The crypto market kicked off early 2026 with a flurry of significant movements across major assets, defying the usual Sunday calm. From a massive Shiba Inu transfer to a dramatic XRP liquidation event and Bitcoin's continued ascent towards a key psychological barrier, the stage is set for an eventful start to the year.
Shiba Inu's Whale Movement Signals Bullish Intent
Shiba Inu (SHIB) witnessed a noteworthy event as a staggering 1.44 trillion tokens, valued at approximately $12.58 million, were transferred from Coinbase Prime to a single, newly identified whale address. This "exchange-drain" scenario, where a large quantity of tokens leaves an exchange, often signals reduced available supply and can be perceived as a bullish indicator. Following this massive accumulation, SHIB's price reacted positively, showing a 7.79% daily gain and testing the crucial $0.00000900 resistance level. The immediate outlook for SHIB appears binary: sustained movement above $0.00000900 could pave the way for further gains towards $0.00001102 and $0.00001203, while a dip below $0.00000699 might invalidate the recent bounce.
XRP's Short Squeeze and Bitcoin's $100K Aspiration
In the derivatives market, XRP experienced an extraordinary 18,913% liquidation imbalance, with short positions bearing the overwhelming brunt of the impact. Over $870,000 in short liquidations occurred against a mere $4,600 in long liquidations within an hour, indicating a significant short squeeze. Curiously, despite this dramatic derivatives activity, XRP's spot price remained relatively stable, grinding slowly upwards from $2.03 to $2.09 before stabilizing. This divergence suggests either a crowded short position being forced out on a minor price push or localized liquidations that didn't trigger broader spot market volatility. Meanwhile, Bitcoin (BTC) continued its steady climb, with the weekly chart bolstering the bullish narrative. Opening at $87,952.71 and hitting a high of $91,810.00, BTC demonstrated a robust 3.90% weekly gain. The much-anticipated $100,000 milestone appears increasingly within reach, aligning closely with the Bollinger Bands' midline target of $103,522.98. If Bitcoin can sustain its momentum and continue posting new weekly highs, a January 2026 ascent to $100,000 could transition from a dream to a tangible reality, shaping the broader market sentiment for the year ahead.
