THE LATEST CRYPTO NEWS

Bitcoin (BTC) has wrapped up February with its fifth straight monthly loss, marking only the second time in its history that the leading cryptocurrency has printed five consecutive red candles on the monthly chart.  Upside Call Options Surge The latest decline saw Bitcoin fall to around $63,000 last Saturday, representing a roughly 15% drop for the month of February. However, the start of March has brought a modest rebound.  The asset opened the first week of the month at $68,600, posting gains of just over 3% as it attempts to reclaim the $70,000 level, which has continuously acted as a significant resistance barrier over the past several weeks. Related Reading: Dogecoin (DOGE) Slips Toward Critical Support, Breakdown Threat Emerges Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, market participants appear relatively composed. Markus Thielen, head of research at 10x Research, said traders do not anticipate the Iran conflict causing major economic disruption.  In a note to Bloomberg, Thielen said that demand for upside Bitcoin call options has increased in recent days, suggesting that some investors are positioning for a potential rally ahead of the upcoming Federal Reserve (Fed) meeting. The current setup has also reignited historical comparisons. The last time Bitcoin experienced a similar string of red monthly candles was during the 2018–2019 bear market.  In that earlier cycle, the asset went on to print six consecutive monthly losses. What followed was a sharp reversal: five straight green candles and a 308% surge, with Bitcoin climbing from roughly $3,400 to $14,000. Market Watchers Split On Bitcoin Outlook Market expert Ash Crypto recently highlighted this pattern on social media, suggesting that if history were to repeat, Bitcoin could be approaching a cyclical bottom after its fifth red month.  A comparable 300% advance from current trading levels would imply a potential move toward $272,000. Such a projection, however, depends on whether the recent lows ultimately prove to be the final bottom of this correction. Related Reading: XRP Faces $650 Million Sell Risk As US-Iran Conflict Sparks Risk-Off Move Not all analysts are convinced that the downside is over. Technical analyst Virtual Bacon has outlined the possibility of further retracement before a sustained recovery can be expected.  He identified $65,000—previously an all-time high—as the first key level, noting that the price has already revisited that zone. For those who subscribe to the thesis that former highs often turn into support, he suggested that the opportunity may already be present. A deeper pullback, in his view, could bring Bitcoin toward $58,000, where the 200-week simple moving average (SMA) currently sits. Historically, that long-term indicator has played a critical role in defining market bottoms.  It helped contain the sharp selloff during the 2020 COVID-19 crash, marked the absolute low in 2018, and was tested multiple times in 2015 without ever closing below it every week.  Because of this track record, the 200-week moving average has been widely regarded as one of the most reliable long-term accumulation zones in Bitcoin’s history. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

CME Group, the world’s largest derivatives marketplace, is expanding its footprint in crypto with the launch of new futures contracts tied to Cardano (ADA), Chainlink (LINK), and Stellar (XLM).  In a blog post published Monday, the exchange confirmed that the crypto contracts went live on February 9, marking another step in the steady buildout of its regulated cryptocurrency product suite. New Futures And Index Launch Plan With the addition of ADA, LINK and XLM, CME now offers futures products covering seven major crypto assets. According to the company’s own estimates, the expanded lineup represents exposure to more than 75% of the total cryptocurrency market capitalization.  Related Reading: Bitcoin And Ethereum Prices Are Recovering Again, But Will The US-Israel War Derail It? The new crypto contracts are cash-settled and reference the CME CF Reference Rates. Each token is available in both standard and micro-sized contracts, allowing for participation from a broad range of institutional and smaller market participants. The first LINK and XLM futures trades were executed between FalconX and Marex, while the inaugural ADA transactions took place between Cumberland DRW and Wintermute.  In addition to the new token-specific contracts, CME revealed plans to roll out a Nasdaq CME Crypto Index futures product, targeted for launch on March 16, pending regulatory approval.  Crypto Derivatives Hit Record Volumes In 2025 In its blog post, the company also highlighted the rapid growth of its crypto derivatives business. In 2025, CME recorded a milestone year for its digital asset product suite, reporting an average daily volume of 278,300 contracts.  Related Reading: Wall Street Giant JPMorgan Sees Clarity Act Driving Second-Half Upside That figure translates to roughly $12 billion in notional value traded each day. Growth has also been reflected in rising average daily open interest, underscoring sustained institutional engagement since the product line’s inception. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Bitcoin has continued to trade defensively near the mid-$60,000s as traders balance rising Iran-related war risk and interest-rate pressures.

Bitcoin saw its price crash toward $60,000 last week, and naturally, investor sentiment took a plunge with it. Now, while the sentiment has been in a decline for the better part of five months, what stands out this time is how low the score on the Bitcoin Fear & Greed Index has gotten. In fact, the sentiment surrounding the crypto market has dropped so low that it has gotten to a point that has only been hit twice in the history of Bitcoin. Bitcoin Fear & Greed Index Crashes To 9 Since hitting its all-time high of $126,000 back in August 2025, the sentiment has been ping-ponging, but now, it seems to have determined a direction. The trend has been mainly downward, and then last week, the index dropped to a low of 9. Related Reading: Analyst Says XRP’s $15 Target Has Still Not Changed – Here’s Why The Bitcoin Fear & Greed Index tracks the sentiment across the market using a number of factors, such as social sentiment and volume, among others. Thus, it gives a rather comprehensive view of how investors are feeling toward the market. The index ranges from 1-100, with 100-75 being Extreme Greed, 74-54 being Greed, 53-47 being Neutral, 46-26 being Fear, and 25-1 being Extreme Fear. Presently, the market is sitting in Extreme Fear, which means that investors are wary of getting into the market. More importantly, though, the last two times that the market sentiment was this low were the 2018-2019 bear market and then the FTX crypto exchange crash back in 2022. What’s interesting about these two different posts in history is what followed after the sentiment dropped this low. The initial reaction to this seems to be very similar, with a long accumulation trend following each time. Usually, this trend lasts for a few months, suggesting that the market is using this time to build up momentum. Related Reading: How High Will The Dogecoin Price Be If Bitcoin Reaches $200,000? However, like clockwork, there has been a steady upward move, meaning that sentiment this low could mark the end of the bear market. This then leads to the start of the bull market, and by the next year, the price is often hitting new all-time highs. Using this trend, it is likely that the Bitcoin price has hit or is close to hitting its bottom. In that case, a long period of accumulation could be the next course of action, and this could inevitably lead to the start of the next bull market. However, it is important to keep in mind that there have been points where Bitcoin has deviated from its set historical trend as new investors and macro factors begin to affect the financial markets. Featured image from Dall.E, chart from TradingView.com

