Bitcoin Price Today: BTC Reclaims the $90,000 Handle
Bitcoin (BTC) has surged back above the $90,000 mark after a challenging November, currently trading around $93,000 on Wednesday, December 3, 2025. Over the past day, BTC has oscillated within a range of $91,000–$94,000, briefly reaching a new two-week high just under $94,000 as buyers returned to the market. This bounce-back indicates renewed optimism, albeit cautiously.
According to data from Cryptonews, the total crypto market capitalization increased by 7.4% within the last 24 hours, now standing at approximately $3.24 trillion. Notably, 95 out of the top 100 coins are in the green, with Bitcoin itself seeing roughly a 7% boost to $92,992. Ethereum (ETH) climbed 9.1% to $3,055, while Solana (SOL) surged more than 12% to around $141.
Despite this resurgence, market sentiment remains cautious. The widely monitored crypto fear-and-greed index has only improved from 16 (“extreme fear”) to 22 (“fear”), signifying that while traders are feeling less panic, the atmosphere is still one of caution following weeks of aggressive selling. This cautious optimism is a reflection of the volatile crypto landscape.
Today’s price increase comes against a backdrop of significant drawdown; Bitcoin had previously fallen about 17% in November and around 18% over the past three months, despite reaching a record high of nearly $126,000 on October 6.
The Catalysts: Vanguard, Bank of America, and a Macro “Perfect Storm”
Analysts attribute Wednesday’s rally to a rare synergy of positive news impacting Bitcoin and the broader cryptocurrency market.
1. Vanguard’s U-Turn on Bitcoin ETFs
A pivotal moment in today’s surge is Vanguard’s policy reversal. The $11 trillion asset-management giant, once considered an adversary of crypto, has reopened access to spot Bitcoin ETFs, like BlackRock’s IBIT, for its more than 50 million clients. This shift was highlighted by Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas, who pointed out that IBIT experienced nearly $1 billion in volume within just 30 minutes of Vanguard lifting its ban. This could pave the way for BTC to approach the six-figure mark as ETF demand expands into traditional investment realms.
2. Bank of America Embraces Crypto Allocation
Concurrently, Bank of America has started suggesting a 1%–4% allocation to crypto in client portfolios. More than 15,000 wealth advisers are now authorized to recommend Bitcoin ETFs for the first time. Analysts estimate that if even a fraction of eligible clients opt into this recommendation, hundreds of billions of dollars could flow into digital assets in the years to come.
3. On-Chain Accumulation and Tight Supply
On-chain metrics provide another compelling layer of bullish sentiment. An analysis by InvestX revealed that major institutions and market makers absorbed over 40,000 BTC within 24 hours during the recent dip, evidencing a rush to “reload” positions at lower price levels. Additionally, CryptoPotato noted a decline in exchange-held BTC reserves to multi-year lows, indicating that more coins are being moved into cold storage—a practice typically viewed as long-term accumulation that constrains liquidity.
4. Fed Expectations and Global Macro Tailwinds
Macro-economic factors are also favoring bulls. Reports indicate that markets are now pricing in roughly an 87% probability of a 25-basis-point rate cut during the upcoming December 9-10 FOMC meeting. Historically, a rate cut has been known to bolster risk assets like Bitcoin by easing financial conditions. Enhanced inflows into US spot Bitcoin ETFs have been noted, with significant net inflows of about $58.5 million on Tuesday alone. Speculation suggests that the potential appointment of Kevin Hassett, viewed as crypto-friendly, to the US Fed chair position could add additional support to the market.
5. A More Complicated Global Rates Picture
Despite the bullish factors, there are macroeconomic challenges. 99Bitcoins warns that Japan’s 30-year bond yield has surged to a record 3.41%, increasing the risk of a reversal in the yen carry trade, which historically has infused liquidity into global risk markets. Experts also note that the shifting global interest-rate landscape could complicate Bitcoin’s volatility, especially as institutional investors pivot towards safer assets like gold and silver.
