Из жизни альткоинов

Американские спотовые биржевые фонды (ETF), привязанные к цене биткоина, пятую неделю подряд фиксируют чистый отток средств. За этот период инвесторы вывели около $3,8 млрд, подсчитали аналитики SoSoValue.

Национальное агентство перспективных проектов Узбекистана (НАПП) выдало разрешение на майнинг криптовалюты частной компании NexaGrid, которая планирует разместить свои мощности на юго-западе от Бухары.

Автор книги о финансовой грамотности «Богатый папа, бедный папа» Роберт Кийосаки (Robert Kiyosaki) объявил о покупке одного биткоина по цене $67 000.

New research shows Bitcoin is facing a discount of about 20% due to the Quantum Computing threat, and it could rise further without an upgrade.

Bitcoin Quantum Discount Could Hit 60% By 2028

Capriole Investments founder Charles Edwards has published a new research piece on how the Quantum Computing risk could discount the fair value of Bitcoin. Quantum Computing is an upcoming technology that could, in theory, be used to break into certain old BTC wallets.

“A quantum hack would compromise the core tenets of Bitcoin,” noted Edwards. The analyst further added:

“Trust the code” and “hard money” value propositions would be crippled overnight as up to 30% of all Bitcoin supply (the coins with exposed public keys) are stolen and liquidated.

Currently, it’s yet unknown when Quantum Computing will advance enough to be able to compromise BTC’s cryptography (an event known as the “Q-Day”), but there has been an increasing amount of discourse surrounding the topic.

Edwards, who has been a vocal voice about the issue in the Bitcoin community, has argued that, given the Quantum threat, logical market participants must now discount the asset’s fair value by a “Quantum Discount Factor.”

The research article describes this metric as the number of years to upgrade BTC against the threat subtracted from the cumulative probability of Q-Day occurring by year. To find the probability of Q-Day taking place, Edwards has referred to estimates from various experts.

Below is the compiled data of these predictions.

As is visible in the chart, there is a 60% chance that Q-Day could occur by 2030 and about 80% that it could happen by 2031. All of the predictions put it as happening sometime in the next nine years (2035 and before).

As for how long it could take to upgrade Bitcoin, the article puts a realistic estimate at approximately two years. “In an extremely optimistic and aggressive scenario this might be feasible in 1 year, but is more likely to be closer to 3 years, as the below diagram elicits,” said Edwards.

Putting both the estimations together, the analyst has mapped out the Quantum Discount Factor for the digital asset.

From the graph, it’s apparent that the 2026 Quantum Discount Factor sits at 20% for Bitcoin. This means that the fair value of the asset should be 20% lower today due to the Quantum risk.

In the scenario that no action is taken for proofing the network against the threat, the discount will increase to nearly 40% by 2027. The figure will rise further to about 60% in 2028 and 75% in 2029.

BTC Price

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is floating around $67,700, down 2% in the last seven days.

Мошенники разработали схему скрытой подмены биткоин-адресов под предлогом «выгодного арбитража» криптовалют, сообщили аналитики работающей в области кибербезопасности компании BleepingComputer.

Компания Tether объявила о прекращении поддержки своего стейблкоина CNHT, привязанного к офшорному китайскому юаню (CNH). Причина — низкий уровень спроса на актив.

Negotiations over the long-debated crypto market structure bill, known as the CLARITY Act, appear to be moving forward after a third round of talks at the White House on Thursday, even though a final agreement has yet to be reached. 

White House Takes Lead In Crypto Talks

Patrick Witt, executive director of the President’s Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, described the meeting as “a big step forward” in a post on social media platform X (previously Twitter). “We’re close,” Witt wrote, adding that if both sides continue negotiating in good faith, he fully expects the deadline to be met.

Additional details about the latest session were reported by Crypto In America journalist Eleanor Terrett. According to sources present at the meeting, the gathering was smaller than the previous week’s session and included representatives from Coinbase and Ripple. 

