The cryptocurrency industry went under intense pressure last week, with Bitcoin and Ethereum leading the crash and multiple cryptocurrencies hitting new multi-month lows. The crash was more pronounced with Bitcoin, though, and the imbalance in selling pressure is quietly shifting the relationship between the two assets.
The interesting imbalance is relayed in Ethereum’s performance relative to Bitcoin. A technical analysis of the ETH/BTC ratio shared on the social media platform X by Jonathan Carter indicates that Ethereum may be approaching a critical breakout point against Bitcoin, following an extended period of compression on the 2-week candlestick timeframe chart.
Long-Term Triangle On The Verge Of Break
According to technical analysis of the ETH/BTC 2-week chart, Ethereum is nearing an important point against Bitcoin after years of consolidation beneath a descending trendline. This long-running pattern originates from a major peak in relative valuation in July 2017, when 1 ETH was worth 0.154 BTC in Bitcoin terms, and has since formed a series of lower highs to form a falling resistance trendline. The lower boundary of this pattern is a long-tested support zone around 0.02 that has repeatedly drawn buying interest for Ethereum in relation to Bitcoin.
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At the time of writing, the ETH/BTC ratio is trading around 0.030. However, the most recent 2-week candlestick has flipped green, and this development is important to the bullish outlook of Ethereum’s performance against Bitcoin.
The bullish projection is based on a full playout of the green candlestick with a push towards the descending triangle’s resistance trendline. If the pair can convincingly break above the descending triangle’s upper trend boundary with sustained momentum, then this would allow Ethereum to enter a phase of sustained outperformance against Bitcoin.
How High Could ETH/BTC Go If A Breakout Happens?
Crypto analyst Jonathan Carter outlined a series of potential upside targets should the ETH/BTC pair break free from its downward trend. The first target is around 0.040 BTC, which would represent a clear departure from the compressed range seen across recent months. If momentum continues, higher potential objectives include 0.060, 0.085, 0.105, 0.124, and all the way up to the 2017 peak of 0.154.
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Translating these ratio-based targets into absolute price levels is less straightforward, as the projections are based on Ethereum’s performance relative to Bitcoin and not standalone price moves. Such a performance can happen in two major ways: either Ethereum receives more inflows than Bitcoin, or Bitcoin could crash more than Ethereum during a market-wide correction.
The former scenario would most likely translate into a sustained rotation into Ethereum and the wider altcoin market, setting the stage for an altcoin season. Nonetheless, both scenarios will see the otherwise strong Bitcoin dominance dropping massively.
Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com