BizwavemediaPersonal Finance and Crypto Updates

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Bitcoin has climbed back above $91,000 to the surprise of many who expected a deeper pullback following the US military intervention in Venezuela and Trump’s Saturday address on the situation.

The leading crypto asset is trading at $91,346, per CoinGecko, after bouncing back to $90,000 on Friday and holding steady through Saturday despite geopolitical volatility. It is now at its highest level since December 12.

Altcoins joined the rally, with Ethereum, XRP, BNB, and Solana all posting gains. In the last 24 hours, the total crypto market cap rose 1% to $3.2 trillion. MYX Finance, TRON, and Dogecoin were standout performers during this stretch.

Trump told reporters on Saturday that the US would oversee Venezuela until a secure transition of power is possible, following his claim that Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife had been captured.

Maduro is being held in New York and faces a court appearance on narco-terrorism charges on Monday, according to the BBC.

The crypto market is the only active venue for price discovery this weekend. But the biggest market reaction is expected in oil, where traders may begin to factor in higher geopolitical risk. Any disruptions to Venezuelan exports or fears of regional instability could support crude prices in the short term, even if there is no immediate supply shock.

Trump’s strategy focuses on deploying US oil majors to fix the country’s dilapidated energy infrastructure, promising a lucrative return for both nations.

Commenting on Trump’s plans, Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska said gaining control of Venezuela’s oil fields could give the US effective influence over more than 50% of global reserves.

Venezuela’s deposits are estimated at around 303 billion barrels, the largest globally and equal to roughly one-fifth of proven world reserves.

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The odds that Bitcoin will outperform gold in 2026 have risen to 59% on Polymarket, following the crypto’s move back above $90,000 to start the year.

Bitcoin concluded 2025 down roughly 6%, sharply underperforming gold, which surged over 65% to become the year’s standout asset, per TradingView.

While the digital asset saw a strong start, it faced extreme volatility, peaking at $126,000 in early October before a lack of fresh catalysts and uneven demand triggered a steep year-end retreat.

The rising odds on prediction markets reflect growing trader confidence in Bitcoin’s potential to deliver stronger returns than the traditional precious metal this year.

Near-term expectations are becoming more restrained among some analysts.

Jurrien Timmer of Fidelity Investments believes Bitcoin may have completed its halving-cycle bull phase and could enter a period of consolidation in 2026. The strategist thinks prices could return to the $65,000–$70,000 range, while still seeing upside in the long run.

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Spot Bitcoin ETFs in the US kicked off 2026 with a surge in demand, pulling in roughly $471 million in fresh capital in the opening trading session, Farside Investors data shows.

Renewed appetite for Bitcoin exposure helped reverse the negative trend seen on December 31, when the ETF group shed $348 million.

On Friday, the sector saw a complete turnaround with no funds posting losses, led by BlackRock’s IBIT with inflows of approximately $287 million. Funds managed by Fidelity and Bitwise also reported major gains.

The rebound came amid a crypto market recovery, with Bitcoin climbing above $90,000, while Ethereum surged past $3,100. In the past 24 hours, the total crypto market capitalization rose approximately 2% to $3.1 trillion, per CoinGecko.

Ethereum ETFs also bounced back. After a $72 million outflow on the final day of 2025, inflows resumed yesterday as spot Ethereum ETFs recorded around $174 million in fresh capital, largely driven by funds managed by Grayscale and BlackRock.

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Crypto markets showed little reaction today after US President Donald Trump announced that US forces had carried out a major strike in Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro.

Trump added that the operation was conducted in conjunction with US law enforcement, with a news conference scheduled for later at Mar-a-Lago.

Bitcoin, Ether, and XRP held steady as traders digested news of the geopolitical escalation. Residents in Caracas reported multiple blasts and power outages while Venezuelan officials declared a national emergency.

The US has yet to respond publicly beyond Trump’s announcement. The action comes amid a backdrop of sanctions, drug-trafficking accusations, and increased American operations near Venezuelan territory.

The US had recently intensified pressure on Venezuela through measures, including naval blockades on sanctioned oil tankers. Maduro had previously expressed openness to dialogue with the US on combating drug trafficking.

This is a developing story.

XRP has rallied 8% in the last 24 hours to reach $2, boosting its market capitalization to about $123 million, per CoinMarketCap. This puts it back in fourth place among crypto assets, outranking BNB, which holds a market value of over $120 million.

Without counting stablecoins, XRP now sits behind only Bitcoin and Ethereum. Bitcoin holds the top spot with a market cap of $1.8 trillion, followed by Ethereum at $377 billion.

On trading activity, XRP recorded a 175% surge over the past day, with volume rising to $3.8 billion. Despite the gains, the asset still trades roughly 44% below its July 2025 peak of $3.6.

The recent rally comes as the digital asset market shows renewed strength today, with Bitcoin reclaiming $90,000. Altcoin performance was also robust, with Ethereum advancing 4% to $3,100, Solana rising to $132, and BNB hitting $877.

Elsewhere, US spot XRP ETFs continue to defy market volatility, maintaining a perfect streak of daily inflows.

Since debuting in late 2025, these funds have attracted approximately $1.2 billion in net capital, with total assets under management now valued at $1.3 billion, per SoSoValue.

Tesla shares rose about 1% early Friday after the automaker released fourth-quarter 2025 production and delivery results that came in below year-ago levels.

The company reported 418,227 deliveries and 434,358 vehicles produced during the quarter, down about 16% year-over-year, while production fell 5.5%. For the full year, deliveries totaled 1.6 million, down 8.6% from 2024.

Tesla also reported 14.2 GWh of energy storage deployments in the quarter, following a record 12.5 GWh in the third quarter.

Deliveries provide insight into Tesla’s customer demand and revenue trends. Quarterly fluctuations can be driven by soft demand, logistical challenges, timing factors, or quarter-end push strategies.

Lower deliveries may signal margin pressure or slower revenue growth. Tesla is scheduled to report its Q4 2025 results after the market closes on January 28.

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Bitcoin’s rebound has triggered $209 million in liquidations over the past 24 hours, with short positions making up over $170 million, about 82% of the total, according to CoinGlass data.

Bitcoin rose 2% to $89,700 this morning, per CoinGecko. It was trading close to $89,400 at the time of reporting.

The wave of short liquidations comes as spot investors continue to accumulate Bitcoin amid improving market liquidity, but market conditions remain cautious.

Some analysts note that without a decisive breakout above the $90,000–$92,000 resistance zone, critically supported by an uptick in spot demand, rallies are likely to face continued retracements.