The past few days have seen shocking developments on the geopolitical front, with the United States and Israel launching coordinated strikes against Iran. The operation took place on Saturday, February 28, 2026, and because cryptocurrency markets trade around the clock, Bitcoin’s price action quickly reflected the shock. Bitcoin became the world’s real-time measure of fear, plunging, recovering, and leaving traders bracing for what comes next. Related Reading: Vitalik Buterin Lays Out A Plan To Make Ethereum 1,000 Times More Capable The Initial Shock: Bitcoin Tumbles Below $64,000 Bitcoin’s price action took a hit almost as soon as reports emerged that US and Israeli forces were conducting military operations inside Iran. Notably, Bitcoin plunged from a price of $65,572 to $63,176 in about an hour overnight following word of the strikes.  According to data from The Kobeissi Letter, over $100 million worth of leveraged Bitcoin longs were liquidated in just 15 minutes after the news broke out. The scale of the sell-off was significant: about $128 billion was wiped off the overall crypto market in a single hour as liquidations surged across global exchanges.  However, Bitcoin did not stay down for long after the initial plunge. The largest cryptocurrency started to stage a rebound as traders speculated on unfolding developments, including confirmation of the death of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei during the attacks. Early Asian trading saw BTC climb back above $67,000, regaining some ground as markets reevaluated the situation and eased momentary panic.  Bitcoin rose as much as 2.21% above $68,000 following the news of Khamenei’s death, with Coingecko data pointing to an intraday high of $68,043. Still, the recovery has been uneven, with price action reflecting ongoing uncertainty over how the geopolitical tensions will be resolved. At the time of writing, Bitcoin’s price action has corrected a bit from this intraday high and is now trading at $66,310. What Comes Next: Analysts Warn The Rally May Be Fragile Despite the bounce, market analysts across social media platforms are recommending caution. The real price reaction will happen on Monday when US equity markets and Bitcoin ETFs reopen. As it stands, the attacks are not yet a contained event, with missiles still hitting Dubai and Iranian retaliation across the Gulf. There is also the risk of a full closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran. Related Reading: Bitcoin Sell-Off Slows Down, But The Road To Recovery Is Long — Analyst Bitcoin is already currently down by almost 50% from its all-time peak of over $126,000 earlier in October 2024, unable to latch on to rallies in gold, silver, and other assets. All eyes will be on Monday’s market open, when the entire traditional investment niche starts to react to the full weight of the world’s most dramatic geopolitical escalation in years. Bitcoin is already in a fragile state, and because of that, a move to $60,000 could play out during the week if there’s any form of selling pressure. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds have finally returned to positive territory after enduring five straight weeks of capital withdrawals. Flow data shows that the just-concluded week delivered a strong rebound in investor demand, although the late surge was not enough to fully repair the damage recorded earlier in February. Investors Pour $787 Million Into Spot Bitcoin ETFs According to data from SoSoValue, Spot Bitcoin ETFs posted a combined $787.31 million in net inflows during the week, which was the first green weekly print after five consecutive weeks of outflows. The turnaround was mostly facilitated by three straight days of positive flows on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, which helped tip the balance back into positive territory. Related Reading: Bitcoin Sell-Off Slows Down, But The Road To Recovery Is Long — Analyst Last week’s numbers and the change in momentum show that institutional and ETF-based investors chose last week to step back into Bitcoin after an extended period of consecutive outflows. However, despite the strong weekly performance, the entire monthly net flow still ended in red due to the depth of withdrawals that occurred earlier in the month. As such, February ultimately closed with a total net outflow of $206.52 million from Spot Bitcoin ETFs. Spot Bitcoin Weekly Netflows. Source: SoSoValue The resilience of ETF holders was also highlighted by crypto pundit Nate Geraci on the social media platform X. He noted that investors in Spot Bitcoin ETFs have largely maintained conviction during recent Bitcoin downturns.  Geraci’s remarks described the recent withdrawals as modest in the broader context of the asset class’s overall growth. He pointed out that since Bitcoin reached its record high in early October, Spot Bitcoin ETFs have experienced about $6.5 billion in net outflows. However, he also noted that this figure is small relative to the $55 billion that the funds have attracted since their launch in January 2024. He also referenced the over $1 billion in inflows from Tuesday to Thursday, which is another example of how quickly sentiment can change. Spot Ethereum ETFs Follow The Recovery The rebound was not limited to Bitcoin-based funds. Spot Ethereum ETFs also recorded investor interest midweek, breaking what would have become a six-week streak of consecutive outflows. For the week, Spot Ethereum ETFs finished with a net inflow of $80.46 million. Although smaller in scale compared to Bitcoin’s figures, the inflow is the first broader stabilization in crypto ETF sentiment. Spot Ethereum Weekly Netflows. Source: SoSoValue Related Reading: Vitalik Buterin Lays Out A Plan To Make Ethereum 1,000 Times More Capable Taken together, the inflows into both Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs indicate that institutional appetite may be rebuilding after several weeks of consecutive withdrawals. Whether this is the beginning of a sustained recovery or a short-term relief bounce will also depend on broader market conditions and how current geopolitical tensions resolve in the weeks ahead. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Ethereum users may soon interact with the blockchain in ways that were not possible before. According to co-founder Vitalik Buterin, native smart accounts — a feature that has been in the works for over a decade — are now expected to arrive within the year as part of the network’s upcoming Hegota upgrade. Related Reading: Bitcoin In The Line Of Fire: Price Dips To $63k As US, Israel Launch Strikes On Iran Privacy Tools Stand To Benefit Most For privacy-focused users, this shift could matter more than most people realize. Protocols like Railgun have long depended on middlemen called “public broadcasters” to push transactions through. These go-betweens have been a persistent source of headaches for users. Reports say Buterin wants to remove them entirely by replacing that system with a general-purpose public memory pool — cutting out the intermediary and putting more control directly in the hands of the user. His words were direct: “Intermediary minimization is a core principle of non-ugly cypherpunk Ethereum — maximize what you can do even if all the world’s infrastructure except the Ethereum chain itself goes down.” That is a strong statement. And it signals just how seriously the Ethereum team takes self-sufficiency at the protocol level. Now, account abstraction. We have been talking about account abstraction ever since early 2016, see the original EIP-86: https://t.co/HYLSTLHgWH Now, we finally have EIP-8141 ( https://t.co/jYqeS55j6P ), an omnibus that wraps up and solves every remaining problem that AA was… — vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) February 28, 2026 A Decade In The Making Buterin acknowledged the long road to get here. He pointed out that account abstraction has been discussed since early 2016. Now, with EIP-8141 bundled into the Hegota fork, the goal is to finally tie up every problem the concept was originally meant to fix — and then some. The Ethereum Foundation’s public roadmap, called the “Strawmap,” places native account abstraction in the second half of 2026. The technical approach being proposed centers on what Buterin calls “frame transactions.” Rather than a transaction being one single action, it becomes a series of frames. Each frame can point to another’s data, and each can authorize a sender or a gas payer. One frame handles the signature check. Another handles execution. It is modular by design and built to be broadly useful. This also means paying transaction fees without holding ETH becomes possible. Users could pay in other tokens through a paymaster contract or a specialized exchange that supplies ETH on the spot — no third party needed. Related Reading: Vitalik Buterin Lays Out A Plan To Make Ethereum 1,000 Times More Capable Quantum Resistance Also In Scope The Hegota upgrade is not stopping at smart accounts. Buterin also rolled out a separate quantum resistance roadmap earlier in the week, identifying four areas of concern: validator signatures, data storage, user account signatures, and zero-knowledge proofs. Existing accounts are expected to fit into the new framework without being left behind, gaining access to batch operations and transaction sponsorship along the way. After 10 years of promises, the pieces finally appear to be falling into place. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Hyperliquid (HYPE), one of the largest decentralized exchanges (DEXs) in the crypto sector, is preparing a significant upgrade that could reshape how new projects launch tokens on its platform.  The proposal, known as HIP-6, introduces a framework designed to enable permissionless, on-chain token launches without relying on the off‑chain capital-raising methods that many teams currently use. New Hyperliquid Proposal  Details of the proposal were shared on social media by James Evans of Reciprocal Ventures. According to Evans, HIP-6 establishes a permissionless token launch auction for new HIP-1 assets, specifically tailored for teams seeking to issue tokens directly on Hyperliquid.  The system adapts Uniswap’s continuous clearing auction model to function within Hyperliquid’s central limit order book (CLOB) environment, allowing token launches to occur natively within the exchange’s infrastructure. Related Reading: Jane Street Faces New Lawsuit: Trump Media Calls For Federal Investigation At present, while HIP-1 and HIP-2 already allow permissionless token deployment and automated liquidity provisioning, gaps remain in capital formation and price discovery.  Teams launching tokens on Hyperliquid often need to secure funding off chain, manually provide their own liquidity to seed HIP-2 pools, or release tokens into relatively thin order books.  These limitations have meant that, despite its technical strengths, Hyperliquid has not yet reached feature parity with other high-performance ecosystems and exchanges when it comes to initial token offerings.  HIP-6 is designed to close that gap, though participation will remain optional for projects. By integrating capital raising and liquidity seeding into a single on-chain flow, the proposal aims to simplify the process for founders.  Funds raised during the auction would be split automatically between the token deployer and liquidity provision through HIP-2, reducing operational friction and reliance on external arrangements. Auction Structure And Ecosystem Growth A core component of the proposal is its approach to price discovery. Instead of a one‑time auction vulnerable to timing strategies, HIP-6 uses a continuous clearing auction that unfolds over multiple blocks.  This structure is intended to determine a fair market price while minimizing the “sniping” and last‑minute bidding behavior often seen in traditional token launches. The upgrade also seeks to strengthen the broader ecosystem around Hyperliquid. By creating utility for aligned quote assets, HIP-6 could contribute to higher total value locked (TVL) in those assets and generate yield for the platform’s Assistance Fund.  Related Reading: Circle Tops Q4 Revenue Forecasts, Shares Surge 30% — Key Numbers Inside While HIP-6 addresses how new tokens raise funds and establish initial liquidity, it does not dictate how those tokens create long-term value or how their governance systems operate.  Mechanisms such as revenue sharing, buybacks, staking rewards, treasury oversight, or voting rights would remain up to individual projects.  Similarly, tokenholder protections—such as treasury lockups, on-chain transparency requirements, or vesting schedules affecting both buyers and team allocations—would need to be built on top of the HIP-6 framework. The proposal’s stated objective is to make the initial auction process as efficient and equitable as possible, leaving post-launch design choices to the creativity of the Hyperliquid community. At the time of writing, HYPE, the platform’s native token, was trading at $27.430, representing a 3% drop over the previous 24 hours.  Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance is once again facing mounting scrutiny in Washington, as lawmakers question whether the company is living up to the terms of its 2023 settlement with US authorities — an agreement that ultimately led to the resignation of its founder and former CEO, Changpeng Zhao (CZ). Democrats Urge DOJ And Treasury Investigation On Friday, journalist Eleanor Terrett of Crypto In America reported that eleven Democrats on the Senate Banking Committee, led by crypto-skeptic Elizabeth Warren, sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging their departments to examine Binance’s operations.  Related Reading: Jane Street Faces New Lawsuit: Trump Media Calls For Federal Investigation The lawmakers pointed to recent media reports alleging illicit finance activity on the platform, including transactions reportedly linked to Iran, and warned that such conduct could place Binance in violation of its 2023 settlement. In their letter, the senators also referenced Binance’s expanding business relationships with President Donald Trump’s crypto ventures, as well as Trump’s pardon of Zhao. They called for what they described as a “thorough, impartial” investigation into whether the exchange is adhering to its legal obligations. The latest pressure follows a separate inquiry launched earlier in the week. As previously reported by Bitcoinist, Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal initiated a formal probe through the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.  Binance Denies Sanctions Violations  In a letter dated February 24 and addressed to Binance co-CEO Richard Teng, Blumenthal cited reporting that suggested the exchange may have facilitated “large-scale violations” of US and international sanctions on Iran. Related Reading: Circle Tops Q4 Revenue Forecasts, Shares Surge 30% — Key Numbers Inside Blumenthal noted that Binance appeared to ignore warnings and recommendations aimed at reducing Iranian money laundering operations. He also referred to the same reports cited by the Senate banking committee Democrats, indicating that $1.7 billion in transactions to Iran may have passed through the platform. Binance has strongly denied the allegations. The company said it conducted an internal review and found “no evidence of violations of applicable sanctions laws.” The exchange also rejected claims that it had dismissed investigators for raising concerns related to sanctions compliance. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Jane Street, one of the world’s largest market-making firms, has come under growing scrutiny as a series of allegations have surfaced linking the company to major disruptions in the crypto market.  The firm is already facing a federal lawsuit tied to the collapse of Terraform Labs, and now new claims circulating on social media suggest that Trump Media has accused Jane Street and other trading firms of “naked short selling” in a letter to Congress. Jane Street Rejects Terra Allegations The legal troubles began earlier this week. On February 23, a lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York accusing Jane Street of using confidential information obtained from Terraform Labs to shield itself from heavy losses before the Terra/Luna ecosystem unraveled in May 2022.  Related Reading: Coinbase Stablecoin Revenue Could Surge 7x Under GENIUS Act, Bloomberg Analysts Say According to the complaint, Jane Street allegedly leveraged insider knowledge to avoid more than $200 million in potential losses ahead of the implosion. The firm has strongly denied the accusations, characterizing the lawsuit as “desperate” and describing it as a “transparent attempt to extract money.” Beyond the courtroom, additional claims have gained traction online. Some market participants have alleged that Jane Street manipulated Bitcoin (BTC) prices by operating an algorithm that allegedly triggered consistent sell-offs at 10 a.m. each day for months.  According to these claims, the strategy involved pushing prices lower, triggering liquidations among retail traders, and then repurchasing Bitcoin at reduced levels in a repeated cycle.  Naked Short Selling Inquiry Adding another layer to the controversy, market commentator MartyParty stated on Thursday that Trump Media had sent a letter to members of Congress calling for a full investigation into Jane Street, Citadel and other firms over alleged naked short selling.  Naked short selling refers to the practice of selling shares without first borrowing them, a tactic that is restricted under US securities law.  Related Reading: Circle Tops Q4 Revenue Forecasts, Shares Surge 30% — Key Numbers Inside As of Thursday afternoon Eastern Time, there had been no official confirmation of such a letter, nor any public statement from Trump Media, Jane Street, or Citadel verifying the claim. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Shares of Circle Internet Group (CRLC) climbed nearly 30% during Wednesday’s trading session after the company delivered fourth-quarter (Q4) 2025 results that comfortably exceeded Wall Street expectations.  The strong earnings report, driven largely by growth in its USDC stablecoin and higher reserve income, pushed the stock to around $79.13 at the time of writing, marking a 29.2% gain over the past 24 hours. Circle Earnings Soar On USDC Expansion For the fourth quarter, Circle reported earnings of $0.43 per share, sharply ahead of the $0.16 per share analysts had projected. Total revenue and reserve income reached $770 million, representing a 77% increase compared with the same period a year earlier and surpassing consensus estimates of $747.4 million. Growth in USDC circulation and transaction activity played a central role in the company’s performance. By the end of 2025, USDC in circulation had risen to $75.3 billion, a 72% year-over-year (YoY) increase.  Related Reading: Bitcoin May Be In A Price Slump—But Adoption Is In A Bull Market On-chain transaction volume involving USDC reached $11.9 trillion in the fourth quarter alone, up 247% from the prior year’s quarter. Net income from continuing operations totaled $133 million in Q4, an improvement of $129 million compared with the previous year. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter came in at $167 million, up 412% YoY. Looking at the full fiscal year, Circle generated $2.7 billion in total revenue and reserve income in 2025, a 64% increase compared with 2024. Despite that top-line growth, the company posted a net loss from continuing operations of $70 million for the year.  That figure was significantly affected by $424 million in stock-based compensation expenses tied to vesting conditions triggered by its 2025 initial public offering (IPO).  By comparison, Circle had recorded net income of $157 million from continuing operations in 2024. On an adjusted basis, EBITDA for the full year rose 104% to $582 million. CEO’s Long-Term Vision Jeremy Allaire, Circle’s co-founder, CEO, and chairman, described the quarter as another milestone in the company’s long-term strategy. He said the results reflect continued progress in building infrastructure for what he called an open and programmable internet-based financial system.  According to Allaire, USDC adoption has expanded across enterprises, developers, and public institutions, with digital dollars increasingly used for payments, treasury management, and on-chain financial operations.  Related Reading: Expert Forecasts $5 Trillions Pouring Into Crypto Post CLARITY Act Passage The executive also pointed to advancements toward launching the Arc mainnet, rising transaction volume across Circle’s CPN network, and growing traction for the company’s euro-backed stablecoin EURC and tokenized treasury product USYC.  Circle, which went public on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in June last year, has experienced significant volatility since its debut. Although the latest rally lifted shares close to $79, the stock remains roughly 73% below its all-time high of $299, reached just weeks after its market debut. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

