Only if bitcoin returned above $71,000 would van de Poppe change his outlook.
Until not long ago, this same trader remained bullish on bitcoin, but he changed his opinion.
Market analyst Michaël van de Poppe once again spoke out about bitcoin (BTC) and this time with a markedly different tone than in previous weeks. For this specialist, bitcoin “not looking good” at current levels and the risk of a further fall remains latent.
The trader’s warning came this March 28, 2026 through his account in pointed out that bitcoin could repeat the pattern of its last consolidation: a period of lateralization before the price extends the correction and bars the lows. In that scenario, For van de Poppe, USD 60,000 would represent the ideal area to initiate long positions.
The only one factor that would change this perspectiveAccording to the analyst, it would be a sustained break above $71,000. Until that happens, its bias remains in bearish territory.
A change of position on bitcoin
What makes the trader’s current statement more relevant is the contrast with what van de Poppe himself maintained just days ago. As reported by CriptoNoticias, On March 23, at the height of the price drop, the analyst publicly defended his bullish thesis relying on the historical relationship between bitcoin and gold.
On that occasion, van de Poppe argued that the correction of the current cycle – of around 70% measured in gold – fell within the historical ranges that have marked the market floors in previous cycles. “We have already been in a bear market for 13-14 months, and historically that is when BTC has bottomed against gold,” he stated then.
The logic of that thesis indicated that bitcoin could be entering a consolidation phase prior to a new upward trend, not the beginning of a deeper fall.
However, the asset’s inability to sustain key levels appears to have eroded that conviction. The analyst not only abandoned his bullish bias, but now identifies as a probable scenario what he previously ruled out: a continuation of the decline.
Other analysts had already been warning about the fragility of bitcoin’s recent momentum. Willy Woo, for example, had noted that the movement that took the asset above $75,000 was driven primarily by futures markets and short-term investors, creating an unstable liquidity base.
This type of dynamic can lead to chain liquidations due to sudden price movements, amplifying both rises and falls.
The scenario Woo described—a “bullish trap” that attracts buyers before reversing—is consistent with the technical reading van de Poppe now expresses.