Riot Vs. MicroStrategy (Strategy) Vs. Block: One Bull, One Bear, One In The Balance Ahead Of Q1 Earnings

As earnings season heats up, three crypto-adjacent players — Riot Platforms Inc RIOT, MicroStrategy Inc (Strategy) MSTR, and Block Inc XYZ — are stepping into the spotlight after the bell today. But heading into their first quarter earnings, the market has already picked its favorites — and its laggards.

Chart created using Benzinga Pro

Let's start with Riot stock, the pure-play Bitcoin BTC/USD miner that's been feeling the heat. Despite a modest 4.91% bounce over the past month, Riot is still down more than 24% year-to-date and nearly 20% over the past year.

Technically, the picture isn't pretty: the stock is trading below its 200-day simple moving averages (SMAs) and right above its 50-day SMA, flashing a strongly bearish trend. Still, there’s a glimmer of hope with the stock trading above its short-term averages. Buying pressure is building, hinting that bargain-hunters might be circling.

Chart created using Benzinga Pro

Across the aisle, MicroStrategy (Strategy) stock is enjoying the kind of bullish momentum Riot can only dream of. The business software firm turned Bitcoin superfan is up a staggering 285% over the past year, and 32% YTD.

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Strategy is trading above every key moving average, including the 200-day SMA of $265.89, with its current price of $396.60 giving out firm bullish signals. It's one of the cleanest bullish charts in the bitcoin ecosystem right now.

Chart created using Benzinga Pro

Then there's Block, the Jack Dorsey-led fintech player that's recently regained some market swagger. While down 31.87% YTD, Block has posted a 6.66% gain this past month.

Technically, it’s a mixed bag: Block stock is trading above the eight-day and 20-day SMAs (bullish), and just above the 50-day, though significantly under the 200-day mark of $72.07. Translation? Investors are warming back up to Block, but the stock still has technical work to do.

With all three set to report earnings after the close, the stakes couldn't be higher. Strategy stock is flying high and priced for perfection, Riot stock is hoping to reverse a bearish drift, and Block is trying to escape the penalty box.

Tonight's reports will tell us which narrative wins — momentum, mean reversion, or maybe a crypto curveball.

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