Written by: Nauris Treigys
Compiled by: Plain Language Blockchain
The crypto market has been walking a tightrope over the past 24 hours. Prices have risen slightly, but confidence has clearly increased. Bitcoin and Ethereum have attempted a slow climb, but traders' hands have remained firmly on the "sell" button as fear has quietly taken over . The Cryptocurrency Fear & Greed Index has plummeted to 24 , not out of panic, but as a deliberate show of support. Historical experience suggests this often signals the beginning of a major market move.
Crypto market dynamics in the past 24 hours
The market is currently exhibiting a classic **"risk-on but cautious" pattern**: BTC and major cryptocurrencies are attempting to rise, but macroeconomic structures and a strengthening US dollar are limiting gains. While overall sentiment for Q1 2026 is optimistic , traders are quickly taking profits on price rallies, leading to increased intraday volatility. The index is currently near 24 (extreme fear) , signaling strong panic.
Bitcoin and Ethereum price behavior
Bitcoin: Value remains within the wide trading range of December, with AI predicting a fair range around $90,000 . The short-term expected trading range is $87,500–$93,000 . The key technical focus is whether BTC can recover and stabilize above the $91,000–$93,000 resistance level after retracing to the key support zone of $83,000–$85,000 .
Ethereum: As a high-beta (high-volatility) follower of BTC, its price movements are heavily influenced by ETF inflows and institutional expectations. In the short term, ETH behaves like a leveraged version of BTC , with any breakout or breakdown in BTC having a magnifying effect on ETH.
The performance and impact of the US Dollar Index (DXY)
The US dollar index is currently trading around 90, near the 100 level. While there has been a short-term rebound, the structural trend for the dollar remains weak , which typically supports risk assets such as BTC and ETH. With shifting expectations regarding Fed policy, a sideways or range-bound movement in the DXY often removes a major headwind for the crypto market , allowing technical and money flow factors to play a greater role in pricing.
BTC and ETH Outlook: What's Next?
Anchor point: The AI model sets the December target for BTC at $90,000 . Analysts emphasize that $83,000–$85,000 is a key support zone , and only a breakout with significant volume above the $ 91,000–$93,000 resistance zone can reignite the push towards all-time highs.
Path dependence: ETH's performance will be highly dependent on BTC and macroeconomic risks, but the overall outlook for 2025-2026 remains positive , benefiting from ETF inflows .
High-growth potential projects worth paying attention to
Besides large-cap cryptocurrencies, there are currently two other notable performers on the institutional list:
Solana (SOL): With its speed, low fees, and yield liquidity, funds are viewing it as a "beta-enhanced version of Ethereum," and structural pullbacks are seen as opportunities for long-term positioning .
Sui (SUI): Developed by former Meta engineers, it excels in speed and scalability. If crypto gaming enters the mainstream this cycle , Sui is well-positioned to capture that traffic.
in conclusion
The crypto market hasn't gone to the moon, nor has it crashed. Instead, it's done the best thing ever— made traders anxious . The level of fear is currently very high, and the expressions are equally vivid, while smart money is clearly on the sidelines. If history repeats itself, today's anxiety could be the prelude to tomorrow's breakout . Remember: in the crypto market, price movements often begin suddenly after everyone has become accustomed to fear .
