Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Bitcoin has formed a textbook inverse Head & Shoulders pattern on the weekly chart, according to analyst Crypto Tice. The pattern shows a left shoulder, a deeper head, and a higher right shoulder, with a horizontal neckline at prior swing highs. Crypto Tice says BTC is retesting that neckline; if it breaks out and holds, historical precedents suggest a move from accumulation into an expansion phase. The analyst projects a target near $215,000 above the neckline, implying roughly a 231% rise from current levels (~$65k). He cautions that a sudden leap to $200k+ seems unlikely in the short term given recent sell‑offs and the drop below $70,000, but notes that major trends often start amid market uncertainty and retests. Key points for traders: the weekly inverse Head & Shoulders pattern is a structural bullish reversal signal; the neckline breakout and subsequent retest are critical confirmation levels; the $215K projection is a measured move target, not a short‑term guarantee. Primary keywords: Bitcoin, inverse Head & Shoulders, BTC neckline, breakout target $215K. Secondary keywords: weekly chart pattern, retest confirmation, accumulation phase, price projection.

China’s central bank (PBOC) and seven regulators on Feb 6 issued a joint notice banning any domestic or foreign person or entity from issuing Renminbi‑pegged stablecoins (onshore CNY and offshore CNH) without regulatory approval. The measure—also signed by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the China Securities Regulatory Commission—frames RMB‑pegged stablecoins as performing disguised currency functions and seeks to prevent a parallel currency system. It also restricts tokenized real‑world assets (RWAs) tied to the RMB unless issuers obtain consent from relevant authorities. The move follows recent policy steps to promote the digital yuan (e‑CNY), including allowing commercial banks to pay interest on e‑CNY holdings, and is aimed at preserving monetary sovereignty and directing RMB flows through approved CBDC rails. Market and legal observers say the ban will reduce RMB‑linked stablecoin liquidity, constrain RMB‑based DeFi activity, and could raise short‑term volatility for assets previously settled via RMB rails. Traders should monitor shifts in stablecoin liquidity, changes in futures and arbitrage flows, e‑CNY wallet integrations, and any approved RWA pilot programs. Primary SEO keywords: China stablecoins, digital yuan, RMB stablecoin ban. Secondary SEO keywords: tokenized assets, CBDC policy, RMB liquidity.

Bithumb, a major South Korean crypto exchange, corrected a promotional payment error that temporarily credited unusually large Bitcoin (BTC) balances to a small number of user accounts. The anomaly was detected by internal systems and the exchange froze affected accounts, halted their activity, and restored normal trading within minutes. Some users sold the erroneously credited BTC, causing a short-lived price distortion on Bithumb; the company said there was no hack and no customer asset losses. Bithumb has not confirmed the exact BTC amount involved, though unverified social posts suggested up to ~2,000 BTC. Deposits, withdrawals and overall trading remained operational. The exchange said it will add safeguards and continue work to recover long-inactive customer assets after a prior discovery of roughly $200 million in dormant accounts. For traders: expect brief, exchange-specific volatility on Bithumb but limited wider-market impact; monitor order books and liquidation risk on that venue while larger futures markets appear largely unaffected.

Solana (SOL) has come under pressure as price action neared $80, a level that many traders view as alarming. Despite bearish sentiment, on-chain indicators tied to "smart money"—including accumulation by whale wallets, increased SOL holdings on exchange-deferred addresses, and clustering of long-term holder buy zones—suggest the sell-off may be winding down and a local bottom could be forming. Analysts point to lower realized price bands and rising accumulation by larger, institutional-style addresses as evidence that stronger hands are entering the market. Short-term volatility is expected to remain high around the $80 area, with potential for larger intraday moves; however, if smart-money accumulation continues, traders may see a base form that supports a rebound. Key takeaways for traders: monitor whale accumulation metrics, realize-price bands, exchange flows, and open interest on derivatives; maintain tight risk management near support, watch for confirmation of accumulation turning into demand (higher lows, volume upticks), and be cautious of leveraged long squeezes if price breaks below $80 decisively.

