Reserve Bank of Australia releases its minutes from the July meeting
GO Markets
21/7/2022
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The Australian dollar has begun the week relatively strongly after gaining some momentum from RBA's most recent meeting. The board pushed across quite a hawkish sentiment sparking the rise in the AUD. They found that the current slowing growth across the market and global sphere created that was “becoming skewed to the downside.” The board expressed their concern about the economic activity in China, particularly with the threat of Covid 19.
With lockdowns and a strict covid policy, the threat remains a key factor in the speed of growth on the mainland. Whilst overall business activity improved through May and likely June as well, recent lockdowns have the potential to pull back these gains. The low unemployment signalled Australia’s robustness and strength with record high participation rates in the economy.
Violent weather events like the floods in NSW and the Russian and Ukraine crisis also further added strain on the supply driving up prices and increasing the price of goods. Non-labour inputs also rose in price contributing further to inflation. The members did note the prices for base metals had begun to ease as recession fears had grown.
In addition, declining house prices and clearance rates as a sign that the speed of inflation is potentially slowing, however, they still expect inflation to continue rising for the remainder of 2022. Ultimately the members of the board agreed to increase the cash rate by 50 basis points instead of the alternative of 25 points. With particular emphasis on the strong labour market, the need to bring inflation under control trumped the need for stronger growth.
In response to the release of the minutes, the AUDUSD saw a little rise higher. After sitting near its 52-week lows at $0.6681 in recent weeks, the minutes provided a much-needed push. The price of the AUDUSD currently sits at $0.6845 which is its prior support level and has now become a level of resistance.
If the AUDUSD can push through this level the next resistance point is at $0.6967. As the market is still dealing with unprecedented global inflationary figures, it remains risky to go against the USD, however with effective risk management this risk can be mitigated.
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GO Markets
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The ASX 200 closed out the 2025 financial year on a high, reaching a new intra-month peak of 8,592 in June and within touching distance of the all-time record. The index delivered a 1.4% total return for the month, rounding off a strong final quarter with a 9.5% return and locking in a full-year gain of 13.8% — its best performance since 2021.This strong finish all came down to the postponement of the Liberation Day tariffs. From the April 7 lows through to the end of the financial year, the ASX followed the rest of the world. Mid-cap stocks were the standout performers, beating both large and small caps as investors sought growth opportunities away from the extremes of the market. Among the sectors, Industrials outperformed Resources, benefiting from more stable earnings and supportive macroeconomic trends tied to infrastructure and logistics.But the clear winner was Financials, which contributed an incredible 921 basis points to the overall index return. CBA was clearly the leader here, dominating everything with 457 basis points on its own. Westpac, NAB, and others also played a role, but nothing even remotely close to CBA. The Industrials and Consumer Discretionary sectors made meaningful contributions, adding 176 and 153 basis points, respectively. While Materials, Healthcare, and Energy all lagged, each detracting around 45 to 49 basis points. Looking at the final quarter of the financial year, Financials were by far the biggest player again, adding 524 basis points — more than half the quarter’s total return of 9.5%. Apart from a slight drag from the Materials sector, all other parts of the market made positive contributions. Real Estate, Technology, and Consumer Discretionary followed behind as key drivers. Once again, CBA was the largest individual contributor, adding 243 basis points in the quarter, while NAB, WBC, and Macquarie Group added a combined 384 basis points. On the other side of the ledger, key underperformers included BHP, CSL, Rio Tinto, Treasury Wine Estates, and IDP Education, which all weighed on quarterly performance.One of the most defining features of the 2025 financial year was the dominance of price momentum as a market driver — something we as traders must be aware of. Momentum strategies far outpaced more traditional, fundamental-based approaches such as Growth, Value, and Quality. The most effective signal was a nine-month momentum measure (less the most recent month), which delivered a 31.2% long-short return. The more commonly used 12-month price momentum factor was also highly effective, returning 23.6%. By contrast, short-term reversals buying last month’s losers and selling last month’s winners was the worst-performing approach, with a negative 16.4% return. Compared to the rest of the world, the Australian market was one of the strongest trades for momentum globally, well ahead of both the US and Europe, despite its relatively slow overall performance.Note: these strategies are prone to reversal, and in the early days of the new financial year, there has been a notable shift away from