Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Grayscale Investments has launched GSUI, an exchange-traded product that gives regulated exposure to the Sui token (SUI) with 100% of its underlying tokens delegated to staking and a 0% management fee. The fund structure is designed to pass staking rewards, net of fees and expenses, to holders so investors can access Sui staking yield without on-chain custody or staking operations. GSUI began as a private placement in August 2024 and moved to public quotation in late 2025, positioning itself amid rising demand for staking-linked ETFs. Grayscale markets the zero-fee model as a low-cost, low-barrier entry for both institutional and retail investors who prefer regulated vehicles and to avoid technical custody complexity. Traders and market watchers will monitor early inflows, staking reward yields, and liquidity (noting potential illiquidity while tokens are staked) to gauge demand and price reaction for SUI. Keywords: SUI, staking ETF, Grayscale, token staking, zero fees.

XRP futures contracts saw 1.66 billion tokens locked, lifting futures open interest (OI) by 2.56% in 24 hours and coinciding with a 2.4% spot gain to $1.42. Analysts note rising OI can signal renewed trader confidence and potential momentum for a recovery, but also warn that growing leverage without corresponding spot-market support risks sharp unwind events (squeeze). Weekly and monthly RSI readings have dipped below 2020 lows, suggesting a potential bottom may be forming even as institutional flows into XRP ETFs remain flat. The report highlights that retail-driven derivatives activity, not institutional buying, appears to be the main force behind the move — increasing structural risk. Traders should watch OI growth, spot liquidity and ETF flows closely: steady OI growth with spot confirmation would be bullish, while sudden OI spikes without spot support could trigger rapid deleveraging and sharp price swings.

An analyst known as CryptoBull highlighted a long-running symmetrical triangle on the XRP/BTC monthly chart that has persisted since 2018. The pattern shows converging lower highs and higher lows, with key resistance set by 2018 and 2025 highs and support traced to 2018, 2020 and 2024 lows. CryptoBull argues the pair cannot remain inside the triangle after eight years and expects a decisive breakout soon — potentially in March. He has made bullish price calls (e.g., XRP to $4 by March 2 and $9 by March 11) and notes that a breakout above the triangle would signal XRP outperforming Bitcoin and likely draw strong buying pressure. The article reviews XRP’s historical swings, including a 2024 low followed by a rapid 500% rally, and stresses that traders should watch for confirmation of a breakout or rejection at the triangle’s boundaries. This is market commentary, not financial advice.

MARA Holdings, parent of Marathon Digital, has acquired a controlling stake in Exaion, the low‑carbon data‑center, HPC and blockchain infrastructure unit spun out of French utility EDF. The deal expands MARA’s European footprint, gives access to energy‑efficient data centers, high‑performance computing (HPC) and blockchain node hosting, and links to EDF’s renewable energy portfolio. Management says the acquisition supports MARA’s strategic shift from pure Bitcoin mining to diversified infrastructure including AI‑as‑a‑Service, green cloud offerings and blockchain services while retaining mining operations. No purchase price was disclosed. Traders should watch for: (1) disclosure of financial terms and how MARA accounts for the asset, (2) any new “AI & Cloud” segment or capital‑allocation changes in upcoming earnings, and (3) potential effects on MARA’s BTC exposure and operational use of power/rigs. Primary keywords: MARA, Exaion, Bitcoin mining, green data centers, AI compute. Secondary/semantic keywords: EDF, HPC, cloud services, renewable power, M&A, EU regulation.

On-chain records show Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin sold 428.57 ETH on Feb 22, 2026 — roughly $850,000 received as 850,178 GHO — not a single $8.2 million “dump” as some reports claimed. Since Feb 2, Buterin has liquidated about 7,386 ETH, totaling roughly $15.51 million, executed via the CoW Protocol to minimize market impact and MEV risk. The sales align with a publicly disclosed funding and philanthropy plan: supporting open-source security, privacy-preserving tech (ZK proofs), biotech research (Kanro), and secure hardware amid an Ethereum Foundation austerity phase. Reputable on-chain trackers (Lookonchain, OnchainLens) confirm the figures. For traders, the key takeaways are: the Feb 22 sale is modest relative to circulating liquidity; use of batch auction DEX aggregators limits immediate price pressure; and the sales are earmarked for development and philanthropy rather than signaling loss of confidence. Monitor aggregate wallet outflows, exchange liquidity, and GHO conversion flows for short-term volatility cues.

