Bitcoin - Trap the Breakouts, Ride the PullbackBitcoin has been trading in a clearly impulsive structure, showing bullish intent after reclaiming previous consolidation zones. Recently, price action has driven into a significant area of interest, approaching the highs set on the 4-hour timeframe. These highs have not yet been swept, making them a likely target for liquidity grabs. Given the market's recent strength, it's reasonable to anticipate that market makers and larger participants may aim to run these stops to fuel a deeper retracement or set the stage for further upside.
The higher timeframes continue to favor bullish structure overall, with price making higher highs and higher lows. However, within this bullish context, the market has left behind notable inefficiencies, particularly an untapped imbalance zone just below current price levels. These inefficiencies typically act as magnets, especially when preceded by strong directional moves, making them key zones of interest for potential pullbacks.
Consolidation Structure and Key Zones
After bottoming out near the $77,000 to $78,000 area in early April, Bitcoin has steadily climbed, forming intermediate accumulation structures and minor consolidations before each breakout leg. During the recent surge, price left behind a unified imbalance zone roughly between $89,000 and $91,000, which remains untouched. This area is highly relevant, as price has not yet returned to rebalance it.
Just below that sits a previous strong support zone in the $82,000 to $84,000 region, which provided a solid base for the current leg higher. An additional lower imbalance zone lies slightly above $80,000, offering a potential secondary demand area in case the primary zone fails.
Liquidity and Imbalance Zone
The current expectation is for Bitcoin to complete a sweep of the 4H swing high, tapping into the resting buy stops above. These types of moves often serve as traps for breakout buyers, allowing institutions to offload positions into demand and prepare for a retracement. Once the liquidity is taken, the next logical move would be a return toward the unfilled imbalance zone highlighted on the chart.
This zone not only represents technical inefficiency, but also aligns with the concept of fair value. Price often returns to these areas to find willing buyers, rebalance supply-demand discrepancies, and establish a base before continuing in the prevailing direction. Given the strength of the previous rally, a healthy retracement into this zone would still maintain overall bullish market structure.
Bullish Scenario
If the price sweeps the high and retraces into the $89,000 to $91,000 zone, we want to see signs of absorption and bullish structure forming within this region. Confirmation may come in the form of bullish order blocks, internal BOS (break of structure), or a clear rejection wick indicating buyers are stepping in. Should these conditions be met, this zone provides a compelling long opportunity, with upside targets set toward previous highs and potential extension levels above $96,000.
Bearish Contingency Plan
In the event that the unified imbalance fails to hold, attention shifts to the next key zones. The first is the minor imbalance closer to $85,000, which could offer a short-term bounce. Failing that, the broader support zone at $83,000 highlighted on the chart, becomes a more significant area to watch. This zone previously acted as the springboard for the current rally and may provide the structural support necessary for a larger bullish continuation.
Conclusion
This setup reflects a classic smart money concept, liquidity engineering followed by a return to inefficiency. The trade idea rests on the premise that markets rarely move in a straight line and often seek to rebalance themselves after aggressive trends. By allowing price to sweep the highs, fill the imbalance, and re-establish support, we can position ourselves with the trend in a favorable risk-reward context. The bias remains bullish, but execution depends on price reaction at key levels and confirmation of intent.
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