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Рик Эдельман назвал условие для достижения биткоином $500 000
Crypto Lender Nexo Returns To US Market After Three-Year Hiatus And $45 Million Fine
Crypto lender Nexo has officially reentered the United States market, marking a return three years after it withdrew operations and paid a $45 million fine to settle charges with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The company confirmed on Monday that 2026 represents its formal comeback to the US, positioning the move against a backdrop of more crypto-friendly policies and a notable shift in regulatory tone at the SEC.
New SEC-Compliant Structure, Bakkt PartnershipNexo previously exited the country following regulatory clashes that culminated in a 2023 SEC order over “unregistered offering” of a crypto asset lending product. As part of that settlement, the company agreed to discontinue the product for US investors.
In a statement to Reuters, a Nexo spokesperson emphasized that the firm complied fully with the order. “Nexo discontinued the product covered by the 2023 SEC order for US investors as required,” the spokesperson said.
The company’s renewed US strategy is structured differently from its earlier model. According to Nexo’s Monday disclosure, the relaunch is being carried out through partnerships with regulated entities to ensure compliance with American securities laws.
The firm said its investment and credit products are now delivered within a US-compliant framework, including, where applicable, through an SEC-registered investment adviser for advisory services.
As part of this relaunch, Nexo has also partnered with Bakkt, a publicly traded US-based digital asset platform designed to support institutional-grade risk management and regulatory compliance.
The company’s updated offering includes flexible and fixed-term yield programs that allow clients to earn returns through investment structures. Nexo is also rolling out an integrated exchange, enabling users to buy and sell digital assets.
In addition, the firm is reintroducing crypto-backed credit lines, allowing customers to access liquidity without selling their digital holdings. These credit products feature flexible repayment options and support multiple forms of collateral.
Nexo Denies Trump Family TiesNexo’s return comes amid broader political and regulatory developments in the United States. Reuters reported that the company hosted Donald Trump Jr at a “Trump Business Vision 2025” event held in Sofia, Bulgaria, last April.
The event has drawn attention, given increased scrutiny surrounding crypto-related business dealings connected to the Trump family under the current administration.
When asked by Reuters about the relationship between those interactions and the company’s US relaunch, Nexo denied any connection. The spokesperson stated that the decision to return to the American market was “based on our ability to offer products in a compliant structure” and was unrelated to its contacts with the Trump family.
The company further clarified that its sports sponsorships and event participation have no bearing on its regulatory standing or operational approval in the United States.
Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
Former White House Crypto Adviser Confident CLARITY Act Will Pass As Deadline Nears
A former White House crypto adviser has shared his thoughts on the delay of the long-awaited market structure bill and whether the banking and digital assets industry will resolve their differences soon.
Bo Hines Optimistic About Crypto LegislationOn Monday, Bo Hines, CEO of Tether US and former executive director of the US President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, expressed optimism about the passage of the crypto market structure bill, known as the CLARITY Act.
In a recent interview with journalist Eleanor Terret at the Digital Assets at Duke Conference, Hines affirmed that he’s “actually confident that CALRITY will get passed” despite the delay.
It’s worth noting that the highly anticipated legislation has been stalled after hitting a roadblock a month ago due to restrictions on the payment of stablecoin yield, meant to address the banking industry’s concerns of deposit flight risk.
The crypto industry heavily criticized the Senate Banking Committee’s policy, leading to the delay of the mid-January markup session and an extended negotiation process between lawmakers and leaders from both industries.
Now, time seems to be running out, Terret noted, as we approach the alleged White House’s end-of-month deadline for the crypto and banking industries to solve the stablecoin yield dispute.
Due to this, Hines affirmed that both sides “are in the pressure cooker right now,” arguing that the two industries understand they must make concessions to reach an agreement and advance the bill.
As reported by Bitcoinist, the digital assets industry has already proposed some compromises to salvage the crypto legislation, such as giving community banks a larger role in the stablecoin system.
The former White House adviser highlighted the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s (OCC) recent moves. Notably, the OCC has started to issue conditional licenses to more digital assets native companies, which he considers will provide a pathway to “find a resolution that (…) protects banks from deposit flight, but also allows these crypto companies to be innovative and offer different solutions to their customers.”
