Key Highlights
- Bitcoin dropped to $76,270 on Monday, down 2.2% in 24 hours and 5.8% on the week, while Ethereum fell 3.7% to $2,104 (-9.3% 7d, worst among majors) and the total crypto market cap fell to $2.54 trillion with $91.3 billion in 24-hour volume.
- CoinGlass data showed $814.50 million in liquidations over 24 hours, with $719.86M (88%) hitting longs. Ethereum longs led at $305.75M, BTC at $250.37M. The largest single liquidation was a $28.49M ETH/USDT position on Bitget. Crypto stocks cratered: Strategy (MSTR) -7.95%, Hut8 -6.82%, IREN -6.76%, Coinbase -4.49%.
- The Fear & Greed Index dropped to 37 (Fear), the Altcoin Season Index fell to 30/100 (deep Bitcoin Season), and the CMC 20 Index slid 2.5% to $153.86 as traders brace for NVIDIA earnings (May 20), FOMC minutes, and escalating geopolitical tensions this week.
Crypto market today
The cryptocurrency market experienced a significant drop at the start of the week, marking its biggest decline since early May. Bitcoin’s price fell from $77,415 to $76,270, reaching a low not seen since late April. This downturn wasn’t limited to crypto; oil prices rose above $112 a barrel, stock market futures dipped (the S&P 500 fell 0.3% and Nasdaq futures dropped 0.25%), and gold prices decreased as the dollar gained strength. These shifts occurred alongside increasing global tensions and growing concerns about rising inflation, particularly due to higher oil prices.
The overall value of the cryptocurrency market decreased to $2.54 trillion, with $91.3 billion worth of crypto being traded in the last 24 hours – a higher than usual amount for a Monday, likely due to global uncertainties. CoinGecko reported a slightly higher market value of $2.62 trillion with $93.2 billion in trading volume. The Altcoin Season Index fell to 30/100, indicating that Bitcoin is currently dominating the market. The CMC 20 Index, which tracks the performance of top cryptocurrencies, dropped 2.5% to $153.86. Market sentiment is currently leaning towards fear, with the Fear & Greed Index at 37, down from 42 on Saturday and a much higher 69 ten days prior.
| Market snapshot | Price | 24h | 7d |
| Total crypto market cap | $2.54T | -2.3% | — |
| 24h volume | $91.3B | Elevated for Monday | — |
| Bitcoin | $76,269.87 | -2.2% | -5.8% |
| Ethereum | $2,104.00 | -3.7% | -9.3% |
| BNB | $635.70 | -2.5% | -2.8% |
| XRP | $1.37 | -3.0% | -6.0% |
| Solana | $84.07 | -2.7% | — |
| HYPE | $44.85 | +3.4% | -9.6% |
| Fear & Greed Index | 37 (Fear) | Down from 42 Saturday | — |
| Altcoin Season Index | 30/100 | Deep Bitcoin Season | — |
| CMC 20 Index | $153.86 | -2.5% | — |
Bitcoin price today
Bitcoin’s price fell to $76,270, a decrease of 2.2% over the last day and 5.8% for the week. Its market capitalization is currently $1.527 trillion, with $39.2 billion worth of Bitcoin traded in the past 24 hours. The price fluctuated between $76,092 and $78,539 during that period.
Things took a turn recently with rising global tensions driving up oil prices, but honestly, the market was already looking shaky. We saw over a billion dollars flow *out* of spot Bitcoin ETFs last week – the biggest outflow since February. Plus, Bitcoin’s been repeatedly rejected at a key technical level around $82,228, and stubbornly high inflation is making it seem like interest rate cuts are off the table for now. It’s a tough combo for crypto right now.
| Bitcoin level | Price zone | Market signal |
| Immediate support | $76,000–$76,500 | Currently being tested |
| Key support | $75,000–$75,700 | CoinGape flagged $75,700 as key |
| Next support | $73,911 | 0.5 Fibonacci retracement |
| Critical support | $71,813 | 0.618 Fibonacci; near April 12 low of $70,740 |
| First resistance | $78,606 | 0.236 Fibonacci; a daily close above neutralizes the slide |
| 200-day EMA | $83,513 | Major overhead resistance |
Bitcoin’s price has fluctuated between $60,187 and $126,198 over the past year, and it’s currently 39% below its highest point in October 2025. Many long-term Bitcoin owners aren’t selling, even with price swings – almost 14.84 million BTC haven’t been moved in over 155 days, which limits the amount available for purchase on exchanges.
