Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Bitcoin futures basis and funding rates have widened since Feb. 13, indicating increased leverage and speculative demand for longs across major exchanges (Binance, OKX, Deribit). The annualized three‑month futures basis moved from about 1.5% to 4% and aggregated funding rates have risen, showing traders are paying a premium for long exposure. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said many retail users are “buying the dip” and maintaining or growing native balances since December, a behavior echoed in options where the 25‑delta skew has narrowed from -10 to -4, signaling reduced demand for downside protection. Analysts warn this leverage buildup could fuel short squeezes and a temporary rally but leaves the market vulnerable to an “over‑leveraged shakeout” if volumes don’t confirm the move. Tiger Research notes weak supporting volume raises liquidation risk and could trigger a mass exit on a sudden drop. Bitcoin traded roughly between $62k–$71k since Feb. 6 and was near $68.6k at publication. Key takeaways for traders: rising futures basis and funding rates point to bullish positioning; options skew suggests less put demand; but thin volume and heavy retail leverage increase the risk of violent unwinds and forced liquidations.

Binance co-CEO Yi He clarified that the individual known as "Chase" was a Business Development (BD) staffer, not a decision-making listing manager. Yi said BD handles contract communication with projects but lacks authority over listing decisions, which are made by separate listing and due-diligence teams. The clarification came after Chase’s interview claiming the listing team reviewed over 1,000 projects in 2.5 years, helped about 100 tokens list in 2025 (including via Binance’s Alpha), and estimated a 5–10% success rate for projects joining Binance. Chase also argued short-to-mid-term token prices are driven by liquidity, attention (flow), and tokenomics. Yi He largely agreed about short-term drivers but emphasized long-term value depends on utility: real revenue, token utility, and emission/burn mechanisms. She cited BTC, ETH and BNB as examples that overcame pure narrative-driven dynamics. Yi’s message to the market: short-term price moves follow liquidity and flow, but sustainable projects need practical utility — "narratives are dead, utility rules."

MicroStrategy (Strategy) signalled a 12th consecutive week of Bitcoin (BTC) purchases as CEO Michael Saylor posted the company’s accumulation chart on X, highlighting ongoing treasury buys despite recent market weakness. The company completed a recent purchase of 1,142 BTC for over $90 million, bringing MicroStrategy’s total holdings to 714,644 BTC (approximately $49.3 billion at publication prices, with BTC trading near $68,261). Saylor emphasised a long-term “HODL” approach and said the firm plans to buy Bitcoin "every quarter forever," financing purchases via its at-the-market equity program (MSTR). The buying streak continues even after a sharp market drawdown that pushed BTC below MicroStrategy’s average cost basis (~$76,000), which produced significant accounting impairment and a net loss of $12.6 billion in Q4 2025. Traders should note: the firm’s public treasury activity (tracked by Bitbo) is treated as an institutional sentiment indicator; continued accumulation during price dips can provide support under selling pressure, while equity-financed purchases add sell-side supply pressure via MSTR issuance. Key facts: 12-week buying streak, +1,142 BTC recent purchase, total 714,644 BTC, average cost basis ~$76k, Q4 2025 impairment-driven net loss $12.6B. Primary keywords: MicroStrategy, Bitcoin, BTC, Michael Saylor, accumulation.

MicroStrategy (MSTR) said it plans to equitize roughly $6 billion of convertible bond debt into equity over a 3–6 year horizon to reduce balance-sheet debt pressure. The firm holds about 714,644 BTC (≈$49B at current prices) with an average buy price near $76,000, leaving the position roughly 10% underwater at recent BTC levels (~$68.4k). Management — led by CEO Michael Saylor — reiterated ongoing corporate BTC accumulation (potentially a 12th consecutive week of purchases) while stressing the bitcoin treasury could withstand an extreme drop to $8,000 per BTC and still cover the convertibles. Analysts say there is no immediate forced-selling risk: convertible notes have flexibility (first put date in Q3 2027) and can be managed via conversion, rollovers, or other instruments. The practical market effect is on fundraising: MicroStrategy traditionally funds new BTC buys by issuing shares (at‑the‑market offerings), which is attractive only when MSTR trades at a premium to its bitcoin net asset value (mNAV). With BTC down from ~ $90k to mid‑$70k, MSTR shares have moved from a premium to a discount to mNAV, making equity raises less appealing and likely slowing future BTC accumulation without diluting shareholders. Traders should note three key risks: potential shareholder dilution from equitization, continued corporate buying that can support BTC demand (but may be constrained if equity financing is unattractive), and sensitivity of MSTR stock to prolonged BTC weakness — which could pressure the share price and reduce the pace of corporate BTC acquisitions.

