November 17 2025
Bitcoin is about to confirm a powerful golden cross pattern, paving the way for a breakout towards the $150.000 level.
On Thursday, May 22, Bitcoin (BTC) set a new all-time high of $111.544, breaking the previous high of $109.400 set a day earlier. This new record represents an impressive 48% increase from the price drop on April 7, which saw BTC trade just below $75.000. This marks the second all-time high for BTC in 2025.
In addition to the price increase, Bitcoin’s market cap reached $2,2 trillion, while its realized capitalization also hit a record $915 billion. This shows how much value is flowing into the network.
The rally was fueled by a sharp increase in trading activity. According to data from CoinGecko, 24-hour trading volume rose to $73,7 billion, up from $50 billion on Wednesday and $40 billion on Tuesday. The increase was notable, especially considering that daily volume had dipped below $30 million earlier this month, its lowest level since February.
BTC futures open contracts also hit a new high of $81,35 billion, up significantly from the $46 billion seen in early March, signaling growing confidence among institutional and leveraged traders.
Earlier this year, Bitcoin faced strong headwinds as the price fell more than 30% from its January high of $109.588 to close below $75.000 in April. This correction came shortly after President Trump hinted at new tariffs on major US trading partners. However, sentiment improved by mid-April, especially after the US signed new trade deals with several countries.
A key factor driving the rise is continued demand for Bitcoin ETFs in the U.S., which have seen over $7,4 billion in net inflows over the past five weeks, including $609 million on Thursday. This growth is being buoyed by Bitcoin’s increasing role as a treasury asset, resulting in a wave of public companies adding the leading crypto to their balance sheets. Strategy, for example, has continued its aggressive accumulation and now holds over 2,7% of all Bitcoin in circulation.
Looking at the 1-day BTC/USDT chart, Bitcoin has turned the 21-day exponential average (EMA) into a support line after it acted as resistance for weeks. More importantly, the 50-day simple average (SMA) has crossed just above the 200-day SMA, forming the much-discussed golden cross pattern. Historically, BTC has rallied over 37% in just three months after a similar pattern in October 2024.
On the weekly chart, BTC has also broken through a bullish flag pattern, a classic continuation pattern where the price consolidates downwards after a strong upward move.
The measured target of this breakout points to $150.000, which is in line with projections based on the height of the flagpole plus the breakout zone. If the golden cross lives up to its full potential, the next realistic stop could be around $153.600.
Veteran trader Peter Brandt acknowledges BTC’s new highs but reminds his followers that hitting record highs is just what bull markets do. In an earlier post on May 1, he predicted that Bitcoin could reach the top of the bull market cycle in the $125K-$150K range by August-September 2025, though he warned of a possible 50% correction after that.
Analyst Gert van Lagen is considerably more optimistic and predicts that BTC could rise to $300K to $320K by the end of the bull cycle. He bases his outlook on a breakout from a four-year Megafone pattern, which is characterized by wide price swings and often precedes sharp price increases.
Despite the overwhelming bullish momentum, a short-term pullback cannot be ruled out. BTC’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) and Stochastic Oscillator have both entered overbought territory, indicating that the rally may need a pause or short-term consolidation.
If that happens, Bitcoin could temporarily fall to its support level near $93.500, which coincides with its easy mean support. So, while a rise to $150K seems increasingly likely, it may not happen in a straight line. A short-term correction could provide a healthier setup for long-term gains.
“Remember: every great wave has its ebb and flow!”
What is a golden cross in the crypto market?
A golden cross occurs when the short-term average crosses above the long-term average, which is often seen as a bullish signal for price movement.
Why is trading volume so important for Bitcoin?
High trading volume indicates strong interest and engagement, which is associated with price increases and confirms an upward trend.
What do the predictions mean for the future of Bitcoin?
The forecasts point to a strong uptrend in the coming months, but it is crucial to also consider possible corrections for a healthy market. Furthermore, the future forecasts depend on many factors, such as market sentiment and regulations.
Bitcoin (BTC)
Ethereum (ETH)
XRP (XRP)
