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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.

The crypto market is entering a critical phase as persistent selling pressure and rising fear continue to dominate sentiment across digital assets. Price action has remained fragile in recent weeks, with both major cryptocurrencies and altcoins struggling to regain sustained momentum. Investors are increasingly cautious as liquidity tightens, volatility persists, and macro uncertainty weighs on risk appetite. While corrective phases are not unusual after strong rallies, the current environment suggests the market is still searching for stability rather than transitioning into a clear recovery.

A recent CryptoQuant report highlights a significant regulatory development that could influence longer-term market structure. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently indicated there is roughly a 90% probability that the CLARITY Act will pass by the end of April. The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act aims to define the regulatory boundary between the SEC and CFTC, establish clearer registration frameworks for exchanges and brokers, formalize custody and asset segregation rules, and codify AML and KYC requirements.

Progress has slowed primarily due to debate around stablecoin yield products. While some proposals restrict issuers from paying interest, banks argue that exchange-based rewards may function as indirect yield instruments. Meanwhile, on-chain data shows yield-bearing stablecoin supply expanding rapidly since late 2024, highlighting growing structural demand.

Regulatory Uncertainty And Stablecoin Policy Frictions Continue To Shape Market Sentiment

Regulatory developments are increasingly shaping sentiment across the crypto market, and recent analysis suggests that the rapid growth of yield-bearing stablecoins has intensified political and financial tensions. Crypto firms are attempting to draw a distinction between interest paid directly by issuers and rewards distributed through exchanges or platforms, arguing that these mechanisms serve different economic functions.

Traditional banks, however, are advocating for tighter restrictions, concerned that such products could accelerate deposit outflows from the conventional financial system. Until compromise language is formally codified in legislation, momentum within the Senate remains uncertain.

At the same time, legislative complexity continues to increase. The Senate Agriculture Committee has already advanced a separate text focused primarily on Commodity Futures Trading Commission oversight. This creates a scenario in which multiple legislative packages will eventually need to be reconciled. Bipartisan vote requirements, questions around federal versus state regulatory authority, and unresolved provisions related to decentralized finance further complicate the timeline. These factors suggest that even broadly supported frameworks may face procedural delays.

If enacted, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act could reduce regulatory risk premiums in the short term while gradually reshaping market structure over the longer horizon. However, clarity is unlikely to emerge instantly. Historically, regulatory transitions unfold sequentially — first through political signaling, then formal rulemaking, and ultimately enforcement. Until that process matures, regulatory uncertainty will remain embedded in the market environment.

Total Crypto Market Cap Tests Structural Support

The total cryptocurrency market capitalization continues to face downward pressure, with the weekly chart showing a clear rejection from the multi-trillion-dollar peak reached during the 2025 rally. After topping near the $4 trillion region, the market has entered a sustained corrective phase, recently pulling back toward the $2.3 trillion area. This zone now functions as a key structural support level, reflecting the midpoint between the previous expansion phase and the ongoing consolidation.

Technically, price action remains below the shorter-term moving averages, which have begun to slope downward and act as dynamic resistance. The medium-term average is flattening, suggesting loss of bullish momentum, while the longer-term trend line still trends upward but with a lag typical of macro support indicators. Until capitalization reclaims these levels decisively, upside follow-through may remain limited.

Volume patterns also reflect caution. Participation has moderated compared with the peak rally phase, although occasional spikes suggest intermittent repositioning rather than uniform capitulation. Historically, such environments often precede extended consolidation periods as excess leverage unwinds.

If support near current levels holds, the market could enter a stabilization phase. A breakdown below this zone, however, would likely confirm continued corrective pressure across the broader crypto ecosystem.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

With the Bitcoin price steadily trading sideways over the past few weeks, determining a buying entry has become extremely difficult. However, a key on-chain metric is now in the spotlight, providing valuable insights into the matter and allowing investors to pinpoint when to re-enter the market.

Is Buying Bitcoin Now The Right Time?

The ongoing volatility across the broader cryptocurrency market has capped Bitcoin’s upside attempts, keeping it well below the $70,000 mark. In this unfavorable environment, investors and traders are watching closely for a definitive signal like a price bottom before they can reenter the market.

While investors ponder reentering the market, Joao Wedson, a market expert and founder of Alphractal, has published a chart that suggests that now is not the ideal time. After a period of bearish action, Bitcoin’s on-chain metrics are beginning to display signs of stabilization. However, a definitive buy signal has yet to emerge from the waning price performance.

The sole metric here is the Bitcoin Spent Output Profit Ratio (SOPR) Trend Signal. Currently, this metric is on a downward trend, indicating that market players are either taking lesser profits on their transactions or experiencing losses more frequently. However, for a confirmed bottom signal to occur, it must drop further below the lower dotted line on the chart, and a crossover between the metrics must take place.

Even with pockets of accumulation and recent price consolidation, the indicator that has historically signaled significant market bottoms has not been activated. Meanwhile, the expert claims that it is possible that a price bottom earlier than in past market cycles, when compared to the time often needed.

Furthermore, it is possible there may be multiple purchase signals, one for the upcoming months and another for a later stage of the cycle. In the meantime, Wedson has declared that the best strategy for reacting to the current market state is to continue monitoring the Alpha metrics.

BTC Latent Profits Are Fading

Following an analysis of the Bitcoin Net Unrealized Profit/Loss (NUPL), Darkfost discloses that latent profits are melting away as BTC’s correction expands. The metric is an effective measure for gauging the weight of profits and losses in the market and offers a clear view of the market when it reaches bearish levels. 

Currently, the metric has fallen to 0.18, and a drop into negative territory signals that latent losses dominate the market, typically marking the last phase of capitulation. This positioning implies that the average latest profit is 18%, nearing 0. Meanwhile, the six-month average is positioned at 0.42, which shows how fast these corrections have grown, pushing the NUPL down rapidly.

When the metric falls this quickly and reaches such levels, it is a sign that Bitcoin is still in a bear phase. With reduced latent profits, investors become unstable. Darkfost stated that a trend reversal under these circumstances seems difficult and will take some time to materialize.

Crypto analyst Hov has released a fresh analysis on the XRP price, highlighting its recent movements amid ongoing market volatility. The chart shows trading around $1.41 as of February 19, with a history of sharp declines and recoveries marked by Elliott Wave labels dating back to 2018. This update comes as the altcoin clings to key support levels, aiming to preserve the conditions for a larger bullish continuation despite this week’s pullback. 

The next directional move could determine whether the recent decline marks the end of XRP’s prolonged corrective phase or the beginning of further downside. 

