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BlackRock, Apollo, and Citadel have acquired or agreed to acquire DeFi tokens. Here’s why and what it really signals.

XRP on-chain pain has drawn fresh attention this week. Realized losses surged to nearly $2 billion over a one-week span. That kind of move grabs traders’ eyes because it often marks a clearing out of weaker holders. Related Reading: XRP Tipped As Central Bank Bridge Asset — Bigger Than Bitcoin? Santiment Shows Heavy Realized Losses According to Santiment, the spike is the biggest since 2022. Realized losses happen when people sell for less than what they paid. It is a measure of capitulation. In past cycles, similar spikes happened near major lows and were followed by strong rallies. ???? BREAKING: XRP has seen its largest on-chain realized loss spike since 2022. When the previous weekly milestone of -1.93B in realized losses occurred 39 months ago, $XRP proceeded to jump +114% over the next 8 months. ???? Significant realized losses happen when a large number… pic.twitter.com/gPUU8fYfiY — Santiment (@santimentfeed) February 21, 2026 One historical episode that traders point to saw a big loss week before a 114% climb over roughly eight months. Still, that outcome came from a specific set of market conditions that are not guaranteed to reappear. When Many Small Holders Leave The recent spike in realized losses has drawn attention from market participants. When investors sell at a loss, the metric rises, reflecting the scale of coins changing hands below their purchase price. Analysts often monitor this data to assess shifts in supply and demand. Realized profit and loss figures are commonly used to track market behavior during periods of sharp price movement. While the data highlights the level of losses being locked in, price direction typically depends on broader trading activity, liquidity conditions, and overall market trends. Price Moves And Market Tone XRP traded near $1.45 at the time of these reports, up about 1.50% over 24 hours but down roughly 24% for the month. The token moved mostly in step with Bitcoin during a broader market bounce. Short-term strength like that can be a start. It can also be a brief reprieve inside a longer correction. Traders watching the charts want to see more volume and clear levels taken before calling a trend change. My #XRP price targets for the next three months: March $13 April $27 May $70 — CryptoBull (@CryptoBull2020) February 21, 2026 Why Some Forecasts Stretch Reality Analyst targets running into double and triple digits have circulated online. CryptoBull’s calls for $13, $27, and $70 in a matter of months are extreme and would require dramatic new capital flows. Market cap math shows those moves need far larger demand than casual optimism provides. Other analysts used prior cycle lows to estimate a possible macro floor between $0.75 and $0.85 by applying a roughly 2.8x multiple. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s 2-Year Pattern Revealed: 12 Green Months Out Of 24 A Good Signal Taken together, the data has revived discussion around a rare on-chain signal that in the past came before a 114% advance. Santiment’s latest figures show realized losses reaching levels not seen since 2022, placing the metric back in focus for traders tracking cycle behavior. Whether history repeats will depend on incoming demand, broader crypto sentiment, and sustained buying pressure in the weeks ahead. For now, the signal has flashed again, and the market is watching to see what follows. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

The crypto market has been showing signs of recovery, with the Bitcoin price trying to reclaim the psychological $70,000 over the past few days. Interestingly, the latest on-chain data suggests that the crypto market might just have the required liquidity to kickstart a resurgence. Stablecoin Inflows Surge During Key Support Retest In a recent QuickTake post on the CryptoQuant platform, market analyst CryptoOnchain revealed a dramatic increase in TRC-20 USDT balances on Binance, the largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume. Quoting data from CryptoQuant’s data, the on-chain analyst revealed that USDT reserves climbed from approximately $385 million on December 24 to about $5.2 billion as of February 21. What’s more interesting is, this roughly $4.8 billion spike in the stablecoin reserve on Binance occurred all under a month. Related Reading: Bitcoin Options Update: Market Panic Fades But Traders Remain Defensive – Details The crypto pundit highlighted that this significant rise in the TRC-20 UDST reserves on Binance actually coincides with the Bitcoin and Ethereum price approaching key support levels. This is typically a sign that demand is rising and positioning activity is ongoing, both of which often lead to the absorption of selling pressure.  Typically, a significant increase in stablecoin accumulation on exchanges — especially during periods of price weakness — signals that liquidity is being rotated, and not completely exiting the market. According to CryptoOnchain, this means that more capital is being positioned for potential reentry into the Bitcoin or Ethereum market (among other assets).  TRC-20 Usage Points To Increasing Retail Participation  The on-chain analyst further highlighted that the adoption of TRC-20 USDT is often characteristic of a certain investor class, known as the retail participants. It is also widely known that large institutions — which do not typically chase cost-efficient transactions — often use the ERC20 network. Hence, CryptoOnchain concluded that “the increase in TRC-20 reserves may indicate stronger retail engagement during the correction.” Related Reading: Bitcoin Trades Below ETF Cost-Basis As MVRV Signals Mounting Pressure While stablecoin reserves indicate that market participants may be preparing for a bullish reversal of the Bitcoin price, it is worth noting that an immediate rebound is not guaranteed. This is because elevated reserves only reflect the presence of inert demand (known as dry powder), rather than real demand. Nonetheless, if the present market conditions should see stability in the near-term, this “dry powder” that waits on the sidelines could quickly become fuel to drive prices to the upside. Moreover, the Bitcoin apparent demand metric recently flipped positive, suggesting that a reversal might be imminent. As of this writing, Bitcoin is valued at around $67,971, reflecting no significant movement in the past 24 hours. Featured image from iStock, chart from TradingView

SBI Holdings has quietly rolled out a new on-chain bond designed to give ordinary investors direct exposure to XRP while keeping the product inside Japan’s regulated market. Related Reading: XRP Tipped As Central Bank Bridge Asset — Bigger Than Bitcoin? Reports say the issue by the Japan-headquartered financial group totals 10 billion yen and is being recorded, issued and managed on a blockchain system rather than through the usual securities infrastructure. SBI Starts A New Kind Of Bond Based on reports, the bonds — nicknamed the “SBI Start Bonds” in some coverage — are being tokenized on a platform called ibet for Fin, a system built by BoosTry to register and manage securities onchain. Investors who buy into the offering receive XRP roughly at the time their purchase clears. The firm has also scheduled additional XRP benefits to be paid on interest dates stretching through 2029. How The Trading Will Work Trading of these security tokens is set to occur on a proprietary system operated by Osaka Digital Exchange, with secondary market activity expected to begin on March 25, 2026. Reports indicate the bonds carry a modest yield range, with some outlets citing an indicative coupon band in the low single digits — a feature that blends a fixed-income payout with crypto rewards. Japan’s SBI Holdings has launched a ¥10 billion ($64.5M) on-chain bond issuance that rewards investors with $XRP. https://t.co/X9U0nW3sd2 pic.twitter.com/b7hwHJTiEG — ????????????????XRP (@BankXRP) February 21, 2026 Who Can Get The XRP Eligibility rules are strict. Reports note that holders must be domestic residents and must hold an account with SBI VC Trade to collect the XRP benefit; there’s a procedural deadline for completing receipt steps by mid-May. In short, this is not an open global giveaway — the offer is aimed at onshore retail investors inside Japan and tied to local account requirements. Market Reaction And Possible Effects Based on reports and market commentary, the structure could nudge demand for XRP because the issuer needs to supply the token for distribution and future payouts. Related Reading: Bitcoin Market Bleeds $1 Trillion, Saylor Signals Strongest Crypto Conviction Yet Some market watchers point out that while the initial sum — about $64.5 million by rough conversion — is limited against the size of global crypto markets, the product matters more for what it represents: a mainstream financial group packaging a digital asset into a regulated bond product. That may make other Japanese firms think about similar moves. Featured image from Trade Brains, chart from TradingView

