Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

US President Donald Trump plans to reduce or exempt certain steel and aluminum tariffs after facing a rising “affordability crisis” that has eroded his support ahead of the November midterms. Last summer the administration imposed tariffs up to 50% on steel and aluminum and expanded levies to many metal goods including washing machines and ovens. According to three people familiar with the matter, the Commerce Department and U.S. Trade Representative officials are reviewing the product list affected by the tariffs and intend to carve out exemptions for some items and halt further tariff expansion. Instead of broad new tariffs, officials plan more targeted national-security investigations on specific products. Trade officials argue the tariffs have raised prices for cans, food and beverages and other consumer goods, harming consumers. Countries such as the UK, Mexico, Canada and EU members could benefit if the U.S. eases these measures. (Main keywords: steel tariffs, aluminum tariffs, tariffs exemption, affordability crisis, US trade policy.)

Protect Progress, an affiliate of the crypto super PAC Fairshake, will spend $1.5 million in the March Democratic primary to oppose U.S. Rep. Al Green after he voted against two stablecoin and crypto market bills — the GENIUS Act and the CLARITY Act — in the House Financial Services Committee. The PAC and advocacy groups say Green’s votes harm Texas’s crypto ecosystem; Stand With Crypto labels him “strongly against crypto.” His challenger, Christian Menefee, is rated “strongly supports crypto” and has promoted practical blockchain uses such as on‑chain property records to fight deed fraud. The primary is March 3 (general election Nov. 3). The move follows broader Fairshake political activity — the network reportedly spent roughly $130 million in 2024 and an affiliate backed pro‑crypto Republican Barry Moore with $5 million — and underscores continued heavy crypto lobbying ahead of midterms. For traders, the development highlights ongoing political pressure to clarify stablecoin regulation: clearer rules could reduce regulatory uncertainty that some industry voices say weighs on BTC and broader market sentiment. Expect targeted independent expenditures (ads, outreach) to remain a vehicle for industry influence without direct campaign coordination.

Israeli authorities arrested and indicted two people — a military reservist employed by Shin Bet and a civilian — for allegedly using classified information to place bets on Polymarket prediction markets tied to Israeli military action against Iran. The Defense Ministry, Shin Bet and police say the reservist accessed secret information and used it to trade on markets including “Israel strike on Iran” events. Prosecutors will charge the pair with security-related offenses, bribery and obstruction of justice; the reservist’s lawyer has disputed aspects of the indictment and said some national-security charges were dropped. Media reports link the case to a high-profile Polymarket account, “ricosuave666,” which reportedly placed large wagers earlier this year and realised more than $152,300 in gains across related markets (one trade reportedly netted about $128,700). Authorities warned that insider trading on crypto prediction markets creates a “real security risk” to operations and pledged continued enforcement. The case follows prior prediction-market insider trading scandals and raises regulatory, market-integrity and surveillance concerns for crypto prediction platforms. Key implications for traders: potential increased scrutiny and regulation of on-chain prediction markets, reputational risk to platforms like Polymarket, possible liquidity and volume shocks in event markets tied to geopolitics, and heightened compliance requirements that could affect market accessibility and fee structures.

A growing rift within Donald Trump’s political base is emerging over crypto policy as supporters and influential donors disagree on regulation, banking relations and enforcement. Pro-crypto factions, including some MAGA-aligned investors and crypto entrepreneurs, press for lighter regulation, bank access and clearer rules for digital assets. Opposing voices — comprising mainstream Republican donors, former administration officials and banking-aligned conservatives — argue for tighter controls, stricter enforcement and preserving traditional banking prerogatives. The dispute centers on key issues: whether banks should be allowed to provide more services to crypto firms, how aggressive enforcement of anti-money-laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) rules should be, and the extent of regulatory support for crypto-friendly policies such as custody, stablecoin frameworks and tax clarity. The split has practical implications for campaign fundraising, lobbying dollars and appointments — with donors and political operatives weighing which factions to back. Market-relevant outcomes include potential shifts in US regulatory posture after 2024 depending on which camp prevails, possible bank-crypto partnerships or tighter de-risking by banks, and changes in enforcement intensity. For traders, the headline takeaway is heightened policy uncertainty: favorable outcomes (bank access, lighter rules) would likely support crypto prices and liquidity, while a crackdown or renewed bank de-risking could pressure on-ramps, custody services and prices. Primary keywords: crypto regulation, banks, Trump base, AML, KYC. Secondary/semantic keywords: bank de-risking, stablecoin rules, custody, lobbying, campaign donors.

