Bitcoin Stalls Just Below $90K As Holiday Liquidity Thins

Core Viewpoint - Bitcoin is currently trading within a narrow range of $86,500 to $90,000, with recent attempts to break above $90,000 failing, indicating a lack of strong buying demand [1][6]. Market Activity - U.S. trading venues reported a 24-hour BTC spot volume of approximately $34 billion, significantly down from over $70 billion during the peak around October 6, when Bitcoin reached an all-time high of $126,279 [2]. - ETF flows have mirrored price movements, with digital asset products experiencing $446 million in outflows in the week ending December 29, primarily driven by Bitcoin products, which lost $443 million [3]. - On December 29, there was a net outflow of $19.3 million from U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs, followed by a substantial net inflow of $355 million on December 31, breaking a seven-day outflow streak [4]. Market Sentiment and Positioning - The holiday season has led to reduced trading volumes, with ETF trading volumes dropping to $24 billion during the late-November Thanksgiving week compared to $56 billion the week prior [5]. - The current market positioning suggests a potential reset for January, as Bitcoin remains within the $86,500 to $90,000 range with low realized volatility and mixed ETF flows [6][7]. - Traders are advised to monitor the $86,500 to $90,000 range closely, as a decisive break in this band could set the tone for Q1 risk across crypto markets [8].