A modest claim. A bold number. Both are on the table for Bitcoin this week as a debate over how to read short-term streaks in price gains grows louder. Related Reading: Bitcoin Market Bleeds $1 Trillion, Saylor Signals Strongest Crypto Conviction Yet Crypto analyst Timothy Peterson has pointed out that half of the last 24 months showed positive returns. Based on reports, he then gave a nearly 90% chance that Bitcoin would be higher in 10 months. That leap from a simple count to a firm probability is the headline grabber. It should be met with careful questions about how the odds were calculated and what assumptions were built into the model. Counting Positive Months Peterson based his view on a review of monthly performance data. Figures compiled by CoinGlass show that Bitcoin closed six months of 2025 in positive territory, while the remaining six finished lower. According to the data, 50% of the past 24 months ended with gains. Peterson said he tracks this rolling two-year window to spot potential turning points in price trends. 50% of the past 24 months have been positive. This implies a 88% chance that Bitcoin will be higher 10 months from now. The average return is exp(60%)-1 = 82% => $122,000. Data goes back to 2011. https://t.co/k4IjTisuTH pic.twitter.com/ZxfTyequjt — Timothy Peterson (@nsquaredvalue) February 21, 2026 Market Odds And Betting An exchange of bets shows a very different view. Polymarket currently prices December as only a 17% shot at being the best month of 2026, with November a hair higher. Those numbers answer a different question from Peterson’s: they reflect market bets on which month will outperform others, not whether the price will simply be higher at a future date. Betting markets can be blunt tools, but they do pack the collective view of many traders into a single number. Bitcoin Price Action Price has not been calm. Bitcoin traded in a roughly $67,000–$68,000 band this week as geopolitical tension in the Middle East tightened. Safe-haven assets like gold and oil jumped on news flows, and Bitcoin felt the squeeze as some buyers stepped back. At the same time, live tickers showed the token about 20% below its level at the start of the year, a reminder that headline percentages hide wide intraday swings. Analysts Are Split Voices from the trading desk are divided. Michael van de Poppe suggested near-term green candles could be coming, urging traders to watch for a lift. On the other hand, Peter Brandt has argued a deeper low may not arrive until late 2026. Both views rest on different sets of signals — one on momentum and chart structure, the other on longer cycle patterns and risk of macro shocks. Sentiment Still Down Meanwhile, flow data from spot ETF purchases, derivatives positioning, and on-chain liquidity figures would add weight to any forecast. Related Reading: XRP Tipped As Central Bank Bridge Asset — Bigger Than Bitcoin? Peterson’s forecast comes as crypto market sentiment continues to decline, with reports noting that discussion and activity around Bitcoin predictions have slowed. Traders appear cautious, weighing past trends against current uncertainty in the market. Featured image from Vecteezy, chart from TradingView

A seasoned investor’s bold claim about XRP has reignited a common question in crypto markets: could a token built for fast settlement ever outgrow the original store-of-value? Related Reading: Bitcoin Market Bleeds $1 Trillion, Saylor Signals Strongest Crypto Conviction Yet According to posts on X by longtime Bitcoin backer Pumpius, if central banks adopt a single on-chain bridge, XRP could eclipse Bitcoin “by magnitude.” On-Chain Tension And Policy Moves Reports note recent market moves that have worried policy makers and traders. The trading desk at the Federal Reserve requested indicative dollar/yen quotes after a sharp move in the yen, a step that Treasury officials had asked for. That rare check underlines how currency volatility can push officials to consider new tools, and it has renewed talk about faster settlement rails. Every Central Bank will use XRP as the bridge asset. It’s now becoming a reality. When this happens, XRP will surpass Bitcoin by magnitude. Bookmark this. https://t.co/xyWxhVDCLx pic.twitter.com/kFTsXSw6Hn — Pumpius (@pumpius) February 19, 2026 Ripple’s Timeline And Institutional Talk Based on reports from company briefings and executive posts, Ripple’s leadership sees 2026 as the year when larger, regulated players might put real money onto the XRP Ledger. Ripple President Monica Long has sketched out scenarios where banks and asset managers run production systems tied to on-chain liquidity pools. Those views have been picked up across crypto news outlets and have added fuel to bullish narratives. How Would A Bridge Asset Work? Imagine dollar and euro liquidity on a ledger, available for near-instant swaps. In practice, permissioned pools and regulated stablecoins could provide the rails while an on-chain order book or matching engine handles the trades. Settlement times would be measured in seconds. Audit trails would be automatic. That said, large institutions put a premium on rules and oversight; any real rollout would be gradual and cautious. XRP Vs. BTC: The Size Of The Gap Numbers matter. Bitcoin’s market cap sits comfortably in the trillions, while XRP’s market value is under $100 billion dollars, depending on which tracker you consult. That gap is not small. For XRP to “flip” Bitcoin at present values would require trillions more in capital moving into the token — a shift that would likely need broad institutional flows and major regulatory clarity. Related Reading: Saylor Makes Bold $1M Bitcoin Call — “It’s Zero Or A Million” Geopolitics Adds Noise Geopolitical strain and trade frictions, amplified by speeches or decisions from leaders, can make markets jittery. US President Donald Trump has been named in debates over policy shifts and geopolitical risk, which in turn affect capital flows and safe-haven bids. When politics moves markets, technical fixes such as faster settlement can look more attractive on paper; adoption in practice is another matter. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Markets are quiet and uneasy. Bitcoin prices have pulled back, and big holders are keeping a cool face while the charts wobble. Reports note that one outspoken investor frames the market in stark terms: it either fails completely or becomes far more valuable than people now imagine. Related Reading: Bitcoin Market Bleeds $1 Trillion, Saylor Signals Strongest Crypto Conviction Yet Saylor’s Binary Bet According to Michael Saylor, Bitcoin has only two plausible final outcomes: worthless, or worth $1 million per coin. That is not a quick trading idea. It’s a long-running view about scarcity and demand. Saylor argues that a fixed supply paired with growing institutional buying and broader custody tools makes a future of massive price gains possible. He points to more banks, more spot ETFs and bigger corporate allocations as proof that demand has matured. If it’s not going to zero, it’s going to a million. $BTC — Michael Saylor (@saylor) February 20, 2026 A Warning From The Other Side Reports note that not everyone agrees. Mike McGlone of Bloomberg has sketched a darker path, one where price pressure and macro shocks could push values much lower — even toward $10,000. That view is rooted in history: markets can fall a long way before confidence returns. Short-term moves can be savage. Longer swings can be slower to recover. Both views are true on their own terms, because they answer different questions about time and risk. Balance Sheet And Funding Based on reports, the firm backing Saylor’s posture holds a very large stake: 717,131 BTC bought at an average cost of $76,027 a coin. That position is underwater for now. Still, financing choices matter. Strategy relies on equity, convertible notes, and preferred shares to meet cash needs. Arkham Intelligence has mapped out that preferred dividends are optional and redemptions are not automatic, which lowers the chance of forced sales right away. That setup buys time, though it does not erase exposure if prices stay low for a long stretch. SAYLOR IS UNDERWATER. BUT WILL HE SELL BTC? Saylor is over 10% underwater from his average purchase price. But what could actually force him to sell Bitcoin? Here’s an explainer of how, when and why Strategy might be forced to sell BTC. pic.twitter.com/uKbJ3ivO54 — Arkham (@arkham) February 20, 2026 Supply, Demand And The Big Numbers Saylor’s $1 million projection is driven by a supply argument: there are only 21 million coins. If enough institutions and treasuries keep buying, the math pushes the price up. He has said that with a particular share of total coins held by his firm, values could move into the millions, and he has sketched an even higher, $10 million possibility under stronger concentration scenarios. Related Reading: Bitcoin Enters Historic Buying Zone, Indicator Suggests Those are not forecasts you can treat like short-term targets. They are conditional models — possible only if adoption, regulation and market behavior all line up for years. The path forward is not easy. Bitcoin could crawl higher, stumble and trade in narrow ranges for years, or shoot up as new buyers enter. Politics, regulation and global liquidity will shape which route unfolds. Institutional entry has changed the market structure, but it has not removed the risk of big drawdowns. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from TradingView