Coinbase has launched a new Coinbase One benefit allowing premium subscribers to earn up to 3.5% annualized rewards on USDC balances, paid weekly. Payouts can be received either in Bitcoin (BTC) or in USDC, and rewards begin from balances as low as $1. Coinbase stresses this is not a deposit product and USDC balances are not classified as deposit accounts. The feature requires no extra actions from users and is positioned as a loyalty/retention tool to encourage funds to remain on the platform. Coinbase contrasts the simple 3.5% subscription yield with higher on-chain lending options — it cited Morpho integrations that can offer up to ~10.8% for users who interact with on-chain products. The rollout joins a broader industry trend where exchanges use yield perks to retain customers and grow premium subscriptions.

XRP experienced its largest weekly on-chain realized loss spike since 2022, with readings near the prior milestone of −1.93 billion units. Realized losses occur when holders sell below their purchase price; the recent surge indicates many investors sold at a loss amid market stress. Analysts note the last comparable loss event (39 months ago) preceded a 114% price gain for XRP over the following eight months. Market researchers warn that while a large realized-loss spike does not guarantee an immediate rally, such spikes often appear near cyclical lows when panic selling exhausts weak hands, reducing future sell pressure. Traders and analysts are monitoring liquidity, trading volume, exchange flows, accumulation patterns and sentiment to see if selling abates and buyers return. Key implications for traders: heightened short-term price volatility, potential relief rallies if selling wanes, and the need to watch on-chain realized profit/loss metrics alongside volume and exchange flows for confirmation.

Octav is a DeFi-focused portfolio intelligence and reporting platform aimed at active DeFi users, DAO treasuries and teams that need repeatable reconciliation rather than simple live balances. The product aggregates wallet balances and DeFi positions across chains, provides daily snapshots and a historical timeline, and offers transaction tagging, labeling and exportable reports (PDF/CSV). Key features highlighted include asset variation reports, a P&L calendar, custom dashboards and widgets, and integrations with on-chain tooling. Octav’s paid plans are priced per address and positioned as annual subscriptions: a free Try Out tier; Starter (Lite) at $149/year for daily snapshots and history; Pro (Growth) at $499/year for tagging, exports and P&L tools; and Enterprise with custom pricing and support. Strengths are repeatable reporting, export quality and suitability for treasuries and DAOs; limitations include imperfect transaction labeling across novel protocols and per-address costs that scale with many wallets. For traders and treasury operators, Octav is most valuable when complex on-chain activity makes manual reconciliation costly—especially for bridging, multi-step DeFi flows and monthly or audit-style statements. Alternatives may be tax-first platforms or analytics-focused dashboards depending on whether the user prioritizes filing accuracy, broad chain analytics, or repeatable treasury reports.

A whale moved 700,000,001 USDT (≈$700M) from an HTX-linked wallet into Aave on the Tron network, marking a large stablecoin flow from a centralized exchange to DeFi. The transfer increases Aave’s TVL and DeFi liquidity, potentially lowering USDT borrowing rates and enabling leverage or yield strategies. For HTX, the outflow represents a meaningful reserve movement to monitor. The use of Tron highlights continued preference for low-fee rails for high-value USDT transfers. Traders should watch HTX netflows, on-exchange order books, Aave borrowing rates, and subsequent on-chain activity (conversions to BTC/ETH, withdrawals, or OTC settlements). Alone the transfer is neutral for price; however, deployment of the funds into spot or derivatives markets could create buying or selling pressure. Primary keywords: USDT whale transfer, HTX, Aave, stablecoin inflow. Secondary keywords: Tron USDT, DeFi liquidity, TVL, exchange netflow.

SBI Holdings has launched a ¥10 billion corporate bond issued and managed on a blockchain that offers investors rewards paid in XRP. The issuance uses distributed-ledger technology to complete on‑chain lifecycle processes (issuance and management) and integrates XRP-denominated incentives to attract retail and institutional buyers. The deal underscores SBI’s strategy to combine traditional finance products with crypto infrastructure and leverages its ties to Ripple and the XRP ecosystem. The offering size is ¥10 billion; specific terms (maturity, coupon) were not disclosed in the summaries. Traders should watch for potential increases in XRP demand from reward distributions, greater visibility for tokenized debt markets, and signals of institutional experimentation with on‑chain securities.