Update On Recent XRP Price Movements 

In a post on X, Hov noted that since his last update, the XRP price had declined more than expected, nearly breaking a clean diagonal pattern he had been closely watching. Despite this, the analyst noted that the cryptocurrency has not closed below the critical high-timeframe on the chart, which means the pattern is still technically valid. However, he said that price is “barely hanging on,” indicating that one more drop could cause the setup to fail. 

The accompanying chart illustrates this with horizontal blue support bands at around $0.42 and $1.41, where the price has bounced several times since late 2024. Based on the token’s recent move and current structure, Hov has updated his wave count to a “sideways combo correction” within a larger degree fourth wave, as depicted on the chart with labels like (w), (x), (y), and (z), showing flattened price action. 

This adjusted wave structure accounts for the extended consolidation observed between 2022 and 2025, during which XRP oscillated without decisive breaks. According to Hov, XRP’s price reached a “perfect tag of the 50,” evident around the 0.618 Fibonacci level on the chart. 

The chart also reveals a series of impulsive upward waves, labeled I through V, followed by corrective phases that have repeatedly tested lower support. Hov emphasized the need for the price to develop in five waves off the recent low to signal strength. Unlike many altcoins, which display three-wave structures, the analyst said XRP shows a decent five-wave micro pattern, suggesting stronger momentum despite the ongoing downtrend. 

What’s Next For The Altcoin? 

According to Hov’s projection, the next step for XRP is to develop a full five-wave advance from the recent low into the $2 region. A push toward $2 would reinforce the view that the corrective phase has likely ended and a bottom is in place. The analyst also recommends watching for a three-wave retracement back into support for further confirmation of XRP’s bullish setup.

If this confirmation occurs, the chart outlines a larger continuation path beyond $2. The projected targets suggest that XRP could gradually climb toward $3.42, corresponding to the 0 Fibonacci extension. After this, the ascending blue line on the chart indicates the next price target of around $5.7. Once the altcoin reaches this level, Hov anticipates the onset of a larger wave 5, with a potential target at $8.

On-chain analytics firm Parsec is calling it quits after five years in the business — a sign that one slice of the crypto tool market no longer matched trader needs.

Its CEO, Will Sheehan, summed it up plainly: the firm had been building for a version of crypto that stopped showing up in the same way.

“Parsec is shutting down,” the company disclosed Thursday. “The market zigged while we zagged a few too many times,” Sheehan said. Shift In On-Chain Demand

Parsec’s focus on decentralized finance and collectibles left it exposed when user behavior shifted. NFT volumes dropped.

Reports say sales fell to about $5.63 billion in 2025, a 37% decline from close to $9 billion the year before, and average prices slid from $124 to $96, according to CryptoSlam.

That kind of pullback makes running a niche analytics product harder, especially when fewer people chase quick gains.

End of the road for parsec I’m afraid. The market zigged while we zagged a few too many times

A little parsec lore for posterity, In early 2020 I started charting uniswap *v1* charts as a side project, this spiraled into a full blown DeFi terminal during DeFi summer and into the… https://t.co/5gmHng5BIU

— Will Sheehan (@wilburforce_) February 19, 2026

Some Support, Not A Lifeline

The startup had serious backers at launch in early 2021. Investors included Uniswap, Polychain Capital, and Galaxy Digital. That credibility mattered, but it didn’t guarantee a steady market.

After the collapse of FTX, certain types of high-risk borrowing and margin activity never came back in the same way, and trading patterns changed.

Funding And Timing Didn’t Guarantee Survival

The space is crowded now. Large platforms offer analytics at scale while a handful of focused tools try to keep specialist users. Nansen’s leader, Alex Svanevik, said Parsec “had a great run,” which felt like more than a polite line; it was a recognition that building for boom times can leave you exposed when flows cool.

Around the same time, other startups have pulled back. Reports say Entropy is also winding down, and Tom Farley predicted a wave of consolidation as money and users concentrate in fewer places.

Crypto Price Action

Midway through this market pause, Bitcoin has been running a cautious pattern. It has slid under key levels and then found pockets of support.

Geopolitical headlines have nudged traders toward safety at times, leaving thin trading windows where prices can swing more than usual. The result is a quieter trading picture for speculative niches, which depend on bold bets and deep liquidity.

What Comes Next For The Sector

What happens now will be practical. Some niche tools will be bought, others will close, and a few will be retooled to serve large clients or different data needs.

The move is not an end for DeFi or collectibles; they are still active, but they are smaller and more particular in who uses them.

Capital is choosier. Products built around the loudest moments of the past cycle are being tested in a calmer market.

In short, this is a reset. A handful of firms will be absorbed, some ideas will be reworked, and many teams will have to prove their fit with the current set of users. Those who can match where the flows actually are will have the best chance to keep running.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Charles Hoskinson said Cardano is tracking toward a hard fork “next month,” while the long-discussed Leios scalability work remains on schedule for “this year,” in a Feb. 19 livestream recorded after a trip through Japan and a stop at Consensus in Hong Kong.

Hoskinson framed the next few weeks as a convergence point for two parallel roadmaps: Cardano’s protocol and developer-stack upgrades on one side, and the Midnight network launch he expects “coming next month” on the other, an effort he described as unusually difficult to execute even for teams with prior experience shipping major chains.

Cardano Momentum: Midnight, LayerZero And USDCx

In the livestream, Hoskinson spent his opening stretch recapping what he characterized as a productive Consensus week, pointing to “a lot of great announcements” and relationships around the Midnight ecosystem, including infrastructure and distribution names he said were involved with the network. He argued that the ability to launch a large, exchange-listed project like Midnight is itself a signal about Cardano’s maturity as a platform for “tier one” efforts.

On the Cardano side, he highlighted a newly announced LayerZero integration that he said connects Cardano “to more than 80 blockchains,” positioning it as a step away from the perception that the network operates in isolation. In the same segment, Hoskinson pointed to USDCx as a stablecoin-like asset he said is designed for “these non-EVM systems,” and emphasized the user-experience work around exchange flows—“autoconvert,” as he described it, so users can move value “straight to the exchange, straight back from the exchange.”

He also drew a distinction between USDCx and “basically USDC,” saying the tradeoff for Cardano users is an asset that, in his telling, preserves “privacy” and “can’t be frozen.” Hoskinson positioned that as “the best compromise” available for a “tier one stablecoin of that nature” in the Cardano ecosystem, while arguing that the LayerZero integration could open the door to “eight major stablecoins” over time, depending on integration sequencing.

Hard Fork ‘Next Month,’ Leios ‘This Year’

The most concrete near-term timing signal came when Hoskinson addressed the protocol schedule directly, saying: “Cardano hard fork is happening I believe next month. But you know the community is kind of working its way through that and getting these things done.”

