The first week of January 2026 ends on a cautious note for 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, though moderate, mark a contrast with the year-end 2025 euphoria.
Analysis: What’s Weighing on the Market?
Several macroeconomic factors explain this pullback. First, the release of the Federal Reserve minutes on January 3 revived fears of prolonged high interest rates. Investors now anticipate a first rate cut no earlier than March, dampening appetite for risk assets like cryptocurrencies.
Second, the end of the fiscal year triggered massive profit-taking. On-chain data shows that addresses holding BTC for over 6 months sold nearly 1.2% of their positions in December, a trend 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 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 accelerated decline toward $85,000. For ETH, the $3,000 mark is the critical support to defend. On the positive side, US spot Bitcoin ETF inflows remain solid, and institutional accumulation continues beneath the surface.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Always do your own research (DYOR) before investing. Cryptocurrencies are volatile assets with high risk of capital loss. Past performance does not guarantee future results. © 2026 DailyCryptoNews.co — All rights reserved.
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