South Korean lawmakers are ramping up pressure on financial regulators after a system failure at Bithumb, the country’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, led to the accidental distribution of more than $43 billion worth of Bitcoin (BTC) earlier this month. The February 6 incident has triggered political scrutiny of both the exchange itself and the agencies responsible for overseeing the virtual asset market.  Behind The Bithumb Massive Bitcoin Mishap According to local reporting by The Korea Times, members of the National Assembly are questioning how such a massive error could slip through despite repeated regulatory inspections. Rep. Kang Min-guk of the main opposition People Power Party disclosed that the country’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) reviewed Bithumb three times between 2022 and 2025.  Over the same period, the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) conducted three separate inspections. Yet regulators failed to detect what has now been described as a critical structural weakness in the exchange’s system. Related Reading: ‘Sell Bitcoin Now,’ Peter Schiff Warns, Predicts $20,000 Target On Breakdown Kang argued that existing oversight mechanisms were inadequate. He pointed out that safeguards were insufficient to prevent a situation in which a single employee could initiate massive coin transfers. Kang said: The episode is not merely a technical mishap but a case that lays bare deeper structural weaknesses in the virtual asset market, including complacent supervision and gaps in regulation. Instead of crediting users with Bitcoin worth 2,000 won — approximately $1.38 — the system mistakenly credited 2,000 Bitcoin per user. In total, 620,000 Bitcoin were incorrectly distributed.  Rep. Han Chang-min of the minor Social Democratic Party also criticized regulators, questioning whether supervisory authorities had meaningfully evaluated the exchange’s internal systems. “Authorities appeared to be shifting responsibility onto Bithumb despite their supervisory role,” Han said. Broader Crypto Oversight  In response to the incident, the FSS extended the deadline for its formal investigation from Feb. 13 to the end of the month, citing the need for additional time.  An eight-member inspection team is now intensifying its review, focusing on possible violations related to investor protection and anti-money laundering (AML) compliance.  Particular attention is being given to the system architecture that allowed coins not actually held by the exchange to be credited to users. Regulators have not ruled out the possibility that further erroneous distributions could be uncovered. Related Reading: House Democrats Urge Treasury Probe Into Trump Family’s Crypto Venture Separately, financial authorities have reportedly formed an emergency response team in coordination with the Digital Asset eXchange Alliance (DAXA), a self-regulatory body representing domestic exchanges.  The team has begun inspections of asset verification and internal control systems at four other platforms — Upbit, Coinone, Korbit, and GOPAX. Any deficiencies are expected to be incorporated into DAXA’s self-regulatory guidelines and could influence the next phase of cryptocurrency legislation in South Korea. At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading at $67,763, marking a 2% decline over the past seven days and showing minimal change since Thursday’s trading session.  Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Bitcoin (BTC) is currently holding below the key $70,000 level. Still, a new report from data and research firm Ecoinometrics suggests that the market may not be building a base for recovery.  Instead, the firm argues that the cryptocurrency remains vulnerable to another downward move, driven by three overlapping forces: weakening equity momentum, structural changes in Bitcoin’s volatility profile, and a Federal Reserve (Fed) that is steady but not supportive. Structural Headwinds For Bitcoin According to the report, Bitcoin no longer trades in isolation. It has become increasingly linked to equity markets, capital flows, and broader macroeconomic conditions. At the moment, that linkage is not working in its favor.  Bitcoin is already showing signs of weakness, equity markets are losing steam, and the Federal Reserve is maintaining a neutral stance that offers little additional liquidity support. Together, those factors keep downside risks elevated. Related Reading: ‘Sell Bitcoin Now,’ Peter Schiff Warns, Predicts $20,000 Target On Breakdown While Bitcoin has attempted to stabilize in recent weeks, Ecoinometrics cautions that this does not resemble a clear bottoming pattern. Rather, it looks more like a pause within an ongoing bear phase.  Structural headwinds are already in place, as highlighted by the firm, including continued outflows from Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and a broader “risk-off” environment in financial markets. The report noted that Bitcoin is trading below its long-term trend, with its 200-day moving average (currently above $100,000) turning downward and rallies repeatedly failing beneath that level — a classic sign of a bearish structure.  By contrast, the Nasdaq 100 has stalled for roughly three months, but its 200-day moving average is still rising. That suggests equities are slowing but have not yet entered a confirmed structural downturn. The distinction is important. When Bitcoin weakens on its own, declines can unfold gradually. However, history shows that when equities roll over decisively, Bitcoin tends to fall sharply alongside them.  Lower Volatility, Higher Correlation Beyond price action, the firm highlights a deeper structural shift in Bitcoin’s behavior: a marked compression in volatility. In prior cycles, 12-month realized volatility surged dramatically during both bull markets and subsequent crashes.  This time, even after a full bear-bull-bear sequence since 2022, volatility has not returned to those previous extremes. In fact, peak volatility in the current cycle has been materially lower.  This change reflects who is driving demand. ETF flows now play a dominant role in shaping trends. These flows are typically larger, steadier, and more systematic than the retail-driven surges that characterized earlier cycles.  Bitcoin, in other words, has become embedded within institutional portfolios, often sitting alongside technology and growth stocks. That shift brings advantages, including lower volatility and more predictable flow patterns. It may also strengthen Bitcoin’s long-term durability.  However, it comes with a trade-off: deeper sensitivity to equity market drawdowns. Ecoinometrics asserts that as BTC becomes more integrated into the broader risk-on complex, it behaves more like a component of that system rather than a detached speculative asset. Downside Risks Grow On the policy front, Ecoinometrics suggests the Fed’s posture remains largely unchanged: inflation has improved but is not fully contained, and the labor market remains resilient.  Related Reading: House Democrats Urge Treasury Probe Into Trump Family’s Crypto Venture As a result, rate cuts are not urgent, and rate hikes are not imminent. The communications index sits well below the tightening peak seen in 2022 and far above the crisis-level dovishness of 2020, placing current policy in the middle ground. For Bitcoin, that steady stance removes the risk of a sudden policy shock, but it does not provide a tailwind. The firm said in a fragile market, stability may be preferable to tightening, yet it offers little support if risk assets begin to slide. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Reports say a popular risk metric has fallen into territory that, in the past, lined up with major buying opportunities for Bitcoin. Related Reading: Bitcoin Market Bleeds $1 Trillion, Saylor Signals Strongest Crypto Conviction Yet The short-term Sharpe Ratio has plunged to about -38.38, a level that markets rarely see. Traders who follow on-chain and statistical signals point out that similar extremes showed up around the lows of 2015, 2019, and late 2022 — moments that later saw sizable recoveries, CryptoQuant verified author Moreno said. Sharpe Ratio Hits Unusual Low The Sharpe Ratio measures returns against volatility. When it drops far below zero over short stretches, it means investors have been taking heavy losses relative to how wildly the market is moving. A -38.38 reading is extreme. Reports note this kind of reading has happened only four times in Bitcoin’s history, and each time followed a stretch of high stress and weak sentiment. That pattern suggests selling can exhaust itself even when the charts look bleak. Bitcoin’s Short-Term Sharpe Ratio Hit a Level Historically Reserved For Generational Buying Zones “The arrows in the chart illustrate this clearly: each prior extreme negative reading was followed by violent recoveries to new highs.” – By @MorenoDV_ pic.twitter.com/nxFBUgHxi9 — CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) February 19, 2026 Historical Lows And Recoveries Past cycles give one way to read the signal. Around $287 in 2015, and near $4,100 in early 2019, and again around $15,000 in late 2022, risk measures and mood were at their worst before money flowed back in. Based on reports from on-chain analysts, those moments shared common traits: many traders had capitulated, volume was thin, and volatility spiked. Yet those conditions later coincided with multi-month rallies that erased large parts of the prior losses. Bitcoin Price Action Bitcoin’s price has been sensitive to headlines lately. It slid under psychological levels as risk assets weakened, and trading has been muted. Markets reacted to diplomatic rows and conflict-related stories, causing bigger moves in thin markets. Sometimes BTC held up and brushed off sharp risk-off flows. Other times it fell further, especially when liquidity dried up. That stop-and-start behavior has left short-term traders cautious, while longer-term holders watch for signs that selling momentum is fading. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Record Red Month May Be Setting Up A Reversal: Analysts Clear Coast Ahead? Based on reports and the data, this signal is not a magic ticket. External forces — such as tightening liquidity or a macro shock — can keep downward pressure longer than statistical patterns alone would predict. The recent 50% fall from an all-time high near $126,200 in October 2025 to about $65,700 shows much of the move is already behind us, but it does not rule out more pain. Risk management matters. Position sizing and clear entry plans will help anyone who decides to act around these levels. Featured image from Anne Connelly – Medium, chart from TradingView

