Gate Research: Bitcoin Options Indicators Show No Sustained Bullish Outlook; DeFi Lending Protocol Seamless Announces Shutdown

Last Updated 2026-04-08 06:28:19
Reading Time: 3m
Gate Research Daily Report: Over the past 24 hours, the crypto market has broadly strengthened. BTC broke above and held firm above $70,000 on increased volume, while ETH outperformed, with high-beta capital clearly rotating back in, though it is approaching overbought territory. SWARMS, JOE, and UNITAS all posted significant gains, driven respectively by the rising AI agent narrative, a rebound in the Avalanche ecosystem, and growing demand for stable payment solutions. Bitcoin’s rebound above $70,000 has boosted market sentiment, but options indicators do not yet signal sustained bullish expectations. Meanwhile, DeFi lending protocol Seamless has announced it will cease operations, with its official interface set to shut down on June 30. The U.S. FDIC has also proposed a new regulatory framework stating that stablecoins will not be eligible for deposit insurance.

Crypto Market Overview

  • BTC (4.34% | Current Price $71,531.8): Over the past 24 hours, BTC first churned above $68,000, then broke higher on late-session volume and closed near the intraday high, with short-term control shifting back to bulls. Technically, on the 1-hour timeframe, MA5/MA10/MA20 have turned upward and crossed above the mid-term averages, forming a bullish MA alignment; MACD sits above the zero line with visibly expanding red histogram bars after a golden cross, signaling renewed upside momentum; RSI is approaching overbought but without a clear bearish divergence; price remains above EMA12 and EMA26 with effective short-term trendline support; Bollinger Bands are widening with price tracking the upper band; volume expanded significantly versus the prior range, indicating price and volume rising in tandem. Overall, the short-term bias is strong, though high-level volatility is also increasing. The past 24 hours look more like a joint push from improved liquidity, marginally eased rate expectations, and restored risk appetite rather than a single-event catalyst. If USD weakens and crypto risk appetite persists, BTC remains the preferred capital sink; otherwise, watch for profit-taking after the spike.

  • ETH (5.95% | Current Price $2,236.3): ETH outperformed BTC over the past 24 hours, rising steadily after midnight and briefly reaching $2,273, showing a clearer return of high-beta flows. Technically, MA5/MA10/MA20 on the 1-hour timeframe are clearly fanning upward, with a stronger short- to mid-term structure than yesterday; MACD remains in a golden cross above zero with continuous histogram expansion, indicating faster trend acceleration than BTC; RSI is on the edge of overbought—short-term strength is intact but the risk-reward of chasing is deteriorating; price holds firmly above EMA12 and EMA26 with strong buy-the-dip support; the mid and upper Bollinger Bands are lifting quickly, and price hugs the upper band; volume expanded along the rally, suggesting this move isn’t just a thin-volume spike. Overall, ETH shows stronger short-term momentum and greater elasticity than BTC, but overheating signals also appear earlier. In short, ETH is benefiting more from broad risk appetite recovery and beta rotation within majors; once BTC stabilizes, capital more readily shifts into ETH for higher beta. If rate expectations keep improving and risk assets continue to recover, ETH tends to stay relatively strong; otherwise, pullbacks from high levels are usually deeper than BTC.

  • Altcoins: Over the past 24 hours, the altcoin market followed majors into a broad but structural rally: about 31.71% of tokens declined, while 68.29% rose. The Solana ecosystem led with an average gain of 4.77%, and some projects like Swarms (SWARMS) surged over 61.06%. The current Fear & Greed Index is 17—rebounding from extreme fear but still in the “Extreme Fear” zone—showing sentiment remains cautious. The broad altcoin rally still relies heavily on major-coin consolidation, with notable short-term momentum chasing and persistent local volatility risk.

  • Macro: On April 7, the S&P 500 rose 0.10% to 6,616.85; the Dow Jones fell 0.20% to 46,584.46; the Nasdaq rose 0.10% to 22,017.85. As of April 8, 9:45 AM (UTC+8), spot gold is $4,661.88 per ounce, up 0.24% over 24H.

SWARMS Swarms (58.81%, Circulating Market Cap $15.17M)

Gate market data shows SWARMS at $0.015179, up 58.81% in 24 hours. Swarms is a decentralized AI agent network aiming to automate complex tasks via collective intelligence.

Recently, continued momentum around AI agents and expanding ecosystem partnerships have attracted strong community attention and capital inflows.

JOE JOE (50.55%, Circulating Market Cap $21.79M)

Gate market data shows JOE at $0.05426, up 50.55% in 24 hours. Trader Joe is a leading Avalanche ecosystem DEX offering an all-in-one suite of trading, lending, and staking.

As Avalanche activity rebounds, its liquidity incentive program and fee rebate expectations have driven a strong token rebound.

UNITAS Unitas (43.69%, Circulating Market Cap $26.84M)

Gate market data shows UNITAS at $0.2720, up 43.69% in 24 hours. Unitas is a decentralized fiat-pegged unit protocol designed to provide efficient cross-border clearing via blockchain.

It is benefiting from rising demand for stable payment methods in emerging markets, as well as recent breakthroughs in compliance and liquidity pools.