CLARITY Act’s Window ‘Rapidly Closing’Hines also noted that the crypto industry is aware that they must take advantage of the legislative momentum, “especially under this administration that’s been extremely pro- digital assets.”
As he explained, “this is where you’re going to get the best return on investment in a sense of like what you’ve been doing over the course of (…) the last few years in terms of political activity and engagement.”
Similarly, Patrick Witt, the current executive director of the US President’s Crypto Council, shared a similar perspective on Friday. The advisor affirmed that they are “working hard to address the issues that were raised that led to the postponement of that markup and hopefully get that back on the books soon.”
Nonetheless, he urged lawmakers to keep the momentum going, emphasizing that the window to pass the legislation is still open, but it is “rapidly closing” as the midterm election campaign season approaches, which “takes all the oxygen out of the room.”
The US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent also pressed lawmakers to advance the bill soon, highlighting the importance of getting the legislation on President Donald Trump’s desk before the end of the spring legislative window.
Bessent stressed that the chances of getting a deal done could collapse if Democrats take control in November, recalling the crackdown on the industry during the Biden administration.
“There’s a lot of innovation that goes on adjacent to crypto, the blockchain, and DeFi. So, I think it’s important to get this clarity bill done as soon as possible and on the president’s desk this spring,” he declared on Friday.
Quantum Threat Behind Bitcoin’s Decline? Analyst Points To Google Search Data
The founder of Capriole Investments has pointed out how Google searches related to “Quantum Computing Bitcoin” peaked alongside the price top.
Bitcoin Saw Increased Interest In Quantum Threat During Bull RunIn a new post on X, Capriole Investments founder Charles Edwards has talked about the trend in the Google search interest around the Quantum Computing threat to Bitcoin.
Below is the NYDIG chart cited by the analyst that lines up the Google search data for “Quantum Computing Bitcoin” against the cryptocurrency’s price trajectory.
As displayed in the graph, the Google search interest in the topic witnessed a sharp surge just as last year’s bull rally reached its peak. This would imply that the price appreciation brought with it risk evaluation around the Quantum Computing threat to the cryptocurrency.
Quantum Computing is an emerging technology that could, in theory, exploit the vulnerabilities present in old BTC wallets to access the tokens stored inside them and dump them on the market.
The timeline related to when Quantum Computing could become advanced enough to do this remains yet uncertain, but it has nonetheless raised concerns among many in the BTC community. Edwards has been one of the loudest voices when it comes to this issue, urging the community to work together on a solution as soon as possible.
Based on the Google search interest chart, the analyst has noted, “Evaluation of the risk was at a maxima when price was, resulting in derisking, a leading indicator to price falling.” Shortly after the peak in the metric, the asset observed a bearish shift that has today taken it below the $70,000 mark. “The Quantum threat drove Bitcoin down,” said Edwards.
From the graph, it’s also visible that a similar trajectory was visible during the price surge that occurred in late 2024. Back then, the topic saw slightly lower peak traction and faded quickly once the cryptocurrency slowed down.
Interest in the topic has gone down this time as well as Bitcoin has declined, but it still remains significantly above the low from early 2025, a potential sign that the floor interest in the risk has gone up. “The good news is, at least this means we are starting to get traction and attention in the right places to solve the problem (Strategy, Eth foundation etc),” noted the Capriole founder.
Analyst Willy Woo has also made an X post discussing the Quantum risk. As the chart shared by Woo illustrates, the Bitcoin vs Gold price has broken a twelve-year trend recently.
The XAUBTC ratio was in a state of downtrend for twelve years, but its value saw a reversal last year and has since been rising. “The valuation trend broke down once QUANTUM came into awareness,” explained the analyst.
BTC PriceAt the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading around $68,600, down 2.4% over the last week.
Bitcoin Drops to $68K Amid Four-Week Slide, but Bullish Divergence Hints at $71K Test
Bitcoin’s (BTC) latest attempt to stabilize has left traders divided. After briefly reclaiming the $70,000 level over the weekend, the asset slipped back toward $68,000, extending a four-week losing streak that has weighed on broader crypto markets.
Related Reading: Did SBI Holdings Really Buy $10 Billion Worth Of XRP? CEO Reveals The Real Figure
While macro uncertainty and technical resistance continue to cap upside momentum, emerging indicators suggest the market may be preparing for a short-term recovery.
