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The rally in crypto was mirrored by a surge in commodities and Asian equities, driven by AI-led momentum and geopolitical developments.
Updated Jan 5, 2026, 4:55 a.m. Published Jan 5, 2026, 4:45 a.m.
Bitcoin BTC$92,557.91 briefly touched $93,000 on Monday as traders leaned into a fresh risk bid across markets following a U.S. ousting of Venezuela, while year-opening flows pushed major tokens higher after a choppy finish to 2025.
BTC traded up about 1% over 24 hours and roughly 3% over seven days, while ether held near $3,160, also higher on the day. XRP added around 3% to above $2.10, extending its early January outperformance, while Solana hovered near $136. Dogecoin eased on the day but remained up 17% over the past week, the highest gains among majors.
Derivatives positioning amplified the move. Liquidations crossed $260 million over 24 hours, with shorts accounting for about $200 million, showing late sellers were forced to cover as prices pushed higher.
The rally came alongside strength in risk assets and another surge in commodities. Asian equities climbed to a record as investors piled into technology shares, extending last year’s AI-led momentum. Brent crude steadied after early weakness tied to the Venezuela developments, while gold jumped sharply back above $4,400 an ounce and silver posted an even larger move.
Traders said the start-of-year bid reflects a mix of positioning and relative value, with crypto still far below its peaks while other assets sit near records.
“We believe that in the new year, traders are jumping in to exploit price inefficiencies,” Jeff Mei, chief operating officer at BTSE, said in a Telegram message, noting cryptocurrencies remain well off their all-time highs as equities and precious metals keep printing new records.
A move in markets began over the weekend as the U.S. took Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro was into custody, with Donald Trump signaling a
He also suggested U.S. troops on the ground would not be necessary as long as acting Venezuelan president Delcy Rodríguez “does what we want.”
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