Technical Picture: Key Bitcoin Price Levels to Watch
Beyond the headlines, technical analysts are observing BTC at a crucial inflection point.
CryptoPotato: Reclaiming a Key Demand Zone
According to an analysis by CryptoPotato, Bitcoin has distinctly bounced off an $80,000 demand area and is reclaiming a mid-range band between $89,000 and $93,000. On the four-hour chart, BTC is encountering a confluence of:
- Horizontal resistance around $93,000, and
- A descending trendline that has constrained price movements since the prior breakdown from around $116,000.
A clear breakthrough above this space could open the door toward a $103,000 supply zone. On the flip side, failure to maintain current levels could prompt a retracement to $88,000, with a loss of the $80,000 threshold indicating deeper potential corrections.
Crypto.news: Cautious Optimism into the FOMC
Crypto.news notes key price movements leading up to the FOMC meeting:
- BTC briefly spiked to around $93,900 today before pulling back.
- Currently hovering near $92,600, up approximately 3% on the day and 6% on the week while.
- Positive spot-ETF inflows of around $220 million at the end of last month reinforce the bullish scenario if the Fed acts as anticipated.
Michael van de Poppe (ZyCrypto): Dip Then Rip?
Renowned trader Michael van de Poppe suggests the potential for heightened volatility in December:
- If $92,000 holds, BTC could continue to rise.
- If $92,000 is lost, a sharp decline into the $88,000 to $90,000 zone may occur to clear leveraged positions.
- Following that, he anticipates a upward movement towards $100,000, with an ultimate goal of around $105,000.
Liquidation clusters below $90,000 and just under $100,000 suggest that Bitcoin may trigger substantial liquidations before establishing a sustainable upward trend.
Cryptonews: Resistance at $93K–$95K and the 50-Week SMA
In an analysis by Cryptonews, BTC’s recent movement is described as a remarkable recovery, but it’s currently testing key resistance between $93,000 and $95,000. The 50-week simple moving average (SMA) near $102,000 serves as a critical long-term indicator, with recommended watch points:
- Major downside support at $82,000, and
- Around $89,000 as the average cost basis for spot-ETF traders.
BeInCrypto: Mixed On-Chain Signals and a Looming Bear Flag
BeInCrypto offers a more cautious perspective for December’s BTC forecast:
- November saw losses exceeding 17%, with net ETF outflows amounting to about $3.48 billion.
- On-chain data indicates that whales and long-term holders are still noticeably distributing, hinting at potential further downside risks.
- The current chart suggests BTC has fallen below the lower boundary of a bear-flag pattern.
CoinDCX and Changelly: Model-Driven Upside vs. Timeframe Conflicts
In a weekly forecast, Indian exchange CoinDCX states BTC is consolidating near $94,900 after a sharp sell-off, potentially climbing to about $96,100 if buyers maintain pressure. Their longer-term models even project a December finish between $112,000 and $116,000, contingent on continuous ETF inflows and an accommodating macro environment.
Conversely, Changelly points out the contradictions in BTC’s trend across various timeframes:
- On the four-hour chart, Bitcoin appears bullish, with a rising 50-day moving average.
- On the daily chart, the outlook appears bearish</strong, with the 50-day moving average sloping down.
- On the weekly timeframe, the long-term trend remains constructive, backed by an upward-moving 200-day moving average since May 2025.
Forex.com and CoinDesk: Battle Lines in a Mid-Cycle Reset
A BTC/USD review from Forex.com describes around $92,975 as a battleground for bullish and bearish forces, while CoinDesk argues that Bitcoin’s recent 18% slide over three months represents a mid-cycle reset rather than the onset of another “crypto winter.” This reflects a transitional phase, shaking out excessive leverage without indicating an end to the cycle.
Beyond the Charts: Structural Trends and Expert Views
Experts from academia and on-chain analytics agree on one crucial point: regardless of short-term fluctuations, crypto is here to stay.