The industry’s largest cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), are enduring one of their most difficult openings to a year on record, according to a recent analysis by Fortune, with both digital assets trading sharply below their previous peaks. Bitcoin is currently down roughly 46% from its all-time high, while Ethereum has fallen about 60% from its record level. The steep declines mark what the publication describes as historically poor year-to-date performances for the assets.  Bitcoin, Ethereum Lag While S&P 500, Gold Post Gains While Bitcoin and Ethereum, along with broader crypto prices, have often moved in tandem with equities in recent years, that relationship has weakened over the past two months. Since January, major US stock indices have edged higher.  The S&P 500 has gained approximately 0.4%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average has climbed 2.3%. Precious metals have also performed strongly. Gold has surged about 17% since the start of the year, while silver has advanced roughly 14%, even after experiencing a brief drop several weeks ago. Related Reading: ‘Sell Bitcoin Now,’ Peter Schiff Warns, Predicts $20,000 Target On Breakdown The disconnect between cryptocurrencies and broader market gains has prompted some industry observers to declare the arrival of another “Crypto Winter.”  “We’re certainly in a Crypto Winter,” said Danny Nelson, a research analyst at crypto asset manager Bitwise. He pointed to investor behavior as evidence of deteriorating sentiment. “You can tell by how investors react to good news,” Nelson said. “They don’t.” ‘We’re Really Close To The End’ Despite the current pullback and the increased challenges for prices seen since the October 10 liquidation event, Nelson argues that the underlying foundation of the industry is strengthening.  “Crypto’s reality is getting stronger,” he said, adding that the structural changes underway are likely to outlast the current downturn.  Related Reading: House Democrats Urge Treasury Probe Into Trump Family’s Crypto Venture Similar sentiments have been expressed by Tom Lee, cofounder of research firm Fundstrat and a long-time supporter of Ethereum. In a recent interview, Lee suggested the market may be nearing a turning point, stating, “We’re really close to the end.” Whether the latest slump proves to be a temporary correction or a deeper cycle shift remains uncertain. For now, however, the data underscores a challenging start to the year for the cryptocurrency market, even as other asset classes continue to surge. At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $67,595, which is a slight 1% increase compared to Thursday’s prices. Ethereum is trading at around $1,968, with similar gains over the past 24 hours.  Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Ethereum’s new roadmap lands in a market that is less interested in vision and more interested in evidence. That is the core tension behind the Ethereum Foundation’s Protocol Priorities Update for 2026, which breaks the network’s next phase into three tracks, including Scale, Improve UX, and Harden the L1. The roadmap is technical, but the […]
The post Ethereum’s 2026 roadmap just hit — but ETH won’t recover until one metric flips appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Michael Saylor kept buying while the market slid, and he did it out loud: “Neven been more bullish,” he said in an X post Thursday. His public posts and regulatory filings show Strategy continued to add to its Bitcoin pile even as price swings turned paper gains into big unrealized losses. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Record Red Month May Be Setting Up A Reversal: Analysts The firm’s recent regulatory filing confirms a fresh purchase this month, while market reports and accounting disclosures show the wider hit to corporate treasuries. Market Value Drop Shakes Portfolios Bitcoin has shed roughly $1.2 trillion of market value since October 2025, and the wider crypto market has lost about $2 trillion in the same stretch. Prices that once pushed Bitcoin past $126,000 have fallen back toward the mid-$60,000s. That scale of decline has pushed several companies that used Bitcoin as a treasury asset into heavy mark-to-market losses, changing how investors view corporate crypto exposure. Never Been More ₿ullish. — Michael Saylor (@saylor) February 19, 2026 Strategy Keeps Buying According to the company’s own filings, Strategy acquired 2,486 BTC for roughly $168 million during mid-February, bringing its holdings above 700k coins. The buy was announced in a Form 8-K and has been picked up across market outlets. At the same time, accounting rules that require unrealized gains and losses to be reflected in reports mean the firm’s quarterly statements showed multibillion-dollar swings tied to Bitcoin’s price. That reality has put Strategy on the front lines of the debate over holding large crypto positions on balance sheets. Price Action And Headlines Moved Markets Bitcoin’s trading has been choppy. Headlines tied to geopolitics and macro policy moved traders, and low-volume sessions made swings feel bigger. ETF outflows and a string of liquidations amplified the slide. Still, there were moments when buyers stepped in and pushed prices up briefly; those countermoves have been picked over by analysts hunting for a bottom. Image: Wall Street Pit Bullish Voices, Loud And Public Eric Trump — speaking at an event at Mar-a-Lago — made a very bullish prediction that was reposted and amplified, and that kind of public optimism appears to have rubbed off on other high-profile backers. Go bitcoin today. The money won’t fix itself. — Michael Saylor (@saylor) February 13, 2026 Saylor reposted and echoed similar buy-the-dip messages, urging accumulation even as skeptics warned about the risks. At times political headlines tied to US President Donald Trump and related policy moves were singled out as part of the story behind the 2025 rally that preceded this correction. Related Reading: XRP On The Spotlight As Arizona Advances Landmark Digital Asset Bill Saylor’s latest comment shows he remains firmly confident in Bitcoin. Despite huge losses, he sees dips as buying chances and urges others to stay bullish, keeping his long-term conviction front and center. Featured image from Gemini, chart from TradingView

Altcoin breadth on Binance has deteriorated sharply, with a large majority of tokens now trading below a widely watched long-term trend level, an exhaustion signal that CryptoQuant contributor Darkfost frames as a liquidity problem as much as a price problem. In a post on X, Darkfost (@Darkfost_Coc) shared a CryptoQuant chart tracking the share of Binance-listed altcoins trading below their 50-week moving average alongside Bitcoin’s price. His headline claim: “LIQUIDITY CRUNCH PUSHES 83% OF ALTCOINS INTO BEAR TREND,” arguing that most investors exposed to non-Bitcoin, non-stablecoin assets are “now in significant difficulty,” particularly those still holding positions. Altcoin Breadth Breaks Down On Binance Darkfost’s chart, titled “Altcoins performance (Binance)”, shows the percentage of altcoins below the 50-week moving average rising back into historically stressed territory. In his latest read, 83% of Binance altcoins are below that threshold, a sign that weakness is not isolated to a handful of names but spread across the tape. He also pointed to an even more extreme episode earlier this month. “Since the end of the bear market in 2023, a new record was set on February 7, with more than 92% of altcoins on Binance trading below this key technical support,” he wrote, describing it as a post-2023-cycle high in downside participation. Related Reading: House Democrats Urge Treasury Probe Into Trump Family’s Crypto Venture That stands in stark contrast to the conditions seen during earlier upside phases. Darkfost noted that in March 2024 only 6% of Binance altcoins traded below the 50-week line, and in December 2024 the figure was 7%. Outside of those multi-month windows, he added, at least half of altcoins remained under the threshold, behavior he characterized as meaningfully different from the prior cycle’s breadth dynamics. Darkfost framed the altcoin drawdown as inseparable from Bitcoin’s trend and the macro backdrop, suggesting that the market’s risk budget has tightened while altcoin supply has expanded. Related Reading: House Democrats Urge Treasury Probe Into Trump Family’s Crypto Venture “The market continues to be driven by BTC’s movements, which has been in a downtrend since October 2025 following an ATH at $126,000. At present, BTC’s momentum remains highly uncertain, with price still hovering at roughly 46% of its all time high. Rising geopolitical tensions, particularly between the US and Iran, alongside increasingly hawkish projections and tone from the Fed expressed in the latest FOMC minutes, are making the current environment especially challenging for highly volatile assets such as altcoins,” he wrote. The chart itself marks BTC near the mid-$60,000 range, underscoring his broader point: in a regime where Bitcoin direction is unclear and macro inputs are hostile to duration and volatility, breadth in higher-beta tokens can deteriorate quickly and then stay impaired. Why The 50-Week Line Matters Darkfost emphasized the 50-week moving average as a long-horizon filter used by market participants to separate corrective phases from structurally constructive ones. When a majority of tokens sit below it, rallies tend to be narrower, selection pressure rises, and “alt season” narratives become harder to sustain without a decisive shift in liquidity conditions. He attributed the current setup to “the increase in altcoin supply across the broader crypto market combined with still constrained liquidity conditions,” a combination that can mechanically dilute marginal flows. In that environment, he argued, outperforming becomes less about broad beta exposure and more about understanding how market structure has changed. At press time, the total crypto market cap excluding Bitcoin stood at $943.46 billion. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

The Bitcoin price action has taken a grim tone this month as trading rolls toward what may become a fifth straight red monthly candle. According to CoinGlass, BTC is down roughly 15% this month after closing the previous four months lower, a run not seen since 2018. Related Reading: XRP On The Spotlight As Arizona Advances Landmark Digital Asset Bill Reports note that similar multimonth selloffs in the past were sometimes followed by sudden, strong rebounds, but those outcomes were not automatic. Traders are watching support near recent lows while sentiment indicators show rising caution among both retail and institutional players. Historical Streaks And Reversals Reports from Milk Road point to a striking example: after a long losing streak in 2018/19, the market produced large gains in the months that followed. That episode is often referenced by bulls who argue that compressed prices can set the stage for big percentage moves to the upside. Yet context matters. Market cycles are messy, and raw percentage comparisons skip over differences in liquidity, participant mix, and macro settings.  Source: CoinGlass Weekly And Quarterly Signals Weekly charts are shouting caution in some corners. Analyst Solana Sensei highlighted a run of red weekly candles that echoes parts of 2022, when extended selling drove BTC to the mid-$20,000s. At the same time, quarterly data from the 2022 drawdown shows losses can stack up for long stretches, and those patterns were painful for holders who expected quick turns. Some analysts have argued that the current cycle looks different because the monthly RSI never saw the same overbought expansion that preceded some prior bear phases; their view suggests rebounds might not follow the old script. $BTC is looking to log its 5th red month. Last time this happened was in 2018/19 when we saw 6 red months. Silver lining: it led to a reversal w/ 316% returns over the following 5 months. If history repeats – the reversal begins April 1st. Bookmark this. pic.twitter.com/IZwmdg0peV — Milk Road (@MilkRoad) February 18, 2026 Bitcoin Price Action The top crypto’s price movement has been mixed: thin sessions, sharp swings on headlines, muted volume between moves. The market has been both brittle and occasionally steady, depending on who is trading and where liquidity pools sit. Geopolitics And Market Mood Geopolitical flareups have acted as a volatility amplifier, and traders are pricing in headline risk more readily than before. Events tied to policies or public comments have dented confidence across risk assets. Related Reading: CEO Confirms Bitcoin Exposure, Says Bank Is Still Navigating US policy shifts and high-profile political statements — including ones linked to US President Donald Trump — are being watched for any spillover into dollar flows and investor risk tolerance. Thin market conditions can turn small news into big moves. That’s exactly what’s been happening on occasion over the last few weeks. Based on reports and the mix of indicators, a rebound in March or April is possible, but it cannot be counted on. Some traders will prepare for a quick bounce; others will keep dry powder and wait for clearer confirmation. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

