Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

WTI crude oil pulled back from six-month highs and is consolidating around $66.50 per barrel, a critical technical and psychological support zone identified on daily and weekly charts. The retreat occurred on above-average volume, suggesting genuine profit-taking or position unwinding. Fundamental drivers of the earlier rally included geopolitical risk premiums, larger-than-expected U.S. EIA inventory draws and OPEC+ production cuts. The recent pullback reflects rising macro concerns: downgraded growth forecasts, a stronger U.S. dollar and a rebound in U.S. rig counts that may signal future shale supply. Technical indicators show moving averages still sloping up and RSI cooling from overbought (~70) to near 55, consistent with healthy consolidation and possible continuation. Analysts highlight the $65–$68 band as pivotal; a sustained hold above it would favour resumption of the uptrend, while a break below could trigger deeper declines toward roughly $62. Market consequences include implications for U.S. shale break-evens, downstream fuel prices and inflation monitoring by central banks. Traders should watch weekly U.S. inventory data, OPEC+ statements, the U.S. Dollar Index and whether WTI closes decisively above recent highs or below the $65–$66 support zone. Primary keywords: WTI crude, oil price, $66.50, support, inventory draws, OPEC+. Secondary/semantic keywords: U.S. rig counts, dollar strength, RSI, contango, backwardation.

Bitcoin network activity has fallen sharply since the 2021 cycle peak, with on-chain transaction participation down about 42% and new address creation down roughly 47%, according to Santiment. Despite price rallies, user growth and real usage lag, raising concerns about demand sustainability. CryptoQuant and GugaOnChain data show traders are sitting on roughly $27.89 billion in unrealized BTC losses (about a 23% drop), with self-custody holders and ETF investors notably affected — ETFs have lost around $8.5 billion since October. Analysts highlight key realized-price support levels: New Whales’ realized price at ~$88.7K has been breached, while Binance user deposit realized price (~$58.7K) and the overall realized price (~$54.7K) are cited as next potential support zones. Coin Bureau co-founder Nic Puckrin warns Bitcoin hasn’t hit a bear-market bottom and notes liquidity conditions are unfavorable for a structural rally; historically, bear lows align with the 200-week moving average (estimated between $55K–$58K). Traders should watch on-chain activity, unrealized losses, and realized-price support levels for signals of further downside or capitulation. Primary keywords: Bitcoin, BTC, on-chain activity, unrealized losses, realized price, support levels, liquidity.

EUR/USD is trading in a narrow consolidation just above 1.1750 as markets await a cluster of high-impact US economic releases (Retail Sales, PPI, Jobless Claims) and the Eurozone preliminary Composite PMI. Technical indicators show limited momentum — 1.1750 is immediate support and 1.1800 a nearby resistance, with the RSI near 50 and key moving averages converging — implying the pair is primed for a data-driven breakout. Strong US data would reinforce a hawkish Fed outlook and likely strengthen the US dollar, pressuring EUR/USD lower; weak US numbers or a stronger-than-expected Eurozone PMI could lift the euro. Traders should watch headline and detail components (e.g., core inflation, regional PMI breakdowns for Germany/France/Italy) as they will influence expectations for monetary policy divergence between the Federal Reserve and the ECB. Short-term volatility is likely; prepare for breakout trades or range-fade strategies around 1.1750/1.1800. Primary keywords: EUR/USD, Eurozone PMI, US Retail Sales, PPI, Jobless Claims, Fed, ECB.

Grayscale Investments has increased its Cardano (ADA) exposure in its Smart Contract Fund, raising ADA weight from 19.50% to over 20.12% after a recent purchase. The firm made a smaller interim move (19.50% → 19.55%) the prior week, signaling consecutive allocations. Observers link the buying to Cardano’s push into Bitcoin-focused DeFi — restoring BTC liquidity on Cardano via non‑custodial collateral, stablecoin credit, and lending structures designed to avoid liquidation fragility. Despite a broader price pullback and falling on‑chain activity versus 2021, proponents say the network now hosts fewer but more substantive projects (examples cited: Midnight, Minswap). The article frames Grayscale’s moves as strategic positioning amid renewed institutional confidence in ADA’s long‑term fundamentals. Key datapoints: ADA allocation in Grayscale Smart Contract Fund now >20.12%; prior levels 19.50% and interim 19.55%; ADA trading near $0.27 at time of reporting.

