Bitcoin Back at $95,000: CLARITY Act, US Inflation, and Interest Rates as Drivers
Bitcoin’s price exceeded the $95,000 mark for the first time in two months on Tuesday, reaching a significant price level. While the cryptocurrency is gaining value globally, different patterns are emerging in regional demand. Particularly striking is the discrepancy between price development and buying behavior among American investors, raising questions about the sustainability of the current rally.
US Demand Lags Despite Price Gains
Coinbase, listed on the Nasdaq, is currently recording lower Bitcoin prices than the international trading platform Binance, despite the overall market rising. This difference manifests itself in the so-called Coinbase premium, an indicator that measures the price differential between the two exchanges. A negative value suggests that American market participants are increasingly selling or at least buying less than investors in other regions.
Historically, American investors have often led significant Bitcoin rallies, particularly following President Trump’s reelection in November 2024 and the subsequent regulatory signals from his administration. The Coinbase premium peaked in October and turned negative in early November, where it has largely remained since.
Market observers suspect that US investors are waiting for the passage of the CLARITY Act, a legislative proposal to clarify regulatory frameworks for cryptocurrencies (Trending Topics reported). The US Senate has postponed the decisive committee hearing to the last week of January to secure bipartisan support. Analysts expect new all-time highs for Bitcoin’s price in the event of the law being signed.
Inflation Data Drives Markets
The recent price increase received additional momentum from better-than-expected inflation data from the United States. The Bureau of Labor Statistics confirmed a consumer price index of 2.7 percent for December 2025, matching forecasts, while the core consumer price index came in at 2.6 percent, 0.1 percentage points below expectations. Bitcoin subsequently recorded price gains of 1.5 percent and approached the $93,000 mark. US stock markets also reacted positively, with the S&P 500 reaching new all-time highs.
However, the inflation data intensifies existing tensions between the US government and the Federal Reserve. President Trump continues to call for interest rate cuts, while the central bank is expected to keep rates at their current level at its January 28 meeting. Trump argues that US trade tariffs will help lower inflation, while Fed Chair Jerome Powell publicly suggested that a recently initiated legal investigation against him could be related to the central bank’s monetary policy. Lower interest rates would theoretically increase liquidity and favor capital flows into risk assets such as cryptocurrencies.
Traders are monitoring several technical resistance levels that are likely to be crucial for further price development. Analysts identify a significant resistance area between $92,600 and $94,000 to the upside and a support zone between $89,800 and $88,700 to the downside.
