Bitcoin extends consolidation amid ETF outflows, echoing pre‑2025 surge patterns

  • Bitcoin currently trades in a tight range near $90K amid a 3-day streak of ETF outflows.
  • The current market consolidation mirrors pre‑2025 surge patterns with low volatility.
  • The key levels to watch include the support at $90K, the immediate resistance at $95K, and $100k in case of a breakout.

Bitcoin (BTC) price has remained stuck in a narrow trading range around $90,000.

The cryptocurrency is showing signs of consolidation after a volatile start to 2026.

Bitcoin ETF flows and macroeconomic uncertainties are playing a key role in the price movement.

Bitcoin ETF outflows weigh on BTC price

In early January, Bitcoin spot ETFs initially attracted strong inflows, signalling renewed institutional interest.

However, a three-day streak of outflows totalling over $1 billion has nearly erased those gains.

This shift indicates waning conviction among institutional investors.

The outflows have contributed to Bitcoin’s inability to break above $95,000.

Traders are cautious as geopolitical tensions between the USA, Latin American countries and Iran, and broader risk-off sentiment, weigh on the market.

ETF redemption patterns are currently a major driver of near-term price behaviour.

These flows may represent tactical rotation rather than long-term liquidation.

Investors could be reallocating capital to other assets while maintaining exposure to Bitcoin.

Nonetheless, the short-term pressure has kept BTC trading in a tight range between roughly $88,000 and $95,000.

Echoes of pre‑2025 rally patterns

Bitcoin’s current sideways trading resembles the consolidation phase before its 2025 rally.

In the months leading up to the surge, BTC spent nearly 50 days in a narrow range, a phenomenon called time-based capitulation.

This period allowed weak hands to exit and set the stage for a powerful upward move.

The current market consolidation mirrors that pattern, suggesting the market may be quietly building momentum.

Bitcoin price analysis
Current consolidation mirrors pre-2025 rally consolidation | Source: TradingView

Unlike traditional capitulation, this phase does not involve panic selling or sharp drops.

Instead, low volatility and a steady range characterise this pre-rally accumulation period.

Some analysts see this as a signal that Bitcoin could be preparing for a significant breakout.

The ETF outflows and geopolitical pressures may simply be temporary obstacles.

If history repeats, a sustained push above resistance could trigger renewed bullish momentum.

The key Bitcoin price levels to watch

One of the key price levels to watch out for is the key support that remains near $90,000.

A break below this support could open the door to further declines toward $86,000–$88,000.

However, a sustained move above $95,000 would signal renewed institutional buying and potential acceleration.

If Bitcoin overcomes $100,000, the market could revisit mid‑2025 highs and even target $110,000 in the medium term.

Moving forward, traders and investors should monitor both technical levels and macro catalysts to gauge the timing and scale of the next potential surge.

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Zcash price rebounds 10% after dip below $400 amid developer turmoil

  • Zcash (ZEC) has staged a notable intraday recovery in the volatile world of privacy-focused cryptocurrencies.
  • The token pumped following a sharp sell-off triggered by governance uncertainties at the Electric Coin Company (ECC).
  • ZEC price has rebounded more than 10% in the last 24 hours, up from lows of $396.

The price of Zcash (ZEC), the privacy-focused cryptocurrency that staged a notable surge in 2025, has rebounded from its latest dip under $400 with an impressive 10% uptick in the past 24 hours.

Zcash (ZEC)  traded around $436 at the time of writing, posting a double-digit recovery after the token dipped to around $396 amid negative ecosystem developments.

Why did Zcash price dump?

Notably, the recent price action follows the sharp sell-off triggered by internal governance challenges within the Zcash ecosystem.

On January 7, 2026, the development team from the Electric Coin Company (ECC), the primary entity historically responsible for Zcash’s core development, announced mass resignations. The split impacted the ZEC price.

The departure stemmed from a misalignment with the Bootstrap nonprofit board.