An anonymous Bitcoin whale (address prefixed 3NVeXm) deposited 2,035 BTC (~$135M) to Binance on March 15, 2025, part of roughly 10,000 BTC (~$665M) moved to Binance over a 48‑hour span, according to on‑chain tracker Lookonchain. Transfers occurred during Asian trading hours and routed directly to Binance wallets. Large exchange inflows often signal potential selling pressure, but alternatives include OTC settlement, collateral/margin transfers, institutional rebalancing, or use of Binance institutional products (custody, staking, futures, OTC). On‑chain analytics show whale inflows are up year‑to‑date while total exchange reserves remain near multi‑year lows—suggesting mixed dynamics between distribution and accumulation. Immediate price impact was limited; BTC traded roughly between $65k–$67.5k with support near $64k and resistance near $68k. For traders, key actions are to monitor subsequent exchange net flows, Binance hot‑wallet movements, on‑book order‑book depth around $64k–$68k, funding rates, and distribution across holder cohorts to distinguish gradual spot selling from OTC execution or collateral usage. Possible outcomes include slow spot selling (modest price pressure), OTC settlement (minimal public order‑book effect), collateral/margin use (higher leverage risk), or no action (coins remain idle). The event raises the probability of short‑term selling pressure but is not definitive; traders should reassess risk management, watch on‑chain flow metrics, and track whether this is an isolated transfer or part of broader inflows.

GBP/JPY has staged a technical recovery, breaking above the key 208.00 level after finding support around 206.50 in early April. The 208.00 zone coincides with the 50-day EMA and a descending trendline, and immediate resistance sits at 208.80–209.20 while support is at 207.20–206.80 (major support 205.50–205.00). Despite the price advance, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) shows bearish divergence—making lower highs while price makes higher highs—with readings around 45–55, indicating neutral-to-weak momentum. Other indicators (MACD with a hesitant crossover, ADX below 25) confirm lack of trend strength. Fundamentals are mixed: a relatively hawkish Bank of England versus a dovish Bank of Japan supports GBP/JPY structurally, but narrowing policy divergence and mixed UK data limit sustained upside. Elevated implied volatility in options reflects uncertainty. Institutional commentary stresses the need for a daily close above 209.20 with expanding volume to confirm a bullish breakout; absent that, range-bound trading between roughly 206.50 and 209.50 is likely. Trading implications: favor range-trading or short-term setups, use tighter position sizing, place stops around 207.20 and target modest profits given momentum risks. Conservative traders should wait for RSI confirmation or clear fundamental catalysts (UK inflation prints, BoJ minutes) before adding directional exposure.

EUR/USD is testing a critical nine-day exponential moving average (EMA) around 1.1850, creating near-term market tension that could dictate the pair’s short-term trajectory. The nine-day EMA is a responsive momentum indicator; holding above it would support bullish continuation, while a decisive break could signal weakening buyer conviction. Technical indicators show neutral RSI (~48.5) and diminishing MACD bullish momentum. Key technical levels: nine-day EMA ~1.1850, 50-day SMA ~1.1820, recent resistance ~1.1920, swing low support ~1.1750. Fundamentals add nuance: ECB’s data-dependent stance and a more balanced Fed outlook have narrowed interest-rate differentials, reducing dollar structural strength. COT reports indicate leveraged funds trimming euro longs while asset managers increase euro exposure; options skew shows mild demand for euro downside protection with strike concentration around 1.1800–1.1900. Historical backtests suggest first-time nine-day EMA tests in uptrends hold ~65% of the time, but the current test is a second touch this month, lowering that probability. Traders should watch upcoming ECB/Fed communication, Eurozone HICP and US CPI/PPI releases, and geopolitical events. Risk management: watch 50-day SMA near 1.1820 as next support, target resistance at 1.1920 and 1.2050 on a rebound, and size positions to daily ATR (~70 pips). Overall, resolution around the 1.1850 EMA will likely provide the next clear directional signal for EUR/USD.

