Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Ki Young Ju, founder of CryptoQuant, warned that quantum computing poses a long-term theft risk to dormant Bitcoin holdings, including roughly 1 million BTC linked to Satoshi Nakamoto. He estimates about 6.89 million BTC could be vulnerable: 1.91M in addresses with exposed public keys and 4.98M whose keys may have been revealed via past transactions. Around 3.4M BTC have been unmoved for over a decade. Ki stressed the main challenge is social consensus — getting the Bitcoin community to accept proactive protocol changes (such as freezing dormant coins) could be contentious and slow. He warned that failure to reach agreement could lead to competing forks if action is required before quantum threats materialize. Separately, BIP-360 — a proposal to modify Taproot key-path behavior and reduce public key exposure — has progressed as a preventative structural step; proponents say it is not an emergency but prudent long-term mitigation. Primary keywords: quantum computing, Bitcoin security, dormant BTC, Satoshi BTC, BIP-360.

Danske Bank research finds that speculation about ECB President Christine Lagarde’s potential departure has produced limited volatility in the euro. EUR/USD moved within a roughly 1.5% range during peak speculation, signaling market confidence in the ECB’s institutional frameworks. Analysts cite the Governing Council’s consensus-driven decision making, the 2% symmetric inflation target, pre-announced policy normalization (APP/PEPP unwind) and strong succession procedures as stabilizing factors. Comparative analysis shows the ECB historically experiences smaller currency reactions to leadership changes than some other central banks. Traders are focusing more on fundamentals—narrowing growth differentials with the US, lower energy dependency and the euro’s reserve-currency status—while ECB forward guidance creates a “policy certainty premium.” Danske Bank’s baseline scenarios assume policy continuity across plausible successors, suggesting limited near-term euro volatility. Key takeaways for traders: (1) Leadership headlines may have muted FX impact versus data or policy shifts; (2) monitor ECB communication and inflation data for true drivers of EUR moves; (3) structural demand and policy frameworks provide a stabilizing floor for the euro.

Franklin Templeton disclosed in its Form 10‑Q that its Franklin XRP ETF (XRPZ) held over 118 million XRP as of end-2025. The fund manages $243.60 million in net assets and charges a 0.19% fee, positioning it as the low‑cost option among major XRP ETFs. Franklin Templeton — a traditional asset manager with about $1.6 trillion AUM — has been actively exploring crypto initiatives including node operation and tokenized money market funds on Polygon and Stellar. Across the five major XRP ETF issuers, total net assets stand at roughly $1.06 billion, representing about 1.17% of XRP’s market cap. Market inflows have recently stagnated, with daily net inflow flat at $0.00 amid healthy trading volumes. Canary Capital (XRPC) leads ETF assets at $283.33 million, followed by Bitwise at $272.84 million; Franklin ranks third. Key takeaways for traders: Franklin’s large XRP holding and low fee could affect ETF competition and liquidity dynamics; stagnant inflows suggest short-term flow-driven price sensitivity despite continuing trading activity.

Pi Network’s PI token led weekly gains among major cryptocurrencies, rising over 40% to approach $0.19 after hitting a new intra-week low of $0.1312. PI also added roughly 6% on the day. Bitcoin (BTC) remained rangebound around $68,000–$72,000 after a volatile spell that saw it plunge to $60,000 and recover rapidly; BTC currently trades just above $68,000 with a market cap near $1.365 trillion and dominance at 56.2%. Ethereum (ETH) climbed about 2% to just above $2,000. WLFI posted the largest 24‑hour rally among larger-cap altcoins, rising over 17% to above $0.115. The total crypto market capitalization increased by about $25 billion to $2.43 trillion. Key trading takeaways: PI’s sharp weekly advance may draw short-term speculative flows and higher volatility; BTC’s repeated rejections near $72K suggest supply at that level and fragile support around $68K — traders should watch for break/hold of these boundaries; ETH’s modest gains keep it tethered near $2K, while select alts (WLFI) show strong short-term momentum.