Alpha Insights

Bitcoin rebounds above $70,000 lifts sentiment, but options indicators show no sustained bullish outlook

Greeks.live noted that geopolitical ceasefire headlines sparked a quick rebound above $72,000. However, options data show implied volatility (IV) across major tenors is still falling, and skew’s negative bias has moderated. This suggests the rally mainly eased fears of a black-swan-driven crash, while options metrics do not reflect strong expectations for a sustained one-way rise.

The options divergence reveals the nature of the current move: more a repair of risk premium than fresh trend-following inflows. Falling IV indicates institutions did not aggressively chase calls during the spot rebound, and may instead be hedging at elevated levels. This “hot spot, cold options” dynamic suggests BTC could enter a choppy consolidation phase around $70,000. Without further macro tailwinds, chasing the rally carries pullback risk.

DeFi lending protocol Seamless announces shutdown; official interface to go offline on June 30

Base ecosystem lending protocol Seamless Protocol announced a phased shutdown, with its official interface scheduled to go offline on June 30, 2026. Users must withdraw assets and unwind staking before that date. The team cited structural challenges in DeFi lending, insufficient leveraged-token liquidity, and declining demand for permissionless tokenized products. Remaining DAO assets will be distributed to SEAM holders per proposal.

Seamless’s exit reflects the severe survival test facing DeFi lending. With fragmented liquidity and market preference shifting toward actively managed treasuries, smaller protocols lacking core advantages and sustainable yield models struggle to survive. This also warns investors that while Layer 2 ecosystems like Base are growing fast, application-level reshuffling is intensifying. Future DeFi protocols will need more innovative tokenomics and real yield sources to survive fierce competition.

FDIC proposes new regulatory framework; stablecoins to be ineligible for deposit insurance

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation recently proposed a regulatory framework for stablecoin issuers as a key part of implementing the GENIUS Act, aiming to establish a stablecoin regulatory framework. The proposal aligns closely with earlier OCC guidance and emphasizes interagency coordination. It includes 144 specific questions and opens a 60-day public comment period to refine details. Notably, it explicitly states stablecoins are not eligible for deposit insurance like traditional bank deposits, redefining their legal status and risk-bearing mechanism.

The core of the proposal is to separate stablecoins from a “deposit-like” framework and clarify that they lack government credit backing, reducing the risk of systemic spillover into the banking system. In the short term, this may weaken perceived safety among institutions and users, restraining inflows and scale expansion—especially for smaller issuers. Over the medium to long term, it should push the industry toward greater transparency and stricter regulation, accelerate concentration among leading issuers, and clarify boundaries for traditional financial institutions entering stablecoin business, improving overall compliance and sustainability.
References:

Gate, https://www.gate.com/trade/BTC_USDT

Farside Investors, https://farside.co.uk/btc/

Gate, https://www.gate.com/trade/ETH_USDT

Cointelegraph, https://cointelegraph.com/news/white-house-review-greenlights-crypto-401-k-plans

Coinex, https://www.coinex.com/en/feed/news/69c55050f8028bf39d63fdf7

X, https://x.com/KobeissiLetter/status/2037204682058469537


Gate Research is a comprehensive blockchain and cryptocurrency research platform that provides deep content for readers, including technical analysis, market insights, industry research, trend forecasting, and macroeconomic policy analysis.
Disclaimer Investing in cryptocurrency markets involves high risk. Users are advised to conduct their own research and fully understand the nature of the assets and products before making any investment decisions. Gate is not responsible for any losses or damages arising from such decisions.

Author: Akane
Reviewer(s): Puffy, Kieran
Disclaimer
* The information is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice or any other recommendation of any sort offered or endorsed by Gate.
* This article may not be reproduced, transmitted or copied without referencing Gate. Contravention is an infringement of Copyright Act and may be subject to legal action.

Related Articles

Exploring 8 Major DEX Aggregators: Engines Driving Efficiency and Liquidity in the Crypto Market
Beginner

Exploring 8 Major DEX Aggregators: Engines Driving Efficiency and Liquidity in the Crypto Market

DEX aggregators integrate order data, price information, and liquidity pools from multiple decentralized exchanges, helping users find the optimal trading path in the shortest time. This article delves into 8 commonly used DEX aggregators, highlighting their unique features and routing algorithms.
2026-04-05 18:15:50
What Is Copy Trading And How To Use It?
Beginner

What Is Copy Trading And How To Use It?

Copy Trading, as the most profitable trading model, not only saves time but also effectively reduces losses and avoids man-made oversights.
2026-03-24 11:52:20
What Is Technical Analysis?
Beginner

What Is Technical Analysis?

Learn from the past - To explore the law of price movements and the wealth code in the ever-changing market.
2026-03-24 11:52:13
How to Do Your Own Research (DYOR)?
Beginner

How to Do Your Own Research (DYOR)?

"Research means that you don’t know, but are willing to find out." - Charles F. Kettering.
2026-03-24 11:52:13
What Is Fundamental Analysis?
Intermediate

What Is Fundamental Analysis?

Suitable indicators and tools combined with crypto news make up the best possible fundamental analysis for decision-making
2026-03-24 11:52:13
What Are Altcoins?
Beginner

What Are Altcoins?

An altcoin is also known as a Bitcoin Alternative or Alternative Cryptocoin, which refers to all cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin. Most of the cryptocurrencies in the early stage were created through forking (copying Bitcoin codes).
2026-03-24 11:52:12