The cryptocurrency market is firmly back in the green. On Wednesday morning (UTC), total crypto market capitalization climbed 3.6% to $3.33 trillion, marking a broad-based recovery that has lifted nearly the entire market. Out of the top 100 cryptocurrencies by market cap, 95 posted gains over the past 24 hours, while trading volume rebounded to a healthy $174 billion.
The rally reflects renewed investor confidence, improving sentiment, and strong institutional participation—particularly through U.S. spot ETFs.
Bitcoin and Ethereum Power the Market Higher
Bitcoin (BTC) rose 3.4% over the past day, trading near $94,953 after briefly dipping to $91,820 and later touching an intraday high of $95,804. The asset remains up 3% on the week, trading within a range of $89,799 to $95,724.
Analysts suggest that in the short term, BTC should hold $91,031 as key support, while resistance sits near $97,237. A break above $98,000 could pave the way to $100,000, with a decisive breakout potentially opening a path toward the $116,000–$120,000 zone. Longer term, on-chain data points to a critical cost-basis cluster between $93,000 and $109,000, a range that must be cleared for Bitcoin to attempt a new all-time high.
Ethereum (ETH) outperformed Bitcoin, jumping 6.6% to $3,328. After trading mostly between $3,119 and $3,210, ETH surged to an intraday high of $3,350. It is now up 2.7% over the past week, with analysts eyeing $3,450 as the next resistance. A sustained move higher could open the door to $3,600, $3,850, and eventually a return to the $4,000 level.
Adding to the bullish narrative, Standard Chartered has labeled 2026 the “year of Ethereum,” reinforcing growing optimism around the asset’s long-term outlook.
Altcoins Join the Rally
Gains were not limited to Bitcoin and Ethereum. All top 10 cryptocurrencies posted increases, with Dogecoin (DOGE) leading the pack, rising 7% to $0.1482. XRP followed with a 4.3% gain, trading at $2.14.
Among the top 100 coins, several posted double-digit gains. Story (IP) surged 28.3% to $3.87, while Pepe (PEPE) climbed 14.4% to $0.000006683. Only a handful of tokens declined, including Provenance Blockchain (HASH), down 6.4%, and MemeCore (M), which slipped 4%.
Macro Shifts and Policy Uncertainty in Focus
Market observers note that the current rally is unfolding against a complex macro backdrop. Analysts describe the environment as a “repricing of confidence in the monetary policy framework itself,” following renewed political pressure on U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
According to market strategists, ongoing concerns about central bank independence could fuel volatility in the dollar and real yields—conditions that often spill over into crypto markets. If confidence in policy stability improves, Bitcoin may resume a more sustained bullish trend after its recent consolidation.
Russia Moves Toward Retail Crypto Access
On the regulatory front, Russian lawmakers are preparing legislation to open the cryptocurrency market to retail investors. The proposed framework would allow non-qualified investors limited access to digital assets. A finalized draft bill is expected to be reviewed during the spring parliamentary session, potentially expanding crypto participation in one of the world’s largest economies.
ETF Inflows Signal Institutional Strength
Institutional demand remains a key driver of the current recovery. On Tuesday, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $753.73 million in net inflows, the strongest showing since October. Seven of the twelve funds posted inflows, led by Fidelity ($351.36 million), followed by Bitwise ($159.42 million) and BlackRock ($126.27 million). Total net BTC ETF inflows now stand at $57.27 billion.
Ethereum ETFs also turned decisively positive, adding $129.99 million in a single day. BlackRock led with $53.31 million, while Grayscale followed with $39.35 million. Total ETH ETF inflows have now reached $12.57 billion.
Advisors Increase Crypto Exposure
Supporting the institutional narrative, a recent Bitwise and VettaFi survey revealed that 32% of financial advisors allocated crypto to client portfolios in 2025, up from 22% the year before. Advisors ranked crypto equity ETFs as their top exposure for 2026, followed by spot crypto ETFs.
Sentiment Improves, Caution Remains
Investor mood has clearly improved. The Crypto Fear and Greed Index rose to 52, up from the low-40s seen earlier this week. While sentiment remains neutral, it is steadily moving away from fear and edging closer to greed—a level not consistently seen since October 2025.
Although uncertainty remains, especially around macro policy and global regulation, the latest data suggests optimism is returning. Whether this marks a short-term bounce or the start of a longer uptrend will depend on how price action, policy confidence, and institutional flows evolve in the weeks ahead.