New York, January 13, 2026, 10:09 (EST) — Regular session
- Bitcoin gains about 1.7% near $92,000 after December CPI matches forecasts
- Senators roll out draft bill to define U.S. crypto market rules; committee debate due Thursday
- U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs take in a net $116.7 million on Jan. 12, Farside data show
Bitcoin rose on Tuesday after U.S. inflation data landed as expected and lawmakers moved again on a long-sought framework for crypto oversight. The world’s largest cryptocurrency was up about 1.7% at $92,369, after touching $92,751 earlier in the session.
The move matters now because bitcoin is still trading like a rates-sensitive risk asset, reacting to shifts in Fed expectations almost as quickly as growth stocks do. It also reflects how much of the demand pipeline has moved into exchange-traded funds (ETFs) — stock-market funds that hold bitcoin — where flows can swing day to day.
U.S. consumer prices rose 0.3% in December and inflation held at 2.7% year-on-year, while core inflation eased to 2.6%. The data kept the market’s focus on whether the Federal Reserve can begin easing later this year, with policymakers widely expected to hold rates steady later this month.
Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley Wealth, called the core reading “a tick cooler” and said it could give the Fed “breathing room” if the trend holds. Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, said inflation “remains above target” and did not make the case for a January cut. Reuters
In Washington, U.S. senators unveiled draft legislation that would spell out when crypto tokens count as securities or commodities and expand the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s role in spot markets, where assets trade for immediate delivery. The bill also tightens rules on stablecoins — dollar-pegged tokens — by barring interest paid simply for holding them, while allowing rewards tied to activities such as payments.
Ether, the second-largest cryptocurrency, rose 1.5% to $3,145, broadly tracking bitcoin’s move after the CPI release.
Bitcoin-linked stocks also edged higher. Coinbase gained 1.5% and Strategy rose 1.6%, while miners Marathon added 0.6% and Riot Platforms was up 0.5%; the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF climbed 1.2%.
Flow data showed investors were still picking their spots. U.S.-listed spot bitcoin ETFs drew a net $116.7 million on Jan. 12, according to Farside Investors, led by a $111.7 million inflow into Fidelity’s FBTC even as BlackRock’s IBIT posted a $70.7 million outflow.
Bitcoin remains far below its early-October highs, a reminder of how quickly macro headlines can flip the market’s tone. It hit a record above $125,000 on Oct. 5, 2025.
But traders have reasons to stay cautious. The Senate bill still faces amendments and procedural hurdles, and inflation pressures tied to tariffs and housing costs could keep rates higher for longer, which has tended to sap demand for speculative assets.
Next up is Thursday’s Senate Banking Committee debate on the draft market structure bill, where investors will look for signs the plan can survive the politics and move closer to a vote.
