Bitcoin slips below $92K as dormant whale moves and macro pressures mount

• Bitcoin’s bullish price outlook remains, but a retest of support near $90,000 poses a threat to this.
• The latest price action comes amid a whale move to transfer $84 million in BTC that had been dormant for 12 years.
• Global stocks and crypto faced new downside pressure amid escalating US-EU trade tensions.

The Bitcoin price revisited support below $92,000 early Tuesday as a whale’s sudden jolt stirred sentiment amid a transfer of over 900 BTC worth approximately $84 million, with the coins having been dormant for over a decade.

Mounting pressures on the cryptocurrency’s price also coincide with broader market jitters, which are largely fueled by escalating US-EU trade tensions over Greenland.

BTC also traded lower as US Treasury yields rose.

Bitcoin whale moves coins dormant for over 12 years

Details shared by blockchain tracker Lookonchain showed that an old wallet, labeled “1A2hq…pZGZm,” shifted 909 BTC to a fresh address “bc1qk…sxaeh” for the first time in 12 years.

More than $84 million worth of BTC was first loaded in the wallet in 2013 when BTC traded below $7.

With prices skyrocketing over the year, the whale finds themselves sitting on unrealized profits exceeding 13,000%.

The movement mirrors similar transfers seen when Bitcoin exploded past the $100,000.

A Bitcoin OG has woken up after 13 years of dormancy, moving all 909.38 $BTC($84.62M) into a new wallet.

When this OG first received $BTC 13 years ago, the price was under $7 — now up ~13,900×. pic.twitter.com/lxfikGdfNl

— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) January 20, 2026

BTC price slipped nearly 2% as social media erupted with speculation of profit-taking.

However, with the whale’s funds remaining off exchanges, analysts are pointing to a possible wallet consolidation or enhanced security rather than imminent offloading.

Fed’s $3.8B liquidity injection puts crypto assets on alert

The Federal Reserve is set to inject $3.8 billion into the economy on Tuesday, drawing close attention from crypto traders who see potential upside for Bitcoin amid easing macro liquidity conditions.

The move comes as global markets refocus on liquidity, following a period of balance sheet expansion by the Fed aimed at supporting market functioning.

Such injections are often viewed as constructive for risk assets, including Bitcoin (BTC), based on the view that looser funding conditions in traditional markets can support higher asset prices.

Previous Fed liquidity operations, including a $29.4 billion repo injection in 2025, were cited by the founder of Cardano (ADA) as potentially supportive for Bitcoin and other risk assets.

During the last liquidity injection period, from December 12, 2025, to January 14, 2026, Bitcoin rose from about $90,270 to roughly $96,929.

On Monday, crypto watcher DefiWimar wrote on X that, “When traditional money printing kicks into high gear, smart money flows into crypto,” underscoring how increased liquidity can influence asset allocation decisions.

​Bitcoin faces mounting headwinds

Bitcoin has recently slid to the $90,000 level, further eroding the bullish sentiment that dominated amid the spike to above $97k.

In early Asian hours on Jan. 20, sellers pushed prices to $90,620.

This mirrored dips for Nasdaq futures, which were down by over 1.6% amid persistent headwinds in recent weeks.

While stocks have not recorded a major pullback, broader risk-off sentiment has capped the moves seen in 2026.

Cryptocurrencies have recorded similar downturns, even as gold leads safe-haven assets to new record highs.

Economist Mohamed El-Erian shared this outlook on X.

On a day when geo-economics is again very much in evidence—including the possibility of an EU–US trade war over Greenland (with the UK seemingly caught in a messy middle)—gold has once more traded at a record high, exceeding $4,700 an ounce.
Also of note for the reasons discussed… pic.twitter.com/CuyHAWMR8V

— Mohamed A. El-Erian (@elerianm) January 20, 2026

On Tuesday, Bitcoin and US stocks futures shed gains as the 10-year US Treasury yield climbed to 4.287%, a four-month high.

Notably, higher yields lift borrowing costs for loans, mortgages, and investments worldwide, impacting risk sentiment.

As El-Erian notes, President Donald Trump’s tariff threats against Europe over Greenland have sparked retaliation worries, driving bond sales and yield surges.

While the market weighs the situation, analysts say these macro risks could sideline capital from volatile assets like Bitcoin.

BTC traded just above $91,140 at the time of writing.