Maya Crypto, the spot-trading feature of Philippine digital bank Maya, has expanded its token roster from 24 to 33 assets as of Feb. 18, 2026. New listings include PAXG (gold-backed), BNB, XRP, SUI, NEAR, OP (Optimism), and three memecoins — WIF, BONK and PEPE. The platform launched crypto trading in 2023 via a partnership with Coinbase Institutional and operates under a VASP license from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Maya has kept buy/sell functionality active and updated its listing and delisting terms; sending and receiving crypto were previously unavailable but are reported active today. The article outlines basic in-app trading steps (move funds to Maya Crypto wallet, select token, enter amount, confirm). For traders, the key takeaways are broader asset access — including layer-1s, layer-2s, exchange-native tokens, a gold-backed token and high-volatility memecoins — which may increase local trading volume and provide more arbitrage or speculative opportunities within the Philippines market.

Invesco, Carmignac and BNP Paribas portfolio managers are shorting U.S. Treasuries, arguing that market expectations for at least two Fed rate cuts this year are overpriced. Recent safe-haven buying and softer January inflation pushed Treasury prices up and yields down toward multi-month lows, reflecting widespread bets that easing price pressures and potential labor-market weakness will let the Fed deliver sizeable cuts later in the year. The asset managers disagree: they point to stronger-than-expected January job growth, large corporate investment in AI, and Federal Reserve minutes showing policymakers’ caution toward cutting rates — including officials noting possible rate hikes if inflation stays above 2%. Invesco’s fixed-income chief Rob Waldner views one cut this year as the base case but acknowledges rising odds of no cuts given resilient data. TS Lombard similarly advises clients to push expected rate cuts into the second half of 2026. Managing over $2.2 trillion in assets, Invesco has reduced its U.S. Treasury holdings on expectations of firmer economic growth and inflation remaining above target. The article frames these moves as contrarian bets against the prevailing market view and notes this is informational, not investment advice.

Goldman Sachs raised its year-end 2026 gold forecast to $5,400/oz, citing sustained central bank purchases (approximately 60 tonnes/month) and increased private investor exposure as the Fed moves toward rate cuts. The bank expects gold ETF holdings to expand and assumes private diversified investors will largely hold positions through 2026, tightening available physical supply. A separate, higher estimate from ICBC Standard Bank projects $7,150/oz. Goldman’s note frames these views as market information, not investment advice. For crypto traders: rising gold demand and a stronger safe-haven price trajectory may increase cross-asset risk-off flows, strengthen correlations between gold and stable-value or BTC safe-haven narratives, and affect portfolio allocation between crypto risk assets and precious metals.

A Chinese national, Fei Liao, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison by a U.S. district judge (J. Campbell Barker) on Feb. 19, 2026, after pleading guilty to conspiring to launder proceeds from cryptocurrency investment scams. The Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the case; the investigation was led by the U.S. Secret Service (Tyler field office) and prosecuted by federal AUSA Robert Austin Wells. Authorities say Liao helped launder funds from “pig butchering” scams via shell companies and bank accounts. The court ordered forfeiture of over $2.3 million in seized funds and restitution exceeding $2.8 million to victims. Enforcement agencies reminded victims to report incidents to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and to preserve platform names, crypto addresses, transaction hashes, bank details and communications. Primary keywords: crypto scam, money laundering, pig butchering, forfeiture. Secondary/semantic keywords included for SEO: cryptocurrency fraud, victim restitution, U.S. Secret Service, Eastern District of Texas. This case underscores ongoing enforcement against crypto-related money laundering and the importance for traders and service providers to monitor AML compliance and suspicious-activity reporting.