Gloria Zhao resigned as a Bitcoin Core maintainer on February 5 after roughly six years, submitting a final pull request and revoking her PGP signing key and update access. Zhao — the first publicly known female Bitcoin Core maintainer — focused on mempool policy and transaction relay, contributing to BIP 331 (package relay), BIP 431 (TRUC), replace-by-fee (RBF) improvements and peer-to-peer behaviour tweaks intended to make fee bumps more consistent and reduce transaction censorship. Funded since 2021 by Brink (backed by the Human Rights Foundation Bitcoin Development Fund and Spiral), Zhao also mentored contributors and co-ran the Bitcoin Core PR Review Club. Her departure removes one merge-capable account and may reduce immediate code-review bandwidth, though no technical incidents or security breaches have been reported. Separately, market reports note short-term Bitcoin price weakness: BTC briefly traded below $70,000 (intraday low near $68,189) with bearish indicators (RSI ~25–26, Supertrend bearish) and nearby technical supports around $65,900 and $60,000 and resistances near $69,800–$73,300. Analysts cited institutional risk concerns — e.g., MicroStrategy’s CEO warning that BTC prices below his company’s $76,000 average complicate debt repayment — but conclude Zhao’s exit is unlikely to directly affect BTC price in the near term while representing a loss of mentorship for the developer ecosystem.

Cardano’s ADA is trading in a long-term demand zone between $0.14 and $0.18, a price area that preceded major past rallies — notably a 2,100% surge in 2021 and a roughly 600% move in 2024. Technical analysts highlight that monthly and weekly charts show ADA respecting a major order block and completing a full drawdown from its prior all-time high, suggesting a structural cycle reset and accumulation phase. Analyst CryptoPatel posted targets of $0.40, $1.32, and $3.10, and flagged a weekly close below $0.10 as invalidation. Volume remains subdued versus peak periods, aligning with earlier accumulation stages. Traders are watching for confirmation signals; while some expect history to repeat, others caution that timing, liquidity and macro conditions differ between cycles. Key takeaways for traders: ADA sits at a historically significant support zone (main keyword: ADA demand zone), watch weekly closes and volume for confirmation, set risk invalidation near $0.10, and consider the projected upside levels if accumulation continues.

Bitcoin slipped toward $64,000 after a day of notable exchange-traded fund (ETF) flows. The iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) recorded approximately $272 million in outflows, defying broader ETF dynamics that included inflows into other bitcoin products. Total BTC ETF flows were mixed, and the outflows from IBIT coincided with downward pressure on BTC price. Traders monitored ETF flow data, open interest, and on-chain indicators as short-term volatility rose. Market participants highlighted that large ETF redemptions or reallocations can create temporary selling pressure, while continued institutional demand across other ETF products may provide longer-term support for BTC. Key metrics emphasized: BTC price near $64K, IBIT ~ $272M outflows, mixed overall ETF flow picture, and elevated short-term volatility for traders.

Fidelity Investments’ Director of Global Macro, Jurrien Timmer, identified $65,000 as an attractive Bitcoin entry point, combining technical, on-chain and macro factors. Timmer highlighted the mid-$60k range as a strategic buying zone after 2024 volatility and post-halving consolidation between $60k–$75k. He cited supportive network fundamentals (hash rate, active addresses), realized price and MVRV metrics, and institutional adoption via Fidelity’s Bitcoin products as context. Timmer contrasted Bitcoin with traditional assets: gold has gained ~18% YTD and remains a commodity hedge, while long-term bonds (Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate) showed negative returns in 2024, challenging 60/40 allocations. He warned that rising positive correlation between stocks and bonds would increase demand for low-correlation assets like Bitcoin. Practical guidance: institutions may use phased accumulation around $65k; retail investors should weigh risk tolerance and limit crypto to single-digit portfolio percentages. The view blends portfolio construction principles with market signals rather than short-term price speculation. Key keywords: Bitcoin entry point, Fidelity, Jurrien Timmer, $65,000, on-chain metrics, portfolio diversification, gold, bond correlation.

