Which Way for Crypto as Bitcoin Tests $81K Support and $97K Resistance

Video: Bitcoin Came THIS Close to Breaking Down: $97K Next?

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Oct 20, 2026 · based on the channel Gareth Soloway

Bitcoin is a binary trade right now: above $87,200 the chart points to $95,000–$97,000, while a daily close below $81,000 opens $75,500 and then the $67,000 zone. The market came within a hair of the lower path when it flushed to about $79,750 before recovering. For anyone trading crypto with a plan, those two levels are the whole game plan, and Coinbase tier-one fee pricing is where Gareth Soloway keeps his own crypto money.

Why Bitcoin’s $81,000 and $87,200 levels decide the next move

The structure is simple: $81,000 is support that has been hammered repeatedly, and $87,200 is the gate to any upside. Bitcoin tested $81,000 again and briefly traded near $79,750 before closing back above the line. That recovery keeps the bullish structure intact. Above $87,200, three separate factors converge near $95,000–$97,000: a rising trend line, a measured move off the consolidation, and prior pivot highs. The trend line could carry that target into late November. Below $81,000 on a daily close, the bear case takes over and the measured downside opens $75,500 first.

The flush to $79,750 and why Bitcoin is hanging in there

The flush to roughly $79,750 was a test, not a breakdown, because buyers stepped in and closed the session back above $81,000. Bitcoin has been hanging in there even as the AI trade and the Nasdaq slide, which is a relative-strength signal worth respecting. Gareth Soloway holds no swing position in Bitcoin, long or short, while it sits inside its roughly $6,000 range between $81,000 and $87,200. That is not bearishness; it is a refusal to pay up in the middle of a range where both stop-outs are close and the reward-to-risk is poor.

The three upside factors that line up near $97,000

Three independent technical factors point to the same $95,000–$97,000 area, which is why the target carries weight. First, the rising trend line from the consolidation projects into that zone and could reach it by late November. Second, a measured move off the recent consolidation adds roughly the height of the range to the breakout point. Third, prior pivot highs sit right there, creating a confluence of resistance. The upside only counts above $87,200; below that level, the trend line and measured move are theoretical.

The bear case and the buy zones at $75,500 and $67,000

A daily close below $81,000 opens $75,500, and that is where Soloway would buy only 25% of a position. The rest is reserved for the $67,000 zone, where he plans to load the remainder. He told Crypto Banter he would not go all in at $75,500, because a first support break often leads to a deeper flush. He still believes the cycle low is in until proven otherwise, which is why the plan is to buy weakness in tranches rather than chase strength in the middle of the range.

Ethereum and HBAR setups for altcoin traders

Ethereum remains in a range with a heavy buy zone just below $2,000 and a $2,800 retest on a breakout. The logic mirrors Bitcoin: buy the edge of the range, not the middle. HBAR offered a swing trade setup for Smart Money Crypto members on a retrace to the scene of the crime, with a target near $0.10. The pattern is a return to the prior breakdown level, which often acts as support on the retest. Altcoins tend to follow Bitcoin’s direction, so these setups work best when Bitcoin holds $81,000.

Why a game plan beats emotional trading

Traders without a game plan get whipsawed because they react to each candle instead of pre-defined levels. The fix is mechanical: write down the entry, the stop, and the size before the trade, then let the level decide. Soloway’s approach is to size positions so that a stop-out is survivable and to buy in tranches at support rather than all at once. That is how emotion stays out of it, and it is why he can sit flat in Bitcoin while the range resolves.

Common questions from crypto traders

Viewers often ask how to short Bitcoin on Coinbase, and the honest answer is that spot platforms are built for buying and selling, not leveraged shorts. Another frequent concern is fees and spreads; tier-one pricing through the sponsor link reduces that drag. Some ask whether an existing or switched account still qualifies for the offer, and the terms require the account to be idle for 30 days or to have joined under someone else’s link. The most common question is simply where to buy, and the answer is the two zones above: 25% at $75,500 and the rest near $67,000.

Bottom line

Bitcoin is a two-level market: $81,000 support and $87,200 resistance define the trade, with $95,000–$97,000 as the upside confluence and $75,500 then $67,000 as the staged buy zones. The flush to $79,750 held, so the bullish structure survives for now, but Soloway stays flat until the range breaks. Ethereum’s sub-$2,000 buy zone and HBAR’s $0.10 target are secondary setups that depend on Bitcoin holding support. The analysis comes from Gareth Soloway, whose channel walks through these levels chart by chart. For tier-one fees and the sign-up offer, use the Coinbase registration link before placing the next trade.

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