Bitcoin stalls near $76,500 as muted trading points to macro wait-and-see

MarketsShareShare this articleCopy linkX iconX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmailBitcoin stalls near $76,500 as muted trading points to macro wait-and-seeEnflux says “the bid is there” but no one is adding size, while Glassnode data shows easing selling pressure alongside weaker market activity.By Sam Reynolds|Edited by Omkar Godbole May 26, 2026, 4:06 a.m. 2 min readMake preferred on What to know: Bitcoin is trading in a tight range around $76,500, with muted activity as traders wait for a clear macroeconomic catalyst.Prediction markets see a solid chance that bitcoin holds above $74,000 and ends the week above $76,000, reflecting expectations for stability rather than a sharp move in either direction.Analysts say bitcoin’s limited reaction to recent macro shocks shows either resilience or exhaustion, with tight supply and cooling ETF inflows leaving the next U.S. inflation report as a key driver for institutional demand.Bitcoin BTC$76,726.33 hovered near $76,500 mid-day Hong Kong time, according to CoinDesk market data, holding a narrow range as trading remains muted after a long weekend in the U.S.Prediction market traders on Polymarket see BTC as likely to hold above $74,000 this week, with a 60% chance it finishes the trading week above $76,000. In a note to CoinDesk, Singapore-based market maker Enflux wrote that the "bid is there" but no one is adding size. A Glassnode weekly report adds the same split: buying and selling pressure is becoming more balanced, but weaker trading activity points to a cautious market waiting for the next macro catalyst.Traders are not positioning for a sharp breakdown, but they are equally unconvinced that a breakout is imminent.Enflux argues the current range says as much about what bitcoin has not done as what it has. Despite recent macro shocks, including Moody’s downgrade of U.S. sovereign debt and retailer Walmart warning that geopolitical fuel costs and weaker consumer spending are hitting margins, BTC has barely moved.For so…

Bitcoin stalls near $76,500 as muted trading points to macro wait-and-see

Coins in this story

Related stories

XRP slips below $1.35 after triangle breakdown puts focus on $1.30 support

HYPE briefly overtakes Dogecoin, privacy tokens slide as US strikes on Iran rattle markets

Indonesia blocks Polymarket, calling prediction market online gambling in disguise