Crypto Market Lacks Extreme Fear Needed for Bottom, Says Santiment

Santiment founder Maksim Balashevich warns that the crypto market has not yet reached the extreme fear levels typically associated with market bottoms. Using social media sentiment data, he suggests Bitcoin could drop below $75,000 before a sustainable recovery begins.

Jan 1, 2026, 09:06 PM

Key Takeaways

  • 1# Crypto Market Lacks Extreme Fear Needed for Bottom, Says Santiment The cryptocurrency market has yet to reach the extreme fear levels typically associated with a market bottom, according to Maksim Balashevich, founder of the on-chain analytics platform Santiment.
  • 2Leveraging social media sentiment as a key indicator, Balashevich warns that Bitcoin remains vulnerable to further downside, with the possibility of a drop below $75,000 still in play.
  • 3This suggests that investor psychology has not yet reached the capitulation phase often seen at market troughs.
  • 4## What We Know Santiment's analysis, spearheaded by Balashevich, highlights a lack of widespread panic in the current crypto market.
  • 5The firm specializes in tracking social media sentiment and on-chain data to gauge investor behavior and market positioning.

Crypto Market Lacks Extreme Fear Needed for Bottom, Says Santiment

The cryptocurrency market has yet to reach the extreme fear levels typically associated with a market bottom, according to Maksim Balashevich, founder of the on-chain analytics platform Santiment. Leveraging social media sentiment as a key indicator, Balashevich warns that Bitcoin remains vulnerable to further downside, with the possibility of a drop below $75,000 still in play. This suggests that investor psychology has not yet reached the capitulation phase often seen at market troughs.

What We Know

Santiment's analysis, spearheaded by Balashevich, highlights a lack of widespread panic in the current crypto market. The firm specializes in tracking social media sentiment and on-chain data to gauge investor behavior and market positioning. According to their findings, Bitcoin’s current price range does not yet reflect the extreme fear that typically signals a market bottom.

Balashevich has flagged the $75,000 level as a critical psychological threshold. A breach of this level could indicate that the market has further to fall before stabilizing. Santiment’s ongoing monitoring of crowd psychology across social media platforms suggests that the current market sentiment remains too optimistic for a true bottom to form.

Key Insights

Santiment employs a contrarian approach to market analysis, using social media sentiment and crowd behavior as predictive tools. Historically, market bottoms in the cryptocurrency space have coincided with extreme negative sentiment, widespread investor capitulation, and reduced social media activity. These conditions signal that the market has reached a point of maximum fear, often preceding a recovery.

However, Balashevich notes that these conditions have not yet materialized in the current market environment. The implication is that investor capitulation—a key component of market bottoms—remains incomplete. This leaves room for further price declines, particularly for Bitcoin, which could see additional selling pressure if the $75,000 level is breached. Such a move could trigger stop-loss orders, liquidate leveraged positions, and test the resolve of long-term holders.

Why This Matters

For cryptocurrency investors, this analysis underscores the importance of sentiment as a market indicator. Unlike traditional financial markets, crypto markets are heavily influenced by retail participation and social media dynamics. As a result, understanding crowd psychology can provide valuable insights into potential price movements.

If Santiment’s assessment proves accurate, investors hoping for an imminent market reversal may need to exercise patience. Conversely, those waiting for lower entry points could find validation in this analysis. A drop below $75,000 for Bitcoin would represent a significant decline from recent levels, potentially leading to further volatility and testing the market’s resilience.

The timing of this warning is particularly notable given the ongoing uncertainty in both cryptocurrency markets and broader financial markets. While investors continue to search for signs of a definitive bottom, Santiment’s findings suggest that such a bottom may still be some way off. As Balashevich reminds us, market bottoms are often only clear in hindsight, and even the most advanced analytical tools cannot guarantee precise predictions.

Conclusion

Santiment’s analysis serves as a cautionary note for crypto investors, emphasizing the importance of monitoring sentiment and understanding the psychological dynamics at play in the market. With Bitcoin potentially facing further downside, the path to a sustainable recovery may require navigating through heightened fear and volatility first.

Key entities: Santiment, Bitcoin, Maksim Balashevich
Sentiment: Bearish

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