Prominent tech investors including Jason Calacanis, Chamath Palihapitiya and Mark Cuban say AI agents are currently too expensive to replace human workers. Calacanis reported paying roughly $300 per day for an Anthropic Claude agent — about $100,000 per year if run continuously — while noting the agent operated at only 10–20% capacity. Palihapitiya said AI models must be at least twice as productive as a human to justify costs and may require usage budgets. Cuban highlighted token and maintenance expenses, questioning whether multiple agents could match an employee’s qualitative contributions. The article notes broader debate: some research (Microsoft) flags knowledge, customer service and sales roles as most at risk, while others (McKinsey) stress end-to-end automation potential. Crypto industry figures foresee a role for stablecoins as native payments for AI agents; Jeremy Allaire and Changpeng Zhao predict blockchain and stablecoins becoming agent currencies. Examples of agent activity on-chain include Base (AIXBT/Virtuals Protocol) and Fetch.ai (ASI Alliance). OpenAI launched a benchmark assessing AI performance on smart-contract security, noting implications for attackers and defenders. Key implications for traders: high short-term costs may slow widespread AI-driven job cuts and reduce immediate macro labor-market shocks, but growing on-chain agent activity and stablecoin use could increase transaction volumes and new DeFi flows over the medium term.

USD/JPY is testing the critical 155.00 level as market forces clash between a persistently hawkish Federal Reserve and growing bets that the Bank of Japan will begin policy normalization. The Fed’s delayed rate-cut expectations—driven by sticky core inflation and a strong labor market—support higher U.S. yields and favor the dollar via carry trades. At the same time, stronger-than-expected wage growth from Japan’s 2025 Shunto negotiations and sustained core inflation above 2% have traders pricing in a potential BoJ rate hike as early as July 2025, and the possible end of yield curve control. The 155.00–156.00 zone is historically significant: it has capped rallies and prompted verbal warnings from Japanese authorities, and options implied volatility has risen as traders buy protection. Short-term market dynamics are dominated by leveraged and algorithmic long USD/JPY positions versus cautious real-money investors and Japanese institutions wary of intervention or a BoJ surprise. Strategic implications include higher imported inflation for Japan if the dollar breaks above 155, or tighter global financial conditions if a BoJ-driven yen rally unwinds carry trades. Traders should watch U.S. Treasury yields, BoJ communications on YCC and NIRP, Shunto wage updates, and options skew for signs of position unwinding or intervention risk. This tension makes the pair prone to sharp, news-driven moves rather than smooth trends.

Japan’s largest securities firms — Nomura, Daiwa Securities and SMBC Nikko — are preparing to enter the domestic cryptocurrency market by planning regulated crypto platforms and related services. The Financial Services Agency (FSA) is drafting rules under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act that would reclassify Bitcoin and other major digital assets as investment products rather than payments, part of a broader set of reforms labeled 2026 as the “Digital Year.” Key regulatory proposals include enabling spot crypto ETFs by 2028 (via amendments to the Investment Funds Act) and cutting the top tax rate on crypto gains to 20% from 55%, aligning crypto tax treatment with equities. Nomura aims to launch a Japan crypto exchange via its Swiss crypto unit before end-2026; Daiwa and SMBC Nikko are actively evaluating exchange plans and institutional services such as custody and treasury management. Industry forecasts see Japan’s spot crypto ETF market reaching roughly ¥1 trillion (~$6.7bn) in the medium term, attracting institutional capital and shifting the market from speculative retail activity toward regulated, institutional participation. For traders, the proposals imply increased institutional flow, potential ETF-related demand, improved custody and compliance standards, and possible downward pressure on tax-related selling if the 20% cap is enacted.

Japan’s national Consumer Price Index rose 1.5% year‑over‑year in January 2025, up from 1.4% in December, confirming a steady, moderate reflation trend. Core CPI (excluding fresh food) matched market expectations, indicating underlying price pressures are broadening across energy, processed food, dining‑out costs and services while durable goods stayed stable. The data strengthens arguments for gradual Bank of Japan policy normalization—potentially revising Yield Curve Control bands, tapering JGB purchases and planning the exit from negative rates—but the BOJ is likely to act cautiously given the measured reading. Markets showed limited reaction: bond yields and the yen were stable and equities moved sector‑selectively. Analysts expect inflation to remain in the 1.5–2.0% range through 2025, contingent on energy prices, 2025 spring wage talks, tax policy and demographics. For traders, the key takeaways are: the CPI result is in line with expectations (reducing chances of immediate aggressive BOJ tightening), policy normalization remains a medium‑term theme, and yen and JGB volatility could rise around future BOJ guidance or wage negotiation outcomes. Primary keywords: Japan CPI, Core CPI, Bank of Japan, inflation; secondary keywords: yield curve control, JGBs, yen volatility, wage growth.