The cryptocurrency market staged a broad recovery on Wednesday, led by a sharp rebound in the Bitcoin price that pushed the digital asset close to the $70,000 level once again. Bitcoin climbed roughly 8% on the day, approaching a price zone that has acted as firm resistance since it was lost earlier this month. The renewed strength was not limited to Bitcoin. Ethereum (ETH) advanced 12%, XRP gained 8%, and Solana (SOL) surged 13%, reflecting a wider return of risk appetite across digital assets.  Bitcoin Price Nears $70K As Altcoins Outperform Market experts suggest the bounce may be driven largely by investors stepping in after an extended period of weakness. Caroline Mauron, co-founder of Orbit Markets, told Bloomberg that the upward move likely reflects dip-buying activity following the recent selloff.  She added that a decisive move back above $70,000 for the Bitcoin price could alter the broader market narrative, potentially restoring confidence after weeks of pressure. Related Reading: Bitcoin May Be In A Price Slump—But Adoption Is In A Bull Market Recent trading patterns also suggest a change in investor positioning. Although demand for cryptocurrencies in the US has softened in recent weeks, it seems that capital is now rotating into altcoins, as evidenced by the gains made by ETH, XRP and SOL, which have outperformed Bitcoin in the last 24 hours.  Daniel Reis-Faria, chief executive officer of ZeroStack, noted that Bitcoin increasingly trades within the context of the broader financial system. When liquidity conditions tighten, he said, volatility tends to increase.  In that environment, assets such as Solana — which he described as generating “real yield” — may prove more resilient than tokens that were previously driven primarily by momentum. Still, some analysts caution against interpreting the rebound as a definitive turning point.  Is Bitcoin Forming A New Bottom? Alex Kuptsikevich, chief market analyst at FxPro, drew comparisons to the market environment in 2022, when a steep decline was followed by months of sideways consolidation before a sustained recovery eventually took hold.  He observed that after the 2022 Bitcoin price downturn, it took more than a year for the market to regain and surpass prior highs, suggesting patience may be required this time as well. Galaxy Digital’s head of research, Alex Thorn, offered a nuanced view in his latest Bitcoin price outlook. He argued that the most intense phase of downside pressure is likely already behind the market.  Among the supportive signals he cited were Bitcoin trading near its 200-week moving average (MA) and realized price, historically important technical levels.  Related Reading: Expert Forecasts $5 Trillions Pouring Into Crypto Post CLARITY Act Passage In addition, more than half of all Bitcoin in circulation is currently underwater, the relative strength index has reached levels often associated with capitulation, and several other on-chain indicators are flashing signs that a bottom may be forming. However, Thorn also warned that even if the worst of the decline has passed, further challenges could lie ahead for the Bitcoin price. He said that market bottoms typically take time to fully develop, and prolonged sideways movement remains a possibility.  A downturn in equities could exert additional pressure on digital assets, and the broader market still appears to lack a strong catalyst to drive sustained upside momentum.  Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase (COIN) could be one of the biggest corporate beneficiaries of the United States’ first comprehensive crypto legislation, the GENIUS Act, which was signed into law in July 2025 and established a federal framework for stablecoin issuance and oversight. Coinbase Stablecoin Revenue Jumps 48% According to Bloomberg analysts Paul Gulberg and Samuel Radowitz, the new framework may significantly strengthen Coinbase’s fast-growing stablecoin business, particularly if adoption of dollar-backed tokens expands into mainstream payments. Related Reading: Bitcoin May Be In A Price Slump—But Adoption Is In A Bull Market In 2025, Coinbase generated an estimated $1.35 billion in revenue tied to stablecoins, a 48% increase from $911 million in 2024. That segment represented 19% of the company’s total annual revenue, underscoring how important stablecoins have become to the exchange’s overall business model. Unlike trading fees, which tend to rise and fall sharply alongside crypto market volatility, stablecoin-related income is derived from interest earned on reserves backing Circle’s USDC.  Those reserves are primarily invested in US Treasuries and other low-risk instruments, producing yield. Coinbase receives a significant share of that interest income, making the business more predictable and generally higher margin than transaction-based revenue. The importance of this revenue stream became particularly evident in late 2025. During a period when Bitcoin (BTC) and broader crypto prices declined sharply, and Coinbase’s fourth-quarter revenue dropped 20%, income generated from stablecoins remained comparatively stable.  Paul Gulberg and Samuel Radowitz argue that this consistency could become even more meaningful if regulatory clarity accelerates broader USDC adoption. GENIUS Act Expected To Accelerate USDC Growth  The GENIUS Act is central to that outlook. By providing a national regulatory structure for stablecoin issuers, the legislation could remove barriers that have limited the use of USDC in areas such as cross-border payments and merchant settlements.  If businesses and financial institutions adopt stablecoins more widely for real-world transactions, the overall supply of USDC could expand substantially. An increase in USDC circulation would require additional reserves to back those tokens, which in turn would generate more interest income from the underlying Treasury holdings.  Because Coinbase shares in that yield, greater adoption directly translates into higher potential revenue. Bloomberg analysts estimate that under favorable conditions, Coinbase’s USDC-related revenue could grow by two to seven times its current level. Related Reading: Expert Forecasts $5 Trillions Pouring Into Crypto Post CLARITY Act Passage Yet, reaching the upper end of that projection depends on whether Coinbase can continue offering rewards to customers who hold USDC. If customer reward mechanisms remain in place, analysts believe USDC adoption could accelerate more rapidly.  However, even if those programmes are limited or scaled back in the ongoing negotiations on the CLARITY Act, the clearer regulatory environment created by the GENIUS Act is still expected to support meaningful growth in stablecoin usage. At the time of writing, the exchange’s stock, trading under the ticker name COIN, surged towards $185 during Wednesday’s trading session, marking a 22% increase in the 24-hour time frame.  Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com