Ethereum price today
Ethereum’s price fell to $2,104, a 3.7% decrease in the last 24 hours and a 9.3% drop over the week – making it the worst-performing top-10 cryptocurrency. According to CoinGecko, Ethereum’s market value is currently $253.7 billion, with $16.4 billion traded in the last day. This decline wipes out all the gains Ethereum made in April, bringing its price to its lowest point since April 7th.
| Ethereum level | Price zone | Market signal |
| Immediate support | $2,095–$2,100 | Intraday low; Deribit put loading zone |
| Next support | $2,050 | Breakdown territory |
| First resistance | $2,150–$2,200 | Must reclaim to stabilize |
| Next resistance | $2,300 | Range breakout zone |
Ethereum experienced much larger liquidations than Bitcoin, with $256 million in losses compared to Bitcoin’s $183 million. This indicates that traders see Ethereum as the riskier of the two. Ethereum’s options market volatility is also higher, at 57.58 compared to Bitcoin’s 43.56, further confirming this perception as we head into the new week.
ETF flow context: $1.039B weekly outflow hangs over Monday’s tape
There’s no current information on how much money is flowing into or out of Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) ETFs as of Monday morning. The most recent data, from May 11th to 15th, showed a net outflow of $1.039 billion from BTC ETFs – the largest drop since early February, ending six weeks of gains. ETH ETFs also experienced losses of $255 million during that week. Only XRP ETFs saw positive inflows. When the latest data is released, it will show whether the recent selling pressure is causing larger institutional investors to pull out, or if lower prices are attracting buyers.
Crypto stocks today: MSTR leads losses at -7.95%, miners crushed
Cryptocurrency-related stocks experienced a significant drop at the start of trading on Monday. Shares of Strategy (MSTR) fell the most, and companies involved in cryptocurrency mining were particularly hard hit, according to SoSoValue data.
| Stock | Price | Day change | Sector |
| Strategy (MSTR) | $163.31 | -7.95% | BTC Treasury |
| Hut8 (HUT) | $95.48 | -6.82% | Mining |
| IREN | $49.36 | -6.76% | Mining |
| TeraWulf (WULF) | $20.85 | -6.59% | Mining |
| Circle (CRCL) | $108.67 | -4.67% | Stablecoin |
| Coinbase (COIN) | $186.66 | -4.49% | BTC Treasury |
| Tesla (TSLA) | $410.71 | -2.73% | BTC Treasury |
| Robinhood (HOOD) | $76.62 | -0.68% | Exchange |
| Block (XYZ) | $70.81 | +0.63% | BTC Treasury |
| PayPal (PYPL) | $44.56 | +0.33% | Stablecoin |
MicroStrategy (MSTR) shares fell 7.95% to $163.31, a 14% drop from its recent high of around $190 after the CLARITY Act. The entire mining sector experienced significant losses—Hut8, IREN, and TeraWulf all dropped by over 6%—likely due to their direct connection to the price of Bitcoin. Block and PayPal were the only companies to see gains, as their revenue isn’t solely dependent on cryptocurrency.
Altcoins today: MAGA Bitcoin surges 143%, majors bleed across the board
Most altcoins are down in value, with Ethereum seeing the biggest drop among the top ten, falling 9.3% this week. While some smaller, politically-themed memecoins are seeing gains, the biggest losses are happening among coins that performed well last week, suggesting a shift in market focus.
