Key points:

Bitcoin’s rally to $105,980 has traders predicting new all-time highs this week.

Traders lift their end-of-year Bitcoin price targets to $200,000 based on technical factors and institutional investor adoption. 

Bitcoin (BTC) has been stuck in a narrow range for the past few days, but the rally above $105,500 on May 18 increases the possibility of an upside breakout. Popular trader Alan said in a post on X that Bitcoin could soar to $116,000 early next week.

Another bullish voice was that of Bitwise chief investment officer Matt Hougan. While speaking to Cointelegraph, Hougan said that a supply shock due to increased institutional demand could propel Bitcoin to $200,000 by the end of 2025. He expects seller exhaustion to occur at the $100,000 level.

Crypto market data daily view. Source: Coin360

Although Bitcoin remains strong, select analysts are shifting their focus to altcoins as they believe an altcoin season could be around the corner. Crypto analyst Javon Marks said in a post on X that altcoins, excluding Ether (ETH), could “deliver one of their most powerful runs since 2017!”

Could Bitcoin and altcoins continue their move higher? Let’s look at the cryptocurrencies that are showing strength on the charts.

Bitcoin price prediction

Bitcoin remains stuck in a range, but the bulls are trying to overcome the overhead resistance at $105,820.

BTC/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

Both moving averages are sloping up, and the relative strength index (RSI) is in the overbought zone, signaling that the buyers hold the edge. A break and close above $105,820 increases the likelihood of a retest of the $109,588 level. Sellers will try to defend the $109,588 resistance, but if the bulls prevail, the BTC/USDT pair could skyrocket to $130,000. 

Alternatively, a sharp drop below $100,000 signals that the bears have seized control. That may tempt several short-term bulls to book profits, pulling the pair toward the 50-day simple moving average ($91,447).

BTC/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The pair has broken out of the symmetrical triangle pattern on the 4-hour chart, indicating that buyers are in control. There is resistance at $105,820, but it is likely to be crossed. If that happens, the pair could march toward the all-time high of $109,588 and thereafter to the pattern target of $110,922.

Sellers are likely to have other plans. They will try to pull the price back into the triangle. If that happens, the aggressive bulls may get trapped, pulling the pair to $100,000. If this level also cracks, the drop could extend to the target objective of $95,616.

Ether price prediction

Ether dipped back below the breakout level of $2,550, but the bears are struggling to sustain the lower levels.

ETH/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The upsloping 20-day exponential moving average ($2,275) and the RSI near the overbought zone suggest the path of least resistance is to the upside. If the price closes above $2,550, the bulls will try to strengthen their position by pushing the ETH/USDT pair above $2,739. If they manage to do that, the pair could surge toward $3,000.

The first sign of weakness will be a break below the $2,400 level. That could pull the pair to the 20-day EMA, which is a critical level to watch out for. A break below the 20-day EMA suggests the bulls are losing their grip.

ETH/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The bulls pushed the price above the moving averages, indicating demand at lower levels. If buyers pierce the downtrend line, the up move could reach $2,739. A break and close above $2,739 could resume the uptrend.

Contrary to this assumption, if the price turns down from the downtrend line and breaks below $2,400, it signals that the bulls are rushing to the exit. That could start a deeper correction to $2,270 and then to $2,111. 

Hyperliquid price prediction

Hyperliquid (HYPE) is facing resistance at $28.50, but a positive sign is that the bulls have not ceded much ground to the bears.

HYPE/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The upsloping moving averages and the RSI in the overbought zone indicate that the buyers are in command. A break and close above $28.50 could catapult the HYPE/USDT pair toward $35.73.

If the price turns down sharply from $28.50, it signals that the bears are aggressively defending the level. The pair could then slide to the 20-day EMA ($23.52), which is likely to attract buyers. If the price rebounds off the 20-day EMA, the bulls will strive to clear the overhead resistance. 

HYPE/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The pair is finding support at the 50-SMA on the 4-hour chart, indicating buying on dips. The bulls will try to strengthen their position by pushing the price above the $28.50 level. If they do that, the pair could rally to $31.33.

Instead, if the price turns down and breaks below the 50-SMA, it implies that the bulls are booking profits in a hurry. That could sink the pair to $24 and later to the solid support at $23.

Related: Here’s what happened in crypto today

Monero price prediction

Monero (XMR) rallied sharply to $353 on May 12 from $262 on May 4, indicating aggressive buying by the bulls.

XMR/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The shallow pullback of the past few days shows that the bulls are hanging onto their positions as they anticipate another leg higher. If the price continues higher and breaks above $353, the XMR/USDT pair could skyrocket to $391 and then to the target objective of $422.

The immediate support on the downside is at $331. A break and close below $331 could pull the pair down to the 20-day EMA ($308). If the price rebounds off the 20-day EMA, the bulls will again try to resume the uptrend.

XMR/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The pair is finding support at the 50-SMA, but the bulls are struggling to push the price above the overhead resistance at $353. If the price turns down and breaks below the 50-SMA, the pair could start a deeper correction to $317 and then to $300.

On the contrary, a break and close above $353 signals the resumption of the uptrend. The pair could march toward $391, where the bears are expected to step in.

