MOVE has been one of the top gainers in the market recently, rallying 7.33% in the past 24 hours and extending its weekly gain to 16.73%. However, the asset’s continued upside potential faces challenges as profit-taking from traders threatens to slow its momentum and hinder its ability to reach higher levels, including the $0.80 mark.

Bullish Sentiment from Derivatives Market

The recent surge in MOVE’s price has been primarily driven by strong buying activity in the derivatives market. Traders in this market have remained bullish, as indicated by the Taker Buy Sell ratio, which stands at 1.0033. This means buying volume in derivatives is outpacing selling activity, a sign of confidence in the asset’s continued upward momentum.

Moreover, the growth in unsettled derivative contracts has also supported MOVE’s price action, with these contracts rising 19.61% to a total value of $92.27 million. The surge in open contracts indicates that many traders are maintaining their bullish positions on MOVE. This activity has caused short traders who bet against MOVE’s rise to experience significant losses, with $704,000 worth of short positions liquidated as the price moved against them.

Resistance and Profit-Taking Impact

Despite the positive momentum from the derivatives market, MOVE faces a tough resistance point. The asset recently tested the descending channel on the 4-hour chart and briefly broke above it, but encountered a strong resistance level at $0.555. After this resistance was met, the price retreated lower, suggesting that selling pressure is limiting further gains.

A successful breakout above this resistance would be a significant development, potentially flipping the $0.555 level into support and setting the stage for a rally toward $0.848, which would represent a 52.90% increase. However, instead of continuing to rally, the price has faced a retreat, indicating that profit-taking from traders is playing a significant role in stalling the rally.

Selling Pressure and Risk of Decline

Coinglass exchange netflow data further confirms that selling pressure is impacting MOVE’s price. The data shows a positive netflow, meaning more MOVE tokens are being deposited into exchanges for sale than being bought. In the past 24 hours, $693,790 worth of MOVE has been sold, likely by traders looking to lock in profits after the recent price increase. If this selling pressure continues, it could undermine the upward momentum and potentially push the price lower.

However, if buying activity picks up across exchanges, it could reverse the current trend and reinforce the bullish pressure from the derivatives market. A surge in buying volume could pave the way for a significant upswing, allowing MOVE to test new resistance levels and potentially break out toward higher targets.

Conclusion

While MOVE has enjoyed impressive gains recently, profit-taking and selling pressure are starting to limit its potential for further upside. The key resistance level at $0.555 remains a hurdle, and until this level is decisively broken, the asset faces an uncertain path. If buying activity increases and trading volumes continue to rise, MOVE could push toward $0.80 or higher. However, sustained selling could lead to further declines. Traders should watch for shifts in volume and netflow to gauge the likelihood of a breakout or continued downside.