Bitcoin traded around $95,242.71 (-0.05%) as Belgium's KBC Bank set February 16 for Bitcoin and Ether trading on Bolero under MiCA, which went live in January 2026. Iran's crypto activity reached $7.78 billion in 2025, while a Jefferies strategist cited quantum computing risks; charts show resistance at $97,700 and support near $95,150.

On 17 January 2026, Michael Saylor used an appearance on the What Bitcoin Did podcast to argue that holding Bitcoin is a capital allocation decision comparable to choosing cash, bonds, or buybacks. He contended that even unprofitable companies can strengthen overall balance sheets if Bitcoin appreciation offsets operating losses and criticized what he sees as double standards applied to firms that adopt Bitcoin treasuries.

On January 16, TradingShot published a long‑term Bitcoin model indicating a key test at the 200‑day MA and a path toward roughly $60,000 by the final week of September 2026. At press time, BTC traded at $95,123, down 0.4% daily but over 5% higher on the week.

On 16 January, Bitcoin fell 1.45% after President Trump again retreated from reports that he would appoint Kevin Hassett as the next Fed Chair, reinforcing broader risk-off sentiment across markets. Even with heightened macro volatility, whales holding BTC from the December trade near the $90k–$92k cost basis and strong institutional accumulation are maintaining upward positioning, as reflected in a 0.71 put/call ratio that signals renewed call demand.

U.S. fast-food chain Steak 'n Shake has added a $10 million Bitcoin purchase to its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve after eight months of accepting BTC payments in its restaurants. The company links double-digit same-store sales growth and lower payment processing costs to its Bitcoin-focused strategy, which also includes BTC-themed menu items and loyalty rewards.

On January 16, 2026, White House digital-assets advisor Patrick Witt said he received DOJ confirmation that Bitcoin forfeited in the Samourai Wallet case has not been sold and will not be sold under EO 14233. The statement followed analysts noting a 57.5 BTC transfer from a government wallet to a Coinbase Prime address in November.

On January 17, 2026, U.S. officials said Bitcoin seized in the Samourai Wallet case remains unsold and under federal custody, following DOJ confirmation and an executive order permitting retention. The assets will be placed in the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, with Bitcoin trading around $94,960 and market cap near $1.9 trillion at the time.

On-chain data attributed to CryptoQuant analyst Maartunn indicates that Bitcoin short-term holders have recently shifted 41,800 BTC in profitable deposits to exchanges while loss-making deposits fell to 1,800 BTC. During this period, Bitcoin’s spot price dropped from above $97,000 to around $94,600 and remained below the short-term holder Realized Price level of $99,412.