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Cryptocurrency markets have shown limited momentum this week, with both Bitcoin and Ethereum lingering in narrow price ranges. This price action comes on the heels of the US Federal Reserve’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged. Traders and investors appeared to have taken a wait-and-see approach, leaving the largest digital assets stuck in consolidation without any breakout in either direction. Fed Policy And Market Expectations The Federal Reserve chose to hold benchmark interest rates at 3.50-3.75% in its latest policy meeting on Wedensday, a decision that was largely anticipated by markets. Still, this meeting marked the first pause in policy easing since July 2025, ending a stretch where the central bank cut rates three times last year while assessing how the economy was responding to President Donald Trump’s combative fiscal and trade policies. Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Following The 2022 Fractal? Here Was The Previous Outcome By choosing to step back from further cuts, policymakers have now taken a more cautious stance before adjusting rates again. However, two governors dissented, preferring a quarter-point cut. Stephen Miran, as well as Christopher Waller, advocated for a 25-basis-point cut. The pause is continued caution about inflation and economic data, suggesting further easing won’t come without clear evidence of weaker economic conditions. In its statement, the Federal Reserve noted that the Committee is strongly committed to supporting maximum employment and returning inflation to its 2% objective. This kind of higher-for-longer message can dampen risk appetite, and cryptocurrencies, which are viewed as risk assets, are feeling the impact. Bitcoin And Ethereum Locked In Tight Consolidation Recent price action across Bitcoin and Ethereum continues to indicate a market stuck in indecision. Bitcoin briefly tested the psychological $90,000 level but failed to establish acceptance above it, slipping back into a narrow range around $87,000 to $89,000.  Related Reading: Analyst Says You’re Not Bullish Enough On Ethereum – What Does He Mean? A recent rejection at $90,000 has limited upside follow-through and has kept both buyers and sellers cautious, as neither side has been able to take control. This lack of momentum is also reflected in steady outflows from Spot Bitcoin ETFs, which witnessed $28.1 million in outflows in the past 24 hours. Ethereum has mirrored Bitcoin’s behavior almost step for step. The price broke above $3,000 very briefly in the past 24 hours, but it has since rejected and is back to trading around $2,900. This movement puts it oscillating within a tight band without delivering a decisive breakout or breakdown. Interestingly, Spot Ethereum ETFs, on the other hand, had $28.10 million in inflows in the past 24 hours. Although on-chain indicators like increasing wallet participation show underlying engagement, those signals have yet to translate into a sustained bullish momentum. Profit-taking near the $3,000 resistance and uncertainty have continued to restrict short-term gains. As it stands, both Bitcoin and Ethereum seem likely to remain confined to their current ranges until a stronger catalyst emerges. Featured image from iStock, chart from Tradingview.com

A report from on-chain analytics firm Glassnode has highlighted how transitions into strong upside phases have historically required liquidity to hold above a key threshold. Bitcoin Rally Could Require Realized Profit/Loss Ratio To Rise Above 5 In its latest weekly report, Glassnode has talked about liquidity conditions present on the Bitcoin network as the asset’s price has gone through a drawdown following its failed recovery attempt earlier in the month. Related Reading: Bitcoin Death Cross That Last Preceded A 66% Drop Is Back “Any meaningful transition back toward a sustained rally should objectively be reflected in liquidity-sensitive indicators such as the Realized Profit/Loss Ratio (90D-SMA),” explained the analytics firm. The Realized Profit/Loss Ratio refers to an indicator that, as its name suggests, compares the realized profit and loss that BTC investors realize from their transactions. When the value of this metric is greater than 1, it means the holders as a whole are realizing a higher amount of profit than loss. On the other hand, the indicator being under the threshold suggests loss-taking is dominant on the network. Naturally, if the Realized Profit/Loss Ratio is exactly equal to 1, the average holder can be assumed to be just breaking even on their selling, with profits and losses being harvested on the blockchain exactly canceling each other out. Now, here is a chart that shows the trend in the 90-day moving average (MA) of this Bitcoin indicator over the past decade: As displayed in the above graph, the 90-day MA Bitcoin Realized Profit/Loss Ratio hit a peak during the second half of 2025 as investors exited with gains in the bull run. Since this high, however, the indicator has seen a sharp decline. At the peak, the metric’s value reached close to 20, indicating profits outweighed losses by nearly 20 times, but recently, it has slipped all the way down to a level less than 2. Profit-taking is still dominant in the sector from the perspective of the indicator, but profits are less than double the losses now. According to Glassnode, transitions into strong upsides have historically required this metric to rise and hold above a value of 5. Currently, the metric’s trajectory is still pointing down, so it’s uncertain whether it will see any improvement in the near future and if it does, whether it will climb back above this threshold. Related Reading: Bitcoin Supply In Loss Turns Upward—Early Bear Market Signal? That said, twice in this cycle alone, Bitcoin liquidity has gone under this level and managed to return above it. Though in both of those instances, it found a bottom at levels noticeably above the current value. BTC Price At the time of writing, Bitcoin is floating around $87,800, down 2.4% over the last seven days. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com

Gold and other hard assets are rallying on dollar weakness, but bitcoin is lagging as markets continue to treat it as a liquidity-sensitive risk asset.

A cryptocurrency analyst has pointed out how Bitcoin has recently formed a technical crossover that preceded bearish shifts in the past. Bitcoin Has Seen A Death Cross Between 21-Day & 50-Day SMAs In a new post on X, analyst Ali Martinez has shared a daily price chart for Bitcoin showcasing a crossover between two simple moving averages (SMAs) that the asset has gone through recently. An SMA is a statistical tool that averages a quantity over a given period of time and that, as its name suggests, updates in time with the quantity. This tool can be useful for studying long-term trends, as it smooths out the graph by eliminating short-term fluctuations. Related Reading: Bitcoin Supply In Loss Turns Upward—Early Bear Market Signal? SMAs can be taken over any window, but in the context of the current topic, two specific periods are of relevance: 21-day and 50-day. Below is the chart posted by Martinez that shows the trend in these SMAs for Bitcoin over the past decade. From the graph, it’s visible that the daily Bitcoin price has seen its 21-day SMA fall below the 50-day one recently. In the past, this crossover has tended to act as a “death cross” for the cryptocurrency, with its price plunging after the signal’s appearance. In the chart, the analyst has highlighted the previous instances of this death cross. It would appear that the asset experienced drawdowns ranging between 54% and 69% following the crossover. The most recent occurrence of the crossover was in 2022, leading into a price decline of almost 66% to the bear market bottom. Given the past pattern, it only remains to be seen whether the 21-day SMA going below the 50-day SMA will prove to be bearish for Bitcoin this time. In the scenario that bearish momentum does follow for the asset, it could be at risk of breaching below an on-chain level known as the Realized Price-to-Liveliness Ratio. This level represents the ratio between two on-chain indicators: the Realized Price and Liveliness. The first of these tracks the cost basis of the average investor or address on the Bitcoin blockchain, while the latter encapsulates the spending/HODLing behavior of long-term investors. As Martinez has highlighted in another X post, Bitcoin has been trading near the Realized Price-to-Liveliness Ratio recently. As displayed in the above graph, the Bitcoin Realized Price-to-Liveliness Ratio is situated around $87,500 right now. BTC briefly fell below this mark during the Sunday dip, but the coin has since recovered back above it. Related Reading: Next Ethereum Move Hinges On This Level, Says Glassnode Analyst “The last time Bitcoin $BTC fell below the Realized Price-to-Liveliness Ratio, it moved toward the Realized Price,” noted the analyst. Currently, the Realized Price is located at $56,000. BTC Price At the time of writing, Bitcoin is floating around $89,500, up 2% in the last seven days. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com

Crypto research firm CryptoQuant has flagged a potentially troubling development for Bitcoin (BTC) and the wider digital asset market, pointing to an early warning signal that has historically appeared ahead of prolonged downturns.  In a report released Wednesday, the firm noted that Bitcoin’s supply in loss metric has begun to rise again, a shift that has often marked the early stages of past bear markets. Possible Shift Toward Bear Market Structure According to analysis by CryptoQuant contributor Woominkyu, increases in supply held at a loss tend to signal that market weakness is spreading beyond short‑term traders and gradually affecting longer‑term holders. In previous market cycles, including 2014, 2018, and 2022, this indicator started trending upward well before prices reached their eventual lows.  Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Braces For FOMC Volatility As History Shows Major Post‑Fed Sell‑Offs During those periods, Bitcoin prices continued to decline even after the metric turned higher, with true market bottoms forming only once supply in loss expanded much further and broader capitulation set in. At present, CryptoQuant notes that Bitcoin’s supply in loss remains well below levels typically associated with full market capitulation. However, the change in direction itself is significant.  The analysts say it suggests the market may be shifting into a bearish structural phase, rather than experiencing a brief correction within an ongoing bull market. Bitcoin’s recent price action appears to reflect that uncertainty. The asset is currently trading around $89,700 and has struggled to reclaim the key $90,000 level as support.  This follows a steady decline from earlier yearly-highs near $98,000, where upward momentum faded as buying pressure weakened and gains recorded at the start of the year were fully erased. US Dollar Tests Historic Zone For Bitcoin Rallies Despite these cautionary signals, not all analysts believe the outlook is entirely negative. Analysts at Bull Theory have highlighted a potentially bullish catalyst that could emerge in the months ahead, centered on movements in the US dollar.  In a recent post on social media platform X (previously Twitter) the firm pointed out that the US Dollar Index is testing the same zone that preceded major Bitcoin bull runs in both 2017 and 2021. According to their analysis, the Dollar Index has broken below a long‑term trendline that has held for roughly 16 years and is now hovering around the critical level of 96. Historically, periods when the DXY fell below 96 and remained there coincided with strong Bitcoin rallies.  Related Reading: Crypto Funds Funneled To Money Launderers Hit $82 Billion, According To Chainalysis As seen in the chart below, in mid‑2017, the index dropped under that level, after which Bitcoin surged nearly eightfold over the following five to six months. A similar pattern played out during the 2020 pandemic era.  When a wave of liquidity entered financial markets at the time, the DXY again slipped below 96, and Bitcoin went on to rise roughly seven times over the next seven to eight months. During that same period, Ethereum (ETH) and many altcoins posted gains of tenfold or more. For now, the market sits at a crossroads. On‑chain data points to early bear‑market dynamics, while macro signals linked to the US dollar offer a counter‑narrative that could favor renewed strength.  Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Bitcoin’s unusually subdued options pricing and weak month-to-date activity are setting up what ProCap CIO and Bitwise adviser Jeff Park calls a dangerous asymmetry: upside momentum is unlikely without volatility, and the longer BTC stays “quiet,” the more violent the eventual move could be. In a post via X on Jan.27, Park described the current tape as “still a trader’s market,” arguing that low implied volatility and thin participation are a poor foundation for a clean grind higher. “It is very unlikely for Bitcoin to find momentum to the upside without experiencing significantly higher volatility,” he wrote. “The fact that we are at ~38 IV combined with horrible volume MTD gives me pause (lower than ANY month of 2025, and especially bad for January in general) when you can see what the metals complex is doing. You literally can’t imagine a worse set up for disappointment.” What Happened In Silver And Why It Could Repeat For Bitcoin Park’s reference point is a silver market that has gone from strong to disorderly. Silver prices have surged above $117 per ounce on Monday, with reports pointing to a speculative bid layered on top of tight physical conditions and heavy retail participation via bars, coins, and physically backed ETFs. Related Reading: Bitcoin Won’t Break Out Until The Fed Steps Into Yen/JGB Chaos: Arthur Hayes The move also featured a sharp single-day jump. On Jan. 26, the most-active silver futures contract rose 14%, the largest one-day gain since 1985. That price action coincided with a staggering surge in trading and options activity across silver vehicles. Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas highlighted the scale: “WHOA: The volume in the SLV is $32b.. that 15x its avg and by far the most volume of any security on the planet. For context, SPY is $24b, NVDA and TSLA $16b. Can’t remember the last time something so relatively small took over like this. Game Stop maybe.” WHOA: The volume in the $SLV is $32b.. that 15x its avg and by far the most volume of any security on the planet. For context, $SPY is $24b, $NVDA and $TSLA $16b. Can’t remember the last time something so relatively small took over like this. Game Stop maybe. pic.twitter.com/s6lVajUq4J — Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) January 26, 2026 He later added that SLV “ended up trading $40b worth of shares [on Monday],” adding: “To put that into perspective, that’s more than it traded in all of Q1 last year. Jan + Feb +Mar = $35b. Options volume also in stratosphere. It’s already done $1.5b in pre-market, which is 3x more than any other ETF, 5x more than Tesla, Nvidia. Again, reminds me of Game Stop in its how is this even possible-ness.” “Paper” Exposure As An Accelerant A common crypto refrain is that “synthetic” or “paper” bitcoin suppresses spot price. Park argued the opposite dynamic is often underappreciated and he used silver to illustrate how leverage and market structure can turn into the catalyst. Related Reading: Expert Who Nailed The Bitcoin Top Now Says Buy At These Levels “People often blame incorrectly that ‘synthetic/paper’ bitcoin is the cause of price suppression,” Park wrote. “I have long argued it is quite the opposite, which you can see how it manifests in silver below- Silver didn’t have a 6-sigma event because the spot market was so vibrant.” In his telling, silver’s melt-up wasn’t driven by orderly spot demand; it was driven by the “shenanigans” inside financialized exposure. “Silver’s record-setting meltup comes from all the shenanigans behind ‘paper silver’ where margin rules, leveraged instruments and vehicles, and liquidity and maturity transformation mismatches create tremendous pressure on breaking points where no physical supply can be introduced fast enough to counter the velocity of paper supply,” he said. “For Park, the takeaway is directional but not calendar-specific. “To root for Bitcoin is to root for its volatility,” he wrote. “Anyone who tells you otherwise does not understand the fundamentals of the commodities market … It may not be today or yet tomorrow, but eventually Bitcoin is going to rip many faces off. Volatility or bust.” At press time, BTC traded at $89,430. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

Bitcoin price started a recovery wave above $89,500 but failed above $90,000. BTC is declining and might dip further if it breaks $88,000. Bitcoin failed to remain above $90,000 and started another decline. The price is trading above $88,200 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. There is a rising channel forming with support at $88,100 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken). The pair might dip further if it trades below the $88,000 and $87,500 levels. Bitcoin Price Faces Rejection Bitcoin price remained stable above the $88,000 support. BTC formed a base and recently started a recovery wave above the $88,500 level. The price climbed above the $89,000 and $89,500 levels. There was a move above the 76.4% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $91,098 swing high to the $86,007 low. The bulls even pushed the price above $90,000 but they failed to keep the price in a positive zone. There was a fresh decline below $89,000. Bitcoin is now trading above $88,200 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. Besides, there is a rising channel forming with support at $88,100 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. If the price remains stable above $88,000, it could attempt a fresh increase. Immediate resistance is near the $89,150 level. The first key resistance is near the $89,800 level. A close above the $89,800 resistance might send the price further higher. In the stated case, the price could rise and test the $90,250 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $91,200 level. The next barrier for the bulls could be $92,000 and $92,500. Another Rejection In BTC? If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $89,150 resistance zone, it could start another decline. Immediate support is near the $88,200 level. The first major support is near the $88,000 level. The next support is now near the $87,200 zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $87,000 support in the near term. The main support sits at $86,000, below which BTC might struggle to recover in the near term. Technical indicators: Hourly MACD – The MACD is now gaining pace in the bearish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is now below the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $88,200, followed by $87,000. Major Resistance Levels – $89,150 and $89,800.

Reports note that retail investors have been hopping from one market to another this month, following whatever asset is moving the most. Social chatter about gold and silver has outpaced crypto on many days, based on Santiment’s social data. That doesn’t mean crypto is dead. Far from it. But right now the spotlight has been on metals, and chatter often moves faster than prices. Related Reading: Record Pain: Bitcoin Investors Suffer $4.5B Loss, Most In 3 Years Retail Chatter Follows Price Moves According to Santiment, gold jumped in interest during the second week of January when it set fresh highs. Social feeds lit up. Traders talked about gains, charts, and quick flips. Then, around Jan. 19 to Jan. 22, crypto briefly reclaimed attention as some traders looked to buy dips in falling markets. The pattern shows how fast attention can switch. One minute one market rules the feeds. The next minute another does. ???? Are crypto traders & investors checked out? Based on social data across crypto social media circles, the focus in January has turned from: ???? Week 1: Minimal discourse as traders return from holidays (Crypto rises while traders sleep) ???? Week 2: Gold discussions erupt as the… pic.twitter.com/U5X0VzAGPb — Santiment (@santimentfeed) January 26, 2026 Search Trends Paint A Shifting Picture Based on Google Trends data, crypto searches hit a high point on Jan. 21, with Bitcoin scoring 100 on one day and dipping to lower levels over the weekend. Silver’s search interest peaked on Jan. 22. Reports note people were searching for phrases like “Silver price today,” “best crypto,” and “Bitcoin price.” That mix suggests casual users and new traders are toggling between simple how-to queries and price checks, depending on which asset is making headlines. Silver’s Wild Ride Warns Of Hype Santiment’s team pointed to a dramatic move in silver where prices briefly jumped above $117 and then plunged to below $102 within a couple of hours. That kind of swing is a classic sign of strong FOMO followed by fast selling. Retail excitement can lift a price quickly. It can also reverse it just as fast. Many traders who piled in at the peak likely felt the sting when the pullback came. Parallels Between Metals And Crypto Coach JV, a popular XRP commentator, argued that the forces acting on silver and gold could also shape Bitcoin and XRP when the same pressures build in those markets. What’s happening in silver will happen to Bitcoin and XRP. Paper markets suppress price… until reality breaks them. No timeline. No hype. When it snaps, it won’t rise slowly; it will reprice violently. — Coach, JV (@Coachjv_) January 26, 2026 He warned that if paper markets finally loosen their grip, repricing could be sharp. No dates were offered. The point was clear: a sudden shift can move prices quickly and surprise a lot of people. Related Reading: PayPal Survey: 4 In 10 US Merchants Now Accept Crypto Short-term traders will watch social feeds and search trends closely. Long-term investors should be aware that spikes driven by hype rarely end quietly. While the current buzz is about precious metals, history shows attention can swing back to crypto fast — sometimes in as little as a few days. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

On-chain data shows the Bitcoin Supply in Loss indicator has witnessed a shift in direction that has often led into bearish phases in past cycles. 365-Day SMA Of The Bitcoin Supply In Loss Has Been Rising Recently As pointed out by an analyst in a CryptoQuant Quicktake post, the Bitcoin Supply in Loss has started to trend up again. This metric measures, as its name suggests, the percentage of the total BTC circulating supply that’s currently being held at some net unrealized loss. Related Reading: Next Ethereum Move Hinges On This Level, Says Glassnode Analyst The indicator works by scanning through the transaction history of each token in circulation to determine the price at which it was last transacted on the network. If this previous transaction value for any coin was greater than the latest spot price, then the metric assumes that particular token to be underwater. The Supply in Loss adds up all coins falling in this category and finds what part of the supply they make up for. A counterpart metric known as the Supply in Profit tracks the supply of the opposite type. Since the total supply must add up to a 100%, however, the Supply in Profit is simply equal to the Supply in Loss subtracted from 100. Now, here is a chart that shows the trend in the 365-day simple moving average (SMA) of the Bitcoin Supply in Loss over the cryptocurrency’s history: As displayed in the above graph, the 365-day SMA Bitcoin Supply in Loss plummeted to the lowest point for the cycle back in October. This plunge came as the asset rallied to a new all-time high (ATH) beyond the $126,000 level. Since the low, however, the indictor has witnessed a rapid climb, a consequence of the bearish momentum that BTC has faced following its ATH. So far, the indicator hasn’t risen to a significant level compared to past capitulation levels, but the change in direction has been solidifying itself. “Historically, this shift has marked the early phase of bear markets, when losses begin to spread beyond short-term holders and gradually reach longer-term participants,” explained the quant. From the chart, it’s visible that bearish transitions in past cycles occurred as the indicator shot up, with a high value in it coinciding with the cycle bottom. Related Reading: Bitcoin Social Interest Fades As Retail Chases Gold, Silver Hype Whether the recent reversal in the Supply in Loss is the beginning of something similar only remains to be seen. Earlier in this cycle, an upward turn in the indicator ended up only being temporary, as the H1-2025 drawdown gave way to renewed bullish momentum rather than a prolonged bear phase. BTC Price At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading around $89,000, up over 1% in the last 24 hours. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com

South Dakota has a new bill on the table that would let the state put up to 10% of certain public funds into Bitcoin. Reports say Rep. Logan Manhart filed House Bill 1155 this week, restarting an effort that stalled last year. Related Reading: PayPal Survey: 4 In 10 US Merchants Now Accept Crypto The measure would change state investment rules to give the State Investment Council explicit authority to hold Bitcoin in its portfolio. Lawmaker Files Bill For Bitcoin Reserve According to filings and public posts, Manhart’s proposal mirrors a move he tried in 2025 and keeps a clear cap on exposure: 10% of the moneys made available for investment. The bill text says the limit “may not exceed 10%” and lays out options for how the exposure could be taken, including direct holdings or regulated products. A South Dakota lawmaker is reviving a push to bring bitcoin into state finances. Republican Rep. Logan Manhart introduced House Bill 1155, which would allow the state to invest up to 10% of eligible public funds in bitcoin. It’s a renewed effort after a similar bill stalled… pic.twitter.com/hPBbiSB6zT — Timmy Shen (@timmyhmshen) January 28, 2026 The new push comes after last year’s proposal was deferred in committee. Reports note that HB 1202 was put aside during the 2025 session and did not advance, and Manhart signaled he would try again in 2026. That history matters because it shows the idea has support in some corners but also faces practical and political hurdles. What The Bill Allows Based on reports, the bill not only sets a 10% ceiling but also tries to handle custody and security concerns. It mentions requirements such as using qualified custodians or exchange-traded products, encrypted storage, and multi-signature controls. Those rules are aimed at lowering the risks that come with holding a volatile asset with public money. Supporters say Bitcoin could act as a hedge and add a new type of asset to the state’s mix. Opponents point to volatility and possible legal or accounting issues when state funds are used in this way. Related Reading: Record Pain: Bitcoin Investors Suffer $4.5B Loss, Most In 3 Years The debate will likely hinge on how the State Investment Council evaluates risk and which funds would be considered “eligible” under the bill’s language. Political And Financial Pushback There is practical pushback from fiscal watchdogs and some lawmakers who worry about public perception. Money managed for things like pensions carries duty of care. That duty was stressed last session and will be raised again now that the bill is back. The point has been made plainly and will shape committee hearings. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

The Hyperliquid price is seeing renewed bullish momentum, recording double gains over the last week and bucking the broader crypto market downtrend. This comes thanks to bullish fundamentals in the token’s ecosystem, including a rise in open interest on the decentralized exchange (DEX).  Why The Hyperliquid Price Is Rising  The Hyperliquid price is up over 58% in the last seven days, outpacing the broader crypto market as Bitcoin trades just below the psychological $90,000 level. This price surge has come on the back of a rise in Hyperliquid’s HIP-3 open interest. The DEX announced in an X post that open interest reached an all-time high of $790 million, driven recently by a surge in commodities trading.  Related Reading: XRP, HBAR, And Litecoin: Pundit Highlights Coins To Watch In 2026 The exchange added that HIP-3’s open interest has been hitting new all-time highs each week, after being just $260 million a month ago. HIP-3 enables anyone to launch a custom perpetual market for crypto, commodities such as gold and silver, and other assets such as stocks. Thanks to this upgrade, the DEX is seeing increased trading activity, which has led to a surge in the Hyperliquid price.  Notably, the Hyperliquid price has benefited from the precious metals boom, with the silver perpetuals market on the DEX seeing massive trading activity. CoinGecko data shows that the Silver perpetuals market is the third-largest traded in the last 24 hours, behind Bitcoin and Ethereum, with a trading volume of just over $1 billion.  In an X post, Hyperliquid’s co-founder Jeff Yan noted that the DEX has achieved an important milestone of becoming the most liquid venue for crypto price discovery in the world. This came as he highlighted the order books for BTC perps on Binance and his DEX. He added that Hyperliquid has also grown to become the most liquid venue for perps on traditional-finance (TradFi) assets.  Little Selling Pressure And Huge Buying Pressure For HYPE In an X post, Hyperliquid stakeholder Henrik noted that the Hyperliquid price is also rising as major selling pressure is gone. On the other hand, HYPE is seeing significant demand, including from digital asset treasuring companies such as Hyperliquid Strategies. He further highlighted the imminent Kraken HYPE listing, which is also bullish for the token. Meanwhile, Henrik stated that Hyperliquid dominates all trading metrics, including volume and open interest.  Related Reading: Here’s Why The Bitcoin, Ethereum, And Solana Prices Are Still Crashing Hard The increase in the DEX’s trading activity is also significant and bullish for the Hyperliquid price, as the majority of fees earned on the protocol are directed to the Assistance Fund, which is used to buy back HYPE tokens on the open market. DeFiLlama data shows that the DEX is currently among the top five protocols by fees generated over the last 24 hours. At the time of writing, the Hyperliquid price is at around $34, up over 27% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Medium, chart from Tradingview.com

The Bitcoin and Ethereum prices rallied after reports of the US dollar crashing spread across the market. Recent data show that the US dollar has fallen to its lowest level in four years, raising concerns about the strength of the world’s dominant reserve currency. As the dollar weakens, market players are beginning to shift attention to alternative assets such as precious metals and digital currencies, including BTC, which is increasingly viewed as a potential hedge against rising inflation and currency depreciation.  US Dollar Falls To Lows Not Seen In 4 Years New reports from Bloomberg highlight the relentless slide in the US dollar index (DXY) over recent weeks, with the price tumbling further after President Donald Trump’s comments on the currency’s performance. Sources reveal that Trump said the dollar is “doing great,” despite its ongoing downturn.  Related Reading: Analyst Says Chainlink Price Could Crash 50% If This Level Fails Traders interpreted the President’s seemingly indifferent response to the declining dollar as a signal that the slide could continue, triggering further selling pressure. Data from the web-based stock market research platform Finviz shows that, as of writing, the US dollar index has crashed to 95.92 from a previous level near 100. This marks its weakest level in nearly four years, specifically since 2022.  Additionally, Bloomberg reported that its Dollar Spot Index also recorded its lowest four-day decline since Trump announced new tariffs in April 2025. Traders in the $9.5 trillion per-day currency markets are also increasingly betting that the dollar could decline further, as US policy risks weigh on the world’s primary reserve currency.  Amidst the decline in the US dollar index, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum are posting gains. BTC’s price rose above $89,000, while Ethereum has climbed more than 3% to reach above $3,000, in the past 24 hours. This simultaneous rally in cryptocurrencies alongside the weakening US dollar suggests that investors may be shifting capital to risk-on assets.  Market analyst ‘Master of Crypto’ recently outlined several reasons behind the continued decline in the weakening US dollar in a post on X. He explained that large budget deficits, the FED’s challenge of balancing inflation control with job market stability, steady bond supply, and FX hedging activities are keeping the US dollar near recent lows. According to him, in this type of market environment, holding idle cash becomes a significant risk for investors.  Related Reading: Here’s How Much XRP Ripple Execs Have Dumped So Far Possible Implications For The Bitcoin And Ethereum Price Historically, periods of US dollar weakness have often coincided with rallies in Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies. When the dollar declines, investors sometimes seek alternative assets to preserve value. This can increase demand for Bitcoin and Ethereum, which are viewed by many as alternative stores of value and risk-on assets.  While this correlation is not a clear indication of a potential cryptocurrency rally, analysts like ‘Milk Road Macro’ suggest that the declining dollar could help support a broader crypto market recovery. He said that as the dollar weakens, capital will flow into precious metals like gold and silver. Soon after, this same capital is expected to rotate into BTC, potentially fueling a price rebound.  Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com

