Bitcoin’s Iron Grip Tightens – Will Ethereum and Blue-Chip Alts Stage a Coup?
Bitcoin just flexed its dominance to a multi-year high—crushing altcoin dreams like a Wall Street banker crushing retail hopes. But here’s the billion-satoshi question: Can ETH, SOL, and other large-cap alts pull off a surprise rally?
Market cycles suggest rotations happen when BTC fatigue sets in. Yet this time, institutional money’s glued to the OG crypto like it’s a ‘too big to fail’ bank. Meanwhile, alt traders juggle hopium and liquidation risks.
Watch the 20-week moving averages. If BTC stalls here, capital might finally trickle down to alts—or get vacuumed back into stablecoins by panic. Either way, hedge funds will spin the narrative to their advantage.
Bitcoin Consolidates As Altcoins Begin to Shine
Bitcoin is holding steady above the $103,000 level after a turbulent period marked by global tensions, political uncertainty, and increased market volatility. The leading cryptocurrency continues to consolidate just below its all-time high of $112,000, forming a crucial range between the $100,000 and $109,000 levels. This zone is becoming a key battleground between bulls and bears, as investors wait for a decisive breakout.
Despite bearish sentiment creeping in amid rising US bond yields and geopolitical noise, Bitcoin has shown resilience. The market’s ability to maintain support above $100K reflects underlying strength, even as short-term momentum softens. However, according to analyst Ted Pillows, the next MOVE may not come from Bitcoin at all.
Pillows points out that Bitcoin dominance has likely peaked for this cycle, and large-cap altcoins are beginning to outperform. This trend historically signals the early stages of altseason—a period when altcoins, particularly ethereum and other top-tier projects, gain traction and deliver stronger returns relative to BTC. The increasing strength of large caps is often a precursor to broader altcoin rotation, with mid and low-cap assets following.
While Bitcoin still commands the spotlight, this shift in dominance suggests investors are becoming more confident in exploring risk-on opportunities. If BTC holds its ground while alts continue gaining, the next few months could see renewed momentum across the crypto landscape. The setup is forming for a dynamic market phase, where Bitcoin consolidates and altcoins surge.
BTC Weekly Price Action: Bulls Still Hold the Line
Bitcoin is currently trading at $103,732 on the weekly chart after pulling back from its all-time high NEAR $112,000. The price continues to consolidate just below the key resistance zone marked around $109,300. Despite the retracement, BTC is holding above the $103,600 level, which aligns with strong historical demand and the breakout zone from earlier in May.
The weekly candle structure remains bullish, with the price well above the 34-week EMA at $89,874 and all major SMAs (50/100/200), confirming that Bitcoin is still in a macro uptrend. However, the rejection from the $109K level for a second time suggests the market is struggling to gather enough momentum to push into price discovery.
Volume on the latest pullback has not spiked significantly, which signals that the current correction may be more of a cooling-off period rather than a full trend reversal. As long as BTC stays above the $100K–$103K range, the bullish case remains intact.
A weekly close back above $109,300 WOULD be a strong signal that bulls are ready to target new highs. Until then, investors should watch the $100K psychological support closely, as a break below it could shift momentum back in favor of bears.
Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView
