Bitcoin Coinbase premium returns — Is $90K BTC price in the cards?

The Bitcoin (BTC) Coinbase premium index reached its highest level since Feb. 20 after BTC prices rallied 5% on March 19.

Bitcoin’s Coinbase premium index. Source: CryptoQuant

Return of Coinbase premium highlights Bitcoin accumulation

The Coinbase premium index measures the price difference between Coinbase and Binance prices for BTC pairs, where a higher value signals US investors dictating stronger buying pressure. The index gauges US retail interest, but Woonminkyu, a verified analyst on CryptoQuant, said that it may also signal strong accumulation from US institutions and whales.

Coinbase premium analysis by Woominkyu. Source: CryptoQuant

The analyst explained that the 30-day EMA of the index crossed the 100-day EMA level, which implies the presence of large players. The analyst added,

“Past trends show that when this indicator rises, BTC bull markets tend to continue. High likelihood of an accumulation phase, making it a key moment to monitor BTC’s momentum.”

Coinbase Pro was integrated into Coinbase Advanced (a platform used by companies like Strategy and Tesla for BTC purchases) in early 2024. Therefore, it is plausible that the Coinbase premium also represents US institutional interest to a certain extent.

Related: $77K likely the Bitcoin bottom as QT is ‘effectively dead’ — Analysts

Can Bitcoin reclaim $90K in March?

One of the major positives observed on BTC’s 1-day chart is the bullish reclaim on the 200-day exponential moving average (orange line). When prices remain above the 200-day EMA level, the probability of an uptrend increases for BTC to form higher highs in the chart.

Bitcoin 1-day chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

After a successful breakout above $85,000 resistance, turning the level into support further improves the possibility of a $90,000 retest. On the daily chart, Bitcoin price also bounced from the lower range of the Bollinger Bands (BB), with the metric’s moving average remaining above the $90,000 level.

The bullish narrative is invalidated if a daily candle closes below $85,000 before the end of the week. Michael Van de Poppe, the founder of MN Consultancy, shared a bullish stance and said that he expects a continued run to retest $90,000 over the next few days.

However, Max, the founder of BecauseBitcoin, said BTC might have a “little more work to do.” The analyst said the EMA cloud indicators continue suppressing BTC below the $88,000 and $90,000 range. Max added,

“Bitcoin is uptrending on every time frame except the Daily & Weekly (RSI less than 50). Once the Daily TF flips the 50 and holds, we should be able to move up pretty hard.”

Similarly, crypto trader Koroush AK suggested traders remain cautious until a shift in market structure occurs. The trader noted that Bitcoin (BTC) prices are currently at a critical level below $90,000; the chance of a correction below $73,000 remains a threat.

Related: Why is Bitcoin price up today?

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.