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Cardano’s recent moves: A ‘pump and dump’ or a setup for a bigger rally?

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ADA surged to $1.19 before dropping to $0.73, driven by speculation and liquidation pressures.

Cardano's recent moves: A 'pump and dump' or a setup for a bigger rally?

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  • ADA’s seven-day liquidation heatmap pinpointed key areas of liquidation pressure.
  • ADA consolidated between $0.94 and $1.00, with a breakout past $1.00 confirming bullish momentum.

Cardano [ADA] recently underwent a rapid pump and dump, with prices surging from $0.65 to $1.19, fueled by speculative hype.

Analysts linked an 80% increase to a political reserve announcement by Trump’s government, which contributed to the rally.

However, heavy profit-taking caused a sharp drop, with liquidation clusters forming at $1.10 for shorts and at $0.73, $0.67, and $0.58 for longs.

Over the past seven days, 36% more positions were longs than shorts, exposing the market to liquidation risks.

ADA’s 1-hour Binance chart revealed a cup and handle pattern. The price dropped to $0.65, formed a rounded bottom, and surged to $1.19, completing the cup.

The handle emerged as ADA consolidated between $0.94 and $1.00, with a breakout past $1.00 confirming bullish momentum. However, a descending trendline from $1.19 to $0.94 guided the subsequent correction to $0.73.

ADA price trend

Source: TradingView

The Crypto Fear & Greed Index hit 25.00, signaling extreme fear, aligning with the dump phase. The RSI, with a 14 SMA of 46.16, hovered near 40.00, reflecting oversold conditions after falling from 60.00.

Similar pump-and-dump cycles in 2021 saw ADA recover post-dip, hinting at a potential rebound. If RSI climbs above 50, ADA could target $1.10.

However, if fear intensifies below 30, prices could dip to $0.58, leading to deeper liquidations.

Assessing ADA’s short and long liquidation levels

ADA’s seven-day liquidation heatmap pinpointed key areas of liquidation pressure. Short liquidations at $1.10 totaled $50M, driven by profit-taking following the $1.19 pump.

Long liquidations concentrated at $0.73 [$40M], $0.67 [$30M], and $0.58 [$20M], showing leveraged positions being liquidated during the dump.

Cardano liquidation trend

Source: Alphractal

With longs exceeding shorts by 36%, aggressive long positioning amplified the drop. If prices retest $0.73, short covering could drive a bounce.

However, a break below $0.58 could cascade liquidations toward $0.50, mirroring 2022’s sharp corrections.

Gauging ADA’s network participation

Moreover, ADA’s five-year active address chart highlighted past market cycles. In January 2021, active addresses surged 240%, coinciding with ADA’s peak at $3.20.

On the 6th of March 2025, activity showed modest growth, with ADA trading near $0.94, while the 30-day average hovered at 80%.

The 30-day high reached 160%, while the low fell to 0%, reflecting reduced engagement post-dump.

ADA Addresses

Source: IntoTheBlock

This trend resembled the 2022 bear market, where declining activity preceded a recovery. A sustained increase in active addresses could indicate renewed market interest, potentially pushing ADA back to $1.20.

Conversely, prolonged inactivity below 50% could suppress demand, dragging prices to $0.70.

In conclusion, ADA’s rapid price surge to $1.19, followed by a drop to $0.73, reflected speculative trading and liquidation pressures.

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Clinton is a professional financial markets analyst with diverse knowledge in Forex, Crypto, indices, and stock price movements. He began blogging in 2020, later transitioning to crypto in 2021. His writing caters to the demanding and evolving landscape of blockchain and crypto technologies, with a special focus on technical analysis.
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