MORPHO (MORPHO) climbed 16% in 24 hours to $1.40 with trading volume rising to $41.25M and market cap near $532.8M, signaling renewed capital inflows and stronger participation. Price completed a double-bottom after defending $1.07 twice and reclaimed the $1.42 neckline, which now overlaps a supply zone. Technical indicators support bullish momentum: MACD turned positive with expanding histogram, Parabolic SAR flipped below price, and 90-day Spot Taker CVD shows dominant buyer aggression. Derivatives metrics confirm growing conviction — Open Interest jumped ~26% to $29.8M and OI-weighted funding is slightly positive (~0.005%), implying longs are paying shorts. The article argues that sustained acceptance above $1.42 would likely expose the next major resistance near $1.80, while failure to hold the neckline risks a fall back to $1.07. Key SEO keywords: MORPHO, MORPHO price, breakout, Open Interest, funding rate, MACD, Parabolic SAR, taker volume.

The Canadian dollar is trading in a narrow range against the US dollar as markets await two high-impact releases: Canada’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the US Federal Reserve’s FOMC minutes. USD/CAD has shown subdued volatility, hovering near key moving averages and within well-defined support and resistance levels, as speculative positioning remains balanced. Traders are focused on Canada’s headline CPI and BoC-preferred core measures (CPI-trim and CPI-median); a hotter print would increase odds of further BoC hawkishness and strengthen CAD, while a softer print would push expectations toward earlier rate cuts and weaken the currency. Simultaneously, FOMC minutes will be parsed for clues on Fed officials’ views on inflation, growth risks, timing of rate cuts, and balance-sheet policy — a dovish tilt could weaken the USD, a hawkish tone would support it. Historical patterns show USD/CAD can move ~0.8% intraday after CPI surprises, and options-implied volatility is elevated. The releases will also affect Canadian bond yields and hedging flows among exporters/importers. Traders should watch CPI components (shelter, services, goods), positioning data, and cross-border yield differentials for signals; a decisive breakout from the current compression will set the near-term technical and fundamental tone for USD/CAD.

XAG/USD plunged to near $75 per ounce at the start of the week as US dollar strength, shifting interest-rate expectations and softer industrial demand combined with technical selling pressure. Institutional selling across Asian and European sessions, mirrored by COMEX futures, drove the move. Key technical signals included a recent death cross (50-day MA below 200-day MA), RSI approaching oversold levels, and a descending triangle on daily charts. Immediate technical support sits at $75, with further floors at $72.50 and $70.00; resistance is around $78.50–$81.00. Fundamental drivers cited were higher real yields, balance-sheet reduction by the Fed, mixed PMI/manufacturing data, and modest increases in mine supply (+2.3% YoY) offset by slightly lower recycling flows. Analysts noted silver’s hybrid role as both an industrial metal and monetary asset; the gold-silver ratio widened as gold held firmer. Sentiment and positioning data showed commercial hedgers adding shorts and managed-money trimming longs. For traders: watch US dollar index moves, Treasury yields, central-bank guidance, manufacturing PMI releases and gold-silver ratio shifts — these factors will likely determine short-term direction, while industrial demand trends and supply fundamentals will influence medium-to-long-term recovery prospects.

