Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari says crypto is “utterly useless” compared to AI, and that pro-stablecoin arguments are “a buzzword salad.”
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse sidestepped a direct question about whether the company would ever buy a bank, using the moment instead to restate Ripple’s institutional-first strategy and argue that clearer US rules are already unlocking demand for stablecoins and XRP Ledger based payments. Speaking with James Hasso at the Economic Club of New York on Feb. 18, Garlinghouse was asked whether Ripple might acquire a bank outright or lean into tighter partnerships as it works with large financial institutions and builds out its stablecoin business. “I’m going to dodge part of your question answer,” Garlinghouse said, before pivoting into why Ripple has historically embraced banks rather than positioning itself against them. What Is Ripple’s Plan? Garlinghouse framed Ripple’s posture as deliberately contrarian relative to early crypto culture. “Ripple took a contrarian and controversial strategy approach to how we went to market early on and that made us unpopular in crypto,” he said. “Early on Ripple said banks are our customers. If we want these technologies to have the biggest impact on the largest number of people, banks are the touch point for people in their financial services relationships.” Related Reading: Ripple Wins Key UAE Bank Partnership To Support Digital Asset Infrastructure He contrasted that with what he described as crypto’s initial instinct to build outside the existing system. “The earliest days of crypto was a very anti-bank anti-government uh let’s build a parallel universe,” Garlinghouse said. “Ripple always took the point of view that we’re going to be a bridge between what we would now call tradfi or traditional finance and defy decentralized finance.” That bridge-building claim also anchored his response on Ripple’s regulatory posture around its stablecoin business. Garlinghouse said Ripple launched RLUSD 13 months ago and claimed it now sits “about number five” among the largest stablecoins—an outcome he linked to leaning into oversight rather than avoiding it. Garlinghouse highlighted a New York Department of Financial Services trust license and a conditional OCC charter, characterizing the latter as “belt and suspenders” for the stablecoin business. “We think that uniquely positions us as you know almost overregulated,” he said. “But we want that…because we work with institutions we want them to look at us as going above and beyond to make sure there is that level of oversight so there’s no questions…is the stablecoin backed one to one [and]…the attestations on a regular basis about those backings.” Then came the cleanest non-answer of the session. “And I’m going to skip the question, will we ever buy a bank? They are customers,” Garlinghouse said. Related Reading: XRP Community Day Recap: The 7 Most Bullish Takeaways Pressed on whether additional US legislation could accelerate adoption, Garlinghouse pointed to an earlier example: “The Genius Act was the stable coin legislation that passed…President Trump signed it either at the end of July or early August,” he said. “That was an unlock for sure…we definitely saw a big uptick in stablecoin activity after that became law.” He argued a similar effect could follow if the Clarity Act passes, because clearer definitions would give boards, CFOs, and banks more room to move. For corporates, he emphasized operational utility—especially “24/7 ability to move” stablecoins—arguing that “being able to make a payment on a Sunday afternoon sometimes is important.” Garlinghouse said Ripple has kept its commercial center of gravity on payments because the value proposition is straightforward: faster, cheaper settlement. On tokenization, he was supportive but selective, noting friction in traditional settlement cycles like “T+3” and “T+1,” while also warning that some projects feel like “a technology in search of a problem.” He pointed to BlackRock CEO Larry Fink as a prominent advocate, saying Fink believes a “huge percentage of assets will be tokenized,” and added: “I agree with him.” But Garlinghouse stressed that execution will be “vertical by vertical,” arguing domain experts, not Ripple, need to drive sectors it doesn’t understand, like insurance. At press time, XRP traded at $1.4027. Featured image from YouTube, chart from TradingView.com
Sanctions evasion networks, guarantee marketplaces, and large-scale money laundering schemes dominated illicit stablecoin use, says TRM Labs.
