Morning Crypto Report: XRP Soars 11% in Strongest Q1 Start Since 2023, Satoshi's Bitcoin Transfer Valued at $2.4 Billion, Cardano Experiences Unusual $0 Liquidations

Summary:
On January 12th, 2026, the crypto market is exhibiting its characteristic volatility, with notable movements in various cryptocurrencies. XRP has seen a remarkable 11% increase, marking the best Q1 performance since 2023. Meanwhile, a significant yet intriguing Bitcoin transaction related to Satoshi Nakamoto is generating buzz, valued at approximately $2.4 billion. Additionally, Cardano has shown unexpected short liquidations at precisely $0, raising eyebrows in the market.

Key Takeaways:

XRP Performance: XRP surged by 10.8%, achieving its strongest Q1 start in three years.
Satoshi’s Bitcoin Transfer: A transfer of 26,916 BTC, valued over $2.4 billion, surfaced but doesn't indicate a major purchase by a historic whale.
Cardano Liquidation Anomaly: Cardano recorded $0 in short liquidations over multiple time frames, while longs faced significant losses.
Market Overview: Bitcoin is currently priced at $90,496, with altcoins showing signs of struggle following their early January gains.

As the week begins, the cryptocurrency markets are alive with activity, showcasing typical volatility along with fresh developments in charts, transaction records, and liquidation events. XRP has made headlines with an impressive rise of 10.8% so far in 2026, marking the strongest Q1 performance since 2023, as confirmed by data from Cryptorank. Although there are only 12 trading days into the new year, this early strength is notably surprising, given the historically weak Q1 performances in the prior years.

For context, Q1 of 2025 kicked off with only a modest gain of 0.45%, and 2024 yielded a slightly better performance of 2.37%. In comparison, XRP’s current uptrend has already surpassed both of those results, falling just short of the explosive 58.8% surge seen in 2023.

Source: Cryptorank

In trading activity, XRP surpassed the $2.35 mark during the first week of January but has since retreated to the $2.04-$2.07 range as of January 12. Despite this adjustment, the price remains consistent within the typical volatility bounds, indicating that XRP's trend is likely to continue. The ability of XRP to maintain its initial momentum will depend on continuous buying support above the $1.98 level, aligning with the short-term Bollinger median. If this trend persists, XRP could be on track for its first positive back-to-back Q1 and Q2 performance since 2021.

As a historical note, nearly 17 years ago, Satoshi Nakamoto transferred 10 BTC to Hal Finney, representing the very first practical use of peer-to-peer electronic money. On the commemorative day, a significant transaction involving 26,916 BTC worth over $2.44 billion surfaced, causing quite a stir.

Recent screenshots circulating online feature a Bitcoin wallet identified as "Satoshi Whale," which contains the entire 26,900 BTC. This transfer seems to stem from a previously inactive address, leading to speculations of a whale from 2011 making a significant return.

Source: Arkham

However, upon closer examination, the claims appear exaggerated. There is no record of such a substantial purchase on the blockchain; the wallet only received a single inbound transaction. This indicates that what might seem like a $2.4 billion buy-in is likely just a consolidation or internal transaction, rather than movement from a long-quiet whale. Nevertheless, the timing of this news coincided perfectly with the original transaction involving Hal Finney, lending it considerable symbolic weight that captivated social media attention. Meanwhile, Satoshi's original stash remains untouched, with over one million BTC still dormant.

Cardano (ADA) has been a focus of unusual liquidation behavior recently. Data from CoinGlass indicates that ADA shorts have registered exactly $0 in liquidations over the past one and four hours. In contrast, long positions have absorbed significant losses, including $580,600 within just four hours and $884,600 across a 24-hour span.

While it’s not uncommon to observe one side dominating liquidations, witnessing zero short liquidations across multiple intervals is unusual. This phenomenon may warrant further attention, depending on market interpretation.

Price trends show that the market is currently consolidating after an earlier breakout. Cardano surged from $0.33 to $0.43 in early January, before retreating slightly below $0.39, where it continues to trade within a narrow price band. The current market dynamics suggest that bearish positions may have nearly run their course or are momentarily sidelined, with most risk now concentrated in long positions. A further drop could flush out weaker long positions, particularly if ADA approaches the $0.375 liquidity gap.

As the week unfolds, Bitcoin is trading at $90,496, down 0.94% in the past 24 hours. Altcoins are showing difficulty in maintaining their early January gains.

Key Levels to Watch:
With a crucial Consumer Price Index (CPI) report on the horizon, this week could be pivotal in determining if the market's early 2026 optimism is well-founded or miscalculated. As liquidation narratives, whale theories, and notable Q1 charts emerge, the lines within the crypto market continue to blend between genuine signals and mere noise.