Although final passage of the CLARITY Act—commonly referred to as the crypto market structure bill —has been delayed in Congress, some experts believe its eventual approval could unleash an unprecedented wave of capital into the crypto sector. Trillions On Hold In a recent post on X (previously Twitter), the expert known as 360Trader argued that trillions of dollars in institutional money are waiting on regulatory certainty before entering digital assets.  Related Reading: History Repeating? XRP Flashes Signal Last Seen Before Explosive 60,000% Rally According to his assessment, the CLARITY Act could act as the trigger that opens Wall Street’s doors to crypto in a meaningful way, potentially driving more than $5 trillion into the space over time. 360Trader pointed to comments from White House Digital Asset adviser Patrick Witt, who stated that trillions in institutional capital are effectively sidelined as firms wait for legal clarity.  Large asset managers, including BlackRock, are often cited as examples of institutions constrained by the current patchwork regulatory environment.  If the CLARITY Act becomes law, the expert believes the crypto market capitalization could surge beyond $4 trillion, drawing comparisons to the rally that followed the approval of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) back in 2024. Catalyst For Next Crypto Bull Run? Stablecoins are another key element of the discussion. Under the proposed framework, banks would receive clearer authorization to issue stablecoins.  The stablecoin market has already expanded significantly, reaching a reported $300 billion in supply in 2025 and processing approximately $33 trillion in transaction volume—figures that exceed the total throughput of Visa’s network.  The possibility of major banks such as JPMorgan launching fully integrated stablecoins backed by substantial payment activity has been described as a potential turning point for the sector. The yield component is also drawing attention. Some stablecoin products currently offer returns in the range of 3% to 5%, compared with traditional savings accounts that average roughly 0.07%.  Related Reading: World Liberty Financial Cites ‘Coordinated Attack’ — But Are There Deeper Issues? 360Trader suggested that this disparity could prompt a significant reallocation of capital—potentially as much as $6 trillion—from conventional bank deposits into crypto-linked instruments. Pension funds, university endowments and retail investors could all gain broader exposure to higher-yielding crypto products.  In parallel, traditional financial institutions may begin integrating decentralized finance (DeFi) infrastructure to enable faster settlement and more efficient transaction rails. Yet, the traditional banking sector has consistently pushed back against stablecoin yield structures, citing concerns about the impact on their deposit bases. This has resulted in the current delay and the ongoing White House meetings. In the expert’s words: …I’m bullish on CLARITY unlocking trillions in dormant capital. This could be the catalyst that separates the next bull run from everything we’ve seen before.  Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com

