Из жизни альткоинов

Crypto’s week is stacked: ETHDenver pulls builders into Denver, a major DAO votes on supply, and US macro hits just as liquidity comes back after the holiday. Here’s what to watch:

Ethereum (Feb. 18): ETHDenver Kicks Off

ETHDenver’s main programming and opening ceremony are slated for Wednesday, Feb. 18, with a multi-day run into the weekend and a packed schedule across stages, side events, and builder tracks.

ETHDenver is where the Ethereum stack gets judged in real time: tooling, L2/app UX, account-abstraction product choices and the ecosystem’s current priorities, for better or worse. Don’t trade it like a single catalyst, but it’s still an info dump: partnerships get soft-launched, roadmaps get clarified, and the politics show up in Q&As before anyone writes the post-mortem.

Jupiter (Feb. 17): JUP’s ‘Pause Emissions’ Vote Goes Live

On Feb. 17, Jupiter DAO is expected to put a blunt question to holders: pause emissions and take dilution off the table, or keep incentives running as the default cost of growth.

The proposal goes beyond optics. It targets net emissions, including team-reserve flows and how team liquidity events get handled, which makes it a real token-policy decision: near-term distribution versus tighter supply discipline. If this passes, it’s not just a parameter tweak; it’s a message about what Jupiter thinks the market will reward this cycle.

Hyperliquid (Feb. 18): Second Airdrop Chatter

The real trade here is expectations. X is leaning into “Season 2” airdrop talk for Feb. 18 — but there’s still nothing official from the team.

The reason it keeps coming back is simple: the November 2024 drop was huge (big allocation, bigger mindshare) so traders keep trying to front-run a sequel. Until Hyperliquid pins anything down (team announcement, governance post, or an explicit timeline), this is positioning risk, not a confirmed event.

Macro Events To Watch This Week For Bitcoin And Crypto

Monday (Feb. 16): Presidents’ Day Shuts US Markets

With NYSE and Nasdaq shut for Presidents’ Day, macro flows are thinner and that’s when crypto tends to overreact to relatively small pushes. The bigger point is timing: for a lot of US-based participants, the “real” week starts Tuesday, which compresses reaction windows ahead of Wednesday’s Fed minutes and Friday’s inflation print.

Wednesday (Feb. 18): FOMC Minutes Hit

The minutes from the Fed’s late-January meeting land Wednesday, three weeks after the decision. Traders will read them for internal disagreement, how officials framed inflation persistence versus labor-market cooling, and what would actually have to break to move the rate path.

In practice, the market tends to move on nuance. The key is whether “higher for longer” reads like the base case or just one scenario, and how confident the committee sounds that disinflation is still doing the work.

Friday (Feb. 20): PCE Inflation Print

The BEA’s Personal Income and Outlays release hits Friday, Feb. 20, including headline and core PCE, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, right into the close of a holiday-shortened week.

For crypto, it’s rarely about the number in isolation. The trade is the knock-on effects: rate-cut timing, real yields, and whether macro funds re-risk into the weekend. If PCE surprises in either direction, it can dominate the weekly close and set the tone for the next stretch.

Friday (Feb. 20): Supreme Court Tariffs Decision?

Feb. 20 is also on the radar as a potential opinion day in the Supreme Court case tied to President Trump’s signature tariff policy. Markets don’t need a full rewrite to move, they need direction. Any signal that the tariff framework stands, gets narrowed, or gets clipped feeds straight into rates, the dollar, and broader risk pricing.

Crypto won’t trade the ruling directly, but the linkage is real. If tariffs reprice growth and inflation expectations, crypto is likely to move with the broader risk complex, especially in a week where liquidity and macro timing are already doing the heavy lifting.

At press time, the total crypto market cap stood at $2.32 trillion.

Retail investors appear to be holding their ground through the latest wave of crypto market volatility, according to new data shared by Brian Armstrong, chief executive of Coinbase.

The exchange says many individual users have continued accumulating major cryptocurrencies despite price swings, a trend Armstrong described as evidence of “diamond hands.”

The remarks arrive at a time when digital asset markets remain uncertain, shaped by macroeconomic pressure, regulatory developments, and leveraged trading activity. While prices have fluctuated sharply, Coinbase’s internal metrics suggest retail traders are behaving differently compared to previous downturns.

Retail Investors Buy the Dip During Market Volatility

Armstrong said platform data shows most retail customers now hold equal or greater amounts of Bitcoin and Ethereum than they did in December 2025. The figures track “native units,” meaning the number of coins held rather than their dollar value, indicating accumulation even as prices moved lower.

