The cryptocurrency market has surged into 2026 with renewed momentum, pushing the total market capitalization to $3.2 trillion. According to recent data from CoinMarketCap, the overall market rose 1.39% over the last 24 hours, supported by a daily trading volume of $126.05 billion. Bitcoin continues to dominate the landscape with a 58.4% market share, followed by Ethereum at 12.2%, as the broader sector extends its seven-day gains to approximately 6%.
Industry analysts attribute this early-year rally to a combination of bullish derivatives activity, a short squeeze, and shifting geopolitical dynamics.
Bitcoin has led the charge over the past week, briefly touching the $94,000 threshold in early morning trading before consolidating around $93,328. This represents a 0.8% increase over the previous day, with its individual market capitalization reaching $1.86 trillion. Trading activity for the flagship token has spiked by nearly 40%, with DeFiTracer reporting that major institutional players moved approximately $4 billion into Bitcoin within the last 24 hours alone.
Other major tokens followed the upward trend, with Ethereum rising 1.85% to trade at $3,220.99. Altcoins showed even more aggressive movement; XRP surged nearly 9% to reach $2.33, accompanied by a massive 132% jump in its 24-hour trading volume. Binance Coin also maintained a steady climb, trading at $904.62, while Tether remained pegged near its $1 value with a dominant trading volume of over $102 billion.
Looking ahead, the market’s trajectory appears tied to upcoming U.S. macroeconomic data and Federal Reserve policy.