Japan’s Finance Minister Shunichi Katayama said preliminary 2024 fiscal data indicate the nation’s debt-to-GDP ratio is likely to decline further in 2025. The Ministry of Finance reports nominal GDP growth modestly outpaced new debt issuance, aided by corporate wage increases, tourism recovery, and government spending reforms focused on digital infrastructure. Key projected shifts include a slight rise in nominal GDP growth (from about 2.1% in 2023 to an estimated 2.8% in 2025) and an improvement in the primary budget balance (from -6.2% to -5.4% of GDP). Despite high absolute public debt (over 260% of GDP), analysts view even a marginal decline as symbolically important; sustaining the trend will require productivity gains, demographic solutions, and continued fiscal discipline. Market implications highlighted include potential effects on global bond yields, yen strength, and foreign investment flows. Risks include demographic pressures, external shocks, and political resistance to reforms. The government aims for a primary surplus by the early 2030s while emphasizing growth-led strategies rather than austerity.

Chainalysis reports an 85% rise in crypto payments to suspected human trafficking networks in 2025, totaling “hundreds of millions” of dollars. Activity is concentrated in Southeast Asia and linked to scam compounds, online casinos and Chinese‑language laundering networks. Observed services include Telegram-based international escort platforms, labor recruitment agents who supply scam compounds, prostitution networks and vendors of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Payment patterns vary: escort and prostitution services commonly use stablecoins with regular inflows and stablecoin conversion behaviour; CSAM vendors increasingly use privacy coin Monero to obscure traces and many CSAM transactions are small (about half under $100). Chainalysis found large payments to labor placement services often in the $1,000–$10,000 range and Telegram escort networks with nearly half of transfers above $10,000. Funds often flow from the U.S., UK, Brazil, Spain and Australia into Southeast Asian hubs; many CSAM sites use U.S.-based hosting. Blockchain transparency, however, enables detection through identifiable transaction patterns, wallet‑cluster analysis, exchange and marketplace chokepoints and compliance monitoring. Chainalysis cautions its figures are a lower‑bound estimate and notes fiat remains the dominant payment method. The firm recommends that law enforcement and compliance teams monitor large regular payments to placement services, repeated stablecoin conversion patterns and wallet clusters active across illicit services. The report also highlights successful 2025 enforcement, including a German takedown of a child exploitation platform aided by blockchain analysis.

Bitcoin spot ETFs recorded a combined net outflow of $410 million on Feb. 12 (EST), according to SoSoValue. BlackRock’s IBIT led withdrawals with $158 million in one day but retains cumulative net inflows of about $61.616 billion. Fidelity’s FBTC posted $104 million in daily outflows and holds roughly $10.97 billion in cumulative inflows. Total assets under management (NAV) across all spot Bitcoin ETFs stood at $82.865 billion, roughly 6.34% of Bitcoin’s market capitalization. Cumulative historical net inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs reached $54.314 billion. Earlier reporting (Feb. 4) showed a larger one-day combined outflow of $545 million driven mainly by IBIT ($373 million) and FBTC ($86.44 million), though both reports confirm large cumulative inflows since launch. This data is for market information only and not investment advice.

South Korean crypto exchange Upbit announced it will terminate trading support for Loopring (LRC) on March 16 local time. The exchange published the delisting notice through its official channels. No further details on reasons, asset removal procedures, or effects on deposits/withdrawals were provided in the announcement. The notice is presented as market information and not investment advice.

PayPay, Japan’s largest mobile-payments app with about 72 million users and roughly 70% domestic market share, filed for a Nasdaq IPO on February 12, 2026 under ticker PAYP targeting a $19.6 billion valuation and planning to raise more than $2 billion. Lead underwriters are Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Mizuho and Morgan Stanley. The listing follows PayPay and SoftBank’s October 9, 2025 acquisition of a 40% stake in Binance Japan, making Binance Japan an equity-method affiliate of PayPay. The ownership links PayPay’s wallet balances and payments infrastructure with Binance Japan’s licensed crypto-exchange services, enabling possible on-ramps and off-ramps between PayPay Money and Binance Japan accounts. PayPay said the SEC review delay caused by a U.S. government shutdown pushed back earlier listing plans. The IPO would create indirect Nasdaq exposure to a Binance-linked business while Binance Holdings remains private. The move is notable for traders because it ties a major retail payments wallet to regulated crypto trading in Japan, potentially increasing fiat-crypto flows, user access to trading, and regulatory scrutiny. Key facts: ticker PAYP, target valuation $19.6B, planned raise >$2B, 72M users, 40% stake in Binance Japan, lead banks: Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Mizuho, Morgan Stanley.

