Litecoin Reaches 8-Month Peak as ETF Holdings Hit New Record — $75 in Sight?

Litecoin is seeing a surge in both institutional and speculative interest. However, derivatives data indicates that leverage, rather than spot buying, is fueling much of the advance.

Open Interest Approaches 2026 High

Litecoin's futures open interest (OI) has risen to approximately $670 million, just shy of its $690 million yearly peak from January. The OI added roughly $140 million over two days and has more than doubled since its June low.

The rise cannot be attributed solely to higher prices. Measured in LTC, open interest increased by roughly 25% in the past week, according to Glassnode. This indicates that traders are initiating new positions.

The last time leverage reached these heights, the outcome was unfavorable. In January, OI peaked as LTC turned lower from above $80. In the weeks that followed, the price fell to around $53.

ETF Holdings Reach New Record

Meanwhile, US spot Litecoin ETF balances tracked by Glassnode hit a record of about 175,000 LTC. Canary Capital's LTCC added roughly 39,000 LTC in its largest single inflow, and its holdings have nearly doubled since January.

Notably, ETF balances continued to rise even during the June crash to $41.

Nevertheless, scale is a factor. The latest inflow is worth about $2.8 million, while open interest increased by roughly $270 million over the same week. ETF demand is growing but remains too small to support the price on its own.

Litecoin Price Analysis: Bulls Challenge Key Resistance

On the daily chart, LTC moved above the 0.5 ($62.09) and 0.618 ($67.47) Fibonacci retracement levels within a single candle. The price then tested the 0.786 area near $75, where it broke down in late January.

The rise above the May high around $60 represents the first higher high since the February–May range, following a series of higher lows since June.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 81, its highest point this year. No bearish divergence is evident, but overbought conditions increase the likelihood of a short-term pullback.

What Lies Ahead for LTC?

A daily close above $75 could pave the way toward $80 and the January high of $84.89.

Should a correction occur, $67.47 serves as the first support level. Below that, the $60–62 area, where the 0.5 level intersects with the former May high, should provide strong support. A daily close below $56.70 would raise doubts about the breakout.

With leverage near yearly peaks, a pullback before the next upward move remains a realistic possibility.