Bitcoin at $81,474, Ether at $2,431: crypto prices today, October 17, 2026
Bitcoin is down 0.6% in 24 hours and 1.7% on the week, while all eight coins we track are lower than a week ago. Bitcoin-treasury stocks were hit hard Friday after MSCI finalized its index rules.
Bitcoin traded at about $81,474 on Coinbase early Saturday, down 0.6% over 24 hours and 1.7% lower than a week ago. Ether was at $2,431, down 1.2% on the day and 2.9% on the week. Crypto sold off alongside technology stocks on Friday, with CoinDesk's live blog showing the Nasdaq down about 1.5% and WTI crude at a one-month high near $101 a barrel during Friday's session.
Prices at a glance
| Coin | Price | 24 hours | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC) | $81,474 | -0.6% | -1.7% |
| Ether (ETH) | $2,431 | -1.2% | -2.9% |
| Solana (SOL) | $104.38 | -1.1% | -5.1% |
| XRP | $1.304 | -2.2% | -6.9% |
| Dogecoin (DOGE) | $0.0802 | -1.7% | -6.5% |
| Cardano (ADA) | $0.2225 | -2.7% | -10.6% |
| Chainlink (LINK) | $12.14 | -3.4% | -6.6% |
| Avalanche (AVAX) | $9.939 | -3.0% | -4.0% |
Coinbase Exchange prices at about 8:10 AM ET on October 17. The 24-hour change compares the latest trade with the price 24 hours earlier. The 7-day change compares it with the October 10 daily close (UTC).
Risk-off Friday, with oil and yields in the mix
Friday's tape was driven by markets outside crypto. CoinDesk reported that the 10-year Treasury yield rose about 3.5 basis points to roughly 5.125% as oil climbed, and that crypto-linked stocks fell with the Nasdaq: Strategy (MSTR) down 9.2% at one point, Coinbase down 3.5% and Circle down 4%. The former bitcoin miners that now sell data-center capacity to AI companies were also under pressure; CoinDesk said CoreWeave fell 8% on Friday and has lost more than 20% on the week. Bitcoin itself held in a narrow band of roughly $81,000 to $82,000 through most of the day. See the 10-year yield chart for the rate backdrop.
The weekly column is the broader story: every coin in the table is lower than a week ago, and Cardano's 10.6% drop is the largest. We did not find a coin-specific reason for Cardano's slide in the coverage we read, so we will not offer one.
MSCI's rule and the bitcoin-treasury stocks
CoinDesk reported that MSCI finalized rules that could make companies that mainly hold investments ineligible for its global equity indexes. The final list of affected firms is due November 11, with changes taking effect at the close of November 30. In a test run on May 2026 data, MSCI flagged Strategy, Metaplanet and U.K. uranium vehicle Yellow Cake for possible removal, per CoinDesk. JPMorgan analysts estimated that Strategy's exclusion could trigger about $2.8 billion of outflows from its stock.
The distinction matters for bitcoin holders: index funds would be selling the shares, not bitcoin. CoinDesk noted that weaker demand for the stock could make it harder for these companies to raise money for further bitcoin purchases. Strategy's shares closed Thursday at $151.29 and were listed at $136.76 after Friday's session, per CoinDesk's page, a drop of about 9.6%.
What traders are watching
- Monday's open, since crypto trades all weekend while stock and bond markets are closed.
- Oil and the 10-year yield, which drove Friday's moves across risk assets.
- November 11, when MSCI is due to publish the final list of affected companies.
For the previous report, see October 16. For the biggest weekly gainers, see crypto movers, live crypto prices and meme coins.
| Coin | Price | 24h |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin BTC | … | … |
| Ethereum ETH | … | … |
| Solana SOL | … | … |
| XRP XRP | … | … |
| Dogecoin DOGE | … | … |
| Cardano ADA | … | … |
| Chainlink LINK | … | … |
| Avalanche AVAX | … | … |
Sources: Coinbase Exchange price data; CoinDesk; Cointelegraph. Crypto assets are volatile. Information, not investment advice.
Want your business to be the answer?
Get a full package of articles about your business, built so customers, Google and AI assistants can find you.