UK headline CPI fell to 2.1% year‑on‑year in March 2025, with core CPI easing to 2.8%, marking the end of a 15‑month disinflationary trend driven by lower energy and normalising goods prices. The British pound initially weakened as markets priced a reduced likelihood of sustained Bank of England (BoE) tightening; money markets put a ~65% chance on a 25bp cut by August 2025, though analysts expect the BoE to hold rates at 5.25% amid still‑elevated wage growth. With UK inflation cooling, FX attention has shifted to US data: the Core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index (forecast +0.3% MoM) and the March FOMC Minutes. A stronger‑than‑expected PCE or hawkish nuances in the minutes would support the US dollar and risk a further drag on GBP/USD; softer US data could weaken the USD and support pound and risk assets. Technical levels to watch: GBP/USD support near 1.2550 (next 1.2450) and resistance toward 1.2750; DXY remains sensitive to Fed communications. Traders should weigh comparative central‑bank paths and watch US PCE and FOMC details for short‑term volatility and directional signals.

CC trades around $0.16–0.17 with mixed momentum: RSI (14) ~53 (neutral), MACD shows a negative widening histogram (bearish), while price remains above the short-term EMA20 (~$0.16) giving a mild short-term bullish bias. Volume is moderate and does not confirm recent gains. Key technical levels: resistances at $0.1636, $0.1806 and $0.1958; supports at $0.1586, $0.1470 and $0.1351; pivot ~$0.1619. Multi-timeframe analysis finds numerous resistance levels limiting upside. Bull case: sustained closes above $0.1663–$0.17 could target $0.2331. Bear case: break below $0.1636 risks $0.1434 and $0.0880. Correlation with Bitcoin matters — BTC weakness increases downside risk for CC. Overall expectation: consolidation with breakout dependent on increasing volume and MACD histogram narrowing. (Analysis by Sarah Chen using methodology of Chief Analyst Devrim Cacal.)

UK CPI fell to 2.1% year‑on‑year, marking a third consecutive monthly decline and prompting sharp volatility in the Pound Sterling vs US Dollar. GBP/USD traded in a wide range—about 150 pips during the announcement—with intraday support near 1.2650, a pivot around 1.2720 and resistance close to 1.2780; 1.2600 is cited as critical support. Cooling inflation reduced immediate pressure for Bank of England hikes, shifting swap market pricing from ~75bp of 2025 cuts to ~50bp, while the US Federal Reserve remains relatively hawkish. Services inflation stayed elevated at 4.2% (goods 1.8%), complicating BoE policy. Trading volumes rose ~40% during the release, options activity showed increased demand for downside protection, and institutional net long positions in GBP futures fell. Analysts noted continued GBP/USD volatility ahead of key catalysts (next BoE meeting, US employment data), with implied volatility across options remaining high. For traders: expect continued event-driven swings, watch 1.2600/1.2780 levels, hedge tail risk, and monitor UK services inflation and transatlantic policy cues.

NZD/USD is under pressure near the psychological 0.6000 support as the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) adopted a dovish tone, lowering its 2025 inflation forecast by 0.3 percentage points and trimming the odds of near-term rate hikes. The pair has broken its 50-day moving average at 0.6050, RSI sits near 32, and selling volume and MACD divergence signal weakening momentum. Key technical support lies at 0.5980–0.6000, with a decisive break likely to accelerate declines toward 0.5920; resistance is at 0.6080–0.6120. Fundamentals add pressure: slower GDP growth (Q4 2024 GDP 0.2%), rising unemployment (4.3% in February), and falling dairy prices weigh on the kiwi. Market positioning shows leveraged funds increasing NZD shorts and rising demand for NZD put options around 0.5950–0.5900. Ahead of the FOMC Minutes, traders will watch Fed commentary on inflation persistence, labor market tightness, and balance-sheet tapering—hawkish signals would bolster the USD and likely push NZD/USD lower. Short-term outlook: heightened volatility with downside bias toward 0.5950 if the minutes read hawkish; medium-term direction depends on evolving RBNZ–Fed policy divergence, commodity prices and global risk sentiment.

Arthur Hayes, co‑founder of BitMEX, warned that Bitcoin (BTC) could fall below $60,000 amid a growing decoupling between BTC and the Nasdaq 100. In a detailed blog post, Hayes attributes the risk to shrinking global liquidity and a potential credit contraction that could trigger widespread selling in risk assets. Historically, BTC has tracked technology stocks during periods of ample liquidity; the current divergence signals a change in that correlation. Hayes outlines two scenarios: (1) the BTC correction is complete and the Nasdaq must fall to restore correlation, or (2) a sharp Nasdaq drop drags BTC under $60K before a Fed liquidity response sparks a rebound. He cites the 2008 Fed interventions as precedent for how aggressive liquidity injections can weaken the dollar and drive capital into assets like Bitcoin. For traders, Hayes recommends cutting excessive leverage, holding cash reserves, monitoring BTC–Nasdaq correlation metrics, and watching macro indicators for signs of credit deflation or Fed policy shifts. The analysis highlights increased institutional integration, regulatory and geopolitical factors, and the possibility that Bitcoin may act as a leading indicator in market stress. Primary keywords: Bitcoin price, BTC–Nasdaq decoupling, Arthur Hayes, Fed liquidity, credit deflation.