Arthur Hayes says Bitcoin’s next leg higher is less about crypto-specific catalysts and more about whether US policymakers are forced to respond to mounting stress in Japan’s currency and government bond markets. stress he argues will ultimately translate into fresh dollar liquidity. In his latest essay, “Woomph,” published Wednesday, Hayes frames the recent yen weakness and a selloff in long-dated Japanese government bonds (JGBs) as the kind of systemic “alarm sound” that precedes official intervention. “The financial markets went woomph as the yen weakened and JGB prices collapsed,” he wrote. “Therefore, analyzing the fragility that the yen and JGB injects into global markets at this juncture is extremely important. Will a meltdown of the yen and JGB markets cause some sort of money printing by the BOJ or the Fed? The answer is yes, and this essay will explain the mechanics of the said intervention that was foreshadowed last Friday.” Related Reading: Bitcoin Social Interest Fades As Retail Chases Gold, Silver Hype Hayes lays out a step-by-step scenario in which the New York Fed expands bank reserves, sells dollars for yen, and then deploys that yen into JGB purchases, effectively stabilizing both USD/JPY and Japan’s long-end yields while warehousing FX and duration risk on the Fed’s balance sheet. In his telling, the signature will be visible in a specific line item: “Foreign Currency Denominated Assets” on the Fed’s weekly H.4.1 balance sheet release. If that figure grows rapidly, Hayes argues it would suggest the Fed has begun accumulating foreign-currency assets, potentially JGBs, consistent with the intervention pathway he describes. The policy motive, he adds, is not charity. Hayes points to Japan’s large stock of foreign assets and its role as a major holder of US Treasuries, arguing that rising JGB yields could pull Japanese capital home and pressure US borrowing costs. Japanese policy debates over yen weakness and the BOJ’s tightening path, and the BOJ itself held its policy rate at 0.75% on January 23. Hayes centers on what he calls a deliberately telegraphed signal: market chatter that US officials had “checked prices” with Wall Street dealers, language traders often interpret as a precursor to FX intervention. The Financial Times reported that a US “rate check” helped drive a sharp yen move and stoked speculation about coordinated action. Related Reading: Expert Who Nailed The Bitcoin Top Now Says Buy At These Levels He also suggests the BOJ’s decision to stand pat, despite what he characterizes as a market demanding a stronger defense of the yen and the bond market, increased the odds of US help. Japan’s political backdrop matters here too: Sanae Takaichi dissolved parliament and set a snap election for February 8, a move widely covered in international media in recent days. Why Hayes Ties It Back To Bitcoin For Hayes, the Japan stress story is ultimately a liquidity story and he argues Bitcoin remains tethered to the direction of the Fed’s balance sheet. “This discussion of Japanese financial markets is important because for Bitcoin to exit its sideways funk it needs a healthy dose of money printing,” he wrote. “What I will present is a theory which the actual flow of money through the corroded veins of the global monetary system doesn’t support yet. As time progresses, I will monitor the changes in certain line items on the Fed’s balance sheet in order to validate my hypothesis.” In the essay, he also flags a shorter-term complication: a rapidly strengthening yen has historically aligned with risk-off positioning as leveraged investors unwind yen-funded trades, dynamics he says can drag on Bitcoin before any liquidity impulse arrives. Hayes’ tactical conclusion is to stay patient until the balance-sheet evidence arrives. He says he exited levered Bitcoin proxies, including Strategy (MSTR) and Japan-listed Metaplanet, ahead of the yen move, and would consider re-entering if the “Foreign Currency Denominated Assets” line item starts rising sharply. Moreover, he writes that his fund Maelstrom is continuing to add to Zcash (ZEC), while keeping other “quality DeFi” positions unchanged and only adding further if intervention-driven balance sheet growth becomes visible. At press time, Bitcoin traded at $89,137. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

The Bitcoin price is under increasing pressure ahead of Wednesday’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, which has historically corresponded with big price movements in the market’s largest cryptocurrency. Rate Cut Odds Fade The Federal Reserve (Fed) is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged at this meeting. Economists surveyed by financial data provider FactSet anticipate the federal funds rate — the benchmark rate banks use for overnight lending — will remain in the 3.5% to 3.75% range.  Such a pause would follow three consecutive rate cuts delivered by the Fed toward the end of last year, a shift that initially fueled optimism across risk assets, including the Bitcoin price. Related Reading: XRP Outlook For 2026: AI Model Signals New Record Ahead — Can Price Reach $6? Despite that earlier momentum, the Bitcoin price has struggled to maintain its footing. Ahead of the FOMC decision, the cryptocurrency is trading near $87,780, roughly 30% below the all‑time highs reached last year.  Market analyst Ali Martinez has pointed to Bitcoin’s historical behavior around FOMC meetings as a reason for caution. In a recent post on X (previously Twitter) Martinez highlighted that expectations for a January rate cut are extremely low, estimated at just 2.8%, signaling that meaningful policy easing is unlikely in the near term.  That backdrop, he argues, has often set the stage for increased volatility for the Bitcoin price rather than sustained upside. Looking back at 2025, Martinez noted that Bitcoin reacted negatively after the vast majority of the Fed’s policy meetings.  Of the eight FOMC decisions held during the year, seven were followed by notable declines for the Bitcoin price. The January meeting was followed by a 27% drop, March saw a 14% decline, June was down 8%, July slipped 6%, September fell 7%, October recorded a 29% pullback, and December ended with a 9% loss.  The analysts noted that the only exception seen in the year came in May, when the Bitcoin price briefly rallied about 15% after the decision.  Bitcoin Price Approaches Key Decision Zone From a technical and on‑chain perspective, analyst BitBull also sees the Bitcoin price approaching a critical moment. BitBull noted on social media that the asset has entered what she describes as a key on‑chain decision zone.  At current levels, the Bitcoin price is trading almost exactly at the Active Investor Mean, estimated near $87,500. This level represents the average cost basis for active buyers, placing much of that capital at breakeven.  Related Reading: Tether Reveals Massive Gold Accumulation In Q4: Adds 27 Tons To Reserves BitBull explained that pressure is building on both sides of the price. Above current levels, the short‑term holder cost basis sits near $96,500, meaning many recent buyers are already underwater.  As a result, any upward move toward that zone could face selling pressure as traders look to exit at reduced losses. On the downside, the True Market Mean at around $80,700 has historically marked the boundary between a “routine correction and deeper structural weakness.”  Further below, the realized price near $56,000 suggests that long‑term holders remain firmly in profit and largely unshaken by recent volatility. BitBull argues if the Bitcoin price can maintain support above the $87,500 level, it would indicate that active capital is defending its position and that broader market strength remains intact. A sustained break below that level, however, could open the door for a move toward $80,700. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Reports note that Bitcoin holders realized large losses as prices slid, and the headline number is hard to ignore. According to on-chain tracker CryptoQuant, about $4.5 billion in net losses was recorded on January 23. Related Reading: Bitcoin Influencers Get Spotlight In X’s New ‘Starterpacks’ That number reflects moved coins sold at prices lower than when they were bought. It is a big transfer of paper pain into real losses. Realized Losses Spike While the dollar figure grabs attention, the meaning is what matters. Many who bought late in the run higher are choosing to sell rather than hold through more decline. That behavior shows frustration. Reports say the Net Realized Profit and Loss metric tallies this by comparing sell prices to purchase prices, and a negative reading this large signals a wave of capitulation. Some larger, long-term holders have been quieter. Their activity appears muted while smaller and mid-term participants make the day-to-day moves. According to analyst posts on CryptoQuant, this mix — quiet big holders and active smaller sellers — is common during corrective stretches. It does not automatically mean the market is broken; it means sentiment has shifted toward caution. $4.5 Billion in Realized Loss on Bitcoin “Highest amount of realized losses in three years. The last time this occurred in Bitcoin, the price was trading at $28,000 after a brief correction period that lasted about a year.” – By @gaah_im pic.twitter.com/OJ7bbL3RSC — CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) January 26, 2026 Bitcoin Price Action Midway through the week, Bitcoin traded around the mid-$80,000s, well below the $90,000 mark that some investors had eyed as a key level. Market chatter shows traders watching macro cues like the US Federal Reserve and inflation data for guidance. Volatility has not disappeared; it has simply become more tied to broader economic signals than to isolated crypto headlines. Whale addresses appeared to step in at times, helping to hold local price floors. But many traders remain cautious. Reports note that geopolitical headlines can cause quick swings, yet the current movement looks more like slow digestion of profit and repositioning than explosive panic selling. Activity on spot exchanges and ETF flows has been variable, reflecting the mixed mood across the market. Related Reading: XRP Showing Strength, Analyst Points To $4 Potential Capitulation Has Come Before Similar loss spikes were seen in March 2023, when realized losses reached close to $6 billion, and in November 2022, when losses hit roughly $4.3 billion. These events were followed by consolidation and then eventual recovery. Based on reports from analytics firms and market observers, spikes in realized losses can mark the late stages of selling pressure, after which the market sometimes finds a base. Featured image from Pexel, chart from TradingView

Data shows social media interest has shifted away from Bitcoin and the cryptocurrency sector recently as interest in Gold and Silver has spiked. Crypto Social Volume Has Cooled Recently In a new post on X, analytics firm Santiment has talked about how the Social Volume has compared between the cryptocurrency market, Gold, and Silver recently. Related Reading: Stablecoin Market Cap Drops By $7 Billion—What It Means For Bitcoin The “Social Volume” is an indicator that tells us about the amount of discussion that a given term or topic is receiving on the major social media platforms. It does so by counting up the total number of posts/messages/threads on the platforms that contain unique mentions of the term. Retail traders outweigh all other types of investors in population, so social media discourse tends to be a reflection of their behavior. As such, a spike in Social Volume for a particular market signals retail interest in the space. Historically, crypto traders have shifted their attention between various sections like memecoins, AI, blue chips, etc. based on where hype is the greatest. The pattern has changed recently, however, as Santiment has explained, “now, retail is proving to be open to jumping sectors entirely, with social data showing how gold, silver, and even equities are getting more and more interest based on wherever the latest pumps appear.” Below is the chart for the Social Volume shared by the analytics firm that shows this trend in action. As displayed in the graph, social media users have seen their attention shift multiple times across January. In the first week, the Social Volume was muted for all markets, corresponding to a post-holidays lull. During the second week, Gold witnessed its Social Volume shoot high as its price reached new all-time highs. Bitcoin rose alongside this surge, but crypto Social Volume still didn’t budge much. In the third week, however, social media interest in digital assets saw a return as Bitcoin and other tokens retraced. This activity likely corresponded to traders trying to speculate about the bottom. Now, in the final week of January, Silver has taken the lead in social media talk, with Gold right behind it and interest in crypto at a low. The shift in retail attention has come as Silver has set new records. “Remember that when crypto retail begins FOMO’ing in, that’s generally where tops appear,” noted Santiment. This pattern was witnessed during Silver’s latest run to a new all-time high above $117, which was followed by a drop to $103 within hours as retail hype spiked on social media. Related Reading: XRP, Ethereum Now ‘Undervalued’ On MVRV, Says Santiment With the crypto Social Volume still sitting at relatively low levels, it would appear that the small traders currently don’t feel strongly about Bitcoin and company. Bitcoin Price Bitcoin has seen a bearish second half of January as its price has retraced back to $88,000. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com

