Bitcoin UTXO stress score rises to 71.5, returning above 70

CryptoQuant analyst Axel Adler Jr. said Bitcoin has re-entered a high-stress zone, with weekly momentum at +3 and downside risk rising if support near $61,500 breaks.

BTC

Summary

Bitcoin's UTXO stress gauge has climbed to 71.58, pushing back above the 70 threshold and signaling that a significant share of circulating supply is sitting at a loss, according to CryptoQuant analyst Axel Adler Jr. The reading points to renewed market strain after stress eased over the past month, with weekly momentum turning positive at +3. Adler said the indicator was around 41 about a year ago, reflecting a more neutral backdrop. He added that if the gauge drops back below 70 and momentum stays negative, selling pressure would likely ease. But if Bitcoin falls below its monthly low near $61,500 and the indicator rises above 90, stress and selling pressure could intensify further. Separate positioning in the derivatives market also reflects caution: an anonymous options investor sold $173 million of Bitcoin call contracts with a $70,000 strike expiring on September 25, a trade that keeps the $3.03 million premium if Bitcoin stays below that level by expiry.

Terms & Concepts
  • UTXO stress gauge: A Bitcoin on-chain indicator that measures market pressure by tracking whether coins in circulation are sitting in profit or loss.
  • call contracts: Options that give the buyer the right to purchase an asset at a set price before expiry.
  • strike: The preset price at which an options contract can be exercised.