U.S. prosecutors in the Northern District of Ohio issued a consumer alert warning that romance scams tied to cryptocurrencies surge around Valentine’s Day. Scammers cultivate long-term relationships on dating and social platforms, then move conversations to encrypted apps (WhatsApp, Telegram) and push victims toward crypto payments or fake crypto investment platforms — tactics that overlap with “pig-butchering” schemes. Red flags include early declarations of love, refusal to meet in person, requests to move chat off-platform, and asks for payments via crypto, gift cards or wires. Analysts note scammers often allow small withdrawals to build trust before blocking larger withdrawals with invented fees or errors. Authorities link many operations to Southeast Asian organized crime compounds that launder stolen crypto through exchanges and shell accounts; U.S. law enforcement has pursued seizure actions (including a DOJ filing to seize $225M in USDT tied to pig-butchering). Recent related developments include a high-profile U.S. sentence for a crypto scam organizer and warnings from security firms about spikes in signature-phishing. For traders: the alert raises operational and reputational risks for exchanges and stablecoin flows, and underscores the importance of AML controls and withdrawal monitoring amid fraud-driven on-chain movement.

On‑chain data show miner‑linked wallets moved 48,774 BTC (~$3.2bn) on Feb 5–6, including 28,605 BTC on Feb 5 and 20,169 BTC on Feb 6. Such outflows include transfers to exchanges, internal reallocations and transfers between entities, so they do not automatically equate to immediate market sales. Public filings from reporting miners (CleanSpark, Cango, DMG, BitDeer, Hive, Canaan, BitFuFu, LM Funding) indicate January production near 2,377 BTC and disclosed sales were far smaller than the Feb 5–6 outflows (examples: CleanSpark sold ~159 BTC; Cango sold ~550 BTC and later sold an additional 4,451 BTC on Feb 9 for loan repayment and restructuring). Separately, on‑chain difficulty‑regression models estimate average miner production cost around $79.2k per BTC while spot traded near $66.5k at publication, indicating BTC is below estimated production cost for many miners. The Royal Government of Bhutan moved 100 BTC to QCP Capital’s WBTC deposit address, a state‑level transfer that may reflect liquidity management. Network hashrate fell over 40% around Jan 27 due to U.S. winter outages and recovered in early February, affecting short‑term miner uptime. For traders: large miner‑linked flows heighten short‑term sell‑side anxiety but aren’t proof of immediate dumps; BTC trading below production cost raises the risk of duration‑based selling from marginal miners; monitor exchange inflows, miner balance disclosures, hashrate trends and known miner sales for confirmation before positioning. Primary keywords: Bitcoin, miner outflows, production cost, exchange inflows; secondary/semantic keywords: miner wallets, hashrate, on‑chain metrics, whale transfers.

Gradient has launched Echo-2, a decentralized reinforcement-learning (RL) platform that leverages idle GPUs worldwide to sharply reduce AI training costs and time. Using an asynchronous RL framework with “Bounded Staleness,” a peer-to-peer weight distribution protocol called Lattica, and a 3‑plane architecture (Rollout, Training, Data), Echo-2 trained a 30-billion-parameter model in 9.5 hours at roughly $425—over 90% cheaper than an estimated ~$4,490 on traditional cloud providers. The system separates actors (data generators) from learners (model updaters) to manage staleness and maintain convergence across thousands of heterogeneous nodes. Gradient positions Echo-2 as a means to democratize high-performance model training, potentially enabling universities, startups and researchers to run far more experiments while creating a marketplace for idle GPU resources. The platform is optimized for sampling-intensive RL workloads; savings for supervised learning may vary. Risks include node reliability, security, and data privacy in a decentralized network. Echo-2 could materially lower infrastructure barriers for AI development, accelerating experimentation cycles and broadening participation in advanced model training.

