Arbitrum (ARB) is attempting a strong recovery after a steep sell-off earlier this week, with price rebounding aggressively from the $0.18 region back toward $0.21. The reversal comes as market strategist Michaël van de Poppe points to a “massive bullish divergence” forming on higher timeframes.
ARB Recovers After Deep Dip Into December
The chart shows ARB trading sideways through most of the week before a sharp breakdown pushed price to its lowest levels of the recent trend. Heavy sell volume accompanied the move, reflecting broad risk-off sentiment across altcoins.
The data indicates that once ARB hit the mid-$0.18 level, buyers stepped in with force, producing a fast V-shaped rally that carried the token back above $0.21. The rebound restores ARB to a zone it held for much of the previous week and signals early attempts to regain structure.
Volume expanded notably during the recovery, suggesting the move was driven by meaningful participation rather than thin liquidity.
Van de Poppe: ARB Setup Depends On Bitcoin Clearing $90K
In his analysis, van de Poppe notes that ARB shares the same macro setup playing out across the altcoin market: a recovery phase that hinges on Bitcoin reclaiming strong momentum.
He argues that:
- The market “needs Bitcoin to wake up and break the $90K level.”
- If this occurs, altcoins, including ARB, are likely to outperform BTC.
- ARB remains high on his watchlist due to a large bullish divergence forming on weekly charts.
The chart he shared highlights a prolonged downtrend in ARB/BTC with momentum flattening out, a classic divergence pattern that often precedes trend shifts.
$ARB has the same thesis here.
The markets need to wait for #Bitcoin to be waking up and break the $90K level.
If that happens, then I would assume we're going to see more strength in #Altcoins rather than Bitcoin. $ARB remains on my list. Massive bullish divergence ready to… pic.twitter.com/Jg7lNCrduy
— Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) December 2, 2025
Key Levels To Watch As ARB Tries To Stabilize
On the USD pair, the TradingView data shows ARB attempting to build support after the rebound. The $0.21–$0.22 region serves as an immediate pivot zone, marking the threshold between continuation and further downside risk.
If ARB holds above $0.21 and Bitcoin strengthens over $90K as van de Poppe expects, the token may attempt a reclaim of the broader consolidation zone lost during the recent breakdown.
Altcoin Conditions Still Dependent On Macro Leadership
Despite ARB’s strong bounce, market structure remains fragile. Altcoins have consistently lagged during periods of Bitcoin consolidation, and the current setup appears no different. Van de Poppe’s thesis suggests that genuine strength across L2 tokens will likely follow only after Bitcoin confirms upside continuation.
For now, ARB’s rebound offers the first sign of stabilization after a heavy drop. The coming sessions will determine whether this momentum can extend, or whether the move becomes another reaction inside a still-developing bottoming pattern.