Top gainers (24H)
| Token | Price | 24h move | Volume |
| MAGA Bitcoin (MBTC) | $0.1789 | +143.2% | $56.3M |
| Bonfida (FIDA) | $0.02649 | +60.3% | $140.1M |
| OriginTrail (TRAC) | $0.4099 | +25.9% | $33.0M |
| Playnance (GCOIN) | $0.001765 | +23.0% | $241.6K |
| The9bit (9BIT) | $0.03159 | +21.3% | $11.1M |
Top losers (24H)
| Token | Price | 24h move | Volume |
| OpenServ (SERV) | $0.03942 | -22.3% | $3.2M |
| Swarm Network (TRUTH) | $0.01399 | -22.0% | $4.7M |
| Babylon (BABY) | $0.01546 | -18.8% | $20.6M |
| NEET | $0.02945 | -16.4% | $1.4M |
| Irys (IRYS) | $0.03692 | -16.7% | $66.0M |
Major altcoin moves
| Token | Price | 24h | 7d | Key signal |
| ETH | $2,104 | -3.7% | -9.3% | Worst 7d performer among top 10 |
| XRP | $1.37 | -3.0% | -6.0% | Continued fade from CLARITY high |
| SOL | $84.07 | -2.7% | — | Testing $83 support |
| BNB | $635.70 | -2.5% | -2.8% | Best 7d among majors |
| HYPE | $44.85 | +3.4% | -9.6% | Trending #1; SpaceX pre-IPO perps |
| ONDO | $0.3393 | -3.5% | -19.6% | RWA sector rotation out |
MAGA Bitcoin saw a huge jump in price – up 143% with $56 million in trading – likely fueled by increased tensions between the US and Iran and Donald Trump’s involvement. While many meme coins are volatile, OriginTrail (TRAC) is a legitimate winner, gaining over 25% today and 18% this week, and is currently trending. On the downside, OpenServ lost 22.3% of its value, erasing gains from Saturday, and Babylon continues to fall in value after its launch.
Derivatives and liquidations
A major sell-off on Monday resulted in $814.50 million in liquidations – the most in a single day since the drone strikes in early May. According to CoinGlass, over 123,000 traders lost their positions. The vast majority of these liquidations, $719.86 million (88.4%), came from traders who bet prices would rise (long positions), while $94.64 million (11.6%) came from those who bet prices would fall (short positions).
| Liquidation metric | 24h data | Market read |
| Total liquidations | $814.50M | Largest since early May |
| Long liquidations | $719.86M (88.4%) | Overwhelmingly long-biased |
| Short liquidations | $94.64M (11.6%) | Minimal short-side pain |
| Traders liquidated | 123,091 | Broad wipeout |
| Largest single liquidation | $28.49M ETH/USDT on Bitget | Massive single-position blowup |
| Timeframe | Total | Long | Short |
| 1h | $3.25M | $999.78K | $2.25M |
| 4h | $110.33M | $100.22M | $10.11M |
| 12h | $196.04M | $150.47M | $45.57M |
| 24h | $814.50M | $719.86M | $94.64M |
Liquidations by asset
| Asset | 24h liquidations | Market read |
| ETH | $305.75M | Most liquidated asset for the second consecutive week |
| BTC | $250.37M | Second most |
| Others | $67.10M | Broad altcoin pain |
Ethereum accounted for the largest share of forced liquidations, totaling $305.75 million, surpassing Bitcoin’s $250.37 million. This indicates that traders using leverage to bet on Ethereum’s price increasing are taking the biggest risks and are most vulnerable to losses. The largest single liquidation event happened on Bitget, where a single Ethereum/USDT position lost $28.49 million. Looking at data over four hours ($110.33 million in total liquidations, with $100.22 million being long positions), most of these losses occurred immediately after the CME futures market opened on Sunday night.
Sentiment
| Sentiment metric | Latest reading | Market read |
| Fear & Greed Index | 37 (Fear) | Down from 42 Saturday, 69 ten days ago |
| Altcoin Season Index | 30/100 | Deep Bitcoin Season; alts heavily underperforming |
| CMC 20 Index | $153.86 (-2.5%) | Broad large-cap weakness |
| Rate hike odds (Dec 2026) | ~44% (CME) | Dramatic repricing |
| Zero rate cuts in 2026 | ~62% (Polymarket) | Consensus: no easing |
| Brent crude | >$112/barrel | 16% rally in past month |
| WTI crude | >$107/barrel | Strait of Hormuz disruption priced in |
Market sentiment shifted dramatically in just ten days, plummeting from a high of 69 to 37 on the Fear & Greed Index – one of the biggest drops of the year so far. This change was fueled by recent economic data (CPI at 3.8%, PPI at 6%), over $1 billion leaving ETF investments, $660 million in forced liquidations, and rising tensions in Iran. The Altcoin Season Index, currently at 30/100 – its lowest point this month – suggests investors are moving money into Bitcoin and away from alternative cryptocurrencies, a typical reaction during times of geopolitical uncertainty and market downturns.