No individual bank executives attended directly. Instead, the banking industry was represented through trade associations, including the American Bankers Association, the Bank Policy Institute, and the Independent Community Bankers of America.

Terrett indicated that, unlike earlier sessions where industry groups largely guided the discussion, the White House took a more assertive role this time. Witt reportedly introduced draft legislative language that became the centerpiece of the conversation.

The proposed text addressed concerns raised by banks in a document circulated last week titled “Yield and Interest Prohibition Principles.” While acknowledging those objections, the draft also made clear that any restrictions on rewards would be limited in scope. 

One key takeaway is that paying yield on idle stablecoin balances — a central objective for many crypto firms — is effectively off the table. The debate has narrowed to whether companies may provide rewards tied to specific activities rather than simple account balances.

Daily Penalties Proposed In Draft 

According to one crypto industry participant, banks’ resistance may be driven more by competitive pressures than by fears of large-scale deposit flight, which had previously been framed as the core concern. 

A source from the banking side said their camp is still advocating for the inclusion of a formal deposit outflow study in the bill. Such a study would analyze how the growth of payment-focused stablecoins might affect traditional bank deposits over time.

That banking source noted optimism about a new proposed anti-evasion provision in the draft. The language would grant authority to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Treasury Department, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to ensure compliance with a ban on yield for idle balances. 

Civil penalties could reach $500,000 per violation, per day, underscoring the seriousness of the enforcement framework under consideration.

Terrett further disclosed in his coverage that the next phase will involve bank trade groups briefing their members on the latest developments to assess whether there is flexibility around permitting certain forms of stablecoin rewards. 

Talks are expected to continue in the coming days. One source familiar with the negotiations said that meeting the end-of-month deadline remains realistic, suggesting that, while differences persist, momentum toward a compromise is building.

Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

По данным платформы CryptoQuant, совокупная капитализация крипторынка за три месяца уменьшилась более чем на $730 млрд. Наибольшие потери понес биткоин: его показатель снизился с $1,70 трлн в ноябре 2025 года до примерно $1,35 трлн к середине февраля.

Генеральный директор одного из крупнейших корпоративных держателей биткоина, японской компании Metaplanet Саймон Герович (Simon Gerovich) опроверг обвинения в том, что фирма тайно скупала биткоин.

The White House reportedly took the lead during the latest Crypto Council meeting, narrowing the stablecoin rewards dispute that has delayed progress in the long-awaited crypto market structure bill.

White House Steps In On CLARITY Act Dispute

On Thursday, the White House held another meeting between the crypto industry and the banking sector to negotiate the stablecoin yield dispute that has stalled the crypto market structure bill, known as the CLARITY Act, over the past month.

According to a report from journalist Eleanor Terret, the meeting was smaller than previous ones, with only a few representatives from each side. From the crypto sector, participants included representatives from Coinbase, Ripple, a16z, the Blockchain Association, and Crypto Council for Innovation (CCI).

Meanwhile, no individual bank representatives attended; bank voices were represented through trade associations, such as the American Bankers Association, the Banking Policy Institute (BPI), and the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA).

Terret sources affirmed that there was a notable difference in yesterday’s meeting as the White House “took the lead in driving the discussion, rather than letting crypto firms and bank trades steer the discussion, as in prior meetings.”

For context, banks have heavily criticized the landmark stablecoin legislation, the GENIUS Act, due to “loopholes” that could pose risks to the financial system. The framework prohibits interest payments on the holding or use of payment-purpose stablecoins, but it only addresses issuers.

The banking side argues that allowing issuers and platforms to offer interest payments on stablecoins could distort market dynamics and affect credit creation in the country, hurting small- and medium-sized financial institutions in the sector.

To address these concerns, banking associations across the US urged senators to include language in the CLARITY Act that also bans digital asset exchanges, brokers, dealers, and related entities from offering yield on stablecoins.

