Crypto markets opened 2026 modestly higher, but the tone is selective rather than fully risk-on. Total capitalization rose 1.4% in 24 hours to roughly $3.1 trillion, while volume stayed soft near $70.6 billion. Bitcoin anchored price action around $89,287, holding close to the $88,000 support traders are watching, with resistance near $92,000. At the same time, altcoins carried the upside narrative, as gains concentrated outside the largest assets even with holiday-thinned participation and muted follow-through. Major coins were mixed, and sentiment stayed cautious with the Fear and Greed Index at 34 as 2026 begins.
Outside the majors, price action was louder. Among trending tokens, Lighter gained nearly 8% and Pepe rose close to 25%, extending momentum, while Monad advanced more than 17%. In the top gainers list, Holoworld led with a surge of over 30%, followed by River and Clash of Lilliput, each up above 25% in 24 hours. This is a market where attention rotates faster than capital, and the soft $70.6 billion volume suggests rallies are being driven by pockets of participation. Altcoins are sprinting even as liquidity jogs. It matched the Fear and Greed gauge.
Under the surface, risk signals are flashing. CryptoQuant research head Julio Moreno said Bitcoin may have slipped into a bear market two months ago, after a cluster of on-chain indicators turned bearish in early November and have yet to recover. He pointed to a bull score index from 0 to 100 tracking network activity, investor profitability, Bitcoin demand, and market liquidity. The backdrop stays cautious even on green days, and there was no U.S. spot ETF flow data on Jan. 1 due to closure. December hack losses fell 60% month-on-month to about $76 million.