Bitcoin recently traded near $68,500, while Ethereum hovered around the $2,000 level after a period of declines and rebounds. According to Coinbase, many users responded to the pullback by adding to their positions rather than exiting the market.

The trend contrasts with earlier crypto cycles, when retail investors were often seen selling during sharp corrections. Analysts note that steady spot buying from smaller investors can help counterbalance volatility driven by derivatives markets, where leveraged positions frequently amplify price swings through liquidations.

Coinbase also reported that retail accumulation contributed to renewed activity on the platform, with its stock rising in recent sessions alongside increased trading interest in the two largest cryptocurrencies.

Executive Stock Sales Draw Attention

Armstrong’s praise for retail resilience has coincided with scrutiny over his own share sales. Regulatory filings show the CEO has sold more than $550 million worth of Coinbase stock between April 2025 and January 2026, including transactions exceeding $100 million in recent months.

The sales were executed under a prearranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, a mechanism commonly used by public-company executives to schedule stock disposals in advance.

Supporters argue that such plans are standard financial management tools, while critics say the scale of the sales sends mixed signals, encouraging retail investors to hold through volatility.

Similarly, Coinbase continues to navigate broader challenges, including regulatory disputes tied to new product expansions such as prediction markets in several U.S. states.

What Retail Resilience Means for Market Sentiment

Market analysts say sustained retail accumulation could play a stabilizing role if macro conditions improve. Historically, periods where smaller investors continue buying during downturns have sometimes preceded recovery phases in crypto cycles.

However, sentiment remains sensitive to interest rate expectations, geopolitical risks, and institutional flows. For Coinbase, the combination of strong retail engagement and ongoing insider selling highlights the complex balance between leadership messaging, investor perception, and market performance in a volatile environment.

Cover image from ChatGPT, BTCUSD chart from Tradingview

Binance and news reporters are locking horns over a set of serious claims that have put more heat on the exchange’s compliance record. The matter centers on alleged transfers tied to Iran and on the treatment of staff who flagged those moves. At stake is how a giant platform handles risk when past missteps still hang over it.

Allegations And Denials Collide

According to reporting by Fortune, internal teams found more than $1 billion in transfers linked to Iranian entities that moved through the exchange between March 2024 and August 2025.

The pieces named stablecoin flows on the network run by Tron and pointed to a familiar issuer, Tether.

Reports say several investigators who documented those flows were later let go. That claim, if true, would raise questions about how warnings from inside a company are handled.

Binance pushed back hard. The platform, represented by its leadership, called the claims false and said a full internal review with outside counsel found no sanctions breaches.

The record must be clear.

No sanctions violations were found, no investigators were fired for raising concerns, and Binance continues to meet its regulatory commitments.

We’ve asked for corrections to recent reporting. pic.twitter.com/glA9bdGaw1

— Richard Teng (@_RichardTeng) February 16, 2026

“This is categorically false. No investigator was dismissed for raising compliance concerns or for reporting potential sanctions issues as there are no violations,” the exchange disclosed in an email circulated by Binance CEO, Richard Teng.

“The record must be clear. No sanctions violations were found, no investigators were fired for raising concerns, and Binance continues to meet its regulatory commitments,” Teng said in an X post.

The response noted that none of the wallets in question were sanctioned at the time the activity took place. Still, critics say the real test is evidence and outside oversight, not statements from either side.

Questions Around Internal Reviews

A separate set of reporting by Financial Times added fuel to the debate last December by showing internal data that, according to that outlet, suggested suspicious accounts continued to move big sums after Binance’s 2023 settlement with US authorities.

That 2023 agreement led to a $4.3 billion penalty and to changes in leadership. The firm’s founder, Changpeng Zhao, later faced legal consequences.

Legal experts say there is a meaningful legal line between knowingly processing funds tied to sanctioned entities and handling transactions that later turn out to be problematic.

Records and timestamps matter. So do who knew what, and when they knew it. In this case, the exchange says internal checks found no violations and that monitoring continues under the terms of its US settlement.

Regulators Watch Closely

Reports note that the story adds to an ongoing narrative: big crypto firms operating under close scrutiny, where any hint of lax controls draws attention.

This dispute may end with more documentation, an independent probe, or simply with each side standing by its version.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView

With the price of Bitcoin stuck below the $70,000 mark, analysts are beginning to flag this current performance as an indication of a bear market. After several weeks of downward pressure, many key metrics are beginning to flash signs of a continued correction phase, reinforcing the idea of a bear market scenario.

