Bitcoin price finds steady support at the $103,110 mark on Saturday, May 17 after Trump’s bold policy statements provided directional hints around Fed cuts and geopolitical risks. Trump’s Comments Stir Bitcoin Volatility as Rally Stalls Near $103K Bitcoin (BTC) paused its strong May rally on Friday, closing marginally lower at $103,110 after hitting intra-day highs of $103,677. The cooling momentum comes amid a flurry of updates from U.S. President Donald Trump, who reignited both macroeconomic and geopolitical discussions. Bitcoin (BTC) Price Action, May 17, 2o25 | Source: Coingecko Bitcoin traders appears to be reassessing bullish risk sentiment following his statements on Federal Reserve policy and an unexpected announcement regarding high-level talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “The Fed should cut rates sooner, rather than later.” Trump openly criticized Jerome Powell in a Truth Social post on Saturday, May 17, 2025. His remarks underscored renewed pressure on the central bank ahead… Read More at Coingape.com
Tensions are heating up between India and Pakistan, following the former’s recent missile attack on the latter. This development is significant considering how it could negatively impact the crypto market, as war brings about market uncertainty.
India Retaliates Against Pakistan With Missile Attacks
According to a CNN report, India has launched a military operation against Pakistan, striking “terrorist infrastructure” in both Pakistan and the country’s administered Kashmir. According to the Indian Ministry of Defense, these steps come in the wake of the barbaric Pahalgam terrorist attack, which killed 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen.
The statement also stated that the attacks were focused, measured, and non-escalatory in nature, as no Pakistani military bases were targeted. However, Pakistan claimed that the strikes killed three civilians and injured twelve others.
Pakistani military spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry made it clear that they plan to retaliate, which will further escalate tensions. Pakistan’s prime minister also stated that they are responding to India’s attack. The country has allegedly already shot down two Indian jets in retaliation for strikes on its “territory.”
Meanwhile, in an X post, the Indian army stated that Pakistan has again violated the ceasefire agreement by firing artillery in Bhimber Gali in the Poonch-Rajauri area. The army remarked that they are responding appropriately in a “calibrated manner.”
This development could significantly impact the crypto market, possibly leading to a crash. Following the attacks, the Bitcoin price sharply dropped below $95,000.
Crypto analyst Crypto TA King noted how a full-blown war could harm the market. Analyst Crypto King also predicted this could be a red market week, unless the India-Pakistan attacks settle.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump commented on the attack, stating that he hopes it ends quickly. The missile strikes comes just a day after India made big concessions in Trump’s trade war, another external factors which continues to hinder a crypto market rally to new highs.
Bitcoin (BTC) enters the second week of May trading in a fragile but critical zone, with conflicting technical signals and growing macro uncertainty shaping short-term expectations. While the ADX from the Directional Movement Index is rising, bearish pressure still dominates, and momentum remains weak across multiple indicators.
Although the price continues to hold above the $92,900 support level, weakening EMAs and the looming FOMC meeting leave Bitcoin’s $100,000 recovery path uncertain, but not out of reach.
BTC Trend Strength Rises, but Bears Still in Control
Bitcoin’s Directional Movement Index (DMI) is showing a notable shift.
The ADX, which measures the strength of a trend regardless of direction, has climbed sharply to 25.93, up from 15.97 just two days ago—crossing the key 25 threshold that signals a trend is starting to gain traction.
This rising ADX suggests that volatility is returning and a new directional move may be forming, even if the direction itself is still unclear.
Looking at the components of the DMI, +DI (bullish strength) has bounced to 12.2, up slightly from yesterday’s low of 8.67 but still down significantly from 21.31 three days ago.
Meanwhile, -DI (bearish strength) is at 19.17, slightly off its peak of 25.44 but still higher than three days ago. This indicates that although the recent bearish momentum has cooled somewhat, sellers still have the upper hand.
With ADX rising and -DI leading, Bitcoin could remain under pressure unless +DI recovers sharply in the coming days.
Bitcoin Trapped Below the Cloud as Momentum Stalls
The current Ichimoku Cloud chart for Bitcoin reflects a market in consolidation, with a slight bearish undertone. Price action is sitting very close to the blue Kijun-sen (baseline), which typically represents medium-term trend momentum.
Trading beneath this line suggests that BTC lacks the strength to reclaim bullish momentum in the short term. The white candlesticks hovering near the cloud’s lower boundary indicate indecision among traders, with no clear breakout in sight.
The green Kumo (cloud) itself is relatively thin at this stage, hinting at a fragile support zone that could easily be broken if bearish pressure returns.
Looking ahead, the red Senkou Span B—the top of the projected cloud—is acting as dynamic resistance, capping any upward attempts. For a stronger bullish signal, BTC would need to close decisively above both the Kijun-sen and the entire cloud.
Complicating matters further, the Tenkan-sen (conversion line) is flat and overlapping with the Kijun-sen, signaling weak momentum and a lack of direction. Flat Tenkan and Kijun lines often precede sideways movement or delayed trend development.
