Bitcoin and altcoins are crashing as investors ‘are locking profits’

Bitcoin and other altcoins continued their downward trend on Thursday as the recent bullish momentum faded.

Bitcoin (BTC) dropped briefly below $104,000 as the market capitalization of all coins fell by 1% to $3.27 trillion. Some of the top laggards were altcoins like Fartcoin (FARTCOIN), Dogwifhat (WIF), Jupiter (JUP), and Ethena (ENA).

Analysts suggest the ongoing pullback is a typical occurrence during bull markets, as some investors begin locking in profits. In a statement to crypto.news, Ryan Lee, Chief Analyst at Bitget Research, said:

“After a period of notable gains, many investors are locking in profits, which has triggered short-term sell-offs. This behavior is not unusual in bull cycles, where sharp rallies often lead to a wave of corrections as traders seek to de-risk their portfolios.”

Ryan added that the ongoing geopolitical developments like trade tensions from the US had contributed to market uncertainty and triggered a risk-off sentiment. He added that:

“While the overall outlook for digital assets remains positive, current price action suggests a cooling period, especially in speculative altcoins that saw outsized gains. Investor sentiment is being recalibrated in response to these developments.”

Historically, Bitcoin tends to pull back after reaching a key resistance level, often triggering a broader correction across altcoins. For example, BTC hit a record high of $108,335 in December before retreating to $88,987 in January. It later surged to a new all-time high of $109,300 in the same month.

Bitcoin price chart analysis points to an eventual rebound

Technical indicators suggest that Bitcoin may be preparing for another rally, which could spark a broader altcoin rebound. On the daily chart, BTC is gradually forming a bullish flag pattern — characterized by a steep vertical rally (the flagpole) followed by a downward-sloping consolidation channel (the flag). This setup is typically viewed as a continuation pattern.

Bitcoin has also formed a cup-and-handle pattern, with the recent pullback forming the handle section. The cup features a depth of approximately 30%, or 34,000 points.

Using standard technical analysis, the target for a cup-and-handle breakout is calculated by adding the cup’s depth to its upper boundary. In this case, adding $38,000 to the top of the pattern yields a projected target of $146,000.