Bitcoin price started a recovery wave above $88,000. BTC is slowly moving higher and might rise further if it clears $89,600. Bitcoin started a minor recovery wave above the $88,000 level. The price is trading above $88,500 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. There is a rising channel forming with resistance at $89,600 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken). The pair might recover further if it manages to settle above $89,600 and $90,000. Bitcoin Price Starts Recovery Bitcoin price remained stable above the $87,000 support. BTC formed a base and recently started a recovery wave above the $87,500 level. The price climbed above the $88,000 and $88,500 levels. There was a move above the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $91,098 swing high to the $86,007 low. The bulls even pushed the price above $89,000. Bitcoin is now trading above $88,500 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. If the price remains stable above $88,500, it could attempt a fresh increase. Immediate resistance is near the $89,600 level. Besides, there is a rising channel forming with resistance at $89,600 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. The first key resistance is near the $90,000 level since it is close to the 76.4% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $91,098 swing high to the $86,007 low. A close above the $90,000 resistance might send the price further higher. In the stated case, the price could rise and test the $90,500 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $91,200 level. The next barrier for the bulls could be $92,000 and $92,500. Another Rejection In BTC? If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $89,600 resistance zone, it could start another decline. Immediate support is near the $88,800 level. The first major support is near the $88,500 level. The next support is now near the $87,600 zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $87,200 support in the near term. The main support sits at $86,000, below which BTC might struggle to recover in the near term. Technical indicators: Hourly MACD – The MACD is now gaining pace in the bullish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is now above the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $88,500, followed by $87,200. Major Resistance Levels – $89,600 and $90,000.

Bitcoin is struggling to regain traction below the $88,000 level as fear and uncertainty continue to dominate market sentiment. After a volatile selloff, the price has stabilized, but confidence remains fragile, with traders closely watching whether current support can hold or if another leg lower is still ahead. The lack of a decisive rebound reflects a market caught between defensive positioning and cautious accumulation, where conviction on both sides remains limited. Related Reading: Bitcoin Breaks Below $87K As Political Risk Spikes – Liquidations Reveal The Real Driver Analyst Axel Adler highlighted a critical divergence developing beneath the surface. According to his analysis, the Market Pressure Index dropped to 30.54, marking a new 30-day low and falling below the previous extremes recorded on January 21 and January 25. Despite this surge in derivatives-related pressure, Bitcoin’s price barely reacted, holding steady around $88.3K. That disconnect between pressure and price is unusual and signals a moment of heightened tension. Price structure reinforces how sensitive this zone has become. Bitcoin is currently trading in the lower 17% of the Donchian channel, positioning BTC just above the $86.4K support level. This area now represents a clear decision point for the market. If buyers continue absorbing supply, a base may begin to form. If support fails, the absence of downside reaction so far could quickly give way to renewed volatility. Extreme Derivatives Pressure Meets Price Stability According to CryptoQuant data, Bitcoin’s Derivatives Market Pressure Index has reached an unusually critical state. The indicator collapsed to 30.54, marking a new 30-day low and exceeding the previous downside extremes recorded on January 21 (36.95) and January 25 (35.63). The Market Pressure Index is a normalized composite that blends price action, cumulative 6-hour net taker flow, Open Interest, and volume delta, calibrated over a 365-day window to improve signal robustness and reduce noise. The most striking detail is the speed of the move. On January 27 at 07:00 UTC, the index dropped 12 points within a single hour, yet Bitcoin’s price barely reacted, moving only from $88.2K to $88.3K. This creates a rare and critical divergence: derivatives pressure reached an extreme, but price refused to break lower. Adler stresses that this behavior leaves the market at a binary crossroads. Either buyers are actively absorbing supply at current levels—suggesting early base formation—or the market is storing downside energy that could be released sharply if support fails. Together, the charts describe a tense equilibrium. Price Structure shows BTC sitting near support, in the lower 17% of the Donchian channel, with a Structure Shift of -0.57, confirming a broken bullish structure. Meanwhile, sellers are applying maximum monthly pressure and meeting resistance. This is either strong demand asserting itself or the final pause before capitulation. Related Reading: US Institutions Step Back From Ethereum: Coinbase Premium Flashes Caution Bitcoin Downtrend Pressure Persists Below Key Averages Bitcoin is trading around $87,800 on the daily chart, continuing to struggle after repeated failures to reclaim higher resistance zones. The broader structure shows a clear transition from the late-2025 uptrend into a corrective phase, with price posting lower highs and weaker rebounds since the sharp selloff in November. While BTC has managed to stabilize above the mid-$80K region, upside momentum remains limited and fragile. From a technical perspective, the moving averages define the current battlefield. Bitcoin is trading below the 50-day moving average (blue), which is now sloping downward and acting as immediate resistance near the low-$90K area. The 100-day moving average (green) sits higher and continues to trend lower, reinforcing a bearish medium-term bias and capping recovery attempts. Above both, the 200-day moving average (red) remains well overhead near the $105K–$108K range, highlighting how far the price has drifted from a fully bullish structure. Related Reading: Bitcoin Indicator Falls Back To Post-Bear Market Levels: Investors Approach A Key Decision Point Recent bounce attempts toward $92K–$96K were decisively rejected, confirming that sellers remain active on rallies. Volume has eased compared to the November capitulation, suggesting reduced urgency rather than strong demand. For bulls, holding the $86K–$88K zone is critical to prevent a deeper breakdown. A daily close back above $90K would be the first step toward stabilizing the trend. Failure to defend current levels keeps downside risk open toward the low-$80K range. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

According to the Bitvocation 2025 Bitcoin Jobs Data report, a total of 1,801 Bitcoin-related job openings were posted last year. That number was about 6% higher than the 1,707 listings recorded in 2024. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Sharp Reversal Leaves Over $800 Million Liquidated In 1 Day Many of the new roles were not for engineers. Non-technical positions — like product managers, marketing leads, and executive support — made up roughly 74% of the openings. This points to firms trying to build stronger day-to-day operations as they grow. Hiring Hot Spots And Fast Movers Reports say the US kept its lead with around 500 listings. But Singapore recorded the fastest jump, with job postings rising by close to 160% year over year, pushing it up the rankings. Some smaller markets also stood out: a few countries in Europe and Asia showed sizable gains, while Switzerland saw a sharp drop in opportunities. Companies appear to be spreading hiring across more places, not just the usual tech hubs. Companies And Roles That Stood Out More than 150 Bitcoin-first firms advertised roles in 2025. Miner companies and payment firms were among the busiest hirers, and a handful of names filled a lot of listings. Director-level spots increased dramatically, by a factor of about 10, as teams added senior hires to manage growth. Remote work dipped. The share of fully remote jobs fell from about 53% to 45%, which suggests more roles now need some physical presence or hybrid schedules. A Tough Match For Some Jobs Reports note that specialized technical roles remain hard to fill. Finding developers with deep Bitcoin protocol knowledge and experience with Lightning remains a challenge for recruiters. At the same time, companies say they want people who understand Bitcoin’s culture and can work within a team. That mix is rare. Salaries were not always listed, but some senior positions had clear compensation bands, signaling firms are willing to pay for experience. Related Reading: Crypto’s Q4 Weakness Mirrors Pre-Rebound 2023: Analysts What This Means For Job Seekers For candidates, the market now rewards broader skill sets. People who can write, manage products, or run operations with a basic grasp of Bitcoin found more openings. Recruiters preferred people who could move between tasks and handle multiple responsibilities, because many teams remained small even as hiring increased. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

Bitcoin has reaffirmed its bearish structure after strong rejection near $98,000, signaling that sellers remain firmly in control. With key resistance holding and momentum tilting lower, traders are now shifting focus to where the price could head next if the downside continues to unfold. Neckline Rejection Locks In A Bearish Bias Crypto analyst Crypto Patel, in a recent post on X, pointed out that Bitcoin has firmly rejected the $94,000–$98,000 neckline resistance, a move that reinforces a bearish market structure. The rejection signals that sellers remain firmly in control, with the failure to reclaim this zone preventing any meaningful shift in momentum. Related Reading: Global Liquidity Says Bitcoin Is Extremely Undervalued – Here’s The ‘Real’ Figure From a technical standpoint, Patel noted that Bitcoin has confirmed a failed Head and Shoulders pattern, followed by a bear-flag breakdown. This sequence strengthens the bearish outlook, as the price action continues to respect lower highs while struggling beneath key resistance. As long as BTC remains capped below the neckline, the broader trend remains decisively bearish. Looking ahead, Patel emphasized that price action below the $90,000 level favors further downside continuation. Based on the measured move from the breakdown, Bitcoin could slide toward the $75,000–$70,000 support region, representing a potential decline of around 22% from current levels. On the flip side, Patel stressed that a bullish bias would only return if Bitcoin manages a strong reclaim and acceptance above $92,000. Until that happens, any upside attempts are likely to be short-lived, making rallies opportunities for selling rather than signs of a trend reversal. $89,000: The Fuse For A Potential Bitcoin Short Squeeze According to another Bitcoin post shared by Ardi, the $89,000 level stands out as a critical threshold for any potential shift in momentum. A decisive break above this zone could begin to trigger short-squeeze conditions, as bearish positions that entered lower start to feel pressure and cover. Related Reading: Expert Who Nailed The Bitcoin Top Now Says Buy At These Levels He further emphasized that $90,300 remains the primary gatekeeper for the market. A strong reclaim and sustained acceptance above this level would signal improving bullish control, allowing price to move higher in search of the $92,000 liquidity band, where a concentration of stops and resting orders is likely positioned. On the downside, Ardi noted that liquidity near $86,000 has already been taken, suggesting that immediate downside targets have been largely satisfied. With that sweep complete, attention now shifts to whether bulls can push through overhead resistance and force late bears to exit, setting the stage for a sharper upside reaction. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