Until Bitcoin breaks convincingly above the cloud with rising volume, the current setup leans neutral to bearish, with price trapped in a zone of low conviction and limited momentum.
Bitcoin Holds Key Support as $100,000 Reclaim Hangs in the Balance
Bitcoin price has remained resilient above the $90,000 level since April 22, repeatedly holding support near $92,945 despite broader market uncertainty. The exponential moving averages (EMAs) still reflect a bullish structure, with short-term averages positioned above long-term ones.
However, there are early signs of weakening momentum, as the short-term EMAs have begun to slope downward—an indication that buyers may be losing strength soon.
If BTC fails to hold its key support, a drop toward $88,839 could follow, breaking the structure that has held for over two weeks.
Still, some analysts remain confident. Nick Purin, founder of The Coin Bureau, believes Bitcoin is well-positioned to reclaim the $100,000 mark, even as markets brace for volatility surrounding the upcoming FOMC meeting:
“It will be a volatile week. Firstly, we have the FOMC meeting tomorrow. While it’s pretty clear there will be no rate cuts, it’s what Chair Powell says that could move the markets. On top of that, trading volume is low and the long/short ratio is sitting at 50/50, which means that, yet again, BTC can swing in either direction from here. The good news is that there’s a great deal of buying interest around the $90,000-$93,000 range, so a dip to those levels is nothing to be concerned about – it will likely bounce back. And overall, the BTC/USD chart is looking strong as it continues to print higher lows.” – Purin told BeInCrypto.
Nick states how Fed next decisions could influence the market in the next months:
“If the Fed surprises with some dovish tones as well as guidance for rate cuts in June, there’s room for Bitcoin to rally all the way back up to that $100,000 level, which remains a liquidity magnet. But even if Powell strikes a hawkish tone, the impact on BTC will likely be minimal. There’s simply too much positive momentum – spot BTC ETFs are hoovering up assets, corporates are building up BTC treasuries and the correlation between Bitcoin and stocks is breaking down. On top of this, historic data shows that BTC has posted gains during nine out of the last 12 Mays. So, despite the likelihood of heightened volatility, the near future is looking promising. As such, following the old adage of ‘sell in May’ would be madness at this point.” – Purin told BeInCrypto.
A recovery in momentum could first drive BTC to retest resistance at $95,657, with a breakout potentially leading to $98,002 and eventually a challenge of the psychological $100,000 level.
With macro headwinds and technical crossroads converging this week, the next move will likely hinge on how BTC responds to its support zone and how broader market sentiment reacts to Fed commentary.
BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes has once again stolen the spotlight with his recent comment on the social media platform. In a recent X post, Hayes said that Ethereum price will hit a new all-time high of $5,000 before Solana’s rally to $300. This bold prediction caught investors’ attention, especially after the Bitcoin price neared $89K in the last 24 hours.
Arthur Hayes Bets Big On Ethereum Price: Will ETH Outpace Solana?
The current volatile scenario in the broader crypto market has left many investors wondering about the futures of the top altcoins. However, amid this, Arthur Hayes has caught the investors’ eyes with his latest bold prediction, which has sparked a Solana Vs Ethereum price debate.
Meanwhile, in a recent X post, the BitMEX co-founder said that Ethereum would reach the $5,000 mark before Solana’s likely rally to $300. Notably, this comment has further fueled speculations as it contradicts the current trend recorded in the market. Besides, it also comes after Hayes recently predicted that BTC will hit $110K soon.
Here’s A Quick Overview of Solana & Ethereum Prices
Arthur Hayes’s bold prediction on Ethereum price comes amid a slump in Ether price today. During writing, ETH price was down over 1% and exchanged hands at $2,052, while its one-day volume jumped 25% to $13 billion. Notably, the crypto has touched a 24-hour high and low of $2,101 and $2,038. Besides, a recent ETH price prediction indicates that the crypto might rest near the $2,100 level for this month.
On the other hand, SOL price today was up 0.5% and exchanged hands at $139.4. Notably, a flurry of factors has helped in the recent SOL price gains over the past few days. However, a SOL price prediction hints that the crypto might touch a max price of about $144 by this month’s end.
What’s Next For ETH & SOL?
Despite the volatile scenario recorded in the broader crypto market, experts and recent market trends hint at a potential rally ahead for both assets. For context, renowned expert Ali Martinez noted that Ethereum whale activity has surged recently and they have acquired 470,000 ETH through the prior week.
Source: Ali Martinez, X
Besides, another expert Michael van de Poppe also shared crucial insights on the future trajectory of Ethereum price. In a recent X post, the expert noted that if ETH breaks through the $2100-$2150 level, it could target $2,800 in the near term. Besides, he also predicted a likely “good Q2” for the asset.
Source: Michael van de Poppe, X
Simultaneously, for SOL price, analyst CryptoCurb said that the crypto is on the verge of a breakout ahead. Echoing a similar sentiment, analyst Satoshi Flipper said that the short-term performance hints at a likely rally for SOL price.
