Bitcoin traders diverge over BTC price strength with $60K in sight

Bitcoin (BTC) battled US sellers astatine Monday’s Wall Street unfastened amid mixed feelings implicit the short-term BTC terms outlook.

Key points:

• Bitcoin terms targets see a $60,000 driblet arsenic good arsenic a betterment amid uncertain moves.

• Bitcoin attempts to sorb repetition rounds of selling into the TradFi trading week.

• US tariffs stay the cardinal macro catalyst connected the radar.

Bitcoin outlook splits with BTC successful “tricky place”

Data from TradingView showed rangebound marketplace moves focusing connected $66,000, with BTC/USD down astir 2.5% connected the day.

BTC/USD one-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

US weakness compounded an already bearish commencement to Monday, with sell-side unit clearly successful evidence astatine the play open.

“$BTC flushed 4.5K successful 1 move,” crypto expert IT Tech, a contributor onchain analytics level CryptoQuant, wrote successful his latest marketplace commentary connected X.

IT Tech described existent terms moves arsenic indicating “confusion,” informing that the day’s $62,250 lows could travel successful for a retest.

“The agelong clump astatine 64.2K got partially swept. If 65K fails, we retest it. Support: 65K → 64.2K / Resistance: 66.5K → 68.7K,” helium summarized. 

Binance BTC/USDT 15-minute illustration with order-book liquidity. Source: IT Tech/X

Trader Jelle eyed a imaginable expanse of the $60,000 people should bulls neglect to physique a instauration successful the existent constrictive range.

Others were much hopeful. Commentator Exitpump flagged an ongoing tentative recovery successful the Coinbase Premium arsenic an aboriginal motion that conditions mightiness improve.

“We had assertive spot buying, but it stopped for now, backing is antagonistic and Coinbase premium is astir back. Tricky place, but I americium bullish here,” Exitpump told X followers.

Binance Bitcoin futures marketplace data. Source: Exitpump/X

Crypto trader, expert and entrepreneur Michaël van de Poppe had akin feelings connected the day.

“Pretty bully wick connected the markets for $BTC,” helium wrote astir the section lows. 

“That would beryllium a awesome that this won't proceed to fall, however, it inactive needs to clasp supra $65K and get continuation successful the coming days to intelligibly awesome this. First steps are great.”

BTC/USDT 12-hour chart. Source: Michaël van de Poppe/X

Tariffs supply “immediate catalyst” for crypto

US stocks continued a tense commencement to the week connected futures, acknowledgment to the menace of caller US commercialized tariffs.

Related: Hodlers person ‘given up’ astatine $65K: Five things to cognize successful Bitcoin this week

The 15% broad levies were announced by President Donald Trump implicit the play aft the Supreme Court struck down immoderate erstwhile measures.

🇺🇸 JUST IN: Donald Trump says helium tin usage licenses and approved tariffs successful a perfectly “terrible” mode against countries helium claims person taken vantage of the US. pic.twitter.com/ZEXY9hI7NA

— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) February 23, 2026

Responding, trading institution QCP Capital described the tariff debacle arsenic an “immediate catalyst” for Bitcoin.

“This escalation has added different furniture of argumentation uncertainty astatine a clip erstwhile macro hazard appetite is already thinning,” it wrote successful its latest “Asia Color” marketplace update.

QCP besides attempted to find a crushed for optimism, noting the deficiency of a wide marketplace flush astir the headlines.

“After respective assertive flushes this year, some the standard of volatility spikes and the strength of liquidation cascades person somewhat moderated,” it continued. 

“Even connected the latest tariff header from Trump, spot didn’t instantly spread little connected the quality arsenic it typically has successful anterior episodes, alternatively softening into the Asia open. That displacement successful absorption relation is notable.”