Macro setup
| Macro factor | Status | Crypto impact |
| Brent crude | >$112/barrel | Energy-driven inflation fears intensify |
| U.S.-Iran tensions | Escalating; military options under review | Oil surge → risk-off across all assets |
| NVIDIA earnings | May 20 (Wednesday) | Revenue expected $78.8B (+80% YoY); BTC historically rallies on beats |
| FOMC minutes | This week | Clues on Warsh-era policy direction |
| Meta stablecoin Senate deadline | This week | Regulatory headline risk |
| Iran stock exchange | Reopening this week | Geopolitical signal |
| 30-year yield | 5.114% (12-month high) | Tightest financial conditions of 2026 |
| April CPI | 3.8% YoY | Sticky inflation |
| April PPI | 6% | Supply-side pressure from energy |
| WLFI USD1/BTC perps | Launched on Binance today (May 18) | Trump-linked stablecoin enters derivatives |
| Aave | Restored ETH borrowing limits post-$292M exploit | DeFi contagion easing |
Key levels to watch
| Asset | Support | Resistance | Breakout level | Breakdown level |
| BTC | $76,000 / $75,000 | $78,606 / $82,228 | $83,500 | $73,911 |
| ETH | $2,095 / $2,050 | $2,150 / $2,300 | $2,340 | $2,050 |
| SOL | $82 / $80 | $87 / $91 | $95 | $80 |
| XRP | $1.35 / $1.27 | $1.43 / $1.50 | $1.55 | $1.27 |
Market outlook
The stock market’s drop on Monday, while sparked by global events, was likely going to happen regardless. Heading into the weekend, investors were already pulling money out of ETFs – about $1 billion worth – and the market had repeatedly failed to break through a key technical level. Investor sentiment was also cooling, and interest rates were high. The rise in oil prices simply acted as the final trigger for a correction that was already brewing.
The next few days are packed with events that could significantly move markets. Rising tensions in the Middle East could cause oil prices to increase. NVIDIA’s earnings report on Wednesday (expected to be $78.8 billion, up 80% from last year) could trigger a stock market rally – historically, NVIDIA’s positive earnings have boosted Bitcoin prices (for example, in February and November). Finally, the release of the Federal Reserve’s meeting minutes this week will offer the first insights into how the Fed, under its new leadership, is thinking about the future of inflation.
Looking at the technical analysis, Bitcoin needs to stay above $75,000-$76,000 to avoid further declines. If it falls below that level, potential support lies around $73,911 and then $71,813, getting close to the April 12 low of $70,740. A daily closing price above $78,606 would likely stop this downward trend. The 200-day Exponential Moving Average at $83,513 is a key level to watch – if Bitcoin can climb above it, that would signal a potential trend reversal rather than just a temporary correction.
Despite the recent price drops, there’s a positive sign: long-term Bitcoin holders aren’t selling. Over 14.84 million BTC haven’t been moved in over 155 days, and the amount of Bitcoin held on exchanges is actually decreasing. Historically, when exchange supply drops while prices fall, the market eventually moves in the direction of actual Bitcoin flow – meaning people buying or selling – rather than just reacting to market sentiment.
Read More
- Nvidia Stock Price: Bull Flag Pattern Signals May 2026 Rally?
- ICP PREDICTION. ICP cryptocurrency
- WLFI PREDICTION. WLFI cryptocurrency
- SOL PREDICTION. SOL cryptocurrency
- DASH PREDICTION. DASH cryptocurrency
- USD RUB PREDICTION
- EUR INR PREDICTION
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Ripple’s CEO Unveils the Marvelous Mystique of XRP – A Comedy of Crypto
- GBP USD PREDICTION
2026-05-18 21:44