Bitcoin slips below $88,000 ahead of Fed week and Big Tech earnings

Markets Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email Bitcoin slips below $88,000 ahead of Fed week and Big Tech earnings Bitcoin and major tokens weakened Sunday as markets position ahead of the Federal Reserve’s next rate decision and a heavy slate of Magnificent Seven earnings. By Shaurya Malwa Jan 25, 2026, 5:48 p.m. Make us preferred on Google What to know : Bitcoin fell below $88,000 in thin weekend trading, extending a weeklong pullback that has left most major cryptocurrencies sharply lower. Market sentiment remains fragile after more than $1 billion in leveraged crypto positions were liquidated amid recent volatility in currencies and bond markets. Traders are watching potential Japanese yen intervention, U.S. political brinkmanship over a spending bill and a heavy tech-earnings calendar, as the Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates unchanged. Bitcoin slipped below the $88,000 level on Sunday as crypto markets weakened in thin weekend trading, extending a pullback that has weighed on the crypto market over the past week. BTC traded around $87,800 in U.S. afternoon hours, down roughly 2% over 24 hours, according to CoinGecko data. Ether fell toward $2,880, while solana, XRP and cardano each posted losses of between 3% and 5% on the day. Most major tokens remain down sharply on a seven-day basis, reflecting the fragile state of sentiment across the market. 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 . The move caused $224 million in liquidations on bullish bets, led by $68 million on bitcoin-tracked futures and $45 million on ether-based futures. Weekend moves are often driven less by fresh information and more by positioning adjustments, particularly after periods of heightened volatility earlier in the week. Traders are entering the new week on heightened alert for possible intervention in the Japanese yen after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned against “abnormal” market moves, comments that followed a sudden reversal in the yen late Friday. The currency’s sharp rally raised caution across Asian trading desks, even as officials stopped short of confirming any action, per Bloomberg. Elsewhere, political risk in the U.S. added to an already unsettled backdrop. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said his party would block a major spending package unless funding for the Department of Homeland Security is removed, increasing the risk of a partial government shutdown. While such standoffs are familiar, they can tighten near-term liquidity conditions and weigh on sentiment across risk assets, particularly during periods of elevated positioning. The latest dip follows a stretch that saw bitcoin briefly lose the $90,000 handle amid heavy liquidations and broader macro uncertainty. More than $1 billion in leveraged positions were wiped out earlier in the week as traders reduced exposure following sharp moves across currencies and bond markets. Attention now turns to the week ahead, with investors also looking ahead to a heavy earnings week that includes results from several megacap technology firms. The Federal Reserve is widely expected to hold rates steady at its upcoming meeting, reinforcing a wait-and-see tone after last year’s easing cycle. 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. View Full Report More For You Here's what Fed's highly anticipated rate decision this week means for bitcoin and the dollar By Omkar Godbole | Edited by Aoyon Ashraf 26 minutes ago Powell could signal a "dovish pause," but his comments on other issues may temper the bullish reaction in BTC and other risk assets. What to know : The Fed is expected to keep rates unchanged this Wednesday. Powell could signal a "dovish pause," powering risk assets, including bitcoin, higher. His explanation of the status quo decision might put a floor under the dollar. 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