Bitcoin price news: BTC returns to $90,000 area after brief dip on U.S. military action

January 3, 2026

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The U.S. overnight launched a military strike against Venezuela, capturing President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and extracting them from the country.

By Stephen Alpher

Updated Jan 3, 2026, 1:52 p.m. Published Jan 3, 2026, 1:50 p.m.

The U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife after a brief military operation Saturday morning, according to President Trump.
Crypto prices suffered a brief, modest drop on the first reports of the military action, but have since recovered.

The U.S. carried out a “large scale” strike against Venezuela and its President Nicolas Maduro, Donald Trump announced early Saturday morning. Maduro and his wife, Trump continued, were captured and flown out of the country.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi later announced that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had each been indicted in the Southern District of New York over various drug trafficking and weapons charges.

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Crypto prices took a modest hit around 2 a.m. ET on reports of military operations in Venezuela, with bitcoin BTC$90,141.65 dipping about 0.5% to $89,300. At press time, just shy of 9 a.m. ET, BTC had returned to just below $90,000.

President Trump has scheduled a news conference for 11 a.m. ET.

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Traders are watching if XRP can maintain above $2.00, with $1.96 as a critical support level to avoid a return to previous trading ranges.

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