Supreme Court Delays Tariff Ruling Again: Bitcoin Stuck at $90K as Uncertainty Drags On

The wait continues. For the second time this month, the U.S. Supreme Court failed to issue its highly anticipated ruling on Trump's tariffs—leaving Bitcoin and crypto markets stuck in no-man's land at $90,000.

Markets expected the decision today—Wednesday, January 14—but it didn't come. Instead, the Court issued just one unrelated opinion and left traders hanging once again.

Bitcoin remains trapped at $90,550, XRP at $2.08, and the entire $3.09 trillion crypto market is frozen in a holding pattern. The uncertainty is becoming the story.

The Delay: Markets Left Hanging (Again)

This morning, the Supreme Court held its first "opinion day" of 2026. Legal experts, market watchers, and crypto traders all circled January 14 as the likely date for the tariff ruling.

What Actually Happened:

Court issued only ONE opinion (unrelated prisoner rights case)
Justice Sotomayor joked: "Seeing who's here, it's not the case you thought"
Solicitor General's team was present, expecting the tariff decision
Room went from tense anticipation to nervous laughter

The next possible ruling date? No firm timeline. The Court indicated next week is possible, but there's no guarantee.

This is the second delay. The first expected ruling date was Friday, January 9—that came and went with no decision. Now it's January 14, and still nothing.

Market Reaction: Frustration is building. Crypto markets hate uncertainty more than bad news. Bitcoin's tight $88,500-$92,000 range reflects this paralysis—neither bulls nor bears willing to commit until the legal fog clears.

What's at Stake: The $140B Question

The Supreme Court will rule on whether President Trump legally used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977 to impose sweeping global tariffs.

The Key Legal Issue: IEEPA was designed for national emergencies—not trade policy. Lower courts have already ruled the tariffs illegal, finding Trump exceeded his authority.

What's on the Line:

Potential refunds of up to $140 billion in tariffs already collected
Government revenue of $195 billion (fiscal 2025) could be at risk
Presidential authority over emergency economic powers
International trade relationships with major U.S. partners

If the Court strikes down the tariffs, companies that paid billions in import duties could seek refunds. If upheld, Trump's use of emergency powers for trade gets a green light.

Why Crypto Markets Care

You might be wondering: what do tariffs have to do with Bitcoin?

Everything, actually. Here's why:

Macro Sentiment: A tariff ruling impacts inflation, Fed policy, and economic growth—all of which directly affect risk assets like crypto. If tariffs are struck down, reduced costs could ease inflation pressures and support Fed rate cuts. More rate cuts = more liquidity = bullish for crypto.

Market Volatility: Uncertainty drives volatility. Prediction markets gave 76% odds the Court would strike down the tariffs when the ruling was originally expected on January 9. That uncertainty has kept Bitcoin range-bound between $88,500 and $92,000 for weeks.

Institutional Flows: Crypto ETFs are watching macro signals closely. Bitcoin ETFs saw $250 million in outflows last Friday as investors took a cautious stance. A clear ruling—either direction—removes uncertainty and could unlock capital flows.

Bitcoin's Technical Setup: Ready to Move

Bitcoin has been consolidating in a tight range, which technical analysts say is a classic setup for a major move.

Key Levels to Watch:

Support: $90,000 and $89,000 (holding so far)
Resistance: $92,000 and $93,500
Breakout target: $95,000 if momentum builds
Breakdown risk: $88,500 if support fails

The Bollinger Bands squeeze—a volatility indicator—hit its lowest level since July, signaling a big move is coming. The question is which direction.

What Each Scenario Means for Crypto

Scenario 1: Tariffs Struck Down (Most Expected)

Relief rally in traditional markets
Risk-on sentiment could lift Bitcoin toward $95K-$98K
Reduced inflation pressure supports Fed rate cuts
Institutional buyers step back in

Scenario 2: Tariffs Upheld (Unlikely but Possible)

Short-term confusion as markets digest the news
Inflationary pressures remain
Bitcoin could test downside toward $88K
Longer-term: strengthens Bitcoin's case as inflation hedge

Scenario 3: Narrow or Delayed Ruling

Continued uncertainty = choppy price action
Bitcoin stays range-bound $88K-$92K
Volatility kicks back in when clarity arrives

Other Catalysts in Play This Week

The Supreme Court ruling isn't the only major event on the calendar:

January 15 (Tomorrow):

Senate Banking Committee markup of CLARITY Act (crypto regulation bill)
MSCI reindex could force $15 billion in sales from Bitcoin-heavy companies like MicroStrategy

The combination of tariff clarity + crypto regulation progress + index rebalancing makes this a potentially explosive week for digital assets.

XRP Holding Ground Amid Uncertainty

While Bitcoin consolidates, XRP continues to show relative strength at $2.08.

XRP spot ETFs recorded $4.93 million in net inflows despite the market uncertainty, bringing total ETF inflows to $1.3 billion in just 50 days.

The next resistance level for XRP is $2.10, with a break above targeting $2.20 and potentially $2.50. Support sits at $2.00—a break below could mean a slide to $1.90.

Bottom Line: Death by a Thousand Delays

The Supreme Court's refusal to rule—twice now—is becoming its own market event.

Every delay chips away at trader confidence. Every postponement extends Bitcoin's consolidation. Every week of uncertainty keeps institutional capital on the sidelines.

Trump's Response: The former president said losing this case would be a "terrible blow" to the U.S. and claimed "we're screwed" if the Court rules against him. His economic advisor Kevin Hassett said the administration has backup plans using the 1962 Trade Act if the tariffs are struck down.

What Traders Should Watch:

Next week: Court could issue ruling any day (no specific date)
January 15: Senate CLARITY Act markup + MSCI reindex ($15B potential selling)
Backup tariffs: Trump administration ready to reimpose under different legal authority

Bitcoin's Technical Position: Still range-bound between $90,000 and $92,000. The longer this consolidation lasts, the bigger the eventual move—up or down.

Bollinger Bands remain squeezed at their tightest since July. Options traders are pricing low volatility, but that could change instantly when the ruling drops.

The question isn't if Bitcoin moves—it's when the Court finally gives markets clarity.

Until then? More waiting. More consolidation. More frustration.

And Bitcoin stuck at $90K.

References

CoinGape - "Bitcoin and XRP Price Prediction Ahead of Supreme Court Tariffs Ruling on Jan 14, 2026" (January 12, 2026)
Bitcoin Ethereum News - "Bitcoin and XRP Price Prediction Ahead of Supreme Court Tariffs Ruling on Jan 14, 2026" (January 12, 2026)
Cryptonews - "[LIVE] Crypto News Today: Latest Updates for Jan. 13, 2026" (January 13, 2026)
CNBC - "Bitcoin (BTC) price predictions for 2026" (January 8, 2026)