Key insights:
Bitcoin has struggled to surpass $118,000, indicating strong resistance in this range.
Bitcoin ETFs experienced six consecutive days of inflows, accumulating a total of $2 billion.
In 2025, BTC strategic reserves and ETF investments surged by 30%, highlighting consistent institutional interest.
Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded funds (ETFs) witnessed six days of sustained inflows, with traders anticipating a potential price increase to $118,000 ahead of the FOMC.
Bitcoin’s “significant resistance” at $118,000
Bitcoin’s 9% rise from its September 1 low of $107,270 paused around $118,000, suggesting sellers are actively defending this level.
“Bitcoin is still well within a consolidation phase,” noted MN Capital founder Michael van de Poppe in his latest analysis on X, indicating that “significant resistance” remains at $117,500.
“If that threshold is breached, we could enter a favorable domain for a potential new ATH.”
On Tuesday, Bitcoin was trading at $115,300, showing no clear trend as bulls and bears competed for dominance, according to data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView.
Traders seemed to adopt a wait-and-see stance, focusing on the upcoming FOMC meeting minutes and Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s address on Wednesday.
Bitcoin analyst AlphaBTC predicts that the price may reach $118,000 within the next 24 hours before potentially declining following the FOMC rate decision.
📈#Bitcoin LTF strategy overview 📈
I maintain my outlook; I still believe we’ll breach the 118K level within the next 24-48 hours, then we will gauge the conviction or selling pressure as the FOM Rate Decision is confirmed.
Can #Bitcoin maintain 115K following the decision? Or will we experience a sell-off… https://t.co/7JleDfrKgR pic.twitter.com/x6d9EB9pTW
— AlphaBTC (@mark_cullen) September 16, 2025
The BTC/USDT liquidation heatmap indicates a high concentration of liquidations near $118,000, reinforcing its status as a significant resistance level.
Traders should monitor this area closely as it may attract price movements intending to capture liquidity before a pullback occurs.
This zone “looks very attractive from a liquidity perspective,” commented AlphaBTC on Tuesday, adding:
“I anticipate we may see a climb to 118K sooner rather than later, but afterward, a pullback could follow the rate decision.”
As reported by Cointelegraph, buyers need to elevate BTC prices above $117,500 to enhance the likelihood of retesting the $124,500 all-time high.
Ongoing spot ETF inflows are bullish for BTC price
As Bitcoin traders consider the possibility of rekindling their recovery, ongoing accumulation and purchasing momentum from Bitcoin treasury companies and spot BTC ETFs may supply substantial support.
Related: Strategy’s Bitcoin holdings reach $73B with 638,985 BTC in treasury
Spot Bitcoin ETFs have achieved notable inflows for six days straight, starting with over $364 million on September 8 and continuing with an extra $260 million through Monday, culminating in over $2 billion in total inflows during this timeframe.
“US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded net inflows of approximately 5.9k BTC on September 10, marking the largest daily influx since mid-July,” reported market research firm Glassnode in an X post on Monday, adding:
“This propelled weekly net flows into positive territory, reflecting a resurgence in ETF demand.”
Information from BitcoinTreasuries.NET indicates that combined holdings of strategic reserves and ETFs have grown by 30% in 2025, increasing to 2.88 million BTC on Tuesday from 2.24 million on January 1. This growth illustrates a steady consolidation of BTC amongst significant institutional and corporate investors.
Further data from CoinShares reveals that Bitcoin dominated capital inflows into exchange-traded products (ETPs) last week, with BTC investment products gathering a total of $2.4 billion in inflows, indicating strong institutional demand for the asset.
This article does not constitute investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading maneuver carries risk, and readers should conduct their own research before making decisions.