Bitcoin miner Bitdeer has liquidated its entire corporate Bitcoin treasury, reducing pure holdings to 0 BTC, according to its weekly operational report. During the reporting period the company mined 189.8 BTC and sold the full amount; it also sold an additional 943.1 BTC from existing reserves. In a prior update on Feb. 13 Bitdeer still held 943.1 BTC. The company frequently sells newly mined coins to cover operating costs, but fully liquidating reserves is unusual. Bitdeer recently announced a $300 million convertible senior note offering (with a $45 million option) to fund data center expansion, AI cloud growth, mining hardware development and corporate needs; the stock fell sharply after the announcement. The article notes a broader industry shift as miners diversify into AI and high-performance computing to offset post-halving margin pressure. Key figures: 0 BTC remaining treasury, 189.8 BTC mined and sold in the period, 943.1 BTC liquidated from reserves, $300M convertible notes planned.

Key macro events next week include renewed uncertainty over former President Trump’s tariff proposals, rising signs of potential US military action against Iran, and a high‑profile earnings report from Nvidia — the world’s largest company — scheduled for Wednesday (US time). Several Federal Reserve officials will speak throughout the week (including Waller, Goolsbee, Collins, Bostic, Cook, Barkin and Musalem), offering potential guidance on policy. Economic data to watch: weekly US initial jobless claims (Thursday) and January PPI (Friday). Traders should expect news‑driven volatility as headlines around tariffs, geopolitical risk, and Nvidia’s results may dominate market flows.

XRP price has traded in a narrow range this month despite strong on-chain and institutional flows. The XRP token was around $1.42, roughly 15% below its monthly high, while broader crypto benchmarks (BTC ~ $68k, ETH < $2k) have also been rangebound. Key positives for the XRP ecosystem: the network’s real-world asset (RWA) total value locked (TVL) rose ~23% over 30 days to about $2.0 billion, surpassing Solana’s ~$1.7 billion and outpacing networks like Polygon and Stellar. Development activity includes the launch of a Permissioned DEX and domain services on the XRP Ledger, aimed at compliant institutional RWA participation. Spot XRP ETFs added ~$48.5 million this month (vs. $15M in January), while Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs saw outflows. Technicals look bearish: daily XRP sits below major moving averages, Supertrend and the Murrey Math pivot at $1.5625, with a gravestone doji on Feb 15. The likely near-term scenario is downside pressure toward the YTD low near $1.12 unless price reclaims key resistance. Primary keywords: XRP, RWA TVL, XRP ETF, price analysis; semantic terms: Permissioned DEX, tokenization, Murrey Math. Traders should weigh strong fundamental on-chain growth and ETF inflows against weak price action and bearish technical setup when sizing positions and planning risk management.

Bitcoin is approaching a key technical level near $90,000, where more than $13 billion of short positions across derivatives markets could be liquidated. Liquidation heatmaps show a dense cluster of short exposure concentrated in the $80,000–$90,000 band, increasing the likelihood of short squeezes and rapid upward price moves if the level is breached. On-chain data indicates accelerating accumulation by long-term holders and declining exchange reserves, tightening spot liquidity. Selling pressure from centralized exchanges and GBTC has eased while accumulator wallets recorded notable 30-day balance gains. The market shows a leverage imbalance — heavy short interest on derivatives versus reduced spot supply — which could amplify asymmetric price action: modest buying may trigger cascading short-covering. Analysts view a decisive breakout above $90,000 as a potential catalyst for accelerated gains; failure to clear that level would likely keep BTC range-bound. Traders should monitor derivatives open interest, liquidation maps, exchange reserves, and large on-chain accumulation flows to assess squeeze risk and liquidity-driven volatility.

Institutional ownership of U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs fell modestly in Q4 2025, dropping from 532,000 BTC in Q3 to 513,000 BTC — a 19,000 BTC or 3.5% decline — according to aggregated 13F filings. ETFs still hold roughly 1.27 million BTC total, with retail owning over 700,000 BTC and institutions holding just over half a million BTC. Institutional dominance peaked at about 40% in Q3 2025 but slipped only 1% in Q4. The number of firms reporting BTC ETF holdings fell 14% (from 2,173 to 1,867), the largest drop since 2024, yet 17 of the top 25 institutional holders increased exposure during Q4; notable names include JPMorgan Chase, Mubadala and BlackRock. Bitcoin’s price fell ~23% in Q4 2025 and entered a deeper pullback in early 2026, trading below the ETFs’ average cost basis of $84.1K (press-time price ~$68K), leaving the average ETF holder about 20% underwater. Observers will watch Q1 2026 13F filings (released in Q2) and ongoing ETF flows to see whether institutions remain long through the crypto winter. Key stats: institutional BTC ETFs — 513K BTC (Q4 2025); total ETF BTC — 1.27M; retail ETF BTC — 700K+; firms reporting owning ETFs — 1,867.

