Key Highlights:
The crypto market cap increased to $3.25T across the globe (3.4%), and the sentiment remained low at Fear (26).
BTC and Ethereum registered consistent returns, with the former controlling 57% of the market.
The altcoins were not active, with some of them performing well, others performing poorly, and the DeFi activity increasing.
Overall Crypto Market Update, January 5, 2026: The cryptocurrency was on the brink of rising, with an increase in prices and volume, led by Bitcoin and Ethereum. The ambivalent performance of altcoins, coupled with a cautious mood, indicated cautiously active trading.

Source: Forex Factory
The global cryptocurrency market today recorded a capitalization of $3.25 trillion, reflecting a 1.7% upward trend in the last 24 hours. Total trading volume noted $92 billion.
Bitcoin’s (BTC) dominance over the industry remains intense, with 57%, while Ethereum (ETH) carries 11.8%. As of now, 18941 cryptocurrencies are being tracked. The largest gainers of the industry are Polkadot and XRP Ledger Ecosystem in the last 24 hours.
Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) Price:
(Note: BTC and ETH are often viewed as less volatile historically, but still risky.)
BTC price today reached $92982.65, rose by 2.04% in the last 24 hours, with a trading volume of $31.43 billion and a market cap of $1.85 trillion.

Ethereum (ETH) is priced at $ 3,198.92 today, up 1.57% in 24 hours, with a trading volume of $15.23 billion and a market cap of $ 386.11 billion.

Top 5 Trending Coins in 24 Hours:
(Trending data is based on a combination of 24-hour price movement, trading volume, and CoinMarketCap.com trending metrics.)
Bitcoin (BTC) is currently priced at $93,155.35, gaining 2.38%, with massive trading volume of nearly $31.3B.
XRP price today is $2.15, up 6.07%, supported by a volume of about $3.44B.
Official Trump (TRUMP) at $5.44, rising 2.28%, with trading volume of about $467M.
Shiba Inu (SHIB) at $0.00008982, up 9.44%, posting TV of around $325.6M.
Pepe (PEPE) at $0.00057102, gaining 14.46%, with a trading activity of nearly $1.5B.
Top 3 Gainers in 24 hours:
(Ranked by 24-hour percentage gain)
BONK rose 20.52% to $0.00001195, recording a trading volume (TV) of around $775 million.
PIPPIN gained 15.97%, trading at $0.5195, with a trading activity of $42.7 million.
Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL) climbed 15.69% to $0.9867, supported by a trading activity of $165.5 million
Top 3 Losers in 24 hours
(Ranked by 24-hour percentage loss)
Canton (CC) at $0.1483, down 5.72%, with a TV of $19.5 million.
Midnight (NIGHT) at $0.08991, falling 3.29%, recording TV of $40 million.
MemeCore (M) at $1.57, slipping 3.25%, with TV of nearly $12.6 million.
Stablecoins and Defi Update:
Stablecoins noted a 0.1% positive change over the past 24 hours, with a market capitalization of $313 billion and trading volume of $71 billion.
The Decentralized Finance (DeFi) market rose 2.7% over the last 24 hours, recording a market cap of $113.4 billion and trading volume hits at $4 billion. Defi dominance globally marked 3.5%.

Source: Alternative Me
Today’s Crypto Fear & Greed Index stands at 26 (Fear), slightly improving from 25 yesterday. Despite the rise, sentiment remains weak. Last week: 24, last month: 23—both Extreme Fear. This suggests continued risk aversion due to price volatility, macro uncertainty, and cautious investor behavior, though marginal sentiment recovery is visible.
(Note: All of these updates affect traders, as they affect liquidity, sentiment, and potential returns, and thus have to be monitored closely.)
1. Bitcoin Core Development Rebounds in 2025
Bitcoin Core activity surged in 2025, with developer discussions up 60%, more contributors joining, and its first public security audit finding no critical issues.
2. Whale Shifts From Bitcoin to Gold Tokens
A crypto whale doubled down on safety, buying $8.5M in gold-backed tokens after a $5.7M Bitcoin loss, as XAUt and PAXG holdings now show modest profit amid volatile market conditions.
3. Metaplanet’s Bitcoin Edge
Analyst Adam Livingston says Japan’s Metaplanet gains an advantage as a weak yen cuts debt costs, while Bitcoin’s surge boosts its 35,102 BTC holdings, now among the world’s largest reserve firms globally.
4. Binance Alpha to List Brevis on Jan 6
Binance Alpha will list Brevis (BREV) on January 6. Eligible users can claim an airdrop via the Alpha activity page using Alpha points after trading opens officially. Depinsim (ESIM) will be launched today.
5. WLFI Proposal Passes With Strong Community Support
Wu Shuo reports that World Liberty Financial approved a governance proposal with 77.75% support, allowing use of unlocked treasury funds to incentivize adoption of its USD1 stablecoin.
The index today at 26 is slightly recovered as compared to last week and the Extreme Fear of last month. Bitcoin has a dominance of 57% compared to the 3.5% of DeFi, indicating a capital shift in large and less risky assets over volatile altcoins.
The article assists crypto users in knowing the direction of the market based on numbers and sentiment. Rising capitalization and volume show activity, but fear levels suggest caution. Users can compare Bitcoin stability with altcoin volatility to manage short-term trades and risk exposure more effectively.
Risk Context: This commentary is only informational and not for long-term conditions. It does not indicate the direction of the price or indicate an action to be taken on the investment.
Based on the 24-hour crypto update, crypto remains high-risk but conditionally rewarding. Bitcoin’s 2.04% gain and dominance offer relative safety, while altcoins like BONK (+20.52%) show profit potential with volatility. Strategic, short-term positioning is beneficial; aggressive investing remains risky.
Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. Do Your Own Research before investing. CoinGabbar is not liable to any financial loss. The crypto assets are risky, and you may lose all your investments. Not all regions can offer some of the services or assets discussed.
Sakshi Jain is a crypto journalist with over 3 years of experience in industry research, financial analysis, and content creation. She specializes in producing insightful blogs, in-depth news coverage, and SEO-optimized content. Passionate about bringing clarity and engagement to the fast-changing world of cryptocurrencies, Sakshi focuses on delivering accurate and timely insights. As a crypto journalist at Coin Gabbar, she researches and analyzes market trends, reports on the latest crypto developments and regulations, and crafts high-quality content on emerging blockchain technologies.