momentum-based trading to other areas. Now is probably too early to say whether this marks a sustained change, but it cannot be ignored, and caution is always advised.The second big story of FY26 will be CBA. CBA’s growing influence was a key story of FY25. Its weight in the index rose by an average of 2.1 percentage points across the year, reaching an average of 11.5% by June. That helped push the spread between the Financials and Resources sectors to 15.8 percentage points — the widest gap since 2018. Despite the strong cash returns, market valuations are eye-watering; at one point during June, CBA became the world’s most expensive bank on price metrics. The forward price-to-earnings multiple now sits at 18.9 times. This is well above the long-term average of 14.7 and higher than the 10-year benchmark of 16.1. Meanwhile, the dividend yield has slipped to 3.4%, down from the historical average of 4.4%. Earnings momentum remains soft, with FY25 growth estimates still tracking at 1.4%, and FY26 forecast at a moderate 5.4%. This suggests that recent gains have come more from expanding valuation multiples than from actual earnings upgrades, making the August reporting date a catalyst day for it and, by its size, the market as a whole.On the macro front, attention now turns to the Reserve Bank of Australia. The central bank cut the cash rate by 25 basis points to 3.6% at its July meeting. Recent commentary from the RBA has taken on a more dovish tone, with benign inflation data and ongoing global uncertainty expected to outweigh the strength of the labour market. The RBA appears to be steering toward a neutral policy stance, and markets will be watching for further signals on how that shift will be managed. Recent economic data has been mixed. May retail sales were weaker than expected, while broader household spending indicators held up slightly better. Building approvals saw a smaller-than-hoped-for bounce, employment remains strong, but productivity is low. Inflation is now at a 3-year low and falling; all this points to underlying support from the RBA’s easing bias both now and into the first half of FY26.As we move into FY26, the key questions are:
Can fundamentals wrestle back control over momentum?
Will earnings growth catch up to price to justify valuations?
How will policy decisions from the RBA and other central banks shape investor sentiment in an ever-volatile world?
While the early signs suggest a possible rotation, the jury is still out on whether this marks a new phase for the Australian market or just a brief pause in the rally that defined FY25.
While recent data has shown core inflation moderating, core PCE is on track to average below target at just 1.6% annualised over the past three months.Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell made clear that concerns about future inflation, especially from tariffs, remain top of mind.“If you just look backwards at the data, that’s what you would say… but we have to be forward-looking,” Powell said. “We expect a meaningful amount of inflation to arrive in the coming months, and we have to take that into account.”While the economy remains strong enough to buy time, policymakers are closely monitoring how tariff-related costs evolve before shifting policy. Powell also stated that without these forward-looking risks, rates would likely already be closer to the neutral rate, which is a full 100 basis points from current levels.
2. The Unemployment Rate anchor
Powell repeatedly cited the 4.2% unemployment rate during the press conference, mentioning it six times as the primary reason for keeping rates in restrictive territory. At this level, employment is ahead of the neutral rate.“The U.S. economy is in solid shape… job creation is at a healthy level,” Powell added that real wages are rising and participation remains relatively strong. He did, however, acknowledge that uncertainty around tariffs remains a constraint on future employment intentions.If not for a decline in labour force participation in May, the unemployment rate would already be closer to 4.6%. Couple this with the continuing jobless claims ticking up and hiring rates subdued, risks are building around labour market softening.
3. Autumn Meetings are Live
While avoiding firm forward guidance, Powell hinted at a timeline:“It could come quickly. It could not come quickly… We feel like the right thing to do is to be where we are… and just learn more.”This suggests the Fed will remain on hold through the July meeting, using the summer to assess incoming data, particularly whether tariffs meaningfully push inflation higher. If those effects prove limited and unemployment begins to rise, the stage could be set for a rate cut in September.
This coming Friday sees the January core PCE inflation data – the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation. Now most are forecasting that it should confirm that inflation has eased compared to this time last year. The consensus estimate has the monthly increase at 0.2 per cent with the annual rate at 2.5 per cent.
Now that is premised on a range of factors, they are also based on the fact the newly installed administration was not in power when these numbers were being collated. For now then – here are the key issues of the PCE read this Friday: Inflation Expectations: A temporary blip? Or is this the ‘transitory v structural debate again? – Upside impactor Several surveys are showing some upward movement in price expectations, mainly down to tariffs and other new external impacts.
