Bitcoin must defend $62,500 heading into the weekend, the clearest immediate support level in a market where altcoins shed roughly $8.8 billion in capitalization over the past week. This is the top crypto news for July 18, with the largest digital asset holding firm even as broader risk appetite stays defensive.
The framing comes from a July 18 report by CryptoSlate, which placed Bitcoin in a $62,500 to $64,300 band and identified the lower bound as the line traders will watch most closely into the weekend. For related coverage, see Polymarket Adds Bitcoin Lightning Deposits for Funding.
- Support to watch: Bitcoin is defending the $62,500 area as its immediate weekend floor.
- Altcoin drawdown: Altcoin capitalization sits about $8.8 billion below its July 10 level.
- Sentiment: The Fear & Greed Index reads 25, or Extreme Fear.
Bitcoin Faces a Key Test at $62,500
The reason the level matters is that it caps the downside of the range Bitcoin has traded in over the past 24 hours. A hold keeps the market structurally intact; a break would open room toward lower prices with little defined support beneath. For related coverage, see Kaspersky Exposes OkoBot's 20-Module Crypto Wallet Attack.
Independent price data supports the timing. At 6 a.m. Eastern on July 17, one Bitcoin traded at $62,941.73, sitting just above the zone now in focus.
By the latest reading, Bitcoin had recovered to about $64,040, up 1.36% on the day, giving it a modest cushion above the support area.
That rebound followed a sharp move lower. A risk-off wave dragged Bitcoin below $63,000 on July 17 as total crypto market capitalization fell 1.86% to $2.16 trillion, with the selloff spilling over from an AI-led decline in equities.
Altcoins Lose $8.8 Billion as Risk Appetite Weakens
The weakness is more visible outside Bitcoin. Altcoin market capitalization recovered to $983.8 billion on July 17 after slipping to $976.3 billion the prior day, but still sat $8.8 billion below the $992.6 billion level recorded on July 10.
The split tells the story of the past 24 hours: capital is favoring Bitcoin over smaller tokens rather than flowing evenly across the market. That is defensive rotation, not a broad recovery.
Institutional activity has stayed selective in the same period. Custodians such as Clearstream have expanded coverage to XRP, SOL, ADA and AVAX, and asset managers continue to build out products like the T. Rowe Price TKNZ active crypto ETF, even as spot prices for those assets soften.
What Today’s Crypto News Means for the Next Trading Session
The immediate watchpoint is whether Bitcoin can keep the $62,500 floor intact. Losing it would remove the technical anchor that is currently keeping the wider market from a deeper slide.
Sentiment argues for caution. The Fear & Greed Index reads 25, in Extreme Fear territory, consistent with the risk-off tone that pushed Bitcoin below $63,000 before it rebounded.
For now, the setup is a firmer Bitcoin against a still-lagging altcoin complex. Traders monitoring Bitcoin-linked equities, including names weighing corporate moves like American Bitcoin’s reverse stock split, will want confirmation that the support holds before assuming breadth returns to the market.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency and digital asset markets carry significant risk. Always do your own research before making decisions.
