Key Highlights
- Bitcoin’s Fear & Greed “golden cross” signals growing short-term optimism after months of market fear.
- Whales selling eases, and even dormant BTC wallets are moving, hinting at cautious market re-engagement.
- Price dips may be short-term corrections; broader risks like U.S.-Europe tariffs still add market uncertainty.
Bitcoin (BTC) traders are on alert as market sentiment shows signs of a potential rally. The cryptocurrency is currently trading at $91,229.88, with a 24-hour trading volume of $35.35 billion, down 1.84% over the past day, as per data from CoinMarketCap.
CryptoQuant analyst MorenoDV_ pointed out that the 30-day Fear & Greed Index recently rose above the 90-day average for the first time since May 2025. This “golden cross” shows that short-term optimism is finally decoupling from long-term “bear fatigue,” potentially setting the stage for a push back toward $97,000 despite the geopolitical firestorm currently erupting between Washington and Europe.
The crossover reflects a behavioral pattern observed in prior months. MorenoDV_ explained that such shifts usually occur after prolonged fear phases and often align with local price consolidation zones rather than major market tops. He added, “The key signal is not whether sentiment is fearful or greedy, but how it is changing relative to its own trend.”
Historically, Bitcoin prices tend to respond positively in the weeks following these crossovers, especially when price structures show higher lows and absence of aggressive distribution.
Whale activity shifts
Meanwhile, whale behavior on major exchanges has changed dramatically. Analyst Darkfost noted a collapse in large BTC inflows to Binance, a trend linked to selling pressure. Inflows from transactions of 100 BTC to over 10,000 BTC have dropped from nearly $8 billion monthly in late November to $2.74 billion today.
Darkfost observed, “This shift in dynamics suggests that whales have changed their behavior. They are no longer selling aggressively and now appear to favor waiting.”
Earlier, big Bitcoin holders, or “whales,” sold a lot of BTC when the price dropped below $85,000, which added to market chaos. Now, things look calmer, as these whales are holding onto their coins instead of selling. Moreover, a Bitcoin wallet that had been inactive for 13 years recently moved 909 BTC, worth about $85 million today.
This shows that even owners who stayed out of the market for a long time are starting to get involved again—but carefully. In 2026, these “ancient” moves are often viewed as whales re-positioning for a “supercycle” peak rather than a simple exit.
Price action and technical levels
According to TradingView data, Bitcoin was very volatile on January 19, 2026. Earlier this month, it reached highs around $97,000 but then fell below key technical levels called the 50-period and 200-period moving averages. Traders are now watching $91,000 as a possible support level, while $94,000 to $95,000 could act as resistance if prices try to bounce back.
This correction may only be a minor setback and not necessarily a reversal of Bitcoin’s overall positive trend. In fact, looking at the January price patterns, Bitcoin has been recording higher highs and higher lows. This implies that its overall positive trend remains strong.
The fact that BTC is holding the $91k support level amidst “trade war” headlines is a major win for the bulls. It suggests that the “Golden Cross” sentiment is absorbing the macro shock better than traditional risk assets.
It’s also worth noting that broader economic factors are adding extra pressure on Bitcoin. New tariff threats between the U.S. and Europe, sparked by the U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments on Greenland, have pushed investors toward safer assets like gold and silver. European leaders warned that these tariffs could set off a negative chain reaction, adding more uncertainty to the crypto market.
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