A Simple Bitcoin Indicator Has Correctly Predicted Every Bear Market Bottom Since 2015, But Remains Inactive
Notably, beneath the daily price fluctuations, social media chatter, and macroeconomic headlines, a remarkably straightforward indicator has consistently signaled every major market bottom for bitcoin since 2015. This indicator, which hasn't been triggered yet, may imply that the broader bear market is not over and the recent price bounce to $75,000 from $65,000 could be a short-term recovery. The indicator in question involves two simple moving averages on the price chart, representing bitcoin's average price over the past 50 and 100 weeks, acting as near-term and long-term trend indicators. Typically, the 50-week average is above the 100-week line, but during periods of extreme fear and relentless selling, the 50-week average falls below the 100-week average, known as a bear market signal. This crossover has occurred three times in bitcoin's history, coinciding with the end of a bear market and marking major price bottoms that have not been revisited since, serving as a contrary indicator. Looking back at the chart since 2015, the vertical lines mark the three bearish crossovers – April 2015, February 2019, and September 2022 – each occurring near the bottoming phase. Following each crossover, bitcoin experienced significant rallies, outperforming equities and other major asset classes. As of the current date, the crossover has not occurred, with bitcoin declining sharply from its October record high, and the two averages moving closer together but still not crossing over. This suggests that, based on historical patterns, the broader bear market may still be intact and could worsen before finding a bottom, and the recent price bounce is likely a temporary recovery rather than the start of a new bull market. However, it's essential to remember that historical patterns do not guarantee future outcomes, and other factors, such as the performance of U.S. equities and institutional demand for Bitcoin ETFs, could influence the price rally.