Market Scalpel: Accurately Capture the Volatility Pattern of BTC/ETH at the End of January

At the start of the new year, the market has entered a phase of oscillation, and precise, surgical-like operations have become the key to winning this cycle. Based on the price action on the evening of January 28, both Bitcoin and Ethereum have demonstrated the carefully crafted rhythm of market makers—creating divergence at critical levels to attract retail follow-through, then suddenly applying reverse pressure. This is the essence of the market maker’s surgical approach: amidst seemingly chaotic fluctuations, identify those perfectly timed entry opportunities.

Surgical Entry in Bitcoin’s Oscillation

At 11 PM on January 28, BTC tested downward around the 88,800 level, which was a deliberately designed trap point by market makers. The first rebound candle formed a divergence at 89,500, and the highest rebound touched the 90,500 resistance zone. During this process, the bears showed clear rhythmic characteristics: initially shrinking volume, then increasing volume to push down after failing to break above 89,500 effectively.

Our analysis indicates that the 89,500–90,500 range forms a damping zone—an essential area for market makers to oscillate the chips. From the entry and re-entry points provided yesterday, these levels have proven to be quite precise. The target is around 87,500, but the key is confirming the direction: whichever side breaks first will likely dictate the subsequent trend. However, subsequent price action did not produce effective breakouts at 87,500 or 90,500, and the market remains in oscillation.

Currently, BTC is quoted at $68,820, up +3.53% in the past 24 hours, reflecting some support at lower levels. From a technical perspective, the 1-hour EMA120 and EMA144 are concentrated around 88,900, serving as important short-term support levels.

Precise Prediction of Ethereum’s Movement

Ethereum’s rhythm is highly correlated with Bitcoin, but its volatility range is relatively narrower. During the night session, ETH initially tested lows around 2,980, then oscillated between 3,040 and lower again. The daytime low reached about 2,930, which is close to the expected target points of 2,920 and the previous support at 3,050—this demonstrates the surgical approach: prices precisely move within the pre-set range.

Currently, ETH is quoted at $2,050, with a 24-hour increase of +5.03%. The range from a low of $1,920 to a high of $2,070 remains within our anticipated framework. The 1-hour EMA30, EMA120, and EMA144 are centered around 2,980, continuing to provide support.

Market Maker Logic and Trading Strategy

As we transition from January to February, the market structure has subtly shifted. The most advantageous approach for market makers now is to initiate a sell-off or a slow decline, gradually shaking out the longs who chased the rally before the holiday. Although the rate cut expectations have not materialized as hoped, precious metals are rising, reflecting the interconnected sentiment of global financial markets. Based on this logic, we should not be overly bearish but remain alert to unexpected declines.

The safest method is to operate in segments within the oscillation range—this provides ample room for error. Under the expectation that bulls remain under pressure and market makers are pushing prices higher to distribute, surgical, phased positioning becomes especially crucial.

Current Technical Trading Recommendations

Based on the current technical setup, our trading approach can follow the previous analysis framework:

BTC Strategy: Enter short positions around 88,800, add on dips at 89,500, and focus on support levels around 85,800–86,200. This level placement exemplifies the precision of surgical trading—each entry point is carefully calculated, and each target has clear technical support.

ETH Strategy: Position shorts around 2,960–2,980, with a secondary target near 2,860. When rebounding, adjust based on actual market conditions and manage stop-loss levels according to your position size.

Whether it’s Bitcoin or Ethereum, the current market theme is “surgical oscillation”—hidden within seemingly chaotic price movements is a rhythm carefully designed by market makers. Grasping this rhythm and identifying those perfectly timed entry points are key to capitalizing on this wave.