Most don’t see this as a sign of a new inflationary trend but that is cold comfort considering how wrong these forecasts have been over the past three years. Case in point here is the University of Michigan’s 5 to 10 year inflation expectations which jumped to 3.5 per cent in February release, highest of this cycle. The caveat is that while this figure is high, historically this read has run above actual inflation, even when inflation was stable at 2 per cent, even so – a 1.5 per cent miss seems way out and even a 2.8 to 2.9 per cent read would be an issue for further cuts and the current US inflation story.
Other things to keep in mind: Tariffs were front and centre in February and clearly remain a political and geopolitical risk/threat. It should die down in the coming weeks as the administration settles in, the news cycle moves and the size of the tariffs retreat – that is until something causes the President to react. But March should be quieter – but the year will be volatile.
Countering the University of Michigan survey is the New York Fed’s, which hasn’t shown a major shift. If the increase in expectations were widespread, this would move the dial and would be more concerning. It makes the NY Fed data all the more interesting ahead of its launch.
We should also point out February’s manufacturing PMI showed rising input and output prices, while service sector price indices eased – why? Tariffs. This aligns with the 10% tariffs on Chinese imports that kicked in earlier this month.
With 25% steel and aluminium tariffs set for March 12, some price pressures may persist in March. Used Car Prices: A Temporary Divergence? – Down side impactor Used car prices in CPI have been running hotter than expected, especially relative to wholesale prices, which typically lead by a few months. And, this even after the surge in used car prices during the COVID era.
This market has remained above trend but is easing a Manheim wholesale used car prices fell 1.1 per cent month on month in early February, reinforcing our view that CPI inflation in this category has limited room to rise. If consumer demand were truly driving higher prices, we’d expect to see wholesale prices moving up as well which hasn’t happened. New York Congestion Pricing: Is this one and done?
A big policy pitch from the President for the state of New York was the congestion charging throughout New York City. True to its word the Trump administration revoked approval for congestion pricing in New York City, which had gone into effect in early January. This is likely to be the reason for the 2.6 per cent month on month spike in motor vehicle fees within CPI.
If the fee is ultimately scrapped, we’d expect an equivalent pullback in this CPI category. But with legal challenges keeping the fee in place for now – it was a double hit. One to watch.
Housing & Shelter: Watching LA Zillow’s single-family rent index rose 0.33 per cent month on month in January, consistent with shelter inflation continuing to slow – but still growing above historical averages. However it is not even across the country - Los Angeles rents spiked 1 per cent month on month - the biggest monthly jump since early 2022. The recent fires may have played a role, and if this strength persists, we could see upward pressure on shelter inflation later this year.
Median home prices remained flat in January, and with the broader housing market cooling, long-term upside risk to shelter inflation remains limited. In short, this Friday’s PCE is going to a line ball read – any hit that inflation is continuing to defy expectations as it has since September, the Fed will be dealt out of the rate market in 2025 and the USD, US bonds and risk exposures with debt are going to see reasonable movements. Which brings us to the other elephant in the market trading room – Tariffs on silver things.
Tariff Changes on Steel and Aluminium: Who really pays? We have been reluctant to write about the steel and aluminium tariffs that were announced on February 11. The Trump administration confirmed its plan to reinstate full tariffs on imported steel and aluminium—a move that will significantly impact both industries and consumers.
These tariffs are scheduled to start in early March, these Section 232 import tariffs will impose a 25% duty on steel and aluminium products, with aluminium tariffs rising from the previous 10% to 25%. Right now every nation on the planet (including Australia) is in Washington trying to wiggle their way out of the impending price surge – so far there is radio silence from the administration on if it will budge on any of the changes. Memory Lane If we take the 2018 tariffs as a guide, history suggests that once domestic stockpiles are depleted and buyers turn to global markets, U.S. prices will likely rise to reflect most of these duties.
However, exemptions may still be granted, particularly for aluminium, where the U.S. depends heavily on imports about 85% of aluminium consumption comes from overseas. While U.S. importers will bear roughly 80% of the tariff costs, exporters may need to lower prices to remain competitive—assuming they can’t find better pricing in other markets. Other things to be aware of from a trading point of view - The U.S. imports ~ 70 per cent of its primary aluminium Canada.
