The Daily Drip

✅ Top Takeaways

• BTC stabilizes below $90K: Bitcoin trades near $89.4K with only a marginal gain as a Bitfinex whale reportedly absorbs the equivalent of daily mining supply while spot price still fails to clear resistance.
• ETH & majors lag: Ether, XRP and SOL remain slightly red despite renewed focus on Ethereum’s decentralization roadmap and ZK‑EVM tooling, showing how cautious sentiment still is after the recent drawdown.
• Macro backdrop still noisy: Gold eases from record highs, JGB volatility jolts global risk assets and the Australian Dollar jumps on a strong jobs surprise, reinforcing the need to track FX and rates alongside crypto data.

📰 Crypto Market Summary

Bitcoin traded at $89,415 with a modest 0.06% gain as tensions over Greenland eased following Trump's withdrawal of European tariff threats. A Bitfinex whale reportedly absorbed 450 BTC daily, equivalent to the entire daily mining supply, providing support despite Bitcoin struggling to break the $90,000 resistance level.

Ether fell 0.79% to $2,956 while XRP dropped 1.05% to $1.93 and Solana declined 0.76% to $128.40. The weakness came despite Vitalik Buterin's emphasis on 2026 as a pivotal year for Ethereum's decentralization efforts, with new tools like ZK-EVMs and improved light clients aimed at restoring individual sovereignty.

Gold pulled back from its all-time peak near $4,887 per ounce after President Trump ruled out military force over Greenland and withdrew European tariff threats. Goldman Sachs raised its 2026 year-end gold forecast to $5,400 per ounce, citing continued safe-haven demand from central banks and geopolitical uncertainty.

US-listed Bitcoin ETFs experienced their largest single-day outflow since November, shedding over $700 million on Wednesday. The withdrawal occurred even as broader equity markets rallied on easing geopolitical tensions, suggesting crypto investors remain cautious about near-term price action.

A chaotic selloff in Japanese government bonds spilled over into US equities and crypto markets, with the yen hovering near record lows versus the euro. The unwinding of yen carry trades created volatility across risk assets, with the VIX climbing above 20 and Bitcoin struggling to maintain momentum above $90,000.

The Australian dollar rallied to a 15-month high above $0.6800 after unemployment unexpectedly dropped to 4.1% in December with employment surging by 65,200. The robust jobs report dramatically increased chances of a Reserve Bank of Australia rate hike at its February 3 meeting, boosting AUD against most major currencies.

💰 ETF Flows & Market Structure

Crypto products see another heavy day with roughly $873.62M in net outflows, including about $586.62M from BTC funds and $287M from ETH vehicles, marking one of the largest single‑session drawdowns of this cycle.

Yet the S&P Cryptocurrency Broad Digital Asset Index still climbs 3.28% on the day and stands up roughly 12.47% year‑to‑date, suggesting that forced selling is being met by dip‑buyers even as headline flows look ugly.

Signal: outflows are significant but not fatal — price action shows underlying demand absorbing supply, though the market remains sensitive to any renewed policy or macro shocks.

📊 Sentiment Dashboard

🔢 Market Performance

• BTC, ETH and BNB all post healthy single‑day gains but remain lower on the week, consistent with a relief bounce inside a broader corrective phase rather than a full trend reversal.
• ADA, TRX and SOL retain mid‑single‑digit to high‑single‑digit YTD gains, highlighting where risk capital is willing to return first when fear moderates.
• BCH delivers one of the strongest daily moves among majors, but its flat year‑to‑date profile underscores how investor attention remains focused on high‑utility and yield‑bearing assets.

⚡ Risk & Market Lens

With tariffs off the table for now, a whale quietly supporting BTC spot and Ethereum’s roadmap re‑entering the conversation, the tape looks less fragile than earlier this week — but outsized ETF outflows and cross‑asset volatility argue for disciplined sizing.

What to watch: BTC’s ability to reclaim and hold above the $90K–$92K band, whether ETH can flip back to positive YTD as decentralization upgrades roll out, and if ETF outflows slow meaningfully as macro headlines continue to normalize.

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Disclaimer

This newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only and is not investment advice, solicitation, or an endorsement of any strategy or asset. H2cryptO does not warrant data accuracy or completeness. Crypto assets are highly volatile; always consult professional advisors, use caution, and comply with local laws before making strategic, financial, or investment decisions.