Crypto Today: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP slide despite market sentiment mildly improving

• Bitcoin retreats from $74,672 daily highs, shrugging off a mild increase in the broader crypto market sentiment.
• Ethereum falls below $2,300 amid steady inflows into ETFs and strengthening technical levels.
• XRP gives back gains, sliding below $1.50 as institutional interest returns following persistent outflows and periods of muted activity.

Cryptocurrency prices are edging lower, as reflected by Bitcoin (BTC) falling below $73,000 at the time of writing on Wednesday. Ethereum (ETH) hovers below $2,300, mirroring Bitcoin’s volatility, while Ripple (XRP) extends its correction beneath the pivotal $1.50 level.

Crypto market sentiment lifts as Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP falter

Sentiment across the crypto market is improving slightly, with the Fear & Greed Index holding at 26 from 15 last week and 12 in February. Although this is a minor improvement, it remains notable given that the ongoing war in the Middle East continues to destabilise global markets while Oil prices surge.

Looking ahead, a steady increase in sentiment could drive risk appetite, encouraging investors to view the crypto market as a hedge against geopolitical uncertainty and volatility.

Institutional interest extends as ETFs see inflows

Bitcoin has continued to attract steady capital inflows into spot Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), signaling growing institutional interest in the asset. SoSoValue data shows that on Tuesday, US-listed ETFs attracted approximately $199 million in inflows, completing a seven-day streak.

Meanwhile, assets under management currently total $96.74 billion while cumulative inflows average $56.54 billion. Steady inflows indicate growing risk appetite, which supports positive market sentiment as the odds of a sustainable price increase rise.

Interest in Ethereum spot ETFs has also been robust, with US-listed investment products recording $138 million in inflows on Tuesday. Net assets under management total $13.75 billion, and cumulative inflows average $11.96 billion, according to SoSoValue data.

XRP spot ETFs saw a resurgence of inflows on Tuesday, following eight days of muted activity. According to SoSoValue data, inflows totalled $4.6 million, marking a significant improvement from the nearly $6 million of outflows recorded on Monday.

Cumulative inflows have increased slightly to $1.21 billion while net assets under management total $1.08 billion. Steady inflows are required to reinforce positive market sentiment.

Chart of the day: Bitcoin holds higher support

Bitcoin is trading around $74,000, with its near-term bias cautiously bullish. The 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) continues to uphold a subtle bullish outlook, providing support at $72,968, while the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator remains above its signal line on the daily chart. Related green histogram bars are expanding slightly, suggesting upside momentum could continue to build.

A daily close above $74,000 would keep buyers steady and interested in riding the recovery wave. Initial resistance at $74,672 aligns with the daily high. A sustained break above that level would expose Bitcoin to the weekly high at $76,000.

Initial support emerges around $72,967, where recent lows cluster and align with the 50-day EMA. A break below this area would expose secondary support near $70,500, with stronger buying interest expected toward $68,500 if the correction deepens.

Altcoins update: Ethereum and XRP slide as overhead pressure mounts

Ethereum trades around $2,268 after correcting from a daily high of $2,350. Although near-term bias remains cautiously bullish, the descending 100-day and 200-day EMAs cap rebounds while defining the overall trend as bearish. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 60 on the daily chart shows a weakening trend but remains above the neutral line, indicating that bulls still have the upper hand.

At the same time, the MACD indicator remains above its signal line on the same chart, with green histogram bars elevated above the zero line, reinforcing persistent buying pressure. A return above $2,300 would encourage buyers to increase exposure, anticipating a break past the daily hurdle at $2,350, and then toward the 100-day EMA at $2,510.

On the downside, immediate support lies around $2,220, which aligns with the 50-day EMA. Below this demand zone, the $2,100–$2,050 band would be within reach. It is worth noting that a daily close below $2,050 would weaken the current upward phase and reopen the path toward $1,950 and the $1,850 floor, where the latest impulse started.

As for XRP, the price appears to be weakening, trading below the pivotal $1.50 support amid increased volatility in the broader crypto market. The remittance token has slipped below the 50-day EMA, undermining the near-term neutral bias. A long-running descending trendline remains well above the spot price, limiting the scope of any recovery.
Meanwhile, the MACD indicator holds above its signal line on the daily chart, suggesting improving bullish momentum after the recent bounce from sub-$1.35 levels. The RSI at 56 has dropped slightly, highlighting short-term trend weakness. Still, the same RSI is above the 50-midline, reinforcing a recovery within a broader bearish momentum.

Initial resistance lies at $1.61, aligning with Tuesday's high, followed by the 100-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at $1.70 and the 200-day EMA at $1.95. On the downside, support is seen around the pivotal level at $1.50, the latest consolidation shelf, followed by the weekly open at $1.45. 

(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)