Cardano Faces Price Resistance After van Rossem Hard Fork

Cardano Faces Price Resistance After van Rossem Hard Fork

Cardano’s price is currently facing challenges following the van Rossem hard fork, which was activated on July 18, 2026. Despite the upgrade, ADA’s price remains under pressure, trading around $0.162 and down approximately 2% over the past 24 hours. This price action has left traders hoping to see ADA overcome its next major resistance level.

Current Market Situation

As of the latest reports, Cardano is struggling to maintain its price above $0.16, with momentum remaining weak. ADA must reclaim the thresholds of $0.17 and $0.19 to indicate a potential reversal from the broader downtrend that has affected the cryptocurrency for several months.

The activation of the van Rossem hard fork, which upgraded Cardano to Protocol Version 11, aimed to enhance the Plutus smart contract framework and set the stage for future scaling. However, despite these improvements, a rally in the token’s price has not yet materialized.

Technical Analysis

The current ADA/USDT daily chart indicates a bearish structure, with the cryptocurrency having fallen significantly from its 2025 highs. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 45.62, below the neutral mark of 50, suggesting that buying momentum has yet to gain a solid foothold.

A critical support area remains around $0.16, which has held firm post-fork. If the price drops past this level, it could be drawn toward the lower Bollinger Band near $0.149. Conversely, a sustained movement above $0.17 is necessary for a potential test of the $0.19 resistance zone.

Market Sentiment and Trading Dynamics

In the wake of the upgrade, market sentiment is mixed. ADA funding rates have turned positive, indicating a shift towards bullish sentiment among traders. However, the long-to-short ratio for ADA remains below 1, suggesting that short positions still outnumber longs. This dichotomy reveals a cautious outlook among derivatives traders, especially considering the short interest levels ahead of the hard fork.

Concluding Thoughts

As traders monitor prices following the van Rossem upgrade, the focus will be on whether ADA can gain significant buying pressure to break through nearby resistance levels. The improvements from the hard fork may bolster the network’s technology, but sustained price increases will depend on broader market conditions and investor confidence.