A fierce winter storm that swept much of the US over the weekend forced large parts of the Bitcoin mining fleet to cut power, leaving the network much weaker for a short time. Related Reading: Bitcoin Whales Are Back: 104K BTC Added As $1M Transfers Surge Reports say power outages and extreme weather pushed some operators to pause or slow their rigs so local grids could breathe. The result was a dramatic, though temporary, fall in the total mining power securing the blockchain. Miners Adjust Power Use According to mining operators on the ground, the pause was intentional. Many farms turned down machines to reduce strain on regional utilities when demand spiked and generation dropped. Abundant Mines, a crypto mining firm headquartered in Oregon, said roughly 40% of global mining capacity went offline in a 24-hour window. That kind of quick scaling back is possible because miners can shut down and restart hardware rapidly, which in some regions acts like a big, flexible electrical load that can be trimmed when needed. Bitcoin Hashrate Just Dropped Below 700 EH/s The likely cause: the winter storm impacting Texas & the southeast, where a large share of US mining happens. Power outages and voluntary grid-stabilization measures have taken miners offline. What this means: – Fewer miners online… pic.twitter.com/j0lv7bU9JN — Abundant Mines (@AbundantMines) January 25, 2026 Hashrate Drop And Quick Recovery Based on reports from mining trackers, network hashrate fell sharply starting Friday and hit a low not seen in seven months by Sunday, dropping to about 663 EH/s. Within a day or so, as crews worked and weather systems moved on, the figure climbed back toward 854 EH/s. Hashrate Index estimates the US supplies nearly 38% of worldwide mining power, so disruptions in the country show up fast in global totals. A federal Energy Information Administration report noted there are more than 130 dedicated crypto mining sites across the US, meaning storms that affect broad regions can hit mining supply in a big way. Bitcoin Price Action Price moved with the headlines but not in a straight line. Based on reports, Bitcoin traded around $88,300 through the volatility, with swings linked to both weather and wider geopolitical strains. BTCUSD now trading at 87,866. Chart: TradingView The market had earlier seen lifts up near $96,000 during episodes of geopolitical tension, while other stretches brought softer prices as macro risks grew. Traders watched carefully; the temporary hashrate dip raised questions about short-term miner revenue, yet it did not trigger a major crash in market value. As the winter storm hits the US, Bitcoin mining companies curtail operations to support the power grid. Their daily Bitcoin production was hit significantly in the last few days. CLSK: 22 bitcoin –> 12 Bitcoin RIOT: 16 –> 3 MARA: 45 –> 7 (more volatile as it mines “solo”)… pic.twitter.com/SzgcbtgQ5V — Julio Moreno (@jjcmoreno) January 26, 2026 Big Miners Felt The Impact Analytics firms noted output from some big US miners fell sharply. Marathon Digital’s daily production was down from 45 coins to seven in one day, and IREN moved from 18 to six, data compiled by market trackers showed. Related Reading: XRP Showing Strength, Analyst Points To $4 Potential CryptoQuant flagged slower daily digs from several major operators as the storm hit. In Texas, reports say miners worked with grid managers to help balance supply and demand, using their machines to soak up extra power when available and to step back when the grid was under strain. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

Gold and silver have gone on a record-setting tear in recent months, ripping through fresh all-time highs, while Bitcoin has been stuck grinding sideways in a tight $84,000–$94,000 box since mid-November. In a January 27 video posted to X, Anthony Pompliano argued the gap is less about a single catalyst and more about shifting demand drivers, market structure, and a new fight for attention and risk capital. Pompliano framed the disconnect with blunt scorekeeping. “We have gold, which is up 80% in the last year. Silver’s up 250%, copper’s up 40%, and platinum’s up nearly 200% over the last 12 months,” he said, before turning to the contrast: “At the same exact time, Bitcoin is down 16% over the last year.” In his telling, the metals aren’t moving as a monolith, they’re responding to different sources of demand. Gold, he said, is benefiting from central banks accumulating reserves and what he described as “a definitization of the global economy,” where flows rotate out of dollars not into other fiat, but into gold. Silver, by contrast, is less about store-of-value positioning and more about industrial pull. Pompliano pointed to defense equipment, AI hardware, and self-driving cars as examples of end-demand, arguing that “the world is building things again” and that re-industrialization makes silver a direct beneficiary. Related Reading: Expert Who Nailed The Bitcoin Top Now Says Buy At These Levels Copper and platinum, in his framework, are even cleaner industrial stories. Copper rides electrification (EVs, grid buildouts, renewables) and “significant industrial demand.” Platinum’s move, he argued, is supply constrained, describing “very, very low supply” that creates a market structure favorable to holders. Pompliano also highlighted what he called a rotation within metals where gold led, then silver, and more recently copper and platinum, a sequence he dubbed “the metals mania.” So Why Hasn’t Bitcoin Joined The Run? Pompliano’s first answer was structural: Wall Street’s adoption is changing who holds Bitcoin and how it trades. He described an “IPO moment of Bitcoin,” (referring to Jordy Visser’s theory), where long-term holders have been handing coins off to institutional players. In Pompliano’s view, some early holders owned Bitcoin precisely because it was “outside the system,” and the asset’s migration into mainstream finance may reduce enthusiasm from that cohort. He also pointed to public comments from Peter Thiel and others suggesting Bitcoin’s future may be less “asymmetric” than its early years. The second structural shift is the proliferation of financial instruments around BTC. “It used to be really hard to short Bitcoin. Well, now you can do it very simply,” Pompliano said, arguing that options and shorting change the market’s plumbing and dampen volatility. “Bitcoin used to be an 80 vol asset. Now it’s more like a 40 vol asset,” he added, positioning the trade-off as fewer parabolic upside phases but also fewer catastrophic drawdowns. From there, Pompliano moved to narrative demand — specifically, the idea that Bitcoin had been treated as a “chaos hedge.” He argued that recent perceptions of rising geopolitical stability have reduced the perceived need for that insurance bid, while central banks, with far larger pools of capital, continue to express their hedge preference through gold. “It seems like there is not as much of a bid for Bitcoin coming as this insurance hedge,” he said, stressing he viewed it as a flow and narrative issue rather than a loss of utility. Related Reading: Global Liquidity Says Bitcoin Is Extremely Undervalued – Here’s The ‘Real’ Figure He made a similar point about inflation hedging, claiming disinflation has undercut one of Bitcoin’s most effective recent narratives. Citing Trueflation, Pompliano said the metric showed 1.2% inflation, “150 basis points lower than it was just 90 days ago,” and argued that AI and tariffs are deflationary forces. If investors don’t expect inflation to run hot, he reasoned, some capital simply won’t reach BTC. Finally, he argued Bitcoin is losing mindshare and speculative oxygen to AI and to a broader set of “risk-taking” outlets. “There is simply more competition,” Pompliano said, extending the idea beyond markets into an attention economy where every asset competes when users open a financial app and decide where to allocate leftover cash. In that framing, Bitcoin is no longer the default high-upside wager for younger participants; it’s competing with AI equities, prediction markets, and sports betting. Why is bitcoin lagging while gold, silver, copper, and platinum continue to go higher? I break down the forces driving the metals rally, how Wall Street adoption has reshaped Bitcoin’s market structure, and why inflation expectations, global stability, and AI are influencing… pic.twitter.com/VzATl6ZCYi — Anthony Pompliano ???? (@APompliano) January 27, 2026 Pompliano’s closing message was that laggards can catch up and that he sees Bitcoin as “more interesting sitting at $87,000 than it was at $126,000.” But he also cautioned that a lower-volatility, more institutional Bitcoin may demand a different temperament from holders. “If you actually get impatient, you’re going to be disappointed. You’re going to get shaken out,” he said, arguing that the trade increasingly resembles a waiting game rather than a yearly sprint. At press time, BTC traded at $88,131. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

As the crypto market recovers from the latest pullback, Bitcoin (BTC) is attempting to bounce from its one-month low. Some analysts have warned that the correction has left the cryptocurrency in a “fragile position” that resembles the start of the previous bear market. Related Reading: XRP At ‘Critical Inflection Point’: Analyst Signals Major Expansion If This Level Holds Bitcoin Risks 2022-Like Correction On Sunday, Bitcoin saw a 3.6% intraday decline, closing the day below its yearly opening for the first time. Since November, the flagship crypto has been hovering between $86,000-$93,500 in the weekly timeframe, failing to turn the range’s resistance into support despite multiple attempts. During the early January breakout, BTC climbed 11.5% from its $87,600 2026 opening price, reaching a two-month high of $97,924 nearly two weeks ago. Since then, the cryptocurrency has erased all its recent gains, diving below this key area and closing the week at the base of its range. Amid this performance, Market observer Philarekt affirmed that Bitcoin is repeating its 2022 playbook, highlighting the similarities between the leading crypto’s performance at the start of the last bear market and its current price action. As the chart shows, the cryptocurrency formed a bear flag pattern after the initial drop from its cycle top of $69,000.  At the time, the cryptocurrency tested and rejected the 100-day Moving Average (MA), leading to a pullback towards the pattern’s lower boundary. This was followed by a rebound towards the formation’s upper boundary, where the 200-day MA was located, and a rejection from this area, which led to a breakdown from the pattern and 55% correction. This time, Bitcoin has rejected from the 100-day MA and is currently retesting the pattern’s support line. Based on this, he suggested that the flagship crypto could see one more leg up toward the 200-day MA, located around the $100,000 barrier, before “the real show” begins. BTC Price In Precarious Position Meanwhile, Rekt Capital explained that Bitcoin was in a “particularly fragile position,” as it needed to hold the previous week’s marginal close above the range high. “When Weekly Closes occur marginally beyond a key level, the subsequent retest becomes structurally precarious,” he detailed. In his analysis, the market watcher noted that Bitcoin saw a sharp rejection from the $98,000 region, where the 21-week and 50-week Bull Market Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs) are located. This coincided with the loss of a higher low structure that had been building similarly to 2021. “Losing that Higher Low is significant, as it removes a key structural buffer that could have supported continued consolidation within the Weekly Range,” he asserted. The rejection has shifted focus to the strength of the $86,000 support and the character of the upcoming rebounds from this area. He warned that shallower bounces from the range lows would suggest weakening demand, increasing the chances of a breakdown below this support. Related Reading: Crypto Traders Share Odds Of XRP Price Rising 40% This Year, Can It Still Rally? Strong rejections that lead to downside continuation historically tend to occur later in the cycle toward the end of Q1 or the start of Q2, Rekt Capital pointed out, but Bitcoin is already testing the lower boundary of its weekly range. This adds “importance to the integrity of this support, as any early breakdown would represent a shift relative to that typical timing.” At the moment, the weekly range remains pivotal, “acting as the key decision point between a prolonged relief structure and the risk of deeper downside,” the analyst concluded. Featured Image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com

