Bitcoin Has Remained Confined in a Narrow Price Range

Bitcoin has been trading in a narrow price range of $91,500 to $95,800 since April 21, despite predictions of a looming supply shock. While traders are anticipating a breakout, on-chain data tells a more nuanced story.

Carmelo Aleman, a contributor at CryptoQuant, examined several on-chain metrics and concluded that Bitcoin is “still far from a true supply shock.” His analysis highlights the fact that although exchange reserves have decreased, this alone will not bring about genuine scarcity without major capital inflows.

Bitcoin reserves held on exchanges decreased from 2,942,077 BTC on November 11 to 2,490,318 BTC by April 28, marking a 15.35% reduction. Though the decline is significant, Aleman stressed that this reduction is not enough to force a supply crunch on its own.

Capital Inflow Needed for Any Shock Scenario

Meanwhile, Bitcoin’s Realized Capitalization rose from $669.32 billion to $883.03 billion during the same timeframe. This figure represents the total capital invested, calculated using the price of each coin at the time it last moved. The rise signals growing network value, not just speculation.

Aleman stated that pushing Bitcoin’s price to between $130,000 and $140,000 would require the purchase of around 500,000 BTC at current prices. Yet, such a rally would likely provoke selling activity among miners. As prices climb, miners tend to cash out, introducing fresh supply that counters shrinking exchange reserves.

He explained that “this behavior could counteract the decline in exchange reserves, since historically, miners tend to sell more as the price goes up.” In this way, even a sharp price increase might not result in true scarcity, since miners can flood the market when incentives are high.

For Bitcoin to experience a true supply shock, Aleman concluded that the network’s Realized Capitalization would need to triple or quadruple. Without that scale of inflow, current market behavior does not support a genuine shock scenario.

Bitcoin Technical Indicators Offer Hope Amid Caution

Despite the cautious forecast, not all signals are negative. Analyst Ali Martinez pointed to a potential shift in sentiment, highlighting that “Bitcoin momentum could shift bullish” once the MVRV ratio crosses above its 1-year simple moving average. This technical pattern has previously marked the start of strong upward trends.

In a separate analysis, Martinez also shared the UTXO Realized Price Distribution (URPD) chart, which highlights key Bitcoin accumulation zones—specifically at $83,444 with 307,931 BTC, $93,198 with 639,830 BTC, and $97,532 with 433,937 BTC. These zones represent key levels where many investors bought in and could act as support or resistance.

Of these, $97,530 stands out. With over 433,000 BTC traded at that level, Martinez identified it as a critical resistance point. Surpassing it could clear the way to break toward new highs, assuming demand remains strong.

The levels of $83,444 and $93,198 provide support, due to a dense concentration of holdings. These ranges suggest confidence from long-term holders and reinforce an overall positive sentiment, even as broader market conditions remain cautious.