Bitcoin Holds Below $95,000 as Traders Brace for U.S. Jobs Data and Geopolitical Strains

Key Moments

Bitcoin traded at $90,946.4, up 0.2% by 00:34 ET (05:34 GMT), after stalling in its early-year rebound.
U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs saw more than $1 billion in outflows over three consecutive days to January 8.
Altcoins were mixed, with Solana climbing 5% on Friday and Polygon jumping over 17% after a new payments framework announcement.

Macro Tensions Keep Bitcoin Rangebound

Bitcoin traded steady in Asian dealings on Friday, pausing after cutting short a new year recovery earlier in the week. Market attention remained firmly on upcoming U.S. nonfarm payrolls data for fresh guidance on the future path of interest rates.

Broader risk appetite stayed subdued amid elevated geopolitical uncertainty, weighing on demand for cryptocurrencies and other risk-driven assets. Bitcoin rose 0.2% to $90,946.4 by 00:34 ET (05:34 GMT).

GM ☕️. Bitcoin is testing the $90K level.
Will it hold?
A bounce is now in motion, so Bitcoin looks very “shaken, not stirred.”
While BTC slipped this morning, Lombard's BARD pulled higher. The BTCfi token is currently trading +2.2% higher in the last 24h. My focus remains… https://t.co/Gpx3NkYZOa pic.twitter.com/VjKhHUNMa7
— Bored Shamrocks (@ArtificialSham1) January 9, 2026

Muted Weekly Performance Amid Geopolitical Headwinds

On a weekly basis, Bitcoin was up 0.4%, but the move reflected a largely muted performance after its early-year rebound faded. The token struggled to rebuild momentum, particularly after failing to reclaim the $95,000 mark during the week.

Heightened geopolitical risks were a key factor behind the softer tone. Uncertainty surrounding U.S. policy toward Venezuela came into focus after Washington captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a weekend incursion.

President Donald Trump signaled that Washington will control Venezuela’s oil production in the coming years, although it remained unclear just how this will play out.

Additional pressure emerged from Asia, where a diplomatic dispute between China and Japan intensified. Tensions escalated after Beijing outlined certain economic restrictions targeting Tokyo. The two countries remained in conflict over late-2025 comments made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on potential military intervention in Taiwan.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs See Heavy Outflows

Risk aversion was also evident in flows into U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds, which recorded three consecutive days of sizable redemptions this week.

Institutional investors withdrew more than a combined $1 billion from spot Bitcoin ETFs in the three days to January 8, according to data from crypto aggregator SoSoValue. These outflows marked a sharp reversal from the inflows seen at the start of the year and coincided with the pullback in Bitcoin’s price.

Instrument	Recent Move	Period Referenced
Spot Bitcoin ETFs (U.S.-listed)	>$1 billion in outflows	Three days to January 8
Bitcoin	Up 0.4% for the week	Current week

Crypto Market Holds Tight Ahead of Payrolls Data

Across the digital asset space, price action remained relatively constrained on Friday as traders awaited the U.S. nonfarm payrolls report.

U.S. nonfarm payrolls data for December is due later in the day and is expected to offer definitive cues on the labor market. The print is widely expected to factor into long-term expectations for U.S. interest rates.

Altcoins Mixed, With Select Outperformers

Among major tokens, world no.2 crypto Ether edged higher, rising 0.4% to $3,119.32. XRP gained 1.2% to $2.1338.

Beyond Bitcoin and Ether, several large-cap altcoins showed relative strength over the week. XRP outperformed with a 5% weekly advance, supported by signs of a potential supply crunch on mainstream exchanges.

Solana stood out on Friday, climbing 5%, with a near 5% gain on tap for the week. Cardano rose 1.1% on Friday and was on track for a 1.6% weekly increase. BNB added 2% on Friday and was up 2.2% for the week.