NEW YORK, Jan 13, 2026, 06:29 EST
- Bitcoin climbed roughly 1.7% to hover around $92,100, bouncing between about $90,100 and $92,500 earlier.
- Markets are focused on Tuesday’s U.S. December CPI release, eyeing its impact on rate-cut expectations
- Ether edges up roughly 0.6% to around $3,134 amid cautious trading
Bitcoin traded just below $92,000 on Tuesday, pulling back slightly from an earlier dip toward $90,000. Investors stayed cautious ahead of U.S. inflation figures, which might shake up expectations for interest-rate cuts.
Crypto moves nonstop, yet it often follows the lead of U.S. rates and the dollar. When traders expect policy to remain tight, risk appetite tends to evaporate quickly.
Economists forecast the U.S. consumer price index to climb 0.3% in December, maintaining a 2.7% year-on-year gain after a 43-day government shutdown clouded the previous data, according to a Reuters poll. The Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep its benchmark rate steady between 3.50% and 3.75% at the January 27-28 meeting. Oscar Munoz, TD Securities’ chief U.S. macro strategist, noted the upcoming report should reflect “meaningful payback” from the disrupted figures. Meanwhile, Fed Chair Jerome Powell dismissed a criminal investigation into him as a “pretext” aimed at swaying rate decisions. 1
Bitcoin climbed roughly 1.7% to $92,112 by 6:29 a.m. EST, bouncing between a low of $90,097 and a high near $92,490, market data showed.
Bitcoin slipped 0.2% to around $91,895 during early Asian trading, Investing.com reported, as investors digested the latest CPI data alongside a spate of geopolitical developments. The site noted a shift of funds into AI-focused tech stocks, while oil prices climbed amid concerns over unrest in Iran. Safe-haven assets like gold remained supported. 2
Ether, the second-largest token, gained roughly 0.6%, reaching $3,133.58. Other major altcoins showed mixed results as traders held back from jumping on rallies.
Technical analysts are pointing to a messy tape. Kitco’s Jim Wyckoff called bitcoin trading “sideways and choppy” in a Monday daily chart alert, echoing the recent tug-of-war near the $90,000 mark. (In chart terms, a “support” level is where buying has typically stepped in.) 3
CoinDesk reported in a separate update that bitcoin’s initial rally lost steam, with prices slipping back under $91,000 during the last session. 4
Yet the next move might hinge on a single number. A hotter CPI print could push yields and the dollar higher, dragging bitcoin back toward its recent lows. On the flip side, a softer reading would probably relieve some pressure on risk assets — at least until the Fed drops its next headline.
Some crypto firms are echoing the same macro narrative. Vikram Subburaj, CEO of Indian exchange Giottus, told Gadgets360 that the drop in retail trading paired with steady activity from larger holders “typically points to consolidation rather than panic selling.” 5
