Market Overview - Bitcoin reached an eight-day high of $90,353 but has since pulled back to just under $90,000, reflecting a 2.2% increase on the day according to CoinGecko data [1] - The recent price movement is attributed to speculative futures trading rather than genuine investor demand [1] Futures Market Dynamics - Since December 18, open interest and cumulative volume delta (CVD) for perpetual futures have increased, while spot CVD has declined, indicating a derivatives-led price movement without corresponding spot market buying [2] - Aggregate open interest has been trending down since late November, with Bitcoin facing repeated rejections above the $90,000 level, highlighting ongoing selling pressure [4] Investor Sentiment - The "Coinbase premium," which measures the price difference for Bitcoin on Coinbase versus global averages, has turned negative, suggesting a lack of premium buying demand from U.S. investors [3] - U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have experienced net outflows recently, indicating a lack of sustained institutional inflows [3] Institutional Activity - Digital Asset Trusts (DATs) saw approximately $2.23 billion in net inflows for the week of December 15-21, marking a 72% increase from the previous total of $1.293 billion [5] - This surge in DAT accumulation was driven by significant corporate treasury purchases of Bitcoin, XRP, and Ethereum, influenced by the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision on December 10 [6] Market Vulnerability - Despite the notable institutional accumulation, the overall market strength remains weak, with year-end liquidity typically drying up, making the current rally vulnerable to headwinds that have previously hindered momentum above $90,000 [6]