Nvidia is shifting from passive support to proactive early-stage engagement in India’s AI startup ecosystem. The company partnered with early-stage firm Activate — whose $75 million debut fund will target 25–30 AI startups — to give selected founders preferential access to Nvidia engineering and infrastructure beyond the broader Inception program (which already covers 4,000+ Indian startups). Nvidia also announced collaborations with venture firms including Accel, Peak XV, Z47, Elevation Capital and Nexus, and a program with AI Grants India to support 10,000+ founders within 12 months. These moves follow Nvidia joining the India Deep Tech Alliance in late 2025 and reflect a strategy to embed Nvidia’s stack at company formation, creating long-term platform loyalty and future compute demand. India’s AI talent pool — roughly 1.5 million engineering graduates annually — plus cost advantages, government support and strong VC flows make it a strategic growth market. For traders, the key takeaways are: Nvidia is positioning to capture sustained, high-growth compute demand as India’s startups scale; partnerships reduce competitor traction; and success could boost Nvidia’s revenue outlook and sector dominance over the medium-to-long term. This is a structural, ecosystem-level play rather than an immediate revenue announcement.

Bitcoin fell to $66,988 (down 1.75% daily, ~46% from $126K ATH) after a sell signal at $95K and a sharper decline from $90K to a low near $60K. Several on-chain and risk-adjusted metrics suggest this may be a cycle bottom: the short-term Sharpe Ratio plunged to -38 — levels previously seen only at major cycle lows (2015, 2019, 2022) — indicating seller exhaustion. Bitcoin’s Stock-to-Flow Ratio (scarcity) rose from 127 to 261, implying sharply reduced supply, while the MVRV Z-score fell to 0.445, signalling BTC is well below historical cost basis and potential wealth transfer from weak hands to longer-term holders. Technical indicators remain weak: RSI near 32 (close to oversold) and the DMI has shown a downtrend for 30 days, reflecting persistent selling and sidelined major buyers. Traders should expect BTC to trade in a $65K–$70K range if selling pressure persists; if the on-chain bottom signals hold and demand returns, BTC could reclaim $70K and target $90K. Key keywords: Bitcoin, BTC, cycle low, Sharpe Ratio, Stock-to-Flow, MVRV, RSI, DMI, scarcity.

On-chain analyst Willy Woo warned that Bitcoin (BTC) is undergoing a deepening bear trend unfolding across three phases. Woo argues macro and on-chain indicators point to continued weakening: distribution from long-term holders, rising exchange inflows, and falling realised prices. He outlined a phased decline where early phases show accumulation by stronger hands followed by wider distribution and capitulation in later phases. The commentary highlights increased selling pressure and diminished demand at current levels, suggesting lower lows are possible before a sustainable recovery. No new price targets or precise timelines were given, but Woo’s framework signals extended downside risk for traders and investors. Primary keywords: Bitcoin, BTC, bear trend. Secondary keywords: on-chain analyst, distribution, exchange inflows, realised price, capitulation.

Robin Brooks, former chief FX strategist at Goldman Sachs, says the decade-long pattern where the US dollar strengthens after stronger-than-expected US nonfarm payrolls is about to reverse. He argues a structural shift will lead traders to sell the dollar when US employment data beats expectations. Brooks points to market expectations of Fed rate cuts and potential Fed policies that cap long-term nominal yields; in that scenario, robust nonfarm payrolls could lower real yields, reducing the appeal of US assets and pressuring the dollar. He cites the February 11 release of an unexpectedly strong January jobs report as evidence that strong jobs data no longer boosts the dollar and may have the opposite effect. Brooks also references political pressure on the Fed — mentioning former President Trump’s repeated calls for rate cuts — as part of the backdrop influencing market expectations. The view is presented as market commentary, not investment advice.

