⚠️If you are trading crypto in January and February, let me be very clear. Charts alone do not protect you. U.S. macro dates determine liquidity, volatility, and direction. Most false pumps, traps, and real trends begin around these events.
👉 January — positioning month
🔸 U.S. Employment Report (Non-Farm Payrolls) — January 9, 2026
In early January. This sets the environment. Strong employment generally means a stronger dollar and pressure on crypto. Weak data often gives a brief relief bounce.
🔸 U.S. CPI (inflation data) — January 13, 2026
In mid-January. This is the biggest trigger. The CPI decides whether rate cuts feel closer or further away. Crypto reacts quickly here.
🔸 Fed policy context (important)
The Federal Reserve does not hold a 'January FOMC' simply because it is January.
What is really happening is the Fed's scheduled policy meeting on January 27-28, 2026. Markets spend most of January positioning before this decision. That's why price action in January feels messy: slow pumps, sudden drops, false confidence everywhere.
👉 February — confirmation month
🔸 U.S. Employment Report (January data) — February 6, 2026
This is the first real reality check after January positioning. Many trends survive or die here.
🔸 U.S. CPI (January inflation) — February 11, 2026
This confirms whether the January moves were logical or just pure noise.
🔸 Release of the FOMC Minutes — February 18, 2026
This is not a decision on rates. These are minutes from the January policy meeting, but they could still move crypto if the tone becomes more aggressive or dovish than expected.
🤔 Why this matters —
🔸 Crypto does not move randomly
🔸 Liquidity expectations move price
🔸 Jobs, inflation, and the Fed control liquidity
Ignore these dates and you'll keep blaming manipulation for moves that were actually predictable.
