Bitcoin (BTC) neared $90,000 as Wall Street opened for the first time in 2026, with attention on a new CME futures gap.
Key points:
Bitcoin is trying to break through $90,000 as the markets prepare for the year’s initial US trading session.
The emergence of a new CME futures gap and long liquidations could signal a potential dip in BTC prices.
Gold is recovering after a decline from its all-time highs, which ended on New Year’s Eve.
Bitcoin CME gap signals a “messy” week ahead
Data from TradingView indicated that a breakout attempt in BTC was gaining traction during the Asian trading hours.
With the return of traditional finance markets, Bitcoin created a new downward “gap” in CME Group’s futures market, presenting a possible near-term target.
“This is a key one to monitor in the upcoming week,” trading account Daan Crypto Trades noted on X.
“Clearly, it’s also nearly the weekend, so we might experience some gaps and a rather chaotic chart to kick off the year.”
As reported by Cointelegraph, prices often fluctuate to “fill” new gaps created shortly after the reopening of futures.
With new highs in January, trading platform TheKingfisher cautioned that prices might drop to eliminate late BTC long positions near $88,000.
A long liquidation cluster is forming on the $BTC high leverage liquidation map
If your liquidation price is around 88k, consider adjusting your leverage/position
There’s a high chance you’ll be caught 🎣 pic.twitter.com/WwbDRhWlkM
— TheKingfisher (@kingfisher_btc) January 2, 2026
Monitoring data from CoinGlass revealed that liquidity was building on both sides of the price ahead of the Wall Street opening.
Liquidations across all cryptocurrencies for the 24 hours leading up to this report exceeded $200 million as the markets climbed.
Gold rises gradually after the new year slowdown
Following a drop at year-end, gold made a rebound, aiming for a new confrontation with all-time highs today.
Related: Bitcoin RSI signifies breakout potential as executive declares ‘RIP’ to four-year BTC price cycle
XAU/USD has been struggling against $4,400 after finishing as the best-performing major asset of 2025.
“Gold (+64%) was the top major asset in 2025, whereas Bitcoin (-6%) was at the bottom. This inversion is unprecedented for any previous calendar year (contrasting with 2013),” remarked Charlie Bilello, chief market strategist at wealth management firm Creative Planning, mentioned.
This week, Cointelegraph featured Bitcoin’s correlation with gold and silver across four critical charts to monitor moving forward.
The analysis suggested that BTC’s recent lackluster performance is not indicative of a new bear market, but rather the “calm before the storm,” drawing on historical trends.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.
