After weeks of tight trading in December, crypto prices broke higher during early Asian hours. Bitcoin moved above $92,000, while ether cleared $3,100, tracking gains in equities and a drop in oil prices.

The timing mattered. Markets reacted to a U.S. operation that resulted in the detention of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, a development that rippled across commodities and risk assets. Crypto’s alignment with that broader move is feeding talk of a regime shift as the new year begins. With year-end tax loss selling behind the market and a new U.S. crypto bill expected, bullish narratives appear to be gaining traction.

Some of this optimism was likely already reflected in prices. QCP’s Jan. 5 market update noted that lower oil prices carry a disinflationary signal, and market chatter has resurfaced claims that Venezuela could hold a sizable bitcoin reserve. These claims remain unverified, but estimates circulating in the market suggest holdings that could rival those of Strategy.

If such reserves exist, that idea aligns with the country’s increasing use of crypto in commercial activity, including the reported use of USDT in oil transactions since 2024. At the same time, expectations that any seized bitcoin could be added to a U.S. strategic reserve have reduced fears of forced selling, reinforcing bitcoin’s growing role in geopolitical competition.

Read more: Venezuela Crisis Watch: Bitcoin Exchange Netflows Signal Caution, Not Crypto Fear

Derivatives markets are also reflecting a more constructive tone. Put skew has eased across all maturities, and more than 3,000 Jan. 30, $100,000 bitcoin call options have been bought since last week. This setup increases the risk of a gamma-driven extension if the rally continues.

• Why did bitcoin and ether rise today? Prices moved higher alongside global risk assets after geopolitical developments in Venezuela, easing oil prices, and supportive options market positioning.
• What role did Venezuela play in the market reaction? Markets responded to the U.S. operation and Nicolás Maduro’s detention, which fed renewed discussion around sovereign crypto narratives and risk appetite.
• How are derivatives markets positioning for bitcoin? Options data shows easing put skew and heavy buying of Jan. 30 $100,000 bitcoin call options, pointing to expectations of further upside.
• Are Venezuela’s rumored bitcoin reserves confirmed? No, claims of large sovereign bitcoin holdings remain unverified, though the narrative has influenced market sentiment.

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