The question about Bitcoin's current state keeps surfacing on the internet, and here's my perspective on it. I believe that Bitcoin is currently experiencing a significant bearish phase. This might come as a surprise, considering its widespread popularity, but when we delve into essential data points, it becomes apparent that some of the optimism surrounding its future is unravelling.
To provide context, when we look at Bitcoin's historical performance, we would expect periods of surges followed by normalization, fostering sustainable long-term growth. However, the reality differs. A close examination of monthly trading activity data from the beginning of 2018 reveals a consistent year-over-year decline in Bitcoin's trading activity for at least five years.
For instance, in September of this year, Bitcoin's trading activity was 68.6% lower compared to the same month the previous year. Over the past two years, it has seen a more moderate decrease of 54.8%. Yet, when compared to three years ago, it has declined by 68.9%, and compared to five years ago, it has plummeted by a substantial 86.1%. The overall trend is unequivocal: trading activity is on a steady decline, and Bitcoin's price significantly relies on the optimism of traders. Acknowledging these trends is essential. This is what some people believe.
However, I hold the view that Bitcoin's price is primarily driven by sentiment. Whether we accept it or not, it's our sentiment that propels Bitcoin's price, not technical analysis. Technical analysis only comes into play when we need to determine the price range for our next buying or selling decision.
I've observed that many people employ various strategies to accumulate Bitcoin during this prevailing bearish phase, such as the widely recognized DCA (Dollar-Cost Averaging) and Dual Investment (I often discuss these together because they complement each other). Some opt for Smart Trend, while a significant number engage in trading Bitcoin on futures contracts.
Everyone has their approach in anticipation of a potential Bitcoin surge in the near future. However, we should also consider how long everyone can wait for this expected turnaround. It's commonly suggested that next year will be fundamentally positive for Bitcoin, but what if price manipulation, like the dynamics of price ranging for several days getting to weeks seen this month during "Uptober," comes into play with no significant direction on where price would go but a mere indecisive action that can lead to manipulation and sweep traders who either long or short
So, what is your perspective: Do you believe we are currently in a bear market, or is this merely a manipulation to discourage some individuals from Bitcoin?
I think that the overall trend is bullish, but only if we choose long-term hodling. As for short-term, there wont be significant bullruns, and the market can even become bearish for some time. The same thing we can observe in adoption level: there is a possibility of moderate rise in adoption level, but there wont be a high rise in adoption level.