Ethereum price found support near $1,905 and recovered some losses. ETH is now consolidating and faces key hurdles near $1,980. Ethereum is attempting a fresh recovery wave above $1,950. The price is trading below $1,980 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. There is a bearish trend line forming with resistance at $1,985 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD (data feed via Kraken). The pair could start a fresh decline if it stays below the $2,000 zone. Ethereum Price Dips Further Ethereum price failed to stay above $1,950 and started a fresh decline, like Bitcoin. ETH price traded below the $1,935 and $1,920 levels to enter a bearish zone. Finally, the bulls appeared near $1,900. A low was formed at $1,905, and the price started a recovery wave. There was a move above the $1,945 resistance. The price tested the 38.2% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $2,038 swing high to the $1,905 low. Ethereum price is now trading below $1,970 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. If the bulls remain in action above $1,920, the price could attempt another increase. Immediate resistance is seen near the $1,970 level and the 50% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $2,038 swing high to the $1,905 low. The first key resistance is near the $1,985 level. There is also a bearish trend line forming with resistance at $1,985 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD. The next major resistance is near the $2,000 level. A clear move above the $2,000 resistance might send the price toward the $2,050 resistance. An upside break above the $2,050 region might call for more gains in the coming days. In the stated case, Ether could rise toward the $2,120 resistance zone or even $2,150 in the near term. Another Decline In ETH? If Ethereum fails to clear the $1,985 resistance, it could start a fresh decline. Initial support on the downside is near the $1,935 level. The first major support sits near the $1,905 zone. A clear move below the $1,905 support might push the price toward the $1,880 support. Any more losses might send the price toward the $1,840 region. The main support could be $1,820. Technical Indicators Hourly MACD – The MACD for ETH/USD is losing momentum in the bullish zone. Hourly RSI – The RSI for ETH/USD is now above the 50 zone. Major Support Level – $1,905 Major Resistance Level – $1,985
Michael Saylor keeps things upbeat. He told a TV interviewer that the current Bitcoin dip feels milder than past crashes and that a quicker rebound is likely. He even said, “Spring is coming, and Bitcoin is winning.” Related Reading: Ethereum Staking Reaches Historic Levels, Price Hovers Near $2K Bitcoin Institutional Support Strengthens Outlook According to Saylor, a big reason for his confidence is that banks and big firms are far more involved than they were a few years ago. Reports note fresh banking tools and credit networks aimed at crypto are drawing new capital in. US President Donald Trump was mentioned by the Strategy big boss as a political force friendly to Bitcoin — a line that will be picked over by both supporters and critics. We may be in the middle of a crypto winter, but spring is coming — and Bitcoin is winning. pic.twitter.com/jxvzK3XwSN — Michael Saylor (@saylor) February 17, 2026 Strategy’s Holdings And Price Math Strategy holds 714,644 BTC on its books, bought at an average near $76,056 each. At the moment, Bitcoin trades around $67,900. That gap matters. The roughly $49 billion value sitting in the vault is compared to a company market value that trades around $42.80 billion. Those raw numbers give weight to Saylor’s claim that the company can handle big swings. He went further, saying that even a fall to $8,000 would leave the holdings enough to cover outstanding debt. That is a strong statement. It was presented as reassurance to investors. Strategy’s Position And Risk Calculations Reports say Strategy plans to swap its convertible debt into stock within three to six years. The firm has also signaled it will buy more Bitcoin each quarter. How these moves play out depends on markets, financing terms, and timing. Some analysts think the company’s approach lowers short-term pressure on the share price. Others point out that keeping such a large crypto stash concentrates risk in volatile markets. Past Cycles Saylor compared the current episode to deeper downturns that came before. That comparison is useful but needs numbers to be fully judged. Historical drops in crypto have been steep at times, which is why claims of a milder slump invite scrutiny. Other investors look at on-chain flows, macro cash conditions, and bank behavior to decide whether this time is different. Right now, evidence of a fast, broad institutional inflow is mixed. Related Reading: Urgent Crypto Reform: Treasury Secretary Says The Clock Is Ticking Outlook And What Could Shift The Story Markets could swing on a few catalysts: changes in lending policy, moves by large funds, or fresh regulatory signals from US authorities. News or shocks could tilt sentiment quickly. Some market watchers look at 10-year trendlines for context, while others focus on shorter trading indicators. Either way, Saylor’s optimism is clearly tied to a long view and a confident read of current market structure. Featured image from Long Island Weight Loss Institute, chart from TradingView
Bitcoin developer Matt Carallo says Bitcoiners are looking to “blame something” for the asset’s sluggish price, dismissing quantum fears as the culprit.
