Bitcoin continues to consolidate locally under the resistance level of 20,700. At the same time, it remains above $20,000 per coin, which is an important aspect in its further dynamics.

Nevertheless, the fundamental background and upcoming events are unlikely to favor keeping the main cryptocurrency above this border.

A rate hike by the US Federal Reserve on September 21 will determine the market's direction in the coming months. According to Wall Street analysts, the Fed could go for another 75 basis point hike in September to curb inflation, which would likely push the price of bitcoin below the $20,000 level.

Bitcoin Pricing Models

Analysts are now scratching their heads over whether bitcoin has reached the bottom of a bearish cycle. The lower bound of this downward movement can be predicted using various network price models such as the realized price, delta price, and Thermo price. However, the actual price movement still depends on technical and macroeconomic factors.

The realized price is a widely used on-chain price model for estimating the bottom of a major cryptocurrency bear cycle. This is the average price at which each bitcoin in circulation last moved. Historically, BTC has always fallen below the strike price. When this happens, other price patterns are used. The current selling price is $21,592.

Historically, the price of bitcoin has bottomed out at the delta price in the 2015 and 2018 bear markets. The delta price is currently $14,478. This indicates that BTC quotes may fall another 28% from the current level.

Thermo price signaled a market bottom in 2011. This is the historical price at which each bitcoin was first mined. According to Thermo price, the bottom for BTC is $2,365. However, quotes are unlikely to fall to these levels in the current cycle as the number of addresses holding BTC has increased tremendously.

Bitcoin: Price Risks Falling to Lower Levels

Now the cryptocurrency market retains a close correlation with traditional assets, in particular stocks, which means it is sensitive to the monetary policy of the US central bank.

The US Fed's rate hike will mainly depend on August jobs data and CPI data. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, there is a 67% chance of a 75 basis point rate hike. In addition, Wall Street banks are expecting a 75 basis point gain in September.

According to US employment data for August, the employment rate fell to 315,000 from 528,000 in July. Moreover, the unemployment rate rose to 3.7% in August from 3.5% in July. This gives a small share of optimism to the cryptocurrency market.

However, the data on the consumer price index of September 13 will basically dispel all doubts about the step by which the rate will be raised at the next meeting. But the decline in oil and food prices may slow down the rate hike by the Fed.

$20,000 Level Key Role

September has historically been a bad month for US stock and cryptocurrency markets.

Analysts at hedge fund AlphaTrAI believe that the latest US jobs report will eventually push the top cryptocurrency below the current $20,000 zone to $15,000.

AlphaTrAI CIO Max Gohman emphasized this after the latest employment report was stronger than expected. Higher unemployment figures mean that the Fed is likely to raise interest rates higher than they have been since previous periods of monetary tightening.

Gohman, like many other analysts, based on the close correlation of the crypto market with macroeconomic sentiment, stressed that the $20,000 level is now critical. Its loss will mean a deeper fall for bitcoin.

Hedge fund AlphaTrAI converted most of its cryptocurrency holdings into cash at the end of August, ending the month with a drop of just 0.4%.