The Senate Banking Committee’s draft proposed that issuers offer rewards for specific actions, such as account openings and cashback. However, it also prohibited issuers from providing interest payments to passive token holders.

The crypto side criticized the proposed measures, with some industry leaders publicly opposing the draft and withdrawing their support. As a result, a markup session on the Senate Banking Committee’s portion of the bill has been delayed.

Stablecoin Yield Out Of The Picture

At the Thursday meeting, Patrick Witt, executive director of the US President’s Council of Advisors on Digital Assets, reportedly brought a draft text that served as the anchor for the discussion. Sources in the room told Terret that the draft’s language acknowledged banks’ concerns raised in last week’s “Yield and Interest Prohibitions Principles” document.

Based on this, “earning yield on idle balances (…) is effectively off the table,” the journalist affirmed. The draft also clarified that any future restrictions on rewards would be narrow in scope. Therefore, the debate has now narrowed to whether crypto firms can offer rewards linked to specific activities.

An attendee from the crypto industry side reportedly said that banks’ concerns “appear to stem more from competitive pressures than from deposit flight.” Meanwhile, someone from the banking industry told Terret that they are still pushing to include a study examining the growth of payment stablecoins and their potential impact on bank deposits in the draft.

They also noted that the White House proposed anti-evasion language. The measure would give the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and the Department of the Treasury authority to enforce a ban on paying yield on idle stablecoin balances, and penalties of up to $500,000 per violation, per day, against companies that breach the ban.

Now, the banking industry representatives “will brief their members on today’s discussions and gauge whether there’s room to compromise on allowing crypto firms to offer stablecoin rewards,” Terret noted, adding that some attendees believe an end-of-month deadline isn’t unrealistic as talks are set to continue in the coming days.

Стейблкоин USDT, выпускаемый компанией Tether, столкнулся со снижением предложения: с начала февраля объем токенов в обращении сократился на $1,5 млрд, сообщили аналитики Artemis Analytics.

Экономист и инвестиционный аналитик Лин Олден (Lyn Alden) заявила в подкасте Coin Stories, что одним из факторов роста биткоина может стать перегрев акций компаний, работающих в сфере искусственного интеллекта.

Sam Bankman-Fried has once again taken to social media from prison, laying out what he describes as “10 myths” surrounding the collapse of crypto exchange FTX and his subsequent conviction. 

The former chief executive used the statement to challenge prosecutors, the bankruptcy process, media coverage, and even the conduct of his trial.

Sam Bankman-Fried Denies FTX Insolvency

Bankman-Fried began by disputing the allegation that FTX was insolvent and that $8 billion in customer funds vanished. He contrasted statements made by prosecutors to jurors with representations made by bankruptcy debtors to the court, and that his claim of solvency was false and that he had lost billions in customer money. 

Media reports, he said, reinforced the message that the funds were gone. In his version of events, however, FTX was solvent and is now repaying customers between 119% and 143% of their claims. 

Bankman-Fried also rejected persistent rumors about a lavish corporate culture. Addressing allegations of “polycule orgies,” Bankman-Fried flatly denied that such conduct took place. 

He insisted he did not party or take vacations, noting that while FTX owned a penthouse, he personally rented only 10% of it for six months for $50,000. He maintained that his personal spending and political donations were funded from his earnings and were less than those earnings.

Secret ‘Backdoor’ For Alameda

On the events leading to FTX’s bankruptcy, Bankman-Fried pushed back against the narrative that he filed because he could not meet surging withdrawal demands. According to him, there were offers to cover the liquidity shortfall and stabilize the platform. 

He claimed that within three days, financing proposals were on the table and withdrawals had begun to resume, but that lawyers nonetheless proceeded with the bankruptcy filing.

The former FTX CEO also addressed the structure of the exchange’s trading platform, Alameda Research, saying it was unrealistic to expect a margin exchange to be fully liquid at all times. 

Margin trading, he explained, involves customers — including Alameda Research — opting into lending and borrowing through a shared collateral pool. He asserted that most assets on the exchange were part of this lending program and that FTX had sufficient liquidity to cover assets outside of it.