Parsec, an on-chain analytics platform providing customizable terminals, dashboards and APIs for DeFi and NFT analytics, has announced it will cease operations after five years. The team posted on its website and social channels that services are stopped, active subscriptions are being canceled and pro-rata refunds are being processed. Parsec raised about $4 million in 2023 in a round led by Galaxy Digital with participation from Uniswap Labs Ventures, Robot Ventures and CMT Digital. The shutdown highlights intense competition and high operational costs in blockchain data services, where free tiers and feature-rich rivals such as Nansen, Glassnode and community tools like Dune have squeezed standalone providers. Traders and desks that relied on Parsec’s real-time dashboards and APIs should expect service termination, migrate dashboards and diversify data providers to reduce operational risk. The closure may cause short-term disruption to on-chain signal availability for strategies that depended on Parsec, and could prompt consolidation or talent acquisition by larger analytics firms. Key actions for traders: verify alternatives (Nansen, Dune, Glassnode), back up dashboards and endpoints, and stagger migrations to prevent gaps in monitoring and automated trading.

A senior engineer at Input Output Global (IOG) suggested that a $2,800 investment in Cardano (ADA) today could exceed $10,000 by 2030, implying ADA would need to reach about $1 by then. The comment followed an analysis from the Hosky Token team highlighting ADA’s steep decline since its $3.10 2021 peak — a historical $10,000 ADA holding would now be worth about $2,800. Riley (IOG) reframed the figure as a potential entry point for asymmetric upside if Cardano’s roadmap and upgrades (including scalability improvements like Leios and interoperability work linking Bitcoin and the XRP Ledger) progress as planned. Independent forecasts vary: Changelly projects ADA > $1.50 by early 2030 while Telegaon offers more optimistic double-digit scenarios. The article stresses that these projections are speculative and contingent on market conditions, regulatory developments, and execution risk. Traders should weigh potential asymmetric upside against execution and macro risks; the piece is informational and not financial advice.

CoinMarketCap’s Altcoin Season Index moved from 33 to 35, signalling an early-stage rotation of capital from Bitcoin into select altcoins rather than a confirmed altseason. The index measures what share of the top 100 non-stablecoin tokens have outperformed BTC over the past 90 days; readings above 75 indicate altcoin season while 0–25 signals Bitcoin dominance. Drivers cited for the uptick include Ethereum protocol upgrades, improved Solana network stability, rising layer-2 adoption, tokenisation of real-world assets, and modest institutional flows (pension allocations, family-office interest, and VC funding). Technical confirmations traders are watching include Bitcoin dominance, volume ratios, futures funding rates and options skew. Practically, a 35 reading places the market in an “emerging rotation” band (25–50): traders often reduce broad altcoin exposure, rotate selectively into strong sectors (L1s, L2s, decentralized infrastructure), tighten risk management, and use hedges and liquidity checks before reallocating. Historical context shows the index can move sharply in either direction—past extremes preceded extended altcoin runs (2021) or deep bear markets (2022)—so the index is best used as a confirmation tool alongside on-chain metrics, macro indicators and liquidity conditions rather than a precise timing signal.

Bitcoin (BTC) has slipped from a 2025 high near $125,000 to about $66,888 (≈46% decline), trading between $60K–$70K as the market digests uncertainty rather than a systemic failure. Key drivers: dormant supply concerns (3.5–4M BTC inactive for years) and fears about quantum-computing risks to old wallets versus large institutional accumulation (ETFs and institutions acquired ~2.5–3M BTC since 2020). Market sentiment is deeply negative—the Crypto Fear & Greed Index fell to 5 in mid-February—while on-chain data shows falling active addresses and reduced retail engagement. Mining difficulty has decreased as weak miners shut off rigs, which stabilizes the network but signals stress. Spot Bitcoin ETFs saw net outflows in recent weeks despite a $133M inflow on Feb 13. Analysts diverge: some view the $60K–$70K range as a base for recovery if $60K holds; others warn rising volatility could deepen the downtrend. Capital rotation toward privacy coins has been suggested by industry figures, adding structural questions about Bitcoin’s role. For traders: monitor ETF flows, active addresses, miner hash rate/difficulty shifts, and volatility — a sustained hold above $60K could trigger relief buying, but continued outflows and rising volatility increase downside risk.

