According to @BullTheoryio, the Russell 2000 set a new all-time high after the U.S. open, rising 7% in the first 15 days of 2026 and adding nearly $220 billion in market value, indicating a rotation toward higher-risk assets, source: @BullTheoryio on X, Jan 15, 2026. For traders, the source’s characterization of a risk-on rotation highlights increased appetite for high-beta exposure; crypto market participants can monitor whether liquidity and momentum spill over into digital assets under similar risk conditions, source: @BullTheoryio on X, Jan 15, 2026.

According to Lisa Abramowicz, the Russell 2000 has outperformed the S&P 500 for nine consecutive sessions, matching the longest streak since 2017 and requiring a look back to 2008 to find a longer run. Source: Lisa Abramowicz on X, Jan 15, 2026. For traders, this small-cap leadership is a key risk-appetite signal, and because crypto has shown higher correlation with U.S. equities in recent years, the rotation bears watching for BTC and ETH volatility and direction. Source: IMF blog "Crypto Prices Move More in Sync With Stocks" by Tobias Adrian and Fabio Natalucci, Jan 2022; Lisa Abramowicz on X, Jan 15, 2026.

According to Milk Road Daily, the Federal Reserve has cut interest rates, which they state will inject liquidity into the system and historically drives small-cap assets to rally first, signaling the start of an altcoin season; source: Milk Road Daily on X, Aug 29, 2025. Milk Road Daily frames this as a recurring cycle rather than a new regime, implying potential near-term outperformance of higher-beta altcoins versus BTC and ETH as liquidity expands; source: Milk Road Daily on X, Aug 29, 2025.