The recent Bitcoin (BTC) price performance may appear subdued, with the leading crypto currently trading below the $65,000 level and sitting around 50% under all-time highs, but a new report from River suggests that adoption trends in 2025 tell a very different story.  According to the firm, the network’s growth across institutions, businesses, financial advisors, and even nation-states accelerated sharply over the past year, despite market weakness. Institutional Bitcoin Demand One of the most notable developments has been the scale of institutional accumulation. River reports that institutions acquired approximately 829,000 Bitcoin in 2025 alone. These buyers included corporations, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), investment funds, and government-related entities.  Related Reading: History Repeating? XRP Flashes Signal Last Seen Before Explosive 60,000% Rally Investment advisors have also emerged as steady buyers. Registered investment advisors (RIAs), which collectively oversee around $146 trillion in client assets, have been net purchasers of Bitcoin exposure for eight consecutive quarters.  Their participation largely began after the launch of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds in 2024. Over the past two years, RIAs have invested approximately $1.5 billion per quarter into Bitcoin ETFs, without a single quarter of net selling.  Adoption within this group is already widespread: 29 of the top 30 US RIAs hold Bitcoin exposure. However, allocations remain minimal, averaging just 0.008% of assets, leaving considerable room for expansion. Surge In Bank, Corporate And Retail Adoption Traditional banks are also moving closer to the asset. Around 60% of the largest US banks are reportedly developing Bitcoin-related products.  Corporate adoption accelerated as well. Public company ownership of Bitcoin increased by 2.5 times in 2025, with businesses collectively ranking as the largest net buyers during the year.  Much of this demand came from Bitcoin treasury companies, but River notes that many established corporations have been quietly adding BTC in smaller amounts. The firm expects this type of balance sheet adoption to expand across the S&P 500 in the years ahead. Merchant usage has grown at a rapid pace. In the United States, the number of businesses accepting BTC payments tripled in 2025, while global merchant adoption rose by 74%.  River, which serves more than 3,000 businesses across multiple industries, reports that the strongest growth is occurring among small, privately held companies, many of which do not publicly disclose their Bitcoin strategies. Nation-States Expand BTC Holdings  Nation-state involvement also increased. Five additional countries became Bitcoin holders in 2025. Among them were Luxembourg and Saudi Arabia, whose sovereign wealth funds acquired exposure, and the Czech Republic. Governments have accumulated Bitcoin through a variety of channels, including state-backed mining operations, direct purchases, ETF exposure, asset seizures, donations, and even hacking-related recoveries.  Related Reading: World Liberty Financial Cites ‘Coordinated Attack’ — But Are There Deeper Issues? Looking ahead, River argues that the divergence between price performance and adoption is striking. While the current phase of growth may not immediately translate into dramatic price multiples, it reflects a deeper form of progress:  We expect that in the coming years, Bitcoin adoption will not only continue its current trend but meaningfully accelerate.  As of this writing, BTC is trading at $64,459, marking losses of 26% and 31% over the past thirty days and year-to-date, respectively.  Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Analysts warn the bitcoin market is vulnerable to a deeper flush amid ETF outflows, miner selling and macro shocks.