Galaxy Digital approved a one-year program to repurchase up to $200 million of its Class A common shares. The company may buy shares on the open market, through private transactions, or via Rule 10b5-1 plans, subject to securities laws and exchange rules. Purchases on Nasdaq are limited to 5% of shares outstanding at program start; activity on the Toronto Stock Exchange would require normal course issuer bid compliance and regulatory approval. Galaxy gave no timeline or specific commitment on the amount it will deploy. CEO Mike Novogratz said the firm is "entering 2026 from a position of strength," citing a solid balance sheet and flexibility to return capital when the stock trades below fair value. Galaxy operates trading, asset management, staking, custody and data center businesses and is dual-listed on Nasdaq and the TSX. This buyback authorization signals management confidence but is conditional and flexible — investors should watch implementation details (timing, volume, exchange selection) for near-term share-price impact.

MicroStrategy CEO Phong Le said the company’s balance sheet remains stable despite recent crypto volatility, and its Bitcoin reserves cover convertible debt. On the Q4 earnings call he said only an extreme 90% BTC crash — roughly $8,000 — sustained for five to six years would force restructuring, equity issuance, or new debt. The comments followed a sharp market sell-off that saw BTC near $66,000 and MicroStrategy stock (MSTR) fall about 17% on the day and roughly 72% over six months. Executive Chairman Michael Saylor downplayed quantum-computing risk to Bitcoin and outlined plans for a security initiative, stressing the company’s long-term strategy to integrate Bitcoin into corporate finance and credit markets. MicroStrategy continued buying: it added 855 BTC (~$75.3m) at an average near $88,000 this week, bringing its holdings to over 713,500 BTC after large accumulations in 2025–2026. Key points for traders: the firm’s reserves materially cover debt, management frames BTC as a long-duration asset, and further balance-sheet risk only appears under an extreme, prolonged bear case — all factors that can moderate MSTR’s sensitivity to short-term BTC swings but keep high correlation with Bitcoin price movements.

XRP has rebounded following signs of large-scale accumulation by whale wallets and a rise in on-chain network activity. Blockchain analytics indicate several sizable transfers into long-term wallets, and increased transaction volume and active addresses suggest renewed demand. Market analysts note that whale buying often precedes sustained price moves, and recent technical indicators show XRP recovering from a short-term support level. The article highlights key metrics: notable large transfers to custody/holding addresses, upticks in daily transaction counts, and improving on-chain liquidity. While the accumulation and network activity point to potential bullish momentum, analysts caution that broader market conditions, regulatory news and Bitcoin-led trends will influence XRP’s trajectory. Traders are advised to watch whale wallet flows, on-chain transaction volume, and technical resistance levels for signs of confirmation or reversal.

US equities staged a broad-based rally after a cooler-than-expected Producer Price Index (PPI) print and dovish Federal Reserve commentary. The Dow Jones Industrial Average led gains with +2.47%, the Nasdaq Composite rose +2.18%, and the S&P 500 climbed +1.97%. Advancers outnumbered decliners by more than 5-to-1 on the NYSE and trading volume exceeded the 30-day average, signaling conviction behind the move. Key drivers cited: softer inflation data that reduced aggressive rate-hike fears, falling bond yields that improved equity valuations, dovish Fed signals indicating a potential end to tightening, and better-than-forecast earnings pre-announcements from several large companies. Rate-sensitive sectors (real estate, utilities) outperformed, though tech also rose. Analysts warn the rally’s durability depends on follow-up economic data—consumer spending, corporate margins—and historical parallels (e.g., Oct 2022 bounce) show single-day rallies can mark turning points but do not guarantee sustained bull markets. For traders: expect continued volatility; consider rebalancing, watching macro datapoints and rates, and monitoring options flow in rate-sensitive sectors for institutional positioning cues.