CryptoQuant reports Bitcoin’s short-term SOPR (Spent Output Profit Ratio) has climbed back toward the critical 1.0 threshold after a brief dip below 0.95. SOPR >1.0 indicates coins are being sold at a profit, while SOPR <1.0 signals realization of losses. CryptoQuant says a sustained SOPR above 1.0 for several days could reduce selling pressure from short-term holders and enable a technical rally. Conversely, repeated drops under 1.0 would imply persistent weakness or further price declines. The recent pullback did not mirror the panic-selling seen on Aug 5, 2024 (when SOPR fell to ~0.9), suggesting the current reaction is more muted though underlying vulnerabilities remain. CryptoQuant’s base case: reclaiming and preserving 1.0 could spark a short-term recovery, but a true market bottom may require deeper flushes to remove residual weakness. Traders should watch consecutive-day SOPR persistence around 1.0 as a near-term market signal.

Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has granted a virtual-asset trading platform licence to Victory Fintech Company Limited’s digital asset exchange, VDX. The licence permits VDX to carry out regulated Type 1 (dealing in securities) and Type 7 (providing automated trading services) activities. In addition, VDX Custody Limited has received a licence under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance to provide digital-asset custody services. With these approvals, the number of SFC-licensed virtual-asset trading platforms in Hong Kong rises to 12. The announcement is presented as market information and does not constitute investment advice.

Last week (Feb 9–15) the blockchain sector recorded nine disclosed funding events totaling over $48 million. Infrastructure and tools led activity with four deals: Levl, a stablecoin payments infrastructure startup, raised $7.0M seed led by Galaxy Ventures to expand wallet and fintech integrations and push into LATAM and Africa; Superset closed a $4.0M seed to build a cross-chain stablecoin/on‑chain FX liquidity layer; Birch Hill secured $2.5M Pre‑Seed for on‑chain credit/RWA infrastructure; and privacy‑focused stablecoin project Zoth raised a strategic round (amount undisclosed). Centralized finance saw a large seed round: AI quant trading firm Inference Research raised $20M led by Li Lin’s Avenir Group to scale sovereign AI trading infrastructure. Other Web3 deals included Bullshot (meme platform) $7.5M private raise, YOAKE receiving ~$3.2M from Sony Innovation Fund, Xross Road $1.5M Pre‑Seed for IP/AI comic tooling, and DePIN game protocol YOM $3.0M strategic round. The report excludes two major AI financings (Anthropic’s $30B G round and Bretton AI’s $75M B round). Key figures: Galaxy Ventures, Avenir Group, Sony Innovation Fund, 7RIDGE, ParaFi Capital, Castle Island Ventures, Animoca Brands. Implications: the week shows continued investor appetite for stablecoin rails, RWA/credit infrastructure and AI-driven trading, with notable capital concentration in infra and payments solutions that could support faster on‑chain settlement and cross‑border flows.

Binance co-CEO Richard Teng has asked Fortune to correct a report that claimed Binance fired investigators after they discovered over $1 billion in Iran-linked transactions. Teng said the company found no sanctions breaches and that no investigators were dismissed for raising concerns. The Fortune article alleged that at least five investigators were fired from a Binance team after detecting Iran-associated flows, mainly on the TRON chain using USDT, and that several senior compliance officers had left, with the head of compliance Noah Perlman expected to depart later this year. Binance founder CZ (Changpeng Zhao) also disputed the report as contradictory. Binance reiterated its commitment to regulatory compliance. Key terms: Binance, Iran-related transactions, Fortune correction request, sanctions, USDT, TRON, compliance staff departures.

WTI crude oil traded in a tight range below $63/barrel as markets await a second round of US–Iran nuclear talks in Doha. Key drivers include modestly smaller-than-expected US inventory draws, a firmer US dollar, strong Asian refining demand, and OPEC+ production discipline. Iran — with historically ~2.5 million bpd exports pre-2018 but roughly 1 million bpd currently — could add 1.0–1.5 million bpd within 6–9 months if sanctions are eased, a development markets price as a probability rather than certainty. Short-term technicals show support near $62.50 and resistance just under $63; the front-month WTI sits around $62.75 with implied volatility (OVX) elevated at ~35%. The forward curve is in near-term backwardation but flattens beyond nine months, reflecting uncertainty about 2025 supply. Analysts warn a deal could push prices lower toward ~$55, while a breakdown could add a $5–$8 geopolitical premium. Traders should monitor US EIA inventory data, Asian demand signals, OPEC+ quota actions, and diplomatic headlines for rapid shifts in risk premium and price direction.

