Crypto Markets Slide as Bitcoin Dips Below $90K; GameFi and AI Sectors Show Resilience
The cryptocurrency market extended its sell-off on January 23, 2026, with Bitcoin slipping 0.35% to trade below $90,000 and Ether dropping over 2% to under $3,000. The downturn dragged most major sectors lower, including Layer 2, DeFi, and Meme tokens.
GameFi, AI, and RWA sectors defied the broader trend, posting gains of 1.06%, 0.98%, and 0.67% respectively. The Sandbox (SAND) and Axie Infinity (AXS) led the GameFi rally, while Render (RENDER) and newly launched Sentient (SENT) powered the AI sector’s outperformance. Pendle (PENDLE) and Sky (SKY) anchored the RWA segment’s stability.
Market sentiment remains fragile as risk appetite wanes. Traders now watch for institutional flows and macroeconomic cues to determine whether this is a tactical pullback or the start of a deeper correction.