Bitcoin (BTC) markets have entered a period of heightened fear

Despite the turbulence, analyst Dan Gambardello points out that Bitcoin is holding relatively strong at around $78000.

Cryptocurrency markets have entered a period of heightened fear as financial markets react to uncertainty surrounding tariffs and monetary policy.

Despite the turbulence, analyst Dan Gambardello highlights that Bitcoin is holding relatively strong at around $78,000. He contrasts it with the COVID-19 market crash when Bitcoin dropped to approximately $4,000.

“During the COVID fear of 2020, Bitcoin was around $4,000. Do you see the path in which crypto is headed? Crypto right now is holding way stronger than I think most people are realizing,” Gambardello states in his recent analysis.

Gambardello compares to COVID-19 period

Gambardello draws parallels between the current market conditions and previous major market bottoms. He examines how markets initially reacted to Federal Reserve interventions during those periods and noted that even emergency rate cuts didn’t immediately reverse market downtrends.

During the March 2020 market crash, the Federal Reserve held an emergency meeting on March 3rd and cut rates by 50 basis points, but markets continued to decline. It wasn’t until a second emergency meeting on March 15th, when rates were slashed by 100 basis points to 0.25%, that markets began to find a bottom, though not immediately.

The analyst points to fear indexes approaching levels seen during previous market crises. The current “tariff panic” of 2025 has pushed fear metrics beyond the levels seen during the 2018 tariff concerns and is approaching the spike witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On monthly charts, these fear indicators are showing wicks into territories previously seen only during major market bottoms like the 2008 financial crisis.

For cryptocurrency specifically, Gambardello suggests that the current price levels represent higher lows compared to previous cycles.

Crypto news: Bitcoin has a chance to drop to $72,000

Gambardello’s technical analysis identifies several key support zones for both Bitcoin and altcoins like Cardano (ADA).

For Bitcoin, he references a Fibonacci retracement level with a range between $62,000 and $72,000 as a potential target if the market continues lower. Currently, Bitcoin is finding support at what he describes as “a massive multi-year neckline” of an inverse head and shoulders pattern.

“We’ve already got our throwback to the neckline of the inverse head and shoulders we were anticipating anyway. We’re at the target right now. You see that red line, that’s a massive multi-year neckline,” he explains.

For Cardano, he notes the current price of 57 cents might see further downside, but emphasizes the long-term perspective by comparing it to the COVID swing low when ADA fell below 2 cents.

The S&P 500 weekly chart is also the focus of his attention. Gambardello points out that the RSI (Relative Strength Index) is at levels historically associated with bottoms in both the 2018 tariff fears and the 2020 COVID crash. He also refers to the 200-week moving average at $4,700 as a possible support for the S&P 500 in case the downtrend persists.

Technically speaking, Gambardello implies that although the charts may appear “absolutely terrible” up close, the more extended patterns reveal a higher flight. He asks viewers to bear in mind by comparing these newer higher lows with earlier cycles.

Gambardello identifies catalyst for recovery

Gambardello identifies several potential catalysts that could trigger a market recovery once the current fear subsides. He points to news that the European Union is “suddenly ready to negotiate for zero for zero tariffs with the US” as an example of how the tariff situation might ultimately resolve more positively than current market pricing suggests.

The analyst believes that while fear is currently driving the markets, the fundamentals for crypto—particularly in the United States—remain strong due to the regulatory direction under the current administration. He proposes the trade reaction to announcements of tariffs is exaggerated and the eventual negotiations are likely to be positive for the US economy.

He adds the wider considerations of policy shifts towards cryptocurrency across the United States. Although he does not elaborate on specific policies, he points to “deregulation” and “America becoming the crypto capital of the world” as drivers that are likely to deliver long-term expansion in the cryptocurrency space.