GBP/USD has entered a consolidation phase as traders await upcoming UK macro releases—CPI inflation, wage growth, employment and retail sales—and the US Federal Reserve’s FOMC minutes. Low volatility, converged moving averages and declining volumes have left the pair trading in a tight 1.2500–1.2650 range. Market participants are sizing risk around which central bank narrative—Bank of England’s reaction to UK inflation and labour data or the Fed’s guidance on inflation persistence and balance-sheet policy—will dominate. A hotter-than-expected UK CPI or clear BoE hawkish signal would likely strengthen the Pound; dovish FOMC language or signs of Fed easing could lift GBP/USD by weakening the US Dollar. Traders should expect rapid, algorithm-driven moves on release, with the near-term directional breakout dependent on data surprises and shifts in UK-US yield spreads. This pause is typical before major data; outcomes will likely set the pair’s trend for the coming weeks.

Gold remains stuck below the psychological and technical resistance of $5,050/oz despite market expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts in late 2025 and persistent geopolitical tensions. Anticipated Fed easing should, in theory, weaken the dollar and lift non-yielding assets like gold, but uncertain timing and magnitude of cuts have created a wait-and-see stance. Divergent central-bank policy paths, a resilient US dollar (DXY), and strong equity performance are capping upside. Technical analysis identifies $5,050 as a key Fibonacci and prior resistance zone; fundamental support comes from ongoing physical demand in China and India and continued central bank buying. CFTC positioning shows large net-long exposure but slowing increases, indicating consolidation. Critical drivers to watch: US macro data and Fed communications, real yields on TIPS (current realized real yields remain positive), dollar strength, and any decisive geopolitical escalation. Short term: expect range-bound trading and potential consolidation below $5,050 until a clear catalyst emerges. Medium/long term: a sustained break above $5,050 would likely require either confirmed Fed easing that materially lowers real yields, marked inflation reacceleration, or a concrete geopolitical shock prompting safe-haven flows. Keywords: gold price, Fed rate cuts, US dollar, real yields, geopolitical risk.

Standard Chartered has cut its price forecasts for major cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), XRP and Solana (SOL). The bank cited a weaker macroeconomic outlook and slower on-chain activity as reasons for the reductions. Analysts revised short- and medium-term targets downward, pointing to diminished institutional demand, subdued crypto market liquidity, and delayed product adoption. The report highlights lower expectations for transaction volumes and staking/yield generation, which weigh on valuation assumptions for ETH and SOL in particular. Standard Chartered’s adjustments are notable because the bank’s research influences institutional investors and asset allocators. The revisions do not indicate a fundamental collapse of blockchain projects but reflect a more cautious risk premium and slower near-term growth. Traders should note increased downside pressure on market sentiment, higher volatility potential around earnings or macro data releases, and possible repricing in derivatives markets as institutions adjust positions.

OpenAI has hired Austrian software engineer Peter Steinberger, creator of the viral open‑source AI agent OpenClaw, to lead development of next‑generation personal AI agents. Announced by CEO Sam Altman on X on Feb. 15, 2026, Altman said Steinberger brings unique ideas about how highly capable agents can interact to perform useful tasks and that those concepts will be integrated quickly into OpenAI products. Steinberger previously founded PSPDFKit, a document‑processing toolkit deployed on over 1 billion devices, and shifted into AI agents in late 2025 with a side project (originally Clawdbot) that rebranded to OpenClaw. The messaging‑based agent went viral in early 2026, earning about 198,000 GitHub stars and roughly two million site visits. At OpenAI he will focus on building autonomous personal assistants capable of handling complex, real‑world tasks — a domain where OpenAI faces competition from rivals such as Anthropic. Key facts: hire confirmed by Sam Altman (X post); Steinberger is the OpenClaw creator; OpenClaw accrued ~198k GitHub stars and ~2M site visits; Steinberger previously built PSPDFKit (deployed on >1B devices). Primary keywords: OpenAI, OpenClaw, personal AI agents, autonomous agents. Secondary/semantic keywords: AI hires, SaaS founder pivot, agent competition (Anthropic), GitHub stars, product integration.

