Bitcoin drops below $90,000 as Trump claims Maduro was captured in attack in Venezuela

Source: Yellow Original Title: Bitcoin falls below $90,000 as Trump claims Maduro was captured in attack in Venezuela

Original Link: Bitcoin (BTC) fell below $90,000 on January 3rd after President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The cryptocurrency briefly dropped to approximately $89,600 following the early morning announcement before stabilizing.

Ethereum and XRP showed similar patterns, with declines followed by a recovery to pre-announcement levels.

Trump stated on Truth Social that the United States carried out a “large-scale attack on Venezuela” and that Maduro and his wife were “captured and flown out of the country.”

What happened

Explosions were reported in Caracas around 2 a.m. local time on January 3rd.

Venezuelan authorities accused the United States of attacking military targets and declared a national state of emergency.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said the government does not know Maduro’s whereabouts and demanded “immediate proof of life” from the Trump administration.

CBS News reported that the U.S. Army’s Delta Force participated in the operation.

Bitcoin was trading near $89,772 at the time of writing, below the over $90,000 prior to the headlines.

Ethereum (ETH) dropped toward $3,000 before recovering to $3,100.

XRP briefly traded near $1.90 before rebounding above $2.00.

The market showed quick initial reactions followed by sideways movement, rather than sustained mass selling.

Why it matters

The military action represents an extraordinary escalation in tensions between the United States and Venezuela, which have intensified over months.

Trump accused Maduro of running a drug trafficking operation and increased the reward for his capture from $15 million to $50 million.

Venezuela ranks 11th worldwide in cryptocurrency adoption, according to the TRM Labs 2025 Country Crypto Adoption Index.

Venezuelans have increasingly turned to cryptocurrencies to preserve their savings amid hyperinflation and economic instability.

The limited market reaction contrasts with the typical risk-averse behavior during geopolitical crises.

Analysts noted similarities with Bitcoin’s response during other military escalations, where initial volatility quickly faded as traders readjusted their positions.