In the same breath, he reiterated that Leios, Cardano’s scalability initiative, remains on track, noting recent travel and discussions with product manager Michael Smolenski about progress. “All things considered we’re pretty happy with the rate of progress of Cardano,” Hoskinson said, while also pointing to a new Plutus version, continued development of Aiken, and “node diversity coming this year,” alongside Leios.

Hoskinson also flagged developer activity he expects in March, referencing a “Dev Builder Fest down in Argentina” and describing the “integration of Pyth” into the ecosystem, which he presented as the arrival of a “tier one Oracle” for Cardano.

Beyond shipping timelines, Hoskinson used the livestream to argue that the industry’s central fight is shifting from enforcement actions to culture and narrative, particularly around non-custodial wallets and permissionless settlement. He warned about what he called “factions” that want crypto transactions routed through “permission federated networks owned and operated by large financial institutions,” and singled out US policy debates as part of that backdrop.

“What’s not okay is to build a network that’s forever owned and operated by five or 10 or 20 banks and they basically lord and leverage that power and position over the users,” he said. “And once they have absolute control, they just simply flip a switch and you’re at their mercy and they own all your money. And unfortunately, the system is moving in that direction right now.”

At press time, ADA traded at $0.2748.

In 2025, about $141 billion in stablecoins reportedly ended up in the hands of illicit actors. Much of this activity was funneled through a few networks that favored stablecoins for their predictable value and quick transfers.

Much of that movement is tied to a small number of networks that use stablecoins for their speed and price stability. That does not mean widespread criminal use across all stablecoins. It points to concentrated channels where these tokens meet a specific need: moving value reliably outside regular banking rails.

Sanctions Linked Networks Drive The Bulk Of Flows

According To TRM Labs, sanctions-related flows made up roughly 86% of detected illicit crypto transfers last year. Around $72 billion of the stablecoin total traced back to a ruble-pegged token linked to Russian networks.

These networks are not isolated. Reports note overlaps with entities tied to China, Iran, North Korea, and Venezuela, which shows how stablecoins can act as bridges between different sanctioned systems.

The mechanics are simple: price stability matters when you need predictable settlement and low volatility risk. Stablecoins offer that.

Guarantee Marketplaces And Human Trafficking Rely On Stablecoins

Volume on certain marketplaces surged, mostly in stablecoins. Some escrow and guarantee sites — which act like middlemen for high-value transfers — saw tens of billions of dollars flow through their systems.

Reports note these venues are almost totally stablecoin-denominated, which raises red flags about their role in moving funds tied to illicit trade. Chainalysis and others have also pointed to sharp increases in flows to networks connected to human trafficking and escort services, and those operations leaned heavily on stablecoins for payments.

In these cases, payment certainty and liquidity matter more to the buyers and sellers than the chance of gains.

Different Types Of Crime Use Different Paths

Scams, ransomware, and thefts often start in Bitcoin or Ether and then shift into stablecoins later in the laundering chain. That pattern is common because attackers want an asset that holds value while they move it through fewer hands.

Market Cap

Meanwhile, the global stablecoin market has grown into a multi‑hundred‑billion‑dollar sector, with total market capitalization topping roughly $270 billion in early 2026.

According to data tracking site Stablecoin.com, the combined value of all major stablecoins consistently sits above the mid‑hundreds of billions mark, with fiat‑backed coins accounting for most of that total.

Two issuers dominate the sector. Tether’s USDT leads by a wide margin, with a market cap often reported at around $180 billion or more, and representing more than two‑thirds of the total stablecoin market.

Circle’s USD Coin (USDC) sits in second place with a market cap often above $70 billion, jointly holding over 90% of stablecoin capitalization when combined with USDT.

Smaller stablecoins like Ethena USDe, DAI, and PayPal USD make up a much smaller portion of the market but signal ongoing diversification among providers, the data tracker said.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse used a Feb. 18 appearance on Fox to argue that US crypto policy is nearing a turning point, predicting the long-stalled CLARITY Act will pass by the end of April and framing regulatory certainty as a direct catalyst for broader industry growth, including for XRP, which he emphasized has already cleared a key legal hurdle.

Why Ripple CEO Garlinghouse Is Bullish

Garlinghouse pointed to shifting Washington momentum and said prediction markets have moved in favor of passage. “The CLARITY Act spiked because of comments yesterday, from [a] senator […] I think now 90% will pass by the end of April,” he said. “I said a couple weeks ago I thought at the end of April […] people talked about [being] optimistic.”

He added that the White House is now actively pressing stakeholders, describing a meeting “today with a lot of leaders on both sides (crypto and banking) in the White House, […] [with] the White House pushing hard.”

Pressed on Ripple’s position, Garlinghouse argued the bill’s flaws are less important than ending what he cast as a policy vacuum that has pushed the sector into enforcement battles. “Our position [is] very much, don’t let perfection be the enemy of progress,” he said. “No bill is perfect […] we need clarity.”

He contrasted Ripple’s posture with the broader industry’s situation by referencing the company’s long-running US legal fight. “Ripple has been fortunate — sued by [the] government — a judge […] say[ing] XRP is not a security. We have clarity,” Garlinghouse said, before reiterating the point in starker terms when asked directly: “Not a security. Courts ruled clearly.”

In his telling, the CLARITY Act is meant to keep crypto from being forced into a securities regime that doesn’t map cleanly onto how many networks and tokens function. “If something is a security, all kinds of obligations because […] you own part of the company,” he said, contrasting that with crypto tokens where holders typically don’t receive dividends or governance rights analogous to electing a board. He also claimed the prior administration’s approach “failed in courts,” arguing that a modern framework is required for the US to compete.

Ripple’ Strategy And XRP

The interview also touched on the sector’s pullback from highs. Garlinghouse tied some of that weakness to policy delays. He said the CLARITY Act getting “pushed [and] stalled, late January […] did not help,” while arguing Ripple entered 2026 with strong momentum after what he called “a tremendous year in 2025.”

On relative performance, he claimed XRP has held up better than other majors. “To your point, crypto markets, XRP best performing major crypto, down 20%,” he said, while noting other assets were down materially more from peaks.

He framed Ripple’s strategy as proving demand through enterprise use cases rather than retail narratives: “The more we demonstrate real practical utility using technologies to solve real problems, [the] more you see that play out in a positive way.”

Garlinghouse cited Ripple’s M&A push as part of a broader effort to build infrastructure that appeals to corporate finance teams. He said Ripple has spent “three billion dollars [on] acquisitions since 2023,” including expanding into “custody, prime [brokerage], treasury management, stablecoin [and] payment” capabilities.

He highlighted the treasury-management firm it acquired, saying it “processed 13 trillion dollars payments last year,” and emphasizing how early institutional stablecoin adoption still is: “Crypto-enabled, zero of those were stablecoin enabled.”

