As the sun sets on Thursday, February 27, 2025, bitcoin hovered just around $84,000, its movements a meandering waltz ahead of Friday’s starting sessions. Traders anticipated a weekend tango between $82,000 and $89,000 per BTC, set against a backdrop of macroeconomic uncertainty under the current Trump government.
Futures expiration and political winds fuel speculation.
At 8:00 p.m. EST, bitcoin (BTC) was trading at $84,258 on Bitstamp, down 0.34% in a day and 13.9% weekly. The week from February 28 to March 2 offers either exciting gyrations or a slow slide. A key catalyst looms: the expiration of $5.07 billion in bitcoin derivatives contracts on February 28, according to futures data—events that have traditionally sparked volatility as traders adjust their holdings.
Market mood is shaky. Spot bitcoin ETFs lost a lot of money last week, but institutional purchases by companies like Metaplanet offered some hope. Crypto futures markets lost $326.81 million on Thursday, with bullish BTC traders taking a $108.96 million hit to longs. A good 109,359 traders were liquidated, capped by a $38 million BTC-USDT wipeout on HTX (via coinglass.com). Open futures interest totaled 55,100 BTC (11,020 contracts worth 5 BTC).
The Crypto Fear and Greed Index (CFGI) remained at 10 (“Extreme Fear”) on Wednesday, indicating either hidden bargains or oncoming falls. Today, it edged up to 16, but the warning label remained. Bitcoin’s weekend direction is largely dependent on Friday’s happenings, especially any political shocks from the Trump administration.
While the $82,000-$89,000 range is conceivable, unfavorable news might lower prices—or an ambitious move above $90,000 could confound expectations. Bitcoin is currently trading 22% below its all-time high.
