Bitcoin Price Stalls Below $80K as Profitable Holders Keep Selling

• Bitcoin hovers near $78,800 after reclaiming $79K, but $80K breakout remains unconfirmed.
• The LTH-SOPR/STH-SOPR ratio dropped to 0.93, signaling ongoing profit-taking pressure. 
• A move above $79,535 could open the path toward $82,842 and potentially $90,000. 

Bitcoin price has returned to the $79,000 range, but the latest rebound has yet to produce a sustained break above $80,000. Bitcoin is trading near $78,800 at press time, after pulling back from its recent advance, while ETF inflows and lower U.S. Treasury yields continue to support demand.

At the same time, on-chain data shows profitable holders are still taking profits, testing whether fresh buying can absorb the available supply.

Bitcoin Price Faces Selling From Profitable Holders

CryptoQuant data shows that nearly every tracked investor group has moved back into profit during the recovery. The unrealized PnL indicator stands at 21.1 for long-term holders and 13.4 for short-term holders.

Meanwhile, capital held for one day to one month carries a reading of 13.9. The latest shareholders show a lower reading of 5.3. Those figures show that more holders now have unrealized gains available to realize after Bitcoin recovered from roughly $62,000 in August.

The LTH-SOPR/STH-SOPR ratio also points to a shift in realized profitability. The ratio surged toward 1.4-1.45 as Bitcoin approached $80,000, indicating stronger relative profit-taking by long-term holders.

However, the ratio has since fallen to about 0.93, below the neutral 1.0 level. That means short-term holders are now realizing relatively stronger performance than long-term holders. Similar ratio spikes earlier in 2026 were short-lived and appeared during periods of high volatility.

$79,535 Becomes the Next Bitcoin Resistance Test

Bitcoin’s immediate technical hurdle sits near $79,535, where price has repeatedly failed to hold onto upside momentum. A stronger breakout could reopen the path toward resistance around $82,842.

If demand remains firm beyond that level, the supplied metric places the upside zone between $88,000 and $90,000.

Analyst Michaël van de Poppe said a move through $79,500 could place $82,700 back in focus, with $90,000 also possible if the advance extends. In contrast, trader Cyclop said Bitcoin remains in a bear trend unless it holds above $83,000.

Support remains concentrated near $76,934, followed by a stronger demand zone between roughly $75,780 and $76,200. Deeper support appears around $74,000 and $71,600 to $72,000.

Momentum has also cooled off. RSI has moved back toward neutral territory after nearing overbought levels, while MACD has flattened close to its signal line.

For now, Bitcoin remains between close support and resistance. A move above $80,000 would require continued spot and ETF demand, while a break below $75,000 to $76,000 could pressure short-term holder profitability.

Related: Bitcoin Price Rally Hits a Wall Will $83K Trigger the Next Major Move?