Deep Dive
1. Stablecoin Liquidity Crunch (Bearish Impact)
Overview: The total supply of major stablecoins, particularly USDC, contracted sharply in January 2026. According to a report from Santiment, USDC’s market cap fell by $6.5 billion, reflecting a broader outflow of capital from crypto to fiat. This reduces the on-chain liquidity available for DeFi lending and borrowing.
What this means: Compound’s core function is facilitating crypto loans. When stablecoin supply shrinks, fewer assets are available to deposit or borrow, lowering protocol revenue and demand for the COMP token. The contraction signals investor caution and a preference to exit crypto positions rather than park funds in DeFi, creating direct sell pressure on COMP.
What to look out for: Monitor weekly changes in USDC and USDT market cap; a sustained rebound would signal liquidity returning to DeFi.
2. Weak Technical Structure (Bearish Impact)
Overview: COMP is trading well below its key moving averages—the 7-day SMA ($23.96), 30-day SMA ($25.70), and 200-day SMA ($37.25). The MACD histogram is negative (-0.12687), and the RSI-14 is at 37.07, indicating oversold conditions but without bullish reversal signs.
What this means: The price is in a clear downtrend with no immediate support from momentum indicators. The oversold RSI suggests selling may be exhausted, but without a catalyst, it often leads to sideways consolidation rather than a sharp rebound. The pivot point at $23.9 now acts as resistance, reinforcing the bearish near-term bias.
What to look out for: A daily close above the pivot ($23.9) and the 7-day SMA ($23.96) would be the first sign of stabilization.
3. Broader Crypto Risk-Off Sentiment (Bearish Impact)
Overview: The total crypto market cap fell 2.28% in the past 24h, with spot volume down 14.93%. The CMC Fear & Greed Index sits at 38 (“Fear”), and Bitcoin dominance remains elevated at 59.08%, indicating capital is flowing out of altcoins.
What this means: In risk-off environments, investors typically reduce exposure to higher-beta assets like DeFi governance tokens. COMP, with its 90-day decline of 32.79%, is particularly sensitive to this rotation. The low Altcoin Season Index (31) confirms that altcoins, including COMP, are not currently in favor.
What to look out for: A shift in the Fear & Greed Index toward “Neutral” (above 50) coupled with a drop in Bitcoin dominance could signal improving conditions for alts.
Conclusion
COMP’s 24h decline stems from a combination of DeFi-specific liquidity outflows, weak technicals, and a cautious broader market. For holders, this reflects a period of underperformance until stablecoin flows reverse or a positive protocol catalyst emerges.
Key watch: Can COMP hold above the recent swing low of $22.97? A break below could trigger another leg down toward the $20 psychological zone.