Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) pushed towards the $90,000 level as Wall Street opened for the first time in 2026, meeting familiar resistance while broader markets returned from the New Year break.
Data showed Bitcoin trading close to $89,600 during early sessions, continuing momentum built during Asian trading hours.
The move coincided with the formation of a fresh CME futures gap to the downside, a level many traders see as a near-term price magnet.
CME gaps often attract price action shortly after traditional markets reopen, sometimes within hours or days.
TradingView data indicated a breakout attempt gaining pace before US markets came back online.
As futures trading resumed on CME Group, a new downside gap emerged, adding caution to bullish sentiment.
Good one to keep an eye on in the week ahead.
Daan Crypto Trades said.
Obviously it's also almost weekend so we might be getting a few gaps and a bit of a messy chart to start the year off,” Daan Crypto Trades added.
Market observers noted that early January trading often brings choppy conditions due to thin liquidity.
TheKingfisher warned that Bitcoin could dip lower to flush out late long positions clustered around the $88,000 level.
Liquidity data from CoinGlass showed growing interest on both sides of the order book as volatility increased.
Total crypto market liquidations exceeded $200 million over the past 24 hours as prices edged higher.
Analysts described the price action as typical for futures-driven markets returning from holiday closures.
Meanwhile, gold rebounded after ending 2025 on a softer note, regaining strength in early January trading.
XAU/USD climbed back towards key resistance near $4,400 after cooling off late last year.
Gold finished 2025 as the best-performing major asset, posting gains of around 64%.
Bitcoin, by contrast, ended 2025 down roughly 6%, marking a rare divergence between the two assets.
Gold (+64%) was the best performing major asset in 2025 while Bitcoin (-6%) was the worst.
Charlie Bilello said.
Something we haven't seen before in any calendar year.
Charlie Bilello added.
Market analysts argued that Bitcoin’s lag behind gold does not signal a fresh bear market.
Historical comparisons suggest the current phase may represent consolidation rather than long-term weakness.
Some traders described the setup as a pause before renewed volatility later in the year.
Attention now remains fixed on whether Bitcoin revisits the CME gap before attempting a cleaner break above $90,000.
At the time of reporting, Bitcoin price was $89,493.32.