Who is the biggest play in that Canadian market? Rio Tinto. And it's not just Canada Rio Tinto ships approximately 1.75 million tonnes of aluminium annually from Canada and Australia.
Nearly 45 per cent of Rio Tinto’s U.S. aluminium sales are value-added products, which carries a premium of $200-$300 per tonne over London Metal Exchange (LME) prices. That is something that very much irks the President. Couple this with the fact physical delivery in the U.S. is also at a premium price and that gives you an average price estimate that could rise by ~40 per cent to approximately $1,036 per tonne ($0.50/lb), up from the 2024 average of $427 per tonne.
The thing is Rio Tinto itself is forecasting strong demand in North America, and its Value-add pricing is unlikely to change as domestic suppliers can’t easily replace the volumes it needs. In short, price pressure is coming – and suppliers will likely win out over the consumer. So what about Steel?
The U.S. imports 25-30 per cent of its steel so it’s not as reliant on this product as aluminium, but 80 per cent of those imports are currently exempt under Section 232 which is about to scrap it. That means the tariffs will impact around 18 million tonnes of steel imports annually, with: 35-40 per cent being flat products, 20-25 per cent semi-finished steel, and the rest covering long steel, pipes, tubes, and stainless steel. The Trump administration has signalled concerns over semi-finished steel imports, particularly Brazilian slab imports (~3-4 million tonnes per year).
What Does This Mean for Steel Prices? All things being equal - U.S. domestic steel prices will rise in full alignment with the 25% tariff on affected imports. The short and tall of it For both steel and aluminium, the reintroduction of tariffs means higher prices for U.S. buyers, particularly once inventories run down and imports reflect the new duty rates.
While exemptions remain a possibility, businesses reliant on imported metals should prepare for cost increases and potential supply disruptions. Traders should be ready for volatility, margin changes and erratic conditions as the administration rages over pricing issues.
Bitcoin rebounded 7% to touch $94,000 this week as two of the world's largest asset managers doubled down on their conviction that this cycle could break from crypto's boom-bust past.
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink and COO Rob Goldstein declared tokenisation "the next major evolution in market infrastructure,” comparing its potential to the introduction of electronic messaging systems in the 1970s.
Tokenised real-world assets have exploded from $7 billion to $24 billion in just one year, with certain projections expecting tokenised instruments to comprise 10-24% of portfolios by 2030.
Total RWA Value
Grayscale's latest research also put forward the case that this cycle will not follow Bitcoin’s predictable four-year pattern. Their analysis shows this cycle has had no parabolic price surge like previous cycles, and capital is flowing through regulated ETPs and corporate treasuries rather than retail speculation.
Grayscale has boldly predicted Bitcoin will reach new all-time highs next year based on this data, with near-term catalysts including a likely Federal Reserve rate cut and advancing crypto legislation.
AI Boom Creating a Memory Chip Supply Crisis
The AI revolution has had an unexpected ripple effect on conventional memory chips (DRAM).
Post-ChatGPT launch in 2022, chipmakers pivoted aggressively toward high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips — the components that power AI data centres.
Samsung and SK Hynix, who control roughly 70% of the global DRAM market, transitioned large portions of their production away from conventional chips.
This worked in the short term, but data centre operators are now replacing old servers, and PC and smartphone sales have exceeded expectations (all of which require DRAM).
This saw DRAM supplier inventories fall to just two to four weeks in October, down from 13 to 17 weeks in late 2024.
DRAM spot prices nearly tripled in September this year, while in Tokyo's electronics district, popular gaming memory modules have surged from 17,000 yen to over 47,000 yen in recent weeks.
Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta have all approached Micron with open-ended orders, agreeing to purchase whatever the company can deliver, regardless of price.
Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix shares have rallied 96%, 168%, and 213% YTD, respectively, thanks to the increased DRAM demand.
Ironically, this recent price surge has seen DRAM chip margins approach those of the advanced HBM chips, meaning non-AI memory could now become equally profitable to produce.
Every trader has had that moment where a seemingly perfect trade goes astray.
You see a clean chart on the screen, showing a textbook candle pattern; it seems as though the market planets have aligned, and so you enthusiastically jump into your trade.
But before you even have time to indulge in a little self-praise at a job well done, the market does the opposite of what you expected, and your stop loss is triggered.
This common scenario, which we have all unfortunately experienced, raises the question: What separates these “almost” trades from the truly higher-probability setups?