Spot gold opened lower and continued to fall, dropping below the $5,000 per ounce level and reaching an intraday low of $4,996.51/oz. The decline widened the daily loss to about 0.84%. The report is market-information only and does not constitute investment advice.

A 24-hour wave of crypto futures liquidations closed over $218 million in leveraged positions, driven mainly by a large long squeeze in Ethereum. Asset breakdown: ETH $114.86M liquidated (83.62% longs), BTC $79.08M (66.11% longs), XRP $24.45M (62.88% longs). Perpetual futures funding rates had been elevated before the move, indicating overcrowded bullish sentiment that amplified the unwind. Forced liquidations occur when margin requirements are breached; automated exchange risk engines close positions, which can cascade and magnify price moves. While large, this $218M event is modest versus past crises (single-day liquidations surpassed $10B in May 2021). Traders should monitor funding rates, open interest and liquidation levels as indicators of market stress. Key takeaways for traders: reduce excessive leverage, watch funding rate signals, expect short-term volatility from liquidation cascades, and treat such deleveraging as a potential reset rather than a systemic collapse.

Blockstream CEO Adam Back has publicly opposed BIP-110, a December proposal from pseudonymous developer Dathon Ohm that would temporarily reduce the amount of arbitrary data allowed per Bitcoin transaction to curb data-heavy uses such as Ordinals and Runes. Back argued on X that implementing BIP-110 without broad consensus would amount to an attack on the network, could render some UTXOs unspendable and harm Bitcoin’s reliability and reputation. Support for the change appears limited: roughly 7.5% of nodes (all running Bitcoin Knots) have signaled readiness. The debate follows Bitcoin Core’s late-2025 removal of the 80-byte OP_RETURN limit, after which Bitcoin Knots’ share rose from about 1.8% to 22.7% and Bitcoin Core fell to 77.2%. Ordinals and Runes historically generated substantial miner fee revenue (peaking at nearly $10 million in fees in a single day in Dec. 2023 and over $500 million cumulatively), though inscription-related fees had dropped to under $10,000 per day by late 2025. Developer Dathon Ohm acknowledged a theoretical risk of unspendable UTXOs but said the proposal aims to avoid known legitimate use cases. For traders, the dispute adds governance-driven uncertainty to BTC fee markets and on-chain activity: if enacted or if it triggers wider client divergence, the proposal could affect short-term transaction costs, miner revenue dynamics and perceived network stability, creating volatility in BTC trading. Keywords: BIP-110, Bitcoin, Ordinals, Runes, transaction fees.

XRP, Ethereum (ETH) and Shiba Inu (SHIB) showed uneven short‑term moves as the market attempts a patchy recovery. XRP staged the most convincing bounce, rising off lows near $1.40 and reclaiming the 26‑day exponential moving average (26 EMA) on rising volume — a tentative shift toward short‑term bullish momentum. XRP nevertheless remains below longer‑term averages (50 and 200 EMAs) with resistance between roughly $1.75–$1.90; failure to hold the 26 EMA would risk a return to recent supports. ETH has made multiple attempts to clear the 200‑day EMA/~$2,100 area and on lower timeframes formed a micro double‑top after two failed reclaims near $2,100. That structure leaves ETH exposed to a breakdown under the psychological $2,000 level, which could target $1,800–$1,700 if selling resumes. Technical indicators currently bias ETH to the downside, so traders should watch for conviction and sustained volume to flip the 200‑day EMA. SHIB has recovered roughly 25% from its local low after finding support near $0.000006; the bounce shows higher lows and episodic volume spikes consistent with short covering and opportunistic buying. Despite the rebound, SHIB remains in a longer‑term downtrend and is capped by major moving averages — a sustained break above recent resistance would be required to attract broader speculative interest. Across the three, the update highlights short‑term trading opportunities and risks: XRP’s 26 EMA breakout hints at a developing base if higher lows hold; ETH’s micro double‑top warns of further weakness unless the 200‑day EMA is convincingly reclaimed; and SHIB’s recovery suggests reduced selling pressure but stays vulnerable within its longer downtrend. Primary keywords: XRP, ETH, SHIB, 26 EMA, 200‑day EMA, micro‑double‑top.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin proposed repurposing on-chain prediction markets to serve as hedging tools against inflation and rising living costs. In a post on X, Buterin warned that many current prediction markets focus on short-term speculative bets (crypto prices, sports, memecoins) and attract inexperienced traders, providing little lasting social value. His solution: combine prediction markets with AI (LLMs) to build price indices across categories of goods and services by region, run prediction markets on those indices, and have AI analyze individual spending patterns to recommend personalized hedges. Gains from these positions could offset higher expenses, giving individuals and businesses a way to protect purchasing power. The proposal drew mixed reactions: some users defended speculative markets as entry points and liquidity sources that enable hedging layers, while others highlighted the risk that limiting speculation could push users to other platforms. Key themes: prediction markets, AI/LLMs, on-chain hedging, inflation protection, market liquidity.