U.S. prosecutors say the former defense contractor executive took about $1.26 million in crypto to transfer sensitive exploit tools tied to Five Eyes intelligence work.
Bitcoin price corrected gains and tested the $65,650 zone. BTC is now consolidating losses and might start a decent increase if it settles above $68,000. Bitcoin is struggling to recover losses and moving lower below $67,500. The price is trading below $67,500 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. There is a declining channel forming with resistance at $67,400 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken). The pair might dip again if it trades below the $66,500 and $66,000 levels. Bitcoin Price Faces Tough Challenge Bitcoin price failed to remain stable above the $67,500 zone. BTC started a fresh decline and traded below the $67,200 support zone. There was a push below $67,000. The price even spiked below $66,800. A low was formed at $65,650, and the price is now correcting some losses. There was a move above the 50% Fib retracement level of the recent decline from the $68,418 swing high to the $65,650 low. Bitcoin is now trading below $67,500 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. If the price remains stable above $66,000, it could attempt a fresh increase. Immediate resistance is near the $67,400 level. There is also a declining channel forming with resistance at $67,400 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. It is close to the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the recent decline from the $68,418 swing high to the $65,650 low. The first key resistance is near the $68,000 level. A close above the $68,000 resistance might send the price further higher. In the stated case, the price could rise and test the $68,800 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $69,500 level. The next barrier for the bulls could be $70,000 and $70,500. Another Decline In BTC? If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $68,000 resistance zone, it could start another decline. Immediate support is near the $66,000 level. The first major support is near the $65,650 level. The next support is now near the $65,050 zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $64,500 support in the near term. The main support now sits at $63,800, below which BTC might struggle to recover in the near term. Technical indicators: Hourly MACD – The MACD is now losing pace in the bearish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is now above the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $66,000, followed by $65,650. Major Resistance Levels – $67,400 and $68,000.
Ethereum’s technical structure has weakened further after slipping decisively below the $2,100 level, reinforcing short-term bearish pressure. However, while the breakdown raises the risk of a deeper downside, a repeating fractal pattern on the higher timeframe offers a potential glimmer of hope, suggesting that a larger breakout could still emerge if history rhymes. Key $2.3K–$2.1K Support Zone Lost According to Crypto Candy, Ethereum has decisively lost its key daily support zone between $2,300 and $2,100, closing firmly below it and confirming a structural breakdown. This area had previously acted as a strong demand region, repeatedly absorbing selling pressure. Its failure marks an important technical shift, suggesting that the broader market structure has weakened. Related Reading: Ethereum Price Stalls Under Resistance With Breakout Hopes Delayed With the breakdown confirmed, the former support zone has now flipped into a significant resistance area. ETH has already attempted to reclaim the $2,100–$2,300 range but has failed to regain acceptance above it. This rejection reinforces the idea that sellers are defending the level aggressively, keeping short-term momentum tilted to the downside. If bearish momentum continues to build, the next major support region to watch sits between $1,700 and $1,500. A move into this range would align with typical continuation behavior following a failed reclaim of broken support. For now, the bias remains bearish as long as Ethereum trades below the $2,300–$2,100 zone. Only a strong reclaim followed by sustained consolidation above that range would invalidate the downside scenario. Ethereum Fractal Structure Mirrors Pre-Rally Setup Providing a weekly Ethereum update, Trader Tardigrade pointed to a compelling fractal comparison that suggests a familiar structure may be unfolding. The expert’s analysis highlights the formation of a rectangular consolidation box, a setup that closely resembles the price behavior seen before Ethereum’s explosive rally in late 2025. Related Reading: Ethereum’s Leverage Reset Clears The Path For A Healthy Rebound – Analyst During that previous cycle, ETH spent weeks compressing within a clearly defined horizontal range, building energy before eventually breaking out with strong momentum. The current chart shows a nearly identical box pattern forming, positioned similarly within the broader ascending channel. The symmetry between the two structures strengthens the case that this may not be random consolidation, but rather a repeat of a larger cyclical pattern. If the fractal continues to play out as it did before, a decisive breakout above the current range could trigger a powerful upside expansion. Just as in 2025, the longer the price compresses within the box, the more aggressive the eventual move could become. A confirmed break and sustained acceptance above the range would be the key signal that Ethereum is transitioning from accumulation to markup once again. Featured image from iStock, chart from Tradingview.com
Tech investor Jason Calacanis says he’s paying around $110,000 annualized to run an AI agent, more than most US salaries, and it’s not running at full capacity.
