The cryptocurrency market remained under pressure this week as macroeconomic and sector-specific risks weighed on trading conditions.

On the macro front, renewed geopolitical tensions kept investors cautious and pushed Bitcoin [BTC] ETF flows back into negative territory. At the same time, several DeFi exploits added further pressure to market sentiment.

Despite the broader weakness, a small group of AI-related and mid-cap altcoins outperformed. The moves indicated that capital was still rotating into selected narratives rather than the wider market. In this type of market, weekly leaders and laggards are often judged less by headline percentage moves alone and more by whether liquidity, volume and support levels confirm follow-through after the initial move.

Weekly winners

Audiera [BEAT] needs continued momentum to sustain its rally

Audiera [BEAT] led this week’s top gainers with a 50% rally. The move followed two consecutive weeks of declines and a wider consolidation phase, making the rebound more notable than a one-off price spike. Buyers stepped in after the pullback, shifting near-term momentum back in favor of bulls.

The technical setup remained constructive. The RSI, a momentum indicator used to assess whether an asset is becoming overheated or oversold, was rising but had not yet moved into an extreme overbought zone. That left room for the rally to extend if demand remained strong. With buyers regaining control and momentum improving, BEAT entered the coming week with a chance to preserve part of its recent gains.

The next major test is the $4.00 psychological level. BEAT has already broken above resistance at $3.60 and is now approaching that level, where sell-side pressure may increase as short-term traders take profits. Round-number levels often attract attention because they can concentrate limit orders and profit-taking activity.

If buyers absorb that selling and convert $4.00 into support, the rally could continue. If they fail to maintain the breakout, BEAT may face a pullback before attempting another move higher.

That makes follow-through demand an important factor for the token’s next move.

Early signs of continued momentum were visible on the daily chart, with BEAT gaining more than 5% intraday. If that strength continues and buyers keep chasing the breakout, BEAT could move toward the $4.50-$5.00 resistance zone over the coming sessions.

Shiba Inu [SHIB] gains as supply burn and whale activity support momentum

Shiba Inu [SHIB] was the second-best performer of the week, gaining nearly 35%. It was also SHIB’s strongest weekly rally since November 2024, signaling renewed buyer activity in the meme coin after months of muted price action.

SHIB’s move stood out from the broader market. According to Shibburn, nearly 280 million SHIB were burned during the week, while whale accumulation also increased. Token burns remove coins from circulation by sending them to inaccessible wallets, but their market impact still depends on demand, liquidity and broader risk conditions. In SHIB’s case, the burn data and whale activity suggested the rally was not driven only by short-term momentum, with on-chain demand also supporting the move as the wider market remained relatively subdued.

From a technical perspective, SHIB broke out of its recent range and began building momentum toward the next resistance area around $0.000026-$0.000027. If buying pressure and whale accumulation continue at the current pace, SHIB could return toward its early May trading range and remain one of the altcoins in focus heading into Q3.

Venice Token [VVV] faces an important resistance test

Venice Token [VVV] finished as the third-best performer of the week, gaining 9%. Although the gain was smaller than those posted by the top two performers, VVV’s price action appeared healthier from a technical standpoint.

This week’s move extended two straight weeks of gains and brought VVV’s total rally to nearly 30%. Rather than moving in a single-day spike, the token has advanced steadily, indicating consistent buying pressure. That type of setup often points to accumulation rather than short-term speculation, especially when price advances without immediately forcing momentum indicators into overheated territory.

The RSI has started to rise, but the gradual pace of the rally leaves room for the trend to continue. If buyers remain in control, VVV appears positioned to challenge the $15 resistance zone. Any profit-taking along the way could act as a pullback that removes weaker holders rather than confirming the end of the uptrend.

Other notable winners

Beyond the larger names, several altcoins posted significant moves this week.

Score [SN44] led the broader market with a 3,988% gain. Pons [PONS] followed with a 179% surge, while Euler [EUL] climbed 135%, rounding out the week’s top performers.

Weekly losers

DeXe [DEXE] suffers a sharp capitulation-style sell-off

DeXe [DEXE] topped this week’s losers list after falling nearly 90%. The decline resembled a full capitulation move, erasing months of gains and sending DEXE back toward its early Q1 price range near $1.50. Many holders who bought during the rally were left sitting on losses.

The sell-off was not isolated. The broader crypto market was shaken by three DeFi hacks in a single day, which triggered fresh fear, uncertainty and doubt. As a DeFi token, DEXE was hit harder than most as traders moved to reduce risk. DeFi-related sell-offs can be especially sharp when security concerns return to the foreground because traders often reassess smart-contract risk, liquidity depth and protocol exposure at the same time.

However, selling pressure appeared to be cooling after the initial crash. DEXE consolidated around the $3.50 level, while the RSI dropped into deeply oversold territory. That does not guarantee a reversal, but it suggests the capitulation phase may be nearing an end.

If buyers begin returning and DEXE holds its current range, a short-term relief bounce could become the next move to monitor.

Midnight [NIGHT] remains under seller control

Midnight [NIGHT] ended the week as the second-biggest loser, falling 26.7%. Although the decline was less severe than DeXe’s crash, the technical picture continued to favor sellers.

This week’s drop followed declines of more than 25% over the previous two weeks. The move extended NIGHT’s lower-high, lower-low structure and pushed the token below the $0.002 area. The daily chart recorded a modest 1.5% bounce, but that was not enough to alter the broader trend. The RSI also remained well above the oversold zone, suggesting selling pressure had not yet been fully exhausted.

Unless buyers return with stronger volume, NIGHT could be at risk of another break below support, similar to the moves seen over the past several weeks. For now, the chart continues to show sellers in control, while a stronger bullish setup would likely require signs of renewed accumulation.

Zcash [ZEC] reaches a key technical turning point

Zcash [ZEC] finished as the third-biggest loser of the week, falling 10.16%. Unlike the other two tokens on the losers list, ZEC’s pullback did not resemble a breakdown. Instead, it appeared to be a cooldown after a strong advance.

Technically, ZEC rallied nearly 40% across late June and early July, reclaiming the $500 level. After a move of that size, some profit-taking was likely. So far, the chart has shown a typical pullback, with short-term holders taking profits while longer-term buyers wait for more favorable entries.

If the current setup holds, ZEC could be positioned for another upward leg once broader market conditions improve. The key factor may be the wider market rather than ZEC itself. If the latest wave of FUD fades, ZEC’s pullback may be viewed as a reset before its next move.

Other notable losers

Downside volatility was also visible across the broader market.

BitMart [BMX] led the losers with a 64.9% decline. Starpower [STAR] followed with a 38.5% drop, while Up [UP] fell 36.6% as bearish momentum intensified.

Conclusion

This week’s cryptocurrency market featured sharp moves in both directions. Audiera [BEAT], Shiba Inu [SHIB] and Venice Token [VVV] led the week’s gainers, while DeXe [DEXE], Midnight [NIGHT] and Zcash [ZEC] posted significant declines. The split performance showed that selective narratives still found buyers, but broader risk appetite remained fragile as macro uncertainty, ETF outflows and DeFi security concerns continued to shape trading conditions.