Bitcoin eyes $94,000 as crypto prices manage early U.S. gains for second straight session

Markets Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email Bitcoin eyes $94,000 as crypto prices manage early U.S. gains for second straight session Digital asset treasury companies — 2025's worst performers — were leading crypto-related stock gains. By Helene Braun , James Van Straten | Edited by Stephen Alpher Jan 5, 2026, 3:56 p.m. Bitcoin nears one-month high (Pixabay) What to know : Crypto prices climbed during early U.S. trading, adding to gains from a broader overnight rally. Strive (ASST) and DeFi Development (DFDV) were among the digital asset treasury companies (DATs) higher by double-digit percentages. The Coinbase Bitcoin Premium Index, which had fallen to its lowest level in nine months on Jan. 1, has climbed sharply in the first week of 2026, signaling a rebound in U.S. demand. Crypto prices are kicking off the first Monday of the year with strength as traders rotated back into risk assets following the weekend capture of Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro. For the second consecutive session, crypto is adding to overnight gains during the U.S. trading day — a notable change from late 2025 when the sector consistently pulled back as American stocks traded. STORY CONTINUES BELOW Don't miss another story. Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today . See all newsletters Sign me up By signing up, you will receive emails about CoinDesk products and you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . Indeed, the Coinbase Bitcoin Premium Index has climbed sharply in the first week of 2026, signaling a rebound in U.S. demand. The gauge had fallen to its lowest level in nine months on Jan. 1, when bitcoin was trading around $88,000, registering a reading of minus 0.018%. The index measures the price difference between bitcoin traded on Coinbase, a leading U.S. exchange, and the global market average, and is widely viewed as a proxy for U.S. capital flows, institutional activity, and market sentiment. That Jan. 1 reading marked the most negative level since the first quarter of 2025, when bitcoin slid toward $76,000 during the tariff tantrum. A similarly sharp negative print was also recorded in November 2025, coinciding with bitcoin’s local bottom near $80,000. The premium has since improved to around minus 0.03%, suggesting that U.S. capital flows are starting to return. Bitcoin eyes $94,000 Rallying nearly 1% since U.S. stocks opened for trade on Monday, bitcoin BTC $ 93,839.55 has pushed back to nearly $94,000, up 3% over the past 24 hours and to its highest level since the first 10 days of December. Ether ETH $ 3,190.02 and XRP $ 2.1676 are up similarly, while solana SOL $ 135.98 is ahead just 1%. Down modestly over the past 24 hours is DOGE $ 0.1486 , although it remains 20% higher over the past week, sparking a rush of related ETF inflows. Next levels to watch While momentum has shifted from negative to positive after a quiet holiday stretch, the $95,000 mark remains a key level for bitcoin, according to Jake Ostrovskis, head of OTC at Wintermute. "We await the US session to confirm or reject this move — and potentially reverse the late-2025 pattern of U.S. selling," he said, pointing to the fact that bitcoin dropped a cumulative 5.45% during U.S. hours versus a 10.01% gain during APAC hours. "This is worth watching," he said. If bitcoin and ether ETH $ 3,190.02 stay above key levels through the U.S. session, systematic buyers could step in and add to the momentum. DATs post big gains Thoroughly beaten down in the second half of 2025, digital asset treasury companies (DATs) are posting outsized advances on Monday. Among those higher by double-digit percentages is Strive (ASST) , which disclosed the purchase of another 101.8 BTC in the fourth quarter, bringing its total holdings to 7,626 BTC valued at roughly $708 million. American Bitcoin (ABTC) is up 13% after adding 329 BTC, increasing its reserves to 5,427 bitcoin. Solana-focused DeFi Development (DFDV) is higher by 16%. Market Wrap Bitcoin News More For You KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market By CoinDesk Research Dec 22, 2025 Commissioned by KuCoin KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market. What to know : KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025 , equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month , marking its strongest year on record. This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume , as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes , which slowed during periods of lower market volatility. Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split , each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line. Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity , reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover. Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity , indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes. 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