Bitcoin News: Bitcoin Pushes Above $90,000 as Traders Watch for Shift in Market Pattern

Bitcoin climbed above $90,000 during U.S. trading hours on Friday, marking a potential shift in a pattern that defined much of late 2025, when crypto assets routinely sold off while American equity markets were open.Bitcoin was trading near $90,000, up roughly 2.5% over the past 24 hours, as the first official trading session of 2026 got underway. The move comes after a period late last year when crypto prices were persistently defensive during U.S. market hours, even as stocks held up.Altcoins rise alongside bitcoinThe advance was not limited to bitcoin. Ether, Solana and XRP were all posting gains closer to 4%, reflecting broader strength across major digital assets.While it is too early to call a sustained trend change, traders noted that crypto prices rising during U.S. hours — rather than fading — represents a notable departure from the pattern seen in the final weeks of 2025.Crypto-related stocks rebound sharplyCrypto-linked equities, which were among the hardest hit in the final sessions of 2025, also rebounded strongly on the year’s first trading day.Shares of Hut 8, CleanSpark (CLSK) and TeraWulf (WULF) were up around 10%, while Cipher Mining (CIFR) and IREN (IREN) gained roughly 8%.Among larger names, Strategy and Coinbase were each higher by more than 3%, while Galaxy Digital jumped about 7%. Circle Financial (CRCL) rose roughly 4.5%.Broader markets open the year higherThe move in crypto coincided with a generally positive tone across global risk assets. The Nasdaq was up about 0.6%, led by gains in AI-related chipmakers such as Nvidia, Broadcom, Micron and Intel, which rose between 3% and 6%.Commodities also strengthened, with silver gaining roughly 3%, while gold and copper posted more modest advances.Early signal, not confirmationWhile the synchronized rise across crypto, equities and commodities may point to improving risk sentiment at the start of the year, traders cautioned that a single session is not enough to confirm a durable shift.Still, bitcoin’s ability to reclaim the $90,000 level during active U.S. trading — alongside strong rebounds in crypto-related stocks — is being watched closely as a potential early signal that the market’s intraday dynamics may be changing as 2026 begins.