Crypto markets are navigating a fragile macro backdrop after the U.S. government shutdown forced a delay to the January 2026 Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) report. The Bureau of Labor Statistics confirmed the data will be released only after government funding is restored, removing a key reference point for investors at a time when confidence in economic momentum is already under strain.

Before the postponement, consensus forecasts pointed to modest payroll growth of roughly 55,000 jobs and an unemployment rate holding steady at 4.4%. According to Bitunix’s latest market analysis, this data gap comes as longer-term weaknesses resurface in U.S. manufacturing.

Federal figures show the sector has lost more than 200,000 jobs since 2023, while ISM manufacturing activity has remained in contraction for 26 consecutive months. Recent tariff measures have increased input costs for businesses and weighed on investment decisions, without delivering a meaningful boost to employment, further complicating the outlook for industrial activity. In a comment shared with Bitcoin.com News, a Bitunix analyst said:

Across markets, the macro data vacuum and mounting manufacturing pressures have first hit risk sentiment in U.S. and Asian equities. Capital has flowed back into the U.S. dollar, weighing on precious metals and high- volatility assets, while the crypto market has passively absorbed the broader risk-off and deleveraging adjustment.

Bitcoin, in particular, has become a focal point for gauging market risk appetite. Prices continue to move within a defined range, with the $80,000 level acting as a key resistance that would signal renewed demand for risk. On the downside, support near $75,000 reflects the market’s current tolerance amid position reductions. A sustained break in either direction could set the tone for the next phase of crypto price action.

Read more: Bitcoin Enters Danger Zone as Medium-Term Holders Turn Unprofitable En Masse

While the delayed NFP release does not change the broader policy trajectory, it removes a crucial short-term signal. Until clearer data emerges, markets are likely to remain defensive, with bitcoin’s ability to hold its range serving as a key indicator of whether risk appetite can stabilize or continues to erode.

• Why was the U.S. jobs (NFP) report delayed?
A government shutdown pushed the January NFP release back, removing a key macro signal for markets.
• How is the NFP delay affecting crypto markets?
The data gap has increased uncertainty, keeping crypto in a risk-off, deleveraging phase.
• What levels are traders watching for bitcoin now?
Bitcoin is range-bound, with $80,000 as resistance and $75,000 acting as key support.
• What could change current market sentiment?
Restored U.S. data releases or a clear break in bitcoin’s range could reset risk appetite.

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