Cardano (ADA) Retreats After Breaking $1 Barrier Despite Whale Accumulation



Luisa Crawford
Aug 18, 2025 10:44

ADA trades at $0.91 after a 5.91% daily drop, pulling back from its recent breakthrough above $1 amid continued institutional interest and whale activity.



Cardano (ADA) Retreats After Breaking $1 Barrier Despite Whale Accumulation

Quick Take

• ADA currently trading at $0.91 (-5.91% in 24h)
• Cardano’s RSI at 61.64 indicates neutral momentum after recent rally
• $71 million upgrade package approved, boosting long-term confidence despite short-term pullback

What’s Driving Cardano Price Today?

Cardano’s ADA price is experiencing a natural correction after its spectacular run that saw the token break above the $1 psychological barrier just days ago. The recent 5.91% decline comes after ADA posted a remarkable 26.8% weekly surge, suggesting profit-taking by short-term traders following the breakout.

The pullback hasn’t dampened institutional enthusiasm, however. Whale accumulation continues to provide underlying support, with over 200 million ADA tokens recently moved to private wallets. This institutional interest, including Grayscale’s ETF inclusion and discussions around U.S. digital asset reserves, suggests the current ADA price dip may be temporary.

The community’s approval of Cardano’s $71 million upgrade package through decentralized governance has reinforced developer confidence. This milestone represents the first major implementation of on-chain voting for the project, demonstrating the maturity of Cardano’s governance mechanisms. While this news provided fundamental strength, it hasn’t prevented the technical correction we’re seeing in today’s ADA price action.

ADA Technical Analysis: Mixed Signals After Rally

Cardano technical analysis reveals a complex picture following the recent breakout and subsequent pullback. ADA’s RSI sits at 61.64, placing it in neutral territory after cooling down from overbought levels reached during the rally above $1.

The MACD indicators paint a cautiously optimistic picture for Cardano. With the MACD line at 0.0486 above the signal line at 0.0350, and a positive histogram reading of 0.0136, the momentum structure remains bullish despite today’s price decline. This suggests the current ADA price weakness may be a healthy consolidation rather than a trend reversal.

Cardano’s moving averages continue to support the bullish narrative. The ADA price sits above all major moving averages, with the SMA 7 at $0.92, SMA 20 at $0.81, and SMA 50 at $0.76. This configuration indicates that the overall trend remains intact, even as short-term volatility creates trading opportunities.

The Bollinger Bands show ADA trading at 79.84% of the band width, suggesting the token remains in the upper portion of its recent range despite the pullback. With an Average True Range of $0.06, Cardano maintains healthy volatility levels for active traders.

Cardano Price Levels: Key Support and Resistance

Current ADA/USDT technical levels provide clear guidance for traders navigating this correction. Cardano support levels emerge at $0.68 for immediate support, with stronger support established at $0.54 – a level that has held during previous market stress.

On the upside, ADA resistance sits firmly at $1.02, representing both the immediate and strong resistance level. This confluence suggests that reclaiming the $1 level will require significant buying pressure, likely from renewed institutional interest or positive market sentiment.

The pivot point at $0.93 offers a key reference for short-term trading decisions. ADA price action above this level maintains the bullish bias, while a sustained break below could signal deeper correction toward the immediate support zone.

Based on Binance spot market data, the 24-hour trading range of $0.91-$0.98 illustrates the current consolidation pattern. Volume remains robust at $217.9 million, indicating continued interest despite the price decline.

Should You Buy ADA Now? Risk-Reward Analysis

For swing traders, the current ADA price pullback presents a potential opportunity to enter positions with defined risk levels. Conservative entries near the $0.90 level offer reasonable risk-reward ratios, with stops below $0.85 and targets at the $1.02 resistance zone.

Day traders should focus on the ADA/USDT pair’s reaction at the $0.93 pivot point. A bounce from this level with increasing volume could signal renewed buying interest, while failure to hold may extend the correction toward $0.68 support.

Long-term investors may view this correction as a healthy pause in Cardano’s broader uptrend. The fundamental backdrop remains supportive, with the approved upgrade package and continued institutional accumulation providing reasons for optimism beyond short-term price fluctuations.

Risk management remains crucial given crypto market volatility. The daily ATR of $0.06 suggests position sizing should account for potential 6-7% daily moves in either direction.

Conclusion

Cardano’s ADA price correction appears to be a natural consolidation following the recent breakout above $1. While technical indicators show mixed signals, the underlying fundamentals remain strong with institutional interest and successful governance implementation. Traders should watch the $0.93 pivot level for directional cues, while the $1.02 resistance zone remains the key target for any renewed rally in the next 24-48 hours.

Image source: Shutterstock


Source: https://blockchain.news/news/20250818-cardano-ada-retreats-after-breaking-1-barrier-despite-whale-accumulation