Could be a lot of retail investors buying, but still the signal was a "news", no confirmation/verification in any way. The reaction of a retail need more time, this short burst are always related with bots.

nikotsla

bitcoin

deleted by author

Zepasta

How do we know it's really manipulation and not just a lot of retail investors buying because of the news but then getting scared and selling again when other entities like whales don't believe the news and start to sell?

Is that really "manipulation" or just how markets work?

Or are you saying something else happened?