Bitcoin Holds Near $63K as HYPE, LINK, XMR Lead Altcoins

Bitcoin steadies near $63,460 as market momentum remains muted

Bitcoin traded around $63,460 during Asian hours on Monday, Aug. 17, posting a modest 0.7% gain over 24 hours while still registering a 2.3% decline for the week. The broader crypto market opened another week with limited directional conviction, as BTC consolidated below the $65,000 resistance band and investors weighed mixed institutional flows and looming macro events.

Market snapshot and capitalization

As of Monday morning, Bitcoin's market capitalization hovered near $1.27 trillion while the total crypto market value sat around $2.24 trillion. Bitcoin dominance stayed close to 57%, with most large-cap tokens recording small daily advances but exhibiting mixed weekly performance after BTC retreated from last week’s highs above $65,000.

Altcoin leaders: HYPE, LINK and Monero outperform

Not all tokens followed Bitcoin's subdued pattern. Hyperliquid's HYPE emerged as one of the top large-cap performers, trading near $58.81 and advancing about 3.4% on the day and 8.7% across seven days. Chainlink (LINK) posted an even stronger weekly gain among the top 20 coins, trading near $9.45 after climbing roughly 15.7% over the prior week. Privacy-focused Monero (XMR) also outpaced BTC, up nearly 4.9% for the week and trading close to $413.84.

HYPE's rally coincides with renewed activity around the protocol, including significant second-quarter revenue and substantial buybacks that have supported token demand. Meanwhile, other smaller-cap names saw more dramatic intraday moves, with Bitway leading top-100 gainers at 22.3% and Ether.fi up around 7.9%. On the downside, Stable, Quant and Canton were among notable decliners for the session.

Notable altcoin movers

• HYPE: +8.7% weekly, supported by buyback-driven demand and strong Q2 revenue flows. • LINK: +15.7% weekly as oracle demand and on-chain activity pick up. • XMR: +4.9% weekly amid improving momentum toward a $420–$430 resistance zone. • Bitway and Ether.fi: standout daily gains in the broader top-100 cohort. • Uniswap: one of the weaker weekly performers, down about 18.4% despite a small daily uptick.

Spot ETF flows reverse after prior inflows

Institutional flows into spot Bitcoin ETFs cooled last week, marking a reversal after a prior period of strong inflows. Between Aug. 10 and Aug. 14, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded roughly $390 million in net outflows across five trading sessions. Fidelity’s FBTC accounted for about $153 million of that outflow. Spot Ethereum ETFs recorded a much smaller net outflow of about $2.26 million for the same period.

That development follows a prior week when Bitcoin ETFs attracted roughly $853.5 million in inflows across five consecutive sessions, underscoring how quickly sentiment and fund flows can shift in crypto markets.

Bitcoin spot ETF net inflow

Technical picture: consolidation below key resistance

Technically, Bitcoin has stabilized after the sharp June pullback, consolidating in a range with key levels to watch. The $60,000 area is acting as a primary support floor, while resistance remains around the $65,000–$66,000 band. A decisive breakout above that zone would strengthen the bullish case and could attract renewed risk appetite into BTC and correlated altcoins. Conversely, a decisive breakdown below $60,000 would likely reignite stronger bearish pressure.

Momentum indicators present a mixed view. The Aroon Oscillator sits in positive territory, suggesting recent upward moves currently outweigh recent lows and indicating mild bullish momentum. However, MACD readings remain tilted to the downside, with a negative histogram and MACD line still below the signal line — a sign that downside momentum has not fully faded despite the short-term recovery.

Bitcoin (BTC) price chart

Short-term indicators and trader takeaways

• Aroon Oscillator: mild bullish tilt, but not a definitive trend reversal signal. • MACD: still bearish, indicating residual downside pressure in the medium term. • Range trade: expect consolidation between $60,000 support and $65,000–$66,000 resistance until either level is convincingly breached. • Market positioning: flows into and out of spot ETFs remain a near-term driver of price volatility, with active traders following institutional movement closely.

Macro catalysts: Fed minutes and Washington meetings

Macro policy will be a central focus for traders this week. The Federal Reserve is due to publish minutes from its July 28–29 meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 2 p.m. ET. At that meeting officials voted 9–3 to keep the federal funds target range at 3.5%–3.75%, with three members preferring a 25-basis-point hike. Futures pricing has since pared expectations for further tightening, and traders are watching whether commentary in the minutes shifts the market outlook for rate cuts or additional hikes.

Political and regulatory developments are also on the calendar. Coinbase, Ripple and other crypto industry executives are expected to meet at a White House session on Aug. 19 to discuss digital asset policy and regulation. These discussions could influence sentiment and the regulatory backdrop for exchanges, stablecoins and other parts of the crypto ecosystem.

Outlook: selective strength among altcoins while BTC searches for direction

For Bitcoin, the key near-term question is whether it can extend Monday’s modest bounce above $64,000 and reassert momentum toward last week’s highs. Until a clean breakout above the $65,000–$66,000 resistance is confirmed, BTC is likely to trade within a defined range. Meanwhile, selected altcoins such as HYPE, LINK and XMR are showing relative strength and could continue to outperform if sector rotation into high-beta tokens persists.

Traders and investors should watch spot ETF flow data, macro headlines such as Fed minutes, and on-chain indicators that could signal an emerging directional move. Positioning strategies that respect the $60,000 support and the $65,000 resistance are likely to remain prudent while the market sorts through these catalysts.