Bitcoin pushed back above $95,000, briefly reaching the $97,000 area before settling near $96,800. The move came after a break above a resistance zone that had held for months, reopening the debate over whether BTC is starting a fresh run toward a new all-time high or simply staging a short-term bounce.
Over the last three days, about 47,000 smaller holders sold the asset. At the same time, Bitcoin balances on major exchanges dropped to a seven-month low, pointing to weaker sell-side pressure. Those two signals have shifted attention back to a possible move into the $100,000 to $103,000 range after the weakness seen since the post-October peak.
Technical breakout puts $100,000 at the center of the market
The rally did not appear out of nowhere. Bitcoin recently broke through the $94,000-$96,000 resistance band, while a MACD crossover and a rising RSI supported the bullish setup. The RSI stands at 69.86, showing strong momentum without yet entering a clearly overbought condition.
Traders are now treating $100,000 as the next major resistance level. A clean break above it could draw in additional buying, while failure there would leave the market facing a tougher ceiling.
Spot ETF demand tops $1.5 billion in two days as exchange inflows cool
U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $753 million in inflows on January 13 and another $843 million on January 14. Large products including BlackRock’s IBIT attracted notable capital, tightening available BTC supply on exchanges.
Exchange inflows have also fallen by 50%. According to the source material, whale selling has slowed since December 2025, easing pressure from large holders and leaving smaller traders with more influence over short-term price action. Even so, around $945 million in leveraged long positions remains in the market, which means volatility could rise again if whales return.
Greed returns as crypto rises while equities slip
The Crypto Fear & Greed Index has moved back into the “Greed” zone for the first time since October, climbing from 11, labeled “Extreme Fear,” to 54. Sentiment in the market has clearly improved. The same historical pattern also shows that greed phases can still be followed by short pullbacks.
On January 15, 2026, traditional markets moved the other way: the S&P 500 fell about 0.5%, the Nasdaq dropped roughly 0.4%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost around 0.5%. During that period, total crypto market capitalization rose 1.04% to $3.27 trillion, while Bitcoin dominance stayed near 58%.
For now, Bitcoin’s rebound is being supported by technical strength, sustained ETF inflows, and reduced whale selling. The next test sits near $101,000, while regulatory developments and the size of leveraged positions remain key factors for the next move.