Dogecoin (DOGE) fell below $0.10 after a seven-day liquidation that pushed the meme coin to a new local low and confirmed a death cross: the 9-day moving average crossing below the 21-day moving average. The article highlights capitulation among weak hands but notes early signs of a technical reset: a bounce from the 2024 $0.08 support, a sharp RSI reversal from oversold, and the MACD approaching a bullish cross. Key resistance to watch is the January peak near $0.15; a decisive breakout there could validate a bullish pattern targeting a potential 200% move to $0.31. Social catalysts remain relevant — Elon Musk reiterated his support for Dogecoin and confirmed the DOGE-1 lunar mission remains planned, which historically has driven retail inflows. The piece also mentions the rise of new Doge-inspired tokens (example: $MAXI) as thematic competition for retail capital during bull runs. For traders: near-term downside risk increased after the death cross and the sub-$0.10 breakdown; however, technical oversold conditions and social catalysts could spark short squeezes or a rebound if DOGE reclaims $0.15. Monitor moving averages (9-, 21-day), RSI, MACD, $0.08 support, and $0.15 resistance for trade signals, and watch for retail-driven volume spikes tied to publicity events.

Bitcoin critic Peter Schiff urged long-term HODLers to “abandon ship” after BTC slid toward the $60,000 level. On X (formerly Twitter), Schiff argued Bitcoin has underperformed relative to gold — down roughly 60% versus gold from 2021 highs — and highlighted Michael Saylor’s reported $54 billion Bitcoin position as showing near double-digit unrealized losses following the recent drop. Schiff called Bitcoin the largest “financial mania” in history and said it is now over, recommending investors rotate into silver and gold. The article notes Schiff’s long history of bearish calls dating back to 2013, many of which preceded large multi-year BTC gains; Bitcoin was trading near $69,000 at the time of reporting, finding some support around $60,000 and roughly 48% below an alleged ATH of $126.5k. The piece frames Schiff’s comments as FUD that should be weighed against his track record and the broader market’s volatility.

A sharp crypto sell-off is stressing corporate treasuries, spot Bitcoin ETFs and mining operations. Ether’s fall below $2,200 has pushed BitMine Immersion Technologies — which holds about $9.1 billion in ETH — into more than $7 billion of unrealized losses on its ETH-heavy treasury, highlighting treasury concentration risk. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) investors have moved into net negative territory as BTC slid below $80,000 and later under $75,000, showing ETF holders’ exposure to downside volatility. Extreme US winter storms caused public miners’ daily BTC output to plunge from roughly 70–90 BTC to 30–40 BTC at peak disruption before recovering, demonstrating grid dependence and operational sensitivity to weather. Separately, CoreWeave’s pivot from GPU crypto mining to AI infrastructure — underscored by Nvidia’s $2 billion investment — illustrates how former mining capacity is being repurposed for AI workloads, offering a diversification blueprint for miners such as HIVE, Hut 8 and MARA. Key figures: BitMine (Tom Lee) — ~$9.1B ETH holdings, >$7B unrealized losses; IBIT — fastest BlackRock fund to $70B AUM, now showing average investor underwater; public miners’ output drop from ~70–90 BTC to ~30–40 BTC during storm. Primary keywords: crypto sell-off, Ether treasury losses, Bitcoin ETF volatility, Bitcoin mining disruption, CoreWeave AI pivot.

Bitcoin rallied above $71,000 (peaking around $71.5K) after dropping to about $60,150, recovering roughly 17% since that low. However, derivatives metrics point to persistent trader caution. Aggregate liquidations of leveraged long Bitcoin futures reached about $1.8 billion over five days, while futures open interest remained roughly flat at 527,850 BTC (notional value fell from $44.3B to $35.8B, mirroring a 20% price decline). The 2-month futures annualized basis fell to 2%—the weakest in over a year—signalling low demand for bullish leverage. In options markets, the 2-month put-call skew jumped to 20%, an extreme level that often reflects panic and elevated demand for downside protection. Analysts interpret these signals as evidence that whales, market makers or hedge funds may have been hit during the sell-off, reducing confidence that the rebound will sustain. Key metrics to watch: futures open interest, basis/premium (currently ~2% annualized), aggregate liquidation figures (~$1.8B), and the options skew (20%). This environment suggests limited appetite for leveraged longs and a heightened probability of further downside until derivatives indicators normalize. (Not investment advice.)