The State of Alignment
A high-probability setup isn’t necessarily a single signal or chart pattern. It is the coming together of several factors in a way that can potentially increase the likelihood of a successful trade.
When combined, six interconnected layers can come together to form the full “anatomy” of a higher-probability trading setup:
Context
Structure
Confluence
Timing
Management
Psychology
When more of these factors are in place, the greater the (potential) probability your trade will behave as expected.
Market Context
When we explore market context, we are looking at the underlying background conditions that may help some trading ideas thrive, and contribute to others failing.
Regime Awareness
Every trading strategy you choose to create has a natural set of market circumstances that could be an optimum trading environment for that particular trading approach.
For example:
Trending regimes may favour momentum or breakout setups.
Ranging regimes may suit mean-reversion or bounce systems.
High-volatility regimes create opportunity but demand wider stops and quicker management.
Investing time considering the underlying market regime may help avoid the temptation to force a trending system into a sideways market.
Simply looking at the slope of a 50-period moving average or the width of a Bollinger Band can suggest what type of market is currently in play.
Sentiment Alignment
If risk sentiment shifts towards a specific (or a group) of related assets, the technical picture is more likely to change to match that.
For example, if the USD index is broadly strengthening as an underlying move, then looking for long trades in EURUSD setups may end up fighting headwinds.
Setting yourself some simple rules can help, as trading against a potential tidal wave of opposite price change in a related asset is not usually a strong foundation on which to base a trading decision.
Key Reference Zones
Context also means the location of the current price relative to levels or previous landmarks.
Some examples include:
Weekly highs/lows
Prior session ranges, e.g. the Asian high and low as we move into the European session
Major “round” psychological numbers (e.g., 1.10, 1000)
A long trading setup into these areas of market importance may result in an overhead resistance, or a short trade into a potential area of support may reduce the probability of a continuation of that price move before the trade even starts.
Market Structure
Structure is the visual rhythm of price that you may see on the chart. It involves the sequences of trader impulses and corrections that end up defining the overall direction and the likelihood of continuation:
Uptrend: Higher highs (HH) and higher lows (HL)
Downtrend: Lower highs (LH) and lower lows (LL)
Transition: Break in structure often followed by a retest of previous levels.
A pullback in an uptrend followed by renewed buying pressure over a previous price swing high point may well constitute a higher-probability buy than a random candle pattern in the middle of nowhere.
Compression and Expansion
Markets move through cycles of energy build-up and release. It is a reflection of the repositioning of asset holdings, subtle institutional accumulation, or a response to new information, and may all result in different, albeit temporary, broad price scenarios.
Compression: Evidenced by a tightening range, declining ATR, smaller candles, and so suggesting a period of indecision or exhaustion of a previous price move,
Expansion: Evidenced by a sudden breakout, larger candle bodies, and a volume spike, is suggestive of a move that is now underway.
A breakout that clears a liquidity zone often runs further, as ‘trapped’ traders may further fuel the move as they scramble to reposition.
A setup aligned with such liquidity flows may carry a higher probability than one trading directly into it.
Confluence
Confluence is the art of layering independent evidence to create a whole story. Think of it as a type of “market forensics” — each piece of confirmation evidence may offer a “better hand’ or further positive alignment for your idea.
There are three noteworthy types of confluence:
Technical Confluence – Multiple technical tools agree with your trading idea:
Moving average alignment (e.g., 20 EMA above 50 EMA) for a long trade
A Fibonacci retracement level is lining up with a previously identified support level.
Momentum is increasing on indicators such as the MACD.
Multi-Timeframe Confluence – Where a lower timeframe setup is consistent with a higher timeframe trend. If you have alignment of breakout evidence across multiple timeframes, any move will often be strengthened by different traders trading on different timeframes, all jumping into new trades together.
3. Volume Confluence – Any directional move, if supported by increasing volume, suggests higher levels of market participation. Whereas falling volume may be indicative of a lesser market enthusiasm for a particular price move.
Confluence is not about clutter on your chart. Adding indicators, e.g., three oscillators showing the same thing, may make your chart look like a work of art, but it offers little to your trading decision-making and may dilute action clarity.
Think of it this way: Confluence comes from having different dimensions of evidence and seeing them align. Price, time, momentum, and participation (which is evidenced by volume) can all contribute.