Data shows the ERC-20 stablecoin market cap has just seen a notable drop for the first time in years, something that could have a knock-on effect on Bitcoin. ERC-20 Stablecoin Market Cap Has Gone Down During The Past Week As highlighted by CryptoQuant author Darkfrost in an X post, stablecoins have witnessed outflows over the past week. A “stablecoin” is a cryptocurrency that has its price pegged to a fiat currency, with tokens based on the US Dollar being the most popular. Generally, investors store their capital in the form of these assets when they want to avoid the volatility associated with Bitcoin and other coins. Traders who keep stablecoins usually plan to venture back into the volatile side of the market, however, which is why the supply of these coins is often considered as a sort of “dry powder” reserve for BTC and company. Related Reading: XRP, Ethereum Now ‘Undervalued’ On MVRV, Says Santiment Stablecoins are available on several blockchains, but the ones of relevance here are specifically the ERC-20 tokens running on the Ethereum network. Below is the chart shared by Darkfrost that shows the trend in the combined market cap of the assets of this type over the last few years. As displayed in the graph, the supply of the ERC-20 stablecoins saw a phase of growth during the second phase of 2025, indicating that capital was flowing into these assets. At the same time as this growth, Bitcoin and other assets rallied, suggesting that the sector as a whole was witnessing net capital inflows. When the volatile coins saw a bearish shift, however, the stables also observed a change in trajectory. From the chart, it’s apparent that these tokens hit a plateau alongside the market mood swing. This means that while capital wasn’t flowing out of the stables, it wasn’t flowing in, either. In the past week, though, this sideways movement has broken, with the market cap of the ERC-20 stablecoins registering a drop. More specifically, $7 billion in capital has flowed out of these assets, taking the market cap from $162 billion to $155 billion. Whenever the stablecoin supply declines, one possibility is always that investors are simply rotating into Bitcoin. The original cryptocurrency’s price has also gone down in this window, however, a potential sign that the drop represents outflows to fiat. Related Reading: Dogecoin Wedge Breakout Could Be “Powerful,” Analyst Says As the analyst explained: This is a very negative signal, explained by the fact that some investors are choosing to fully exit the crypto market, which continues to correct, while precious metals keep surging and equity markets maintain a strong underlying uptrend. This is the first time this cycle that such a rapid decline in the stablecoin market cap has occurred. It now remains to be seen whether this is a temporary deviation or the start of a new trend. BTC Price Bitcoin has bounced up a bit since its Sunday low as its price is now back at $88,300. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com

BlackRock has filed an S-1 for an “iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF,” a product that aims to track bitcoin’s price while generating option premium by systematically selling calls tied primarily to its own spot bitcoin ETF, IBIT. For BTC-linked derivatives markets, the filing is being read less as a directional catalyst and more as another potential source of mechanical volatility supply. Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas flagged the document on X, noting that key commercial details are still missing. “BlackRock just dropped the official S-1 for it’s upcoming iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF.. no fee or ticker yet,” Balchunas wrote. “The strategy is to ‘track performance of the price of bitcoin while providing premium income through an actively managed strategy of writing (selling) call options primarily on IBIT shares and, from time to time, on ETP Indices.’” BlackRock just dropped the official S-1 for it’s upcoming iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF.. no fee or ticker yet. The strategy is to “track performance of the price of bitcoin while providing premium income through an actively managed strategy of writing (selling) call options… pic.twitter.com/CZDahm4mNj — Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) January 26, 2026 Here’s What It Could Mean For Bitcoin The basic premise is familiar to anyone who has watched covered-call equity ETFs: sell upside to monetize implied volatility. In bitcoin’s case, the underlying options are written on an ETF wrapper rather than directly on BTC, but the economic effect is similar, steady call overwriting can increase supply of short-dated upside exposure and compress the premiums available to sellers over time, particularly if multiple products pursue comparable programs. Related Reading: Bitcoin Whale Demand Hits Extreme Levels As Next Rally Loads Up That dynamic was the focus of commentary from Wintermute’s head of OTC trading, Jake Ostrovskis, who framed the filing as additive to an already crowded volatility-selling landscape. “BTC vols already suffer from significant oversupply following the rollout of ETFs, SP’s & options on IBIT,” Ostrovskis posted. “Now add more mechanical vol selling and the only logical outcome is further steady decline in yield from market-implied premiums.” The implication is not that bitcoin’s price must fall because a premium-income ETF exists, but that the “income” component could become harder to sustain at attractive levels if implied volatility continues to be leaned on by systematic call sellers. In that world, headline yields may drift lower, and the payoff profile becomes increasingly path-dependent, premium capture in quiet regimes can look reliable, but it can also leave investors structurally underexposed to sharp upside moves if BTC trends higher through the strikes being sold. Related Reading: Is Bitcoin Supercycle Truly On The Horizon? Analyst Predicts $31K Bottom In 2026 For market participants trying to extract option premia from BTC exposure, Ostrovskis argued the edge shifts away from simply being short vol and toward execution and distribution. “Structuring/timing + leaning on axes via OTC desks will become increasingly important to optimise returns on otherwise dormant assets,” he wrote, pointing to the growing role of bespoke structuring, strike selection, tenor management, and liquidity access as the trade becomes more crowded. If BlackRock proceeds and demand materializes, the next question for traders will be how much incremental call supply the strategy represents relative to existing IBIT options activity and whether that supply concentrates in specific expiries or strikes. Either way, the filing underscores a broader maturation trend: as BTC exposure becomes more ETF-native, the center of gravity for volatility pricing may continue to migrate toward the wrapper’s options market, with implied premiums increasingly shaped by systematic flows rather than discretionary views. At press time, Bitcoin traded at $87,633. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

Bitcoin price started a recovery wave from $86,000. BTC is slowly moving higher and might rise further if it clears $89,500. Bitcoin started a minor recovery wave from the $86,000 level. The price is trading near $88,500 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. There was a break above a bearish trend line with resistance at $88,000 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken). The pair might recover if it manages to settle above $88,800 and $89,500. Bitcoin Price Attempts Rebound Bitcoin price extended losses and traded below the $87,200 support. BTC even declined below $86,500 before the bulls appeared. A low was formed at $86,007, and the price is now attempting a recovery wave. The price climbed above the $87,000 and $87,500 levels. There was a move above the 50% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $91,099 swing high to the $86,007 low. Besides, there was a break above a bearish trend line with resistance at $88,000 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. Bitcoin is now trading near $88,500 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. If the price remains stable above $87,500, it could attempt a fresh increase. Immediate resistance is near the $88,800 level. The first key resistance is near the $89,150 level since it is close to the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $91,099 swing high to the $86,007 low. A close above the $89,150 resistance might send the price further higher. In the stated case, the price could rise and test the $89,500 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $90,000 level. The next barrier for the bulls could be $91,000 and $91,500. Another Decline In BTC? If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $88,800 resistance zone, it could start another decline. Immediate support is near the $88,000 level. The first major support is near the $87,200 level. The next support is now near the $86,700 zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $86,200 support in the near term. The main support sits at $86,000, below which BTC might struggle to recover in the near term. Technical indicators: Hourly MACD – The MACD is now gaining pace in the bullish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is now above the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $88,000, followed by $87,200. Major Resistance Levels – $88,800 and $89,500.

