Bitcoin’s ongoing correction is pulling large holders back onto centralized venues, with CryptoQuant data showing a sharp jump in whale-dominated inflows to Binance. At the same time, derivatives positioning continues to unwind, reinforcing the picture of a market de-risking across both spot and futures. Bitcoin Whale Share Of Inflows Spikes On Binance CryptoQuant contributor Darkfost (@Darkfost_Coc) said Binance is seeing a notable rise in whale activity as the drawdown pressures participants “from retail participants to whales and even institutions.” His focus was the “whale inflow ratio,” a metric that compares BTC inflows from the 10 largest transactions against total exchange inflows, smoothed using a weekly average to reduce the impact of one-off transfers. “According to the whale inflow ratio, we are seeing a clear surge in whale activity on Binance, reflecting a specific dynamic in the market,” Darkfost wrote. “This ratio is calculated by comparing BTC inflows from the 10 largest transactions to total inflows. Using a weekly average helps reveal a clearer trend, filtering out noise from isolated, exceptional transactions.” Related Reading: 46% Of Bitcoin Supply Now In Loss—What It Could Take For A Bottom Between Feb. 2 and Feb. 15, Darkfost said the ratio rose from 0.4 to 0.62, implying that a larger share of inbound BTC to Binance is now coming from a small set of large transfers. While the metric doesn’t prove intent, a higher concentration of whale inflows is often read as an increase in potential sell-side supply sitting on exchange order books, particularly during risk-off stretches. “It is important to note, however, that this reflects an increase in their share of inflows, which can be interpreted as rising sell-side pressure in the market,” he added. Darkfost also flagged that some of the activity may be linked to a specific entity. “Part of these inflows can be attributed to a well-known whale, believed to be Garrett Jin. Nicknamed 19D5 or ‘the Hyperunit whale,’ this whale has been particularly active on Binance recently, moving close to 10,000 BTC onto the platform.” He framed the broader context as a liquidity and venue-choice story rather than a single wallet-driven anomaly, arguing that multiple whales have been sending “significant amounts of BTC” to Binance, aided by its depth while uncertainty pushes investors to reassess exposure. Derivatives Unwind Adds To Pressure In a separate post, Darkfost argued the derivatives market contraction that followed the cycle’s top remains a central feature of the current tape. “Analyzing Bitcoin open interest across exchanges highlights how severely the derivatives market has contracted since the last all time high and the October 10 sell off,” he wrote, adding that speculation “reached unprecedented levels.” Related Reading: Bitcoin Capitulation Or Buy Zone? What On-Chain Data Shows Right Now He pointed to prior peaks in BTC-denominated open interest on Binance: 94,300 BTC after the November 2021 peak versus 120,000 BTC at the October 2025 market top and said aggregate open interest across all exchanges rose from 221,000 BTC in April 2024 to 381,000 BTC at the cycle peak. Since that top, he said open interest has fallen in almost every month, including a sharp Oct. 6–Oct. 11 drawdown when Binance open interest dropped 20.8%, while Bybit and Gate.io each posted 37% declines. The contraction has continued, with Binance down another 39.3%, Bybit down 33%, and BitMEX down 24%, according to Darkfost. His takeaway is that the market is still in a risk-reduction phase, whether voluntary or forced by liquidations amid volatility. “Overall, this environment indicates that investors are actively reducing exposure, cutting risk, or being forced out through liquidations driven by ongoing volatility,” he wrote. “Under these conditions, it is difficult to envision Bitcoin stabilizing sustainably and reigniting a bullish trend in the short term.” At press time, BTC traded at $67,823. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
Ripple (XRP), down 1.5% from Monday, was also an underperformer.
At Consensus Hong Kong 2026, Leo Fan questioned Midnight’s use of Google Cloud and Azure, as Charles Hoskinson justifies hyperscaler partnerships.
The fiscal mathematics of the United States are drifting toward a threshold that markets can no longer afford to ignore, and a level that, relative to GDP, hasn't transpired since the last world war. Washington’s latest budgetary outlook suggests the nation is on a trajectory to accumulate nearly $64 trillion in federal debt over the […]
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Silver's increasing value is tied to its critical role in solar panel production. The supply of silver is largely inelastic, meaning price increases don't quickly boost supply. Eastern demand for precious metals is driven by concerns over currency stability.
The post Alex Campbell: Silver’s soaring demand fuels renewable energy | Forward Guidance appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
The Ethereum treasury firm continues its buying spree with its largest weekly ETH purchase in token terms this year.
Pred's innovative platform could revolutionize sports trading by enhancing market liquidity and democratizing access, challenging traditional models.
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The appointments add traditional finance and institutional crypto experience as the layer-1 blockchain scales its post-launch strategy.
Stablecoin outflows slow to $2 billion as Binance consolidates 65% of CEX liquidity, signaling capital concentration even amid the ongoing crypto bear market.