Founders Fund — linked to Peter Thiel — has fully divested its stake in ETHZilla, filing an SEC 13G amendment that reports zero shares after previously disclosing a roughly 7.5% holding in August 2025. ETHZilla (formerly 180 Life Sciences) raised $425 million in July 2025 to pursue an Ether treasury strategy and later sought $350 million via convertible notes. At its peak the company held more than 100,000 ETH; it sold 24,291 ETH in December 2025 for $74.5 million to repay debt and was left with about 69,800 ETH. Founders Fund’s earlier stake represented ~11.59 million shares (7.5% of 154.03 million), worth roughly $40 million at early-August prices. The exit underscores growing funding stress and investor caution around public companies whose primary business is holding large ether treasuries. ETHZilla has attempted diversification — including launching an ETHZilla Aerospace tokenized-jet-engine exposure — but the move by a high-profile backer highlights risks for single-asset treasury models. By contrast, other entities cited in reporting show differing strategies: BitMine continued accumulating ETH (now >4.325 million ETH) while Trend Research liquidated 651,757 ETH in early February, realizing heavy losses. For traders, the developments signal increased sell pressure risk from corporates leveraging ether treasuries, greater volatility for ETH around corporate balance-sheet moves, and heightened due diligence needs when assessing token-treasury public firms.

CFTC Chair Mike Selig said the long‑debated crypto market structure bill known as the CLARITY Act is close to becoming law, suggesting it could reach the White House within months. Selig told FOX Business the legislation aims to provide clear rules for digital asset markets and prevent regulatory reversals. A key unresolved issue is whether stablecoins may offer yield; recent White House discussions between bank and crypto policy staff ended without agreement. Banks circulated a “Yield and Interest Prohibition Principles” paper opposing stablecoin yields, while the Digital Chamber proposed a framework allowing payment stablecoins to generate yield in DeFi under rigorous safeguards. The White House Crypto Council may convene further talks. The article notes the total crypto market cap at about $2.29 trillion and highlights that negotiations over stablecoin rewards remain the bill’s principal sticking point.

Gemini announced abrupt departures of its COO (Marshall Beard), CFO (Dan Chen) and CLO (Tyler Meade) amid a broader restructuring that includes a roughly 25% workforce reduction and exit from the UK, EU and Australia. Gemini will not replace the COO role, reallocating many responsibilities to co‑founder/president Cameron Winklevoss; Danijela Stojanovic is interim CFO and Kate Freedman interim general counsel. The company previewed FY25 results showing a forecast net loss of $587m–$602m, operating expenses rising to as much as $530m (from $308m in FY24), and net revenue of $165m–$175m helped by credit‑card partnership income. Gemini shares plunged ~13% to a new low, down over 82% since its Nasdaq debut. Separately, CFTC Chair Michael Selig signalled federal intervention against states that block prediction markets, arguing the CFTC has exclusive jurisdiction over “event contracts.” The move follows legal actions in states such as Nevada against platforms including Kalshi and Polymarket and comes as crypto firms (including Gemini) push prediction markets—largely sports betting—across US states. The CFTC filed amicus briefs and publicly defended prediction markets’ economic legitimacy, prompting sharp pushback from state officials who regard many markets as gambling. The dispute raises regulatory uncertainty for prediction‑market products and platforms expanding into the US. Key points for traders: major governance turnover and heavy FY25 losses heighten company-specific tail risk for GEMI stock and Gemini-owned products; regulatory conflict over prediction markets increases legal and operational risk for crypto platforms offering sports-event contracts, potentially affecting volumes and token flows tied to prediction services.

