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Bitcoin’s Jan. 6 surge past $94,000 quickly reversed to $91,500 erasing over 2% and triggering $96.5 million in long liquidations as total crypto market cap slipped by $70 billion. While skeptics framed the initial surge as a “dead cat bounce,” institutional inflows of $1.1 billion into spot exchange-traded funds and metrics showing strong accumulation suggest resilience.
Bitcoin’s Volatile Correction Sparks ‘Dead Cat’ Fears
The digital asset market faced a sharp reality check Jan. 6 as bitcoin underwent a volatile correction. Just hours after shattering a monthlong ceiling to breach the $94,000 mark, the premier cryptocurrency tumbled to a session low of $91,500.
The reversal was swift. After peaking at approximately $94,800 on Monday, bitcoin shed more than 2% of its value. The sudden pullback has reignited skepticism among analysts, with many fearing the recent rally lacked the fundamental support to be a true breakout, characterizing it instead as a classic “dead cat bounce.” The downward pressure on bitcoin acted as a gravity well for the broader ecosystem. The total crypto market capitalization saw a significant erosion of value, sliding from an intraday peak of $3.3 trillion to $3.23 trillion by 1:45 p.m. EST.
Read more: Technical Breakout: XRP Clears $2.35 Resistance, Eyeing $2.70 Target
The fallout was particularly bruising for leveraged traders. According to a Coinglass four-hour liquidation heatmap, the retreat caught overeager bulls off guard, triggering the forced liquidation of $96.5 million in long positions. This wave of liquidations likely accelerated the price drop, lending credence to the dead cat bounce narrative.
Institutional support vs. ‘lazy analysis’
However, some experts have pushed back against this narrative, which they brand “lazy analysis” by pointing to the more than $1.1 billion that flowed into spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the first two business days of 2026. Analysts suggest this indicates a renewed allocation through regulated channels rather than short-term speculative activity.
Jonatan Randin, senior market analyst at PrimeXBT, concurred that it is too soon to draw bearish conclusions. Randin pointed to metrics suggesting steady accumulation.
“The Spent Output Profit Ratio is sitting right around 1.0, which tells us coins are changing hands at roughly break-even. Nobody’s panic selling at a loss,” Randin said. “Around 72% of supply is considered illiquid, held by entities that just don’t spend. And we’re still seeing coins move off exchanges into cold storage. That’s what accumulation looks like.”
Randin believes the $95,000 level is the critical threshold; a break past this point could “set up a run toward $100,000.”
The Psychological Battle for $100,000
Saeed Al Fahim, founder and CEO at Tharwa, echoed this sentiment. He framed the push toward $100,000 not as speculation, but as “ bitcoin reasserting itself above a long-term equilibrium range.” Al Fahim added that a return to six figures in the first quarter is “highly plausible,” provided geopolitical events do not interfere.
“The most important thing is that bitcoin is behaving like a macro asset again rather than a reflexive risk trade,” Al Fahim said. “The resistance we saw in December was likely a product of year-end tax harvesting and portfolio rebalancing. Now that the calendar has turned, $100K is within sight and could be breached within a matter of weeks rather than months.”
Meanwhile, Przemek Kowalczyk, CEO of Ramp Network, cautioned against overrelying on short-term price levels, which he characterized as “easy reference points” that offer little insight on their own. Instead, Kowalczyk argued that the durability of the system is the true metric of success.
“What matters more is whether the system itself is holding up: liquidity is available when it’s needed, settlements continue without friction, and capital can move efficiently even when sentiment is weak,” Kowalczyk said.
According to Kowalczyk, when those fundamentals remain intact, price tends to follow over time. Regarding whether the 2026 rally is driven by “new year” inflows or a short squeeze, he noted that market sentiment often lags behind reality.
“In practice, more durable moves usually begin when risk is mispriced relative to underlying conditions,” Kowalczyk said. “When pessimism becomes the default view, the more important question isn’t who’s long or short, but whether anything in the system has actually changed.”
At 4 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, bitcoin’s price now stands at $92,475 following the dip.
FAQ 💡
- What triggered bitcoin’s drop on Jan. 6? A swift correction saw prices fall from $94,800 to $91,500, erasing over 2% in hours.
- How did the wider crypto market react? Total market cap slid from $3.3T to $3.23T, with leveraged traders facing $96.5M in liquidations.
- Is institutional demand still supporting bitcoin? Yes, spot ETFs absorbed $1.1B in inflows, signaling regulated accumulation beyond short‑term speculation.
- Could bitcoin still reach $100K soon? Analysts say breaking $95K could open a run toward six figures in Q1 2026.