Key Bitcoin Metric Drifts Toward Its 4-Year SMA

Given the recent signals from multiple Bitcoin key market metrics, the ongoing BTC downward action does not seem to have come to an end yet. Currently, a particular metric indicates that the flagship asset is nearing a historically significant threshold, akin to a bear market phase.

This signal is emerging from the Bitcoin Daily Price Analysis with SMA Multiplier, built around moving averages and multiples, as reported by Darkfost, a data analyst and author at CryptoQuant. Recent data shows that Bitcoin has shifted back into the green zone on the chart and is approaching its 4-year SMA, which is currently positioned around the $57,500 price level.

The higher the standard deviation, and, consequently, the multiple of the SMA, the more overbought Bitcoin seems.  However, the expert highlighted that the closer the price gets to the 4-year SMA, the more undervalued the price of BTC becomes. To make these stages easier to comprehend, a color scale is used to illustrate all of this.

In the past, this level has typically served as a reliable signal for the final stage of each bear market, with the flagship asset trading around these levels for several months. According to data on the chart, the market is nearing a bear market level, and Darkfost finds this current trend an interesting one that demands the market’s attention.

With Bitcoin edging closer to this level, focus is shifting to whether history will repeat itself or if a new cycle dynamic will kick in. For now, the cryptocurrency remains at a decision point that illustrates the mounting tension between persistent weakness and long-term valuation support.

Has BTC’s Price Reached A Bottom Yet?

As discussions about Bitcoin’s price bottom mount, Joao Wedson has provided insights into the situation using the BTC Long-Term Holder Realized Price Bands. Historically, the major bottoms have occurred when the price hits the -0.2 standard deviation levels of this key metric.

Wedson noted that this point is marked by classic capitulation phases and the final opportunity to buy the crypto king before a new bull market takes off. However, during the weekend, the behavior was different. A view into the chart shows that the price is unable to maintain moves above the +1 standard deviation, which suggests continued and aggressive sell activity from bears in these regions.

Currently, these bands are acting as natural support and resistance zones throughout market cycles. The likelihood of a structural bottom emerging rises sharply when the price gets closer to extremely negative values. Meanwhile, data is revealing the areas with the highest risk and the emergence of asymmetry.

Despite its steady bearish performance over the past few months, the sentiment toward XRP in certain areas appears to have turned bullish once again. One of the regions showing renewed interest and attention in the leading altcoin is South Korea, as its traders quietly build up more positions.

Signs Of XRP Accumulation Among Korean Traders

Trading activity of XRP is gaining momentum once again, especially from the South Korean region. There are emerging signs that Korean traders are stepping back into the market, re-accumulating the altcoin after a period of reduced exposure.

Regional exchange market data indicates a resurgence in buying demand, suggesting a potential change in attitude inside one of XRP’s most significant marketplaces. Arthur, a market expert and partner of the BingX exchange, disclosed the development using data from Bithump, one of South Korea’s largest exchanges.

As seen on the chart shared by the market expert, the leading South Korean cryptocurrency exchange has seen renewed activity on XRP pairs. In the past, periods of accumulation on the Korean markets have frequently been accompanied by greater momentum and liquidity. Meanwhile, this renewed buying activity could mark the beginning of an upward swing for XRP, driven by growing demand.

Since the re-accumulation signal, the price of the altcoin has increased by over 38%. Historically, when Korean liquidity steps in, Arthur stated that the price typically follows the trend. Thus, the expert believes that monitoring the flows could provide insights into the possible next direction of the token.

On the institutional level, accumulation appears to be showing robust strength. Business owner and investor Minus Wells shared that Evernorth, regarded as the MicroStrategy of XRP, has quietly scooped up nearly 0.5% of all the altcoin’s supply in the market.

Following the recent acquisition, the company now has more than 473 million XRP locked in its treasury vault. This stash represents almost half a percent of the entire supply sitting in one corporate vault. According to the expert, the firm is just getting started. “While everyone else is panicking over dips, this Ripple-backed beast is building the biggest public XRP hoard ever,” he added.

Positioned In A Sweet Spot

After persistent downside pressure, the altcoin is now positioned in a sweet spot as all of the liquidity below has been cleared, while the deep liquidity above is stacked all the way up to $4+. Bird highlighted that this is the point where many shorts, leverage positions, and stop levels are sitting.

Despite the price trajectory, the markets naturally move toward liquidity because that is where the orders are located. When price reclaims these areas, shorts are forced to close, and a closed short hints at buying re-accumulation at higher levels. As a result, upside moves can be extremely swift.