Stablecoin incentives remain a key unresolved issue as lawmakers seek to advance digital-asset market-structure legislation.
Bitcoin’s price action is struggling with bearish corrections, repeatedly failing to close daily trading sessions above $70,000. As it stands, Bitcoin is now moving in a tight range below $70,000, and crypto analysts are undecided on its next direction. Some see the current structure as a base for another push higher, but others warn that any bounce could invite new selling. Crypto analyst Sherlock is among the cautious voices, arguing on X that a rally to between $72,000 and $76,000 may not be a recovery but a kill zone for Bitcoin bulls. The $76,000 Breakeven Wall Crypto analyst Sherlock is of the notion that any Bitcoin price recovery to $76,000 from here might not actually be a good thing. Sherlock’s argument is based on the Bitcoin holdings of Strategy. At the time of writing, the company holds 714,644 BTC at an average cost basis of $76,052. That stash represents roughly 3.4% of the total Bitcoin supply that will ever exist. Related Reading: Extreme Bitcoin Shorts Could Predict A Bottom, Here’s The Significance Now that Bitcoin is trading around $68,000, Strategy’s position is significantly underwater, and the company is sitting at an estimated unrealized loss of about $5.7 billion at current prices. In the analyst’s view, every push to the $74,000 to $76,000 range brings this large concentration of supply closer to breakeven. Breakeven levels often act as selling zones. Based on that perspective, the $76,000 area could be risky because it brings Strategy’s position back to its average entry price, and many large holders might consider reducing exposure. That said, there is no indication that Strategy plans to sell. The company has repeatedly stated that it has no intention of offloading its Bitcoin and has even emphasized that its balance sheet could withstand a severe downturn, including a scenario where the Bitcoin price drops below $10,000. ETF Pressure And Bitcoin Cost Basis Sherlock also pointed to Spot Bitcoin ETFs as another source of pressure that might lead to a bull trap. As it stands, about 1.28 million BTC are currently held in these funds, with an estimated average entry price between $84,000 and $90,000. Related Reading: Could A Bitcoin Price Crash Below $10,000 Wipe Out Strategy? Saylor Shares What To Expect Since late 2025, these ETFs have recorded more than $6 billion in net outflows, and the Bitcoin price might face another pressure even if it reaches the average entry price. He also noted that about 63% of invested Bitcoin wealth has a cost basis above $88,000, meaning a large share of buyers in 2025 are sitting on losses, and a rally to their entry levels could also be a bull trap. Therefore, a climb into the $72,000 to $76,000 range could be a bull trap. If it doesn’t, then the next trap could be around $88,000. That said, if every breakeven level triggered selling, then Bitcoin might never form a bottom. At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $66,980. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
On Thursday, February 19, Decentralized Finance (DeFi) platform Aave announced it now has a total of $1 billion in Real World Assets (RWA). Through its flagship market, Aave Horizon, Aave launched tokenized RWA and achieved $600 million in deposits by January 2026. In less than a month, the platform doubled this amount, bringing its active …
The crypto analyst who warned Solana (SOL) traders to sell near the cycle top at $250 is back with a new outlook after the market validated his earlier call. Crypto Patel says the decline in SOL’s price following his $200-$250 exit zone has now created the conditions for a new long-term opportunity, but only if another key level gives way. His latest chart frames Solana’s price action as a repeatable cycle of euphoric expansion and sharp correction before the next major rally. Crypto Patel Shares New Solana Price Prediction In a recent post on X, Crypto Patel reminded community members that when Solana was trading near its peak between $250 and $200, most investors were projecting a run to $1,000. Instead, the price reversed from a high around $295 and collapsed to near $67, marking a massive 77% drawdown from the top. Related Reading: Here’s Why The Bitcoin, Ethereum, And Solana Prices Are Still Crashing Hard Now, the analyst is presenting a new outlook, warning of a potentially similar decline in Solana’s price this cycle. He notes that Solana is now testing the $85 level, which corresponds to the 0.382 Fibonacci retracement on the chart. The zone has acted as a temporary support; however, it remains structurally weak given the broader trend of lower highs since the peak. The analyst suggests that if Solana fails to break $85, its price could slide into the $50- $30 range, extending