A leaked report and crypto analyst BullRunners claim SWIFT’s new multi-chain payment stack has Ripple technology baked in and that HSBC — which adopted Ripple’s Medeco Harmonized Platform in 2023 — is a managing partner on SWIFT’s blockchain ledger. Sources suggest XRP was tested on SWIFT rails in Q4 2025 and that major banks, including JP Morgan, are involved in the ledger development. Recent XRPL permissioned DEX amendments add KYC/AML controls, making institutional use more feasible. Regulatory momentum (a likely Clarity Act passage and supportive comments from SEC Chair Paul Atkins) is cited as further reducing legal risk. Analysts argue these developments increase XRP’s real-world payment utility, potentially boosting institutional demand and price upside. The piece notes this is not investment advice and highlights implications for on‑chain settlement, compliance, and large-scale bank adoption.

Pi Network’s core team posted a one-year anniversary message celebrating the Open Network launch (Feb 20, 2025) and long-term ecosystem development. The post emphasized Pi’s goal of broad accessibility and claimed progress toward utility and real-world asset readiness. The message provoked strong backlash from many Pioneers on X, who criticized slow migration progress and the token’s collapse. PI peaked at $2.99 on Feb 26, 2025 and has since plunged roughly 94.5% to around $0.16. Vocal community members called out the lack of a “second migration” and urged the team to address long-standing concerns from miners and compliant users. The dispute highlights community frustration over unmet milestones and the token’s sustained price decline, raising questions about adoption and near-term utility.

BNB (Binance Coin) is trading in a historically undervalued zone, roughly 37% below its short-term holder realized price and about 55% below its October 2025 cycle high near $1,400. Current price sits around $628. On-chain analyst OnChainMind and other analysts cite compressed valuation ratios, falling NVT metrics and long-term holder accumulation as evidence the market has discounted BNB’s utility. Technical indicators show RSI near 35.6 (approaching oversold) and a shrinking MACD histogram, hinting at potential downside exhaustion. The critical level to watch is the $587 weekly horizontal support: a successful defense could form a double bottom and target a retest of $700–$800; a weekly close below $587 risks a rapid drop toward the next structural zone near $496. Traders are advised to size positions cautiously and monitor the weekly close and short-term resistance at $700–$750 for confirmation of a mean-reversion bounce.

On-chain data from CryptoQuant shows visible Bitcoin demand shifted from negative to positive for the first time in three months, with a notable +1,200 BTC increase recorded on February 16. The 30-day aggregate visible demand metric reversed its downward trend that began in December, indicating renewed buying from both institutional and retail investors. The metric measures market depth by comparing daily block rewards to changes in supply inactive for a year. As Bitcoin holds near the $65,000 range, buy orders have intensified and liquidity flows have flipped, coinciding with narrowing gaps between the 30-day simple moving average and market price. Analysts interpret the swing as reduced selling pressure and increased accumulation by long-term holders; if sustained, the shift could remove downward pressure on price and set conditions for a fresh rally toward prior highs. Traders should monitor whether visible demand remains positive, on-chain flows, exchange outflows, and price action around key technical levels to confirm a durable trend change. Disclaimer: not investment advice.

Anthropic launched Claude Code Security, a generative-AI code-scanning and remediation tool built on Claude (Opus 4.6 / Claude 2.1 family and fine-tuned models). The product automates secure code review, vulnerability detection, suggested fixes and security-test generation, and integrates with developer workflows. Anthropic offers access to Enterprise and Team customers, and is accelerating access for affected open-source projects after internal testing and a limited preview reportedly found hundreds of vulnerabilities in live codebases. Markets reacted sharply to the launch and recent model-related incidents: multiple cybersecurity stocks and ETFs fell as investors reassessed competitive pressure from LLM-driven security tools. Barclays analysts called the market move “incongruent,” noting code-scanning tools don’t directly replace endpoint or network security vendors, but traders should still expect margin pressure and short-term volatility as incumbents respond. For crypto traders: the product is not a crypto-only security service, but the growing use of LLM-based scanners could lower remediation costs for projects, speed discovery of smart-contract and protocol vulnerabilities (both defensive and, if misused, offensive), and affect valuations of listed cyber firms. Key signals to monitor: adoption milestones and enterprise deals for Claude Code Security, any partnerships with cloud or DevOps platforms, vulnerability disclosures tied to Claude models, earnings guidance from major cybersecurity vendors, and on-chain security incident reports that cite automated tool use.