Furthermore, liquidations trigger buying pressure, which pushes prices higher and closes more shorts, leading to a resurgence of momentum. Following this, the market buys, and retail rushes in, driving the price wild.

С момента своего исторического максимума в октябре 2025 года биткоин потерял более $60000. Этот беспрецедентный случай породил разговоры о начале криптозимы. Но так ли это на самом деле? И если да, когда она закончится? Что будет началом весны? Сейчас объясним.

As crypto prices slide sharply from last year’s highs, a new warning suggests that 2026 could bring additional pressure from an unexpected source: the companies that hold large amounts of digital assets on their balance sheets.

Bitcoin (BTC) is currently trading below $70,000, roughly 50% beneath the all-time high it reached last October. With forecasts predicting a renewed bear market, analysts at The Motley Fool argue that digital asset treasuries (DATs) may soon be compelled to sell part of their crypto holdings. 

Mounting Pressure On Crypto Treasury Firms

According to their assessment, falling token prices have left many of these firms sitting on steep paper losses, with some now underwater. If the downturn persists, they may need to liquidate assets to meet debt obligations or respond to margin calls. 

At the same time, investors could increasingly favor cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs), adding another layer of competition and strain. The concern centers on how these treasury-focused companies financed their crypto strategies. 

While all DATs hold significant digital assets, their funding structures differ. Some rely heavily on debt, while others issue equity; the method of capital raising will determine how well they can withstand a prolonged slump. 

A key risk is refinancing. If credit conditions tighten or asset values continue to fall, companies may struggle to roll over debt. Leveraged positions could also trigger margin calls, potentially forcing them to sell into a declining market. 

Such selling could push prices even lower, setting off a negative feedback loop across the broader crypto ecosystem. At the same time, the rapid growth of crypto ETFs is creating additional competition for digital asset treasuries. 

The analysts highlight that both investment vehicles offer investors exposure to cryptocurrencies without requiring them to open accounts on exchanges or manage private keys. However, treasury companies carry more operational and financial risk than passively managed ETFs. 

A Prolonged Bear Market Ahead? 

While the long-term trajectory of digital assets remains uncertain, the analysts caution that 2026 could be a pivotal year for corporate crypto holders. If prices remain under pressure, forced sales from digital asset treasuries could amplify market weakness. 

Such developments would not be isolated events; Motley Fool analysts assert that they could ripple across the entire ecosystem, affecting investors, related companies, and broader market sentiment.

For now, much depends on whether the current slump deepens into a prolonged bear market. Should that occur, the combination of debt burdens, refinancing risks, and intensifying ETF competition may place digital asset treasuries under significant strain — with consequences extending far beyond their own balance sheets.

Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Dogecoin has spent the past few weeks grinding lower, testing the patience of bullish traders. The past 24 hours, for instance, were spent with sell-offs, with the meme coin king now down by 10% in the last trading day. 

Dogecoin is now perambulating around the $0.10 to $0.11 range, a level that has repeatedly acted as a psychological battleground in past cycles. Recent technical analyses shared on X suggest that this range could determine whether Dogecoin stages another rebound or drifts deeper into weakness in the coming weeks.

Bullish Phase, Liquidity Sweep, And Consolidation

Crypto analyst BitGuru recently outlined a structure that many traders may recognize from previous market cycles. According to his view, Dogecoin initially formed what he described as a bullish phase before entering a liquidity sweep and an extended consolidation period. The daily candlestick chart he shared shows price pushing higher earlier in the cycle, followed by a clear downside move that has been playing out since October 2025.

After that sweep, Dogecoin settled into a tightening channel of lower lows and lower highs, creating a prolonged correction range through late 2025 and into early 2026. The daily candlestick chart, which is shown below, highlights an important horizontal support region around $0.10, where price has recently reacted. From a technical perspective, this region acted as a bottom during the early February crash. 

According to BitGuru, if buyers were to step in here, Dogecoin could attempt a move back toward higher resistance levels around $0.13, $0.15, and $0.19. These are all short-term price levels that can be achieved within a few hours of buying pressure.

The Weekly EMA Signal That Points To Bottoms

Another category of analysis came from Charting Guy, who approached the setup from a broader, long-term angle on the weekly timeframe. He pointed to the relationship between the 20-week exponential moving average and the 200-week exponential moving average on the weekly candlestick price chart. 

Dogecoin has tended to form major cycle lows around the period when the 20-week EMA crosses below the 200-week EMA. The interesting thing is that this crossover has just appeared again. Similar crossovers in previous cycles appeared towards the end of extended bearish phases before Dogecoin transitioned into multi-month uptrends. 