CNBC reported Thursday that a group of House Democrats are pressing the Treasury Department to examine potential conflicts of interest and national security risks tied to World Liberty Financial (WLFI), the crypto venture associated with the Trump family. Security Concerns Over Trump-Linked Crypto Venture In a letter sent Thursday to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, more than 40 Democratic lawmakers, led by Representative Gregory Meeks of New York, called for a formal review of the company’s structure and foreign investment ties.  The letter follows a tense House Financial Services Committee hearing earlier this month, during which Bessent testified before lawmakers. At that hearing, Meeks sharply criticized the Treasury secretary, referring to him as a “flunky” of President Trump.  Related Reading: ‘Sell Bitcoin Now,’ Peter Schiff Warns, Predicts $20,000 Target On Breakdown He also raised concerns about a $500 million investment in World Liberty Financial made last year by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the United Arab Emirates’ royal family who has sometimes been referred to as the “spy sheikh.” In a statement accompanying the letter, Meeks said the half‑billion‑dollar deal involving an Emirati royal presents both financial and national security concerns.  “The Trump family’s $500 million deal connected to the Emirati royal family is not only a matter of national financial instability, but it also carries serious national security implications,” he said.  Treasury Asked To Clarify White House Role The lawmakers’ request comes as World Liberty Financial is pursuing a national bank charter. Democrats are seeking assurances that the chartering process remains insulated from political or foreign influence. As such, they argued that the matter extends beyond a technical debate over crypto regulation. “This is no longer just a debate about crypto chartering theory,” they wrote.  “It is about foreign ownership, national security, regulatory integrity, and whether our bank‑chartering process is resilient to political and geopolitical pressure.” Related Reading: Revealed: The Biggest Bitcoin Holders Of 2026, According To Arkham Data The group asked Treasury officials to detail what safeguards are in place to prevent foreign governments, their proxies, or politically connected investors from using the national bank chartering process to gain leverage within the US financial system or access sensitive financial and technological infrastructure.  They also sought clarification on the role, if any, played by the White House, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Treasury Department in reviewing or influencing charter decisions made by the OCC. The lawmakers requested a response from the Treasury Department by Feb. 26.  In closing, they emphasized the broader implications for public trust. “The credibility of America’s banking regulatory framework, and of the institutions charged with protecting it, depends on transparency, independence, and a demonstrated willingness to resist undue influence,” they wrote. As of this writing, World Liberty Financial’s native crypto, WLFI, is trading at $0.1168, marking a 3% decline over the past 24 hours. However, according to CoinGecko data, the cryptocurrency has increased by nearly 10% in the past seven days.  Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Reports say Goldman Sachs now holds a mix of crypto exposures that go beyond Bitcoin alone. Its chief executive, David Solomon, told an audience he owns a very small amount of Bitcoin while he watches how the market behaves. Related Reading: XRP On The Spotlight As Arizona Advances Landmark Digital Asset Bill That personal detail grabbed attention after investor Grant Cardone amplified the comment on social media, and it added another layer to what appears to be a deliberate, measured shift inside the firm. Token Holdings And Paper Losses Based on filings, Goldman Sach’s positions are spread across several major tokens. The firm shows exposure to about 13,740 Bitcoin held through US-listed spot ETFs, a stake worth roughly $920 million after a recent price slide. Ethereum accounts for about $1 billion of exposure. Smaller stakes in XRP and Solana come in at about $153 million and $108 million, respectively. David Solomon @GoldmanSachs just said at World Liberty Forum, “I’m still trying to figure out how Bitcoin behaves. I own a little bitcoin, very little.”@MarALago @worldlibertyfi pic.twitter.com/iepTMeE6lL — Grant Cardone (@GrantCardone) February 18, 2026 Altogether, crypto-linked ETF holdings add up to roughly $2.36 billion, according to the disclosure. These numbers mean the bank is carrying unrealized losses on some positions since prices fell sharply. Yet the holdings remain, which suggests an institutional view that does not chase every short-term move. Some of those choices were made after new spot ETF options launched for certain tokens, pushing the bank to broaden its lineup beyond Bitcoin and Ether. Exploring What Works Reports note that Goldman has also been quietly building out teams focused on tokenization, stablecoins, and other blockchain-based tools. Work on prediction markets and experiments with putting tokenized assets into parts of the balance sheet has been underway. Employees are testing ways these technologies might fit into existing services rather than upending them. The CEO’s phrasing was cautious. He said his firm is evaluating how these systems could be folded into core operations where they make sense, rather than rushing in just to be first. “I’m still trying to figure out how Bitcoin behaves. I own a little bitcoin, very little,” Solomon said. That tone lines up with a strategy of measured adoption — try, test, and integrate only when the fit is clear. A Public Signal With Private Limits World Liberty Forum provided the stage where Solomon shared his remarks, and the public nature of the comment matters. High-level executives admitting any personal crypto holdings is still newsworthy. It signals interest but not a full personal endorsement; he emphasized that his stake is small and that he remains in observation mode. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Powerful Rally Signal Is Back — Is History About To Repeat? Regulatory And Market Context The disclosure also comes as lawmakers and regulators continue to shape rules that could affect how banks use crypto tools. Clearer rules in Washington could accelerate practical uses, or at least make trial programs easier to run. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, continued its price struggles as traders weighed two stress-tinged signals from the US financial ecosystem. This week, there was a sudden $18.5 billion Federal Reserve overnight repo operation, and Blue Owl Capital has decided to permanently halt redemptions from a retail-focused private credit fund. In another era, either […]
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Newity has raised $11 million in new funding led by CMT Digital as it explores taking its small business lending platform onchain.

