Bitcoin (BTC<\/a>) traders are desperate for fresh BTC price volatility, but opinions are diverging on when it will come.<\/p>\n BTC\/USD is currently seeing some of the least volatile conditions in its history, price metrics show.<\/p>\n Since the FTX crisis, Bitcoin has settled into a historically narrow trading range which refuses to budge.<\/p>\n Despite macro triggers, low-volume holiday trading and a yearly candle close, BTC price action has stuck rigidly to a zone focused on $17,000.<\/p>\n This is the least volatile period<\/a> in the history of the Bitcoin historical volatility index (BVOL), and other data likewise shows that such sideways behavior is extremely rare.<\/p>\n Two months after FTX, traders and analysts alike are hotly debating when the breakout will come for BTC\/USD \u2014 and in which direction it will go.<\/p>\n \u201cA big move is brewing for Bitcoin,\u201d Charles Edwards, founder and CEO of asset manager Capriole Investments, stated<\/a> on Jan. 5:<\/p>\n \u201cBitcoin is currently trading at a major low in volatility. Generally, when Bitcoin breaks out of extremely low volatility, the ensuing trend tends to last. Don\u2019t fight the trend on the next major move.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n An accompanying chart showed the 30-day annualized standard deviation of Bitcoin volatility, this now at lows seen only a handful of times in the past five years.<\/p>\n Equally convinced that the status quo will break is Wolf of All Streets<\/em> podcast host Scott Melker, who this week flagged<\/a> what he described as the \u201ctightest\u201d Bollinger Bands he had ever seen on the daily Bitcoin chart.<\/p>\n Bollinger Bands are a classic volatility indicator in action since the 1980s. They likewise use standard deviation to determine the upper and lower bounds of price action within a defined period. Multiple use cases arise, including the ability to assess comparatively volatile or nonvolatile price action, as well as associated entry and exit points.<\/p>\n Currently, the two bands are \u201csqueezed\u201d around the central moving average on BTC\/USD, data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro<\/a> and TradingView<\/a>\u00a0shows,\u00a0leading to assumptions that volatility should now ensue.<\/p>\n For creator John Bollinger, however, the length of the squeeze is not necessarily pertinent to the timing or strength of future volatility.<\/p>\n \u201cIn my experience prolonged Squeezes are rarely valuable signals. I prefer Squeeze and Go!\u201d he responded<\/a> to Melker.<\/p>\n As Cointelegraph reported<\/a>, meanwhile, there is no shortage of bearish BTC price predictions<\/a> in force at the start of 2023.<\/p>\n Related:\u00a0$16.8K Bitcoin now trades further below this key trendline than ever<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Various warnings have cautioned hodlers over what may be to come, including a drop to $10,000 or even lower in Q1.<\/p>\n Hopes of upside are comparatively muted as analysts look to see what will happen with the United States\u2019 macroeconomic policy and its influence on risk assets<\/a>.<\/p>\n The views, thoughts and opinions expressed here are the authors\u2019 alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\nVolatility far from guaranteed<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/s3.cointelegraph.com\/uploads\/2023-01\/8739377a-eee3-41f7-9d83-6d8511753b77.png\")
![](\"https:\/\/s3.cointelegraph.com\/uploads\/2023-01\/e7c66c11-9d67-439b-aeda-aae5103daec5.png\")
Bullish Bitcoin takes lacking<\/h2>\n