For now, he suggested dealmaking is taking a back seat to integration. “We bought two big companies last year […] the first half of this year [is] very much on let’s pause […] integrate,” he said, adding: “For time being, we’re going to slow down, before we speed up.”

Garlinghouse also argued the CLARITY fight is no longer “crypto versus banks,” pointing to big incumbents wanting a rulebook. He said the “vast majority of the crypto industry” is prepared to accept imperfect language, including around customer rewards, because it would be “a major step forward.” He added that banks are now leaning in as well, citing Goldman Sachs leadership as wanting “the same level playing field” to compete as traditional finance moves deeper into crypto.

At press time, XRP traded at $1.4196.

CME Group, the world’s largest derivatives marketplace, announced Thursday that it will introduce nearly round‑the‑clock trading for its cryptocurrency derivatives, with the new schedule set to begin on May 29, pending regulatory approval.

The exchange announced that its crypto futures and options will transition to continuous trading on the CME Globex platform, providing broader access beyond the traditional weekly schedule. While the platform will operate on an almost 24/7 basis, it will still include a minimum two‑hour maintenance break each weekend.

‘All‑Time High’ Demand For Crypto Risk Tools

Under the updated framework, trades executed between Friday evening and Sunday evening will be assigned a trade date of the next business day. CME added that clearing, settlement, and regulatory reporting for those transactions will also be processed on the following business day.

According to the firm’s press release, the decision reflects the surging demand for cryptocurrency risk management tools amid falling cryptocurrency prices, including a 50% drop in Bitcoin’s value in just four months. 

Notably, Tim McCourt, CME Group’s Global Head of Equities, FX, and Alternative Products, said client appetite for digital asset exposure has reached unprecedented levels. 

In 2025 alone, the exchange recorded $3 trillion in notional trading volume across its cryptocurrency futures and options suite, a record for the platform.

“Client demand for risk management in the digital asset market is at an all-time high,” McCourt said, noting that continuous access to regulated crypto derivatives will allow traders to manage exposure whenever market conditions shift. 

While he acknowledged that not every asset class is suited for nonstop trading, he emphasized that always‑on access to transparent and regulated cryptocurrency products will enable clients to trade with greater flexibility and confidence.

Futures Lead 47% Jump In CME Group Digital Asset Activity

CME Group’s crypto complex has continued to expand in 2026. The exchange reported average daily volume of 407,200 contracts so far this year, marking a 46% increase compared with the same period in 2025. Average daily open interest reached 335,400 contracts, up 7% year over year (YoY). 

Futures activity on the platform has been particularly strong, with the average daily volume climbing 47% from a year earlier.

Although CME Group has confirmed May 29 as its target launch date, the exchange noted that the extended trading schedule remains subject to regulatory review and final approval. 

If cleared, the move would mark a significant step in aligning regulated crypto derivatives trading more closely with the around‑the‑clock nature of underlying digital asset markets.

Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

A hacker has returned 320 Bitcoin (BTC) stolen from South Korean prosecutors throughout a phishing scam last year. As authorities face backlash over repeated incidents, officers have pledged to continue the investigation to uncover the full details and strengthen their custody practices.

Stolen Bitcoin Returned To Gwangju Prosecutors

On Thursday, the Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office announced it recovered 320.8 Bitcoin lost in August to a phishing attack after the malicious actors willingly sent back the assets earlier this week.

Local news outlet Digital Asset reported on Tuesday that the on-chain data showed the lost BTC, worth $21 million, had been transferred to a wallet managed by South Korean authorities. The assets were seemingly moved through multiple addresses before being transferred to a domestic crypto exchange wallet.

As reported by Bitcoinist, South Korean prosecutors faced backlash last month after discovering that a large stash of seized BTC had gone missing months ago. Authorities reportedly learnt of the loss during a routine check of seized financial assets held as criminal evidence.

After an internal review, prosecutors found that the crypto assets were lost to a scam in August during the handling of the sized assets. Reportedly, malicious actors drained the wallets after investigators mistakenly accessed a phishing website.

Notably, the lost Bitcoin was originally seized during a 2021 investigation into an illegal gambling website. Prosecutors launched an investigation after discovering the incident. They also took measures to recover the assets, including blocking transactions from the perpetrator’s address to domestic exchanges and sending cooperation requests to overseas exchanges.

According to the report, authorities believe that these measures exerted pressure on the hackers, ultimately pushing them to return the funds. Meanwhile, prosecutors are currently continuing to track down the malicious actors while also conducting related investigations and inspections.

“(Regardless of the recovery of the Bitcoin), we will do our utmost to apprehend the perpetrators in the future,” The Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office stated. “We plan to continue conducting a rigorous investigation to clearly uncover the full details of the case.”

Authorities Slammed Over Repeated Incidents

The Gwangju incident has led to a nationwide review of law enforcement’s handling of virtual assets. The review has revealed another security breach at the Seoul Gangnam Police Station.

Last Friday, the Gangnam station announced it had lost 22 BTC that were voluntarily submitted to authorities during an investigation in November 2021. According to local reports, the leak had not been detected until now, since the investigation into that case had been suspended.

The inspection revealed that the cold wallet storing the Bitcoin was not stolen, but the assets stored inside “had vanished without a trace.” As a response, the Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency launched a full-scale internal investigation to determine the details of the leak and whether any internal personnel were involved.

The incidents have raised concerns about South Korea’s Bitcoin custody practices, just as the country prepares for the Second Phase of the Virtual Asset User Protection Act, which is expected to serve as a comprehensive framework for the entire industry.

Financial authorities are also conducting an inspection of local exchanges’ internal controls following the “ghost Bitcoin” incident at Bithumb. Earlier this month, the crypto exchange accidentally distributed 620,000 BTC, worth over $40 billion, to 249 users due to an employee’s mistake.

Bithumb’s system failed to block the transaction and distributed assets that did not actually exist, distorting market prices. Lawmakers highlighted that the incident exposed “structural vulnerabilities” in the sector that must be addressed in the upcoming legislation.

The Financial Services Commission (FSC) announced last month that it is studying a proposal for prosecution measures against suspects of crypto asset price manipulation. Some officials argue it’s necessary “to complement the current Virtual Asset User Protection Act by implementing measures for the confiscation of criminal proceeds or the preservation of recovery funds in advance.”

Bitcoin on-chain data shows both the Daily Active Addresses and Network Growth indicators have seen sharp drops compared to five years ago.

Wallet-Related Bitcoin Metrics Have Declined In Recent Years

As highlighted by on-chain analytics firm Santiment in an X post, there is a staggering difference between the level of activity on the Bitcoin network today and February 2021.

There are several on-chain metrics that can be used to gauge blockchain activity, but two in particular are of focus here: the Daily Active Addresses and Network Growth.

