Bitcoin Holds Near $90,000 But Struggles to Break Higher as Liquidity Remains Thin

Bitcoin traded higher near the closely watched $90,000 level on Monday after briefly moving above it earlier in the session, but the cryptocurrency once again failed to sustain momentum beyond that threshold — mirroring several unsuccessful rebound attempts seen throughout December.

By 02:07 ET (07:07 GMT), the world’s largest cryptocurrency was up 2.2% at $89,663.6.

Bitcoin has repeatedly tested the $90,000 mark this month, only to retreat as buying interest faded and year-end trading volumes stayed subdued.

Fed-pivot optimism lends support — but resistance remains firm

Monday’s advance came alongside broader strength across global markets, with investors continuing to price in expectations that the Federal Reserve will deliver further interest-rate cuts in 2026 following its recent policy easing.

Lower interest-rate expectations typically benefit risk assets — including cryptocurrencies — by reducing the relative appeal of cash and fixed-income holdings and encouraging investors to seek higher-return opportunities.

Bitcoin also appeared to be playing catch-up with gains in other asset classes.
Gold hovered near record highs, while silver and platinum climbed to fresh peaks as investors monitored persistent geopolitical risks — including ongoing U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine, which have yet to yield a breakthrough.

The strength across precious metals underscored continued demand for both safe-haven and alternative assets, creating a generally supportive backdrop for crypto markets.

Even so, Bitcoin’s upside remained limited. Traders pointed to profit-taking and muted liquidity as key headwinds, with the $90,000 area still viewed as a major psychological and technical resistance zone that may require stronger catalysts to break convincingly.

Institutional activity — which helped underpin crypto markets earlier in the year — has also turned more selective, with some asset managers opting to remain on the sidelines ahead of key economic data releases early in the new year.

Crypto market today: Altcoins edge higher

Most major altcoins posted modest gains on Monday.

Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency, rose 2.7% to $3,018.92, while XRP added 1.5% to trade near $1.90.

Solana climbed 2.7%, whereas Cardano and Polygon saw slight declines.

Among meme tokens, Dogecoin and $TRUMP each advanced around 1%.