Developers cited concerns over shifts away from the project’s original privacy mission as a reason.

But despite the lingering jitters of what turmoil for Zcash developer Electric Coin Company could mean for the privacy coin, the swift reversal suggests investor interest remains high.

Zcash price recovers 10%, can bulls go higher?

News around Zcash prompted panic selling, driving ZEC to an intraday low near $389 on Thursday.

Losses helped wipe out a significant portion of the privacy coin’s market value, with bulls under threat as bears threatened the psychologically important $400 level.

Zcash Price Chart
Zcash price chart by CoinMarketCap

According to data from Coinglass, uncertainty saw more traders lean bearish.

However, buyers have quickly stepped in, absorbing the selling pressure.

The movement has seen 24-hour liquidations increase to over $7.95 million. Among these, over $6.20 are in short positions, while over $1.75 are long positions.

This double-digit recovery highlights the bulls’ resilience as fresh demand emerges for the privacy coin.

Significantly, the Zcash Foundation has emphasized that the protocol remains decentralized, open-source, and unaffected by the organizational changes.

The developer split, while disruptive in the short term, has not crashed Zcash bulls.

“We recognize that moments of transition within the ecosystem can create uncertainty. However, at moments like this it is important to understand this distinction: distinguish between organizational shifts and the health of the network. The Zcash network is fundamentally independent of any single organization, board or corporate entity,” the foundation noted via X.

Given the outlook, could the ZEC price edge higher?

Short-term, the key for bulls would be to stay above $400. A close above $450 and a retest of $500 will be a huge step. If not, a reset to the support around $313 is possible, and near-term reload zones will be at $220.

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UK’s FCA grants regulatory approval to Ripple

  • The approval allows limited crypto-related activities but not full financial services authorisation.
  • Registration confirms compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing rules.
  • The approval supports Ripple’s expansion in regulated international markets.

Ripple has taken a formal step into the regulated UK crypto market after securing approval from the country’s financial watchdog.

The development places Ripple among a limited group of digital asset firms that have met the UK’s compliance standards, at a time when regulators are tightening supervision of the sector.

The move reflects how crypto companies are increasingly navigating jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction rules to maintain access to key financial centres.

For the UK, it also underscores efforts to bring crypto activity within an established regulatory perimeter rather than leaving it to operate on the margins.

FCA registration status

Ripple’s UK subsidiary, Ripple Markets UK Ltd., has been registered with the Financial Conduct Authority under the country’s money laundering regulations.

The update appeared on the FCA’s official register on Friday, confirming that the entity has satisfied the regulator’s requirements related to financial crime controls.

Registration under these rules signals that Ripple complies with UK standards on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing.

Firms listed on the register are required to monitor transactions, carry out customer due diligence, and report suspicious activity.

For crypto businesses, this registration is a legal requirement to operate certain services in the UK.

Scope of the approval

While the registration allows Ripple to carry out specific crypto-related activities, it does not amount to full financial services authorisation.

The FCA’s approval is limited in scope and does not permit activities such as offering regulated investment products or providing broader banking services.

This distinction is central to the UK’s regulatory framework for digital assets.

Crypto firms can gain entry to the market by meeting baseline compliance requirements, but further permissions are needed as business models expand into more heavily regulated areas.

Ripple’s status reflects compliance with financial crime rules rather than a comprehensive licence.

UK regulatory direction

Ripple’s approval comes as the UK seeks to position itself as a global hub for digital assets while strengthening oversight.

Policymakers have been working to integrate crypto firms into existing regulatory structures, focusing first on areas such as money laundering and terrorist financing risks.

The FCA has adopted a selective approach to crypto registrations, with many applicants failing to meet its standards in previous years.

Against this background, inclusion on the register indicates that Ripple has cleared a relatively high compliance bar.

The process also highlights the regulator’s emphasis on governance and controls rather than rapid market expansion.

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