Bitcoin (BTC/USD) traded sideways early in today’s North American session as the pair appreciated to the 18248.21 area trading as low as the 17535.26 area in the Asian session, with the intraday low representing a test of the 38.2% retracement of the recent depreciating range from 19500 to 16200.  Traders observe that BTC/USD’s upside was capped by the 200-hour simple moving average during the European session, and supported around the 23.6% retracement of the depreciating range from 18980 to 17610.77 early in the North American session.  Also, the 50-bar 4-hourly simple moving average provided technical resistance during the North American session, and the intraday high also represented a test of an upside price objective around the 18256.14 area.  The pair stopped short of testing the 15808.49 area during the recent move lower, representing the 23.6% retracement of the wide appreciating range and absolute 2020 range from 3858 to 19500.  Significant Stops were elected during the decline including below the 18605.14, 18275.16, 18016.74, 17604.12, 17517.42, 17156.69, 17099.13, 16905.00, 16603.10, 16357.50, and 16292.58 levels.  If the pair is able to resume its upward trajectory and establish a new all-time high, traders are carefully monitoring the 20311.36 and 21909.24 areas as upside price objectives.  Similarly, the 20534.46 area is an upside price objective related to buying demand that originated earlier this year around the 6854.67 area. 

Traders will pay close attention to some potential areas of technical support during pullbacks lower and these include the 16092.69 and 15935.90 areas.  Notably, the 15935.90 and 16304.69 areas represent the 76.4% and 78.6% retracements of a historical depreciation from 19891.99 to 3128.89.  Further below current market activity, traders are paying close attention to additional potential areas of technical support during pullbacks and these include the 14273.50, 14259.01, 14101.50, 13989.55, 13892.29, 13705.50, 13663.43, and 13594.42 levels. Chartists are observing that the 50-bar MA (4-hourly) is bullishly indicating above the 100-bar MA (4-hourly) and above the 200-bar MA (4-hourly).   Also, the 50-bar MA (hourly) is bearishly indicating below the 100-bar MA (hourly) and below the 200-bar MA (hourly).

Price activity is nearest the 50-bar MA (4-hourly) at 18204.22 and the 200-bar MA (Hourly) at 18235.20.

Technical Support is expected around 16200/ 15996.17/ 15479.66 with Stops expected below.

Technical Resistance is expected around 19500/ 20311.36/ 21909.24 with Stops expected above.  

On 4-Hourly chart, SlowK is Bullishly above SlowD while MACD is Bullishly above MACDAverage.

On 60-minute chart, SlowK is Bearishly below SlowD while MACD is Bearishly below MACDAverage.