Bitcoin kicked off 2026 strong, posting a solid 5.8% gain within the first few days of January. The momentum shift is hard to ignore—after months of consolidation, we're seeing some real conviction behind the buying pressure. Whether this is the start of a sustained rally or just early-month volatility will depend on what happens in the weeks ahead, but the energy is definitely there. Market participants seem to be entering the year with cautious optimism, and on-chain metrics suggest institutional interest remains engaged. It's the kind of move that gets traders watching their screens a bit more closely.