AUD/JPY Price Analysis: Bulls defend the 20-day SMA, bears are around the corner
Source Fxstreet
- AUD/JPY currently facing minor losses, standing strong at 97.45 after hitting a low of 96.85.
- The cross faced losses following the release of weak Australian Retail Sales figures from December.
- Bulls display resilience but the bears are slowly building momentum.
In Tuesday's session, the AUD/JPY pair was observed at the 97.45 level, recording mild losses but recovering from a low of 96.85 as the Aussie weakened following the release of soft Retail Sales figures. The broader outlook on the daily chart showcased bullish dominance, with the bulls determinedly holding their ground. Meanwhile, the four-hour chart indicated a rapid recovery by the buyers, reaffirming the prevalent bullish sentiment.
Weak December Retail Sales underscore sluggish Australian economic momentum, but markets still only discount a 10% chance of a 25 bps rate cut from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) in February. Meanwhile, mixed labor market figures in Japan including falling unemployment rate and job-to-applicant ratio, gives little impetus for Bank of Japan (BoJ) to rush in pivoting its monetary policy, with market expectations suggesting a June liftoff.
AUD/JPY levels to watch
The indicators on the daily chart are indicating a subtle power of the bulls over the bears. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is displaying neutrality, situated comfortably in a positive zone. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) mirrors this sentiment, with green bars that remain static, neither rising nor falling. That being said, the market sentiment leans slightly in favor of the bulls due to the crosses's position against the Simple Moving Averages (SMAs). Hovering above the 20, 100, and 200-day SMAs, the AUD/JPY displays signs of bullish dominance on a grander scale.
AUD/JPY daily chart
Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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Bitcoin briefly loses 2025 gains as crypto plunges over the weekend.Bitcoin experienced a sharp decline this weekend, briefly erasing its 2025 gains and dipping below its year-opening value of $93,507. The cryptocurrency fell to a low of $93,029 on Sunday, representing a 25% drop from its all-time high in October. Although it has rebounded slightly to around $94,209, the pressures on the market remain significant.
The downturn occurred despite the reopening of the U.S. government on Thursday, which many had hoped would provide essential support for crypto markets. This year initially appeared promising for cryptocurrencies, particularly after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, who has established the most pro-crypto administration thus far. However, ongoing political tensions—including Trump's tariff strategies and the recent government shutdown, lasting a historic 43 days—have contributed to several rapid price pullbacks for Bitcoin throughout the year.
Market dynamics are also being influenced by Bitcoin whales—investors holding large amounts of Bitcoin—who have been offloading portions of their assets, consequently stalling price rallies even as positive regulatory developments emerge. Despite these sell-offs, analysts from Glassnode argue that this behavior aligns with typical patterns seen among long-term investors during the concluding stages of bull markets, suggesting it is not indicative of a mass exodus.
Notably, Bitcoin is not alone in its struggles, as Ethereum and Solana have also recorded declines of 7.95% and 28.3%, respectively, since the start of the year, while numerous altcoins have faced even steeper losses.
Looking ahead, questions linger regarding the viability of the four-year cycle thesis, particularly given the increasing institutional support and regulatory frameworks now in place in the crypto landscape. Matt Hougan, chief investment officer at Bitwise, remains optimistic, suggesting a potential Bitcoin resurgence in 2026 driven by the “debasement trade” thesis and a broader trend toward increased adoption of stablecoins, tokenization, and decentralized finance. Hougan emphasized the soundness of the underlying fundamentals, pointing to a positive outlook for the sector in the longer term.
Bitcoin experienced a sharp decline this weekend, briefly erasing its 2025 gains and dipping below its year-opening value of $93,507. The cryptocurrency fell to a low of $93,029 on Sunday, representing a 25% drop from its all-time high in October. Although it has rebounded slightly to around $94,209, the pressures on the market remain significant.
The downturn occurred despite the reopening of the U.S. government on Thursday, which many had hoped would provide essential support for crypto markets. This year initially appeared promising for cryptocurrencies, particularly after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, who has established the most pro-crypto administration thus far. However, ongoing political tensions—including Trump's tariff strategies and the recent government shutdown, lasting a historic 43 days—have contributed to several rapid price pullbacks for Bitcoin throughout the year.
Market dynamics are also being influenced by Bitcoin whales—investors holding large amounts of Bitcoin—who have been offloading portions of their assets, consequently stalling price rallies even as positive regulatory developments emerge. Despite these sell-offs, analysts from Glassnode argue that this behavior aligns with typical patterns seen among long-term investors during the concluding stages of bull markets, suggesting it is not indicative of a mass exodus.
Notably, Bitcoin is not alone in its struggles, as Ethereum and Solana have also recorded declines of 7.95% and 28.3%, respectively, since the start of the year, while numerous altcoins have faced even steeper losses.
Looking ahead, questions linger regarding the viability of the four-year cycle thesis, particularly given the increasing institutional support and regulatory frameworks now in place in the crypto landscape. Matt Hougan, chief investment officer at Bitwise, remains optimistic, suggesting a potential Bitcoin resurgence in 2026 driven by the “debasement trade” thesis and a broader trend toward increased adoption of stablecoins, tokenization, and decentralized finance. Hougan emphasized the soundness of the underlying fundamentals, pointing to a positive outlook for the sector in the longer term.
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Ethereum is trading near $3,150 and just 8% above a key $2,895 long-term holders’ cost basis, with on-chain flows, macro uncertainty and support around $3,000–$2,800 all shaping what comes next for ETH.