BitMEX co‑founder Arthur Hayes warns that Bitcoin’s recent decline, diverging from a flat Nasdaq 100, could be an early signal of tightening U.S. dollar liquidity and a looming credit crunch. Hayes calls BTC a “fiat liquidity fire alarm” that reacts faster than equities to shrinking credit. He links the risk to potential AI‑driven job losses among knowledge workers and models a severe scenario in which 20% of 72.1 million knowledge workers lose jobs, producing estimated U.S. bank losses of roughly $330 billion in consumer credit and $227 billion in mortgages. Hayes cites underperformance in software stocks, rising gold strength versus Bitcoin, elevated Fed rates and reverse‑repo drains as supporting evidence. He lays out two market paths: (1) Bitcoin has already priced the slowdown and equities will follow, or (2) equities fall later and BTC drops further; either route could trigger aggressive Federal Reserve liquidity backstops that may ultimately be bullish for BTC over the medium term. Other analysts acknowledge the Bitcoin–Nasdaq divergence is noteworthy but dispute Hayes’ compressed timeline, noting labour and credit shifts typically evolve over quarters or years. For traders: watch BTC–equities divergence, credit delinquency trends, SaaS/tech weakness, Fed liquidity operations, and bank stress indicators—any of which could drive sharp, volatile moves in BTC. Keywords: Bitcoin divergence, dollar liquidity, AI job cuts, consumer credit losses, Fed intervention.

EUR/GBP traded decisively below the 0.8750 level after the UK’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) came in hotter than expected. Annual headline CPI printed 4.0% (consensus 3.8%), while core CPI — excluding food and energy — stayed elevated at 5.1%. Services inflation was 6.1%, and sticky core components alongside still-high wage dynamics reinforced upside inflationary risks. The market reacted with a sharp rise in short-dated UK gilt yields (notably the 2-year), repricing a longer period of restrictive Bank of England policy and widening the interest-rate differential versus the Eurozone. Technically, EUR/GBP faces resistance near 0.8740, with immediate downside targets around the yearly low (~0.8700) and a possible extension toward 0.8650 if selling momentum continues. Traders will now focus on upcoming BoE and ECB communications, UK wage data and Eurozone CPI for further direction. Key implications: stronger sterling, higher yields, delayed BoE rate cuts priced in, and renewed attention on monetary policy divergence between the UK and the Eurozone.

Zora has launched "attention markets" on Solana, a product that lets anyone create and trade tokens tied to internet trends, memes and cultural moments. Creators pay a 1 SOL fee to launch a market (to deter spam), and traders buy or sell positions on whether a topic will gain or lose traction across social platforms. The feature is built natively on Solana to enable fast updates and low fees—crucial for tracking fleeting social momentum. Early activity showed thin liquidity and high volatility: the leading "attentionmarkets" token briefly reached about $70,000 market cap with roughly $200,000 in day-one trading volume, while most markets opened with less than $10,000 in liquidity. ZORA’s native token rose roughly 5% after the announcement. Zora also posted openings for an "Attention Economist," signaling plans to refine cross-platform attention metrics (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts, X). The move represents a shift from Zora’s previous Base-focused creator tooling and drew criticism from some Base developers, though Base maintainers say Zora’s creator products remain available there. For traders, attention markets introduce a new on-chain, sentiment-linked instrument that can produce rapid percentage moves but suffers from shallow order books and elevated execution risk. The product is largely experimental and high-risk; competitors in the sentiment/attention space include Polymarket and Noise. Traders should treat these markets as suitable for short-term speculation or hedging of social-driven events, avoid large positions without confirmed depth, and expect significant intraday volatility and rapid price reversals.

Abu Dhabi-linked sovereign investors Mubadala Investment Company and Al Warda Investments disclosed combined holdings of about 20.9 million shares in BlackRock’s U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) — roughly $1.04 billion — in Form 13F filings for the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2025. Mubadala reported 12,702,323 shares (~$630.7M) and Al Warda 8,218,712 shares (~$408.1M). The filings were reported to the U.S. SEC in mid-February 2026 and reflect year-end positions that do not capture trading in early 2026. The disclosures arrive as U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs experienced renewed selling pressure, with roughly $105 million in daily net outflows in the most recent session and aggregate ETF assets near $85.5 billion, while Bitcoin traded around $67.7k. Analysts have flagged downside risk amid early-2026 price pressure, but large, disclosed sovereign positions signal durable institutional allocation to regulated spot Bitcoin ETFs rather than short-term speculation. Mubadala’s 13F also lists substantial non-crypto holdings across technology, healthcare and mining, underscoring diversified sovereign portfolios. For traders: the scale of sovereign ETF ownership supports a base of long-term, non-panic selling demand for Bitcoin ETFs, which can temper volatility, though ongoing ETF outflows and analyst downside scenarios could exert short-term price pressure.