The weekly price chart spans from 2017 through 2026, showing how previous crosses preceded strong upward expansions. This time, Dogecoin’s price dipped to around $0.09 to $0.10 as the crossover took place. 

The most important thing now is how much upside is realistic if this support truly holds. Looking at the weekly structure, a recovery above the 20-week EMA could open the door to a retest of the $0.20 to $0.25 range. Above that, Dogecoin would need better market strength, particularly from Bitcoin, to challenge the higher resistance bands around $0.30 and above.

Bitcoin (BTC) skeptic and chief economist Peter Schiff has launched a new attack on the world’s largest cryptocurrency. This time, Schiff argues that BTC is not a threat to the global financial system but rather to those who invest in it. His latest negative remark comes after years of relentless criticism of BTC and continuous advocacy for gold and precious metals. 

Schiff Labels Bitcoin A Threat To Investors 

In an X post on February 14, Schiff issued a fresh critique of Bitcoin, adding to his long history of negative remarks about the leading cryptocurrency. The chief economist claimed that “Bitcoin is only a threat to those who buy it.” His latest remarks came in response to crypto commentator Jeff Swanson, who had mocked gold enthusiasts for obsessively tweeting about Bitcoin despite calling it irrelevant. 

Swanson’s statements were also a response to a post by ‘Nostra, House of gold,’ another economist on X, who said that if BTC falls to $60,000, it could become a liquidity trigger. 

Schiff’s recent jab at Bitcoin fits his long-standing narrative that the cryptocurrency lacks real value and mainly puts buyers at risk. He has often argued against the idea that Bitcoin is a digital version of gold, suggesting that, unlike gold, which he sees as a real store of value, BTC is a speculative asset with no physical use and likening it to a Ponzi scheme.

Interestingly, Swanson fired back at Schiff’s claims that BTC poses a threat to holders. He noted that the very fact that gold enthusiasts continue to discuss and criticize Bitcoin shows that it matters. He also stated that their strong reactions to BTC indicate they recognize it as a potential challenge to gold’s role as money. 

Swanson highlighted that if BTC were truly a useless asset with a negligible market share or a currency destined to collapse, it would largely be ignored. Yet critics continue to debate and discuss it. While the crypto commentator admitted that he does not foresee gold ever going to zero, he predicted that it will steadily lose ground to Bitcoin over the coming decades. 

Schiff Continues His Gold Advocacy Over Bitcoin

As much as Schiff opposes Bitcoin, he is equally, if not more, enthusiastic about gold and other precious metals. In a recent post, the economist said that BTC is gradually approaching the $70,000 mark, emphasizing the cryptocurrency’s continuous decline over the past weeks to levels not seen since 2024. 

As an alternative to the flagship cryptocurrency asset, Schiff has encouraged investors to buy gold or silver as a hedge against inflation. He often characterizes BTC as an unreliable asset that he believes will eventually fall to zero in the coming years. His latest long-term forecast for the leading cryptocurrency suggests it might crash to $10,000 and find support there. 

Crypto analyst Dom has noted that liquidity for XRP in the spot market is currently thin, suggesting that any significant price movement is leverage-driven. His analysis comes just as the altcoin recovered, alongside the broader crypto market.

XRP’s Spot Liquidity Crashes Even as Price Recovers 

In an X post, Dom stated that XRP’s liquidity has “vanished” and is at its lowest level in nearly two years. This came as he highlighted an “interesting dynamic” in the spot orderbooks, noting that a bunch of orders have popped above the $1 level, which has pushed the altcoin into a strong bid skew. 

Dom also revealed that this strong bid skew was last observed in May at the $1.70 lows and that the order book is extremely thin all the way back up to $2. His comment about liquidity comes amid the altcoin’s rally to as high as $1.66 yesterday as Bitcoin climbed above $70,000.

The analyst also commented on this, noting how the altcoin dumped 16% after it reached this high. He claimed that once the altcoin hit $1.66, crypto exchange Upbit started putting massive amounts of sell pressure on the order books. Dom added that around 50 million XRP was net sold on the market during this period. 

Further commenting on this, the analyst stated that the sell pressure looks to be from both retail and institutional investors on the exchange. He noted that there were 12,775 unique size trades, indicating that this was likely multiple entities or a sophisticated distribution. Based on Dom’s comment about the thin liquidity in the spot XRP market, there is the likelihood that the recent rally was driven by activity in the derivatives market. 

