A Strong Start to 2026

DAILY MARKET OVERVIEW

New Year Movement

👋 Welcome back Crypto Enthusiasts! Hope you managed to disconnect, recharge, and enjoy the holidays. With 2026 now underway, it’s time to shift back into market mode and see what the new year is bringing so far.

Over the holidays, price action was quiet. Volumes were low, liquidity was thin, and markets mostly moved sideways. That was expected.

As January started, things picked up. Bitcoin saw around $470M in ETF inflows, while Ethereum attracted about $174M. At the same time, tax loss selling from 2025 came to an end, which removed a lot of sell pressure. Together, this helped push Bitcoin from the $87K area up toward $93K.

🌎️ What stood out was how this happened alongside a major geopolitical development. Tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela escalated, ending with the U.S. effectively removing Venezuela’s president from power. Despite how significant this event is, crypto barely reacted and continued higher.

Venezuela holds some of the largest oil reserves in the world, and U.S. control could eventually lead to broader macro effects. These could include lower inflation pressure, a stronger dollar, and wider impacts across global markets, including crypto. These effects are not clear yet and likely not priced in, but this is a situation worth watching closely.

What to expect next ❓️ 

From here, Bitcoin has clearly bounced, and a retest of $100K this month is very possible. That said, we do not see this as a confirmed trend change yet. For now, it looks more like short term strength.

The main message is simple. Things are trying to turn up, but nothing has been confirmed. For a more bullish view, we would want to see Bitcoin hold above $100K consistently.

THIS NEWSLETTER IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
OPENWALLET

Next-level security for your digital assets

Experience top security with Open Wallet. Your wallet blends user-friendliness with strong security.

SOCIAL SENTIMENT

🐸 Meme Coins in Focus

The biggest winners so far this year have been meme coins. Tokens like PEPE and BONK are up close to 2x from recent lows, far outperforming most of the market.

These moves were likely driven by short squeezes rather than long term demand. From here, upside looks limited. We see maybe another 10 to 20%, but not much beyond that.

Elsewhere, the launch of Lighter’s LIT token disappointed. Price quickly fell well below OTC levels. Sentiment turned negative after onchain investigators revealed undisclosed airdrop allocation deals that only became public after launch.

Since then, open interest has fallen as airdrop farmers move on to other platforms.

Looking ahead, the next meaningful airdrop opportunities are likely to come from Variational.io and Base later in 2026, which are worth keeping on the radar.

Key takeaway. Despite some excitement in meme coins, altcoins overall still do not look very attractive. Until the market shows clearer direction, patience remains the better approach.

NEWS OVERVIEW

The Latest Crypto Headlines 📰 

Japan’s Finance Minister Declares 2026 the ‘Digital Year’ 
Minister Katayama is pushing for Japanese stock exchanges to integrate crypto, backed by a tax reform plan that would drop the rate on 105 major tokens to a flat 20%.

BlackRock’s IBIT Nears $100B Milestone Amid Venezuela Unrest 
Geopolitical volatility following the U.S. capture of Maduro has driven a massive spike in Bitcoin ETF inflows, with BlackRock’s IBIT seeing its biggest daily haul in three months.

Coinbase Pauses Peso Support in Argentina Following ‘Cryptogate’ 
One year after entering the market, Coinbase is halting peso-based services in Argentina as the country reels from a $100 million memecoin scandal involving the presidency.

Aave Labs Proposes New Revenue Sharing Model for Token Holders 
Founder Stani Kulechov is moving to end governance tensions by offering to share Aave Labs' frontend revenue with the DAO, clearing the path for the protocol's RWA expansion.

YOUTUBE INFLUENCER SUMMARY

Summary From The Top Influencers 📷️ 

Benjamin Cowen – Bitcoin: Bull Market Support Band (05.01.2026 Summary)

In this update, Benjamin Cowen analyzes Bitcoin’s position as it enters 2026. He focuses on whether the current price movement is a genuine recovery or a temporary "dead cat bounce" before a deeper drop.

📉 Bitcoin: Bull Market Support Band Insights from Benjamin Cowen

• The "Midterm Year" Bounce: Cowen notes that 2026 is a "midterm year," which historically begins with a 10–15% rally before moving lower. He believes we are currently in this "counter-trend rally," which typically lasts until the first batch of sellers is exhausted.

• The $100K Resistance: The 50-week moving average and the Bull Market Support Band currently sit between $99,000 and $102,000. Cowen expects Bitcoin to test this range soon but warns that unless it secures multiple weekly closes above it, the move is likely a "lower high" rejection.

• Targeting the 200-Week MA: Cowen’s primary thesis is that Bitcoin will eventually break below its current support and test the 200-week moving average (estimated roughly between $60k–$70k) by Summer or October 2026. This is a pattern seen in every previous bear market cycle.

• Apathy Over Euphoria: Unlike previous tops, this one happened on "apathy" (low retail interest). Cowen argues this means the market must drop low enough to finally convince the "Super Cycle" holdouts that the bear market is real. That final moment of "capitulation" is usually where the actual bottom is found.

• The "Return to Normal" Trap: He cautions that early-year green candles can be a trap. In 2018, Bitcoin started the year up 20% before ultimately crashing. He advises investors to watch for "follow-through" rather than just a quick touch of $100k.

The Takeaway

According to Benjamin Cowen, Bitcoin is likely headed for a "back-test" of the $100,000 level in the coming months. However, he views this as a selling opportunity rather than a new bull phase. He expects a final drop to the 200-week moving average later in 2026 to fully flush out the market before a long-term recovery begins.

Paul Barron Network – Crypto Liquidity Roaring Back Soon?(05.01.2026 Summary)

In this update, Paul Barron discusses why he believes the crypto market is on the verge of an early 2026 pump. Despite current "fear" in the market, he highlights a massive surge in liquidity and institutional shifts that point to a "utility-driven" recovery.

🌊 Market Update: Key Insights from Paul Barron

• Fed's "Stealth QE": Barron highlights that the Fed’s balance sheet jumped by $24.4 billion in late December—the biggest spike since 2023. This is seen as "stealth" liquidity that historically pushes prices higher.

• Corporate Stablecoins: Major brands like Amazon, Disney, and Starbucks are expected to adopt stablecoins to bypass high credit card fees. Barron views this as a "Trojan Horse" that will bring millions of retail users into crypto.

• Ethereum’s Fundamental Highs: While price is stagnant, Ethereum's usage is at an all-time high. Barron notes Tom Lee’s focus on a January 14th deadline for Bitmine shareholders to vote on expanding shares to fund major Ethereum-related acquisitions.

• AI Agent Economy: 2026 is described as the year of AI Agents. These autonomous bots will require crypto for transactions, driving huge volume into DeFi platforms like Uniswap, which has recently eliminated trading fees.

• Asset Rotation: While Bitcoin ETFs saw recent outflows in 2025, Barron points to massive inflows into Solana and XRP ETFs, suggesting "smart money" is rotating into higher-growth assets while waiting for US laws to clear up.

The Takeaway

According to Paul Barron, the market is shifting from hype to utility. While politicians have delayed the Clarity Act, the surge in Fed liquidity and corporate interest in stablecoins suggests the "feast" is about to begin. He recommends watching the AI Agent and Real-World Asset (RWA) sectors for the biggest winners.

CRYPTO MEMES

HELP US IMPROVE

WE ALSO READ