Bitcoin ETFs Drive the Market as Gold Approaches $5,000 and Ethereum Lags Behind

2026-01-13 08:59:11

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The massive influx of capital into Bitcoin ETFs has caused a notable shift in investment preferences. With $4 billion in positive flows, Bitcoin exchange-traded products are dominating market sentiment and limiting the momentum of altcoins in this bullish cycle.

At the same time, gold continues to write its own story of appreciation. The precious metal is approaching the $5,000 barrier (, trading around $4,480), driven by concerns over the US debt level and sustained demand from central bank institutions seeking to diversify their reserves. Polymarket reflects a 74% probability of reaching this historic milestone. Most importantly, gold’s performance, with gains between 60 and 65% during 2025, underscores how gold ETFs and other defensive assets are gaining traction amid macroeconomic uncertainty.

Meanwhile, Ethereum faces downward pressure, remaining below $3,000. Although it received temporary support from institutional purchases by BitMine ( backed by analyst Tom Lee), this boost proved fleeting. The altcoin market simply cannot compete with the speed and magnitude of flows directed toward Bitcoin, consolidating a growing gap between the performance of the leading cryptocurrency and the rest of the ecosystem.

BTC2,19%

ETH1,72%

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