CoinGlass data shows a 76% surge in derivatives trading volume and a 113% spike in the options trading volume. However, open interest is down over 3%. The long/short ratio is now below 1, suggesting that most traders are still bearish. 

A Bullish Setup

In an X post, crypto analyst Egrag Crypto declared that XRP’s setup remains bullish until the market proves otherwise. This came as he highlighted a descending broadening wedge on the 2-week timeframe. He noted that the current candle was shaping to either a Hammer or a Dragonfly Doji. 

Egrag Crypto stated that both are reversal candles when they appear after a downtrend, indicating that XRP may be targeting a higher move to the upside. The analyst added that the Descending Broadening Wedge is still intact and that the price is reacting at the lower structure and not breaking it

At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.46, down over 5%, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

Соучредитель проекта Bitcoin Vector и инвестфонда CMCC Crest Вилли Ву (Willy Woo) опасается, что необходимость хардфорка сети Биткоина, защищающего блокчейн первой криптовалюты от атак квантовых компьютеров, может навредить криптоинвесторам.

Невзаимозаменяемый токен #3001 из коллекции Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), принадлежащий певцу и актеру Джастину Биберу (Justin Bieber) за четыре года с момента покупки обесценился на 99% — с $1,3 млн до $12 000.

Криптостартапы с собственными токенами и ежемесячным доходом от $1 млн закрываются на 50% чаще, чем новые проекты, воздержавшиеся от запуска монет, сообщил сооснователь платформы аналитики DeFi Llama под ником 0xngmi.

The crypto market continues to struggle with recovery as sustained capital outflows and persistent selling pressure weigh on sentiment. After months of volatility and declining liquidity, attempts to stabilize prices have repeatedly faced resistance, leaving investors cautious and positioning defensively. While corrective phases are common following strong rallies, recent price action reflects a more prolonged adjustment period, with both retail and institutional participants reassessing exposure amid uncertain macro and market conditions.

However, recent on-chain analysis from CryptoQuant highlights a potentially important shift in investor behavior within specific segments of the market. Data focused on Compound (COMP) activity on Binance shows a pronounced change in exchange flows. The weekly Netflow chart has turned sharply negative, indicating that significant amounts of COMP are being withdrawn from the exchange rather than deposited.

Such movements are often interpreted as a reduction in immediate selling intent, as assets transferred off exchanges typically move toward long-term storage, DeFi deployment, or strategic repositioning. While this development does not necessarily signal an imminent market reversal, it suggests evolving sentiment beneath the broader market weakness.

Record COMP Outflows Suggest Accumulation Trend

The CryptoQuant report adds further context by highlighting the scale of recent capital movements involving Compound (COMP). Over the past week, the Netflow indicator dropped to roughly -$1.8 million, marking the largest negative weekly reading since October. This sharp decline signals a substantial withdrawal of COMP from Binance, indicating a notable shift in crypto investor positioning. Large exchange outflows often reflect reduced immediate selling intent, particularly when they occur during periods of broader market uncertainty.

This development contrasts sharply with the situation observed in late October, when the Netflow chart recorded a strong positive spike driven by heavy inflows to Binance. Such crypto inflows typically precede elevated selling pressure as traders position assets on exchanges for potential liquidation. The current pattern, however, suggests the opposite dynamic. A significant outflow of approximately $1.8 million implies that holders may be opting for longer-term custody, whether through cold storage solutions or deployment within decentralized finance protocols.

From a structural standpoint, record exchange outflows can act as a supply-side constraint, reducing available liquidity for immediate sales. While not a definitive bullish signal on its own, this behavior often aligns with early accumulation phases. If sustained, it could support price stabilization or eventual recovery across segments of the broader crypto market.

Total Crypto Market Cap Faces Weakness After Failed Breakout

The Total Crypto Market Cap chart shows a clear transition from bullish expansion to corrective consolidation, with recent price action reflecting sustained selling pressure. After peaking above the $4 trillion mark in late 2025, the market has retraced sharply and now trades near the $2.3 trillion region, indicating a significant contraction in aggregate valuation across digital assets.

Technically, the structure suggests a failed breakout rather than a simple pullback. Price has decisively fallen below key moving averages, with shorter-term averages rolling over first, followed by broader trend indicators. This alignment typically reflects weakening momentum and reduced inflow of fresh capital. Volume behavior also supports this interpretation, as spikes during declines imply distribution rather than accumulation.

The current level near $2.3 trillion appears to function as an interim support zone, but it remains structurally vulnerable. Previous cycles show that once macro trend support breaks, markets often require prolonged consolidation before establishing a new base. The absence of sustained upward momentum suggests liquidity conditions remain constrained.