XRP is on track to close its fifth consecutive month in negative territory, a rare stretch of sustained losses that has not been seen since late 2016. Despite holding at around $1.30, the token has declined nearly 30% in February alone, according to CoinGecko data, extending a broader five-month decline of roughly 50%. XRP Flashes Pre-Bull Run Pattern The last time XRP recorded five straight red monthly candles was between October 2016 and February 2017. During that period, the price slipped from $0.00885 to $0.00557, a decline of 37%, before finding a bottom near $0.0055 in March 2017. By May 2017, XRP had surged to $0.3988 — a gain of 7,000% in just two months.  After consolidating through the summer, the token climbed again, eventually reaching $3.31 in January 2018. From its March 2017 low, that marked a 60,000% increase. Related Reading: Ready For A 443% Dogecoin Move? The Meme Coin Just Touched A Historically Explosive Level With XRP now following a similar path, market analyst Sam Daodu examined the comparison in a new report released on Monday. Daodu noted that the current setup “rhymes” with the 2016–2017 structure: five consecutive months of declines, tightening price action, and signs that selling pressure may be exhausting itself. However, he cautioned that the market environment has changed dramatically since XRP was “a micro‑cap token. In 2017, XRP’s total market value was less than $300 million. Daodu pointed out that at that level, even a few hundred million dollars in new capital might raise the price by thousands of percentage points.  Today, XRP has a market capitalization of about $88 billion. According to the analyst, this scale makes a 60,000% surge virtually impossible under any realistic market conditions. 250% Rally Still In Play A comparable rally would imply a move to roughly $852 per token. With approximately 58 billion XRP in circulation, that would translate to a market capitalization exceeding $49 trillion — more than the combined value of all stocks listed on the New York Stock Exchange.  Still, Daodu argues that while a repeat of the 2017 explosion is off the table, a meaningful recovery remains within reach if the bottoming pattern holds.  A return to XRP’s July 2025 high of $3.65 would represent a gain of about 157% from current levels. A move toward $5 — near the upper range of analyst forecasts for 2026 — would amount to a 252% increase. Related Reading: Bitcoin Buying Spree Nears Century Mark, Saylor Hints Even more conservative projections suggest room for upside. Standard Chartered recently reduced its XRP target by 65%, citing near‑term headwinds, but its revised forecast of $2.80 would still imply a roughly 97% rise from current trading prices. The key difference in this cycle, according to Daodu, lies in the source of demand. The explosive rally of 2017 was largely driven by retail speculation.  In contrast, any substantial gains this time would likely depend on institutional flows, including potential exchange‑traded fund (ETF) inflows, broader institutional adoption, and a recovery across the wider crypto market. While another 60,000% run is unrealistic, Daodu believes a 150% to 250% advance is achievable if momentum shifts and capital returns to the sector. 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 

Analysts warned that weak ETF flows, constrained liquidity, and fragile accumulation are keeping bitcoin's price rangebound and indecisive.

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 

Economist and longtime Bitcoin (BTC) critic Peter Schiff has issued a fresh warning to cryptocurrency investors, arguing that the world’s largest digital asset could face a steep decline if a key price level fails. Schiff Predicts 84% Bitcoin Crash  In a Thursday social media post on X, Schiff said that a break below $50,000 would likely open the door to a much deeper selloff. “If Bitcoin breaks $50K, which looks likely, it seems highly likely it will at least test $20K,” he wrote.  Related Reading: Revealed: The Biggest Bitcoin Holders Of 2026, According To Arkham Data A drop to that level, he noted, would represent an 84% fall from Bitcoin’s all‑time high of $126,000 reached last October. While acknowledging that Bitcoin has experienced similar collapses in the past, Schiff argued that the current environment is different.  He pointed to what he described as unprecedented hype, higher leverage in the system, greater institutional ownership and a much larger overall market capitalization. “Sell Bitcoin now!” he urged. BTC ‘Not Fit’ As Reserve Asset Schiff, who has long championed gold as a superior store of value, has repeatedly questioned Bitcoin’s role in the global financial system.  In a previous interview, he said BTC is unsuitable as a reserve asset for central banks, contending that its volatility would make it impractical to hold in large quantities without causing market instability.  Related Reading: Goldman Sachs CEO Says US Must Codify How Crypto ‘Will Operate’ According to Schiff, although some sovereign wealth funds and governments have taken limited positions in Bitcoin‑related products, those allocations remain small and are often motivated by performance pressure rather than deep conviction. He has also expressed skepticism about the durability of institutional demand. Schiff predicted that professional investors’ interest in Bitcoin could wane over time and warned that more recent entrants to the market may ultimately suffer losses if prices retreat sharply. At the time of writing, the leading cryptocurrency is trading at $66,900, with the largest resistance level at $70,000 and support floors at $65,800 and $62,800, limiting additional losses in the near term.  Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