An 81 million XRP transfer (≈$117 million) was observed on the Ripple ledger on February 17. Crypto analyst Ripple Bull Winkle shared on X that on-chain records (timestamps, hashes, fees) confirm the movement but show no labeled wallets, no exchange involvement, and no public identity for sender or recipient. The transfer’s size and anonymity prompted speculation it could be strategic — either accumulation ahead of an event or preparatory selling — though it may also be a routine wallet-to-wallet operational move. The transaction coincided with XRP’s prolonged downtrend from 2025 highs above $3 to around $1.4, fueling debate among traders. Market commentators noted persistent bearish technicals, with one analyst pointing to potential further downside toward $1.38 unless XRP reclaims resistance above $1.50. Key facts: 81,000,000 XRP moved; value ≈ $117M; no exchange labels; occurred Feb 17; market context — ongoing XRP downtrend. Primary keywords: XRP transfer, large whale transfer, Ripple ledger. Secondary keywords: on-chain transfer, XRP price, whale accumulation, wallet-to-wallet.

U.S. officials, major banks and crypto industry groups, including the Crypto Council for Innovation (CCI), met at the White House to resume negotiations over how stablecoin rewards (incentives/yield) should be treated in pending digital-asset market-structure legislation such as the CLARITY Act. The talks focused on whether offering rewards on dollar-pegged stablecoins would trigger regulatory treatment similar to interest-bearing bank deposits. Banks argue incentive-bearing stablecoins could blur the line between payments and deposits; crypto firms warn that banning rewards would harm competitiveness and push activity offshore. No agreement was reached; CCI CEO Ji Hun Kim said discussions were “focused” and further talks are expected. The impasse over stablecoin rewards remains a central obstacle to advancing market-structure legislation. Key entities: White House, banks, Crypto Council for Innovation, CLARITY Act. Primary keywords: stablecoin rewards, market-structure legislation, CLARITY Act. Secondary/semantic keywords: stablecoins, incentives, deposit regulation, Crypto Council for Innovation, White House talks.

Former US President Donald Trump gave Iran a 10-day deadline to return to comprehensive nuclear negotiations, warning that “bad things happen” if Tehran does not comply. Announced from Mar-a-Lago, the statement intensifies diplomatic pressure amid stalled JCPOA talks since the 2018 US withdrawal and rising Iranian uranium enrichment. Markets reacted immediately: Brent crude rose about 4.2% and gold climbed as investors sought safe havens. Analysts warn the ultimatum could prompt Iranian military posturing, proxy escalation, or accelerated nuclear activity, and heighten risk to Strait of Hormuz shipping — a chokepoint for roughly 20% of global oil shipments. The Biden administration (noted here as President Harris in the article) and European leaders have emphasized diplomacy and urged restraint. Constitutional experts note a former president has no formal authority, but his statement has political influence that may complicate ongoing negotiations. Traders should monitor oil and safe-haven assets, regional military movements, official US and Iranian responses, and IAEA reporting for near-term volatility and potential longer-term supply risk.

Google released Gemini Pro 3.1 (preview on Feb 19, 2026), reporting record scores on multiple professional benchmarks—notably APEX and Humanity’s Last Exam—that measure multi‑step reasoning and real‑world task performance. Independent platforms have validated Google’s claims. Benchmarks cited: professional task accuracy ~94.7% (vs 88.3% for Gemini 3), multi‑step reasoning 92.4 (vs 84.7), and improved computational efficiency. The model targets enterprise and agentic workflows—business analytics, scientific research assistance, advanced customer support—where sequential reasoning and contextual understanding matter. Google plans general availability in coming weeks. The rapid three‑month jump from Gemini 3 to Gemini Pro 3.1 signals accelerated development and may prompt competitive responses from OpenAI, Anthropic and others. For traders: the release highlights increased corporate demand for AI infrastructure and cloud services, potential shifts in cloud provider workloads, and possible effects on AI‑related equities and tokenized infrastructure projects. Note: article is informational and not trading advice.

Nvidia is reportedly finalizing a roughly $30 billion equity investment in OpenAI that would replace the previously announced multi-year $100 billion collaboration. Negotiations are in late stages and the deal could be sealed imminently. The $30 billion stake is expected to sit within a much larger funding round targeting over $100 billion, implying an OpenAI valuation near $730 billion (pre-money). OpenAI plans to reinvest most of the fresh capital into Nvidia hardware, concentrating AI compute spend with the chipmaker. Earlier reporting had suggested Nvidia might contribute about $20 billion and that tension between Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had surfaced; both executives later denied any feud. Market reaction has included short-term volatility in Nvidia shares. For crypto traders: the key implications are potential shifts in AI-hardware demand that benefit Nvidia’s revenue and, indirectly, tokens tied to AI infrastructure and data-center services. Expect increased attention on tech equities and capital flows away from risk assets during large private AI raises; monitor Nvidia stock moves as a proxy for AI hardware demand and correlated volatility in crypto markets.

