Bitcoin’s price has continued its gradual decline, now trading just above $81,000, marking a significant drop from its all-time high (ATH) in January. At the time of writing, BTC stands at $81,086, reflecting a 1.7% increase in the past 24 hours but still showing a 2.3% decrease over the past week.

The ongoing correction has raised concerns among investors about whether the asset will recover or enter a prolonged consolidation phase. While there is no definitive reason behind Bitcoin’s ongoing price movements, CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost has highlighted an interesting correlation between BTC and Nasdaq

According to Darkfost, Bitcoin is currently more correlated with the Nasdaq index than with the S&P 500, suggesting that macroeconomic factors and broader market sentiment are playing a role in BTC’s performance.

This correlation indicates that external market trends, such as changes in US equity markets and monetary policy decisions, might be influencing Bitcoin’s price direction.

Short-Term Holder SOPR and Bitcoin’s Market Cycle

Amid Bitcoin’s price fluctuations, CryptoQuant analyst Kripto Mevsimi has examined the Short-Term Holder Spent Output Profit Ratio (SOPR) EMA (155), which provides insights into market cycles and investor behavior.

According to Mevsimi, SOPR EMA (155) recently peaked and is now declining, signaling that short-term holders are realizing fewer profits. This trend could indicate that the market is entering a consolidation phase.

The analyst further explained that if SOPR approaches 1 and holds as support, it may signal a healthy market reset before the next potential uptrend. However, if SOPR drops below 1, it could indicate increased selling pressure, which may lead to further market weakness.

Mevsimi emphasized that for Bitcoin’s bullish trend, which began in early 2023, to continue, SOPR should stabilize around 1 and then trend upward again. Failure to hold this level may suggest a shift in market dynamics, putting Bitcoin’s long-term growth trajectory into question.

Whale Accumulation Continues Amid Market Correction

While short-term price action remains uncertain, another CryptoQuant analyst, caueconomy, has highlighted a significant accumulation trend among large Bitcoin holders. Over the last 30 days, Bitcoin whales have added over 65,000 BTC to their holdings, reflecting strong buying pressure from major network participants.

Caueconomy noted that this accumulation is occurring despite the broader market correction, suggesting that whales are absorbing supply rather than selling off their holdings.

This behavior contrasts with miners and exchanges, which often offload BTC to maintain liquidity. If the current accumulation pattern continues for several more weeks, it could resemble the consistent buying pressure seen between November and December, which helped Bitcoin rally in late 2023.

Featured image created with DALL-E, Chart from TradingView