Ethereum suffered a sharp sell-off on February 5, 2026, triggering $466.4 million in liquidations (about $382 million long). ETH fell roughly 14.96% that day, sliding from $2,148 to $1,826 and breaking key demand zones around $2.5K and $2.1K. Market sentiment plunged into extreme fear (Fear & Greed Index at 11). On-chain and technical signals showed heavy bearish pressure: daily RSI reached deeply oversold levels (around 18.7) and OBV posted fresh lows, while ETH/BTC hit a three-year low, underlining altcoin underperformance. Liquidation heatmaps show large liquidity pockets near $2K were taken out; potential magnet zones lower include $1,500, while short-term bounce targets sit near $2.1K–$2.4K. Analysts warn that rallies to those zones may be met by selling, and a further drop toward $1.5K remains possible. Traders should treat bounces cautiously and plan for potential bearish re-tests of $2.1K–$2.4K.

Bitget has launched the Bitget Fan Club, a community program designed to deepen user engagement and reward loyal traders. The initiative features tiered membership levels, exclusive benefits such as trading fee discounts, priority access to new products and events, token airdrops, and community governance participation. The Fan Club emphasizes social features — leaderboards, ambassador programs, and referral bonuses — to incentivize activity and grow Bitget’s user base. The program aims to strengthen retention and on-platform liquidity by aligning rewards with trading volume and community contributions. No token ticker or new token issuance was announced. The launch underscores Bitget’s strategy to compete on user experience and community-led growth amid a crowded exchange market.

Ripple integrated decentralized derivatives exchange Hyperliquid into its institutional prime brokerage, Ripple Prime, enabling institutional clients to access on-chain perpetuals liquidity and cross-margin DeFi positions with other asset classes (XRP, RLUSD, FX, fixed income, OTC swaps) under a single risk and margin framework. U.S. clients will still see Ripple Prime as the sole counterparty. The move—called Ripple Prime’s first DeFi venue—follows Ripple’s acquisition of Hidden Road and the rebrand to Ripple Prime, which now serves over 300 institutional clients and claims over $3 trillion cleared across markets. Despite the institutional expansion, XRP slid about 16% in a single day to roughly $1.25 (CoinGecko), marking its weakest level since November 2024, as broader crypto markets fell (BTC down ~8.1%, ETH down ~6.9%). Ripple executives framed the integration as improving liquidity and efficiency for institutional DeFi access, but the announcement failed to support XRP price amid the wider market downturn.

XRP spot ETFs recorded a $4.83 million net inflow on February 4, 2026, according to SoSoValue. Franklin Templeton’s XRPZ led that day with $2.51 million (cumulative inflows $317 million) and Bitwise’s XRP ETF added $1.72 million (cumulative $345 million). Total assets under management for US spot XRP ETFs exceeded $1.07 billion, with cumulative lifetime inflows of about $1.21 billion. By contrast, Bitcoin ETFs saw $545 million in net outflows and Ethereum ETFs lost $79 million the same day, indicating short-term capital rotation into XRP products. Despite ETF inflows, XRP’s market price fell sharply on February 5 — from roughly $1.49–$1.60 to a low of $1.15 before recovering to $1.27, a roughly 12% day-on-day decline. Commentators attribute the flows to continued institutional interest and intra-market rotation; sustained ETF inflows could improve liquidity and help establish a price floor, while isolated large outflows or broader market weakness may counteract that effect. This summary is informational and not investment advice.