Mirae Asset Consulting, an affiliate of Mirae Asset Financial Group, has agreed to acquire a 92.06% stake in South Korean crypto exchange Korbit for 133.48 billion won (≈$93 million) in cash. The purchase covers 26.9 million shares and was approved by Mirae Asset’s board on Feb. 5; closing depends on customary conditions and is expected within seven business days after those conditions are satisfied. Mirae Asset says the acquisition aims to expand its digital-asset business and capture future growth in regulated crypto services. Korbit returned to profitability in its latest fiscal year, reporting KRW 8.7 billion in revenue and KRW 9.8 billion in net profit, reversing prior losses. Major sellers include NXC and its unit Simple Capital Futures (≈60.5%) and SK Square (31.5%). Korbit holds full regulatory licensing and compliance infrastructure, making it an attractive regulated entry point for large financial groups. Market data (CoinGecko) show Korbit’s 24‑hour volume is modest — roughly $59.9 million versus $2.16 billion for Upbit and $1.36 billion for Bithumb — underscoring Korbit’s smaller market share but potential for growth under institutional ownership. The deal comes amid consolidation signals in South Korea’s exchange market (reports that Coinone may sell a 53.4% stake). For traders: the acquisition could increase competition among Korean exchanges, shift institutional order flow into Korbit over time, and modestly boost altcoin liquidity on that platform. This is informational and not investment advice.

YZi Labs (formerly Binance Labs) submitted a revised preliminary consent to the U.S. SEC on Feb 13, 2025 concerning Nasdaq-listed CEA Industry (ticker BNC), which holds significant investments in BNB. The filing follows an S-3 registration statement filed in September 2024 and aims to address SEC feedback and evolving compliance requirements. The public filing signals transparency and ongoing regulatory engagement; disclosures are expected to cover custody, valuation, risk management and other controls for BNB exposure. YZi Labs announced the filing via its official X account and said it will publish a future schedule for BNC actions. Market observers note the rebrand from Binance Labs to YZi Labs and view the move as part of broader institutionalization of crypto firms within traditional markets. Traders should watch the SEC review outcome and the forthcoming BNC schedule, as approvals or material disclosures could affect BNB-linked valuations and influence how other publicly listed companies disclose crypto holdings.

Apollo Global Management will acquire up to 90 million MORPHO governance tokens (9% of the 1 billion supply) over 48 months via open-market purchases, OTC deals and contractual arrangements, the Morpho Association announced. The agreement includes ownership caps, transfer restrictions and a joint commitment to support Morpho’s on-chain lending markets and curated vaults. Morpho is among the largest DeFi lending protocols by TVL (~$5.8B per DeFi Llama). The news sparked an immediate price reaction — MORPHO gained roughly 17.8% over the weekend (from about $1.12 to $1.32) and was trading near $1.38 at publication — though the token remains down roughly 38% over 12 months amid broader market weakness. Technicals at publication showed RSI around 60 and EMA20 roughly $1.22, with near-term supports at ~$1.24 and $1.33 and resistances at ~$1.41 and $1.55. Apollo, which manages roughly $900–940 billion in assets, has been increasing crypto exposure through prior partnerships and token strategies; other institutional moves into Morpho include Bitwise and Lombard collaborations. For traders: the deal is a credibility and liquidity positive that can support longer-term upside for MORPHO and potentially help TVL growth, but short-term price action will remain subject to overall market volatility and technical levels. This is not investment advice.