From a macro perspective, this environment points to a transitional phase rather than immediate recovery. Stabilization of capital inflows, improved sentiment, and confirmation of higher lows would be necessary before a durable bullish structure can realistically re-emerge.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

39-летний житель поселка Зеленец Сыктывдинского района Республики Коми организовал работу майнинговой фермы в сарае на своем земельном участке. Фермер занимался добычей криптовалют незаконно, заявила российская Федеральная служба безопасности.

Гендиректор инвестиционного фонда EMJ Capital Эрик Джексон (Eric Jackson) в интервью с финансовым журналистом Филом Розеном (Phil Rosen) предположил, что к 2041 году курс биткоина может достичь $50 млн.

Ethereum has remained locked in a consolidation phase below the $2,000 level since the sharp market decline seen in early February. Despite occasional rebound attempts, price action continues to reflect caution among traders, with volatility elevated and momentum limited. The inability to reclaim this psychological threshold has reinforced a defensive market posture, as investors weigh macro uncertainty, liquidity conditions, and broader crypto sentiment.

A recent CryptoQuant report provides additional context from an on-chain perspective. According to the analysis, the Ethereum Coinbase Premium Index has stayed predominantly in negative territory, signaling relatively weak demand from US-based investors. This metric compares spot prices on Coinbase with those on other major exchanges, offering insight into regional buying pressure. Persistent negative readings suggest that aggressive spot accumulation from US participants has been largely absent during the current corrective phase.

This pattern aligns with the broader technical structure visible on price charts, where rallies have struggled to gain follow-through. While consolidation does not necessarily imply further downside, sustained weakness in spot demand typically delays recovery phases, leaving Ethereum sensitive to shifts in liquidity, macro conditions, and investor confidence in the near term.

Coinbase Premium Rebound Signals Potential Shift In Demand

The report further notes that the Coinbase Premium Index has recently shown a noticeable upward rebound. Although the indicator remains below the neutral threshold, the strength of the move suggests that selling pressure from US-based investors may be starting to ease. This shift is relevant because the index reflects the difference between Ethereum spot prices on Coinbase and those on other major exchanges, making it a proxy for regional demand dynamics.

If the current upward momentum continues and the index moves into positive territory, turning green, it would indicate renewed spot buying interest from US market participants. Historically, sustained positive readings have often coincided with phases of stronger accumulation, which can help stabilize price action after periods of corrective pressure.

Such a development could become particularly significant if it aligns with a technical breakout from the triangle structure currently visible on the charts. In that scenario, improving on-chain demand and constructive price structure would reinforce each other. While this does not guarantee an immediate rally, the combination could increase the probability of a more durable recovery phase, especially if broader liquidity conditions and market sentiment also begin to improve.

Ethereum Holds After Sharp Breakdown

Ethereum remains under clear technical pressure after losing momentum below the $2,000 level, with the chart showing a sustained downtrend following the late-2025 peak near $4,800. Price action has shifted decisively bearish, marked by a sequence of lower highs and lower lows that confirms a broader corrective structure rather than a temporary pullback.

The recent breakdown accelerated once ETH lost confluence support around the 200-period moving average, triggering a sharp decline toward the $1,900–$2,000 zone. This area now functions as a fragile stabilization range rather than firm support. Trading volumes increased during the selloff, suggesting forced positioning adjustments rather than organic accumulation.

From a trend perspective, ETH continues to trade below all major moving averages, which remain downward sloping. This configuration typically reflects persistent macro weakness and limited buyer conviction. Any sustained recovery would likely require reclaiming the $2,400–$2,600 region, where previous support has turned into resistance.

Until that happens, market structure remains vulnerable. Continued consolidation near current levels could indicate base formation, but another rejection below $2,000 would increase the probability of a deeper retracement toward historical demand zones near the mid-$1,600 range.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

Криптовалютная биржа OKX получила от мальтийского регулятора лицензию платежного учреждения (PI), разрешающую проводить платежи с использованием стейблкоинов на территории Евросоюза.

Speculation around institutional XRP accumulation intensified after claims surfaced that SBI Holdings had acquired $10 billion worth of the digital asset. The narrative gained traction quickly, feeding bullish sentiment and reinforcing assumptions about deep corporate exposure to XRP. However, a direct clarification from the company’s leadership has now reframed the conversation, replacing viral figures with verifiable financial reality.