Bank of Japan board member Naoki Tamura signalled that while the BoJ may raise policy rates further after its first hike in 17 years, monetary conditions will remain accommodative. Tamura stressed a gradual, data-dependent normalization: small, phased rate increases, continued large BoJ bond and ETF holdings, and explicit forward guidance to anchor market expectations. Japan reached roughly 2% inflation in 2025, but price rises were driven largely by cost-push factors (imported energy, weaker yen) rather than domestic demand. Structural constraints — an aging population, low productivity and high public debt — and expansionary fiscal policy limit how quickly the BoJ can tighten. Markets reacted with a softer yen and stable JGB yields, reflecting expectations of shallow normalization and flexible yield-curve control. Global implications include persistent rate differentials that sustain carry-trade dynamics and influence capital flows. For traders: expect muted volatility around Japanese yields, ongoing yen weakness pressure, and continued attractiveness of yen-funded carry strategies while the BoJ pursues cautious, communication-focused tightening.

On-chain trackers reported large Bitcoin transfers from wallets previously tied to major moves: one reported transfer of 7,719 BTC (~$351M) and a later, confirmed transfer of 2,035 BTC (~$135M) from address 3NVeXm into Binance. Both moves were spotted by blockchain monitors (e.g., Lookonchain) and reported across crypto outlets. No explicit intent was provided — transfers could be for selling, custody shifts, OTC trades, or internal exchange reallocations. For traders, sizable inbound flows to a major centralized exchange typically raise the probability of near-term selling pressure, higher volatility, and liquidation cascades. Actionable monitoring points: Binance spot order books and depth, exchange BTC balances, short interest and derivatives open interest, recent on-chain outflows or further deposits from the same wallets, and any OTC or exchange announcements. While the transfers increase potential sell-side supply, they do not by themselves confirm an imminent dump; contextual signals and subsequent on-exchange behavior will determine price impact.

South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) has confirmed that the Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation (KDIC) can legally request comprehensive cryptocurrency transaction data from licensed digital-asset exchanges. The FSC’s legal interpretation clarifies amendments to the Depositor Protection Act, explicitly bringing virtual asset service providers within the KDIC’s remit. The move aims to close gaps used to conceal assets during bankruptcies and financial investigations. Key data the KDIC may request includes transaction histories, account identification, transfer records and balances. Major domestic exchanges — including Upbit, Bithumb and Korbit — have signaled compliance and are implementing procedures and enhanced data systems to respond to KDIC requests. The FSC emphasized parity between virtual asset platforms and traditional financial institutions for data access. South Korea’s regulatory timeline: 2020 Specific Financial Information Act; 2021 real-name verification; 2022 travel rule strengthening; 2023 DeFi oversight expansion; 2024 Depositor Protection Act amendments; 2025 FSC confirmation of KDIC authority. The KDIC must build blockchain-forensics capabilities and adopt strict protocols under the Personal Information Protection Act to balance oversight and privacy. Regulators plan resource allocation over the coming two years to develop technical capacity. For traders, the ruling reinforces compliance pressure and reduces avenues for hiding assets; ordinary lawful trading activity should be unaffected. The policy may serve as a model for other jurisdictions that seek tighter depositor protection in crypto markets.

Bitcoin recorded roughly $2.3 billion in seven-day realized net losses, a capitulation event CryptoQuant ranks among the largest in BTC history. Short-term holders sold at steep losses after BTC fell about 50% from the October peak (~$126,000) to trade near $66,600, dipping briefly to ~$60,000. CryptoQuant’s realized price sits around $55,000, a level historically associated with bear-market reference points. Technicals show BTC is oversold (RSI ~29.9), with bearish supertrend and EMA20 near $74,530. Analysts highlight panic selling by short-term holders and elevated volatility; potential support zones are cited between $40,000 and $60,000, with nearer supports around $65,433 and $60,000 and resistances near $66,915 and $70,525. Offsetting flows include institutional activity: Binance SAFU reportedly bought 4,545 BTC (~$304.6m), Goldman Sachs holds roughly $1.1bn in BTC, and BTC ETFs saw $144.9m net inflows on Feb. 9. Traders should watch realized price (~$55k), institutional flows, miner behavior and volume for signs of stabilization. This briefing is informational and not investment advice.

