Bitcoin (BTC) Price: Falls Below $91K as Geopolitical Tensions and Treasury Concerns Mount

TLDR

• Bitcoin fell below $91,000 on Thursday as geopolitical tensions in Asia and Latin America weighed on risk appetite across crypto markets.
• Diplomatic disputes between China and Japan intensified, with Beijing placing export curbs and launching probes into Japanese chemical companies.
• U.S. intervention in Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolas Maduro added to market uncertainty and political instability concerns.
• Concerns about crypto treasury companies like Strategy Inc, which has lost nearly 50% in 2025, continued to pressure the market.
• Industry experts forecast Bitcoin prices ranging from $75,000 to $225,000 for 2026, with institutional adoption and Federal Reserve policy as key factors.

Bitcoin dropped to $91,093 on Thursday morning. The cryptocurrency briefly touched $90,642 during Asian trading hours.

The decline reversed a new year recovery that failed to push Bitcoin back above $95,000. Trading volumes reflected cautious sentiment across crypto markets.

Geopolitical events in multiple regions contributed to the price decline. In Asia, tensions between China and Japan escalated this week.

Beijing placed export curbs against Tokyo and launched an anti-dumping investigation into Japanese chemical manufacturers. Chinese media raised the possibility of restricting rare earth exports to Japan.

These restrictions could impact Japan’s manufacturing sector. The diplomatic conflict stems from late 2025 comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about potential military intervention in Taiwan.

In Latin America, markets reacted to U.S. actions in Venezuela. President Donald Trump’s administration captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during a weekend operation.

Reports indicate Trump is preparing to take control of Venezuela’s oil industry for multiple years. This move could create political instability in the region and draw opposition from China.

The Venezuela situation drove demand for traditional safe haven assets like gold and the dollar earlier in the week. Bitcoin did not benefit from this flight to safety.

Crypto Treasury Company Concerns

Strategy Inc, the largest corporate Bitcoin holder, weighed on market sentiment. The company has lost nearly 50% of its value in 2025.

MSCI announced it will not remove digital asset treasury companies from its indexes. However, the index operator plans a broader review of inclusion requirements.

Digital asset treasury companies accumulated large amounts of Bitcoin in recent years. Their declining valuations raise questions about their ability to continue buying.

Traders are awaiting Friday’s U.S. nonfarm payrolls data for December. The employment report could influence Federal Reserve interest rate decisions.

Market participants expect the Fed to keep rates steady in the near term. Other cryptocurrencies tracked Bitcoin’s downward movement on Thursday.

Price Predictions for 2026

Industry analysts forecast a wide range for Bitcoin in 2026. Carol Alexander from the University of Sussex predicts prices between $75,000 and $150,000.

CoinShares analyst James Butterfill expects Bitcoin to trade between $120,000 and $170,000. Standard Chartered revised its forecast down to $150,000 from a previous $300,000 target.

Maple Finance CEO Sidney Powell set a price target of $175,000. Bit Mining’s Youwei Yang predicted the widest range from $75,000 to $225,000.

Nexo analyst Iliya Kalchev forecasts $150,000 to $200,000 for Bitcoin this year. Lower interest rates and increasing institutional adoption were cited as potential price drivers.

Bitcoin hit a record high above $126,000 in October before falling to around $80,000 later in the year. The cryptocurrency currently trades about 30% below its all-time high.

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