Another key accusation he disputed was that he created a secret “backdoor” in FTX’s systems to siphon funds to Alameda. Bankman-Fried denied that such a mechanism existed, saying the account features in question had legitimate purposes and were not used to allow Alameda to borrow more from customers than it had lent.

Pardon Hopes Fade

A significant portion of his statement focused on his trial. Bankman-Fried claimed he did not receive a fair hearing, arguing that once the Department of Justice (DOJ) under former President Joe Biden and the bankruptcy debtors took control of FTX, they controlled the narrative, access to documents, and the pool of witnesses. 

Bankman-Fried also accused Judge Lewis Kaplan of restricting his ability to defend himself, including imposing a gag order, revoking his bail before trial, excluding evidence related to FTX’s solvency, and advice of counsel.

Regarding the revocation of his bail, Bankman-Fried maintained that it stemmed from his exercise of First Amendment rights and attempts to assist the bankruptcy debtors, rather than from witness intimidation. 

The statement comes as Bankman-Fried continues to pursue a new trial in New York. Speculation that he might receive a presidential pardon from President Donald Trump — similar to the one granted to former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao — has largely faded. 

Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Ветеран криптоиндустрии и гендиректор платежной компании Ballet Бобби Ли (Bobby Lee) предупредил, что существует высокая вероятность снижения курса биткоина ниже $50 000.

Черкесский городской суд вынес решение по делу о незаконном майнинге в Карачаево-Черкесии. Житель села Чапаевского Прикубанского района обязан выплатить компании «Россети Северный Кавказ» 97,7 млн рублей за безучетное потребление электроэнергии.

Strategy CEO Phong Le is calling for a rethink of how banks are required to capital-charge bitcoin exposure under Basel-style rules, arguing that current risk-weighting treatment materially shapes whether regulated institutions can engage with digital assets at all.

The catalyst was a chart shared on X that labels bitcoin “unsecured crypto exposure” with a “typical risk weight” of 1,250% under an “Illustrative Basel III-Style” standardized approach, alongside 0% weights for cash, physical gold, and US Treasuries.

A Capital Penalty For Bank Bitcoin Exposure

Le framed the issue as structural rather than political, pointing to the way global capital rules flow into national bank regulation. “The Basel Accords set global bank capital standards and risk-weighting rules for assets. These frameworks materially shape how banks engage with digital assets, including bitcoin,” he wrote. “They are developed by the Basel Committee of central banks and regulators across 28 jurisdictions — the US is just one.”

He tied that directly to Washington’s stated ambitions for crypto leadership. “If the US wants to be the Crypto Capital of the World, our implementation of Basel capital treatment deserves careful review,” Le said.

Jeff Walton, who posted the image Le quoted, summarized the contrast in blunt numbers: “Basel III Risk weights for assets: Gold: 0% Public equity: 300% Bitcoin: 1,250%,” adding that if the US wants to be a “crypto capitol,” “the banking regulations need to change,” because “Risk is mispriced.”

The chart itself presents a ladder of “typical” risk weights across asset classes. Cash and central bank reserves sit at 0%, physical gold at 0%, and sovereign debt such as US Treasuries (USD, U.S. bank) also at 0%. Investment-grade corporate debt is shown in a 20–75% range, unrated corporate debt at 100%, high-yield at 150%, public equity at 250–300%, and private equity at 400%+. Bitcoin is set apart at 1,250%.

Conner Brown, Head of Strategy at the Bitcoin Policy Institute, argued that the practical effect is to make bank intermediation of bitcoin prohibitively expensive. “It’s hard to overstate how bad of a policy error this is,” he wrote. “Banks are required to set aside capital based on how risky regulators think an asset is. The higher the ‘risk weight,’ the more expensive it is for a bank to hold.”

