The crypto market saw broad gains in early 2026, but Chainlink (LINK), Avalanche (AVAX), and Shiba Inu (SHIB) displayed diverging trends. ETF channel inflows failed to ignite demand for LINK, while AVAX remained under token inflation pressure. SHIB, by contrast, held key support after a New Year rebound.
Chainlink: Muted ETF Demand, Pullback to $13
Chainlink leads blockchain oracle services, but LINK Coin has not seen a surge in demand from ETF approvals. Cumulative ETF inflows stand at $92 million, yet daily inflows on January 15 were capped at just $500,000, with occasional 2-3 day pauses. While a few million-dollar entries occur, capital influx remains limited without widespread excitement. Long-term investors have not driven LINK's ETF channel to capture even 1% of its market value.
Price-wise, LINK rallied from $11.75 to above $14, but retreated along with Bitcoin's pullback from $98,000. Analysts expect resistance tests this weekend or a possible drop to $13, depending on overall market sentiment. Recent news has had little impact on the chart.
Avalanche: RWA Collaboration Can't Offset Inflation Drag
Avalanche made strides in real-world assets (RWA) via a Galaxy partnership, stating its noteworthy participation. However, token inflation has significantly affected AVAX over recent years, causing its divergence from Solana. Double-digit inflation and weak adoption posed challenges before 2023, and the situation persists.
Technically, AVAX was rejected at $14.6 and now sits at the $13.5 support level. Interest in Avalanche remains subdued amid intensifying Layer1 competition. If Bitcoin breaches $94,000, AVAX could test $12.3. Yesterday's sharp decline suggests further downside risk.
Shiba Inu: New Year Bounce Holds Critical Support
After a year-long decline, SHIB bottomed at $0.00000693 and posted a solid rally in the new year. While concerns about forming lower lows persist, SHIB currently holds above the $0.00000829 support level and could return to $0.00000897. Improved market sentiment offers support for meme coins, but the rebound's sustainability hinges on macro conditions.