Bitcoin retreated from the $81,000 zone and traded below the $78,000 mark on September 1, 2026, trimming some gains after surging nearly 25% throughout August. Last month’s price performance marked the market’s strongest monthly rally since November 2024.
A massive injection of institutional capital has not been enough to lift the market. Investment firm Strategy purchased 4,603 BTC worth $369.7 million at an average price of $80,318 per coin, bringing its total treasury holdings to 845,050 BTC. The multi-million-dollar transaction failed to push Bitcoin’s price back above the company’s average purchase price. On the public market front, fresh inflows into US spot Bitcoin ETFs were also disrupted. After recording inflows for nine consecutive trading sessions, the trend reversed with $201.8 million in outflows on August 28.
Interest Rate Pressures Stall Price Momentum
US Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh issued an early warning from the Jackson Hole symposium, stating that the central bank still has significant work ahead to curb inflation. Market expectations now show a 57% probability of a Fed interest rate hike.
These external macroeconomic headwinds have reinforced technical boundaries on the price chart. Bitcoin currently faces a tight resistance zone between $81,000 and $82,000, sitting well above the Supertrend support line located at $72,310. Liquidation heatmaps from data provider CoinGlass show a build-up of leveraged futures positions from both directions clustering around daily price levels.
Three Indicators Signal Slowdown
Momentum indicators show a slowing trend on both daily and 4-hour timeframes. The daily Relative Strength Index (RSI) currently sits at 68.02, crossing below its moving average line at 76.83. Tightening Bollinger Bands coincide with the 4-hour ADX falling to 12.26 - well below the key threshold of 20, indicating that the market is losing directional trend strength.
The MACD line at 143.58 is hugging the signal line at 143.46 closely, poised to form a bearish crossover on the chart. Upward confirmation can only be established if bulls secure a daily close above the pivotal $82,842 level. Until that resistance is breached, clustered liquidation orders suggest any sharp price swing could trap and wipe out leveraged traders on both sides.
Reported by crypto.news.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only, not financial advice. Cryptocurrency assets are highly volatile and carry significant risk. Always do your own research (DYOR) and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
