#USCryptoStakingTaxReview $BTC

Bitcoin slips below $88,000 as traders weigh US data, ETF flows and options expiry, while gold surges to record highs during Christmas week.

Bitcoin is trading lower on Tuesday, December 23, as the world’s largest cryptocurrency slipped back below the $88,000 level following a failed attempt to reclaim $90,000 earlier this week. The pullback comes as traders position cautiously ahead of key US economic data releases and a major year-end crypto options expiry.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is hovering around $87,500, down roughly 2% over the past 24 hours, after trading in a relatively tight $87,000–$90,000 range. Thin holiday liquidity and elevated derivatives positioning are amplifying price moves as markets enter the final stretch of 2025.

Bitcoin Price Today: Where BTC Is Trading Now

Bitcoin remains firmly range-bound despite heightened intraday volatility. Pricing varies slightly across venues, but the broader picture is consistent: BTC is consolidating below a key psychological threshold.

The inability to hold above $90,000 has reinforced a short-term resistance zone, while buyers continue to defend dips toward the mid-$80,000s.

What Is Moving Bitcoin Today?

Bitcoin’s price action on December 23 is being shaped by a combination of macro risk, institutional flows, and derivatives positioning rather than project-specific news.

Traders Brace for Key U.S. Economic Data

One of the main near-term drivers is macro uncertainty. Markets are awaiting a cluster of delayed US economic releases, including third-quarter GDP updates and readings tied to the Personal Consumption Expenditures index, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge.

With liquidity thinning into the Christmas holiday, traders appear reluctant to take aggressive directional bets ahead of data that could shift expectations around interest rates, risk appetite, and the US dollar. Bitcoin has increasingly reacted to macro surprises in 2025, particularly during low-volume periods.