Berkshire Hathaway’s final 13F filing before Warren Buffett’s retirement (filed after the 2025 year-end) shows cautious portfolio adjustments: a first-time purchase of roughly 5.0657 million shares of The New York Times (≈$352M), continued modest reductions in Apple (AAPL) to ~227.9M shares (down ~4.3%, value ≈$61.96B), and a dramatic >70% cut in Amazon (AMZN) holdings from 10.0M to ~2.276M shares. Bank of America (BAC) exposure was trimmed by ~9% to ~517.3M shares, while Chevron (CVX) was increased to ~130.2M shares from ~122.1M. Core positions such as Alphabet, American Express and Coca‑Cola (4.0B shares) remain largely unchanged. The filing—submitted as Greg Abel assumes CEO duties and Buffett transitions to chairman—signals continuity in investment philosophy: selective rebalancing rather than strategic overhaul. For traders, key takeaways are sector rotation signals (media and energy up; tech and some financials down), notable profit-taking in large-cap tech (particularly Amazon), and Berkshire’s renewed bet on subscription-driven media (NYT) and commodity-exposed energy (Chevron).

Polygon collected $407,100 in transaction fees on 14 February 2026, surpassing Ethereum’s $211,700 for the day. The spike was driven largely by Polymarket activity, which accounted for 66.7% of Polygon’s fee revenue. The report highlights a short-term fee anomaly for the Layer-2 network rather than a structural change in network economics. Separately, multiple large Bitcoin wallet movements were reported: a 14-year dormant wallet moved 7,068 BTC (~$470M), Arkham Intelligence flagged it as a Satoshi-era address; whale addresses (1,000–100,000 BTC) accumulated over 70,000 BTC in early February (~$4.6B); and other dormant wallets also showed activity, including a 909 BTC move after 13 years and a 2.565 BTC transfer to the genesis address. Key metrics: Polygon fees $407.1k, Ethereum fees $211.7k, Polymarket contribution 66.7%, moved BTC amounts include 7,068 BTC and ~70,000 BTC accumulated by large addresses. Primary keywords: Polygon fees, Polymarket, Ethereum fees, Layer 2, Bitcoin whale movements. Secondary/semantic keywords: MATIC, transaction fees spike, on-chain activity, dormant wallet, Satoshi-era. This concise overview helps traders spot short-term fee-driven demand on Polygon (MATIC) and significant on-chain BTC flows that may affect market liquidity and sentiment.

Jupiter, Solana’s leading DEX aggregator, has enabled native staked SOL to be used as collateral on Jupiter Lend, allowing over $30 billion in staked SOL to provide fresh DeFi liquidity without unstaking. Staked SOL retains yield while being collateralized, increasing capital efficiency and enabling more borrowing and trading on the Solana ecosystem. On-chain metrics have started to respond: active addresses’ recent decline is flattening and whale order distribution shows significant positioning by large holders. Price-wise, SOL is testing a key demand zone near $80, aligned with pennant support; sustained liquidity expansion and whale activity could prompt a reversal, while failure of the $80 support may lead to further downside. Key SEO keywords: staked SOL, Jupiter Lend, DeFi liquidity, Solana, SOL price $80 demand zone.

Ripple’s 2024 stablecoin RLUSD is being credited with improving the company’s ability to serve institutional clients and reinforcing XRP’s role in Ripple’s ecosystem. Crypto commentator CryptoSensei says RLUSD gives banks and regulated financial institutions a transparent, regulated digital dollar option that many prefer over volatile crypto assets. The piece argues RLUSD allows Ripple to transact with banks now—without waiting for broader XRP regulatory clearances—while positioning XRP as the long-term foundational asset. RLUSD is described as complementary to XRP: it meets short-term operational and compliance needs, expands Ripple’s institutional reach, and prepares the ground for greater XRP integration once regulatory certainty improves. The article frames this dual approach as strategic foresight rather than a replacement of XRP.

