CryptoQuant CEO: Bitcoin Inflows Dry Up, Sideways Likely Q1 2026
Bitcoin may remain range-bound through the first quarter of 2026 as capital inflows slow, according to CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju. Speaking on Wednesday, Ju said inflows into Bitcoin have “dried up” for now, with investors rotating toward equities and precious metals amid recent rallies in gold and silver. He added that, unlike past cycles, a sharp drawdown from the peak is unlikely and he anticipates “boring sideways” trading over the coming months.
Bitcoin (BTC) was trading around $90,890 at the time of publication, down more than 2% over the past 24 hours and below this week’s high of $94,400, according to CoinMarketCap.
Sideways price action would diverge from typical Q1 pattern
Muted movement in early 2026 would contrast with Bitcoin’s historical first-quarter performance. Since 2013, January has averaged a 3.81% return, while February and March have posted stronger average gains of 13.12% and 12.21%, respectively, according to CoinGlass.
Ju’s comments follow outlooks from veteran trader Peter Brandt and Fidelity’s director of macroeconomic research, Jurrien Timmer, who have suggested Bitcoin could fall to $65,000—or even $60,000—this year.
Market sentiment has been subdued. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index has fluctuated between “fear” and “extreme fear” since early November and recorded a “fear” reading of 28 on Thursday.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs post early-2026 net inflows
Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds registered $925.3 million in net inflows over the first three trading days of 2026, according to Farside Investors data.
Elsewhere, some industry figures remain optimistic. Venture capitalist Tim Draper said Wednesday that “2026 will be big,” reiterating his call that Bitcoin will reach $250,000—a prediction he first made in 2018, when he forecast the milestone by the end of 2022.
Bitwise head of research Ryan Rasmussen said on Dec. 17 that Bitcoin could break its traditional four-year cycle in 2026 and set new all-time highs. He noted that the cycle typically includes three up years followed by a down year—which would normally indicate 2026—but he does not expect that pattern to persist this time.
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