The first of these measures the total number of BTC addresses that are coming online every day. A wallet is said to come ‘online’ when it participates in some kind of transaction activity on the network. Thus, the Daily Active Addresses essentially tracks the unique daily count of addresses making at least one transfer on the network.

The other indicator, the Network Growth, tells us about the amount of addresses that are coming online on the blockchain for the first time. In other words, it tracks the amount of new addresses joining the network every day.

Now, here is the chart shared by Santiment that shows the trend in the Daily Active Addresses and Network Growth for Bitcoin over the last several years:

As displayed in the above graph, both the Bitcoin Daily Active Addresses and Network Growth witnessed a significant drop at the start of 2024. The former made some recovery as the cryptocurrency observed its bull rally in the second half of the year, but the latter still remained at relatively low levels despite a jump.

In 2025, both indicators again slumped and took to sideways movement, despite the fact that Bitcoin explored fresh highs. Santiment noted that “there was a clear bearish divergence that had been forming throughout 2025 as market caps continued to hit new heights while Bitcoin’s utility declined.”

During the recent market downturn, the indicators have gone a notch lower. Currently, there are 650,000 unique addresses interacting on the blockchain per day, which is down 42% compared to February 2021, five years ago. Similarly, the Network Growth is sitting at a value of 291,000, reflecting a 47% drop for the same window.

So, what does the sharp drop in activity mean for Bitcoin? According to the analytics firm, it doesn’t imply that “crypto is dead” or that the digital asset is entering a multi-year bear market. That said, the return of bullish winds could still depend on the trend in the network metrics. As Santiment explained:

A justification for crypto beginning to see a true long-term relief rally will be when metrics like active addresses and network growth begin to rise.

BTC Price

Bitcoin continues to move sideways as its price trades around the $66,400 level.

As momentum in Washington around the proposed CLARITY Act slows, US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Paul Atkins outlined how the agency intends to proceed with crypto regulation, despite congressional delays, at a public appearance this Wednesday at ETH Denver. 

Speaking alongside Commissioner Hester Peirce, a longtime advocate for clearer crypto rules, Atkins signaled that the regulator is preparing a broad regulatory push in the months ahead.

SEC Details 2026 Crypto Agenda

Responding to a question about what the industry can expect this year, Atkins said the SEC will continue coordinating with lawmakers while advancing its own agenda through “Project Crypto,” an initiative that is now being jointly carried out with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). 

Atkins said the Commission and staff are preparing several initiatives for consideration in the near term. Among them is a formal framework explaining how the SEC determines when a crypto asset involves an investment contract, including how such a contract is created and under what circumstances it may cease to exist. 

He also previewed an “innovation exemption” designed to allow limited trading of certain tokenized securities on new types of platforms, with the broader goal of shaping a durable regulatory structure over time.

The agency is also developing a rule proposal intended to create what Atkins called “common-sense” avenues for raising capital through crypto asset sales. 

In addition, the SEC plans to issue no-action letters and exemptive orders to provide greater certainty to market participants, including guidance for digital wallets and other user interfaces that may not fall under registration requirements of the Securities Exchange Act.

Custody rules are another priority. Atkins said the SEC is working on rulemaking related to how broker-dealers may safeguard non-security crypto assets, including payment stablecoins. 

The Commission is also preparing updates to transfer agent regulations to reflect the growing role blockchain technology can play in maintaining ownership records. 

Clear Rules Over Panic

The SEC chair also addressed recent declines in crypto prices, pushing back against the idea that regulators should respond to market downturns. He emphasized that it is not the role of the Commission to react to daily price movements. 

Instead, he said, the agency’s responsibility is to ensure investors receive adequate disclosures so they can make informed decisions. Markets, he noted, fluctuate across asset classes, whether stocks, commodities, or digital assets. 

Regulators, in his view, should focus on maintaining clear and functional rules that allow investors to decide for themselves whether to buy, sell, or hold.

Lastly, Atkins reiterated that the Commission must continue clarifying how tokenized securities fit within the existing regulatory framework and how intermediaries can trade and custody them for clients. 

He stressed that progress will require collaboration and welcomed input from across the spectrum, including critics of the crypto industry.

Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Bitcoin is struggling to push decisively above the $69,000 level as persistent selling pressure and rising market anxiety continue to weigh on sentiment. After several failed breakout attempts, price action reflects a cautious environment in which traders remain hesitant to commit fresh capital. Volatility has increased alongside deteriorating confidence, reinforcing the perception that the market is still navigating a corrective phase rather than entering a sustained recovery.

A recent report from analyst Darkfost provides additional context through on-chain data, particularly the Coin Days Destroyed (CDD) heatmap. This indicator measures the number of holding days accumulated by each Bitcoin before it is spent, offering insight into the behavior of long-term holders. When visualized as a heatmap, CDD highlights periods when older coins move, allowing analysts to quickly assess shifts in conviction among historically resilient investors.

Compared with previous cycles, the current market phase appears notable for the elevated activity of long-term holders. The data suggests that this cohort has been more active than in past cycles, potentially contributing to supply dynamics that influence price stability. Whether this reflects strategic redistribution, profit-taking, or broader market repositioning remains a key question for investors monitoring Bitcoin’s next directional move.

Long-Term Holder Activity Adds Complexity To Bitcoin’s Market Signals

According to Darkfost, elevated long-term holder activity has historically intensified near market tops, suggesting that distribution from this cohort has often contributed to the formation of local peaks. When older coins begin moving after extended dormancy, it frequently reflects profit-taking or portfolio rebalancing, both of which can increase available supply and weigh on short-term price stability. In prior cycles, similar spikes in Coin Days Destroyed coincided with phases of overheated sentiment and subsequent corrective moves.

However, interpreting this cycle requires additional nuance. Not all increases in long-term holder activity necessarily signal outright selling pressure. Some of the recent CDD spikes appear linked to operational factors rather than directional positioning. Large entities, including Coinbase and Fidelity Investments, have conducted UTXO consolidation transactions, which can artificially inflate activity metrics without representing net supply entering the market.

Technical changes within the Bitcoin ecosystem have also played a role. The growth of Ordinals and inscription-related activity has encouraged some long-standing holders to migrate funds from legacy addresses toward SegWit or Taproot formats, generating on-chain activity that may distort traditional behavioral signals.

At the same time, deeper institutional liquidity has made it easier for long-term holders to distribute positions gradually, potentially smoothing market impact compared with previous cycles.

Bitcoin Faces Key Technical Test Below Major Moving Averages

Bitcoin’s weekly price structure continues to reflect sustained selling pressure, with the asset struggling to stabilize after losing the $70,000 psychological threshold. The chart shows a decisive breakdown from the late-2025 highs near the $120,000 region, followed by a sequence of lower highs and lower lows that typically characterize a corrective market phase rather than simple consolidation.

