed on the Cboe exchange and aims to provide investors with broad exposure to companies operating in the blockchain ecosystem, including crypto miners, exchanges, infrastructure providers, and crypto-oriented financial technology platforms, VanEck said in a press release. 

The NODE ETF will also “consider any company that has clearly communicated plans to engage in this space, as evidenced through public filings, earnings calls or investor materials,” VanEck said.

Additionally, the fund, which will be actively managed, may also invest in crypto-related financial instruments but will not hold any cryptocurrencies directly, according to the press release. 

“As new companies enter the universe through IPOs, spinouts or strategy shifts, we will continuously update our investable universe,” Matthew Sigel, VanEck’s head of digital asset research and the NODE ETF’s portfolio manager, said in a statement. 

“We will also adjust beta and volatility to maintain responsible exposure to bitcoin and to businesses driving the growth of the onchain economy, avoiding over-allocation to high-beta names during frothy markets and preserving buying power for future opportunities,” he said. 

Beta refers to a financial asset’s exposure to market volatility.

Top holdings of VanEck’s NODE ETF. Source: VanEck

Related: Strategy will beat all public equities with Bitcoin, analyst says

Other ETF filings

In April, VanEck launched another ETF tracking crypto companies. The VanEck Digital Transformation ETF (DAPP) invests in a passive index of companies operating in the digital asset space. 

The DAPP ETF has $185 million in net assets as of May 14, according to its website. 

Asset managers such as VanEck are requesting the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) permission to list upward of 70 crypto ETFs. 

The flurry of ETF filings is in response to US President Donald Trump softening the SEC’s regulatory posture toward crypto after taking office in January.

On May 5, VanEck asked the SEC for a green light to list an ETF holding the BNB Chain’s native token.

Magazine: Bitcoin to $1M ‘by 2029,’ CIA tips its hat to Bitcoin: Hodler’s Digest, April 27 – May 3

Tanim Rasul, chief operating officer at Canadian crypto exchange NDAX, said Canada “got it wrong” categorizing stablecoins as securities in 2022, and the country needs to realize that every other regulatory regime is looking at stablecoins as payment instruments.

Rasul made the remarks during a panel on May 13 at the Blockchain Futurist Conference in Toronto, pointing to Europe’s crypto regulatory framework as a model for Canada to consider:

“I’m sure the regulators are wondering if this was the right choice to approach stablecoins as a security. […] I would just say, look at MiCA, look at the way they’re approaching stablecoins. It’s a payment instrument. It should be regulated as such.”

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) classified stablecoins as “securities and/or derivatives” in December 2022, following “recent events in the crypto market,” such as the dramatic collapse of crypto exchange FTX just a month before.

Related: What Canada’s new Liberal PM Mark Carney means for crypto

Canadian Web3 Regulation panel at Blockchain Futurist Conference. Source: Cointelegraph

The agency elaborated on stablecoin rules in February and October of 2023, placing such tokens under the umbrella of “value-referenced crypto assets.”

Canada’s stance on digital assets led many top crypto companies, including Binance, Bybit, OKX, and Paxos, to scale back operations in the local market. Crypto exchange Gemini also announced exit plans in September 2024.

The regulatory setback, however, hasn’t stopped Canada’s digital asset market from flourishing. According to Grand View Research, the local crypto industry posted revenue of $224 million in 2024, higher than in previous years. It is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 18.6% until 2030, when it is forecast to reach $617.5 million in annual revenue.

Related: Bitstamp’s departure from Canada is ‘timing issue,’ says CEO

Stablecoins have emerged as key crypto use case

Stablecoins, cryptocurrencies pegged to a fiat currency, have emerged as a key use case for digital assets. According to DefiLlama, the current market capitalization for all stablecoins is at $242.8 billion as of May 14, up 51.9% in the past 12 months.

Stablecoin market cap. Source: DefiLlama

Nation-states and economic blocs are increasingly working on stablecoin regulations to tackle the rising usage across the world. While the most used stablecoins are pegged to the US dollar, there is demand for stablecoins pegged to other fiat currencies.

Magazine: Legal Panel: Crypto wanted to overthrow banks, now it’s becoming them in stablecoin fight