Bitcoin (BTC) price broke above $90,000 early Monday, 29 December 2025, picking up momentum as traders positioned for a potential new year rally after the cryptocurrency sat out Wall Street's recent record-setting run.

The largest digital asset by market value rose as much as 3.1% to $90,200 in Singapore trading before pulling back slightly to $89,615, according to Bloomberg data. Other major cryptocurrencies followed suit, with Ethereum climbing 4% past $3,000, while XRP and Solana each gained 3% or more.

Bitcoin largely ignored the S&P 500's push to record highs in the days before Christmas, still nursing wounds from a brutal October selloff that wiped out $19 billion in leveraged positions. That liquidation event left traders gun-shy, with few willing to rebuild significant positions. Until now.

In this article, I examine why Bitcoin and XRP are rising and provide a technical analysis of the XRP/USDT and BTC/USDT charts, drawing on my more than a decade of experience as an analyst and investor.

Why Bitcoin Is Going Up Today?

Funding Rates Signal Shifting Sentiment

Monday's move "appears somewhat driven by short term retail traders taking on growing positions in futures," said Sebastian Bea, Chief Investment Officer at ReserveOne Inc., a crypto treasury firm.

The Bitcoin funding rate – which measures the cost of holding long positions in perpetual futures – reached its highest point since October 18, according to CryptoQuant data. That signals growing appetite for bullish bets, though open interest in futures remains "well below recent peaks that coincided with bitcoin's recent highs in October," Bea noted. The token hit an all-time high of $126,251 on October 6.

Joel Kruger, crypto strategist at LMAX, suggested the quiet conditions may be deceptive. "Bitcoin, in particular, has already repriced meaningfully higher this year and may now be absorbing supply as longer-term holders remain patient," he said. "The market's ability to hold elevated levels despite quiet conditions arguably reinforces the view that the marginal buyer remains intact, even if currently inactive."

Please also check my previous cryptocurrency analyses:

• Why Crypto Is Going Down Today? Bitcoin, XRP Price, Ethereum and Dogecoin Moves Under Death Cross
• How Low Can XRP Go? Death Cross XRP Price Prediction Signals 50% Drop Risk
• This New Bitcoin Price Prediction Shows BTC Will Hit “Only” $150K in 2026

Geopolitical Tensions Support Risk Assets

The crypto rally coincided with rising oil prices as hopes for a Russia-Ukraine peace deal dimmed. West Texas Intermediate crude jumped 1% to $57.24 per barrel, while Brent crude rose 0.80% to $60.81.

Russia attacked Ukraine's Kherson Combined Heat and Power Plant on Sunday, causing significant damage to infrastructure that provides heating for tens of thousands of residents. Ukraine responded by striking the Syzran oil refinery in Russia's Samara region, damaging the facility's only primary processing unit.

The attacks complicated diplomatic progress, even as President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated headway on a 20-point peace plan. The nearly four-year conflict has contributed to persistent global inflation pressures.

Bitcoin And XRP Price Technical Analysis

Bitcoin Under Pressure

According to my technical analysis, Bitcoin is consolidating within a range last seen in April. The upper boundary sits between $90,000 and $92,000, reinforced by the 50-day exponential moving average and a 110% Fibonacci extension. The lower limit rests at the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement and a $86,000-$84,000 zone that's been actively tested since late November.

The medium and long-term setup remains bearish, with the moving average configuration suggesting a downtrend. I continue to target a decline toward $74,000 – this year's April lows – where I expect stronger institutional accumulation. Until Bitcoin breaks decisively from this consolidation, extended sideways movement likely persists through the turn of the year.

Until Bitcoin breaks decisively from this consolidation, extended sideways movement likely persists through the turn of the year. The current range represents the same level of volatility compression last observed in April, suggesting a significant move may be building.

XRP In Bearish Trend

For XRP, the picture looks similarly challenging. While the token tested $1.92 on Monday before settling around $1.90, it faces resistance at a local level marked by June lows and retested in November. The bearish moving average setup – particularly the 50-200 EMA death cross that formed in early November – suggests further downside. Initial support sits at $1.80, then $1.70-$1.61, with an ultimate target around $1.25.

The chart shows a network of significant resistance levels ahead, including the current local zone being tested. I expect further depreciation, potentially before year-end. Initial support sits at $1.80, representing this month's lows, followed by the $1.70-$1.61 zone marked by April's lows. My ultimate target sits around $1.25 – the flash crash lows from October 10 – which would represent a decline of several dozen percentage points from current levels.

The price currently trades below both key moving averages, which reinforces the bearish outlook in the medium term.

Waiting for January Catalysts?

Despite growing institutional adoption and policy wins under the pro-crypto Trump administration, Bitcoin has slipped roughly 4% in 2025. Many traders now look to January for fresh catalysts as liquidity returns to markets.

"Looking ahead, crypto's calm may prove temporary once liquidity returns and macro narratives reassert themselves in the new year," Kruger said. "Should easing expectations firm or risk appetite broaden further, Bitcoin and Ethereum could re-engage from a position of relative balance rather than excess. In that sense, the more subdued tone may be laying the groundwork for a more durable [move] into the new year."

Asian equity markets traded quietly on Monday, with thin year-end volumes keeping activity muted. South Korea's KOSPI index provided an exception, rallying 1.7% on gains in chipmaker stocks.

Crypto Price Analysis FAQ

Why did Bitcoin go up today?

Bitcoin rose over 2% on Monday as funding rates reached their highest level since October 18, signaling renewed demand for bullish positions in perpetual futures markets. The move appears driven by short-term retail traders rebuilding leveraged positions after October's $19 billion liquidation event. Rising geopolitical tensions from renewed Russia-Ukraine attacks also pushed investors toward alternative assets.

Will Bitcoin go up in 2025?

Bitcoin has declined roughly 4% in 2025 despite hitting an all-time high of $126,251 in October. Analysts surveyed by CNBC predict prices could reach $150,000 to $200,000 by year-end, driven by institutional adoption, favorable regulations under the Trump administration, and growing corporate treasury strategies. However, technical analysis suggests near-term consolidation with potential downside to $74,000 before a sustained rally materializes.

Is Bitcoin a good investment now?

Bitcoin faces mixed signals in late 2025. While institutional inflows continue and 61 major US firms have adopted Bitcoin treasury strategies, the cryptocurrency trades in a bearish technical pattern with resistance at $90,000-$92,000. Volatility remains high, with historical corrections of 70-80% from peaks. Long-term investors betting on continued institutional adoption may find current levels attractive, but near-term traders should expect extended sideways movement through early 2026.

What factors affect Bitcoin's price?

Bitcoin's price responds primarily to three forces: global liquidity measured by money supply (M2), which explains over half of price variance; leverage in the futures and derivatives markets; and on-chain fundamentals like mining difficulty and holder behavior. Additional factors include institutional ETF inflows, regulatory developments, geopolitical tensions affecting risk appetite, and supply constraints from the halving cycle.