Brown described the 1,250% figure as translating into a one-for-one capital requirement relative to exposure. In his words, bitcoin’s treatment “means banks must hold $1 in capital for every $1 of Bitcoin exposure,” while gold is treated “the same as cash” with “essentially no capital cost.”

He also pushed back on the premise that bitcoin should be penalized relative to legacy assets, pointing to operational traits he sees as favorable for risk management and market functioning, including continuous trading, fast auditability of holdings, fixed supply, rapid global settlement, and transparent pricing. The result, he argued, is that regulators have effectively discouraged banks from offering custody and related services that corporates and individuals might prefer inside the regulated perimeter.

Brown said the knock-on effects extend beyond bank balance sheets to competitiveness. He argued the framework diverts activity toward “non-bank entities and offshore jurisdictions,” which he characterized as carrying higher risks, and warned that failing to adjust the approach could leave US institutions at a disadvantage globally.

At press time, Bitcoin traded at $67,857.

Analytics firm Glassnode has highlighted how the current Bitcoin market pain echoes May 2022 based on the trend in the Relative Unrealized Loss.

Bitcoin Relative Unrealized Loss Has Shot Up Recently

As explained by Glassnode in a new post on X, the current structure of the Bitcoin Relative Unrealized Loss could mirror May 2022. The “Relative Unrealized Loss” is an on-chain indicator that measures the amount of unrealized loss being held by BTC investors as a whole as a percentage of the asset’s market cap.

The metric works by going through the transaction history of each coin on the blockchain to determine the last price it was moved at. If this last selling price was less than the current spot price for any token, then the indicator considers that particular coin to be underwater right now.

The exact degree of loss carried by the token is equal to the difference between the two prices. The Relative Unrealized Loss sums up this value for all underwater coins and calculates what part of the market cap that it makes up for. Another indicator called the Relative Unrealized Profit tracks the tokens of the opposite type.

Now, here is the chart shared by the analytics firm that shows the trend in the Bitcoin Relative Unrealized Loss over the last several years:

As displayed in the above graph, the Bitcoin Relative Unrealized Loss has witnessed a rise as the cryptocurrency’s price has gone through a bearish shift in recent months. The latest crash to $60,000, in particular, induced a sharp surge in the indicator.

Currently, the Relative Unrealized Loss is sitting at a value of about 19% as the asset trades near $67,000. From the chart, it’s apparent that this is the highest level that the indicator has hit since 2023. But more importantly, the recent trajectory in the metric has looked reminiscent to that witnessed during the bear-market transition from the last cycle.

“Current market pain echoes a similar structure seen in May 2022,” noted Glassnode. The bear market of 2022 didn’t reach its bottom until the FTX crash put investors in an unrealized loss exceeding 60% of the market cap. It now remains to be seen when Bitcoin will reach a low this time around.

In some other news, the market downturn that has followed since the October all-time high (ATH) has resulted in the largest drawdown in history for the US spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs), as the analytics firm has pointed out in another X post.

At the moment, Bitcoin spot ETFs are down 100,300 BTC. “Institutional de-risking has added structural weight to the ongoing weakness, reinforcing the broader risk-off environment,” explained Glassnode.

BTC Price

Bitcoin has been stuck in consolidation recently as its price is floating around $66,700.

A clear sign of more than hobbyist use: monthly Lightning activity climbed past a big mark late last year. According to a report from River, November saw about $1.1 billion flow over the Bitcoin network.

That money, according to a report shared by River’s marketing chief Sam Wouters, moved through over 5 million transactions, which shows both volume and movement. It matters because money actually changed hands on Bitcoin’s second layer, not just price bets.

Adoption Driven By Bigger Players

Reports say many of the biggest gains were not from tiny tips or in-app experiments this time. Exchanges and merchant integrations are carrying a lot of the load.

