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Bitcoin Surges Above $91,000 Amid Venezuela Political Events

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Bitcoin Surges Above $91,000 Amid Venezuela Political Events

Key Takeaways

  • 1 Bitcoin surpassed $91,000, trading around $91,300 during Asian morning hours.
  • 2 Bitcoin rose about 1.4% for the day and over 4% for the week.
  • 3 Ether approached $3,150 (+1% daily, +7% weekly).
  • 4 Solana, XRP, and Cardano showed weekly gains (Solana +8%, XRP ~10%, Cardano ~8%).
  • 5 Approximately $180 million in futures positions were liquidated in 24 hours: $133 million in shorts and $47 million in longs.
  • 6 Political events in Venezuela—Trump's statements and power shifts in Caracas—coincided with the rise and boosted traders' risk appetite.

Bitcoin surpassed $91,000 on January 4, 2026, amid Venezuela's political turmoil. Ether, Solana, XRP, and Cardano also rose; $180M in futures liquidations occurred.

Bitcoin's price surpassed $91,000, trading around $91,300 during Asian morning hours, showing roughly a 1.4% increase for the day and more than 4% for the week. At the same time, Ether rose about 1% to around $3,150 and gained approximately 7% over seven days. Other major tokens also showed positive momentum, which, combined with political headlines, intensified market movements.

Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies See Price Gains

Solana increased roughly 1.6% for the day and grew over 8% for the week, while XRP traded just above $2, gaining about 0.6% daily and nearly 10% weekly. Cardano posted a weekly rise of around 8%, reflecting broad strengthening among major altcoins during this period. For a broader overview of recent crypto trends, see the article Cryptocurrency Growth in 2026.

Futures Position Liquidations in the Crypto Market

Before the price surge, there was a sharp "clean-up" of skewed positions: about $180 million in futures contracts were liquidated over the past 24 hours. Of this, approximately $133 million came from shorts and around $47 million from longs, indicating many traders were caught against the trend and forced to close positions.

Political Situation in Venezuela

The tense political agenda also accompanied market movements. President Donald Trump stated that the U.S. plans to "manage" Venezuela and will have "a presence in Venezuela regarding oil," while Venezuela's Supreme Court granted Vice President Delcy Rodríguez full presidential powers after Nicolás Maduro was taken into U.S. custody. These events boosted traders' risk appetite and were among the factors coinciding with the price rise.

Impact of Political Events on the Cryptocurrency Market

Traders often view political headlines as volatility catalysts rather than direct macro drivers; however, shifts in market sentiment can alter participant behavior. During periods of thinner liquidity, even moderate spot demand can break technical levels and trigger stop moves in futures, which combined with position imbalances leads to sharper price swings.

Why This Matters

If you mine in Russia with a small pool of devices or, conversely, own hundreds of rigs, these events can affect short-term revenue and payout volatility. Price fluctuations and liquidation spikes do not change electricity costs but can make income more variable, especially if you regularly convert coins to rubles.

What to Do?

  • Monitor prices and news: timely headlines can provoke short-term price jumps affecting mining income.
  • Maintain reserves for electricity and maintenance: during volatility, short-term income dips should not jeopardize farm operations.
  • Consider pool payout frequency and coin-to-ruble conversion strategy: adjusting payout intervals can reduce the impact of sharp price swings on liquidity.
  • Assess risks of leveraged operations and avoid using borrowed leverage without understanding liquidation mechanics and margin requirements.
  • Keep documented settings and logs: during market instability, having data on hashrate, consumption, and payouts aids quick decision-making.

For context on Bitcoin's recent price action, see the note Bitcoin Stabilizes Around $89,000, which describes recent price movements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did the events in Venezuela directly affect Bitcoin's price?

The news from Venezuela coincided with the price rise and boosted traders' risk appetite, but traders typically see such headlines as volatility catalysts rather than direct causes of fundamental price changes.

What do the $180 million liquidations mean for the market?

The $180 million in liquidations showed many positions were skewed: about $133 million were liquidated from shorts and $47 million from longs, intensifying short-term price moves due to forced position closures.

How should a miner in Russia respond to such sharp movements?

It is recommended to monitor prices and pool payouts, maintain reserves for electricity, and review coin-to-ruble conversion strategies to smooth out the impact of volatility.