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.

A high-timeframe trader has outlined a Bitcoin fractal that closely aligns the current market cycle with the structural pattern observed before the 2021 bull run. The comparison includes similar distribution phases, a drop to the 0.382 Fibonacci level, and recovery attempts capped by descending resistance, while also framing $100,000 as a key psychological barrier. Within this framework, potential moves toward the $98,000–$99,000 area and a median short-term cost basis near $95,000–$100,000 are highlighted, with a sustained break above $104,000–$105,000 flagged as the level that would invalidate the fractal thesis.

In 2026, institutional investors are buying about six times more Bitcoin than miners are issuing, after a sharp demand surge that began in 2024. This imbalance, together with accelerating global M2 growth and renewed spot ETF inflows, is tightening BTC's market structure around the $96,000 level. While liquidity tailwinds could support further upside, any slowdown in money supply or reversal in ETF flows may quickly weaken the current bullish momentum.

White House digital assets advisor Patrick Witt said he received confirmation from the US Department of Justice that Bitcoin forfeited in the Samourai Wallet case has not been sold and will remain in the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. The transfer of 57.5 BTC from a US-controlled address to Coinbase Prime in November had prompted allegations of a breach of Executive Order 14233, which requires forfeited Bitcoin to be held rather than liquidated.