Bitcoin hovers in high-$80Ks as liquidity thins and sentiment slips back to ‘extreme fear’

Coindesk and Investing.com report BTC drifting around $88K–$90K with low leverage and fading post-Fed demand, even as corporate treasuries quietly resume accumulation. The Crypto Fear and Greed Index has slid back into extreme fear, and ETF outflows plus thin year-end liquidity are amplifying each downward move.

Crypto majors extend post-Fed pullback as macro risk keeps pressure on risk assets

Bitcoin (~$85.9K, -2.5%) and Ethereum (~$2.95K, -3.6%) are falling for a fourth straight session, continuing the retreat that began after last week’s Fed rate cut and amid renewed anxiety over 2026 policy paths. Reuters and Yahoo Finance note that traders are de-risking ahead of a ‘data dump’ of delayed U.S. jobs, retail sales and inflation figures that could shift rate-cut expectations.

Technical breakdown stokes talk of deeper BTC correction

News from CoinDesk and Bloomberg flag BTC’s break below its recent trading range and the risk of a retest of the $80,000 area or worse, with some technicians like Peter Brandt warning that a snapped parabolic arc could open downside toward $25,000, even as on-chain models cited by Bitcoin Magazine suggest fair value closer to $100,000.

BTC holds below $90K as macro uncertainty caps upside

BTC trades around $87.9K, fractionally lower, after repeatedly failing to break a descending trendline near $94K and slipping back under the psychologically important $90K level. FXStreet and Investing.com highlight cautious risk sentiment ahead of a heavy week of U.S. data and global central bank meetings, with some analysts (e.g., Peter Brandt) warning of downside risk toward $80K or even $25K if the broken parabola plays out.

Sol bucks the drift with a small gain but stays inside downtrend

SOL is slightly higher near $130–$132, up about 0.5%, outperforming most large caps today. Still, CoinDesk notes that Solana, along with other high‑beta altcoins, has been under pressure in recent weeks as year‑end profit‑taking in BTC and thin liquidity amplify moves, leaving SOL down on the week and still vulnerable if Bitcoin retests lower supports.

Macro backdrop: Fed cuts done for now, BOJ/ECB/BoE in focus

Despite the Fed’s third rate cut of 2025 and a softer dollar, crypto has failed to mount a sustained relief rally, suggesting the bullish impulse from easier policy is fading. News from Investing.com, Yahoo Finance and FXStreet stress that this week’s U.S. jobs and inflation prints plus the Bank of Japan’s widely expected hike—historically associated with BTC drawdowns—are keeping traders defensive across digital assets.

Bitcoin stabilizes below $90K as macro risk-off mood persists

BTC trades near $89K–$90K, up about 1.5% intraday but still stuck in a tight range after a multi-week slide. Caution ahead of key U.S. jobs and inflation data and the Bank of Japan decision is curbing fresh risk-taking and keeping volatility muted.

Downside risks for BTC grow, with $80K retest back on traders’ radar

CoinDesk notes BTC has retreated from roughly $93K since Friday, with technicals pointing to rising odds of a pullback toward the $80K area if support around the mid‑$80Ks fails. A weak Nasdaq and thin year‑end liquidity are reinforcing defensive positioning.

Ethereum outperforms majors but stalls below key resistance

ETH is around $3,150, up roughly 2.8% on the day and modestly firmer than BTC over the week. FXStreet highlights that rejection at the 50‑day EMA near $3,280 leaves ETH vulnerable to a move toward $3,000–$2,750 if macro data or risk sentiment deteriorate.

Solana edges higher but remains pressured alongside high‑beta altcoins

SOL trades near $132, up about 1.8% but still lagging after recent drawdowns as Coindesk flags year‑end profit‑taking and thin liquidity across ETH, SOL, and ADA. Risk-sensitive names like SOL remain tethered to BTC direction and broader tech‑stock sentiment.

Digital asset treasuries and crypto-proxy stocks enter ‘Darwinian phase’

Yahoo Finance reports that bitcoin‑heavy corporates such as Strategy Inc. have been hit hard since October’s BTC crash, with mNAVs compressing toward 1x. This is forcing balance‑sheet hoarders to build cash reserves and could accelerate consolidation if BTC remains range‑bound.