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 

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 

Bitcoin remains stuck below the $70,000 mark, a level that once served as a crucial floor for the cryptocurrency but has now turned into its most significant near-term barrier.  After losing that support, the asset has struggled to regain momentum, and analysts warn that a combination of macroeconomic uncertainty and weak buying pressure could push the asset back into the $50,000 range — a level not seen since September 2024. Iran Tensions, Fed Uncertainty And ETF Withdrawals Market sentiment has noticeably deteriorated in recent weeks. “Sentiment is clearly bleak in crypto markets,” said Noelle Acheson, author of the Crypto is Macro Now newsletter.  She pointed out that although traditional financial institutions continue to make meaningful strides in adopting digital assets, those developments have not translated into stronger prices, which she noted, is weighing further on investor confidence. Related Reading: Top Expert Projects Bitcoin Bear Market To End In Less Than 365 Days Broader macroeconomic forces are adding to the unease. According to Bloomberg, traders are assessing escalating geopolitical tensions involving Iran, as well as renewed debate over whether the economic impact of artificial intelligence (AI) could extend beyond the technology sector.  At the same time, expectations surrounding Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate cuts have shifted back into focus following last week’s inflation data, injecting additional uncertainty into risk markets. Capital flows are not offering much relief. US-listed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded a fourth consecutive week of net outflows, with $360 million pulled last week alone.  Bitcoin At Risk Of Drop To $50,000 “Macro news has been closely correlated with crypto’s risk profile over the last 12 months,” said Paul Howard, senior director at market maker Wincent. He expects Bitcoin to remain range-bound as it searches for a new catalyst to revive sentiment.  Howard added that a pending US Supreme Court ruling on tariffs, expected Friday, could have a more meaningful market impact than routine Federal Reserve minutes or inflation reports. Related Reading: XRP Outlook Slashed: Standard Chartered Lowers Forecast From $8 To $2 Amid this debate, investors view $60,000 as a pivotal support level for Bitcoin, but that floor could give way if risk appetite weakens further, according to Robin Singh, CEO of crypto tax platform Koinly. Singh cautioned that the market does not yet display the type of deep capitulation typically associated with durable cycle lows. “One macro wobble, another wave of uncertainty, or even just sustained chop in the mid-$60,000s could easily tip this into a sharper flush back into the $50,000s,” Singh said. “This doesn’t have the same full capitulation feel we’ve seen at true cycle bottoms in the past.” At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading at around $68,000, marking a 29% decline over the past thirty days. Compared to the all-time high of $126,000 reached last October, CoinGecko data shows a 46% difference between the current trading price and the all-time high.  Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com

While much of the market’s attention remains fixed on the Bitcoin (BTC) short-term price outlook for the remainder of the year, some early industry voices are raising a far longer-term concern — one that could introduce as much as $274 billion in potential selling pressure over the next decade. Quantum Risk Debate Grows  In a recent post on social media, market expert Crypto Rover pointed to what he described as a growing conversation among early Bitcoin analysts and long-time participants in the space.  According to the analysis, the warning is not coming from retail traders reacting to daily price swings. Instead, it is being discussed by so-called “OG” holders — investors who have been involved with Bitcoin since its earliest years. Related Reading: Top Expert Projects Bitcoin Bear Market To End In Less Than 365 Days The issue at the center of the debate is not macroeconomics or regulatory shifts, but quantum computing. A segment of early adopters believes that advances in quantum technology may no longer be a distant or purely theoretical risk.  Within the next five to ten years, they argue, quantum systems could become powerful enough to challenge the cryptographic foundations that secure the Bitcoin network. If quantum machines were able to break or significantly weaken that encryption, older wallets — particularly those using early-generation security standards — could become vulnerable. The concern is not that Bitcoin’s network is currently weak, but that a sufficiently advanced quantum breakthrough could expose dormant coins whose private keys were once thought secure. This is where the potential supply shock comes into focus. Potential Return Of Early-Era Bitcoin An estimated 4 million BTC from Bitcoin’s early years, particularly before 2011, are considered inactive or lost. Markets generally treat those coins as permanently out of circulation, effectively reducing Bitcoin’s usable supply.  However, Rover asserts that if quantum computing were ever able to unlock even a portion of those wallets, that supply could theoretically return to the market.  To understand the magnitude of such a shift, Rover points to recent history. Since 2020, institutions and corporations have collectively accumulated roughly 3 million BTC, which played a key role in driving BTC from $10,000 to peak levels above $120,000.  Related Reading: XRP Outlook Slashed: Standard Chartered Lowers Forecast From $8 To $2 The expert warns that if 4 million Bitcoin were suddenly viewed as potentially liquid supply, it would represent a long-term overhang far exceeding the scale of recent institutional accumulation. However, Rover highlighted that quantum computing does not represent an imminent danger to Bitcoin’s security. The technology is continuously evolving, and there is no confirmed ability to break modern cryptographic standards at scale.  BTC was trading at roughly $67,800 at the time of writing, representing a 2.6% decrease over the previous seven days, according to CoinGecko data.  Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

With Bitcoin (BTC) hovering around 50% below its all-time high of $126,000 reached last October, investors are increasingly questioning when the cryptocurrency might finally establish its next bottom.  According to market expert and technical analyst Altcoin Sherpa, the current bear phase is unlikely to drag on for another full year. In his view, Bitcoin could complete its downturn in less than 365 days and potentially resume its broader uptrend before year-end. Has Bitcoin Bottomed?  In a recent analysis published on X, Sherpa clarified that his timeline refers specifically to the move from peak to bottom and does not include the accumulation period that typically follows.  Accumulation, he explained, is characterized by choppy, sideways price action with relatively low volatility and subdued trading volume. Historically, this phase has lasted anywhere from two to four months. Related Reading: Can XRP Hold Above $1? Token Tumbles 11% as Breakdown Fuels Crash Concerns Looking back at previous cycles, Sherpa notes a fairly consistent rhythm. Bitcoin experienced a powerful rally in 2017 and again in 2021, each followed by a steep year-long decline in 2018 and 2022.  After those major drawdowns came an extended stretch of accumulation, as seen in 2019 and 2020. From the top in 2017 to the bottom in 2018, and similarly from 2021 to 2022, it took about one year for Bitcoin to complete its downward move.  Another common feature of past bear markets, he argues, has been a final capitulation event — a sharp, dramatic sell-off that effectively marks the end of the downtrend.  Sherpa believes a capitulation may have already occurred in 2026, pointing to Bitcoin’s drop from $100,000 to $60,000 as a potential final flush. If that interpretation is correct, the market could already be in the early stages of accumulation. Accumulation Could Already Be Underway  Because the 2024 and 2025 rallies were structurally different, Sherpa believes the decline will also differ. While the last two bear markets each lasted about a year from peak to bottom and saw drawdowns of approximately 85% and 75%, respectively, he does not expect the current downturn to mirror that pattern exactly. One reason, he says, is the growing role of US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Although ETF products can and do decline along with the broader market, they have changed the structure of capital flows.  He also points to the lengthy consolidation between $50,000 and $70,000, where Bitcoin traded for roughly eight months. From a technical analysis perspective, such extended trading ranges often act as strong support zones during pullbacks.  Related Reading: Dogecoin (DOGE) Gives Back Gains, Support Level Under Spotlight As for timing, broader macroeconomic forces — including equities, metals, overall risk appetite and even developments in artificial intelligence — remain critical variables. Still, Sherpa does not think BTC needs another seven months of steady decline to form a bottom. If the recent $100,000 to $60,000 slide was indeed the final Bitcoin price capitulation, then accumulation may already be underway. Historically, that phase has lasted between two and four months, or roughly 60 to 120 days. However, he acknowledges one key risk to his outlook: the possibility that a final capitulation has not yet occurred. If another sell-off emerges — for example, a drop from $75,000 toward $50,000— he would interpret that as the definitive bottoming event. In that scenario, accumulation would likely follow for several months. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