Price is now trading below the shorter-term moving average, which has rolled over and is beginning to act as dynamic resistance. The intermediate trend average is also flattening, suggesting weakening bullish momentum, while the longer-term average remains upward sloping but distant from current price levels. This configuration often appears during transitional phases where the market shifts from expansion toward redistribution.

Volume patterns reinforce the defensive tone. Recent selloffs have been accompanied by elevated trading activity, indicating active distribution rather than passive drift lower. However, participation has moderated slightly following the most recent drop, which may hint at temporary seller exhaustion.

From a technical standpoint, the $65,000–$68,000 region represents immediate support. Failure to hold this zone could expose deeper retracement levels closer to long-term trend support, while a sustained reclaim of $70,000 would be required to stabilize sentiment and reopen the path toward recovery.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

Markets are tilting back toward the oldest cryptocurrency. Prices have found a busy band between $65,000 and $72,000. Trading in that range has become a focal point for big players and long holders. Some traders are piling in. Others are stepping aside.

Trading Volume Rotation

According to exchange figures, Bitcoin’s share of trades has climbed while many altcoins have lost ground. Reports say Bitcoin made up close to 37% of total trading on a recent snapshot, with a chunk of the market now shifting away from smaller tokens.

Ethereum still holds a large piece at roughly 28%, but the combined altcoin share has fallen sharply from late last year, down from roughly 59% to levels near 35%. That drop looks large on the charts. It shows money moving back to the most familiar asset.

Altcoin Volumes Shrink by 50% as Capital Rotates Back to Bitcoin

“This pattern has appeared repeatedly during previous corrective phases, including April 2025, August 2024, and October 2022 near the end of the bear market.” – By @Darkfost_Coc

Link https://t.co/B0ZFeiMukl pic.twitter.com/jVRTOkaTic

— CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) February 18, 2026

The Price Band That Draws Attention

Large orders and institutional flow have gravitated to the mentioned price band. Whales and long-term holders are active there; accumulation and sales are both visible. Some of the activity appears to be profit-taking after strong runs.

Some moves are defensive, as traders favor the perceived safety of the oldest coin when the broader market feels uncertain. Liquidity concentrates where market participants expect it. When that happens, price swings can be sharper on one side than the other.

What Market Caps And Dominance Reveal

Reports note Bitcoin’s market cap has slipped from near $1.55 trillion to about $1.34 trillion over recent weeks, while many altcoins saw much smaller declines in total market value.

The shift in volume does not always match market cap changes, but it is meaningful: more trading in Bitcoin means more attention and faster price discovery for that asset.

Dominance readings have edged down slightly over a short window, yet Bitcoin remains the most traded token on major platforms. Historical patterns show capital rotating into Bitcoin during corrections, and this cycle fits that mold.

Why Traders Are Watching

Some traders expect stability to return if Bitcoin holds its current range. Others warn that heavy concentration of orders can produce sudden pressure when sentiment flips.

The movement out of altcoins may create missed opportunities for selective buyers, but it also compresses risk for those who prefer a single market leader. Market watchers will be watching volume flows and order books closely over the next sessions.

Bitcoin Reclaims The Spotlight

Based on reports, Bitcoin has reasserted itself as the main focus of crypto trading for now. Short-term behavior will depend on whether buyers in the $65,000–$72,000 zone keep adding or whether selling pressure builds and forces a wider move.

Either way, the rotation away from many altcoins is clear, and traders are recalibrating where they place their bets.

Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

The crypto market continues to face notable selling pressure, with several leading altcoins struggling to regain upward momentum after months of volatility. Sentiment remains fragile as investors weigh macro uncertainty, liquidity conditions, and the lack of sustained bullish catalysts. While periodic rebounds have emerged, most altcoins remain well below previous cycle highs, reinforcing a cautious environment across the broader market.

A recent CryptoQuant report provides additional perspective on this dynamic. According to the analysis, retail investors appear to be under persistent pressure to sell altcoins, particularly as price weakness and negative sentiment dominate headlines. At the same time, the data suggests a more complex underlying picture. Despite ongoing pressure, certain segments of the market are forming notable buying walls, indicating that demand has not disappeared entirely.

Trading volume across altcoins has risen significantly since Ethereum established its recent bottom, reaching levels that are difficult to compare directly with the previous cycle. This increase in activity, even while prices remain depressed, may reflect repositioning rather than pure capitulation. Importantly, most altcoins have yet to stage meaningful recoveries, suggesting that current participation could represent accumulation, speculative positioning, or a mix of both as the market searches for direction.

Retail Capitulation Meets Strategic Crypto Accumulation

The CryptoQuant analysis indicates that much of the current altcoin selling pressure is being driven by retail participants reacting defensively to volatility and prolonged drawdowns. Fear-driven liquidations often emerge during uncertain phases, particularly when liquidity tightens, and price recovery lacks momentum. This behavior tends to amplify short-term weakness, especially across mid- and lower-cap crypto assets.

However, the same data suggests that a portion of this selling volume is being systematically absorbed by larger or more patient market participants. This absorption dynamic typically reflects positioning rather than speculation, as buyers accumulate exposure while sentiment remains fragile. Historically, such phases have preceded structural market transitions, although timing remains uncertain and outcomes are not guaranteed.

Some analysts argue that the current cycle may be characterized by unusually strong preparatory accumulation compared with previous market phases. Elevated spot volumes alongside persistent volatility suggest capital rotation rather than outright market exit in certain segments.

That said, projections about a future altcoin bull phase being significantly stronger than the previous cycle remain speculative. Market structure, macro liquidity conditions, regulatory developments, and Bitcoin dominance will all influence whether such expectations materialize. The data primarily supports a market undergoing redistribution rather than a confirmed bullish reversal.

Altcoin Market Cap Remains Under Structural Pressure

The total crypto market capitalization excluding the top ten assets continues to show persistent weakness, reinforcing the view that the broader altcoin sector remains under structural pressure. The chart reflects a clear failure to sustain momentum following the mid-2025 rally, with capitalization steadily declining since the last major peak. Recent price action shows the market hovering near roughly $170B, significantly below previous highs and still trending downward.

Technically, the structure appears fragile. Price has moved below the shorter-term moving averages and is testing longer-term support zones. The inability to reclaim these averages suggests declining momentum rather than a consolidation phase. Volume spikes accompanying downward moves also indicate that selling activity remains dominant, not merely passive drift.

Historically, similar configurations have occurred during late corrective phases when capital rotates back toward Bitcoin and larger-cap assets. This typically reflects risk reduction rather than outright market exit, but it nonetheless suppresses altcoin performance for extended periods.

