"RBC-Crypto" does not provide investment advice; the material is published for informational purposes only. Cryptocurrency is a volatile asset that may lead to financial losses.
The current state of the crypto market and the factors that will influence cryptocurrency prices in the coming days—all of this was discussed by Anatoly Radchenko, author of the Telegram channel "Financial Circle," in a new video on January 12, recorded specifically for participants of the RBC Crypto Forum.
"Not in Favor of Cryptocurrency"
Radchenko called the most important news of recent days the statements by US Federal Reserve (Fed) Chairman Jerome Powell that a criminal investigation has been launched against him because the Fed is not lowering the key interest rate as US President Donald Trump wants, while Trump claims he has no involvement in this investigation. The expert noted that against this backdrop, the US dollar is falling, while gold and silver prices are rising.
"Trump has long said that Powell is too slow to lower the rate at a time when America, to become great, needs cheap credit, needs to build factories... But according to market estimates, the Fed does not plan to lower the rate in January," the analyst said.
The market "does not like" it when pressure is put on the Fed chairman, Radchenko noted. He pointed out that the American market is slightly down, but this is more of a rotation of funds, with investors moving capital from one sector to others. Big tech is being sold off slightly, while oil and the real sector are growing a bit, the analyst said. He added that some market participants are buying what hasn't yet risen in price, while others are trying to hedge against potential risks.
And there are many risks, according to Radchenko—China and Taiwan, Iran and Israel, Venezuela, Cuba, and in all these situations—the US is involved. Radchenko recalled that "as we have already seen several years ago, any escalation of conflict in the Middle East or with China, as a rule, is not in favor of cryptocurrency."
What's Happening in the Crypto Market
Radchenko noted several new cryptocurrencies he is tracking and also drew attention to the rise of Monero (XMR) and the pullback of Zcash (ZEC). In the analyst's opinion, there is interest in privacy coins—"everyone wants private money." Nevertheless, if Bitcoin and Ethereum do not rise, then anonymous cryptocurrencies will also perform very weakly, the expert believes.
According to him, among the major coins, Solana is performing better, "Ether" looks good, and Bitcoin is the weakest. Uncertainty remains regarding Bitcoin purchases by Michael Saylor's company Strategy; large holders continue to sell, and speculators are trying to find a new narrative for growth, Radchenko believes.
As of 14:30 Moscow time on January 12, the price of BTC is fluctuating around $90.5K, the same as 24 hours ago. Over the week, Bitcoin has fallen by 2.5%.
"Many Narratives, But No Strong One"
The purchase of $300 million worth of Bitcoin by the major US bank Wells Fargo, rumors about the possible introduction of crypto trading on Elon Musk's social network X—there are quite a few positive narratives, says Radchenko. Nevertheless, in his assessment, the overall picture is negative, and there is no strong catalyst for growth.
Bitcoin started the year very well, and some investors assume that, against the backdrop of money depreciation, rising stocks, and prices for metals and commodities, the leading cryptocurrency will continue to rise, the analyst says. But he also noted that active selling of BTC is still occurring during the American trading session.
Some market participants are possibly "buying Bitcoin little by little," the expert believes. However, he thinks there is no convincing reason for a rapid rise in the cryptocurrency's price.
In Buryatia, a "mining truck" stole electricity worth 3 million rubles.
From $130K to $53.4 million for Bitcoin. VanEck's forecasts until 2050.
What will happen to cryptocurrency market regulation in Russia in 2026.
