Crypto Cycles Don’t Lie Crypto doesn’t rally into a new year by accident. It only happens when liquidity, positioning, and cycle timing line up. History makes this clear.
Crypto Cycles Don’t Lie
Crypto doesn’t rally into a new year by accident.
It only happens when liquidity, positioning, and cycle timing line up.
History makes this clear.
Years When Crypto Ripped Into the New Year
These cycles shared one trait: momentum was already building before January.
- 2016 → 2017 – Quiet Q4 strength set the stage for the historic 2017 run.
- 2020 → 2021 – Stimulus liquidity plus institutional entry pushed BTC and altcoins sharply higher.
- 2023 → 2024 – ETF anticipation and easing macro pressure fueled a strong year-end bid.
Years where crypto ripped into the new year
These are the ones everyone remembers:
2016 → 2017 – steady Q4 strength leading into the monster 2017 run
2020 → 2021 – stimulus liquidity + institutions coming in, BTC + alts exploded
2023 → 2024 – ETF anticipation + macro…
Related: Bitcoin Rejection Signals Market Turn
— Ripple Bull Winkle | Crypto Researcher 🚀🚨 (@RipBullWinkle)
December 29, 2025
Years When It Didn’t
When crypto fails to rally into January, it’s usually because the top is already in.
- 2017 → 2018 – Peak euphoria followed by a sharp reversal.
- 2021 → 2022 – Liquidity tightened and risk assets rolled over.
- 2022 → 2023 – Post-FTX environment where trust had not yet returned.
Why Early 2026 Is Different
The first half of 2026 is not shaping up like a rollover period.
This market isn’t coming off excess.
It’s entering a new phase of institutional implementation.
XRP Spot ETFs Are the Structural Catalyst
ETF flow data is already signaling where incremental demand is forming.
Last week, Bitcoin and Ethereum saw net outflows — while assets tied to future infrastructure saw inflows.
🇺🇸 ETF FLOWS: SOL and XRP spot ETFs saw net inflows last week, while BTC and ETH spot ETFs saw net outflows.
BTC: – $782M
ETH: – $102.34M
SOL: $13.14M
XRP: $64M
pic.twitter.com/6ItXC6UiQK— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph)
December 29, 2025
ETF flows represent allocation — not speculation.
With two additional XRP spot ETFs expected in January 2026, the supply–demand dynamic begins to shift meaningfully.
The Pattern That Matters
When crypto rallies into the new year, it’s not about the calendar.
It’s about structure, liquidity, and who is buying.
Early 2026 aligns with all three.
Quick Summary
Crypto Cycles Don’t Lie Crypto doesn’t rally into a new year by accident. It only happens when liquidity, positioning, and cycle timing line up. History makes this clear. Years When Crypto Ripped Into the New Year These cycles shared one trait: momentum was already building before January.
Source
Information sourced from official Ripple publications, institutional research, regulatory documentation and reputable crypto news outlets.
Author
Ripple Van Winkle is a cryptocurrency analyst and founder of XRP Right Now. He has been active in the crypto space for over 8 years and has generated more than 25 million views across YouTube covering XRP daily.
Editorial Note
Opinions are the author's alone and for informational purposes only. This publication does not provide investment advice.