According to BitcoinTreasuries.net, American Bitcoin Corp now holds 6,039 BTC, placing the firm among the top 20 public corporate Bitcoin treasuries in the world. Related Reading: What Bitcoin Rout? Michael Saylor Unfazed, Teases New Accumulation That number is big on its face. It also carries more questions than answers for anyone who follows both crypto and small-cap stocks. Fast Accumulation Through Mining And Purchases Reports note the company has been piling on coins by keeping what it mines and by buying on the open market. Blockchain trackers and industry write-ups say roughly 217 BTC were added over the course of January alone, a fast clip for a company that listed barely six months ago. Today we reached an incredible milestone for American Bitcoin — Crossing 6,000 BTC in under 6 months since our Nasdaq debut! Today is a testament to @ABTC execution which has build one of the fastest-growing Public Bitcoin reserves in the world, outpacing many established… pic.twitter.com/JNjYZfeajL — Eric Trump (@EricTrump) February 17, 2026 Eric Trump Celebrates Eric Trump broadcast the milestone on social media, framing it as proof the plan works and that the treasury build was rapid and deliberate. The message landed with fans. The rest of the market has been less kind. Shares have tumbled hard since the Nasdaq debut, with multiple reports showing equity losses in the area of 80% from early highs. A stock that drops this far while its balance sheet grows makes clear that ownership of Bitcoin alone has not calmed investor nerves. JUST IN: Trump family-backed #Bitcoin miner American Bitcoin Corp $ABTC increased its holdings by 196 BTC and now holds a total of 6,039 BTC. ????Bitcoin 100 Ranking: 17???? pic.twitter.com/ydp2wbN1Xn — BitcoinTreasuries.NET (@BTCtreasuries) February 17, 2026 How The Rank Compares To Others The firm now sits ahead of household names on the list, including GameStop and Gemini Space Station Inc in raw BTC held. That comparison grabs headlines. It also masks the difference between a company that treats Bitcoin as a treasury reserve versus firms that hold BTC as one of many assets. Political Branding Cuts Through The Noise The venture carries a clear political stamp, with ties to the family of US President Donald Trump. That connection brings attention and capital at times, and it draws scrutiny at others. For investors who prefer to keep politics off their balance sheets, the association will affect sentiment just as surely as quarterly numbers do. Related Reading: Bitcoin To Top $500,000 By 2029? Entrepreneur Makes Bold Call Reports say analysts have mixed views: some see a bet on Bitcoin’s next leg higher, others point to governance, execution risk, and thin market float. A firm that refuses to sell mined coins essentially doubles down on the coin’s future price. That can be wildly profitable in a rally. It can be brutal in a drawdown. The math is plain — holding inventory exposes the company to the same swings retail holders face, but with public shares amplifying the effects. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Markets blinked hard this week. According to Checkonchain, a measure tied to recent Bitcoin buyers has dropped into extreme territory not seen since the late 2018 slump. Related Reading: XRP On The Spotlight As Arizona Advances Landmark Digital Asset Bill That metric compares where new buyers paid against price swings, and right now those who bought inside the last 155 days sit well below break-even on average. That creates stress. It can also mark a low if other pieces line up. Short-Term Holder Signal Flashes Again Reports say the Short-Term Holder Bollinger Band reading has pierced its lower band, a statistical cue that recent buyers are unusually underwater. In past cycles that kind of print arrived near major lows — a deep wash-out when selling activity peaked and then buying began to reclaim value. Realized losses among large short-term wallets have not exploded yet, which, based on reports from MatrixPort, hints that heavy hitters may be holding through the pullback rather than throwing in the towel. Reports note that a similar signal appeared before Bitcoin’s historic 1,900% rally from the late 2018 bottom to 2021. While past performance does not guarantee the same outcome, the comparison highlights how extreme stress among short-term holders has previously aligned with major long-term gains. ????Today’s #Matrixport Daily Chart – February 17, 2026 ⬇️ Bitcoin Sentiment Hits Extreme Lows ⁰— Durable Bottom Are Emerging? #Matrixport #Bitcoin #BTC #CryptoMarkets #MarketSentiment #FearAndGreed #RiskManagement #Volatility #CryptoResearch pic.twitter.com/WxJg3xrHSf — Matrixport Official (@Matrixport_EN) February 17, 2026 Price Action And Market Moves Price behavior has been messy. Bitcoin slipped under $67,000–$70,000 as risk-off flows hit markets. Traders point to rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the broader pull in risk assets as key drivers of the move. Reports say a note picked up by a popular media and TV firm relayed a Wells Fargo view that a seasonal surge in US tax refunds — the bank’s strategist described a sizable liquidity window — could re-route fresh cash toward risk bets, possibly supporting a rebound by the end of March. Bitcoin STH Bollingers most oversold in 8 years pic.twitter.com/tHyBv3V1Ge — Quinten | 048.eth (@QuintenFrancois) February 17, 2026 What History Can And Cannot Tell Us Looking back offers both comfort and caution. The oversold alarm flashed before a big rally after 2018, and a similar signal showed up ahead of the November 2022 trough that later produced a steep recovery. Reports note those moves unfolded against very different backdrops — money supply conditions, interest rates, and institutional involvement were not the same then as they are now. This time there are ETFs, more derivatives, and a tighter policy regime in some parts of the world. Past wins do not automatically repeat, but patterns can still guide risk-aware decisions. Related Reading: What Bitcoin Rout? Michael Saylor Unfazed, Teases New Accumulation Where This Leaves Traders And Longer-Term Holders Short-term pain may still come. Volatility can remain high while markets reconcile macro news and geopolitical shocks. Yet the stretched readings among recent buyers do improve the odds that a better buying window is near for anyone with a multi-year horizon. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Blockchain analytics platform Arkham has released a new report identifying the largest known Bitcoin (BTC) holders at the start of 2026, offering a detailed snapshot of how the cryptocurrency is distributed across individuals, corporations, governments, and financial institutions. Top Bitcoin Holders Looking across major ownership categories, Arkham’s verified on‑chain data shows that the largest individual holder remains Bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Nakamoto’s wallets contain 1,096,358 BTC, valued at approximately $75 billion, representing 5.5% of the total supply. Among cryptocurrency exchanges, Coinbase ranks first. The digital asset platform holds 993,069 BTC worth roughly $68 billion, accounting for about 5% of the circulating supply.  Related Reading: Macro Wobbles May Send Bitcoin Back To The $50,000s, Industry CEO Claims Binance, Robinhood, and Upbit also rank among the largest cryptocurrency exchange holders, with approximately 660,000 BTC, 184,000 BTC, and 180,000 BTC, respectively.  In the US sport Bitcoin exchange‑traded fund sector (ETF), BlackRock stands out as the largest ETF issuer by Bitcoin holdings, with 761,801 BTC valued at about $52 billion, equivalent to 3.8% of supply.  Asset manager and also crypto exchange-traded fund issuer Grayscale currently holds 218,000 BTC valued at around $20 billion, with all of its assets custodied by crypto exchange Coinbase. Strategy Leads Corporate BTC Race Strategy, formerly known as MicroStrategy, remains the largest public corporate holder. The company has accumulated Bitcoin steadily since August 2020, making purchases every few weeks.  Its total holdings now stand at 714,644 BTC, worth approximately $54.3 billion. Of that amount, 415,230 BTC are directly confirmed on‑chain, valued at $28 billion, representing 2.1% of supply, while the broader total equates to roughly 3.5%. Other public companies are also building significant reserves. MARA, a North American Bitcoin mining firm, operates nine mining facilities and averaged 22.7 BTC mined per day in September 2025.  Arkham data shows MARA controls 13,000 BTC on‑chain, valued at about $864 million, though the company reports a treasury reserve of 53,200 BTC.  The Biggest Private And Government Holders Private companies also command sizable Bitcoin positions. Tether leads this group with 96,369 BTC valued at $6.5 billion, representing 0.48% of total supply. SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, holds 8,285 BTC, according to Arkham’s verified data.  Additionally, the Bitcoin Treasuries website lists Block.one as the largest private corporate holder with 164,000 BTC. However, Arkham notes that Block.one’s holdings cannot be independently verified on‑chain.  Related Reading: $274 Billion In Potential Bitcoin Selling Could Hit Markets, Expert Says Government holdings form another key category. Arkham’s data identifies the United States government as the largest verified state holder, with 328,372 BTC worth approximately $22 billion, representing 1.64% of the total supply.  The United Arab Emirates is also emerging as a major player. Arkham identified significant mining activity in the Gulf state, with 6,800 BTC attributed to operations conducted by Citadel, a public mining firm majority‑owned by the UAE Royal Group through International Holding Company (IHC). At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading at around $66,299. It registered losses of 2% and 1.2% in the 24-hour and seven-day time frames, respectively. This has prevented the token from surpassing the nearest resistance wall at $70,000.   Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

