What to Know
- Crypto sentiment has turned positive in early 2026, showing broad gains across Bitcoin, altcoins, and meme coins after months of stress.
- Bitcoin is holding near the $90K level, helping restore trader confidence as it reacts more to global economic trends and ETF flows.
- Altcoins and meme coins are leading the rebound, with XRP, Solana, Dogecoin, and Cardano posting strong weekly gains and renewed retail interest.
After months of stress and disappointment, early 2026 has finally brought some relief to crypto traders. Since the sharp correction that followed Bitcoin’s all-time high on October 6, many investors had been stuck watching prices fall or move sideways.
According to Santiment, the crypto market has seen a rare “sea of green” to start the year. Bitcoin and several major altcoins have begun to recover, and even meme coins are back in focus. Tokens like Sui have found their footing again, while Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and Pepe have all enjoyed solid rebounds. For the first time in a while, traders are feeling hopeful again. The positive-to-negative sentiment data shows that early 2026 has been a turning point.
Bitcoin Shows Early Signs of Stability
Bitcoin posted a +3.0% gain over the past week. While price movement has slowed slightly in recent days, overall sentiment has improved compared to late 2025. The first full week of 2026 was influenced by headlines around ETFs and broader economic news, which caused some short-term price swings.
What stands out most is how Bitcoin is now reacting more like a traditional global asset. Economic data, interest rate expectations, and large investment flows are playing a bigger role in its short-term movement. The $90,000 level has become a key point for traders, and holding near this range helps keep confidence intact. At the time of writing, BTC is trading at around $90,302.
Santiment noted,” The bigger takeaway is how traditionally ‘Wall Street” plumbing is now one of the main short-term drivers. Coverage tied the move to traders de-risking ahead of key U.S. economic data (like the jobs report) and shifting rate-cut expectations. Bitcoin is leading the narrative (so far, backed by evidence in 2026) of crypto reacting more like a macro asset than a niche market.”
Ethereum Sees Growing Interest
Ethereum recorded a 3.7% gain over the past week, showing quiet but steady progress. Much of the positive sentiment around Ethereum is tied to growing interest in staking and yield-focused products. Fusaka and Hegota upgrades, too, will not only boost scalability and efficiency but may also positively impact the price.
Instead of being treated only as a price-driven asset, Ethereum is increasingly seen as something investors can hold for longer-term value. Data shows that while sentiment is not overly bullish, it remains positive and stable, which often supports healthier market conditions. Technically, RSI 52.37 also suggests neutral momentum. At the time of writing ETH is trading at around $3,088.
XRP, BNB and SOL Lead with Strong Momentum
XRP stood out with a +13.9% gain over the past week, making it one of the strongest performers among major cryptocurrencies. Multiple market pieces pointed to the January escrow unlock (1 billion XRP released) as a concrete, scheduled event that traders watch because it can affect near-term supply and sentiment.
Binance Coin posted a +3.5% weekly gain.BNB is not typically driven by hype, but steady positive sentiment suggests traders are comfortable holding it again. For BNB, one of the most specific developments since Jan 1 is Binance’s operational transition tied to Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) that took effect January 5, alongside updated terms. Solana also impressed with a +9.6% gain over the past week. Solana’s biggest clear-cut January 2026 headline has been institutional product momentum like Morgan Stanley ETF.
Altcoins and Memecoins Join the Crypto Recovery
Tron recorded a +2.8% gain, continuing its slow but consistent progress. Tron’s early-2026 news has been heavy on payments and fintech integration. There are reported partnerships aimed at making TRON-based assets spendable in more everyday contexts and as a high-throughput rail for stablecoin-like activity. Dogecoin surged with a +13.1% weekly increase, showing that meme coins are back on traders’ radar.
The leveraged Dogecoin ETF has been one of the top-performing ETFs to start 2026, the 21Shares 2x Long Dogecoin ETF. It’s structured to deliver twice the daily price movement of Dogecoin. Cardano followed closely with a +12.1% gain, supported by “tradfi access” speculation and roadmap progress.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Santiment’s data paints a picture of a cryptocurrency market that is healing. While short-term dips still happen, the broader sentiment is positive, measured, and far from the panic seen late last year. For traders who endured months of losses, early 2026 feels like a much-needed reset and possibly the foundation for a stronger year ahead.
Also Read: Stablecoin activity hits $33T in 2025 as U.S. policy turns crypto-friendly