Bitcoin is hovering at a critical demand zone as the market braces for the possibility of further downside. After losing the $87,000 level, price action remains fragile, with buyers struggling to regain control and sell-side pressure intensifying during rebounds. The broader risk-off mood frames the latest drop as a response to growing macro uncertainty rather than a purely technical move. Related Reading: Bitcoin Indicator Falls Back To Post-Bear Market Levels: Investors Approach A Key Decision Point Rising political instability in the United States appears to have acted as the near-term trigger. Prediction markets now place the probability of a new government shutdown at roughly 78%, with federal funding set to expire on January 30, 2026. As bipartisan negotiations stall, political risk is once again being priced into markets, weighing on sentiment and pushing traders toward defensive positioning. In this environment, Bitcoin broke below $87,000 and sparked a fast liquidation cascade. Data shows that around $170 million in leveraged long positions were wiped out within 60 minutes, with total long liquidations reaching roughly $320 million over the following four hours. Nearly $40 billion in total crypto market value vanished in a short span, highlighting how quickly volatility can expand when liquidity is thin. The speed and structure of the move suggest a derivatives-driven deleveraging event rather than broad spot capitulation. That distinction matters because it implies the next phase will depend on whether forced selling fades and real demand returns at this level. Liquidations And OI Reveal A Deleveraging-Led Drop A report from XWIN Research Japan explains that Bitcoin’s latest flush was likely amplified by a wave of forced liquidations in the derivatives market. Liquidations occur when futures positions fall below their maintenance margin and are automatically closed by exchanges to prevent further losses. In this case, a large share of the risk was concentrated in leveraged long positions, which are commonly used by short-term traders as well as hedging and arbitrage participants. Many of these longs were positioned for a renewed 2026 uptrend, making the market vulnerable once the price slipped under key support. When the decline accelerated, liquidation orders hit the books as market sells. Which can intensify downside moves in thin liquidity environments. To understand whether this was a structural shift or simply a leverage reset, XWIN points to Open Interest (OI). OI measures the total size of outstanding futures contracts and reflects how much leverage remains embedded in the market. When price falls alongside declining OI, it typically signals that position unwinds and liquidations are driving the move rather than a sudden change in fundamentals. On-chain estimates place aggregate OI near $28.4 billion. Well below the roughly $47 billion peak in late 2025, showing that leverage had already reduced. Still, OI has stabilized and slightly rebounded in early 2026, leaving room for volatility during corrections. The key is what comes next: whether selling fades, spot demand absorbs supply, and leverage normalizes as participation returns. Related Reading: Bitcoin Stuck In Bear Mode For 83 Days: Trend Pulse Confirms Structural Weakness Bitcoin Slides As Key Moving Averages Turn Into Resistance Bitcoin is trading near $87,820 after a steady decline that has kept the price pinned below $90,000. The structure shows BTC losing momentum after failing to hold the mid-January breakout toward $98,000. Followed by a sharp reversal that shifted market control back to sellers. Since that rejection, price has printed a sequence of lower highs, with selloffs accelerating each time BTC attempts to reclaim overhead levels. From a trend perspective, the moving averages highlight how the short-term regime has flipped bearish. BTC is now trading below the 50-period moving average (blue) near $90,300 and below the 100-period moving average (green) around $91,955, both of which are sloping downward. These levels are now acting as dynamic resistance, reinforcing the idea that traders are selling rallies. The 200-period moving average (red) sits close to $90,756, creating a tight resistance cluster between $90.3K and $92K. Bulls must reclaim this cluster to rebuild momentum. Related Reading: XRP Distribution Phase Continues, But Funding Rates Suggest Shorts Are Overextended Support is developing around the $87K–$88K zone, which has acted as a short-term demand pocket during prior pullbacks. If buyers fail to defend this area, downside risk opens toward $86,000 and potentially the mid-$84K range. BTC needs a clean reclaim of $90K, followed by consolidation above the moving-average band. Signaling that demand is returning with strength. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

Whale-sized Bitcoin holders are piling up more coins even as prices wobble. According to blockchain tracker Santiment, wallets holding at least 1,000 BTC added 104,340 BTC in recent weeks. Related Reading: Gold Becomes The Whale Safe Haven As Bitcoin Takes A Back Seat Reports note that total supply held by these large wallets hit 7.17 million BTC, the highest level since September 15, 2025. Mid-sized holders joined in too, adding roughly $3.21 billion worth of Bitcoin between January 10 and January 19. Small retail wallets moved the other way, offloading about 132 BTC, worth around $11.66 million. Whales Push Their Stakes Higher The numbers point to patient buying by big players. Large transfers of $1 million or more have climbed to a two-month high, which suggests heavy participants are active on the network again. According to Santiment, this kind of flow is often tied to institutions and wealthy investors moving coins between custody, exchanges, and private wallets. Some of those moves are driven by strategic choices; some are meant to secure holdings. Either way, a growing pile in whale hands changes where supply sits. Smaller holders are stepping back, while the so-called smart money increases exposure. Reports say mid-sized wallets — those holding between 10 and 10,000 BTC — were net buyers in the same stretch. ???? Large Bitcoin whales are accumulating at an encouraging pace, wallets with at least 1K $BTC have collectively accumulated 104,340 more coins (a +1.5% rise). Additionally, the amount of $1M+ daily transfers is back up to 2-month high levels. ???? Chart: https://t.co/CJOfiOBbWU pic.twitter.com/4loxDFtUdb — Santiment (@santimentfeed) January 25, 2026 Price Action And Market Signals Bitcoin’s price has not matched the upbeat on-chain action. Trading was around $87,730 at one point, with intraday swings between $86,500 and $87,500. The alpha crypto asset was down about 0.5% over 24 hours and roughly 5.4% over the prior week. Volumes have ticked up, though, which makes the case that some investors are stepping in at these levels. The picture is mixed: on-chain accumulation suggests a base is being formed, but macro headlines keep the market on edge. On-Chain Strength Versus Headlines A growing stash by big holders can support a future rally if external stress eases. Yet prices move on more than Bitcoin flows. Large transfers and rising accumulation mean demand exists under the surface, but that demand has yet to fully push the market higher. Macro Risks And Market Jitters Geopolitical worries are casting a long shadow. Reports say US President Donald Trump has moved warships toward areas of tension, and prediction markets show a significant chance that the US could strike Iran by June. Trade friction with Canada over recent auto rules has raised fresh political noise, and Polymarket shows the probability of a US government shutdown above 70%. These are real risks that can lift oil, rattle markets, and sap appetite for risk assets. Related Reading: Money Keeps Leaving: Bitcoin ETFs Shed $1.72 Billion In Just 5 Sessions Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Bitcoin is once again entering a critical phase as volatility contracts, and BTC price continues to coil within a tightening range. This volatility squeeze reflects a market in temporary balance, where neither buyers nor sellers have full control, but pressure continues to build under the surface. With macro catalysts and derivatives positioning near the key technical levels, the current compression suggests that BTC may be approaching a decisive expansion. Bitcoin is being held in place, but is about to break. In an X post, an analyst known as NoLimit revealed data showing why BTC feels stuck between $85,000 and $95,000. While everything else is moving up, the magnetic pull that is holding BTC back will expire in 4 days. BTC is currently trapped inside a massive options web, and the chart shows the concentration around January 30 is nearly double that of any other date. Why Low Volatility Often Precedes Big Moves Currently, the market makers are sitting in a Long Gamma position in this range, which will completely change how the price behaves. When BTC price rises, dealers are forced to sell to stay hedged, and when it dips, they’re forced to buy to stay hedged. This setup reveals why every pump is immediately rejected and why every dump is bought up instantly, not weak buyers, but forced dealer activity. Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Mirroring Key Patterns From 2021 – Is History About To Repeat? The data has also shown a massive gamma unwind on January 30. As BTC approaches that expiration, the magnetic force holding the price in this range will start to fade. Once those options expire, the hedges and the mechanical selling pressure that have been suppressing BTC rallies would disappear. Thus, the market would move from a pinned to a released market. When that much gamma leaves the system at once, the move is usually fast and aggressive. NoLimit noted that he will share an update in 4 days of the expiration of the magnetic pull holding BTC back. The analyst emphasized that he has been an analyst for over 10 years, and called every major market top and bottom publicly, including the $126,000 BTC all-time high. When the next move is set up, he ensures to post it publicly for everyone to see. How Bitcoin Price Holds Structure Despite Sell Pressure Bitcoin is bullish on Cumulative Volume Delta (CVD) divergences, and the price is starting to build up, which could be an early sign of absorption by a larger entity. A full-time trader known as CEDOZXBT has pointed out that the market structure in CVD and price action is the key setup.  Related Reading: Is Bitcoin Supercycle Truly On The Horizon? Analyst Predicts $31K Bottom In 2026 At the same time, open interest (OI) has continued to rise, showing that shorts are entering the market at the point of order. This is an early stage for full validation, but if this structure continues to build up, it could be interesting and great for a long setup. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com

A new controversy has surfaced around Bitcoin (BTC) and other crypto assets held by the US government, following allegations raised by blockchain investigator ZachXBT.  Controlling Millions In Stolen Government Crypto In a series of posts on social media platform X (previously Twitter), ZachXBT accused John “Lick” Daghita of stealing millions of dollars’ worth of seized digital assets from wallets linked to the US government.  John Daghita is the son of Dean Daghita, the president of CMDSS, a firm that publicly states it provides critical services to the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Defense. Related Reading: Expert Who Nailed The Bitcoin Top Now Says Buy At These Levels According to the investigation, the alleged theft came to light after a young hacker was provoked during a heated “band for band” argument on social media app Telegram.  During the exchange, which was fully recorded, the individual reportedly began screen-sharing his cryptocurrency wallets while boasting about his holdings. Those wallets were later traced to more than $40 million in seized crypto assets that belonged to the US government. ZachXBT’s findings go further, claiming that the individual known online as “John (Lick)” was observed controlling wallets tied to more than $90 million in suspected illicit funds. Among those assets were cryptocurrencies linked to US government seizure addresses associated with the Bitfinex hack.  In the recordings reviewed by the investigator, John is seen actively managing multiple wallet addresses while millions of dollars’ worth of Ethereum (ETH) and Tron (TRX) were moved in real time, strongly suggesting direct control over the funds. CMDSS Goes Dark, Suspect Alters Online Identities Shortly after the allegations were made public, CMDSS appeared to remove its digital footprint. The company scrubbed its website, X account, and LinkedIn page.  Around the same time, John reportedly began changing his online usernames and deleting non-fungible token (NFT)-related handles from Telegram.  Related Reading: XRP Ledger Congestion Could Burn 1 Billion Coins A Year, Developer Claims Despite these efforts, ZachXBT noted that John continued to taunt investigators and even sent him a small amount of ETH from one of the flagged wallets. ZachXBT stated that he plans to return those funds directly to a US government seizure address, underscoring his position that the assets belong to the government.  Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com