Bitdeer confirmed it has reduced its pure BTC holdings to zero as of Feb 20, 2026, and sold all 189.8 newly mined BTC this week, resulting in a net BTC outflow of 943.1 BTC since mid-January. The sell-off was gradual: ~2,000 BTC at end-2025, ~1,900 in early Jan, ~1,530 end-Jan, 943.1 by Feb 14, then zero by Feb 20. CEO Wu Jihan has shifted company strategy from pure mining to developing ASIC miner chips (SEALMINER) and AI compute centers. To fund R&D and operations, Bitdeer simultaneously issued $300M convertible preferred notes and a 5.5M-share secondary at $7.94/share; the stock plunged ~17% on the announcements, with BTDR down ~32% year-to-date. The article contrasts Bitdeer’s liquidating approach with other miners (MARA, Riot, Hut 8) that accumulate BTC on balance sheets. Traders should note: large miner selling increases short-term BTC supply pressure; the capital raise signals aggressive tech pivot and execution risk tied to chip production. Key stats and actions: BTC holdings -> 0; BTC sold this week -> 189.8; net BTC change -> -943.1; $300M convertible, 5.5M shares at $7.94. Primary keywords: Bitdeer, BTC, Wu Jihan, ASIC, SEALMINER, miner selling, convertible notes.

Orexn, a decentralized crypto launch platform, announced expansion of its ecosystem to give retail investors earlier access to high-potential Web3 projects. The platform curates IDOs, Launchpools and gamified airdrop quests, and supports multi-chain integrations including TON, Ethereum, Solana and BSC. Central to the ecosystem is the OXN token, which grants priority IDO allocations, staking rewards and governance rights ahead of a planned Token Generation Event (TGE) in Q1 2026. Orexn claims a user base of over 400,000 active users and highlights a native “farming” mechanism enabling early adopters to accumulate OXN. The release is a paid press release and carries the publisher’s standard disclaimer urging readers to perform their own research.

Chainlink (LINK) metrics show increasing accumulation among longer-term holders even as short-term cohorts face losses, raising the possibility that a final capitulation has not yet occurred. Key on-chain signals: the 180‑day holder accumulation ratio climbed to ~74.8% from lows near 66%, while the 180‑day Mean Coin Age trended up and Dormant Circulation showed no spike—indicating long-term holders are largely holding or adding. Conversely, the 90‑day MVRV fell to ~24.3% and 90‑day Mean Coin Age plunged, implying recent buyers (short-term holders) are in ~24% unrealized losses and have been selling. Price context: LINK has defended the $8 support, reserve rose to ~2 million tokens (~$17M), weekly RSI hit 32, and price has been trading in a long-term symmetrical triangle with a lower-timeframe bullish flag emerging. Trading implication: the accumulation by long-term holders can signal conviction but may also precede a deeper bearish impulse if final capitulation is still ahead; traders should avoid aggressive entries and monitor holder‑cohort metrics, MVRV, Mean Coin Age, dormant circulation, support at $8, and volume/ETF inflows for confirmation.

Crypto analyst “CryptoBull” published a technical forecast claiming XRP could hit $13 by March 11 — a 21‑day window from the article date — based on a three‑day XRP/USD chart. The analyst points to an ascending structural formation with converging trendlines and an upper resistance line aligned with $13, implying a potential breakout. No intermediate targets or additional indicators were cited. Critics on X (Twitter) flagged key resistance between $1.51–$1.66 and characterized the $13 call as an ~850% short‑term rally, calling it unprecedented in scale for three weeks. Commenters noted supportive fundamentals such as institutional ETF inflows and regulatory appointments (Brad Garlinghouse to the CFTC cited) but emphasized mainstream institutional year‑end targets near $8 rather than an immediate $13. The article frames the prediction as speculative technical analysis and includes a standard disclaimer that this is not financial advice.

