The Bitcoin price experienced a significant surge this afternoon, pushing decisively through the $96,000 level and establishing a renewed wave of bullish momentum. This breakout occurred after weeks of choppy, range-bound trading, signaling a clear move beyond the upper boundary of January’s consolidation range. As of the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading around $96,000, marking an increase of approximately 4.4% over the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency is now hovering near its weekly highs, approximately 5% above its seven-day low of $91,700, indicating that buyers have regained control of the short-term market structure. This notable price action, which saw Bitcoin rocket to $96,000, was reported on January 13, 2026.

Alongside the price rally, Bitcoin trading activity has also seen a significant increase, with the 24-hour volume climbing to roughly $55 billion, reflecting renewed participation from investors as the price accelerated higher. Bitcoin’s total market capitalization has risen to approximately $1.92 trillion, further reinforcing its dominance within the digital asset market. The circulating supply currently stands at just under 19.98 million BTC, inching closer to the protocol’s fixed 21 million coin cap.

The bullish sentiment in the crypto market extended to related equities, with shares of Strategy (MSTR) jumping sharply. The company’s stock closed at $172.99 USD with a 6.63% gain, further extending its strength in after-hours trading to $177.00. This reflects investors continuing to price in Strategy’s high-risk, Bitcoin-linked strategy.

On January 12, Strategy announced a substantial acquisition of 13,627 Bitcoin for $1.25 billion, bringing its total holdings to an impressive 687,410 BTC. These purchases were executed between January 5 and January 11, funded through the company’s at-the-market offering program, which included sales of Class A common stock (MSTR) and its 10.00% Series A perpetual preferred stock, Stretch (STRC).

This market activity unfolds amidst legislative delays affecting the crypto sector. The US Senate Agriculture Committee has postponed its key markup of the Digital Asset Market Structure CLARITY Act until late January, while the Senate’s Banking Committee markup is still scheduled for January 15.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman, John Boozman, announced a timeline for advancing crypto market structure legislation, with the legislative text set for release by the close of business on Wednesday, January 21, and a committee markup slated for Tuesday, January 27, at 3 p.m. Boozman emphasized that this schedule is designed to ensure transparency and thorough review, providing regulatory clarity for crypto markets, supporting consumer protection, and fostering U.S. innovation.

However, the delay signals potential challenges, suggesting that Senate leaders may lack the necessary votes to advance the bill due to disagreements over stablecoin rewards, DeFi oversight, and the allocation of authority between the SEC and CFTC. Although the House passed its version of the bill in mid-2025, the legislation cannot proceed without approval from both Senate committees.

Looking ahead, Tuesday’s surge follows several unsuccessful breakout attempts over the last couple of months, during which Bitcoin repeatedly tested resistance near the mid-$94,000 range before pulling back. For much of the past month, price action remained compressed between roughly $85,000 and $94,000, prompting analysts to warn that bulls needed a decisive move higher to reassert control.

That crucial move now appears to be underway. If the Bitcoin price can sustain acceptance above $96,000, the next major resistance zones are anticipated to sit between $98,000 and $104,000, levels that have previously capped upside momentum. A failure to hold current levels, however, could see the price retrace towards former resistance, which could then act as potential support.

The current breakout arrives as investors continue to evaluate evolving inflation trends, interest-rate expectations, and escalating political uncertainty tied to U.S. monetary policy. On the political front, the Department of Justice has initiated a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, intensifying a months-long feud between the White House and the U.S. central bank.

According to Powell, the Department of Justice served the Federal Reserve with grand jury subpoenas and threatened a criminal indictment related to his June 2025 testimony concerning a $2.5 billion-plus renovation of Fed office buildings. In recent months, the Bitcoin price has increasingly traded in response to such macro narratives, with many market participants viewing it as a robust hedge against policy instability and long-term currency debasement. At the time of publication, the Bitcoin price remains near $96,000.