Timing & Execution
An alignment in context and structure can still fail to produce a desired outcome if your timing is not as it should be. Execution is where higher probability traders may separate themselves from hopeful ones.
Entry Timing
Confirmation: Wait for the candle to close beyond the structure or level. Avoid the temptation to try to jump in early on a premature breakout wick before the candle is mature.
Retests: If the price has retested and respected a breakout level, it may filter out some false breaks that we will often see.
Then act: Be patient for the setup to complete. Talking yourself out of a trade for the sake of just one more candle” confirmation may, over time, erode potential as you are repeatedly late into trades.
Session & Liquidity Windows
Markets breathe differently throughout the day as one session rolls into another. Each session's characteristics may suit different strategies.
For example:
London Open: Often has a volatility surge; Range breaks may work well.
New York Overlap: Often, we will see some continuation or reversal of morning trends.
Asian Session: A quieter session where mean-reversion or range trading approaches may do well
Trade Management
Managing the position well after entry can turn probability into realised profit, or if mismanaged, can result in losses compounding or giving back unrealised profit to the market.
Pre-defined Invalidation
Asking yourself before entry: “What would the market have to do to prove me wrong?” could be an approach worth trying.
This facilitates stops to be placed logically rather than emotionally. If a trade idea moves against your original thinking, based on a change to a state of unalignment, then considering exit would seem logical.
Scaling & Partial Exits
High-probability trade entries will still benefit from dynamic exit approaches that may involve partial position closes and adaptive trailing of your initial stop.
Trader Psychology
One of the most important and overlooked components of a higher-probability setup is you.
It is you who makes the choices to adopt these practices, and you who must battle the common trading “demons” of fear, impatience, and distorted expectation.
Let's be real, higher-probability trades are less common than many may lead you to believe.
Many traders destroy their potential to develop any trading edge by taking frequent low-probability setups out of a desire to be “in the market.”
It can take strength to be inactive for periods of time and exercise that patience for every box to be ticked in your plan before acting.
Measure “You” performance
Each trade you take becomes data and can provide invaluable feedback. You can only make a judgment of a planned strategy if you have followed it to the letter.
Discipline in execution can be your greatest ally or enemy in determining whether you ultimately achieve positive trading outcomes.
Bringing It All Together – The Setup Blueprint
Final Thoughts
Higher-probability setups are not found but are constructed methodically.
A trader who understands the “higher-probability anatomy” is less likely to chase trades or feel the need to always be in the market. They will see merit in ticking all the right boxes and then taking decisive action when it is time to do so.
It is now up to you to review what you have in place now, identify gaps that may exist, and commit to taking action!
Bitcoin has now outlasted the peak of all its previous four-year cycles.
For over a decade, every Bitcoin cycle has followed the same sequence: consolidation, breakout, mania, crash. Rinse and repeat.
Timeline-wise, we should be at the post-mania inflection point, waiting for the seemingly inevitable crash.
Yet unlike previous runs, this cycle never saw its “mania phase.” Instead, Bitcoin has spent the past year grinding sideways, touching new all-time highs without a euphoric blow-off top that defined previous cycles.
The fact that this euphoria period never materialised brings into question whether this cycle still has room to run, or has the market simply matured past the point of mania-driven peaks?
The Historical Four-Year Pattern
The traditional Bitcoin cycle was simple. Every four years, a halving event would reduce the block reward (amount of new Bitcoin being created) by half, creating a supply shock that triggered major bull markets.
The 2013 cycle, the 2017 cycle, and the 2021 cycle all followed this script. Each halving was followed by a 3-to 9-month growth period, then a full-on mania period, before topping out 12 to 18 months after the event.
Following the most recent halving in April 2024, Bitcoin experienced five months of sideways consolidation, then hinted at making its anticipated breakout into mania after the US election… but quickly returned to sideways consolidation for the next year.
We have seen new ATHs and the price has made some notable gains during the period, but the overall momentum has been much weaker.
This failure to repeat the frenzies of the past three cycles has brought into question how much influence the Bitcoin halving truly has on the market anymore.
No Longer a Supply Shock
In previous cycles, the halving created a situation where prices had to rise to clear the same dollar amount of miner expenses (who were now earning half the Bitcoin).
Bitcoin miners would simply not sell until the price reached a certain level, creating a supply shock that would drive prices higher.