McGlone links bitcoin’s downturn to record U.S. market cap-to-GDP levels, low equity volatility and rising gold prices, warning of potential contagion into stocks.

As Bitcoin (BTC) trades roughly 50% below its all‑time high, investors are once again asking the familiar question: how long does recovery usually take? Market analyst Sam Daodu believes history offers valuable clues.  No Systemic Bitcoin Collapse This Time? Daodu notes that steep corrections are not unusual for Bitcoin. Since 2011, the cryptocurrency has endured more than 20 pullbacks exceeding 40%. Mid‑cycle declines in the 35% to 50% range have often cooled overheated rallies without permanently derailing long‑term uptrends.  In situations where there was no systemic breakdown in the broader market, Bitcoin has typically reclaimed prior highs in about 14 months. He contrasts the current environment with 2022, when multiple structural failures shook the crypto industry.  Related Reading: Trump Media Files For Cronos, Bitcoin‑Ether ETFs With Staking Focus At present, there is no comparable collapse rippling through the system. The analyst highlighted that BTC’s realized price—currently near $55,000—may provide a psychological and technical floor, as long‑term holders have historically accumulated coins around that level.  Whether the present downturn evolves into a drawn‑out slump or a shorter reset, Daodu suggests, will largely hinge on global liquidity conditions and investor sentiment. A Look Back At Historic Selloffs During the 2021–2022 cycle, Bitcoin peaked at $69,000 in November 2021 before tumbling to $15,500 one year later, a 77% drop. The downturn coincided with monetary tightening by the US Federal Reserve, alongside the collapse of the Terra (Luna) ecosystem and FTX’s bankruptcy.  It ultimately took 28 months for Bitcoin to surpass its previous high, which it did in March 2024. At the market bottom, long‑term holders controlled roughly 60% of circulating supply, absorbing coins from forced sellers.  The 2020 COVID‑19 crash unfolded very differently. In March of that year, Bitcoin plunged about 58%, sliding from approximately $9,100 to $3,800 as global lockdowns triggered a liquidity shock.  Bitcoin rebounded quickly. It reclaimed the $10,000 level within six weeks and retook its 2017 high of $20,000 by December 2020, about nine months after the bottom. The eventual surge to $69,000 in November 2021 came roughly 21 months after the crash. The 2018 bear market presents yet another contrast. After reaching $20,000 in December 2017, Bitcoin collapsed 84% to $3,200 by December 2018. The implosion of the initial coin offering (ICO) boom, combined with regulatory crackdowns and limited institutional participation, drained speculative energy from the market.  Active addresses declined by 70%, and miners were forced to capitulate as revenues shrank. Without significant new capital or a compelling growth narrative, Bitcoin required nearly three years to revisit its previous peak.  Not Capitulation Yet The depth of the drawdown itself plays a critical role. Historically, corrections in the 40% to 50% range have taken roughly nine to 14 months to reverse, while collapses exceeding 80% have required three years or longer.  Related Reading: Standard Chartered Lowers Bitcoin Forecast: Predicts Price Dive To $50,000 Before Rebound With Bitcoin now down about 50% from its peak, the decline falls into what Daodu describes as a moderate‑to‑severe category—substantial, but not indicative of full capitulation.  Based on prior episodes of similar magnitude, he estimates that a return to previous highs could take 12 months or more, with macroeconomic conditions ultimately determining the speed of that rebound. As of writing, BTC was trading at $68,960, having recovered slightly on Friday with a 5% increase in an attempt to surpass its short-term resistance wall at $70,000.  Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Companies linked to President Donald Trump are expanding their presence in the cryptocurrency industry, with the Trump Media & Technology Group taking another formal step into digital asset markets.  Truth Social Funds, an affiliate of Trump Media, has submitted a registration statement to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) seeking approval to launch two new cryptocurrency exchange‑traded funds (ETFs). Trump Media Latest Crypto Proposal The filings outline plans for Crypto.com’s native token, Cronos (CRO), the Cronos Yield Maximizer ETF, and the Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) ETFs.  Related Reading: Standard Chartered Lowers Bitcoin Forecast: Predicts Price Dive To $50,000 Before Rebound The Cronos-focused product is designed to provide exposure to CRO, the native token of the Cronos blockchain, while also capturing staking rewards associated with holding the asset.  The second fund would track the performance of Bitcoin and Ethereum, the two largest cryptocurrencies by market value, and incorporate Ether staking yields into its strategy. Under the proposed structure, Crypto.com would play a central operational role. The digital asset platform is set to provide custody, liquidity, and staking services for the funds. Meanwhile, Yorkville America Equities has been named as the investment adviser, with the filings indicating a 0.95% annual management fee. Bitcoin Struggles Below $70,000 Friday’s announcement builds on a broader strategic partnership formed last year between Trump Media and Crypto.com. As part of that agreement, Trump Media was set to acquire 684.4 million Cronos (CRO) tokens at an approximate price of $0.153 per token.  The transaction was structured as a 50% stock and 50% cash exchange and included the creation of a Trump Media Group CRO Strategy aimed at integrating Cronos into the company’s broader digital asset plans. Related Reading: Cardano Founder Hoskinson Warns Of 90-180 Days Of Pain Ahead: Here’s Why The expansion into crypto-linked investment products comes at a time when Bitcoin continues to face technical resistance. Although the leading cryptocurrency has posted gains of roughly 5% over the past 24 hours, it remains unable to decisively break above the $70,000 level.  Shares of Trump Media (DJT) also moved modestly higher during Friday’s trading session, rising about 2.5% to trade near $11.18. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com