Bitcoin breaks below $80,000, will tomorrow's CLARITY Act review results be the key to a rebound?

▲ Bitcoin (BTC), decline, bear market/ChatGPT generated image ©

Bitcoin (BTC) has repeatedly failed to break through the $82,200 resistance and has fallen below the psychological support level of $80,000. In this environment, the cautious attitude of US investors and profit-taking sell-offs have emerged as key variables determining the short-term direction of the market.

According to crypto media outlet Finbold on May 13 (local time), the price of Bitcoin (BTC) has fallen by approximately 3% over the past seven days and is currently trading around $79,340. Notably, over $2,176 per coin evaporated in a single day on Wednesday, marking the lowest point in the past week. During this period, over $91.5 million in liquidations occurred within 24 hours, according to CoinGlass data, with over $77.5 million concentrated among long-position traders who had anticipated price increases, adding to the shock.

A major reason for the price drop is the selling pressure from US investors who have adopted a wait-and-see approach ahead of the CLARITY Act review scheduled for the 14th. According to CryptoQuant data, the 'Coinbase Premium Gap,' which indicates the price difference between US Coinbase and global exchange Binance, has consistently been negative over the past 24 hours. This means that US investors are selling at prices lower than the global market rate, fully reflecting the cold atmosphere in the local market.

Concerns about a flood of profit-taking sales also persist. According to CEX.io analysis, approximately 71% of Bitcoin's short-term holders are currently in profit, which is the highest level since October 2025. This analysis suggests that downward pressure could continue as these holders are increasingly likely to realize profits whenever the price rebounds. The fact that US investors using BlackRock's Bitcoin spot ETF (IBIT) and Ethereum spot ETF (ETHA) are leading the profit-taking during the recent relief rally also acts as a burden.

The fact that previous attempts to break $82,200 were driven by leverage-based traders rather than actual demand is also cited as one of the technical reasons for this decline. With no strong spot buying to support it, the price collapsed weakly as selling pressure intensified. Experts are issuing repeated warnings that a further bearish trend could continue if Bitcoin demand in the US market does not recover in the future.

In conclusion, Bitcoin faces a double whammy of legislative uncertainty and profit-taking sales. Although some positive signals are being detected across virtual assets, such as news that the International Financial Bank has confirmed XRP (Ripple) as a payment network, Bitcoin's recovery to the $80,000 mark will likely require a prerequisite recovery in demand from institutional and individual investors within the US.

*Disclaimer: This article is for investment reference only, and we are not responsible for any investment losses based on it. The content should be interpreted for informational purposes only.*