its decline over the past two years. He has labeled this area as a strong Fair Value Gap (FVG) accumulation zone based on historical demand and volume behavior. The accompanying chart also maps prior expansion phases in which Solana surged by thousands of percent after long consolidation periods. In the 2021 bull cycle, price rallied by more 24,234.55% and then declined by 97.01% the following year. Crypto Patel’s current projection places Solana in a similar expansion and corrective phase. The cryptocurrency has already experienced its expansion stage in 2024, when its price jumped by more than 3,699% to a peak of around $295. Now the analyst predicts an upcoming correction, where price is expected to decline by a whopping 89.44% in mid 2026. Long-Term Targets Remain Intact Despite Correction Despite the bearish short-term outlook, Crypto Patel has not abandoned his long-range bullish projections for SOL. He maintains that once the corrective phase is complete, Solana could still target the $500– $1,000 range. His chart projects a sharp upward surge toward the $1,000 level by 2027, representing a massive 3,103% surge. Related Reading: XRP, Solana Secure Inflows As Institutions Move $1 Billion Out Of Bitcoin And Ethereum Going further, the analyst also shared his bullish price projection for Solana by late 2029. He expects that once the price hits $1,000, SOL could rally strongly and steadily toward $10,000. He has marked $9,270 as the next long-term target, reflecting a rally of approximately 27,660%. Featured image from Freepik, chart from Tradingview.com
The Bitcoin’s recent pullback may look concerning on the surface, but according to Brian Armstrong, the move has more to do with the market psychology than with any deterioration in fundamentals. After a period of strong performance, shifting sentiment and broader market uncertainty are playing a larger role in BTC’s price movement than structural weaknesses within the network or its long-term value proposition. Why Bitcoin’s Core Strengths Remain Intact A crypto expert known as Walter Bloomberg on X has revealed that the Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong believes Bitcoin’s recent slide is temporary and is driven primarily by market psychology rather than weakening fundamentals. Related Reading: Standard Chartered Lowers Bitcoin Forecast: Predicts Price Dive To $50,000 Before Rebound Speaking to the Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC) at the World Liberty Forum in Florida, Armstrong pushed back against the speculation linking the decline to potential Federal Reserve (Fed) leadership changes or emerging risks such as quantum computing. Instead, Armstrong explained that the move reflects investors locking in profits and reacting to what they believe others are thinking. He described the downturn as likely temporary, noting that Coinbase is repurchasing shares and buying more BTC at a lower price. Armstrong emphasized that crypto market cycles are normal, reiterating that BTC remains the best-performing asset of the past decade and that the company continues to focus on long-term growth. Is This The Early Stage Of Another Supply Shock? Bitcoin whales have accumulated more than 200,000 BTC despite the ongoing selling pressure. Analyst Darkfost highlighted that while whale inflows to exchanges have increased recently, their overall holdings have continued to grow. Thus, inflows typically reflect short-term behaviour and can generate immediate selling pressure. Related Reading: Bitcoin Whales Flood Binance As Correction Deepens: On-Chain Data Shows The chart below provides a medium-term perspective by tracking the evolution of the whale-held supply on a monthly average basis. After a sharp drop in this average to nearly -7% on December 15, whale behaviour appears to have shifted over the past month, with their holdings increasing by 3.4%. During this period, the BTC supply by whales grew from 2.9 million BTC to over 3.1 million BTC, representing an accumulation of more than 200,000 BTC. Meanwhile, the last time whale accumulation of this magnitude occurred was during the April 2025 market correction. At that time, this wave of accumulation had helped absorb selling pressure and supported the rally that pushed BTC from $76,000 to $126,000. However, with BTC still consolidating around 46% below its recent all-time high, the current level may be viewed as an attractive accumulation zone. Darkfost noted that it is not surprising to see some whales taking advantage of this opportunity. As selling pressure remains significant, this whale demand may not yet be sufficient on its own to fully counterbalance the broader market. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
Ether.fi will migrate 70,000 cards and 300,000 accounts to OP Mainnet, bringing $2M in daily crypto payments to Optimism.
