Bitcoin (BTC) remains locked in a narrow range under $105,000

Bitcoin remains locked in a narrow range under $105,000, unable to sustain momentum for a breakout despite strong support around $100,000.

Bitcoin (BTC) price is still trading in a tight range below $105,000 as the cryptocurrency fails to sustain momentum for a breakout despite strong support around $100,000.

Top traders are adjusting their Bitcoin price predictions

As of Friday, May 16, Bitcoin is trading at $103,741, consolidating within a $3,500 band for the past week. The resistance at $105,000 has now held for several sessions, leaving traders looking for a fresh catalyst to push the market higher.

Technical ceiling keeps BTC in check

Bitcoin’s recent price action reflects sideways consolidation between $101,500 support and $105,000 resistance, according to data from Cointelegraph and Swissblock. Two failed breakout attempts have left traders cautious heading into the weekend.

Market intelligence platform Santiment noted a slight shift to bearish sentiment among retail traders. Historically, this has preceded sudden upward moves, as the market tends to move opposite to public expectation.

Large sell orders and ETF pressure limit upside

On-chain analytics from Material Indicators show thick liquidity walls between $105,000 and $110,000 on major exchanges like Binance. These large ask orders are preventing BTC from breaking out to new all-time highs.

Meanwhile, longer-term trend indicators remain bullish. A recent bullish crossover of the 50-day and 100-day moving averages reflects continued upward momentum for the macro trend.

$100K holds, but downside risks linger

Traders are closely watching the $98,000–$100,000 range, where Bitcoin has established a strong support floor. A break below this zone could trigger stop-losses and send prices lower, while a bounce could refuel bullish momentum.

According to analyst Michael van de Poppe, $98,000 is a critical level to hold for a continuation of the uptrend. Others like Daan Crypto Trades are eyeing previous local highs above $106,000 and the original surge point at $93,000 as key pivot levels.

Quantum computing risk looms

Adding to investor uncertainty, BlackRock issued a cautionary note in its latest Bitcoin ETF filing, warning that quantum computing breakthroughs could threaten the cryptographic foundations of digital assets. The asset manager now holds nearly 3% of the total BTC supply, prompting further concerns about centralized control over a decentralized currency.

While experts believe such threats are years away, Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino recently predicted that future advances could unlock dormant coins—including those linked to Bitcoin’s anonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto.

Outlook: Awaiting the next catalyst

For now, Bitcoin appears stuck in a holding pattern, caught between technical resistance and macroeconomic uncertainty. Traders are watching for weekend volatility or a new catalyst—such as economic data, policy shifts, or ETF-driven flows—to trigger the next move.