Tokyo-listed Metaplanet has confirmed it will continue an aggressive Bitcoin (BTC) accumulation strategy despite a sharp market downturn that pushed BTC as low as about $60,000 before a rebound above $65,000. CEO Simon Gerovich said the plan is unchanged: the firm will steadily accumulate Bitcoin, expand revenue and prepare for future growth. Metaplanet holds 35,102 BTC (fourth-largest among public corporate treasuries) and targets 210,000 BTC by end-2027. The company recently proposed a potential capital raise of up to ¥21 billion (~$137m) via new shares and stock acquisition rights to reduce debt and buy more BTC. The sell-off has tightened liquidity, driven the Crypto Fear & Greed Index to “Extreme Fear” and widened unrealized losses across corporate BTC treasuries. Despite a roughly 5–8% drop in Metaplanet’s stock and sizable paper losses after a 24‑hour BTC decline (~6.8% to ~$65,865 at reporting), management has not signaled any liquidation. For traders: sustained corporate accumulation amid extreme fear can underpin demand and reduce available supply, but near-term volatility and analyst downside scenarios (some forecasts as low as ~$38,000) mean risk remains elevated. Monitor on‑chain outflows, Metaplanet’s actual purchase announcements and the company’s capital-raise execution for clues on buying velocity and market liquidity.

Justin Bieber purchased a Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFT for roughly $1.3 million at peak market prices. According to recent valuations and secondary-market listings, that same Bored Ape is now worth about $12,000, representing a dramatic decline in value. The article highlights the scale of losses for high-profile celebrity NFT purchases amid the broader cool-off in the NFT market. Key figures: $1.3 million (purchase price), ~$12,000 (current estimated value). The piece underscores market volatility, weak demand for large-profile NFT collections like BAYC, and the risk of illiquidity for high-priced collectibles. Relevant keywords: Bored Ape, BAYC, NFT market, celebrity NFT, price collapse, NFT liquidity. Traders should note the event as a signal of diminished speculative demand and increased downside risk in large-profile NFTs and related tokens.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told the House Financial Services Committee he cannot order a government bailout of Bitcoin nor direct private banks to buy BTC, amid a recent ~25% week-on-week decline driving BTC toward $60,000. Representative Brad Sherman asked whether the Treasury, the Federal Open Market Committee or the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) could force banks or change reserve rules to boost Bitcoin demand; Bessent said neither he nor FSOC has that authority. He confirmed the administration is building a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve established by a March 2025 executive order, using seized crypto and other budget-neutral methods only. The Treasury reported roughly $500 million in confiscated Bitcoin that appreciated to about $15 billion while in custody. The executive order bars open-market purchases; future increases in holdings would come via asset forfeiture or budget-neutral conversions (proposals previously discussed include reallocating gold certificates or tariff receipts), though no concrete mechanism was announced. For traders, the Treasury’s stance removes a potential source of direct government demand that could have supported prices—meaning any price upside must come from private-market flows, macro factors, or institutional demand rather than forced public-sector purchases. Key keywords: Bitcoin, BTC, U.S. Treasury, Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, asset forfeiture, market demand.

Bitcoin (BTC) fell sharply to around $60,000 before recovering to about $70,667 after a major sell‑off that marked its lowest level in roughly 17 months. Analysts attribute the decline mainly to heavy selling by large holders (whales) who shifted from accumulation to net selling, and to significant outflows from spot Bitcoin ETFs during late January and early February. Jefferies analyst Andrew Moss highlighted that ETF outflows during weeks of Jan 19 and Jan 26 were among the largest since launch, with another wave of withdrawals on Feb 4. Deutsche Bank and independent analysts noted this was BTC’s worst single‑day drop since the November 2022 FTX collapse. Some observers, like Sygnum CIO Fabian Dori, suggest the market may be nearing “peak fear” and could be close to exhaustion, while others warn bottoms can take from one month up to a year to form. At the time of reporting BTC had rallied ~10% in 24 hours to trade near $70,667. Key takeaways for traders: whale selling and ETF outflows are primary near‑term downside drivers; retail dip‑buying appears weak; historical patterns leave room for protracted corrections even after sharp rebounds.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told a Senate Banking Committee that crypto firms or industry players who oppose clear regulation “should move to El Salvador.” His remarks targeted a vocal “nihilist” wing of the industry resisting compromise as senators debated the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, a bill to clarify how digital assets fit under banking and securities law. The hearing grew heated, with concerns raised that unchecked stablecoins could drain bank deposits and crypto representatives warning that heavy-handed rules might stifle innovation. Bessent’s comment serves as both rhetorical pressure and a market-access signal: comply with U.S. regulatory guardrails to retain broad market participation or accept operational limits elsewhere. The article notes El Salvador has scaled back mandatory bitcoin acceptance after an IMF-backed deal; it is not a rules-free refuge. Traders should watch for regulatory clarity—if lawmakers pass clearer rules, volatility may ease and banks and firms could roll out compliant products; if the debate stalls, expect continued policy-driven volatility in crypto markets.