Northeastern University professors Ravi Sarathy and Alper Koparan highlight Bitcoin’s fixed 21-million-coin cap, low regulatory oversight, and lack of dependence on any particular currency, leading to significant price volatility. They note that over 15 years, BTC’s growth from nearly zero to over $100,000 provides a compelling long-term outlook, even with current fluctuations.
On-chain analytics firm Glassnode emphasizes that the recent downturn is part of a Bitcoin-led institutionally anchored cycle, disputing the idea that we are witnessing a bubble burst. Contrarily, BeInCrypto reports that whales are still redistributing coins to exchanges, increasing the risk of downside movements—a stark contrast to CryptoPotato‘s observations about decreasing exchange reserves, indicating that current dynamics may yield different narratives based on timeframe and analytical approaches.
On the regulatory front, the UK’s new digital-assets law clarifies cryptocurrencies’ status as property, potentially simplifying ownership disputes for investors. Experts from Northeastern University also point out that evolving regulatory environments in the US have paved the way for Bitcoin ETFs, allowing for deeper institutional engagements even during risk-off periods.
Bitcoin Price Outlook for December 2025: Scenarios and Risks
As we synthesize today’s developments and market analyses, several potential scenarios unfold:
- Bullish Case:
If ETF inflows remain positive and institutional momentum continues, Bitcoin could attempt to retest $100,000, perhaps reaching the $105,000–$116,000 range by the end of the month. Both van de Poppe’s target and CoinDCX’s models assume favorable macro conditions complementing strong ETF flows. - Base Case (Repair Phase):
Several analysts see a “repair phase” in December, where Bitcoin oscillates mainly between $88,000 and mid-$90,000s, as market players digest November’s losses while ETF flows and Fed policy recalibrate sentiment, leading to choppy consolidative movements. - Bearish Case:
If the FOMC meeting yields negative reactions or if ETF flows turn south, BeInCrypto’s research points to deeper corrections toward the low $80,000s, and possibly even the high $60,000s in case of a severe shakeout.
Throughout these outlooks, several key levels continue earning analyst attention:
- $80,400–$82,000 – considered a critical support range that BTC must maintain to avoid deeper corrections.
- $88,000–$90,000 – highlighted as immediate support, based on insights from both Crypto.news and van de Poppe’s analysis.
- $93,000–$95,000 – recognized as immediate resistance being tested, overlapping previous price movements and trendline constraints.
- $100,000–$102,000 – viewed as a psychological milestone, with the 50-week SMA serving as an essential marker for the overarching bullish trend.
The behavior of BTC around these levels in the coming 7–10 days will likely dictate whether this uptrend is the beginning of a new phase or simply a short-lived rally within an ongoing corrective cycle.
What Traders Are Watching Next
As we approach mid-December, market participants are closely monitoring three key storylines:
- The December 9–10 FOMC Meeting
Futures markets are heavily aligned on a 25-basis-point cut. A dovish stance or signals of a 2026 easing cycle could energize risk assets; conversely, unexpected hawkish messaging could quickly temper Bitcoin’s rally. - Spot-ETF Flows and the “Vanguard Effect”
Daily data on ETF allocations will be critical, particularly following Vanguard’s accessibility for BlackRock’s IBIT. Continual inflows would suggest a robust institutional-driven cycle. - Ethereum’s Fusaka Upgrade and Overall Crypto Sentiment
As Ethereum’s Fusaka hard fork goes live, successfully pushing ETH above $3,000, overall risk sentiment in the crypto market could be amplified, impacting Bitcoin’s trading dynamics as participants rotate between BTC, ETH, and high-beta altcoins.
A Final Word of Caution
For both traders and long-term holders, the prevailing message is clear: volatility has returned and the range of potential outcomes is broader than usual. Even the most advanced models rely on shifting factors: ETF trends, central-bank policies, regulatory updates, and on-chain behaviors can evolve suddenly, creating a landscape of uncertainty that demands careful navigation.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are known for their volatility and inherent risks. It is crucial to invest only what you can afford to lose and to consult with licensed financial professionals before making investment decisions.
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