Back in 2023, monthly transactions peaked at 6.6 million as apps tried out micropayments in gaming and chat. Now the shape of use looks different. Average payment sizes appear larger and the profile of users has shifted toward trading desks and businesses.

https://t.co/5Kmor1eA1n

— Sam Wouters (@SDWouters) February 19, 2026

Institutional Transfers Show Network Muscle

A striking example came when Secure Digital Markets routed a million-dollar Lightning Network transfer to Kraken. That move showed big sums can be shifted quickly without waiting for on-chain confirmation.

Network capacity, which measures BTC tied up to keep channels open, reached 5,606 BTC in December. That increased liquidity matters for larger deals because it lowers the chance a large payment will fail for lack of routed funds.

Bitcoin Price Action And Market Mood

Market conditions were mixed as the network grew. Bitcoin slid under key levels this week, and traders grew cautious as geopolitical headlines piled up.

Volume in spot markets has been muted at times, yet Lightning traffic rose despite that. Price swings still happen, and low trading days tend to amplify those moves, but the network’s payment activity did not simply mirror price spikes. In short, payments rose while BTC sometimes moved sideways.

Why Lightning Is Different

The Lightning Network moves payments off the main chain by opening channels between parties. Transactions inside a channel settle almost instantly and at a fraction of the cost of a typical on-chain transfer.

Only the channel’s net balance is posted to Bitcoin when it’s closed. That design makes small and frequent payments practical, and it removes the 10-minute wait that can ruin buying something at a store.

Reports say Lightning transactions could climb if AI systems begin making automatic micro-payments for data and computing, but that shift still needs better software and clearer business models.

For the time being, the network’s growth signals progress toward everyday Bitcoin payments, though broader exchange support, deeper liquidity, and stronger merchant use will decide whether it becomes a common payment rail or stays a niche tool.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Ethereum continues to struggle below the $2,000 level as persistent selling pressure and elevated uncertainty weigh on broader crypto market sentiment. Despite occasional rebound attempts, price action remains fragile, with volatility still elevated after months of corrective momentum. The inability to decisively reclaim this psychological threshold has reinforced caution among traders, particularly as liquidity conditions tighten and macro uncertainty continues to influence risk appetite across digital assets.

Recent analysis from Darkfost adds further context to the current market structure. According to the data, the ongoing correction is now affecting all investor cohorts, including Ethereum’s largest holders. Notably, the unrealized profit ratio for whale groups has shifted into negative territory across the board. Wallets holding between 1,000 and 10,000 ETH show an unrealized profit ratio of approximately -0.21, while those with 10,000 to 100,000 ETH stand near -0.18. Even the largest cohort — addresses holding more than 100,000 ETH — has slipped into negative territory around -0.08.

This development is notable because Ethereum has not yet revisited its April lows, suggesting the depth of unrealized losses is expanding earlier than in some previous corrective phases. Such conditions can increase market sensitivity, as even traditionally resilient holders may reassess positioning amid prolonged volatility.

Whale Stress Raises Capitulation Risk While Bottom Formation Signals Emerge

Darkfost further notes that if Ethereum extends its decline, large holders could face increasing financial pressure. Sustained downside would deepen unrealized losses across whale cohorts, potentially forcing some participants to reduce exposure or liquidate portions of their holdings. Historically, such capitulation events among large investors tend to amplify short-term volatility, particularly when liquidity conditions are already fragile.

However, despite the negative profit ratios now visible across whale groups, Ethereum has so far managed to stabilize above recent local support zones. This relative resilience suggests that, while sentiment remains cautious, immediate large-scale distribution from whales has not yet materialized. The distinction is important because unrealized losses alone do not necessarily trigger selling unless accompanied by liquidity stress, leverage pressure, or broader market shocks.

Periods in which major holders experience stress have often coincided with medium-term bottom formation phases in previous cycles. As weaker hands exit and leverage unwinds, markets sometimes transition into accumulation regimes characterized by lower volatility and gradual stabilization.

Still, this interpretation should be approached cautiously. Whale positioning is only one element of market structure, and confirmation typically requires improving liquidity, stronger spot demand, and supportive macro conditions before a sustained recovery can take hold.

