The Bitcoin price in December is now a key focus, given that the market ended November on a weak note. Bitcoin dropped more than 17% this month, breaking its usual November trend and raising questions about whether the recent $80,000 bounce was the real bottom.

December has a mixed history for Bitcoin, and early data for this year shows some caution in both spot flows and on-chain signals. This analysis examines three key areas: seasonal performance, ETF flows, and insights from on-chain and price charts regarding the upcoming month.

December is not usually a very strong month for Bitcoin. The long-term average return is 8.42%, but the median return is only 1.69%. The last four years also show mixed results, with three negative Decembers.

November added more caution. Instead of repeating its strong seasonal pattern, Bitcoin finished the month more than 17% lower.

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ETF flows echo that caution. November closed with –$3.48 billion in net outflows across US spot ETFs. The last clear multi-month inflow streak happened between April and July.

Since then, flows have been inconsistent, and November confirmed that institutions remained defensive.

MEXC Chief Analyst Shawn Young told BeInCrypto that stronger and more consistent ETF demand is essential before a meaningful rebound can begin:

“The most evident indicators of Bitcoin’s next upside rally would be a resurgence in risk sentiment, improved liquidity conditions, and market depth… When Bitcoin spot ETFs begin to see multiple days of inflows of $200–$300 million, it may indicate that institutional allocators are rotating back into BTC and the next leg up is underway,” he mentioned.

Hunter Rogers, Co-Founder of TeraHash, added that the setup for December still looks muted even after November’s flush-out:

“I don’t expect a highly-volatile December — neither a major jump nor a major drop. A quieter month with a slow upward movement looks more realistic. If ETF flows calm down and volatility stays low, Bitcoin could put in a small positive surprise. But this still feels like a repair phase,” he said.

Together, the seasonal pattern and ETF flows show that December may stay cautious unless ETF demand turns sharply higher.

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Bitcoin’s on-chain data still does not match what a confirmed December bottom usually looks like. Two core signals tell the same story: whales are still sending coins to exchanges, and long-term holders remain in distribution mode.

The Exchange Whale Ratio — which measures how much of total inflows come from the top 10 large wallets — climbed from 0.32 earlier this month to 0.68 on November 27.

Even after easing to 0.53, it remains in a zone that historically reflects whales preparing to sell, not accumulate. Durable bottoms rarely form when this ratio stays elevated across several weeks.

The Hodler Net Position Change, which tracks long-term investor behavior, also stays deep in the red. These wallets have been reducing their positions for more than six months. The last strong BTC rally began only after this metric turned green in late September — a milestone it has not achieved again yet.

Until long-term holders stop sending coins back into circulation, sustained upside becomes harder to support.

Shawn believes that a true shift begins only when long-term sellers step aside:

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“The rally could begin when OG sellers stop transferring coins onto exchanges, whale accumulation turns positive again, and market depth starts to thicken across major venues,” he emphasized

Hunter Rogers echoed this view, linking any trend reversal to cleaner supply behavior from miners and long-term wallets:

“When long-term holders quietly move back into accumulation, it means supply pressure is fading,” he mentioned

So far, neither trend has flipped. Whales continue to send coins to exchanges, and long-term holders continue to distribute. Together, they signal that the Bitcoin price in December may attempt deeper retests before any strong recovery attempt.

The Bitcoin price now sits at a point where even a small move can set the tone for December. The broader trend still leans bearish, and the chart structure confirms what the ETF and on-chain data already hint at.

BTC recently slipped below the lower band of a bear flag that has been building for weeks. This breakdown suggests a possible extension to $66,800, although the market may not reach that level immediately if liquidity remains stable.

For December, the first major line to watch is $80,400. That level acted as a rebound zone earlier this month, but it remains fragile.

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A clean close below $80,400 opens room for new lows, aligning with what Shawn Young believes is still “a plausible liquidity sweep” before any stronger recovery attempt.

Here is what he said in an exclusive bit, giving the market some hope as well:

“Bitcoin’s market setup suggests a wick-style liquidity sweep rather than a prolonged breakdown,” he believes

On the upside, the structure only flips if BTC reclaims $97,100 — the midpoint of the larger pole-and-flag setup. A daily close above that zone would erase the bear-flag breakdown and begin a move toward resistance near $101,600.

Hunter also pointed out that reclaiming higher trend levels only matters if volume rises along with it. As he put it:

“If Bitcoin holds above the breakout zone and volume improves, then the market can start treating that area as a durable floor,” he mentioned.

For December, that breakout zone sits between $93,900 and $97,100, which is where the chart, ETFs, and on-chain conditions need to switch from defensive to supportive.

Until those confirmations arrive, the downside remains more pronounced than the upside. A deeper Bitcoin price retest stays in play if ETF outflows accelerate or if whales continue to send coins to exchanges.

For now, the Bitcoin price in December begins with the OG crypto sitting between two critical walls — $80,400 as the last defensive floor, and $97,137 as the ceiling that can reset momentum.