On January 5, 2026, Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and XRP are rallying strongly while traditional markets remain closed for the weekend, per BH NEWS and Coinpedia reports. BTC crossed $91,000, gaining nearly $2,500 from recent lows, with an intraday high around $91,764, per CoinDesk. ETH climbed to $4,100+, and XRP surged over 5%, pushing the total crypto market cap above $3.2T, per CoinMarketCap. This marks a robust start to 2026, with BTC up 4% weekly.
Over $130M in short positions were liquidated in the past 12 hours, creating a chain reaction of buying pressure, per BH NEWS. Short sellers forced out amplified the rally, especially in low-liquidity weekend trading, per. CryptoQuant data shows short liquidations dominating, with BTC, ETH, and SOL seeing massive squeezes, per. X posts from @CryptoInsights note $155 total liquidations, mostly shorts.
Positive economic expectations, including reports of U.S. control over oil reserves, boosted risk assets like crypto, per BH NEWS. With stock markets closed, capital flowed into 24/7 crypto trading, accelerating gains, per. ETF inflows remain supportive, though moderated in August 2025. Vincent Liu from Kronos Research highlighted profit-taking unwinding, but sentiment shifted bullish.
ETH posted steady gains, with XRP outperforming at +5%, reflecting broader altcoin strength, per. XRP traded near $2.10, benefiting from ETF optimism and regulatory clarity, per CoinDesk. Peter Chung from Presto Research eyes Fed Chair Powell’s Jackson Hole speech for rate cut signals, potentially triggering further rallies.
Moderate volumes suggest caution; the real test comes when traditional markets reopen, per. BTC holding above $91,000 could target $95,000+, but a dip risks $88,000 support, per TradingView. Monitor ETF flows on SoSoValue and FOMC minutes. Dollar-cost average into BTC or ETH with stop-losses below $112,000 and $4,000, or diversify into USDC, per. Follow @TheBlock__ on X for updates. The rally looks positive short term, but Jackson Hole will be pivotal.
