MARA Stock Is Flashing Bullish Vibes Ahead of Earnings

As Coinbase Global Inc. COIN and MARA Holdings Inc. MARA prepare to report their earnings beats—or blunders—after the bell Thursday, investors are scanning the charts like hawks.

Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) and MARA Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:MARA) are set to report their earnings and hope to post upbeat numbers like clockwork.

But as these Bitcoin BTC/USD and crypto-tied tickers get ready to announce their Q1 beats—or blunders—investors are scanning the charts like hawks. And only one of these tickers is flashing brighter bullish vibes.

COIN: A Technical Tug-of-War As Citi, JPMorgan Tout $268 Average PT

Coinbase, the blue-chip of crypto brokers, has already climbed 29.8% in the past month—but don't let that pop fool you.

While analysts from Citi, JPMorgan and Rosenblatt are touting a $268.67 average price target (a healthy 30% upside), the technicals are still caught in a bit of a tug-of-war.

At $196.56, COIN stock is below its eight-day simple moving average (SMA) of $201.67 (bearish) but has managed to trade above both its 20-day ($190.41) and 50-day ($190.29) SMAs—those scream bullish. Unfortunately, the long-term 200-day SMA is still way up at $225.82, suggesting COIN stock has some work to do.

The MACD (moving average convergence/divergence) indicator, at 3.43, leans bullish, and the stock’s RSI (relative strength index) of 52.22 doesn't indicate that the stock is overheating.

Overall, the chart is a bit indecisive. Perhaps it's a reflection of crypto's price swings—quick and unpredictable.

MARA: A Quiet Rally Despite 12-Month Scars As Compass Point Sees 43% Upside

Meanwhile, MARA stock has had a rougher year, dropping 33.7% in the past 12 months. But in the past month, it’s surged 26.7%, and the technicals hint at something brewing.

At $13.33 per share, MARA stock is below its eight-day SMA (bearish) but just above both its 20-day ($13.28) and 50-day ($13.11) SMAs—both bullish. Like COIN, MARA lags its 200-day SMA ($17.18), so the long-term picture still has some scars.

But here's where things get interesting: The MACD is positive 0.16, and the RSI at 49.94 shows it's sitting in the sweet spot of neutrality. Not too hot, not too cold—just ready for a catalyst.

And speaking of catalysts, analysts are slightly more giddy here. From Compass Point, Piper Sandler and HC Wainwright, the average price target is $20.17. That's a juicy 43.6% upside from today's levels.

The Verdict: MARA Has The Chart Edge Despite Lower Average PT

COIN might have the bigger brand and better fundamentals, but on the charts, MARA looks like the underdog with an upside. It’s showing more bullish signals and has a more substantial implied return from analyst targets. Plus, it's got that silent grind upward that sometimes precedes a breakout.

With earnings looming, both stocks could rewrite their technical stories in a flash. But for now? Chalk one up for the miner.