Headline: Bitcoin stalls between $90K–$93K as investor momentum, not macro shocks, shapes near-term outlook Lede: Bitcoin has been stuck in a narrow band recently, trading between $90,000 and $93,000 with little conviction on either side. Rather than a clear macro-driven selloff or breakout, the market is showing signs that investor momentum — both retail and institutional — may determine Bitcoin’s next move. What’s driving the quiet price action - Financial Conditions Index (FCI): The FCI, which aggregates normalized macro indicators to gauge broader liquidity and financial stress, is slightly negative at the time of writing. Historically, negative FCI readings correlate with looser conditions that support risk assets like Bitcoin, while positive readings signal tightening and weaker performance. The current mildly negative reading suggests modest easing, but not enough to fuel a strong rally yet. (Source: Alphractal) - Spot inflows cooling: Spot market momentum is softening. CoinGlass data shows weekly net inflows into spot Bitcoin have dropped to $282 million — the weakest weekly figure in six weeks — implying spot buyers remain bullish but are pausing accumulation. Sustained declines in inflows could signal buyer exhaustion after earlier buying waves. (Source: CoinGlass) - Institutional rotation: Institutional flows have swung from heavy early-year purchases to recent selling. Institutions bought about $458 million of BTC in the first trading week of January but have since scaled back and sold roughly $681 million this week, pointing to waning short-term conviction and lower risk appetite among large holders. - Retail interest cooling: Google Trends for Bitcoin-related searches sits at 39, one of the lowest readings over the past year, suggesting retail attention has faded from recent highs. - Long-term holders steady: On the flip side, long-term holders appear inactive and stabilizing. Binary Coin Days Destroyed (CDD) reads 0 at press time, indicating no meaningful movement from long-term holders. Historically, rising CDD precedes higher volatility when long-term holders sell; their current dormancy is helping prevent a deeper slide below $90,000. (Source: CryptoQuant) What this means near-term The balance of evidence points to a market lacking strong directional conviction rather than one under systemic macro pressure. Liquidity conditions are mildly supportive, but investor behavior — cooling spot inflows, institutional selling this week, and subdued retail interest — suggests sentiment is fragile. If inflows and institutional demand pick up again, the $90K–$93K range could resolve to the upside; if buying continues to wane, downside risks increase. Bottom line: Bitcoin’s next leg may hinge more on renewed investor momentum than on an immediate macro catalyst. For now, long-term holder inactivity is cushioning downside, but watch weekly inflows, institutional flows, and FCI readings for clues on whether conviction returns. Disclaimer: AMBCrypto's content is informational and not investment advice. Cryptocurrency trading is high-risk; readers should do their own research before making decisions. © 2026 AMBCrypto Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news