The January Slide: Bitcoin and Ethereum Under Pressure, Market Holds Its Breath

Par admin
Publié le 25 June 2026

Analysis

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.

⚠️