Bitcoin's Shocking Surge to $98K: Are You Ready for the Next Big Crash?

The price of Bitcoin (BTC) approached $98,000 on January 14, 2026, following significant investment activity in U.S. spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) linked to Bitcoin. On January 13, these ETFs saw their largest daily inflow in three months, with a net total of $753.73 million pouring into the funds.

For those unfamiliar, Bitcoin ETFs are investment funds that track the value of Bitcoin but trade on traditional exchanges, making them accessible to retail investors without requiring direct cryptocurrency transactions. This accessibility has made them increasingly popular among those looking to gain exposure to the cryptocurrency market.

The major contributors to this surge in inflows included:

• Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC): $351.36 million
• Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB): $159.42 million
• BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT): $126.27 million
• ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB): $84.88 million

This influx marks the strongest performance for Bitcoin ETFs since early October 2025, when they experienced $875.61 million in net inflows. The cumulative net inflow total for U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs now stands at an impressive $57.27 billion as of January 13.

The positive trend in the cryptocurrency market isn't isolated to Bitcoin alone. Ethereum (ETH) also benefited, with U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs recording $130 million in net inflows on January 13, the highest since January 5, bringing their total net inflow to $12.57 billion.

Meanwhile, newly launched XRP ETFs experienced their first net outflow on January 7, 2026, but rebounded slightly with a net inflow of $12.98 million on January 13, lifting their cumulative total to $1.25 billion.

Bitcoin’s price saw a notable increase, reaching as high as $97,704.92 on January 14, a crucial milestone as it had not surpassed the $97,000 mark since hitting it on November 14, 2025. As of the latest reporting, BTC was trading at $96,532.66, reflecting a more than 4% increase within the last 24 hours. Similarly, Ethereum rose more than 4% to trade at $3,324.49, while XRP surged by 1.5% to reach $2.14.

Several factors contributed to this uptrend in the crypto market. A lower inflation report for December 2025 improved liquidity conditions, which typically favor riskier assets like cryptocurrencies. Additionally, ongoing scrutiny from the Department of Justice regarding the independence of the Federal Reserve added a layer of uncertainty to traditional financial markets, prompting investors to seek refuge in digital assets.

The current momentum in the cryptocurrency market suggests that investor interest remains robust, particularly in Bitcoin and Ethereum, which have been at the forefront of recent positive sentiment. As more retail and institutional investors turn to Bitcoin ETFs for their crypto exposure, the landscape of cryptocurrency investments continues to evolve, emphasizing the importance of understanding these financial instruments as they reshape the investment terrain.