Key Moments
- Bitcoin dipped 0.2% to $91,894.6 by 00:33 ET (05:33 GMT), trailing gains in equity markets.
- Markets were focused on upcoming U.S. December CPI data, expected to show headline inflation steady at 2.7% annually with a modest rise in core CPI.
- Altcoins broadly weakened alongside Bitcoin, with Solana, Cardano, and meme tokens underperforming while BNB edged higher.
Bitcoin Underperforms Equities Ahead of Key Inflation Release
Bitcoin traded slightly lower in Asian dealings on Tuesday, failing to keep pace with advances in stock markets as investors scaled back exposure to speculative assets ahead of a closely watched U.S. inflation update and amid rising global geopolitical tensions.
The largest cryptocurrency eased 0.2% to $91,894.6 by 00:33 ET (05:33 GMT).
Bitcoin has found it difficult to build sustained upside momentum through late-2025 and into early-2026, as overall sentiment toward digital assets has cooled. A growing investor tilt toward artificial intelligence themes and technology stocks has also diverted capital away from crypto.
CPI in Focus as Markets Weigh Fed Policy Path
Attention on Tuesday centered on the upcoming release of U.S. consumer price index data for December.
Consensus expectations were for headline CPI to remain unchanged at 2.7% on an annual basis, while core CPI was projected to rise slightly.
Any indication that inflation remains stubborn could reduce the Federal Reserve’s willingness to cut interest rates in the coming months.
The Fed itself remained a key source of uncertainty after Chair Jerome Powell disclosed earlier in the week that he had received threats of legal action from the Department of Justice.
Powell said that while the threats were officially linked to an ongoing renovation of the Fed’s headquarters, he believed they were intended to pressure the central bank into acquiescing to Washington’s demands for lower interest rates.
Powell’s statement raised concerns over the Fed’s independence, especially as President Donald Trump prepares to announce his nominee for Powell’s successor. Trump has badgered the Fed to slash rates, and has publicly raged against Powell for not giving in to his demands.
Geopolitics Weigh on Risk Appetite and Support Safe Havens
Broader crypto markets moved mostly lower with Bitcoin, as elevated geopolitical risks further dampened risk-taking.
Increased public unrest in Iran, along with concerns about potential U.S. intervention there, unsettled markets and pushed oil prices higher. In Asia, tensions remained elevated amid a diplomatic dispute between China and Japan, which showed little sign of easing.
These developments kept investors leaning toward traditional safe havens such as gold. Technology stocks also saw continued buying interest, underpinned by optimism surrounding artificial intelligence.
AI has been a major factor in curbing crypto’s tendency to track tech stocks, as the sector largely blew past Bitcoin in terms of returns in 2025.
Altcoins Trade Mixed as Major Tokens Slide
Most leading alternative cryptocurrencies moved in tandem with Bitcoin, with notable weakness across several large-cap and meme tokens.
| Token | Move | Price (if stated) |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin | -0.2% | $91,894.6 |
| Ether | -0.7% | $3,136.69 |
| XRP | -0.7% | Not specified |
| BNB | +0.2% | Not specified |
| Solana | -2.1% | Not specified |
| Cardano | -1.4% | Not specified |
| Dogecoin | -1.3% | Not specified |
| $TRUMP | -1.5% | Not specified |
Among major altcoins, world no.2 cryptocurrency Ether declined 0.7% to $3,136.69. XRP also lost 0.7%, while BNB was a rare outperformer, inching up 0.2%.
Solana dropped 2.1%, and Cardano fell 1.4%. In the meme-token space, Dogecoin slipped 1.3%, while $TRUMP retreated 1.5%.
TradingPedia.com is a financial media specialized in providing daily news and education covering Forex, equities and commodities. Our academies for traders cover 
