Bitcoin recorded modest gains on Friday following the release of December’s stronger-than-expected jobs report, but it remains on track for significant weekly losses. Heightened concerns over slower U.S. interest rate cuts and potential Bitcoin sales by the Department of Justice (DOJ) dampened investor sentiment.
The broader crypto market mirrored declines in risk-driven assets as traders turned to safe havens like gold and the U.S. dollar due to growing economic uncertainty. Bitcoin rose 1.9% to $93,876 by 09:09 ET, recovering from an intraday low of $92,474. Despite the rebound, Bitcoin is down 4.4% this week, marking its worst weekly performance since late September.
Reports that the DOJ received approval to sell $6.5 billion in confiscated Bitcoin from the Silk Road dark web platform added to selling pressure. This move dashed speculation that President Donald Trump might convert these holdings into a strategic Bitcoin reserve. While Trump has pledged crypto-friendly policies and hinted at creating a reserve, analysts question the feasibility of such plans given Congress’s fiscal constraints.
Bitcoin’s earlier rally to record highs of over $108,000 in late 2024 was fueled by optimism over Trump’s regulatory nominations and his pro-crypto stance. However, recent developments have weighed heavily on market sentiment.
The December jobs report also contributed to market volatility. The U.S. economy added 256,000 jobs, surpassing expectations of 160,000, while the unemployment rate dropped to 4.1%. These strong figures led investors to reassess the Federal Reserve’s outlook for rate cuts in 2025, negatively impacting risk assets.
Ether gained 0.6% to $3,259, while XRP rose 1.8% to $2.284. Altcoins like Solana, Cardano, and Polygon posted gains of up to 5%, with DOGE climbing 2.8%.


SoftBank Eyes Up to $25B OpenAI Investment Amid AI Boom
Asian Markets Mixed as Fed Rate Cut Bets Grow and Japan’s Nikkei Leads Gains
U.S. Cyber Monday Online Sales Surge Past $9.1 Billion as Holiday Shopping Momentum Builds
Asian Currencies Steady as Markets Await Fed Rate Decision; Indian Rupee Hits New Record Low
China's Refining Industry Faces Major Shakeup Amid Challenges
KiwiSaver shakeup: private asset investment has risks that could outweigh the rewards
U.S. Stocks Slip as Investors Await Fed Rate Decision and Monitor Market Shifts
Tech Stocks Rally in Asia-Pacific as Dollar Remains Resilient
Gold Prices Steady as Markets Await Key U.S. Data and Expected Fed Rate Cut
Why your retirement fund might soon include cryptocurrency
Gold Prices Rise as Markets Await Trump’s Policy Announcements
South Korea Posts Stronger-Than-Expected 1.3% Economic Growth in Q3
U.S. Banks Report Strong Q4 Profits Amid Investment Banking Surge
FxWirePro- Major Crypto levels and bias summary 



