Bitcoin shrugs off US CPI win as Binance CEO says BTC ‘leading pack’

Key points:

  • Bitcoin fails to capitalize on lower-than-expected US CPI data, seeing a Wall Street sell-off for a second day.

  • Traders see BTC/USD buying time before its next move, and a trip below $100,000 is on the cards.

  • Bitcoin is showing โ€œundeniableโ€ momentum against gold and stocks, Binanceโ€™s Richard Teng says.

Bitcoin (BTC) saw a repeat sell-off at the May 13 Wall Street open as bears ignored positive US inflation data.

BTC/USD 1-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

BTC price stagnates after CPI inflation cools

Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC/USD again heading lower after failing to reclaim $104,000 as support.

The downside came despite the April print of the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) coming in below expectations in what should be good news for risk assets.

โ€œThe all items index rose 2.3 percent for the 12 months ending April, after rising 2.4 percent over the 12 months ending March,โ€ an official release from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) confirmed.ย 

โ€œThe April change was the smallest 12-month increase in the all items index since February 2021.โ€

US CPI 12-month % change. Source: BLS

US stocks opened higher, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite Index up 0.7% and 1.4%, respectively, at the time of writing.

Reacting, trading resource The Kobeissi Letter noted that the S&P 500 had now delivered net upside year-to-date.

โ€œThe S&P 500 has technically entered a new bull market, up 20% since April. We are seeing historic moves to both directions in both stocks and commodities,โ€ it wrote in part of a thread on X.

S&P 500 1-day chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

BTC/USD meanwhile surfed nearby order book liquidity around spot price. For popular trader Daan Crypto Trades, the stage was now being set for fresh volatility.

โ€œThat’s all the big clusters above and below taken out now. Good liquidity grab on both sides,โ€ he summarized alongside data from monitoring resource CoinGlass.ย 

โ€œFrom here on out we’ll just have to wait and see as the market ranges a bit and figures out what it wants to do. No massive liquidity levels nearby so spot will have to be leading.โ€

BTC liquidation heatmap (screenshot). Source: CoinGlass

The day prior, Daan Crypto Trades had forecast a retest of $102,000 based on liquidity clusters, a move which subsequently played out.

โ€œBitcoin is stalling here for a little bit, which is completely fine,โ€ crypto analyst and entrepreneur Michaรซl van de Poppe continued.ย 

โ€œEven if it goes back to $97.5-98K, we’ll still be in an uptrend and building up for new ATHs.โ€

BTC/USDT 6-hour chart with RSI data. Source: Michaรซl van de Poppe/X

Teng: Bitcoin momentum โ€œundeniableโ€

Assessing the ongoing macro implications for BTC price action, trading firm QCP Capital considered the chances of the market trending sideways in the short term.

Related: Bitcoin illiquid supply hits 14M BTC as hodlers set bull market record

โ€œBTC remains caught in a tug-of-war between its identity as โ€˜digital goldโ€™ and its function as a risk-on proxy. This tension continues to obscure its directional conviction,โ€ it wrote in its latest bulletin to Telegram channel subscribers on the day.ย 

โ€œAs the macro narrative moves from protectionism toward renewed trade optimism, BTC could remain range-bound.โ€

Others remained strong in their conviction over the general market trajectory, including Richard Teng, CEO of crypto exchange Binance.

โ€œWhile traditional markets recover, Bitcoinโ€™s already leading the pack,โ€ he told X followers while comparing returns since the April 2 โ€œLiberation Dayโ€ enacted by US President Donald Trump as he unveiled reciprocal trade tariffs.ย 

โ€œWith double-digit gains following key global events, BTC is reinforcing its position as a resilient alternative assetโ€”outperforming gold, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq year-to-date. The momentum is undeniable.โ€

Macro asset comparison. Source: Richard Teng/X

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.