Importantly, the absence of strong recovery attempts suggests liquidity constraints remain a key factor. Unless broader market sentiment improves or Bitcoin stabilizes convincingly, the altcoin segment may continue to face headwinds. At present, the data support ongoing redistribution rather than a confirmed cyclical bottom for the broader altcoin market.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

US lawmakers and crypto leaders say a major bill could move fast. According to an on-site interview, Senator Bernie Moreno told reporters he hopes the US CLARITY Act will clear Congress by April.

The comment came during a recent gathering with members of the press, and it set off a flurry of reaction across markets and inside the halls of power.

Lawmakers And Industry At Odds Over Clarity Act

Reports note that the biggest fight left on the table is stablecoin yields. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said industry talks are more hopeful now, but he had pulled his group’s backing earlier because the bill would ban interest-bearing stablecoins and put the SEC front and center as the lead regulator.

That tug-of-war matters. Banks worry that easy yield on crypto tokens could pull deposits and weaken their model. Crypto firms counter that such products are useful and in demand. Both sides also want clear rules so firms can plan ahead.

Policymakers Have Momentum

Based on reports, the White House reacted strongly when one major exchange stepped back from support. The executive office signaled surprise and urged quicker agreement.

Markets noticed. Prediction markets moved, with odds on passage swinging dramatically in response to the media interview.

Polymarket showed a sharp uptick in probability that the bill would pass — then a pullback once details were questioned.

“Hopefully by April,” Moreno said during an interview at US President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Wednesday. What Could Break The Deal

Trump has pushed a pro-crypto message, and that helps gathering momentum among allies in Congress. But partisan lines remain.

If members tie the bill too closely to a single political brand, bipartisan support could fray. Also, banks and regulators are not uniform: some large institutions want stricter rules; others prefer limited, clearer guardrails that let certain products exist under oversight.

Why Fast Passage Is Uncertain

Reports say industry players want clarity asap, while some regulators want broader authority. That difference explains the public sparring.

Negotiators can and do move quickly when leadership prioritizes a measure, yet complex financial bills often require many rounds of drafting and amendment. Even so, lawmakers and execs at industry meetings appear to be pushing hard for a resolution soon.

If the bill clears, it could bring clearer rules for exchanges, banks, and stablecoin issuers. For investors, clarity is usually good. For firms, the shape of the final text will determine whether new products live or die.

Featured image from Wallpapers.com, chart from TradingView

Balaji Srinivasan is once again making the most provocative version of a privacy argument and he’s pinning it to a specific chain: Zcash. In a Feb. 18 video shared on X, Srinivasan framed the stakes in stark terms: “The choice is clear. It’s Zcash or communism,” tying the rise of AI-enabled surveillance to what he described as a renewed appetite for wealth seizure.

In a follow-up post, he argued that AI has shifted surveillance from a state-scale project to something closer to an on-demand service. “Any scrap of information online can now be integrated, digested, and synthesized…by any state or stalker capable of running an AI model…to form a dossier more complete than anything the Soviets could ever dream of,” he wrote.

Srinivasan’s prescription was blunt: “There will be no single silver bullet. But anything you haven’t encrypted can and will be used against you.”

Srinivasan anchored his “communism requires surveillance” claim in an historical example meant to make a modern point about data exhaust. “In 1918, in the midst of the Bolshevik Revolution, Lenin gave an order to murder 100 nearby ‘kulaks,’” he said, emphasizing that such an order “required a list”: names, locations, and a population that couldn’t easily move.

His argument is that the internet reverses that asymmetry if encryption becomes the default. “Today, neo-communism is rising once again. But the Internet could change the game,” he said. “No full list, if we encrypt it. No fixed location, either. They can’t hit what they can’t see.”

Those themes carried into a longer discussion on the Never Say Podcast, where Srinivasan connected privacy to basic operational freedom. “If you’re under surveillance, you’re not sovereign,” he said. “If every move is being tracked…you don’t have the advantage of surprise. You can never launch something. You can never have private deliberations.”

Arjun Khemani, a 19-year-old Zcash researcher on the episode, echoed the AI angle from the user side: “Especially with AI, being able to recognize where you are exactly…you can’t have freedom without privacy,” he said, arguing that broadcasting every transaction and context signal is “not… the world that I want to live in.”

The choice is clear. It’s Zcash or communism.pic.twitter.com/4sAG9WG0jA

— Balaji (@balajis) February 18, 2026

Zcash As A Scaling Bet, Not Just A Privacy Stance

Srinivasan’s pitch wasn’t limited to privacy-by-principle. He positioned Zcash as a technical response to where he thinks the market has landed on scalability: on-chain throughput wins, and routing complexity loses.

Asked why “Zcash must scale” is a “moral imperative,” Srinivasan contrasted Bitcoin’s scaling reality: exchanges, custodians, and database entries with the decentralization promise many users think they’re buying. “Lightning…they’ve been saying, ‘Lightning is going to be there any day now’ for 10 years,” he said, arguing that real-world deployments tend toward “a hub and spoke topology” resembling traditional finance rails. “Within a bank, it’s fast…between banks, they do settlement,” he added, describing a dynamic he sees mirrored in major Lightning implementations.

From there, he argued crypto has effectively segmented into layers: Bitcoin for immutability and brand, Ethereum for programmability, and Solana for straightforward on-chain execution at scale. The opening he sees for Zcash is combining “Solana-like scalability” with private transactions, leaning on zero-knowledge proofs as “compression technology” as much as secrecy. “It’s what a lot of people wanted Bitcoin to be,” he said.

Srinivasan also stressed that privacy doesn’t necessarily replace transparency, it complements it. He argued that Bitcoin’s public ledger can be a feature for proof-of-reserves narratives, while Zcash’s private-by-default design targets a different threat model. His bottom line is coexistence, not conquest: “It’s possible that Bitcoin… and Zcash coexist because Bitcoin is transparent and Zcash is private,” he said, while suggesting “this could be Zcash’s moment.”

At press time, ZEC traded at $259.18.

The XRP Ledger has just activated one of its most anticipated upgrades. According to XRPScan, the Permissioned DEX amendment was enabled on February 18, 2026 at 10:58:10 AM UTC after 82.35% of validators voted in favor.

This is the second amendment to go live on the Ledger in less than a week, following the activation of the Token Escrow (XLS-85) amendment on February 12. XRP enthusiasts are happy with the development, as evidenced by various posts on the social media platform X. However, what does a Permissioned DEX actually mean for everyday users?

Permissioned Dex Is Bigger Than A Simple Upgrade

Ripple enthusiasts and executives have repeatedly stated that the largest obstacle to institutional adoption of decentralized exchanges is compliance. Without permissioning tools, even Ripple itself could not fully utilize certain XRPL functionalities in regulated environments.