The post Ether.fi moves Cash card product to OP Mainnet in major platform shift appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Sources familiar with the talks on stablecoin yields say the White House urged bankers to get on board with a deal that lets the market structure bill advance.
Bitcoin may stay capped under $70,000 as traders deploy bearish options strategies, and spot BTC ETF outflows point to a retest of the yearly low.
The CFTC is focusing on returning to foundational principles to enhance market oversight. Emphasis is placed on ensuring financial markets serve the economy through price discovery and risk mitigation. Regulatory efforts should prioritize market integrity over sensational headlines.
The post Caroline Pham: CFTC’s focus on foundational principles will enhance market integrity, why collaboration with SEC is essential, and the importance of a positive regulatory posture for crypto innovation | Empire appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Crypto expert Remi has raised the possibility that XRP could have a base price of $10,000. This came as the expert noted that the XRP Ledger (XRPL) could become the go-to network for tokenization, boosting XRP’s utility. How XRP Can Achieve A Base Price of $10,000 In an X post, Remi predicted that XRP could have a base price of $10,000. He suggested that this could happen if the altcoin has a “United States Crypto price Floor System.” Notably, he made this comment in reference to a report on the U.S. developing a critical minerals price floor system. Related Reading: Analyst Shares XRP Roadmap To $10,000: What Happens With Each Milestone? Remi suggested that this could also happen for XRP if the U.S. eventually considers it a very important asset. Meanwhile, the expert also noted that the XRP Ledger will tokenize gold and Bitcoin, which would also boost the altcoin’s utility and possibly contribute to the base case price of $10,000. In another X post, Remi declared that all the critical minerals will be tokenized on the XRPL with XRP as the bridge currency. He reiterated that the altcoin could reach $1,000, $10,000, and even $100,000 once these begin to happen on the XRPL. It is worth noting that the XRPL is already seeing a wave of tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs). Billiton Diamond and Ctrl Alt announced earlier this month that they had tokenized over $280 million of certified polished diamonds. Ripple also backed the deal, with the crypto firm providing custody services for this tokenization initiative. RWA.xyz data shows that the total tokenized assets on the XRPL are currently valued at $1.9 billion. The network ranks sixth among all networks in terms of tokenized RWAs. XRPL Gets New Upgrade The XRP Ledger has activated the Permissioned DEX, which enables compliant institutional trading. This is expected to further boost the network’s adoption, which is positive for XRP. Commenting on this development, expert X Finance Bull noted that regulated institutions can now trade on the network with vetted counterparties. Related Reading: Cup And Handle Pattern Puts XRP Price At $60 After Hitting Resistance He further remarked that this translates to compliant DeFi, on-chain order books, and KYC-gated trading. The expert also claimed that Ripple and its partner institutions have been waiting for this, and that the infrastructure is ready and the payment rails are open. X Finance Bull declared that this is how up to trillions of dollars will enter the XRP Ledger. He also mentioned that the CLARITY Act, being signed into law, will be the next bullish catalyst for XRP. Once that happens, he predicts that institutional inflows into the XRP ecosystem will increase. At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.41, down over 4% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com
The longtime Warhammer designer backed Games Workshop’s generative AI ban, arguing the technology undermines creative work.
Blockchain-based versions of US stocks are drawing growing investor activity, with onchain wallets and cross-venue trading expanding rapidly.
