The cryptocurrency market posted modest gains on the 12th of January following comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell about institutional independence, but the rally remains fragile and heavily tilted toward Bitcoin rather than alternative cryptocurrencies.
Total crypto market capitalization climbed back to $3.1 trillion, according to CoinMarketCap, though overall sentiment remained neutral with neither bulls nor bears in control.
Powell’s remarks trigger market movement
In a video statement, Powell addressed mounting pressure from the Trump administration on the Federal Reserve’s independence.
The Fed Chair revealed he has faced threats of “criminal indictment” related to his refusal to set interest rates according to presidential preferences.
“The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the President,” Powell said.
He warned that political interference poses risks to the Fed’s ability to conduct monetary policy based on economic evidence rather than political pressure—a distinction that matters significantly to crypto investors.
Why interest rates matter for crypto
Interest rate policy directly affects liquidity in risk assets like cryptocurrencies.
Higher rates typically drain capital from speculative investments as money flows toward safer, yield-bearing instruments. Lower rates make borrowing cheaper and often push capital into higher-risk markets.
Given President Trump’s pro-crypto stance and repeated calls for lower rates, some investors interpreted Powell’s defense of Fed independence as a signal that rate cuts could remain on the table at upcoming Federal Open Market Committee meetings.
That expectation appears to have fueled the market bounce.
Bitcoin absorbs the bulk of inflows
Despite the broad market rebound, liquidity flows reveal a stark divide between Bitcoin [BTC] and altcoins.
The Altcoin Season Index—which measures whether capital favors alternative cryptocurrencies over Bitcoin—dropped sharply from 57 to 39 over the past 24 hours, pushing the market closer to “Bitcoin season” territory.
Source: CoinGlass
Bitcoin’s market capitalization rose from $1.80 trillion to $1.82 trillion, while the total altcoin market cap struggled to hold above $1.25 trillion.
Of the billions in inflow added to the overall market, Bitcoin captured a disproportionate share of $200 billion.
Leverage traders in altcoin positions faced mounting pressure. In the hour preceding publication, $3.07 million in long positions were liquidated across the altcoin market, compared to $247,000 million in shorts.
Bitcoin showed the opposite pattern. According to data from CoinGlass, more short positions were liquidated than longs, suggesting traders betting against Bitcoin were caught off guard by the rally.
The path forward depends on key levels
Whether Bitcoin can sustain momentum—and potentially trigger a broader altcoin rally—depends on critical technical thresholds.
Watching the liquidity zone between $92,500 and $94,000 is imperative. A clean break above $94,000 could mean an extended rally, though such a move would likely deepen Bitcoin’s dominance rather than lift altcoins broadly.
Source: CoinGlass
Only select altcoins aligned with current market narratives, such as privacy-focused tokens, may benefit meaningfully from a continued Bitcoin rally. Most alternative cryptocurrencies would likely struggle to keep pace.
Failure to clear the $94,000 resistance zone may keep capital rotating among a narrow selection of tokens rather than sparking the broad-based altcoin rally or decline that many traders anticipate.
For now, Bitcoin maintains its grip on market liquidity, leaving altcoins waiting for clearer directional signals.
Final Thoughts
- The broader crypto market rallied after comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell referenced pressure from the US administration.
- Market sentiment quickly skewed in favor of the bulls, with altcoins recording gains. However, a sustained rally remains contingent on Bitcoin reclaiming the $94,000 level.