Dragonfly Capital has closed its fourth fund at $650 million, even as it describes the current crypto venture landscape as a “mass extinction event.” Despite market challenges, the firm remains focused on key growth areas in crypto, including financial infrastructure, stablecoins, on-chain finance, and tokenized real-world assets (RWA). The move highlights Dragonfly’s long-term confidence in …
There is a high probability of another bull market in the crypto space. Decentralized exchanges and centralized exchanges are seen more as complementary rather than competing entities. Bitget has experienced significant growth, moving up in the global centralized exchange rankings.
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Dragonfly Capital's fund signals strong confidence in blockchain's potential, potentially accelerating innovation in decentralized finance.
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The company's loss was driven by accelerated depreciation related to its Paraguay expansion and non-cash revaluation adjustments.
The Bitcoin price is once again caught in a tug-of-war between on-chain caution and aggressive corporate accumulation. NUPL data suggests most participants are not yet underwater, where its underwater conditions are evident in past true cycle bottoms. Yet fresh purchases from MSTR hit the tape loud today. NUPL Says Capitulation Incomplete Historically, its evident that …
Strategy has been quietly adding to its Bitcoin pile for the 12th straight week, refusing to slow down even as prices wobble. Michael Saylor’s chart on social feed grabbed attention again, marking what the firm calls its upcoming 99th BTC trade. Related Reading: Bitcoin Should Be Flying—Instead, Quantum Risk Keeps It Grounded: Analyst The latest buy was 1,142 BTC for just over $90 million, bringing the total on the books to 714,644 BTC — a holding that’s valued at a little over $49 billion at current market rates. Strategy Keeps Buying Reports note that the company’s pattern is simple: buy through weakness. The firm’s purchases have become a steady drumbeat in the market. While others paused or raised cash, the firm added coins below its $76,000 average cost. Critics point to the risk of doubling down when markets slip. Supporters argue accumulation at lower prices widens the margin for long-term gains. 99>98 pic.twitter.com/BsTEvhbc9v — Michael Saylor (@saylor) February 15, 2026 Market Signals Signals from the wider crypto treasury sector paint a rough picture. Standard Chartered Bank warned that by September 2025 several big treasury firms were trading with an mNAV below 1 — a sign their shares were priced under the value of the assets they hold. That metric matters because companies with an mNAV above 1 tend to find it easier to raise capital and issue shares to buy more crypto. The sector was already under strain before the October flash crash. The crash then carved deeper losses; Strategy reported a Q4 hit of $12.4 billion, which sent its share price down about 15% at the time, though the stock has recovered some ground and closed recently at $133.80. Bitcoin Price Action Midway through the week, Bitcoin traded near $68,000 after earlier slides, giving a sense of short-term calm. The market’s mood has been pushed and pulled by headlines — geopolitical worries in the Middle East nudged BTC under $78,000 briefly — and that pulled many investors back from risky bets. Altcoins were hit harder, while the largest coin showed relative strength. Traders said the move was a mix of headline risk and a pause in fresh buyers. Related Reading: Bitcoin At $8,000? Michael Saylor Says Strategy Still Won’t Break What The Buying Means The buying streak sends a clear message: Strategy believes in holding through volatility. That stance has been rewarded in past cycles but it’s not without cost. The Q4 loss and the hit to the company’s stock show how concentrated exposure can amplify pain. Balance sheets were tested across the sector. For some firms, the market’s price judgment has been unforgiving. Featured image from Bitbo, chart from TradingView
Investigators say Raees and Ameer Cajee are back in South Africa years after Africrypt’s collapse, while investors still struggle to serve legal papers.
The scaling of energy infrastructure in the US is crucial to meet the growing demand for electricity. Writing systems evolved from pictographs to phonetic representations, marking a significant leap in communication. Cuneiform script, with its structured lexicographic system, has preserved knowle...
The post Irving Finkel: Cuneiform revolutionized communication and preserved knowledge | Lex Fridman Podcast appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
This acquisition solidifies Strategy's influence in the crypto market, potentially impacting Bitcoin's price stability and corporate adoption.
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The company's stack is now 717,131 bitcoin acquired for $54.52 billion, or $76,027 per coin. Bitcoin's current price is $68,000.
Crypto analyst Lark Davis broke down in a recent video why the current Bitcoin selloff may be setting up for a sharp reversal rather than a deeper crash. The Bitcoin fear and greed index hit a score of 5, its lowest reading ever. That is worse than both the FTX collapse and the Terra crash. …
Michael Saylor’s Bitcoin treasury company, Strategy, continued its aggressive accumulation by buying 2,486 BTC in its latest purchase, adding roughly $168 million to its treasury. This brings the firm’s total Bitcoin holdings to 717,131 BTC acquired for about $54.52 billion at an average price of around $76,027 per coin as of February 16, 2026, making it one of the …
After weeks of steady selling pressure, the SUI price is now standing at a crucial point. The token recently slipped below the key $1 support level, extending a clear pattern of lower highs and lower lows. Sellers have controlled the structure for some time, and the latest breakdown pushed SUI back into the price range …
Thrive Capital's $10B fund amplifies its influence in tech innovation, potentially accelerating advancements in AI, robotics, and life sciences.
