Bitcoin continues to struggle as investors pull money from the crypto market and move into traditional assets like gold and silver. The shift became clear through recent stablecoin data showing declining market capitalization.
The combined marketcap of the top 12 stablecoins in crypto has declined by $2.24B in the past 10 days alone. This drop has coincided with a -8% drop in Bitcoin's price. A few things to interpret from this:
Capital is rotating into traditional safe havens like gold and… pic.twitter.com/jfk1NSGygA
— Santiment (@santimentfeed) January 26, 2026
The top 12 stablecoins by market cap lost $2.24 billion in value over a 10-day period ending Monday. Analytics platform Santiment reported this decline in a post on X. The data suggests capital is leaving the crypto ecosystem entirely rather than sitting on the sidelines waiting to buy.
Bitcoin traded around $88,400 during Asian hours on Monday. The price represents a roughly 4% decline over the past week. Major tokens including Ether, Solana, XRP and Dogecoin also posted small losses.
The crypto market downturn started on October 10 when over $19 billion in leveraged positions were liquidated. Bitcoin fell from approximately $121,500 to below $103,000 in a single day. The decline has continued since then, with Bitcoin now trading nearly 30% below its peak.
Gold prices broke through the $5,000 per ounce barrier for the first time. The precious metal has gained more than 20% in recent months. Silver saw even stronger performance, more than doubling in market value with a 14% intraday surge on Monday that briefly pushed it above $117 per ounce.
The contrast between gold’s performance and Bitcoin’s struggle challenges the narrative of crypto as a safe haven asset. Santiment noted that rising demand for gold and silver indicates investors are choosing safety over risk. Money is flowing into assets viewed as stores of value during economic stress.
Stablecoin issuer Tether has been among the largest gold buyers recently. The company purchased 27 metric tons worth $4.4 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025 alone.
Alex Kuptsikevich, chief market analyst at FxPro, said cryptocurrencies remain a lagging class of risk-sensitive assets. They are falling short of metals and strong global currencies. The technical picture for Bitcoin remains bearish as it trades below key moving average lines.
Traders are cautious ahead of Wednesday’s Federal Reserve policy meeting. The central bank is widely expected to hold interest rates steady. Several Magnificent Seven technology companies will also report earnings this week.
Both events are seen as potential catalysts for broader shifts in risk appetite. Crypto markets tend to be sensitive to these macro factors. Trading volumes have been muted as investors wait for clearer direction.
Santiment said crypto market recovery may require stablecoin growth to return first. When stablecoin market caps stop falling and begin rising again, it signals fresh capital entering the ecosystem. It also indicates renewed confidence from investors.
The falling stablecoin supply currently limits upside across the crypto market. Bitcoin typically holds up better than altcoins during these periods. However, reduced stablecoin supply still restricts gains for the largest cryptocurrency.
Smaller and riskier crypto assets have been hit harder than Bitcoin during the current downturn. The pattern is consistent with previous periods of market stress when investors move toward less volatile assets.
Whether crypto can regain momentum may depend more on broader market conditions than crypto-specific news. Bitcoin appears stuck near current levels as investors monitor the Federal Reserve’s messaging and Big Tech earnings results.
The post Stablecoin Outflows Signal Investor Flight From Crypto to Safe Havens like Gold and Silver appeared first on CoinCentral.
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