January’s Slide.

📖 3 min de lecture January’s Slide: Bitcoin and Ethereum Under Pressure, the Market Holds Its Breath The first week of January 2026 ends on a cautious note for the crypto markets. Bitcoin (BTC) is losing ground, trading at $91,373, down nearly 4% from the previous week’s peak. Ethereum (ETH) follows the trend, at $3,139,...

DCN Editorial TeamJanuary 5, 2026⏱ 3 min read

⏱ 3 min de lecture

Par DCN Editorial Team
Publié le 5 January 2026

Analysis

📖 3 min de lecture

January’s Slide: Bitcoin and Ethereum Under Pressure, the Market Holds Its Breath

The first week of January 2026 ends on a cautious note for the crypto markets. Bitcoin (BTC) is losing ground, trading at $91,373, down nearly 4% from the previous week’s peak. Ethereum (ETH) follows the trend, at $3,139, down about 5% over the same period. These corrections, although moderate, mark a contrast with the end-of-year 2025 euphoria.

Analysis: What is weighing on the market?

Several macroeconomic factors explain this pullback. First, the release of the US Federal Reserve (Fed) minutes on January 3 revived fears of a prolonged period of high interest rates. Investors now anticipate a first rate cut no earlier than March, which dampens appetite for risky assets like cryptocurrencies.

Second, the end of the fiscal year triggered massive profit-taking. On-chain data shows that addresses holding BTC for more than 6 months sold nearly 1.2% of their positions in December, a movement continuing into January. This “old money” is leaving the market, creating selling pressure.

Finally, ETH suffers from a specific context: competition from layer-1 blockchains (Solana, Avalanche) is intensifying, and transaction volumes on Ethereum remain stable, without a major catalyst. The ETH/BTC ratio has slipped to 0.034, its lowest since October 2025.

Outlook: What to watch this week?

In the short term, the market remains vulnerable. The psychological threshold of $90,000 for BTC is a key level: a break below could trigger an acceleration of selling towards $87,000. For ETH, the support at $3,000 is crucial. If this level gives way, a test of $2,800 is likely.

However, positive signals are emerging. Inflows into US spot Bitcoin ETFs picked up again on Friday, with $120 million net, suggesting institutions see this dip as a buying opportunity. Additionally, the Fed meeting on January 29 will be scrutinized: any sign of monetary easing could reverse the trend.

In summary: The week ends on a bearish note, but not a catastrophic one. Beginner investors should avoid panic selling: corrections of 5 to 10% are normal in a bull market. For insiders, this may be the time to strengthen positions in solid projects, while keeping an eye on January’s macro announcements. Volatility remains king, but the underlying trend (institutional adoption, the 2028 halving on the horizon) remains intact.