Where The $10 Billion XRP Claim Originated

The controversy began with social media commentary on X (formerly Twitter) by @Strivex_, linking SBI Holdings’ expanding crypto footprint—particularly its Singapore activity—to a presumed multi-billion-dollar XRP treasury. The claim suggested the Japanese financial giant was holding approximately $10 billion in the token on its balance sheet. This interpretation positioned SBI not just as a strategic partner within Ripple’s ecosystem but as one of the largest direct corporate holders of the asset.

CEO Yoshitaka Kitao moved swiftly to dismantle that narrative. Responding publicly, he clarified that the circulating figure misrepresented the firm’s exposure structure. SBI does not custody $10 billion worth of XRP tokens, nor does it maintain a treasury position of that scale in the cryptocurrency itself. Kitao emphasized that such a holding would introduce significant volatility risk, an exposure profile inconsistent with SBl’s balance-sheet management strategy.

Instead, the company’s financial linkage to XRP is indirect, operating through corporate ownership rather than token accumulation. This distinction is critical because equity exposure and digital asset custody carry fundamentally different risk, liquidity, and accounting implications. By correcting the misunderstanding, Kitao repositioned SBI’s involvement as strategic and institutional.

Indirect Exposure, Direct Influence

SBI Holdings’ actual stake sits in Ripple Labs, where it owns roughly 9% equity. This shareholding provides economic participation in Ripple’s enterprise growth, technology deployment, and institutional payment expansion – without requiring direct XRP token holdings. Based on private market estimates that place Ripple’s valuation above $50 billion, SBI’s stake translates to an implied value of approximately $4.5 billion. While substantial, this figure is less than half the viral $10 billion claim and reflects ownership in corporate infrastructure rather than cryptocurrency reserves.

Kitao has described this Ripple stake as a “hidden asset” within SBl’s broader valuation framework. The characterization signals that the market may not fully price in the upside tied to Ripple’s expansion, particularly as blockchain settlement and cross-border payment rails scale globally.

The partnership itself is longstanding, dating back to 2016, and extends beyond passive investment. SBI has actively supported Ripple’s institutional penetration across Asia. Its recent acquisition of a majority stake in Singapore-based exchange Coinhako illustrates this operational alignment, establishing a digital asset corridor between Japan and Southeast Asia. Further collaboration includes participation in Ripple’s $1 billion treasury initiative alongside Evernorth Holdings, designed to accelerate institutional XRP utilization.

Through these initiatives, SBI maintains exposure to XRP’s real-world deployment across liquidity provisioning, settlement infrastructure, and payment corridors – even without holding the token directly.

Businessman and TV personality Kevin O’Leary, known as “Mr. Wonderful” from Shark Tank, has won a $2.8 million judgment after a US federal court entered default against popular YouTuber Ben “BitBoy” Armstrong.

The ruling comes after Armstrong failed to respond to a defamation lawsuit related to false claims he made on social media, which accused O’Leary of involvement in a 2019 boating accident that resulted in fatalities.

Those claims were never proven in court, and reporters have noted the legal action focused on restoring reputation and seeking damages for harm caused by the statements.

Court Enters Default Judgment

The court award totals roughly $2.8 million in combined damages. That figure breaks down into about $78,000 for reputational injury, $750,000 for emotional distress, and $2,000,000 in punitive damages meant to punish the conduct.

#bitboy #Mrwonderful pic.twitter.com/mCUsuwESm6

— F Joe (@FJOE_CRYPTO) February 14, 2026

Judge Beth Bloom presided over the matter in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida, which handled filings and issued the judgment. The ruling came after procedural steps that allow a plaintiff to obtain judgment when a defendant fails to respond.

Allegations And Timeline

Reports say the posts at the center of the case appeared in March of last year. They accused the businessman of being connected to lethal conduct and alleged a cover-up. O’Leary has never been charged in relation to that incident, and later court records showed related parties were cleared at trial.

The defamation suit alleged the statements crossed the line from opinion into false factual claims that damaged reputation and caused distress. Because Armstrong did not appear or meaningfully answer the complaint, the court treated the claims as conceded for purposes of final judgment.

Crypto Connection And Implications

Armstrong is a well-known personality in the world of cryptocurrency, operating the popular site BitBoy Crypto. His messages reach thousands of cryptocurrency fans and investors, which helped to spread the false claims.

Although the case itself is not related to cryptocurrency, it shows the legal danger that cryptocurrency influencers may face when posting unverified or defamatory information online. This decision may make other personalities in the cryptocurrency world more careful about what they post online.

Featured image from Getty Images, chart from TradingView