Traders brace for Bart Simpson pattern as bitcoin and XRP prices slide

Crypto analysts are pointing to cartoon-style price action as leading digital assets lose ground.

— Bitcoin, XRP and other cryptocurrencies are flashing signals of a possible «Bart Simpson» pattern, where a sudden surge and range-bound trading give way to a sharp drop.

— Bitcoin jumped from around $64,420 on Aug. 19 to almost $80,700 on Aug. 25, before pulling back to roughly $76,500. However, some analysts believe the pattern won’t be considered complete unless the price declines by at least 20%.

— Analysts cautioned that bitcoin could slip toward $70,000 or even $58,000 if selling pressure grows, while XRP might fall as low as $0.46 in a more pessimistic scenario.

Crypto traders are once again calling on «Bart Simpson,» the spiky-haired animated kid from «The Simpsons.»

The trigger? Bitcoin

Spotters highlighted the formation on Sept. 1, sparking fresh discussion across crypto X. Ben Cowen, market analyst and founder of Into the Cryptoverse, told his 1.2 million X followers that the pattern was taking shape.

The pattern unfolds in three stages. First comes the Spike, a rapid and aggressive price move upward or downward that lures ordinary buyers into chasing the trend. Then comes the Flat Range, or the head, where the price drifts sideways within a narrow band as trading volume usually fades. Finally, there’s the Snap Back, a sharp reversal opposite the direction of the original Spike. Stack the three together, and Bart Simpson’s outline emerges on the chart.

The Spike kicked off on Aug. 19, when BTC was changing hands near $64,420. By Aug. 21, bitcoin’s price had climbed nearly $14,000 to about $78,300, ultimately running into resistance just below $80,700 on Aug. 25. As of writing, bitcoin was hovering around the $76,500 mark, according to Decryptnews data.

Plotted on a chart, the same price action unmistakably mirrors Bart Simpson taking form, with the final snap back now playing out.

Reactions on X are split. Many traders are skeptical the pattern will finish, expecting bitcoin to sustain its upward momentum, while others see a potential pullback as a chance to buy ahead of the next bull cycle.

If Bart Simpson does appear, bitcoin’s price would drop by at least 20%, said Mati Greenspan, founder of Quantum Economics and former senior analyst at eToro. Still, Greenspan said he doubts it will occur.

«It’s only a Bart Simpson if it falls 20%,» Greenspan said, pointing out that such setups were a hallmark of bitcoin’s thinner, less developed markets.

«I can’t recall seeing a clean one in years,» he said, «though they could still occur. But as liquidity, market depth and institutional involvement have grown, they’ve seemingly faded from bitcoin’s usual price behavior.»

Bart Simpson patterns aren’t unique to bitcoin, Greenspan noted, adding that the picture looks entirely different for XRP.

«Given XRP’s almost vertical run from around $1 to $1.70, the setup is definitely there. If it retraces sharply back to where the rally started, XRP won’t just be a memory of 2017; it’ll have the haircut to prove it.»

The Spike phase for XRP began on the same day and time as BTC’s. The price shot up from $1 to $1.52 by Aug. 22. It has since entered the Flat Range phase but has been drifting lower, sitting around $1.32 at the time of writing.

Frank Hepworth, CEO and founder of New Market Trading, sees the current chart as a clear warning sign, describing the Bart Simpson shape as a classic distribution pattern in which large holders unload into retail buying.

Hepworth noted that «Bart’s hair» formed as bitcoin repeatedly ran into resistance at its 50-week moving average near $81,000, a threshold he calls the «last line in the sand» for bears. Because bitcoin failed to break through that barrier, Hepworth cautions the market could retreat toward $70,000, or even $58,000 if selling accelerates, which has led his firm to cut its exposure.

Reinforcing the bearish view on XRP, Hepworth warned that XRP is especially exposed to a steep sell-off given its weakening performance against bitcoin.

With the XRP/BTC pair slipping back below its 20-week moving average, Hepworth expects XRP to lag bitcoin if the market corrects. If bitcoin pulls back toward $70,000, Hepworth forecasts XRP could fall to between $0.55 and $1.21. If bitcoin drops further to $58,000, XRP could plunge to $0.46.

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