YZi Labs announced it submitted a revised preliminary consent statement for BNC to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 13. The filing is under SEC review. YZi Labs warned shareholders they cannot yet vote or submit consent forms and must wait for official timing updates. No further details on the revisions, transaction terms, or a new timetable were provided. The company framed the notice as market information and not investment advice.

Strategy CEO said the firm would consider selling Bitcoin only if pending talks with a money-transmitting firm (MTF) progress from negotiations to binding terms. The comments come as Strategy reports an estimated $17 billion loss tied to recent operational or market events. The CEO framed a sale as contingent on concrete, legally enforceable agreements that change counterparty exposure or capital needs. He emphasized preserving long-term holdings unless a definitive agreement with material financial implications forces liquidation. The statement aims to reassure stakeholders and limit panic selling while acknowledging significant mark-to-market or realized losses. Key elements: Strategy CEO stance on potential Bitcoin sales, $17 billion loss figure, talks with an MTF as the triggering scenario, emphasis on conditional liquidation only under binding contractual changes.

CryptoQuant’s on-chain report says Bitcoin has not yet formed a durable bottom and estimates the cycle “ultimate bottom” near $55,000 (the realized price). Spot BTC is roughly 25% above that realized-price level, and historical bear cycles show price often falls below realized price and then spends 4–6 months consolidating before a multi-month bottom completes. Key on-chain signals have not reached capitulation ranges: MVRV (~1.13), NUPL (~0.18), profitable supply (~55% in profit vs. cycle lows of 45–50%), long-term holder selling (near breakeven rather than 30–40% losses), and CryptoQuant’s bull–bear cycle indicator (in Bear Phase but not Extreme Bear). The report flagged a record single-day realized loss of $5.4 billion on Feb 5 (price slide to ~ $62k), but monthly cumulative realized losses (~300k BTC) are far below the ~1.1M BTC seen at the 2022 low. CryptoQuant warns that recent corrections and elevated realized losses imply the structural bottom is not yet in place and that a durable bottom historically requires months of consolidation rather than a quick V-shaped recovery. The firm also notes other institutions’ deeper downside forecasts (e.g., Standard Chartered: BTC to $50k, ETH to $1,400) but emphasizes current on-chain metrics argue the final capitulation zone hasn’t been reached. Traders should watch the realized price (~$55k), realized-loss flows, MVRV/NUPL, long-term-holder behavior, and the bull–bear indicator for signs of capitulation or extended sideways action. This is informational and not investment advice.

Alibaba plans to open-source its next-generation large language model, Qwen 3.5, on Lunar New Year’s Eve, according to Jinshi sources cited by PANews. The new model reportedly features comprehensive architectural innovations and is positioned as a potential milestone for domestic Chinese AI models. PANews frames the announcement as market information and not investment advice. No technical specs, release schedule beyond the stated timing, or licensing details were disclosed in the report.

India hosted the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, drawing chief executives and policy leaders from leading AI and technology firms including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Alphabet’s Sundar Pichai, Anthropic’s Dario Amodei and DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis. Over five days, discussions focus on AI infrastructure, users and talent as India positions itself as a major AI hub. The government has backed the strategy with industrial policy and incentives — including about $18 billion in sanctioned semiconductor projects — and is winning manufacturing and R&D investment (notably expanded Apple production). Global cloud and chip players (Amazon, Microsoft, Intel) have pledged AI infrastructure and chip projects in India; venture capital and GCC (global capability center) activity is shifting toward AI-led engineering and product development. Firms are also creating senior AI leadership roles in India (e.g., chief AI officer) and using Indian centres for research, policy and product leadership. Key takeaways for traders: the summit signals potential large capital flows into Indian tech and AI infrastructure, increased data-center and cloud spending, and continued multinational expansion into India’s talent pool — factors that could influence equities tied to cloud providers, semiconductor supply chains and AI service adoption.