Bitcoin Struggles at $90,000 as Peter Brandt Flags 'Highly Reliable' Technical Formation

Bitcoin’s attempt to break above $90,000 revealed a pattern traders should be watching closely. According to legendary trader Peter Brandt, the four-hour timeframe displays a head-and-shoulders continuation pattern—a setup he considers highly dependable for predicting price movement. Rather than exhibiting strong trending behavior, BTC has been consolidating, creating what Brandt describes as choppy price action that demands patience from market participants.

The Brandt Line and Range Framework

On the broader time perspective, Bitcoin remains locked between two critical thresholds. Resistance sits at $93,000 to $94,000, while support holds around $85,000. A midpoint marker and an upward sloping line—what traders following the brandt line methodology would track—provides a potential bounce level. This framework suggests Bitcoin is either navigating an accumulation zone before the next leg up, or testing the validity of an ascending triangle breakdown. Both scenarios align with identifiable technical levels that should guide next moves.

Price Action: The Weekly Peak That Didn’t Stick

The daily chart told an instructive story on Wednesday. Bitcoin opened lower, then launched into a recovery that eventually pushed the price above $90,000 for the week’s new high. However, the cryptocurrency couldn’t maintain that level. By session end, BTC had retreated to around $89,956—a modest net gain that masked the real narrative.

This was the kind of conflicted price movement that creates confusion: Bitcoin did reach the $90,000 milestone, yet failed to establish it as a support floor. The intraday pattern—spike, dip to $88,000, recovery, midday surge, late-session push—shows indecision at a critical junction.

What Happens Next

Brandt’s technical framework hinges on one question: can the structure overcome resistance and sustain higher levels? For the range thesis to remain valid, Bitcoin must reclaim the midpoint of the consolidation box and begin pressuring the upper band. Failure to do so would signal the pattern’s implications remain directionally ambiguous—leaving traders to wait for clearer confirmation from the next price leg.

Current Reading: Bitcoin at $90,510 (Data as of January 9, 2026), up 0.21% in 24 hours