Bitcoin breaks above $93.5K after US seizes Venezuela’s Maduro
Bitcoin's surge highlights its role as a safe haven amid geopolitical tensions, potentially increasing institutional interest and market volatility.
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Bitcoin kicked off 2026 with a sharp surge past $93.5K, brushing off thin holiday liquidity and signs of on-chain fatigue as institutional inflows returned. A US military operation that led to the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro reignited Bitcoin’s safe haven narrative, fueling renewed demand.
At the same time, the end of tax-loss harvesting removed selling pressure, while ETF flows flipped back into positive territory, giving markets fresh momentum.
The new year brought more than a price jump, it brought fresh corporate accumulation. Strategy and Bitmine made headlines with significant BTC and ETH buys, but the broader altcoin market remains subdued.
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BTC jumps to 4-week high after US seizes Venezuela’s Maduro
The new year kicked off with geopolitical fireworks as the US captured Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, triggering a wave of safe haven buying. Bitcoin surged to $93.5K following the surprise military operation, gaining 6% since January 1 and reaching its highest level in nearly a month.
The geopolitical shock revived Bitcoin’s safe haven narrative, with analysts also pointing to the end of tax-loss harvesting as a supportive factor. Ether jumped 6% to $3.1K, Solana rose 8% to $135, and XRP surged 16%. Still, the broader altcoin market, tracked by TOTAL3, has only climbed 7% year-to-date, with liquidity concentrated in majors. Stocks and metals also advanced, with gold and silver extending gains and the Nasdaq and S&P 500 posting modest increases.
ETF inflows return as Strategy and Bitmine expand exposure
Fresh inflows flipped the December script. From December 29 through January 2, spot BTC ETFs brought in $459M in net inflows on $14B in trading volume, while ETH and XRP ETFs added $161M and $43M respectively. The renewed appetite helped steady Bitcoin near $93.5K and marked a clear shift from last month’s persistent outflows.
Meanwhile, treasury buys are back. Strategy added 1,286 BTC worth $116.3M, raising its total to 673,783 BTC at an average price of $75,026, implying paper gains of $12.4B. Bitmine now holds over 4.14M ETH, nearly 3.5% of supply, with 659K staked. Its total crypto and cash holdings sit at $14.2B.
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