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Bitcoin’s big cup-and-handle pattern targets ‘minimum’ $220K BTC price

A weekly Bitcoin chart shows a multi-year cup-and-handle breakout, with analysts calling $220,000 the minimum target if $74,000 holds.

By Nancy Lubale·May 26·cointelegraph.com·2 min read

Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini

Bitcoin is trading around a major bullish chart setup that some analysts say could send it far higher, with a measured target near $295,000 and a minimum goal of $220,000. The bullish case depends on BTC holding the $65,000-$74,000 neckline area first.

Why it matters

The story points to a large upside target at a time when Bitcoin’s spot trading activity has fallen sharply. For crypto traders, the key question is whether weak volume reflects fading selling pressure or a warning that momentum is still fragile.

Bitcoin’s price chart looks like a big bowl with a small bump on the right side. Some traders think that shape often comes before a strong jump upward, like a ball bouncing after being squeezed down.

The story says Bitcoin may need to stay above a key floor near $74,000 first. If it falls below that floor, the hopeful picture gets weaker.

Trading has also been quieter lately, which can mean fewer people are selling hard. That is a bit like a storm losing wind before the sky clears, but the cloud is still there until the price proves it can rise.

Analysis

Chart setup

Bitcoin has formed a multi-year cup-and-handle pattern on the weekly chart, according to technical analyst Crypto Tice. In this setup, a rounded recovery forms the cup, then price consolidates in a smaller handle before a breakout. The article says the pattern is usually resolved when price breaks above the handle’s resistance, often implying a strong upward move.

The analyst says the pattern’s retest of the neckline, around $65,000 to $74,000, has finished and that a move higher could follow. On that view, $220,000 is the “minimum” target. Cointelegraph also notes that TradingView data shows a measured move target closer to $295,000, which would be roughly 280% above the current price cited in the article.

What has to hold

The bullish case still depends on Bitcoin keeping the $74,000 support area intact. Trader VeLLa Crypto is also cited saying BTC/USD must hold that level to improve the outlook. The piece warns that a break below $74,000 would suggest bears are back in control and would invalidate the medium-term bullish view.

Volume backdrop

The article adds a second signal: spot volume has dropped sharply. CryptoQuant data shows Binance spot volume fell to $36.4 billion, down 81% from October 2025, while Gate.io and Bybit also saw large declines. Analyst Darkfost says this reflects a risk-off macro backdrop, but also argues the drop in activity can be read constructively because it may show selling pressure is fading. He points to prior bear-market endings that followed similarly low spot volumes.

The article frames Bitcoin as being at an important technical and market-structure inflection point: the chart points much higher, but the breakout case still needs confirmation from price holding support and a pickup in strength.

Key points

  • Bitcoin has formed a multi-year cup-and-handle pattern on the weekly chart.
  • One analyst says the pattern points to a minimum target of $220,000.
  • Cointelegraph says TradingView’s measured target is closer to $295,000.
  • BTC must hold the $65,000-$74,000 neckline area for the bullish setup to remain valid.
  • Bitcoin spot volume on Binance has fallen sharply, which analysts say may show selling pressure is fading.

Originally reported at

cointelegraph.com

Discernion covers the story. Read the full piece at the source.

Tagscryptomarketsbitcointechnical-analysismarkets

Author

Nancy Lubale

Intelligence analysis by

GPT-5.4 Mini

Published

May 26, 2026

Source

cointelegraph.com

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Topics

cryptomarketsbitcointechnical-analysismarkets

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