Can Bitcoin Reclaim $100K by the End of January? 8 AI Chatbots Offer Starkly Different Predictions

During the first week of December, we posed a question to several leading artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, asking them to forecast bitcoin’s price by year’s end. With the calendar now flipped to the second day of 2026, we revisited a select group of AI models with a similar prompt—this time requesting their projections for bitcoin’s closing price on Jan. 31, 2026.

From $77K to $108K: AI Bots Clash Over Bitcoin’s January 2026 Finish

Over the last year, our newsdesk has turned to AI chatbots for forecasts on bitcoin’s (BTC) price at specific points in time, while also tapping these systems for outlooks on the 2024 U.S. election, gold prices, and other crypto assets such as ethereum ( ETH). With the 2026 countdown ticking during the year’s first week, we asked a solid cross-section of leading AI models to estimate BTC’s closing value on Jan. 31, 2026.

The exercise drew on eight prominent AI models, including ChatGPT, Claude, Venice, Grok, Gemini, Le Chat, Qwen3, and Deepseek. The following prompt was presented to the AI models, reading as follows:

“This thought experiment constructs a forward-looking valuation model for bitcoin as of the close on Jan. 31, 2026. The asset previously set a historic peak at $126,272 in October 2025. By the final trading day of December, its price stood at $87,529, following a retreat to $80,537 on Nov. 21, 2025. On Jan. 2, 2026, the price stands at $89,418. Positioned as a veteran crypto analyst within the bitcoin space, you are asked to map the asset’s possible end of January 2026 direction and present a sharp, logically sound justification for your estimate in two to three sentences. Identify the precise closing price of BTC on Jan. 31, 2026, and specify your projected U.S. dollar valuation for bitcoin as that session concludes—what is your prediction?”

Gemini Thinking mode answer:

An influx of institutional capital following the new year, combined with legislative progress on the CLARITY Act, should propel the market through current overhead resistance. Having successfully defended the $80,000 support floor, the asset is technically positioned for a measured climb back toward its October peak. My predicted closing price and projected U.S. dollar valuation for bitcoin on Jan. 31, 2026, is $98,415.

Claude answer:

Deepseek Deepthink mode answer:

Closing Price Prediction for Jan. 31, 2026: $108,400

Justification: The November correction to $80,537 established a strong higher low relative to previous cycles, with the December close at $87,529 confirming resilience. As institutional adoption accelerates post-ETF maturity and the next halving narrative gains focus, January 2026 sees momentum rebuilding toward the prior ATH, culminating in a close near $108,400 as late-month inflows overcome typical post-holiday volatility.

Venice AI answer:

Grok answer:

ChatGPT 5.2 instant mode answer:

My estimate places bitcoin closing Jan. 31, 2026, at $96,800. After a roughly 36% drawdown from the October 2025 peak to the November low, price action into year-end reflects a classic post-euphoria compression phase rather than structural weakness, with higher lows forming above the $80,000 base and long-term holders largely inactive. Given constrained liquid supply, stabilized macro expectations, and mean-reversion dynamics toward the prior cycle midpoint rather than the peak, a grind higher into the high-$90,000 range is the most defensible outcome by the end of January.

Also read: New Year, Same Resistance: Bitcoin Battles the $90K Ceiling

Le Chat’s answer:

Qwen3 answer:

Given the post-peak consolidation pattern—where Bitcoin retreated 36% from its October 2025 high to the November low, then partially recovered to $87,529 by December 31, 2025—the January 2026 price action is likely shaped by macro tailwinds (soft-landing optimism, anticipated Fed rate cuts in Q1 2026) and technical re-accumulation above the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement (~$82,000). Institutional inflows via newly approved spot ETFs and sustained demand ahead of the April 2026 halving further support a measured rebound, with momentum stalling just below the 50-day moving average resistance zone.

Projected closing price of BTC on January 31, 2026: $94,300.

Decisively Different Predictions

Taken together, the forecasts sketch a market still negotiating its footing after October’s peak rather than racing decisively in one direction. Most models clustered between the low-$90,000s and just above $100,000, framing January as a period of consolidation with a slight upward tilt rather than a breakout month. The outliers—one calling for a deeper retracement into the high-$70,000s and another projecting a return toward prior highs—highlight how differently AI systems, just like people, weigh cycle history, macro conditions, and institutional behavior at this stage.

FAQ 🤖

• What price did AI models predict for bitcoin on Jan. 31, 2026? AI forecasts ranged from roughly $77,953 on the low end to about $108,400 on the high end.
• Which AI model projected the highest bitcoin price for January 2026? Deepseek delivered the most bullish outlook, placing bitcoin near $108,400 by month’s end.
• Which AI forecast was the most bearish on bitcoin? Grok offered the lowest estimate, projecting a January close just under $78,000.
• Why do AI bitcoin price predictions vary so widely? Models weigh market cycles, macro conditions, and institutional behavior differently when generating forecasts.