As the holiday season unfolds, Bitcoin has demonstrated a robust upward trajectory, with its price surpassing $98,000 on December 25, 2024. This surge has reignited discussions among traders and analysts regarding the cryptocurrency’s future direction.

Technical Indicators Signal Bullish Divergence

Prominent trader Skew has highlighted a “clean” bullish divergence in the Relative Strength Index (RSI) on the 4-hour chart. He noted that the current price movement is retesting the systematic trend that previously propelled Bitcoin from $68,000 to $108,000. Skew described the unsuccessful attempts to drive the price lower as “failed action,” suggesting sustained market demand.

Source: X

Despite the positive technical indicators, Skew advises a cautious approach. He underlines the need for monitoring important levels, such as the Point of Control (PoC), to ensure that the bullish trend continues. The market’s behavior throughout the Christmas season, which is often characterized by reduced trading volumes, adds uncertainty to these findings.

Institutional Interest Continues to Drive Bitcoin’s Value

Institutional interest remains a significant driver of Bitcoin’s value, adding to the ongoing optimistic sentiment. Large investors still regard Bitcoin as a store of value, particularly those days when the world was thrown into economic chaos. Even recently, huge portions have been invested in Bitcoin—for instance, the huge investments by MicroStrategy in the recent weeks—which all show remarkable positive conviction in its prospects going forward. That reveals the growing acceptability of Bitcoin as an asset, which gives not only diversity but protection from inflation.

Bitcoin (BTC) price chart. Source: Bitcoin Liquid Index (BLX) via Brave New Coin

Such institutional investments not only support Bitcoin’s price but also add to the larger narrative of cryptocurrency as a mainstream asset class. As more institutional investors add Bitcoin to their portfolios, demand for the digital currency grows, sustaining the upward momentum.

Global Trends and Regional Demand

While global market conditions remain somewhat mixed, regional demand for Bitcoin is seeing encouraging signs. For instance, Bitcoin purchases have increased dramatically in South Korea, especially amid market downturns. Speculative short-term holders have been the main drivers of this rising demand, indicating a growing regional hunger for Bitcoin. Despite worldwide volatility, local investors are aggressively pursuing Bitcoin exposure, as seen by the sharp increase in the “Kimchi Premium,” a price differential between South Korean exchanges and other international platforms.

This regional demand is not isolated to South Korea. There are indications that interest in Bitcoin is growing in other markets, especially in nations where there is high inflation or economic instability. Bitcoin’s global appeal is increasing as these areas continue to embrace it as a hedge against economic uncertainty.

Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Bitcoin?

The outlook for Bitcoin remains cautiously hopeful, but the road ahead is not without hurdles. Analysts are divided on whether Bitcoin will retain its positive momentum or suffer a severe downturn. Others caution that regulatory obstacles or macroeconomic variables may cause short-term volatility, even though others believe the cryptocurrency might hit new all-time highs by early 2025.

All eyes will be on Bitcoin’s capacity to sustain support above crucial levels in the upcoming months, as well as whether institutional and local demand will keep pushing the market higher.

In a continuing rally with Bitcoin, investors should be sure to be extra watchful of the change according to the dynamic landscape. With the right mixture of technical indicators, institutional support, and regional demand, this could be what carries Bitcoin’s bullish momentum into the new year, but only time will tell if this can sustain.