Ethereum Price Structure Remains Fragile Below Key Averages

Ethereum continues to trade under clear technical pressure, with the weekly chart showing a sustained inability to reclaim the $2,000 region decisively. Following the sharp rejection from the 2025 highs near the $4,800 zone, price action has transitioned into a sequence of lower highs and weakening rebounds, typically associated with corrective market phases rather than accumulation-led recoveries.

Technically, ETH is currently positioned below several major moving averages that previously acted as dynamic support. These levels now function as resistance, limiting upside attempts unless a strong reclaim occurs with expanding volume. The recent decline toward the $1,900 area reflects persistent selling pressure, while repeated failures near the mid-$2,000 range reinforce cautious market sentiment.

Volume activity has moderated compared with the impulsive rally phase, suggesting reduced speculative participation. While declining volume during corrections can sometimes signal seller exhaustion, confirmation of stabilization usually requires sustained buying interest rather than temporary rebounds.

From a structural perspective, immediate support appears concentrated near the recent local lows around the $1,800 region, while resistance remains clustered between roughly $2,200 and $2,600. Until Ethereum reclaims these levels convincingly, the broader technical outlook remains vulnerable, with consolidation or further downside still plausible.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

Ethereum saw a brief bounce on Thursday, but the $2,000 price level proved once again to be a formidable resistance zone, rendering the bullish move void as it pulls back toward $1,900. This brief bounce might be linked to renewed sentiment of investors toward accumulation, which appears to have reached key levels not seen in several years.

Falling Ethereum Prices, Rising Conviction

After weeks of selling pressure due to waning market conditions, buying activity and interest in Ethereum, the second largest cryptocurrency asset, have significantly picked up pace. On-chain data suggests that renewed buying pressure from investors has pushed toward historic levels.

As outlined in the data shared by Batman, a crypto analyst and investor, ETH is experiencing one of its strongest accumulation phases in years. ETH has managed to remake history even as its price continues to trend lower, making this a pivotal moment for the leading altcoin and its future outlook.

Rising buyer conviction and declining values divide, indicating that long-term participants are discreetly positioning amid weakness rather than withdrawing from turbulence. The constant flow of capital from investors demonstrates confidence in Ethereum’s longer-term plan in spite of immediate market pressure.

As selling pressure collides with steady accumulation, the current pattern could lay the foundation for the altcoin’s next short-term structural move. In another X post, Batman revealed that accumulation has also increased among newly created wallet addresses. Based on the flow data for Ethereum in a 24-hour period, over $490.9 million has been moved into a freshly created wallet address.

Interestingly, this notable fresh capital is 2.4x higher than average, pointing to significantly elevated activity today. During the period, whale wallet addresses also secured approximately $39.2 million inflow, indicating a 30.7x increase above average. 

Furthermore, top PnL wallets recorded $46.9 million inflow, rising by 12.2x above average, while exchange wallets saw $56.9 million outflow, which is still a bullish signal. Whale buildup, exchange outflows, and large inflows of new wallets all point to the presence of substantial accumulation activity.

Investors Are Stacking Up More ETH Than Bitcoin

While Ethereum is attracting a wave of aggressive accumulation from large holders, its net buying from these investors now significantly outpaces that of Bitcoin. High-net-worth investors increasing their positions in ETH hints at a robust condition in the altcoin compared to BTC. The disparity in accumulation patterns raises the possibility that capital rotation is taking place as key participants in the ETH ecosystem move ahead of possible catalysts.

According to CW, a verified author on CryptoQuant, whales are quietly buying massive amounts of ETH in a volatile market environment. Interestingly, the expert noted that the cohorts are particularly focused on positioning in the futures market.

At the time of writing, the price of ETH was trading at $1,957 after recording a more than 1% drop in the last 24 hours. Its trading volume has flipped bearish alongside its price, dropping by over 11% within the same time frame, according to CoinMarketCap’s data.