Analysis by Bitcoin services company River forecasts a transaction surge as individuals and businesses experiment with AI agentic payments.
Bitcoin is on course to lock in another negative month, but one analyst says major differences in the current market structure could be a sign of a pending trend reversal.
The average bitcoin ETF investor now sits on a 20% paper loss, leaving the market vulnerable to capitulation selling if prices slide further, a Wintermute trader said.
Google AI music generator Lyria 3 is now available on the Gemini app. It works—mostly—but the competition has a big head start.
Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, continued its price struggles as traders weighed two stress-tinged signals from the US financial ecosystem. This week, there was a sudden $18.5 billion Federal Reserve overnight repo operation, and Blue Owl Capital has decided to permanently halt redemptions from a retail-focused private credit fund. In another era, either […]
The post Bitcoin eyes new liquidity as the Fed’s $18.5 billion repo spike reignites money printer chatter appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Paul Atkins and Hester Peirce spoke at ETHDenver on Wednesday on the future of regulation at the SEC and its response to crypto market volatility.
A transaction-level analysis of 92 community banks found $78.3 million in net deposits moved to Coinbase over 13 months, with money market accounts losing most outflows.
Aptos is preparing a major economic shift of moving from open-ended token issuance to a capped, potentially deflationary supply model. This change aims to align APT supply more closely with network activity, marking a transition from its growth-focused, incentive-driven phase. Related Reading: Goldman Sachs CEO Says US Must Codify How Crypto ‘Will Operate’ Proposed by the Aptos Foundation and pending governance approval, the overhaul seeks to slow new token issuance while expanding mechanisms that remove tokens from circulation, such as burns and permanent staking. At the time of the announcement, APT was trading near $0.88, down about 4.5%, reflecting investor caution as the market considers the long-term effects of the tokenomics changes. APT's price trends to the downside on the daily chart. Source: APTUSD on Tradingview Hard Supply Cap and Lower Emissions Mark Structural Change At the center of the proposal is the introduction of a hard supply cap of 2.1 billion APT tokens, a major shift for a network that currently has no maximum supply. About 1.196 billion tokens are already in circulation, meaning future issuance would gradually decline as the cap is approached. The foundation also plans to reduce annual staking rewards from 5.19% to 2.6%, lowering the rate at which new tokens are created. A redesigned staking model may offer higher yields for longer lock-up commitments, aiming to maintain validator participation while reducing inflationary pressure. In addition, 210 million APT tokens are proposed to be permanently locked and staked, removing them from liquid circulation while continuing to support network security. The changes collectively signal a move toward tighter supply discipline as the ecosystem matures. Burn Mechanisms and Fee Adjustments Could Drive Deflation Alongside emission cuts, Aptos intends to strengthen token burn dynamics. Transaction fees paid on the network are already burned, and a proposed tenfold increase in gas fees could accelerate the pace at which tokens leave circulation. Even after the adjustment, stablecoin transfers are expected to remain extremely low-cost. Higher on-chain activity may further amplify burns. New applications, including fully on-chain trading platforms, are projected to generate sustained transaction volume, potentially creating conditions where tokens burned exceed newly issued supply. The foundation is also exploring additional measures such as performance-based grants and a potential token buyback program, both designed to better align issuance with measurable ecosystem growth. What the Shift Means for Investors For investors, the proposed overhaul introduces a different economic narrative for APT. Reduced staking rewards may lower short-term yield opportunities, but tighter supply and expanded burn mechanisms could support scarcity if network adoption increases. The timing is notable as a major token unlock cycle concludes in October 2026, expected to reduce annual supply unlocks by roughly 60%. Combined with declining grant distributions, the reforms aim to transition Aptos toward a model where long-term value depends more on network usage than subsidy-driven emissions. Related Reading: Stellar Price Forecast: XLM Stabilizes After Dip, March Recovery Toward $0.20 in Focus Whether the strategy succeeds will depend on governance approval and sustained ecosystem growth, but the proposal highlights a growing trend across blockchain networks: tokenomics design is becoming as critical as technology performance in attracting developers, institutions, and long-term capital. Cover image from ChatGPT, APTUSD chart on Tradingview