New York, Jan 18, 2026, 12:21 EST — Market closed.
- Bitcoin dipped roughly 0.2%, hovering around $95,200 in weekend trading, but stayed above Friday’s lows.
- Spot bitcoin ETFs saw net outflows of $394.7 million on Jan. 16, data from Farside Investors show.
- U.S. markets reopen Tuesday following the MLK Day holiday, with traders focused on upcoming U.S. economic data and the Federal Reserve’s Jan. 27-28 meeting.
Bitcoin hovered near $95,000 on Sunday, stabilizing following a pullback late last week that affected segments of the crypto market. The top cryptocurrency last traded at $95,181, fluctuating between $94,850 and $95,423.
The pause is significant as U.S. trading will be light and driven by headlines, with markets closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Crypto never sleeps, but its price moves tend to track U.S. interest rates and investor risk appetite once Wall Street reopens.
Bitcoin has returned close to a price point that’s repeatedly caused setbacks over the past several months. Attempts to push toward $100,000 have sparked quick profit-taking, keeping investors on edge over any changes to regulation or interest rates.
Cryptocurrencies dipped Friday after the U.S. Senate Banking Committee pushed back a crucial hearing on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, Barron’s reported. The postponement came shortly after Coinbase pulled its backing for the bill, pointing to issues like restrictions on stablecoin rewards, the report noted.
Fund flows weighed on the market. According to data from Farside Investors, U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds — which hold bitcoin outright — saw a net outflow of $394.7 million on Jan. 16.
Rates added pressure heading into the weekend. U.S. Treasury yields spiked Friday after President Donald Trump indicated he preferred keeping Kevin Hassett in his White House position instead of nominating him to head the Federal Reserve, stirring fresh doubts about the next Fed chair, Barron’s reported.
Crypto-related stocks closed the week higher, even as tokens showed volatility. Coinbase Global ticked up roughly 0.8% on Friday. Strategy climbed around 1.6%, and BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust, a key spot bitcoin ETF, edged up about 0.4%.
That downside scenario remains alive. Christopher Wood, Jefferies’ global head of equity strategy, revealed his team has taken bitcoin out of their long-term model portfolio, citing quantum computing as a looming risk to cryptography. “The store of value concept is clearly on less solid foundation,” Wood noted. Business Insider
Liquidity could be the immediate challenge. Since U.S. cash markets are closed Monday, traders anticipate wider spreads and more volatile moves in response to political and regulatory news.
Data is the next major trigger. S&P Global’s “flash” PMI surveys, early snapshots of business activity, drop Friday, Jan. 23. They have the power to quickly alter rate expectations. SP Global
Looking ahead, all eyes are on the Federal Reserve’s two-day meeting set for Jan. 27-28, with a press conference planned for Jan. 28. For bitcoin, the climb back toward $100,000 might depend more on the Fed’s signals about future policy moves than on weekend trading activity.