The decline comes after weeks of sustained selling pressure that followed Bitcoin’s earlier rally toward record highs. Market sentiment has weakened alongside concerns over interest rates and reduced inflows into speculative assets, pushing the asset into a corrective phase rather than a confirmed reversal.
Bitcoin (BTC) Market Structure Remains Fragile Below $75KTechnical analysis shows Bitcoin is still trading within a descending channel on higher timeframes, keeping the broader trend cautious. The breakdown below $75,000 earlier accelerated losses toward the $60,000 demand zone, where buyers re-entered the market, triggering the current rebound.
Price action is now compressing between $68,000 and $72,000, an area viewed as key resistance. Analysts note that a sustained move above $72,000 could open the path toward $75,000, while repeated rejection may send Bitcoin back toward $65,000 or even retest the $60,000 support region.
Momentum indicators also reflect this uncertainty. Bitcoin remains below its 50-day moving average, confirming that the short-term trend has not yet shifted bullish despite the recent bounce.
Bullish Divergence and Liquidations Offer Mixed SignalsDespite the downtrend, technical momentum is showing early signs of improvement. The RSI has formed a bullish divergence, meaning momentum is strengthening even as price recently printed lower lows, a pattern often associated with relief rallies.
Similarly, more than $75 million in Bitcoin futures positions were liquidated during recent volatility. Such liquidations can reset market positioning and sometimes precede stronger directional moves. Analysts are now watching the $71,000 resistance closely as the next test for bullish momentum.
On-chain sentiment adds another layer to the outlook. Larger orders appeared near the $60,000–$65,000 range, suggesting accumulation by larger market participants during the sell-off, while recent upward moves appear to be driven more by retail traders.
Macro Events and Seasonal Factors in FocusSeasonal narratives are also attracting attention as markets approach the Chinese New Year, which has historically coincided with mixed performance in crypto markets. Some traders expect short-term liquidity shifts, though analysts caution that global participation has reduced the impact of regional events over time.
Related Reading: Crypto Courtroom Drama: Kevin O’Leary Wins Nearly $3M Against YouTuber ‘Bitboy’
Meanwhile, corporate conviction remains visible. Strategy chairman Michael Saylor recently stated the firm could withstand an extreme Bitcoin decline to $8,000 while continuing to hold and accumulate the asset, underscoring a long-term outlook despite current volatility.
Cover image from ChatGPT, BTCUSUD chart from Tradingview
Crypto Watchlist: The Key Catalysts To Track This Week
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 CryptoMonday (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.
Brian Armstrong Praises ‘Diamond Hands’ as Coinbase Reports Strong Retail Activity
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 VolatilityArmstrong 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 AttentionArmstrong’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 SentimentMarket 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 Refutes Claims Of Regulatory Missteps And Staff Dismissals
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 CollideAccording 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 ReviewsA 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 CloselyReports 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
Bitcoin Approaches Its 4-Year SMA On This Key Market Metric – Here’s What To Know
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 SMAGiven 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.
XRP Sees Re-Accumulation Signals From Korean Trading Desks As Traders Quietly Build Positions
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 TradersTrading 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 SpotAfter 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.
Крупнейшее падение биткоина: как долго продлится криптозима 2026 года
Crypto Treasuries May Begin Selling In 2026 As ETFs Increase Pressure: Report
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 FirmsAccording 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 Recovery: How Much Can The Leading Meme Coin Rise Again?
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 ConsolidationCrypto 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 BottomsAnother 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.
Economist Says Bitcoin Is A Threat, But The Target Is Not Who You Think
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 InvestorsIn 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 BitcoinAs 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.
XRP Liquidity Crash: Exchange Levels Mirror May 2025 Trend As Price Recovers
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 RecoversIn 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 SetupIn 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.
Вилли Ву: Защита от атак квантовых компьютеров нарушит правила Биткоина
NFT из коллекции Джастина Бибера обесценился на 99%
Названа причина краха криптостартапов с доходом от $1 млн
Crypto Accumulation Narrative Builds After Record Binance COMP Withdrawal
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 TrendThe 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 BreakoutThe 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
