Bitcoin 'panic has faded,' but rally past $75,000 hinges on three catalysts

Markets 2026-04-16 09:07

Bitcoin 'panic has faded,' but rally past ,000 hinges on three catalysts

  • Three things will drive Bitcoin back above $75,000, industry insiders say.

  • Investors remain bullish despite war, with the S&P500 shooting back to its peak.

Bitcoin’s next rally hinges on three things.

Max Kahn, CEO of investment adviser Digital Wealth Partners, argues that the biggest cryptocurrency in the world’s next leg up will be determined by energy-driven inflation data, central bank policy expectations and the consistency of institutional inflows.

As the top crypto hovers around $74,000 — up 8% over the past two weeks — traders have poured in $523 million into exchange-traded funds in April, underscoring what Kahn describes as a structural bid that did not exist in prior cycles.

“Bitcoin’s move toward $75,000 appears to be driven by a combination of macro and structural factors rather than any single catalyst,” Kahn wrote in an investor note shared with DL News.

Khan’s call comes as Bitcoin investors are increasingly betting that the conflict in the Middle East will deescalate. While Washington has ramped up the rhetoric against Tehran, market watchers argue that the reality shows that tensions are easing back to pre-conflict levels.

That’s “a signal that panic has faded even if uncertainty has now,” digital asset trading firm QCP wrote in a note to investors on Monday.

Bitcoin rises to $74,000 as traders call Trump’s bluff on IranBitcoin jumped to a four-week high of $74,929 after...Bitcoin jumped to a four-week high of $74,929 after President Donald Trump said that Iran had reached out for potential peace...

Investors of more traditional assets have also regained some of their pre-conflict bullishness.

“So as far as the stock market is concerned, the war is over until further notice,” argues Ed Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research. “It has been yet another V-shaped buy-the-dip recovery in the S&P 500.”

Here are Kahn’s key watchpoints for Bitcoin as traders eye the next move up.

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Bitcoin price

Inflation and Fed

To be sure, investors still have reasons to be worried.

On Tuesday, the International Energy Agency on Tuesday sharply lowered its forecasts for global oil supply and demand growth. It warned that both will fall from last year’s levels as the US-Israel war with Iran disrupts flows and drags down the global economy.

Higher inflation stemming from the conflict means central banks around the world will consider increasing interest rates. Higher rates mean less money supply to support risky assets like Bitcoin.

But when inflation appears contained, markets lean toward a more accommodative Federal Reserve. That environment historically fuels risk assets. Bitcoin, now widely traded through regulated vehicles, benefits directly from that shift in liquidity conditions.

“When markets begin to price in a more stable or accommodative rate environment, we tend to see increased demand for risk assets, including Bitcoin,” Kahn notes.

Institutional bid

At the same time, positive structural demand continues to support the Bitcoin market.

Bitcoin ETFs enjoyed their best month since October in March, DefiLlama data shows. April is on track to be yet another positive month.

The ongoing institutional involvement, including steady inflows through regulated investment products such as ETFs, has created a more stable source of demand for Bitcoin than in previous cycles, Khan said.

“That’s helping support price levels even amid broader market uncertainty,” he said.

Bitcoin is increasingly viewed through two lenses, he adds: a macro-sensitive risk asset in the short term, and a long-term store of value with fixed supply. That dual identity explains both its resilience and its volatility amid the constant headline whiplash.

Michael Saylor, the executive chairman of digital asset treasury Strategy, shares Kahn’s optimism.

On Monday, the firm reported buying another $1 billion worth of Bitcoin, bringing its stash to about $58 billion.

Crypto market movers 

  • Bitcoin is down 1.1% over the past 24 hours, trading at $74,000.

  • Ethereum is down 2.6% over the past 24 hours at $2,326.

What we’re reading 

  • Goldman Sachs to offer low-risk, low-reward Bitcoin ETF — DL News

  • One of Trump’s biggest crypto supporters just turned on him — DL News

  • Aave DAO Passes “Aave Will Win” Proposal, Directing 100% of Product Revenue to Token Holders — Unchained

  • Bitcoin to $150K by Year-End? Why All Roads Lead to More Liquidity w/ James Lavish — Milk Road

  • IRS turns up heat on crypto ahead of April 15 tax deadline. Here’s what you need to know before filing — DL News

Lance Datskoluo is DL News’ Europe-based markets correspondent. Got a tip? Email him at lance@dlnews.com

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This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.

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