A concentrated altcoin narrative formed in Q1 as traders rotated capital into structured presales, staking mechanics and utility plays rather than broad hype. The article highlights five projects: APEMARS (presale in Stage 7 at $0.00005576, intended listing price $0.0055, >$190k raised, >900 holders), Litecoin (LTC) as a stable, low-fee transactional asset with renewed merchant integrations, BullZilla (Ethereum-based presale using a Progressive Price Engine, Roar Burn token burns, 70% APY staking via HODL Furnace, aggressive scarcity mechanics), Apeing (community-driven meme project prioritizing third‑party audits and whitelist controls before presale) and VeChain (VET) focused on supply‑chain utility and enterprise adoption via a dual-token design. The piece frames APEMARS and BullZilla as scarcity-driven, early-stage speculative plays while Apeing and VeChain represent community and enterprise narratives and Litecoin provides stability. Key stats: APEMARS Stage 7 price $0.00005576, target listing $0.0055, >$190,000 raised, 900+ holders; BullZilla offers staged price increases per $100k or 48 hours and 70% APY staking. The article is a sponsored press release and not investment advice. Primary keywords: APEMARS presale, altcoin buzz, presale mechanics, token burn, staking. Secondary/semantic keywords included: Litecoin stability, VeChain supply chain, meme coin whitelist, Progressive Price Engine.

Bitcoin is signaling a potential turning point, but experts say a durable bottom has not yet formed. On-chain metrics tracked by CryptoQuant—long-term holder (LTH) profitability, MVRV Z-score, NUPL and percentage of supply in profit—sit in a neutral “no man’s land” between a mid-cycle correction and a full market reset. LTH profits fell from 142% in October to near breakeven, yet remain short of the 30–40% loss margins historically associated with capitulation. The MVRV Z-score has not reached the historically oversold -0.4 to -0.7 range, and NUPL (~0.1) also implies limited unrealized losses compared with past bottoms. Traders are awaiting delayed January CPI data after a hotter-than-expected jobs report that showed 130,000 new jobs; a surprise rise in inflation could entrench a higher-for-longer Fed outlook and pressure risk assets including BTC. Traditional banks (Goldman Sachs, Standard Chartered) forecast near-term downside—Standard Chartered sees BTC dipping toward $50k–$58k. Some market participants point to extreme Fear & Greed readings (11/100) and heavy accumulation around $60k as signs of potential seller exhaustion. Price action: BTC fell ~45% from its October 2025 peak (~$126k) and has hovered around mid-to-high $60k, briefly testing $60k then rebounding ~19% on a single-day accumulation spike. Implications for traders: conditions remain ambiguous. Technical indicators hint at a possible bottom-forming process but lack the capitulation signatures that typically mark cycle lows. Macro data (CPI, labor, Fed policy) remains the likely catalyst for the next decisive move. Short-term traders should prepare for volatility around the CPI release; longer-term investors should watch LTH capitulation metrics (MVRV, NUPL) and realized cost baselines near ~$55k for clearer confirmation.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs saw consecutive net outflows in early February, with reported daily withdrawals ranging from $410.6 million (Feb 12, Trader TV) to $434.3 million (Feb 5, TraderT). Major issuers were broadly affected: BlackRock’s IBIT and Fidelity’s FBTC led redemptions (~$157.8M–$175.5M and ~$104.1M–$109.5M respectively), followed by Grayscale’s converted GBTC and its Mini/Bitcoin Mini Trust (~$33.5M–$75.4M combined), ARK’s ARKB, Bitwise’s BITB and several smaller products. The outflows coincided with Bitcoin price volatility near the mid-$40k–$48k range and mixed traditional market signals. Analysts attribute the withdrawals to profit-taking after large January inflows, institutional rebalancing, macro cues (interest-rate expectations, equity performance) and product-specific dynamics (fee differentials and GBTC conversion effects). Redemptions can force funds to sell BTC or use liquidity tools, creating short-term downward pressure if large and concentrated, though market makers and authorized participants often mitigate impact through hedging and liquidity provision. Traders should monitor daily ETF flows, reserve adjustments, on-chain demand, and macro developments to determine whether this is a transient rotation or a broader sentiment shift. Primary SEO keywords: spot Bitcoin ETF, ETF outflows, Bitcoin price. Semantic keywords: institutional rebalancing, profit-taking, fund redemptions, market liquidity.