Joshua Lim, Global Co‑Head of Markets at FalconX, says current crypto prices have retraced sharply from prior highs and that future performance will hinge on the resilience of risk assets. He highlights a pronounced divergence between Bitcoin and gold — Bitcoin trending down while many risk assets (including gold and silver) have rallied — and calls the market flow‑driven rather than catalyst‑driven. Institutional unease about quantum computing’s potential to weaken Bitcoin’s security is an overhang for adoption. Lim expects a prolonged range‑bound crypto market in 2026, but notes market structure is healthier now with less leverage and unsecured credit. Retail investor activity is a key near‑term price driver: recycled crypto capital dominates today, but renewed retail focus on Bitcoin could trigger large moves. Proliferation of investment vehicles has diluted fresh inflows, though winners should emerge. He also flags growing demand for transparency, the rise of DeFi trading venues (e.g., Hyperliquid), and increased investor activism as firms explore real‑world assets and buybacks. Overall, Lim sees capital returning to crypto over time as speculative interest in other assets wanes, but near‑term dynamics remain flow‑driven and range‑bound.

OpenAI and Anthropic released competing flagship models on February 5: GPT-5.3 Codex (OpenAI) and Claude Opus 4.6 (Anthropic). Anthropic says Claude Opus 4.6 supports a 1-million-token context window, improved handling of large volumes of text, agent-style workflows (including “agent teams”), and stronger performance on finance and legal reasoning—scoring 76% on the MRCR v2 benchmark. OpenAI positions GPT-5.3 Codex for agentic coding and research tasks, reporting 77.3% on Terminal-Bench 2.0, faster task completion, and lower token usage. Early Codex builds were used internally at OpenAI for debugging training and deployment. Initial comparisons show a clear split: Claude Opus 4.6 excels in long-context reasoning and domain-specific tasks (legal, finance); GPT-5.3 Codex excels in automated coding benchmarks, efficiency, and speed. The releases may accelerate adoption of advanced agentic workflows in developer and enterprise tooling, but do not directly reference changes to crypto protocols or markets.

CryptoQuant data show Bitcoin weakening as multiple on-chain indicators signal increased selling pressure and reduced demand. Key metrics such as exchange inflows, realized profit/loss distributions, and spot exchange balance trends point to heightened outflows to exchanges and shrinking holder conviction. CryptoQuant’s analysis highlights rising exchange inflows and decreasing net accumulation by long-term holders — patterns historically associated with deeper corrections. The report notes that short-term traders and profit-takers are active while liquidity among long-term holders wanes, contributing to downward price momentum. Traders should watch exchange reserve levels, realized losses/profits, and net position changes for signs of capitulation or stabilization. These metrics suggest increased volatility and downside risk in the near term, though long-term implications depend on whether on-chain selling exhausts supply and restores accumulation afterward.

Strategy, a major institutional bitcoin holder, saw its stock jump more than 25% to $133 after bitcoin recovered from multi-week lows back into the $71,000 band. The rally followed a sharp prior sell-off that pushed the shares down to $105. The company reported a $12.4 billion loss for Q4 2025, driven by devaluation of its large BTC holdings. Despite the paper loss, executives including Executive Chairman Michael Saylor and CEO Phong Le reiterated confidence in bitcoin and commitment to their long-term accumulation strategy. Management announced a Bitcoin Security Program addressing future risks such as quantum computing, while noting quantum threats are not immediate. CEO Phong Le said bitcoin would need to remain below $8,000 for several years before debt-servicing becomes a material threat, with restructuring or capital raises as possible responses if needed. The story underscores Strategy’s sensitivity to bitcoin price swings and frames the recent stock rebound as a market reaction to bitcoin’s recovery rather than a change in company fundamentals.