cryptomarkets

🚨 U.S. Government Shutdown Officially Ends
On February 3, 2026, President Donald Trump signed a major spending bill into law, bringing an end to a 4-day partial U.S. federal government shutdown.
Here’s what you need to know 👇
🔹 What happened?
The shutdown began after Congress failed to pass full FY2026 funding when a temporary resolution expired. Around 78% of federal operations were affected, leading to furloughs, while essential services like Social Security and national security stayed active.
🔹 The deal
A bipartisan compromise was reached after intense negotiations, mainly over DHS and ICE funding. Democrats pushed for limits on aggressive immigration enforcement, while Republicans aimed to avoid prolonged disruption.
🔹 Vote & signing
• House passed the bill 217–214
• Senate approved earlier
• Trump signed it immediately, calling it a “victory for the American people”
🔹 Funding outcome
✅ Most federal agencies funded through Sept 30, 2026
⚠️ DHS funded only until Feb 13, 2026, setting up another potential funding showdown
🔹 Why it matters for markets
Federal workers will receive back pay, uncertainty has eased, and many traders are calling the news bullish, especially for risk assets like Bitcoin 📈
👀 Keep an eye on February 13, when DHS funding expires — more volatility could be ahead.
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#TrumpEndsShutdown #MacroNews #Bitcoin #ETF #CryptoMarkets

Understanding Bitcoin’s Evolving Four-Year Cycle in a Maturing Market

“In 2026, Bitcoin enters a moderated cycle phase where institutional capital provides a steady bid, even as long-term holders distribute supply—creating a prolonged equilibrium between accumulation and distribution rather than a traditional bear-market collapse.”
Introduction: A Cycle That Bent, Not Broke
Bitcoin’s four-year cycle has long served as a structural framework for market participants. Anchored to the protocol’s halving schedule, this cycle historically delivered a powerful post-halving rally, followed by a sharp correction and an extended bear market.
However, the 2024–2025 cycle challenged this framework. While Bitcoin still peaked in Q4 2025—roughly 18 months after the April 2024 halving—the year ended with a negative annual return of approximately -6%, marking the first-ever down year in a post-halving period.
This dual outcome—a cycle-timed peak but weak annual performance—suggests the four-year cycle has not disappeared, but rather evolved.
Historical Context: How the Cycle Traditionally Played Out
Previous cycles followed a remarkably consistent rhythm:
2012 Halving → Peak in 2013 → ~58% decline in 20142016 Halving → Peak in 2017 → ~80% decline in 20182020 Halving → Peak in 2021 → ~75% decline in 2022
Each post-halving year delivered explosive gains, reinforcing the belief that Bitcoin’s cycle was almost mechanical in nature.
By contrast, 2025 peaked at ~$126,000 but lacked euphoria, retail mania, and sustained upside momentum, signaling a structural shift in market behavior.
2025: Breaking the Pattern, Preserving the Rhythm
From a full-year performance perspective, the four-year cycle “law” was broken. Yet from a chronological standpoint, it remained intact:
Price peaked in Q4 of the post-halving yearLong-term holders began distributing supply on scheduleMarket sentiment transitioned from optimism to caution
In this sense, 2025 both broke and echoed the cycle—altering its magnitude but preserving its timing.
Why the Four-Year Cycle Is Now More Moderate
Several structural changes explain why future cycles may be less extreme:
1. Diminishing Supply Shock
By the 2024 halving, approximately 94% of all Bitcoin had already been mined. The halving reduced annual supply inflation from ~1.7% to ~0.85%, far less impactful than earlier cycles.
2. Institutional Market Structure
Spot Bitcoin ETFs, corporate treasury allocations, and regulated investment vehicles now provide persistent, non-speculative demand, replacing the retail-driven boom-and-bust dynamics of earlier eras.
3. Reflexive Expectations Still Matter
Despite structural changes, Bitcoin remains a reflexive asset—its price is heavily influenced by collective belief. Veteran market participants still expect the four-year rhythm, and their behavior continues to reinforce it.
This explains why Bitcoin has topped in every Q4 of the post-halving year, including 2025.
Long-Term Holders vs Institutional Capital: A 2026 Tug-of-War
On-chain data supports this evolving dynamic. The 1-year+ holding wave, which tracks Bitcoin unmoved for over a year, has declined during every post-halving year:
201720212025
This indicates systematic distribution by long-term holders, many of whom have navigated multiple cycles and still view 2026 as a traditional bear-market year.
In contrast, institutional investors largely dismiss cycle theory. Their motivations are different:
Portfolio diversification (e.g., 2–4% allocation)Inflation and monetary debasement hedgingLong-term structural exposure
As a result, institutions are absorbing supply distributed by long-term holders, creating a market defined not by collapse, but by balance.
Macro Liquidity: A Constraining Force in 2026
While internal Bitcoin dynamics are stabilizing, the macro backdrop remains restrictive.
Research shows Bitcoin moves in the direction of global liquidity 83% of the time over rolling 12-month periods. Yet 2026 does not appear to be a year of broad liquidity expansion:
United States:QT ended in late 2025, but no new QEPolicy rates remain around ~3%Only limited, tactical rate cuts expectedEurope (ECB & BoE):Quantitative tightening continuesNo major easing expected before late 2026Japan:Shifted to tightening in 2025Policy rate raised to 0.75%, ending yen-carry liquidity flows
This environment favors short-lived liquidity boosts, not sustained bull-market momentum.
Conclusion: 2026 as a Transitional Year
Rather than a textbook bear market, 2026 is shaping up as a year of structural tension:
Long-term holders distribute based on cycle expectationsInstitutional investors provide steady, price-insensitive demandMacro liquidity remains fragmented and tactical
The result is likely a moderated cycle—less explosive on the upside, less violent on the downside, and increasingly shaped by institutional behavior rather than speculative excess.
#BitcoinCycle #CryptoMarkets #CryptoEducation #ArifAlpha