Bitcoin (BTC) surged above $68,000, marking a technical and psychological breakout as trading volumes on major exchanges (Binance, Coinbase, Kraken) spiked. The move ended a consolidation range around $64k–$67k and showed combined retail and institutional participation. Key drivers cited include sustained institutional inflows into spot BTC products, declining exchange BTC balances (suggesting increased HODLing), improved regulatory clarity in key jurisdictions, and robust network fundamentals such as record hash rate and rising active addresses. On‑chain metrics show falling exchange reserves and options markets point to rising optimism, while derivatives indicate lower leverage than in past parabolic rallies. Analysts view a weekly close above $68,000 as a pivotal confirmation that could open the path toward the prior all‑time high (~$69k). Immediate support lies near $67,500–$65,000; failure to hold could trigger a retest. Traders should monitor volume, weekly closes, exchange flows, funding rates, and macro drivers (interest rates, inflation) to validate the breakout. The development is technically bullish for BTC but markets remain vulnerable to short‑term volatility and macro/regulatory shocks, so strict risk management is advised.

The US Dollar Index (DXY) climbed to around 97.20 in early Tuesday trading as markets await the Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) latest meeting minutes from late January. Traders are parsing the minutes for guidance on interest-rate outlook, inflation persistence, labor-market assessments and the pace of quantitative tightening. Strong US economic data and a perceived “higher-for-longer” Fed stance vs. other central banks have supported the dollar. Technical traders view 97.20 as a key pivot — a sustained break could target 97.50–97.80, while rejection may send DXY back toward 96.80. Analysts note the dollar’s move is reinforced by relative monetary-policy divergence (ECB slowdown, BOJ normalization lag), flows into US Treasuries, and safe-haven demand amid geopolitical tensions. Historically, the DXY shows elevated volatility when FOMC minutes are released; market scenarios range from sharp appreciation on hawkish language to sell-offs on dovish cues. For traders, the minutes could trigger rapid directional moves as positions are repriced and algos react. This development matters for FX, emerging-market debt servicing, US exporters’ competitiveness and cross-asset correlations.

HBAR (Hedera) is gaining attention as a leading platform for real‑world asset (RWA) tokenization. Crypto analyst Levi Rietveld argues that widespread RWA adoption could substantially raise HBAR’s price. Rietveld lays out scenarios: a high‑end case where Hedera processes $1 trillion in tokenized assets and captures 10% of that market could push HBAR toward roughly $5 (the article notes this as an illustrative high scenario). For 2026 specifically, Rietveld gives a conservative target of $0.30 per HBAR, a high target of $0.50, and a low range of $0.20–$0.30. At current referenced price ($0.1014), these targets imply material upside for holders — 1,000 HBAR could be worth between $200 and $500 under Rietveld’s 2026 estimates. The analysis hinges on industry growth projections for RWA markets (McKinsey: $2–$4 trillion by 2030; ARK Invest: $11 trillion; Roland Berger: $10–$11 trillion) and Hedera’s positioning to capture market share. The piece includes a standard investment disclaimer and urges readers to do their own research.

GBP/JPY staged a sharp recovery from a two-month low, climbing back above the key 208.00 level after testing support near 205.50. The pair gained roughly 1.2% in three sessions as the Japanese yen weakened on persistent Bank of Japan accommodation, softer-than-expected Japanese inflation, and improved global risk sentiment. Technical indicators — including a break above the 20-day moving average and rising volume — point to possible further gains, with immediate resistance at 209.50 and support around 206.80. Traders are positioning ahead of Thursday’s UK Consumer Price Index (CPI) release, where consensus expects annual inflation near 3.1% (down from 3.4%). A hotter-than-forecast CPI could delay BoE easing and strengthen the pound; a softer print could accelerate rate-cut expectations and pressure GBP/JPY. The pair remains sensitive to global rate expectations, carry-trade flows (approximate UK–Japan rate differential ~4.25 percentage points), BoJ policy signals, and risk-off episodes that lift the yen. Recommended focus areas for traders: monitor UK CPI (core and services components), watch 208.00/209.50/205.50 technical levels, manage position sizing around data releases, and consider hedges (options or stop orders) to mitigate sharp reversals.

