Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP began the week on a quieter note after last week's gains. Bitcoin pulled back below $83,100 on Monday, Ethereum below $2,700, and XRP hovered around $1.500, suggesting traders are reassessing the market's next direction following its recent advance.

Despite the dip, Bitcoin's technical picture remains constructive. The largest cryptocurrency is holding above several closely watched moving averages, while its momentum indicators still lean positive. The immediate question is whether buyers can carry BTC back toward $85,000 or whether the pause develops into a deeper pullback.

Bitcoin holds above key moving averages

Bitcoin was trading at $83,100 on Monday after rising more than 4% last week. Its retreat from recent highs has so far left the broader near-term uptrend intact: BTC remains above its 50-day, 100-day and 200-day exponential moving averages (EMAs). Exponential moving averages weight recent prices more heavily than older data and are among the most widely followed reference points for judging whether an uptrend remains intact.

The 50-day EMA stands at $77,323, the 100-day EMA sits at $73,931, and the 200-day EMA is at $74,253. Together, these levels form a series of potential support areas should selling pressure increase. Holding above them would suggest that the latest dip is a pause within recent advance.

For now, BTC is trading well above that cluster of averages, giving buyers room to absorb a modest pullback. A drop toward the 50-day EMA, however, would represent a more meaningful test of the rally than Monday's move below $83,600.

The distinction matters after a strong week. A market can ease from its highs while retaining its upward trend, but repeated failures to recover may gradually weaken buyer confidence. Traders will therefore be watching both how far BTC falls and how quickly demand returns.

Momentum cools as $85,000 caps the upside

Bitcoin's relative strength index (RSI) was near 61, a reading consistent with positive momentum that remains below the level commonly associated with overbought conditions, leaving room for another rise if buyers regain control. The RSI runs on a 0-to-100 scale, with readings above 70 conventionally labeled overbought and those below 30 treated as oversold. The moving average convergence divergence (MACD) indicator, which gauges shifts in trend strength by comparing moving averages, has cooled but remains slightly positive.

That combination points to an uptrend that is still present, though less forceful than during the recent rally. Momentum readings can change quickly, so price action around nearby resistance will offer a clearer test.

The first barrier lies at approximately $85,000. Resistance zones like this typically mark price areas where selling interest has previously emerged, which is why clearing them generally requires enough demand to absorb that supply. Bitcoin would need to overcome selling around that level to make a stronger case for extending last week's gains. A failed attempt could keep BTC in a period of sideways trading as buyers and sellers weigh the recent move.

On the downside, the current price area provides the first place to look for support. A more substantial decline would put the 50-day EMA at $77,323 in focus, followed by the longer-term averages near $74,000. Previously established horizontal support levels at $66,500 and $62,300 sit further below. These levels outline the range of possible tests rather than a forecast that BTC will reach them.

For the near term, the contest is much narrower: whether Bitcoin can stabilize above $83,000 and make another attempt at $85,000.

Ethereum and XRP pause alongside Bitcoin

Ethereum's move below $2,700 and XRP's consolidation around $1.500 add to the cautious start to the week. Both assets are taking a breather alongside Bitcoin, although the figures provided do not establish equivalent support or resistance levels for either token.

For traders following the three largest cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin's response to $85,000 may offer a useful gauge of broader market appetite. A renewed push above that barrier could signal that buyers remain willing to pursue last week's gains, while continued consolidation would leave the market waiting for a clearer direction.

Source: CoinJournal, Bitcoin eases into the week as traders watch BTC's $85k resistance