U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs recorded consecutive net outflows in February 2025, with reported daily totals of roughly $129.22M (Feb 11) and $113.08M (Feb 12) across major issuers. Data from Trader T shows large withdrawals led by Fidelity’s FETH (largest single-day outflows: $67.09M on Feb 11; $43.52M on Feb 12), BlackRock’s ETHA ($29.49M then $28.96M), Grayscale’s ETHE and Mini ETH (combined >$11.47M then >$31.5M), Bitwise’s ETHW (~$16.74M then smaller outflows), and other providers (21Shares & ARK/CETH). The outflows were broad-based across high- and low-fee products, suggesting a market-wide reassessment rather than issuer-specific issues. Analysts cite potential drivers including macro risk-off (equities, Fed rate expectations), rotation between BTC and ETH, profit-taking, SEC/regulatory commentary, and authorized participants’ redemptions. Mechanically, ETF redemptions typically require issuers to sell underlying ETH, which can add selling pressure, although the reported daily amounts are modest relative to total daily ETH volume. Traders should monitor subsequent daily ETF flows (ETH and spot BTC ETFs), on-chain liquidity, order-book depth, macro data releases, and any persistent multi-day outflows—sustained withdrawals would increase downside risk and signal a shift in institutional sentiment; a quick return to inflows would imply renewed institutional demand. Primary keywords: Ethereum ETF, ETF outflows, ETH flows. Secondary keywords: spot Ethereum ETF, fund redemptions, AUM, SEC, selling pressure.

Economist and gold advocate Peter Schiff warned that the US dollar is poised for a sharp decline that could spark a broad commodities surge. On social media, Schiff argued that dollar weakness will lift prices of gold, oil, and other raw materials, creating inflationary pressure and rewarding hard-asset holders. He framed the potential move as a consequence of expansive US monetary and fiscal policies that reduce dollar purchasing power. Schiff’s view echoes his long-standing bullish stance on gold and commodities as hedges against dollar debasement and fiat inflation. The commentary is primarily opinion-driven and does not include new macroeconomic data or concrete timing; instead it reiterates a macro narrative that traders should watch: significant dollar weakness often correlates with gains in commodity markets and safe-haven assets.

JPMorgan and Standard Chartered offer sharply divergent forecasts for Bitcoin and the crypto market in 2026. JPMorgan’s analysts say Bitcoin’s production-cost support has dropped from $90,000 to $77,000, identifying roughly $77k as a support level; they remain long-term bullish, reaffirming a $266,000 target (volatility-adjusted, gold-comparison basis) and expecting institutional inflows to recover by 2026. JPMorgan also notes a recent ~15% cumulative decline in mining difficulty this year, with a rebound in hash rate that could raise production costs again. In contrast, Standard Chartered warns of near-term downside: it expects BTC to fall to about $50,000 and ETH to test ~$1,400 before rebounding, citing ETF outflows, macroeconomic headwinds and investor de-risking. Standard Chartered cut its year-end 2026 BTC target from $150,000 to $100,000 and ETH from $7,500 to $4,000. Both banks highlight market volatility, tighter macro conditions, and ETF-related selling — JPMorgan emphasizes resilience and long-term maturation of digital assets, while Standard Chartered stresses short-term risk. Current prices cited: BTC ~ $65,660, ETH ~ $1,980. Traders should note the contrast: a large institutional bullish thesis anchored on mining-cost support and eventual inflows versus a risk-off scenario driven by ETF losses and macro pressure. Key takeaways for traders: prepare for elevated volatility, monitor ETF flows and mining difficulty/hashrate changes, and weigh differing institutional time horizons when sizing positions.

