Crypto Market Volatility Continues as Bitcoin Hovers Around $105,000

Cryptocurrency markets posted minor gains on Friday, as the impact of President Donald Trump’s inauguration earlier this week and lingering questions about crypto regulation kept investors on edge.

BTC rose 1.1% in the past 24 hours, reaching $105,333. ETH climbed 1.3% to $3,340, while XRP was flat at $3.11. Solana (SOL) also saw a boost, surging 2.8% to $258. The total cryptocurrency market cap increased by 0.4%, reaching $3.75 trillion, according to CoinGecko.

In the past 24 hours, 102,000 traders were liquidated for a total of $216 million. BTC recorded around $43 million in liquidations, while ETH contributed roughly $36 million. Altcoins added approximately $33 million.

Mixed Sentiment

The market’s mixed performance highlights ongoing concerns, as the recent surge was fueled by excitement over pro-crypto actions from the Trump administration. However, lingering questions over the future of cryptocurrency regulations have prevented a clear direction for investors.

“I would say that today’s volatility reflects a pretty healthy mix of profit taking and tempered expectations,” said Chris Sorensen, CEO at PhoneBurner, noting that this is especially the case after the euphoria surrounding pro-crypto signals from the Trump administration.

“From my point of view, it appears the executive order hints at supportive regulatory moves with digital assets, but the lack of immediate clarity has left a feeling of optimistic uncertainty, which has obviously led to some hesitation among investors, myself included,” Sorensen said.

Trump’s Impact

The crypto market has been in a frenzy since President Donald Trump was inaugurated on Jan. 20. In his first four days in office, he has implemented several pro-crypto measures, including signing an executive order (EO) to explore a national digital assets reserve.

Other EOs include the establishment of a Presidential Working Group aimed at reinforcing the U.S.’s leadership in digital finance and crafting a regulatory framework for digital assets. The working group is set to be led by David Sacks, the newly appointed "AI and Crypto Czar,” alongside Treasury Secretary David Lebryk and acting SEC Chair Mark Uyeda.

In addition to supporting the growth of the cryptocurrency sector, the executive orders also prohibit federal agencies from developing central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).