A Permissioned DEX is still a decentralized exchange, but with controlled access. A Permissioned DEX is where anyone can trade freely, but creators of the DEX restrict participation to verified entities. This means that banks, payment providers, and regulated financial institutions can take advantage of a Permissioned DEX to trade, provide liquidity, and settle transactions inside an environment where all participants are known and approved.

Decentralized networks like the Ledger are permissionless, meaning anyone can participate without authorization or approval from a gatekeeper. However, as nice as that may sound, the reality behind this structure is that traditional financial institutions cannot transact on open systems with anonymous counterparties due to compliance, AML, and regulatory obligations. They must know who they are trading with, maintain audit trails, and prevent exposure to illicit activity. A permissioned environment solves that barrier without removing the decentralized foundation of the ledger itself.

The Ledger already had built-in DEX functionality, fast settlement, low fees, and deterministic execution. The new amendment adds the compliance layer that large financial institutions need before deploying huge amounts of capital into the XRP ecosystem.

What Does This Mean For XRP Users?

Therefore, the launch of Permissioned Dex on the XRP Ledger is another obstacle to mass institutionalization that has been removed. According to an enthusiast known as Nick on the social media platform X, once the market structure bill is passed this year, then every other single obstacle to mass institutionalization of the Ledger will be removed. 

According to another analyst on X known as Stern Drew, the upgrade is huge because permissioned liquidity unlocks institutional participation, the missing bridge between traditional finance and blockchain rails. This is expected to be reflected in the price action of the altcoin moving forward. 

However, the analyst noted that it might take time for institutions to actually deploy liquidity until the CLARITY ACT and DNAOnChain’s zk-credential system go live. Nonetheless, the first permissioned offer has already been created on the XRP DEX.

Cardano’s price may be in a downward action due to a weakening crypto environment, but there has been a resurgence in buying activity from both retail and institutional investors across the sector. This resurgence in buying activity is indicated by the steady purchase by Grayscale, one of the leading treasury companies in the world.

Grayscale Makes More Cardano Allocations

Despite its persistent pullback in price over the past few months, institutional interest in Cardano (ADA) appears to be strengthening once again. According to a recent report from Dave, a crypto enthusiast, Grayscale Investments has increased its exposure to ADA after a fresh purchase.

With its steady allocation move, the ADA weighting in the company’s Smart Contract Fund now sits at over 20.12% from its prior level of 19.50%. This marks another consecutive rise and signals that investors are once again confident in the altcoin’s long-term fundamentals, as they attentively examine high-conviction holdings in the cryptocurrency market.

As ADA secures a larger share within the firm’s holdings, the allocation can also be seen as strategic positioning for what’s ahead. It is worth noting that the latest allocation was conducted just a week after the previous one. 

During the period, the firm’s ADA allocation moved from 19.50% to 19.55% in the smart contract fund. There are speculations that the move could be linked to recent rapid momentum and integration work around Bitcoin Decentralized Finance (DeFi) within the Cardano ecosystem. 

Dave highlighted that this is taking place as Cardano bolsters its push into the Bitcoin DeFi ecosystem. The purpose of his move is to restore external BTC liquidity on the network via non-custodial Collateral, stablecoin-based credit, and lending structures built to avoid fragility driven by liquidation. 

Furthermore, Cardano’s smart contract layer makes this possible, and this approach clarifies why large asset managers would be covertly expanding their exposure. Thus, institutions that need predictable, non-liquidating borrowing, and retail users looking for high-quality yield on idle Bitcoin could be able to utilize the network.

The Projects On The Leading Network Are Just Real Ones

Currently, the activity across the Cardano ecosystem is decreasing at a remarkable pace. Mintern, a market expert and Chief Meme Officer (CMO) of Minswap, has reported a sharp drop in the number of projects launched on the network since 2021.

In 2021, the number of projects on the network skyrocketed with more than 100 projects within the year, signaling confidence in the network’s scalability, governance model, and long-term roadmap. Meanwhile, in 2026, the projects have fallen, leaving only the real ones. 

Mintern noted that the network is now advancing with Midnight building privacy-focused rails for long-term adoption, not short-term speculation. Amid the reduced network activity, the main question circulating across the community is who is still building in 2026.

A staggering $117 million worth of XRP has just shifted hands on the Ripple blockchain in a transaction that has left even seasoned crypto watchers wondering about the wallets involved. According to data publicly shared by crypto analyst Ripple Bull Winkle, on-chain records include timestamps, exact amounts, hashes, and transaction fees, but nothing about the identities of the sender or receiver.  

Analyst Reveals Under-The-Radar XRP Transfer

A massive 81 million XRP, valued at roughly $117 million, was transferred on the Ripple network, and the identities behind it remain unknown. Ripple Bull Winkle revealed the move in a post on X, sharing screenshots of on-chain data from Whale Alert showing millions of the token shifting between two crypto wallets with no labels, no exchange involvement, and no public trace. 

Notably, the large-scale transfer took place on Tuesday, February 17, drawing the crypto community’s attention for its sheer scale and anonymity. According to Ripple Bull Winkle, transactions of this size never happen by accident. He suggested that the movement was deliberate, hinting at strategic positioning rather than a routine transfer. 

The analyst also noted that the lack of identifiable wallets also fuels speculation that a whale may be accumulating XRP ahead of an event or market shift, though nothing is certain yet. He further remarked that “someone knows something,” implying that insiders or large holders may be acting on information not yet visible to the broader crypto market. 

Interestingly, Ripple’s blockchain logs confirm the transfer and provide the wallet addresses involved, but reveal nothing about who orchestrated the substantial transfer. The timing of the transaction amid the broader decline in the XRP price adds another layer of intrigue. Notably, the altcoin has been in a pronounced downtrend for months, dropping from 2025 highs above $3 to under $1.5 at the time of writing. This steep decline has been driven by a combination of market factors, including sell-side pressure. 

Commenters on Ripple Bull Winkle’s post have speculated that the 81 million XRP transfer could signal upcoming selling. At the same time, they also caution that the move may have no deeper significance and could simply be a wallet-to-wallet transfer for security or operational purposes.

The Trend Remains Largely Bearish

In a more price-focused analysis, market analyst Crypto Tony stated that XRP’s current trend is “most certainly bearish.” This assessment comes as the cryptocurrency continues to break key support zones and trade below former resistance levels. 

Crypto Tony indicated that the altcoin’s price could continue its downtrend, potentially declining further toward $1.38. At its current price of 1.42, this would represent a significant correction of approximately 2.8%. Notably, the analyst has highlighted a resistance level above $1.5 on his accompanying chart, suggesting XRP could revisit this area if it regains bullish momentum.