Miners still do this today; however, the market’s maturation and the institutional adoption of Bitcoin have dampened the impact.
Selling off Bitcoin is no longer a balancing act where miners hold influence over price. The market has deep liquidity that can handle significant flows in either direction.
Institutional ETFs routinely purchase more Bitcoin in a single day than miners produce in a month.
The supply reduction that once drove dramatic price movements is now easily absorbed by a market with institutional buyers providing constant demand.
If the Halving Isn't Driving Cycles, What Is?
The overriding narrative is that the Bitcoin cycle is now tied to the global liquidity cycle.
If you plot the Global M2 Money Supply versus Bitcoin on a year-on-year basis, you can see that every Bitcoin top has correlated with the peaks of Global M2 liquidity growth.
This isn't unique to Bitcoin. The Gold price has closely mirrored the rate of Global M2 expansion for decades.
When central banks flood the system with liquidity, capital tends to move into stores of value or high-risk assets. When they drain liquidity, those same assets tend to retreat.
However, this is a correlation; these relationships may change and should not be relied upon as indicators of future performance.
Is the Dollar Just Getting Weaker?
The U.S. Dollar Strength Index tells the other side of this liquidity story. Bitcoin versus the dollar year-on-year has been almost perfectly inversely correlated.
Simply put, as fiat currencies lose purchasing power, “hard” assets like Bitcoin and Gold start to appreciate. Not because of improved fundamentals, but because the currencies they are paired against are simply worth less.
The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Beyond the charts and patterns, there is also the psychological notion that the four-year cycle persists precisely because people believe it will.
People have been conditioned by three complete cycles to expect Bitcoin to peak somewhere between 400 and 600 days after a halving.
This collective belief shapes behaviour: traders take profits, investors take fewer risks, and retail enthusiasm wanes. The prophecy fulfils itself.
When everyone believes Bitcoin should peak 18 months after a halving, the combined selling pressure can create exactly that outcome — regardless of whether the underlying driver still exists.
The current market weakness, with Bitcoin dropping over 20% from its October record high, occurred almost precisely at this 18-month mark.
Is This Cycle Built Different?
Despite this on-cue sell-off, this cycle still has the potential to break away from the historical four-year pattern.
Increased ETF adoption by institutional investors has brought in higher quality and consistent ownership of Bitcoin.
Unlike retail traders, who often panic-sell during corrections, institutional holders tend to maintain their positions through volatility.
For example, Michael Saylor’s high-profile MicroStrategy fund has continued to purchase Bitcoin through market weakness. Recently reporting a purchase of 8,178 BTC at an average price of $102,171.
Recent MicroStrategy BTC purchases
Another hard indicator that diverges from previous cycle peaks is the amount of Bitcoin being held on centralised exchanges.
The current amount of BTC on CEXs is unusually low. This pattern is generally seen closer to cycle lows, rather than peaks.
Other factors supporting the break of the four-year mould are coming out of the Whitehouse.
A comprehensive regulatory framework through the CLARITY Act represents structural changes and boundaries for regulatory bodies that didn't exist in previous cycles.
And the move to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve will see all government-held forfeited Bitcoin (approximately $30 billion worth) transferred into a government reserve, signalling Bitcoin as a strategic asset like Gold and oil.
Estimated U.S. Government Bitcoin holdings
Bitcoin Has Finally Grown Up
The four-year cycle has been a useful heuristic, but heuristics break down when conditions change. Institutional buyers, regulatory clarity, and strategic reserves represent genuinely new conditions historical patterns don’t account for.
At the same time, dismissing the cycle entirely would be premature. The self-fulfilling aspect means it retains predictive power even if the original cause has weakened.
Market participants act on the pattern they've learned, and their actions create the pattern they expect.
Perhaps the real insight is that the Bitcoin market cycles never had just one cause. They were always the result of multiple overlapping forces — programmed scarcity, liquidity conditions, sentiment, self-reinforcing expectations.
The cycle shifts character as some forces strengthen and others weaken. But whether the forces have shifted enough to break the four-year trend is yet to be determined.
The fundamental indicators show this cycle may have some life, but the psychological power of the four-year pattern could push it to another, predictable end.
You can trade BTC and other popular Crypto CFD pairs on GO Markets with $0 swaps until 31 December 2025.
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