
$81,000 was reclaimed by Bitcoin (BTC) on Wednesday. The recovery extended as investors awaited the Federal Reserve (Fed) monetary policy announcement and forthcoming Big Tech results. A second consecutive day of inflows into spot Bitcoin Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) this week pointed to mildly bullish institutional demand.

Separately, subdued participation and investor inactivity feature prominently among the concerns in a K33 Research report. It cautions that the Crypto King could be nearing a period of greater volatility.
Tuesday’s spot Bitcoin ETF inflows reached $175.99 million, compared with $110.34 million on Monday, according to SoSoValue. The figures point to modest institutional buying and a cautiously bullish stance towards Bitcoin. Inflows nevertheless remain below last week’s levels, indicating caution before the US Federal Reserve’s (Fed) interest rate announcement later on Wednesday.

An unchanged benchmark rate within the current 3.75% to 4.00% target range is the broad expectation for Wednesday’s Fed decision. The CME FedWatch tool puts the market-implied probability of no change at the October meeting at 90.6%, with an 84.4% probability of a December rate increase. For guidance on the central bank’s economic assessment and policy path, traders will scrutinise Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s press conference remarks.
BTC could face pressure if hawkish comments weaken risk appetite. A more dovish message, by contrast, could underpin its continuing recovery.
Middle East tensions are another source of caution for BTC traders. According to the Wall Street Journal, the US has advised several Gulf Arab countries to prepare for a “short, intense military campaign” following the US midterm elections.
Crude oil has drawn support from these developments. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) gained more than 1% on the day to roughly $101 per barrel. Costlier oil could intensify inflation concerns, weaken appetite for risk and limit BTC’s upside.
Wednesday brings Q3 earnings from Microsoft and Alphabet, with Amazon scheduled to follow on Thursday. These major technology companies’ reports are also drawing investors’ attention.
Concerns about hyperscaler valuations could ease if the results validate sustained heavy spending on Artificial Intelligence (AI), helping risk appetite. Weak results, however, could intensify the AI-driven sell-off already under way and pressure risk-sensitive assets, including Bitcoin.
Tuesday’s K33 Research report flagged investor inactivity and weak market participation as major concerns for BTC prices. Against that backdrop, it warned that volatility could soon expand.
At 1.3%, the 30-day volatility of perpetual Open Interest (OI) marks the 26th lowest reading since June 2021. Meanwhile, 30-day price volatility sits in this decade’s 2nd percentile. Traders remain on the sidelines, and trading volumes have fallen to lows not reached between March 2024 and June 2026.
The analyst added: “Calm like this lets leverage build gradually until a price move forces positions to close and pushes prices further. Regimes this quiet rarely last for long, so a volatility expansion looks likely soon. This also fits well with the frantic pace of the upcoming event calendar, setting the stage for prices to once again start swinging,”

$81,113 is Bitcoin’s trading price on Wednesday. Consolidation above a closely grouped set of Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs) keeps the bias constructive and bullish. Below the spot price are the 50-day EMA at $80,816, the 100-day EMA at $77,813 and the 200-day EMA at $76,395. Their position suggests that support for the broader uptrend persists despite the recent retreat.
Momentum remains restrained. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is near 46, while Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) remains negative. Together, these indicators currently suggest consolidation rather than a fresh, forceful advance.
Horizontal resistance around $85,000 is the first significant upside obstacle. Supply at this level previously halted gains, making it the key barrier buyers must overcome to regain upward momentum.
Initial buying interest is expected near the 50-day EMA at $80,816. Further support lies at the 100-day EMA at $77,813, followed by the 200-day EMA around $76,395. A daily close beneath this EMA zone would substantially weaken the existing bullish structure and leave scope for a deeper correction.

(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool. Know more.)
By market capitalisation, Bitcoin ranks as the largest cryptocurrency. It is a virtual currency created to function as money. No single person, group or entity can control this payment method, removing the need for third parties in financial transactions.
The term altcoin covers cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin. Some also exclude Ethereum, however, because these two cryptocurrencies are the starting points for forks. Under that interpretation, Litecoin is the first altcoin: it was forked from the Bitcoin protocol and is therefore an “improved” version of it.
A stablecoin is a cryptocurrency intended to maintain a stable price, backed by reserves of the asset it represents. Its value is pegged to a commodity or financial instrument, such as the US Dollar (USD), while an algorithm or demand regulates its supply. Stablecoins primarily give investors a route into and out of cryptocurrency trading and investment. They can also serve as a store of value, as cryptocurrencies are generally exposed to price volatility.
The ratio of Bitcoin’s market capitalisation to the combined market capitalisation of all cryptocurrencies is known as Bitcoin dominance. It offers a clear indication of investor interest in Bitcoin. BTC dominance is typically high before and during bull runs, when investors favour relatively stable cryptocurrencies with large market capitalisations, such as Bitcoin. Falling BTC dominance generally signals that investors are shifting capital and/or profits into altcoins to seek higher returns. That shift usually sparks a surge in altcoin rallies.