Santiment sentiment metrics show a clear divergence across major crypto assets: XRP’s positive/negative sentiment ratio has jumped to multi‑week highs while Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) social sentiment has turned more negative. Over the past week BTC and ETH fell roughly 4.9–5.0%, and XRP dropped about 6.8% (XRP remains down ~35.5% over 30 days). Santiment reports XRP’s positive/negative ratio (2.19) materially exceeds ETH (1.08) and BTC (0.80). The uptick in XRP optimism is linked to recent partnership announcements and renewed community interest, which appears to be driving short‑term, news‑driven buying rather than a proven fundamental reversal. Broader market gauges remain cautious: the Crypto Fear & Greed Index reads “Extreme Fear” and CoinMarketCap’s Altcoin Season Index signals Bitcoin dominance. Analysts advise traders to weigh stronger social optimism for XRP against its recent price weakness and overall market risk. Key trader actions: monitor sentiment indicators and XRP news flow, confirm price support and volume for any XRP rebound, and size positions with tighter risk limits given elevated market fear.

The Crypto Fear & Greed Index plunged to 7 on April 10, 2025, registering an "Extreme Fear" reading that reflects broad negative sentiment across volatility, trading momentum/volume, social media, surveys, Bitcoin dominance and search trends. Alternative.me’s index aggregates six weighted inputs and is now near historic lows previously seen during March 2020, Terra/Luna’s collapse and the FTX fallout. Key signals include heightened downside volatility, low trading volume and momentum, pessimistic social chatter, negative perpetual funding rates and algorithmic de-risking. On-chain metrics cited as confirmation points include low MVRV and a supply-in-loss (SOPR < 1), while Bitcoin dominance (~54% historically) indicates capital consolidating into BTC. Analysts view extreme fear as a contrarian, bottom-seeking indicator but warn it is not a precise timing tool; traders should corroborate with on-chain data, macro conditions and fundamentals before acting. Practical trading implications: short-term retail panic selling may amplify downside; well-capitalized institutions could accumulate selectively; derivatives positioning (negative funding) and reduced liquidity may increase volatility and slippage. Recommended approach for traders: maintain strict risk management, use confirmation from MVRV, SOPR and funding rates, avoid over-leveraging, and consider selective accumulation only with capital to withstand further drawdowns.

Coinbase has expanded its crypto-backed loan product to accept XRP, Dogecoin (DOGE), Cardano (ADA) and Litecoin (LTC) as collateral for USDC loans. Eligible retail and institutional users can pledge these four additional assets alongside existing supported tokens to borrow up to platform limits under Coinbase’s existing loan policies (interest rates, LTVs and eligibility remain governed by Coinbase’s rules). Coinbase says the change broadens access and flexibility for borrowers who want liquidity without selling holdings. Traders should expect increased on-chain flows into Coinbase for loan collateral, which may cause short-term volatility or selling pressure as users move assets on-platform; longer-term price effects depend on user adoption, loan volumes and overall market conditions. The move preserves token exposure for borrowers, enabling liquidity for personal needs, trading, treasury or DeFi activity and potentially reducing forced selling during downturns. Key SEO keywords: Coinbase loans, crypto-backed loans, XRP collateral, DOGE loans, ADA collateral, LTC loans, USDC credit.

Nikita Bier, X’s product lead and Solana adviser, publicly criticized the volume of prediction‑market spam on X. In a post accompanied by a scenic image, Bier said the platform is cluttered with low‑quality prediction‑market content, implying it harms user experience. The post highlights internal concern from a senior product executive about marketplace quality and moderation. No specific figures, timelines, or policy changes were announced; the comment appears to be a public prompt for improved content controls rather than an immediate product update. Primary keywords: prediction market, X platform, spam, moderation, Solana. Secondary keywords: Nikita Bier, user experience, marketplace quality. This brief signals possible future enforcement or product adjustments that traders and token communities tied to prediction markets should monitor.