Hyperliquid: Can HYPE escape $27, or will whales keep price locked in?

As of the 5th of January, the HYPE token remained trapped between the $23 and $27 price range. Despite strong market activity, the price struggled to surpass the $27 resistance.Whale sell orders played a significant role in keeping the price contained. The key question remained: Could HYPE finally break through the $27 barrier, or would whale activity continue to keep it in check?Hyperliquid leads in fees and net inflowsDespite struggling with price resistance, Hyperliquid [HYPE] continued to lead in fees and net inflows. Data from Artemis showed that the token maintained a dominant market position, with significant bridged net inflows reflecting increased cross-chain liquidity.Source: XThese metrics indicated strong engagement with Hyperliquid and its token, showcasing its importance within the decentralized finance space. However, the price remained stuck at key resistance levels, unable to break past the $27 mark.Whale activity dominated the spot marketWhale activity continued to dominate HYPE’s spot market, significantly affecting its price movements. As the price approached the $27 level, large sell orders from whales frequently impacted the token’s price, preventing any major breakout.Source: CryptoQuantThese sell orders likely reflected whales taking profits or positioning for future trades, contributing to the price stagnation. The consistent dominance of whale activity left the market unable to push beyond the $27 resistance.HYPE’s struggle with resistance at $27Sell orders from whales have kept HYPE’s price trapped between $23 and $27. As of the 5th of January, the market remained neutral, with periods of Taker Buy Dominant followed by Taker Sell Dominant.Source: CryptoQuantDespite occasional buying pressure, sell orders have continued to maintain a balance, preventing the price from breaking past the $27 resistance.RSI, MACD suggest bullish momentumAt press time, the RSI for HYPE stood at 63.19, approaching the upper neutral zone. The indicator had not yet entered extreme overbought territory, indicating the possibility of further upward momentum.Source: TradingViewAlong with the RSI, the MACD showed a bullish crossover, with the short-term line above the longer-term line. This signaled that HYPE was experiencing increasing bullish momentum, potentially paving the way for a breakout above the $27 resistance. Thus, HYPE could break free from its downtrend if buying pressure continues.Can HYPE break the $27 barrier?With technical indicators like the RSI and MACD showing bullish momentum, the big question was whether HYPE could break the $27 resistance. Whale sell orders remained a significant factor, but sustained buying pressure could push the price above this key level.Given the bullish signs from the indicators and the high level of market engagement, HYPE could eventually overcome the $27 barrier if market conditions were favorable.Final ThoughtsRSI and MACD showed bullish signs, indicating that HYPE could eventually break the $27 barrier.Whale sell orders continued to pressure the price, making a breakout above $27 uncertain without sustained buying interest.