The bounce followed softer US inflation data, which lifted overall market sentiment and pushed buyers back into major altcoins.

Bitcoin briefly surged above $97,000 before pulling back to $96,000, and according to former BitMEX CEO Arthur Hayes, 2026 could mark the return of a full Bitcoin bull cycle after the liquidity crunch of 2025.

In December, US headline inflation came in at 2.7% year over year, right in line with expectations. Core inflation was slightly lower at 2.6%, helping ease concerns about future rate hikes.

Markets are now looking ahead to the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting. With rates expected to stay in the 3.50% to 3.75% range, most of the risk already appears priced in.

Despite ADA’s recent climb, retail participation remains low, according to data from CoinGlass.

Futures Open Interest currently averages $832 million, down significantly from the $1.51 billion level seen during the October 10 flash crash and well below the $1.95 billion peak in mid-September.

The decline in Open Interest shows reduced trader conviction, but it also means leverage is low, giving Cardano more upside potential if demand returns.

With sentiment improving, inflation cooling, and ADA climbing quietly, this could be the breakout few are prepared for.

On the weekly chart, ADA is still trading within a long-term descending channel, with price recently bouncing from the key $0.35 to $0.37 demand zone, a level that has repeatedly acted as a strong base over the past year.

The first hurdle is immediate resistance near $0.45, a zone that has capped upside moves in recent months.

Beyond that, the $1.20 to $1.30 area remains the major supply zone, where heavy distribution previously occurred. A confirmed breakout above this range would signal a full trend reversal and open the path toward the $2.50 target.

Source: TradingView

If ADA fails to hold above $0.38, the $0.35 support will come back into focus.

A clean breakdown below that level would invalidate the current rebound and increase the risk of a deeper pullback.

With ADA still stuck in a holding pattern, many in the community are shifting focus to new opportunities, and one presale is quickly gaining attention.

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is using Solana’s high-speed technology to unlock real utility on the Bitcoin network, something that has never been done at scale.

While Bitcoin is trusted for its security, it remains slow, expensive, and difficult to use for anything beyond holding.

$HYPER changes that by creating a fast, scalable Layer-2 where memes, DeFi, NFTs, and real-world applications can finally thrive on Bitcoin.

With over $30 million already raised in its presale and growing momentum, Bitcoin Hyper is shaping up to be one of the most important launches of the cycle.

To join the presale, visit the official Bitcoin Hyper website and connect a supported wallet such as Best Wallet.

From there, you can instantly purchase $HYPER using crypto already in your wallet or simply pay with a debit or credit card.

It only takes seconds to secure your tokens and lock in early access before listings go live.

The post Cardano Price Prediction: ADA Quietly Surges After Inflation Drop – Is This the Breakout No One Sees Coming? appeared first on Coinspeaker.

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