Speaking at the World Liberty Forum in Mar-a-Lago on Wednesday, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon called for the United States to establish a clearly defined, rules-based framework governing how crypto markets operate. Goldman CEO Urges Clear Rules In an interview with CNBC, Solomon said it is essential that lawmakers take a long‑term view as they shape crypto legislation. “As an American, I think it is very important that as we put legislation in place, we get it right for the long term,” he said.  Related Reading: Macro Wobbles May Send Bitcoin Back To The $50,000s, Industry CEO Claims “I believe that to operate markets safely and soundly, we need to have a rules‑based system,” he added. Solomon emphasized that the US banking system is distinct and must function alongside emerging technologies rather than be displaced by them. He also dismissed the notion that crypto can thrive in a “regulatory vacuum.” “If there are people who think we are going to operate in this environment without rules, they are probably wrong, and they should move to El Salvador,” Solomon remarked, underscoring his view that structure and oversight are non‑negotiable. At the same time, Solomon made clear that Goldman Sachs is paying attention to digital assets. He described himself as “super‑interested in” crypto‑related business and noted that the firm is active in areas such as digitization and tokenization.  “We obviously are doing a bunch of things around digitization and tokenization,” he said. “We touch all that stuff.” Still, the bank’s CEO cautioned that digital assets remain a relatively small slice of Goldman’s overall operations.  Crypto Market Structure Bill To Be Signed By End Of April? Solomon’s comments came as debate intensifies in Washington over the fate of the anticipated crypto market structure bill, often referred to as the CLARITY Act.  Earlier in the day, Senator Bernie Moreno acknowledged that he still has “some concerns” about the bill. Nevertheless, he expressed optimism that Congress could pass the measure “hopefully by April,” clearing the way for President Donald Trump to sign it into law. Moreno also dismissed concerns that delays could jeopardize the bill if Democrats were to regain control of Congress in November’s midterm elections.  With some Republicans worried about potentially losing at least the House, Moreno projected confidence. “The House isn’t going to go Democrat, and neither is the Senate,” he predicted. Related Reading: $274 Billion In Potential Bitcoin Selling Could Hit Markets, Expert Says Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse also suggested on Tuesday that once remaining disputes over stablecoin rewards between banking and crypto sectors are resolved, the CLARITY Act could move quickly toward passage.  While acknowledging that the bill is not flawless, he maintained that no legislation ever is. He went further, estimating there is an 80% chance the market structure bill will be signed into law by the end of April. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Arizona moved closer this week to setting up a public reserve of cryptocurrency after lawmakers pushed a bill forward that names XRP among the tokens that could be held. Related Reading: What Bitcoin Rout? Michael Saylor Unfazed, Teases New Accumulation The push came after a committee vote that cleared one of the early hurdles for Senate Bill SB1649, and the mention of XRP has already drawn attention from traders and public officials who track crypto policy. Committee Vote Moves Bill Forward According to reports, the measure won a 4–2 vote on February 16 and now heads toward the next steps in the chamber where it started. The vote came in a session run by the Arizona Senate Finance Committee, which backed language allowing the state treasurer to hold, custody, and invest digital assets that end up in state hands. Reports note the measure would cover coins seized in law enforcement actions or surrendered to the state, and it would authorize modern custody options and regulated exchange-traded vehicles for safekeeping. What The Fund Would Hold The plan is straightforward on paper: create a fund, transfer qualifying assets into a managed reserve, and let officials use advanced custody tools to manage risk. Reports say XRP is on the list of eligible assets. That inclusion puts a spotlight on a token that has faced regulatory uncertainty in the past but also has a vocal group of supporters who argue it has a use case in cross-border payments. Some people see the move as a step toward routine public-sector dealings with cryptocurrencies; other observers warn it could raise legal, accounting, and operational questions that are not yet fully answered. Market And Policy Reactions Traders reacted with a mix of caution and optimism. A handful of market watchers noted that any state-level acceptance of a specific token can nudge sentiment, even if the actual impact on supply and demand is limited. Legal experts will likely scrutinize the bill’s text closely if it advances, especially around custody rules and how the fund values and reports holdings. There are also practical matters: who will audit these assets, how will they be insured, and what governance rules will guide when and how the fund can buy, sell, or hold tokens. Related Reading: Bitcoin Falls, But Robert Kiyosaki Says He’s ‘Excited’ And Buys More XRP Price Action At the time of writing, XRP was trading at $1.46, up 0.7% and 6.7% in the daily and weekly frames. Featured image from Gemini, chart from TradingView

Bitcoin sits on edge again, trading below the critical $68,000 level after a volatile stretch that erased around 28% from its price in about a month. Prices are swinging hard, and that swing has pushed smart-money talk and wild bets into the same room. Related Reading: Bitcoin Should Be Flying—Instead, Quantum Risk Keeps It Grounded: Analyst Experts Offer Starkly Different Paths According to some investors, a deep bargain is forming. Andrew Parish, a serial entrepreneur and outspoken Bitcoin proponent, argues that mood matters — when retail traders turn gloomy, big buyers can step in and lift markets fast. He put a bold target on the table: $500,000 within a few years if flows and sentiment flip. Ric Edelman, a veteran investor, has a similar headline number but with a slower clock; his math rests on broad wealth moving a tiny slice into crypto over time. Both views hinge on steady inflows and more investors taking small positions in crypto. GM. Bitcoin sub $70K is a gift. Buy more. In three years $BTC will trade above $500K. — Andrew (@AP_Abacus) February 16, 2026 A Bear Case That Cuts Deep On the other side, the warning is loud and clear. Bloomberg macro strategist Mike McGlone has painted a much darker path, saying an 85% drop could be possible and that $10,000 should not be dismissed. Legendary Investor Ric Edelman: “I believe #bitcoin can reach $500,000 by 2030.” ???? pic.twitter.com/XNQFTbuA69 — Altcoin Daily (@AltcoinDaily) February 16, 2026 He points to stronger stock markets, lower market swings, and fading political tailwinds tied to US President Donald Trump as reasons capital might stay away from risky bets. Markets can be moved by big shifts in where money chooses to sit, and moments like this can put a damper on optimism quickly. Collapsing Bitcoin/Cryptos May Guide the Next Recession – “Healthy Correction” is what we should hear soon from stock market analysts (who risk unemployment if not onboard), following collapsing cryptos. The buy the dips mantra since 2008 may be over, here’s why: – US stock… pic.twitter.com/fPPc2fV3EU — Mike McGlone (@mikemcglone11) February 15, 2026 Flows And Sentiment Matter Reports note that exchange-traded funds saw heavy withdrawals recently. On-chain readings flagged hundreds of millions in outflows in a short window. A separate fear-and-greed meter cratered to very low readings, signaling panic among small traders. Those two facts together help explain why price fell so sharply; when many try to leave, price can slip faster than logic expects. That said, outflows can also clear the way for a different type of buyer to move in later. Related Reading: What Bitcoin Rout? Michael Saylor Unfazed, Teases New Accumulation On Institutional Behavior & Lofty Price Targets Meanwhile, institutional behavior will be the key variable. Large managers could buy when retail is jittery, and some market watchers point to companies that have built crypto desks as potential demand anchors. Despite the uncertainty, the $500,000 mark remains the headline grabber for bullish investors. Parish’s call captures attention because it ties sentiment swings to potential market moves, while Edelman’s projections underline how even modest allocations from global wealth could push Bitcoin higher over time. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

The World Liberty Forum held this week at Mar‑a‑Lago featured remarks from President Donald Trump’s sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., who used the event to reaffirm their strong support for Bitcoin (BTC) and repeat their long‑standing $1 million price projection for the cryptocurrency. ‘Never Been More Bullish On Bitcoin’ Speaking on Wednesday, Eric Trump described himself as “a huge proponent of Bitcoin” and said he has never felt more optimistic about the asset’s future. “I’ve never been more bullish on bitcoin in my life,” he said, arguing that the digital currency has the potential to eventually reach $1 million per coin. Related Reading: Macro Wobbles May Send Bitcoin Back To The $50,000s, Industry CEO Claims However, amid falling Bitcoin prices, Eric acknowledged the asset’s volatility and characterized price swings as typical for an emerging technology with significant growth potential. In his view, Bitcoin’s upside contrasts sharply with traditional fixed‑income investments such as municipal bonds or US Treasuries (T-Bills), which generally offer lower yields. At the same time, Donald Trump Jr. offered sharp criticism of the traditional banking system, calling it a “Ponzi scheme” and arguing that the family’s move into crypto was not driven by trend‑chasing but by necessity.  Trump Brothers Accuse Banks Of Political ‘Debanking’ During an interview with CNBC at the forum, Donald Trump Jr. said his family turned to digital assets after banks closed “hundreds of accounts” belonging to the Trump Organization in early 2021. “You know, we didn’t get into crypto because we were on the leading edge,” Trump Jr. said. “We got into it out of necessity. They basically forced us into it.”  The brothers attributed the account closures to the political fallout following the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol, when supporters of their father stormed the building while contesting the 2020 presidential election results.  Related Reading: $274 Billion In Potential Bitcoin Selling Could Hit Markets, Expert Says They also claimed that banks had “debanked” other smaller clients over their conservative political views. Eric Trump said their crypto initiative, World Liberty Financial, is part of a broader effort to reshape the financial system.  “We’re trying to modernize finance,” he said, adding that the family felt ostracized by mainstream institutions during that period. “We’re the most canceled people in the world in 2020, 2021,” he said. As of this writing, Bitcoin is still consolidating at approximately $66,258. This represents a 50% difference from the current trading prices and the all-time high of $126,000, which was reached last October.  Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Eligible U.S. users, excluding those in New York, can now borrow up to $100,000 in USDC without selling the four tokens, Coinbase said.

