Bitcoin Breaks $94,000 as Political Tensions and Inflation Concerns Loom

On January 13, 2026, Bitcoin experienced a significant rally, briefly exceeding $94,000. This upward momentum persisted amid looming economic concerns, including U.S. inflation data and a growing discord between the Trump administration and the Federal Reserve.

Has Bitcoin ETFs Reversed the Trend?

Indeed, the cryptocurrency surged as spot Bitcoin ETFs saw a reversal in investor sentiment. BlackRock’s IBIT ETF attracted net inflows of around $112 million, and Grayscale’s GBTC fund followed with a $64 million inflow. Collectively, spot Bitcoin ETFs surpassed $56 billion in cumulative inflows, reaffirming institutional confidence and helping Bitcoin remain above $92,000.

Will Bitcoin Hit the $100,000 Mark?

Market speculation intensified about Bitcoin reaching $100,000 as its market capitalization topped $1.87 trillion. The total cryptocurrency market climbed to $3.28 trillion. However, inflation figures released by the Consumer Price Index, still above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, posed challenges for potential rate cuts based on conventional monetary policy.

Mounting tension between the Trump administration and the Federal Reserve further inflated market uncertainty. The DOJ’s investigation into the Fed heightened these strains, raising concerns about central bank independence. Analysts suggest that political unrest has driven cryptocurrencies as hedges against broader economic risks.

XRP also experienced dramatic shifts, notably affecting derivative markets. Over $76,450 was liquidated in one hour, primarily from investors holding short positions that were caught off guard.

By the numbers:

• Short position liquidations: $70,180
• Long position liquidations: $6,270
• An alarming liquidation gap of 1,122%

This pattern indicated a “short squeeze,” compelling bearish investors to urgently buy back, inadvertently elevating prices.

Analysts noted XRP’s volatility reflects its responsive market dynamics. Its jump following CPI data heralded weakened liquidity, with arbitrage activities prominently affecting valuations. XRP challenged its $2.08 resistance, acting as a speculative tension barometer, despite Bitcoin and Ethereum facing substantial liquidations.

Persistent weaknesses in XRP ETFs before the CPI release highlighted pre-existing market vulnerabilities. The sudden economic shock expedited this imbalance, revealing how sensitive even the largest cryptocurrencies are to sudden sentiment shifts. Future developments around the Fed’s policies and investor activity in ETFs are poised to influence crypto market trends as tensions continue.

The market is unmistakably witnessing a turbulent time as traditional economic indicators and political events interplay with cryptocurrency valuations.