HBAR (HBAR/USDT) shows mixed technicals on 18 Feb 2026: price around $0.099 with 24h volume ~$64M and short-term downtrend still dominant. Key indicators: RSI ~52 (neutral), MACD histogram positive (short-term bullish), and price trading above the EMA20 — suggesting a modest recovery. Supertrend remains bearish and medium/long EMAs (50, 200) slope down, so the broader trend is negative. Critical levels to watch: support at $0.0993 and $0.0975; resistances at $0.1035, $0.1089 and $0.12 (Supertrend). Scenarios: bullish breakout above $0.1035 with volume could target $0.1683; failure to hold $0.0993 could drop price toward $0.0864 and $0.0382. Correlation with Bitcoin is significant — BTC’s inability to hold or break key levels raises downside risk for HBAR. Recommendation for traders: remain technical-focused, wait for a confirmed breakout with volume (bullish) or clear break of $0.0993 (bearish); treat current move as a counter-trend rally until medium-term EMAs are reclaimed. This analysis is based on COINOTAG’s technical team (Devrim Cacal, James Mitchell) and is not financial advice.

Market commentators say Ethereum is in a "narrative vacuum" as the dominant growth story (scaling primarily via Layer 2s while keeping the mainnet minimal and secure) loses momentum. Attention is shifting toward zero-knowledge (ZK) technology and privacy returning to the base layer, creating mismatches for investors whose valuation models were built on the older roadmap. Protocol-level privacy is highlighted as a key factor for attracting large institutional capital, since full on-chain transparency prevents many firms from deploying capital or strategies that would be visible in real time. Separately, options-market dynamics tied to spot ETF expansion are altering ETH price formation—strategies like covered calls and market-maker hedging are increasingly influential. The article suggests that institutional adoption and decisions about privacy capabilities on Ethereum will be major variables determining future capital flows and valuation assumptions.

Mark Spitznagel, founder and CIO of Universa Investments (known as the "Black Swan" fund), warns that the S&P 500 may still rally — possibly to around 8,000 — before suffering a severe crash. He argues that the current market is in a late-stage bubble driven by liquidity and expectations of Fed easing. Spitznagel describes a ‘‘blow-off top’’ scenario: continued gains fueled by optimism over falling inflation and future rate cuts, followed by a swift and deep reversal once monetary policy lags and corporate profits weaken. As a tail-risk specialist, he urges investors to prepare for extreme drawdowns (he cites the possibility of up to an 80% correction) and cautions that traditional hedges like gold may not reliably protect during systemic liquidity squeezes. The advisory emphasizes avoiding entering at peaks driven by euphoria and ensuring risk management ahead of a potential final parabolic move in equities.

Santiment reports Ethereum’s proof-of-stake deposit contract now accounts for over 50% of historically issued ETH, a first in the coin’s 11‑year history. The headline figure reflects a particular counting method: the one‑way staking vault accumulates ETH that has been removed from normal circulation, while withdrawals are issued on the mainnet rather than returned to the vault, so the contract’s share appears larger when measured against pre‑burn supply. About 37 million ETH are actively staked (~30% of the current 121.4 million supply) while Santiment’s calculation using historic pre‑burn issuance yields 50.18%. Staking demand is at record highs: a validator entry queue holds ~3.9 million ETH with a ~67‑day wait, and the exit queue is minimal (~11,500 ETH, <5 hours wait). Ether price has fallen to bear‑market lows below $2,000 (around $1,970 in the Asia session), driven by retail selling. Key implications for traders include rising supply locked in staking (reducing circulating float), high staking demand and long entry queues, and short‑term price weakness. Monitor staking inflows, validator queues, and on‑chain issuance metrics for signals on liquidity and potential supply reintroduction.

The XRP Ledger (XRPL) has deployed XLS-85 (Token Escrow) to mainnet, extending on-chain escrow functionality from XRP to all Trustline-based tokens and Multi-Purpose Tokens (MPTs). XLS-85 enables secure, conditional locking and automated release of tokens based on programmable conditions, supporting scheduled treasury payouts, conditional grants, OTC and P2P swaps, decentralized marketplaces, and pay-per-access models for creators. The upgrade targets institutional-grade DeFi use cases by reducing operational overhead, enhancing transparency and compliance, and enabling multi-asset on-chain settlements. The article notes XRPL’s growing real-world adoption—1.88 million payments recently—and mentions Binance’s RLUSD integration and Ripple’s institutional interest (Mastercard, BlackRock, Franklin Templeton). XLS-85 positions XRPL as a platform for automated asset management and tokenized real-world assets, potentially powering new workflows for developers, businesses, and dApps.