Arthur Hayes has issued a stark market warning: he sees a growing split between his preferred risk gauge, Bitcoin, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 as a signal that credit stress may be building under the surface. Related Reading: What Bitcoin Rout? Michael Saylor Unfazed, Teases New Accumulation Hayes, a co-founder and former CEO of cryptocurrency exchange BitMEX, calls Bitcoin a “fiat liquidity fire alarm” — an asset that reacts quickly when credit conditions change. A Warning From Market Signals When two assets that often moved together start to pull apart, traders take notice. Hayes believes that a gap like this deserves investigation because it could point to trouble in bank balance sheets or in the flow of lending. He argues the move is not about one stock or one trade; it is about the plumbing of credit and how fast liquidity can dry up when things turn. How AI Job Cuts Could Ripple Through Credit Reports note that companies cited AI as a reason for thousands of layoffs in recent years, with an outplacement firm counting roughly 55,000 cuts in 2025 that were tied to AI. Much of that hit was inside tech. Hayes sketches a rough scenario: a sizable drop in knowledge-worker employment would weaken mortgage and consumer credit repayment, which could then shave bank equity and tighten lending. The numbers he offers are approximate and built on multiple assumptions, but they are intended to show how a shock to white-collar paychecks could cascade into the credit system. Expectations About Central Bank Action Hayes expects a policy response if banks start to fail and credit freezes. He argues the Federal Reserve would step in with fresh liquidity, and that more money creation would follow — a move he says would be favorable for Bitcoin’s price outlook. That scenario has been a recurring theme in his commentary; past essays and posts have linked anticipated Fed liquidity to sharp rallies in crypto markets. Altcoin Bets And Fund Positioning His fund, Maelstrom, is said to plan staking or stablecoin deployments into privacy-focused and exchange-native plays once liquidity policy shifts occur, naming Zcash and Hyperliquid as examples. That kind of tactical stance is meant to profit from a short-term surge in risk assets after a policy pivot. Related Reading: XRP Emerges As The Crypto Everyone’s Talking About, Grayscale Says A Measured View This is a dramatic chain of events: AI job losses lead to credit losses, which cause bank stress, which forces the central bank to expand money supply, which lifts Bitcoin. Each link is plausible, but none is guaranteed. Some of Hayes’ figures are rough estimates meant to illustrate risk rather than to act as a precise forecast. Market history shows that central banks do sometimes step in, and that policy moves can power asset rallies, but outcomes depend on timing, scale and public confidence — factors that are hard to predict in advance. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

A fraying global order and a renewed bid for gold may be the early setup for the next crypto cycle, even if Bitcoin hasn’t confirmed the signal yet. That’s the argument from Will Taylor (@Cryptoinsightuk), who laid out a macro-to-crypto framework in a Jan. 17 X post. Taylor framed his post as an attempt to timestamp his thinking rather than deliver a clean forecast. “I’m going to try and relate this as much to crypto as possible, because that’s where the majority of my investments reside,” he wrote. Taylor’s starting point is qualitative but clear: “something feels different,” and the shift has accelerated over the last five to six years. He points to a US-led “rules-based order” showing “early signs of fragility,” referencing Trump’s tariffs and the Russia-Ukraine war, particularly the decision to limit Russia’s ability to transact in US dollars. Gold, in his view, is the market’s canary. He argues sanctions pressure may have helped push gold out of a long consolidation, and that gold’s acceleration is less about a simple inflation trade and more about confidence. “When you see an acceleration in gold… what it’s displaying… is a lack of trust in the world’s current economy and structure,” he wrote. “The lack of trust is displayed by the price accelerating higher… because that trust is starting to break.” Related Reading: Crypto Funds Bleed $173M As Outflows Extend To Fourth Week – Report That’s where Taylor turns the lens onto crypto. If the defining macro variable is trust decay — a scenario where decentralisation should be valuable — why isn’t crypto already repricing? Taylor frames it as a fork: either crypto’s value proposition is impaired, or the market is simply in a short-term pullback inside a larger cycle. Taylor highlights a specific narrative pressure point: Bitcoin’s relationship to gold. Since October, he says Bitcoin has deviated from its prior correlation with gold. To realign that relationship, he argues Bitcoin would need to be “currently around $170,000.” He presents that level less as a target and more as a marker for how wide the gap has become between “gold is screaming uncertainty” and “Bitcoin is still negotiating its role.” He also acknowledges the uncomfortable alternative: that the narrative breaks and the correlation doesn’t return. Taylor’s counterweight is a late-cycle liquidity argument. He notes that in end-of-cycle transitions “everything in the market pumps,” pointing to historical episodes where asset prices surged before major resets, and he argues governments will lean on the familiar lever: fiat creation to try to preserve the current system. In that framing, gold’s strength could be a symptom of currency debasement already underway, while Bitcoin’s lag could be exactly that: lag. The Bull Case: Exponential Repricing, Crypto Rotation Taylor ultimately leans toward a sharp upside repricing. He argues Bitcoin is technically coiled and narratively positioned as a borderless asset in a world drifting toward bipolar or multipolar blocs. Even if the system becomes more fractured — and even if there is “rot” in parts of crypto — he argues the market lacks a better digital alternative for portability and speed, especially for machine-driven activity. He then pushes the idea into a mania scenario, writing that Bitcoin could reach $200,000 to $500,000, and potentially “$500,000 plus” if liquidity from larger markets moves meaningfully into Bitcoin. His core mechanism is not just market-cap arithmetic, but supply-demand dynamics: a concentrated wave of demand colliding with limited marginal supply can move price faster than most models expect. Related Reading: After Extreme Pessimism, Crypto Market Conditions Begin To Stabilize: Analysts Taylor’s more distinctive claim is that altcoins could lead the next leg. “If crypto is going to survive as an asset class, it won’t be Bitcoin as leading the market,” he wrote, arguing Bitcoin is largely a store-of-value rail, while a functional financial layer requires faster value transfer, smart contracts, and “a bunch of other financial tools” associated with legacy markets. In his view, if crypto becomes infrastructure — for AI-era payments and global settlement — “an altcoin is going to, or a mixture of altcoins are going to have to come to the center of the stage.” Volatility Compression And Price Targets Taylor also leans on technical signals. He points to a broader bearish structure in Bitcoin dominance and tight Bollinger Band compression as evidence that volatility is “around the corner.” He notes the emergence of a “quantum risk” narrative around Bitcoin’s cryptography, while arguing that negative narratives tend to cluster when sentiment is already depressed. On cycle structure, he argues crypto cycles have compressed in both duration and magnitude: 22,000% over 853 days (2015 to Feb. 2018), then roughly 1,200% over 395 days in the next cycle (starting from the C19 sell-off). Extending that pattern, he suggests the market could add roughly 600% “within 184 days,” sketching a “back of the napkin” path toward a total crypto value around $16 trillion. From there he proposes a scenario where $6 trillion flows into stablecoins and the remainder into liquid crypto exposure, implying downstream effects on DeFi and the networks stablecoins run on. Under that backdrop, he floats aggressive price outcomes: ETH at $30,000–$40,000, XRP at $20–$25, and Solana at $2,000 — while acknowledging how extreme those projections look from today’s vantage point. At press time, the total crypto market cap stood at $2.3 trillion. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

Robert Kiyosaki expects a sharp market slide and sees it as a chance to add to his holdings. He has named Bitcoin and Ethereum alongside gold and silver as places to park money when prices tumble. Related Reading: Bitcoin Should Be Flying—Instead, Quantum Risk Keeps It Grounded: Analyst The book author and crypto figure calls scarcity a simple reason to act now. That idea is not new, but he is putting fresh public emphasis on buying during market panic. “I am so excited and bullish on Bitcoin I am buying more and more as Bitcoin’s price goes down,” Kiyosaki said in an X post. Kiyosaki’s Scarcity Argument Kiyosaki’s view rests on one clear point: some assets are limited. Bitcoin’s capped supply is used as the main example. He believes limited supply can protect value when currencies are under pressure. “I will be buying more Bitcoin as people panic and sell into the coming crash,” he said. The strategy he’s talking about is to keep buying during price drops, taking advantage of panic to pick up more at lower levels. I Am Warning You: In Rich Dad’s Prophecy published 2013 I warned of the biggest stock market crash in history still coming. That giant crash is now imminent. The good news is those of you who followed my rich dad’s warning and prepared….the coming crash will make you richer… — Robert Kiyosaki (@theRealKiyosaki) February 17, 2026 For people who can handle big swings, that approach may produce strong gains over many years. It is an aggressive stance, and it relies on the buyer staying calm while markets move wildly around them. “This coming crash may make you richer beyond your wildest dreams if you realize crashes are the best of times to get richer,” Kiyosaki said. Market Voices Push Back Not everyone agrees with that approach. Billionaire Warren Buffett has long warned that crypto looks speculative, and financial commentator Peter Schiff argues that digital coins lack a reliable store of value. Their warnings are blunt: prices can fall much further and stay low for a long time. This tension between bullish accumulation and caution is shaping investor debate right now. Price swings in a short span are not uncommon, and those moves can test conviction. What To Watch Next Liquidity and regulatory shifts remain key factors. Large drops have often been amplified when buyers pull back or regulators implement sudden rule changes. Exchange outages, forced selling by major holders, and rapid swings in lending markets have triggered past selloffs. Reports note that macro headlines and shifts in sentiment among big investors can drive prices lower even when long-term fundamentals appear steady. Steady accumulation during such periods has historically depended on the ability to endure these shocks. Related Reading: What Bitcoin Rout? Michael Saylor Unfazed, Teases New Accumulation A Plain Takeaway Kiyosaki is making a choice about how to deal with risk: accept volatility and buy more, or avoid it and likely miss big rebounds. Both approaches have been proven right at different times. Short-term noise will be loud and distracting. Long-term results will be shown by market prices and by who keeps their nerve. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView