BTC 15-minute short-term rally of 0.68%: Bear trap and institutional dip-buying resonate to drive the rebound

On May 26, 2026, from 10:15 to 10:30 (UTC), BTC experienced a rapid upward movement within 15 minutes, with a return of +0.68%, a price range of 76,715.6 to 77,270.3 USDT, and an amplitude of 0.72%. The market showed a short-term rebound amid spreading fear, with prices receiving buying support near key support levels.

The main driver of this movement was technical short covering. The Fear & Greed Index was at an extreme fear level of 29 on that day, with 88.8% of forced liquidations being short positions, indicating highly crowded short positions. When the price touched the critical technical support zone of $75,000–$77,000, short-term profit-taking triggered a quick rebound, forming a typical short squeeze pattern.

Additionally, institutional buyers' dip-buying provided bottom support for the price. MicroStrategy announced on May 18 that it had purchased 24,869 BTC at approximately $80,985 per coin (about $2.01 billion), increasing acquisitions during the price correction and signaling long-term confidence. Despite ETF fund outflows continuing (a record outflow of $635.23 million on May 13), the price resilience suggests spot market demand is effectively offsetting institutional redemption pressures.

Meanwhile, the SEC approved Nasdaq on May 22 to launch cash-settled Bitcoin index options (QBTC), injecting structural positive signals into the market, with institutional investors potentially pre-positioning in options strategies. Furthermore, the previously large BTC inflows into exchanges, which could have created selling pressure, have been absorbed by the market, interpreted as a sign that selling pressure has been released, and short covering further pushed the price higher.

Key points to watch moving forward: whether ETF fund flows continue to deteriorate, the performance of the $75,000 key support level, and the release of this week’s CPI/PPI data. It is recommended to remain cautious and wait for more definitive signals.

BTC-1.55%
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