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Strategy's holdings account for more than 3.4% of the total 21 million bitcoin supply — worth around $49 billion.
The request marks a shift from Capitol Hill questioning to formal regulatory pressure, as lawmakers raise concerns about safety, accountability, and national security.
Bitcoin's simplicity as a non-programmable asset strengthens its position as a store of value. The programmability of crypto does not equate to it being money; it represents value in diverse ways. Investors often misclassify crypto assets, failing to recognize their distinct nature compared to tr...
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After the recent market pullback, crypto majors have moved into consolidation rather than continuation. Chainlink (LINK) price action reflects that shift clearly. The drop below $9 initially looked like a breakdown, yet the market refused to accelerate lower. With LINK price stabilizes near $8 and participation thinning, attention shifts beneath the surface to positioning and …
The bank also holds a large put option position on Strategy, potentially capitalizing on the company trading above the value of its BTC holdings.
XRP is trading near $1.50. That means 1,000 XRP tokens are currently worth about $1,500. After a sharp correction over the past year, many investors are now asking a simple question: What could that same 1,000 XRP be worth by the end of 2026? The answer mainly depends on two things: how big the overall …
Jake Claver is again laying out the conditions he says must line up for XRP to reach triple digits, framing the bet not as a chart call but as a sequencing problem tied to institutional tokenization, on-chain liquidity, and regulated market plumbing. In a “Memes and Markets” interview on Feb. 16 with Ben Leavitt and Keith D, Claver defended his so-called “Domino Theory”. Claver told the hosts he didn’t enter crypto until 2020, built a broader portfolio first, then consolidated into XRP after the 2022 drawdown because he viewed it as the “for sure thing.” The hosts pushed on his habit of speaking in absolutes, with Leavitt describing it as “the scariest thing” given how widely his clips circulate. Claver didn’t retreat from the posture. “I will put my nuts on the line and make statements,” he said, adding that his attorneys have advised him to refrain from doing so going forward. “I’m not going to back down. I have a very strong belief in this. And I’ve had enough validation from the right people that lead me to believe that this is the outcome that will take place.” Related Reading: Historic Trend That Led XRP To A Sharp 40% Trend Has Just Reappeared From there, the conversation moved into what Claver sees as the social base of the XRP trade. He argued that XRP attracts a “consistent type of person,” describing holders as disproportionately “faith-based,” generally older, and oriented toward family wealth and philanthropy rather than maximalist anti-bank narratives. Why XRP Could Reach $100 In his telling, that demographic preference is inseparable from the asset’s positioning. “They don’t think the banks are going to go away. They’re not going to be disintermediated,” Claver said. “They don’t think that this is going to be a free DeFi ecosystem, free for all where people can participate without compliance and oversight. And so XRP being the banker’s coin, right? Like that’s appealing to them.” Claver’s core mechanism is less about a single catalyst and more about preconditions. He pointed to timelines he says were aired by large financial institutions around tokenizing asset classes “in the next two years, by the end of 2028,” arguing that tokenization doesn’t matter without the ability to transact at scale. “It really doesn’t provide additional value today because there’s not enough liquidity in those ecosystems for people to transact like there is on the stock market or other markets,” he said. In his model, custody, identity, and liquidity are gating items; once those are in place, stablecoins could be issued on XRPL with XRP used as an intermediary asset, enabling marketplaces for tokenized stocks, private markets, and real estate to function “in a regulated environment.” Related Reading: XRP Outlook Slashed: Standard Chartered Lowers Forecast From $8 To $2 He also offered a cultural feedback loop: a long-running belief in “very high price” outcomes encourages holders to sit tight, reducing the tradable float. In Claver’s view, that scarcity (100 billion token supply) dynamic can amplify price pressure if demand arrives alongside institutional rails. “The more that gets taken off the market, the scarcer the supply is that’s openly traded and the higher the price will get pushed,” he said, arguing that many won’t sell “until they see the significantly higher prices that many people are hoping for.” The interview didn’t avoid the blowback from Claver’s missed New Year’s call. He said his conviction was partly tied to NDAs and partly to a public bet whose purpose, he claimed, was to ensure retail participants weren’t permanently stripped of XRP in side wagers. “Some people like to grind hard for the amount of XRP that they have,” he said. “And for them to just lose that to somebody else on a bet on Twitter, I didn’t feel good about. So all of those people have been returned their XRP.” Pressed on the risk that followers made “very poor financial decisions” around his timeline, Claver leaned on disclaimers and a wealth-management argument: big gains can be destabilizing without tax planning, estate structure, and stewardship. He noted that his advisory firm’s regulated advisors “would tell me I am being reckless and irresponsible with how I have made my allocation,” positioning his own posture as personal choice rather than template. At press time, XRP traded at $1.47. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com