Aave price prediction

Aave (AAVE) is facing resistance at the $240 level, but a positive sign is that the bulls have not allowed the price to dip to the 20-day EMA ($206). That suggests buying on every minor dip.

AAVE/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

If the price closes above $240, the AAVE/USDT pair could start the next leg of the up move. The pair could rise to $280, which may act as a resistance, but if the bulls persist, the next stop could be $300.

Sellers will have to drag the price below the 20-day EMA to prevent the upside. If they can pull it off, the pair could tumble to the crucial support at $196. Buyers are expected to vigorously defend the $196 level.

AAVE/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The pair has been consolidating between $217 and $240 for some time. The 20-EMA has started to turn up, and the RSI has risen into the positive zone, signaling an advantage to buyers. A break and close above $240 could drive the pair to $267.

On the other hand, if the price turns down from $240, it suggests that the bears are fiercely defending the level. That could keep the pair stuck between $240 and $217 for some time. Sellers will have to tug the price below $217 to signal a comeback.

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Vladimir Smerkis, a co-founder of the Telegram-based crypto project Blum, has reportedly been arrested in Moscow, Russia, on fraud allegations, amid Blum confirming he is no longer affiliated with the project.

The Zamoskvoretsky District Court of Moscow approved a request from investigators to keep Smerkis in custody while he is being investigated, Russian state-owned news outlet TASS reported on May 18.

Smerkis — who previously ran operations for Binance in Russia — is suspected of committing fraud on a “large scale,” pursuant to Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, violations of which can result in imprisonment ranging from two to 12 years.

It isn’t clear if charges have been filed against Smerkis.

Russian news outlet Mash tied the fraud allegations against Smerkis to his involvement in The Token Fund and Tokenbox crypto ventures that he co-founded in 2017, where investors reportedly suffered combined losses of around $15 million.

Blum, which is not involved in The Token Fund and Tokenbox ventures, wrote to X on May 18 that Smerkis resigned from his role as the firm’s chief marketing officer and would no longer be involved in the project in any capacity.

Source: Blum

Blum said its team remains fully committed and focused on its goals and that its day-to-day operations would continue as usual.

Blum is a crypto project that integrates a decentralized exchange into Telegram Mini Apps, enabling users to trade crypto, earn rewards and participate in token airdrops.

No Smerkis, no BLUM token?

The incident sparked concerns that Blum’s token airdrop won’t follow through as planned. 

In an April 3 X post, Blum hinted at a potential BLUM token listing in the third quarter of this year.

Blum users could receive BLUM tokens by earning Blum points in its newly launched Drop Game, where users tap on snowflakes falling from their mobile phone screen, and convert those points into tokens during the project’s slated token generation event.

Related: Pavel Durov rejects EU pressure to censor Romanian election content

However, the news of Smerkis’ arrest appears to have shaken community confidence that the BLUM token airdrop will happen.

“Blum owes its users a clarification on the planned airdrop,” one X user and Blum community member said, while crypto influencer RK Gupta added:

“No airdrop. No updates. Just silence. Was it all for nothing?”

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Attorneys for Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm filed a motion asking the court to reconsider the motion to dismiss the case due to the prosecution withholding exculpatory evidence in the form of communications with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) dating back to 2023.

According to a May 16 letter from Storm’s attorneys to Judge Katherine Polk Failla, the FinCEN documents show that non-custodial crypto mixers do not fall under the legal definition of a “money transmitting business” and that prosecutors have known this since at least 2023.

Despite having knowledge of the FinCEN guidance on crypto mixers, state prosecutors still proceeded with cases against the Samourai Wallet developers and Tornado Cash, the attorneys alleged.

Letter sent by Roman Storm’s attorneys to Judge Failla. Source: Court Listener

US prosecutors denied they withheld the evidence, claiming they submitted the FinCEN communications within the stipulated timeframe to produce the documents for the defense and the court during legal discovery.

Storm’s defense cited the same legal documents and the same argument the Samourai Wallet developer’s attorneys posed to the court in a May 5 legal letter. Storm’s attorneys wrote:

“The disclosures in the Samourai case reveal that the government, at the very least, played fast and loose and, at worst, affirmatively misled this Court with its arguments about FinCEN guidance when responding to the motions to dismiss and to compel discovery.”

The letter went on to argue that although the government continues to claim that the cases bear only “superficial similarities” to each other, they share the core characteristics of cryptocurrency mixers under the law, thus making the FinCEN documents salient to dismissing the case against Storm.

The 2023 communications between US prosecutors and FinCEN. Source: Court Listener

Related: Crypto group asks Trump to end prosecution of crypto devs, Roman Storm

Roman Storm’s trial moves ahead despite sanctions against Tornado ruled unlawful

Federal Judge Robert Pitman issued a ruling on April 28 denying the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) the ability to reimpose sanctions on Tornado Cash — setting a legal precedent for non-custodial mixer cases.

Despite this, US federal prosecutors still moved ahead with the case against Storm although the charges have been modified.

Magazine: Tornado Cash 2.0: The race to build safe and legal coin mixers