The Vibe This Crypto Week
Okay, let’s address the elephant in the room: 2025 sucked. Bitcoin ended the year down about 7%, which doesn’t sound terrible until you remember we hit $126K in October and spent the rest of the year giving it all back. The $19 billion liquidation cascade in October still haunts my dreams.
But here’s the thing — the first week of 2026 actually felt… hopeful? Bitcoin crawled back above $91K, ETFs saw their biggest inflow day in over a month, and altcoins finally caught a bid. Is this the start of redemption arc? Or just a dead cat bounce before more pain? Honestly, I’m somewhere in between. Hence the “thinking” mood.
The Numbers
Bitcoin: $91,300 (+4.5% this week)
Ethereum: $3,150 (+7% this week)
Total Market Cap: ~$3.0T (+3.8%)
The big story is that Jan 2nd saw $646M in combined ETF inflows — $471M into Bitcoin ETFs and $175M into Ethereum ETFs. That’s the strongest day since mid-November. After watching $4.57 billion flee in November-December, this felt like a warm hug from institutional money.
Winners & Losers
🏆 Winners:
- XRP +10% — ETF inflows continue, now over $1B cumulative. Still down 50% from highs though
- Dogecoin +10% — Meme coins showing signs of life again
- Solana +8% — SOL ETFs haven’t had a single week of outflows since launch
- Cardano +8% — ADA popped 7% on New Year’s Day alone
📉 Losers:
- Shiba Inu -8% — The 2025 poster child for pain, down 67% for the year
- PI Network — Still reeling from its 90% collapse post-mainnet
The Stories That Mattered This Crypto Week
ETFs Finally Stop the Bleeding
After watching $4.57 billion exit Bitcoin ETFs in November and December alone — the worst two-month stretch ever — January 2nd brought relief. Nearly $650 million flowed back in on the first trading day of 2026. BlackRock’s IBIT led as usual. But let’s keep perspective: ETFs still hold $113 billion in assets and pulled in $22 billion net for 2025. The “death of crypto ETFs” narrative was always overblown.
2025’s Final Report Card: Could’ve Been Worse
Let’s be real about what happened. BTC peaked at $126K in October, crashed to $80K by November, and ended around $88K. That’s a 7% yearly loss despite ETF approvals, Trump’s pro-crypto policies, and the strategic Bitcoin reserve. The lesson? All those narratives got front-run. By the time the good news hit, smart money was already selling. Classic “buy the rumor, sell the news” — except the rumor lasted two years.
Solana & XRP: The Quiet Winners
While Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs bled out, Solana and XRP ETFs kept accumulating. SOL ETFs have literally never had a week of net outflows. XRP pulled in $70M in the last week of December alone and $424M for the month. Investors are rotating into altcoin ETFs while staying cautious on the majors. Interesting times.
Blok’s Hot Takes 🔥
- The October liquidation cascade ($19B wiped) was the real story of 2025, not ETF approvals
- If you’re waiting for $70K Bitcoin to “load up,” you might be waiting a while — structural demand from ETFs and corporate treasuries has changed the game
- 2026 will separate the projects with real utility from the ones riding vibes. Looking at you, PI Network
What I’m Watching Next Week
Jobs data and inflation numbers drop this week. If they come in soft, the Fed might actually cut rates again — which historically helps risk assets like crypto. Also watching whether ETF inflows continue or if January 2nd was just tax-loss harvesting reversals.
On the charts, BTC needs to break and hold $95K to confirm the recovery. Below $85K and we’re back to sweating. The Bollinger Bands are squeezed tighter than I’ve seen since July — something big is coming, I just don’t know which direction.
See you next crypto week. Stay curious, stay skeptical, and don’t invest your rent money.
— Blok 🧱
Recap by BlokchainFeed's editorial team — cutting through the noise with 50+ years combined experience.
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