Coinbase has launched Agentic Wallets on its Base Layer‑2 network, enabling autonomous AI agents to hold funds, make payments, swap tokens, earn yield and transact onchain within programmable guardrails. The wallets run gasless on Base and use Coinbase’s x402 payments protocol (claimed >50 million transactions) to enable machine‑to‑machine, pay‑per‑use API payments and agent‑to‑agent microtransactions. Private keys remain in Coinbase’s secure enclaves; developer tooling (npx awal) can deploy a wallet in minutes. Built‑in guardrails include session caps, per‑transaction ceilings and KYT screening to block high‑risk activity. Coinbase positions the product as infrastructure for agentic commerce and automated DeFi behaviours. The company noted the launch alongside developer‑focused initiatives; its stock briefly dipped ~6% the same day (not directly attributed to the product). For traders: Agentic Wallets could raise onchain stablecoin payment demand and Base transaction volumes over the medium term, tighten AI‑crypto integration, and enable new onchain revenue flows — though short‑term market impact is likely limited until developer adoption, trust frameworks and regulation mature.

Aave Labs has submitted a non-binding "Aave Will Win" temperature-check proposal asking whether all product-related revenue should flow to the Aave DAO. The plan would redirect 100% of income from Aave-branded products — including swap fees from Aave v3/v4, aave.com earnings, and future offerings such as an Aave Card or ETF-linked products — into the DAO treasury. In parallel, Labs proposes creating a community-backed foundation to hold Aave trademarks and intellectual property. To cover ongoing operations after relinquishing product revenues, Aave Labs requests upfront funding from the DAO: $25 million in stablecoins, 75,000 AAVE tokens, and additional product-specific grants. Founder Stani Kulechov frames the move as establishing a "token-first" relationship between the primary developer and the DAO and to reduce "value leakage." Community response is mixed: supporters welcome revenue flow to the DAO and clearer incentives, while critics question whether the one-time payments and retained control elements effectively offset the transfer and worry about long-term governance implications. The proposal follows prior controversy when Labs routed interface swap fees away from the DAO, which sparked governance tensions. The temperature check is non-binding and must secure significant community support before moving to formal governance. Traders should monitor governance votes, AAVE treasury changes, any DAO-funded token distributions or sales, and announcements about the proposed foundation or product monetization, as these could affect AAVE supply dynamics and market sentiment.

A 24-year-old man from Wolcott, Connecticut, Elmin Redzepagic, was indicted by a federal grand jury on 21 counts after an alleged cryptocurrency fraud that cost victims roughly $950,000–$1 million. Prosecutors say Redzepagic operated from May 2021 through March 2025, persuading victims to send primarily Bitcoin to wallet addresses he controlled by promising outsized crypto returns. Instead of investing the funds, authorities allege he transferred large sums to the offshore gambling platform Stake.com and lost most of it. Investigators say he used small “lulling payments” to maintain the scheme and made false statements to IRS Criminal Investigation agents in September 2023. The January 20, 2026 indictment charges him with seven counts of wire fraud, eleven counts of international money laundering, and three counts of making false statements; wire fraud and money laundering counts carry up to 20 years each and false-statement counts up to 5 years. Redzepagic pleaded not guilty and was released on a $500,000 bond. The IRS Criminal Investigation Division is leading the case; Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Wines will prosecute. Key SEO keywords: crypto scam, Bitcoin fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, Stake.com, crypto investors.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s latest survey shows two‑year inflation expectations rose to 2.37% quarter‑on‑quarter for Q1 2026. The reading sits inside the RBNZ’s 1–3% target range but marks an upward shift from recent quarters. Drivers cited include domestic price pressures (housing and services), tight labour markets supporting wage growth, migration‑fuelled demand, and volatile global commodity prices. The RBNZ’s Official Cash Rate remains elevated and market pricing for future OCR moves is sensitive to this survey. Higher inflation expectations typically push bond yields and borrowing costs up and can influence mortgage rates, wage bargaining, consumer spending timing, and asset allocation. The bank’s forward guidance and upcoming monetary statements will likely reference the survey; a sustained move above about 2.5% could prompt a stronger policy response. Traders should watch subsequent survey releases, OCR commentary, bond yields, and NZD reactions for near‑term market implications.