HashKey IPO and continued institutional accumulation contrast with retail caution

HashKey’s Hong Kong IPO, reportedly multiple times oversubscribed, underscores ongoing institutional interest in crypto infrastructure even as spot prices stall. On-chain and balance‑sheet data cited by CoinDesk show whales and corporates quietly accumulating BTC while retail flows and leverage stay muted.

BTC extends post-October correction amid crash fears

Bitcoin trades near $88.5K, down about 2% on the day and far below its $126K October peak as investors digest warnings from Michael Saylor and others about potential index exclusions and a $1 trillion market drawdown. Extreme fear readings, heavy liquidations and concerns that corporate bitcoin-treasury buying has largely run its course are reinforcing expectations for a deeper correction even as ETF flows are viewed as the next major upside driver (Forbes, Yahoo Finance, CoinDesk).

Broader crypto market under pressure as macro tailwinds fade

Ethereum, XRP and Solana are all down 1%–2% today, echoing recent CoinDesk data showing a 5.7% weekend drop in BTC and a roughly 7% slide in the CoinDesk 20 Index as hawkish signals from the Bank of Japan and a more cautious global rate-cut outlook sap risk appetite (CoinDesk, Bloomberg). The Fed’s ‘hawkish cut’ and fading expectations for aggressive easing into 2026 are curbing the monetary-policy tailwind that powered crypto earlier in the year, keeping traders defensive into a data-heavy week with U.S. jobs, CPI and retail sales on deck (Sources: DailyForex, Yahoo Finance).

Digital asset treasury stocks hit a "Darwinian phase"

Shares of bitcoin and ether heavy treasury companies such as Strategy and other DAT names have plunged 30%–60% since October’s liquidation event, with some now trading near or below the value of their underlying crypto holdings (Yahoo Finance, Forbes, CoinDesk). Analysts describe a shakeout in which only firms with sustainable cash-generating businesses alongside their token treasuries are likely to survive, while MSCI’s pending index-rule decision adds another overhang for Saylor’s Strategy in early 2026.

Crypto majors extend consolidation as macro jitters cap risk appetite

Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP and Solana are all down 1.7%–2.8% over the last day, reflecting fading risk appetite ahead of a heavy week of U.S. inflation and labor data plus a pivotal Bank of Japan rate decision. Broader risk markets, including the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, have also pulled back from record or near‑record highs, reinforcing a cautious tone.

Bitcoin hovers below $90K amid ‘extreme low volatility’ and crash warnings

BTC trades around $87.9K, off 2.5%, after repeatedly failing to break higher and slipping under the $90K area that CoinDesk and Cointelegraph flag as key short‑term support. Analysts describe an ‘extreme low volatility’ setup with a potential bear flag that could send prices toward the mid‑$70Ks or even the $50K range if support levels give way.

Japan risk and yen carry-trade unwind loom over BTC

Investing.com and Cointelegraph highlight the upcoming BoJ rate hike and potential clash with the government as a major macro overhang that could unwind yen carry trades and pressure risk assets, including Bitcoin. Past BoJ hikes have coincided with 20%–30% BTC drawdowns, and some macro strategists now warn of a possible dump below $70K if policy proves more hawkish than expected.

Digital asset treasury stocks enter ‘Darwinian phase’ after October BTC crash

Yahoo Finance reports that Bitcoin’s sharp October reversal has pushed many crypto‑treasury companies into deep unrealized losses and widened discounts to their underlying holdings. Strategy (Saylor’s firm) has been at the center of the storm, prompting warnings that an MSCI index exclusion could cause ‘chaos’ and amplify downside if BTC’s slide accelerates.

Ethereum, XRP and Solana lag with limited idiosyncratic catalysts

ETH (-1.8%) trades near $3,060 despite some relative strength versus BTC, as analysts see little fundamental impetus until the Fusaka upgrade and ETF flows become clearer. XRP (-2.0%) and Solana (-2.8%) track the broader risk‑off tone even as XRP ETFs quietly approach $1B in cumulative inflows, suggesting institutional accumulation is building a floor rather than driving a breakout.