Bitcoin remained above the $90,000 level on Friday after the latest U.S. labor market data showed a slowdown in hiring but no signs of a sharp economic downturn.
The report removed a major downside risk in cryptocurrency markets. However, the conditions for a rapid move toward $100,000 have not yet been created.
Labor data reduce the risk of recession in the United States
The U.S. economy added 50,000 jobs in December. This was one of the weakest monthly gains in years. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate dropped to 4.4%, and wage growth remained steady at 3.8% year-over-year.
Markets read the data as a cooling labor market, not a collapsing one. This kept risk assets stable, including Bitcoin, which traded between $89,000 and $92,000 during the session.
The double drop in payrolls reduced concerns that an overheated economy might force a more restrictive monetary policy. It also lowered the risk of a sudden growth shock that could trigger broad market selling.
This is important for Bitcoin. Over the past year, sharp declines in cryptocurrencies have followed signals of rampant inflation or rapid economic slowdown. The data from Friday showed neither of these.
Unemployment fell only slightly, while job growth slowed. This combination suggests the economy is losing momentum but remains stable. This supports a 'soft landing' outlook rather than a recession.
As a result, Bitcoin avoided a risk-off selloff that might have pushed it back toward the lower bounds near $80,000.
"With Bitcoin already up over 7% in the early days of 2026, the least resistant path is toward the psychological milestone of $100,000. If unemployment remains stable while inflation cools, we expect a definitive breakthrough above $100,000 and a retest of the psychological level of $110,000, which was the all-time high. This level is crucial as it represents the previous all-time high, making it a key resistance level—Bitcoin must move above this to instill confidence among investors that the elevated prices are sustainable." Matt Mina, Digital Assets Research Strategist at 21shares.
Why $100,000 still seems difficult for Bitcoin in the near term
While the jobs report removed one negative risk, it did not spark a new positive momentum.
Wage growth at 3.8% remains high enough to keep service sector inflation steady. This gives the Federal Reserve room to wait rather than act quickly to cut interest rates.
Bitcoin rose fastest in this cycle when markets priced in falling interest rates and rising liquidity. Friday’s data did not reinforce this narrative.
Alternatively, it supports a longer pause in policy. This limits the likelihood of a rapid, liquidity-driven surge toward $100,000.
Bitcoin's current path depends less on labor data and more on capital flows and interest rate expectations.
Ongoing inflows into Bitcoin ETFs will provide the necessary demand to surpass the 95,000 dollar resistance zone. A clearer signal that the Fed plans to cut interest rates would also help.
So far, the jobs report has kept Bitcoin stable above $90,000. It has removed the risk of a sudden major shock. But it has not yet provided the necessary spark for a clean breakout to $100,000.
