Bitcoin Demand Improves From June Lows, but Recovery Remains Unclear

Highlights:

• Bitcoin apparent demand improved from -272,000 BTC to -32,000 BTC, but remains negative overall for now.
• CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost says the recovery is encouraging, though it does not confirm a market bottom.
• Bitcoin trades near $63,000 as weak demand and U.S. regulatory delays keep market sentiment cautious.

Bitcoin (BTC) demand has improved sharply since early June, but buyers have not yet gained enough strength to confirm a broader market recovery. CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost said Bitcoin’s apparent demand remains negative at around -32,000 BTC, despite a major improvement from -272,000 BTC when the current consolidation range began in early June.

Darkfost shared the analysis on August 15, using CryptoQuant on-chain data. According to the analyst, the recovery in demand is a positive development, but the current reading is still not strong enough to signal a clear shift in Bitcoin’s market trend.

🔴 Apparent demand has clearly improved but remains negative at -32,000 BTC.

BTC started this new consolidation range in early June, when demand was estimated at -272,000 BTC.

This is a positive development, but not enough yet.

We saw this type of pattern in February and May… pic.twitter.com/iERmYsNodQ

— Darkfost (@Darkfost_Coc) August 15, 2026

Bitcoin Apparent Demand Recovers From June Lows

Apparent demand is a metric used to estimate whether longer-term Bitcoin accumulation can absorb newly created BTC. Darkfost explained that the indicator compares new Bitcoin issuance with supply that has remained inactive for more than one year.

A move from -272,000 BTC to -32,000 BTC shows that the gap has narrowed considerably. However, demand remains below zero, which means the market has not yet reached a clear positive demand environment. Darkfost also warned against treating the improvement as confirmation of a Bitcoin recovery. Similar patterns appeared in February and May, before demand weakened again.

Another factor may be Bitcoin mining activity. The analyst said lower hashrate has reduced average BTC issuance, which could partly explain why the apparent demand reading has improved. Therefore, the latest move may not come entirely from stronger buying. For now, Darkfost believes the trend deserves close attention but has not developed into a strong positive signal.

Bitcoin Bottom Signals Begin to Appear

The demand data comes as other Bitcoin indicators are also moving toward levels previously associated with market bottoms. In an earlier analysis, Darkfost pointed to Bitcoin’s Sharpe ratio, a measure commonly used to compare returns with the level of risk taken. The one-year percentage change in the indicator has approached an extreme level near -10%.

According to the analyst, similar extremes have previously appeared around Bitcoin bottoming periods. However, he stressed that the signal does not confirm that the bear market is over. Market bottoms can take time to develop, meaning Bitcoin could continue trading sideways or experience further volatility before a stronger trend appears.

A new indicator once again reaching an extreme.

— 💡 For those unfamiliar with the Sharpe ratio, it’s an indicator commonly used in traditional finance to gauge whether, for the risk taken, the expected return is worth it.

This is not a signal that the bear market is over, but… pic.twitter.com/ZCFiciDBfk

— Darkfost (@Darkfost_Coc) August 14, 2026

Bitcoin Price Stays Near $63,000 as Regulatory Delays Continue

Bitcoin was trading at around $62,963 at the time of writing, up roughly 0.22% over the previous 24 hours, according to CoinMarketCap. BTC also remains about 50% below its all-time high of $126,198, reached on October 6 last year.

Meanwhile, regulatory uncertainty in the United States continues to affect crypto market sentiment. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) canceled a scheduled meeting on new crypto rules because of an unforeseen scheduling issue. The meeting was expected to consider exemptions for crypto companies raising capital. The delay followed another setback for the industry after the U.S. Senate entered its August recess without voting on the CLARITY Act, a major crypto market structure bill.