The XRP Ledger (XRPL) now controls roughly 63% of the tokenized U.S. Treasury market, with $54.41 million in Treasury issuance on-chain, surpassing Ethereum volumes, according to RWA.xyz and market analysts. This shift reflects accelerating institutional adoption: permissioned DEXs, regulated stablecoin flows, and Dubai real-estate tokenization projects are migrating capital and issuance to XRPL. Recent XRPL upgrades — including token escrow functionality — enable programmable treasury management, automated settlements and decentralized marketplaces, improving suitability for institutional use. Total on-chain value on XRPL has exceeded $1 billion, and XRPL ranks second in 30-day Real-World Asset (RWA) growth. For traders, this signals a structural move toward regulated, yield-bearing assets on-chain rather than speculative retail trends. Key implications: growing institutional liquidity and settlement efficiency on XRPL could increase demand for network-linked tokens and stablecoins, tighten spreads for tokenized Treasuries, and shift institutional flows away from Ethereum and Solana. Short-term volatility may follow as markets re-price adoption prospects; long-term, XRPL’s lower fees, high throughput, and compliance-friendly tooling position it as core infrastructure for tokenized real-world assets.

Fidelity Global Head of Digital Assets Emma Pecenicic outlines the firm’s vision for tokenization: transition traditional funds into “pure digital‑native” tokenized fund shares and enable 24/7 instant settlement. Fidelity is engaging regulators via global sandboxes to secure legal clarity on on‑chain ownership and testing both ERC‑20 and ERC‑3643 token standards (liquidity vs. on‑chain compliance). Asia (Hong Kong, Singapore) is a strategic testbed — experiments include cross‑border DVP/PvP-style settlements using eAUD/eHKD with ANZ and tokenized MMFs and FX swaps with Citigroup. Current use cases focus on institutional on‑chain users (stablecoin issuers, DAOs, hedge funds) for treasury, collateral, and liquidity, but the long‑term goal is to bring institutional-grade, round‑the‑clock trading and instant settlement to retail, especially crypto‑native younger investors. Key takeaways for traders: regulatory clarity and sandbox outcomes could accelerate on‑chain fund issuance and liquidity (benefiting tokenized RWA on Ethereum today mostly ERC‑20), while broader adoption of identity‑rich standards (ERC‑3643) may shift compliance and distribution dynamics. Expect incremental liquidity and new trading venues initially among institutional counterparties, with retail access and 24/7 trading emerging later as infrastructure and regulation mature.

SBI Ripple Asia, a subsidiary of Japan’s SBI Holdings, issued a February 20, 2026 press release announcing a basic agreement with Asia Web3 Alliance Japan to provide technical support for implementing blockchain-based financial services. The release explicitly references the XRP Ledger as an assumed platform used by financial institutions worldwide and says the partnership will build a support environment for startups covering technical support, regulatory response, business design and viability. Social media commentator JackTheRippler interpreted the document as confirmation SBI will use the XRP Ledger for money transfers and framed the move as a milestone for XRP adoption. The press release does not state SBI banking group will directly settle all transactions on the XRP Ledger. The article also includes wider claims by the commentator about XRP’s role in a future global financial infrastructure and unverified assertions regarding U.S. monetary institutions. Disclaimer: this is informational and not financial advice.

Robinhood’s head of crypto Johann Kerbrat says customers are using the market dip as an opportunity to diversify beyond Bitcoin and Ether, trading a wider range of altcoins and engaging more with on-chain use cases. Kerbrat told Cointelegraph that many users are buying the dip, staking since Robinhood launched staking in December, and exploring DeFi despite lingering market uncertainty. Industry figures cited include Coinbase Asset Management president Anthony Bassili, who noted investors still prioritize BTC then ETH and lack consensus on a clear third choice, and MidChains CEO Basil Al Askari, who observed large institutional block trades into top-20 assets but only cautious movement into smaller-cap alts or DeFi. Market indicators referenced: the Altcoin Season Index showed a Bitcoin Season score of 33/100 (favoring BTC), the Crypto Fear & Greed Index remains in “Extreme Fear”, and US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded roughly $3.8 billion of net outflows across five consecutive weeks. Key implications for traders: increased retail and some institutional rotation into a broader set of altcoins, growing use-case activity (staking, DeFi) on retail platforms, but continued dominance of BTC/ETH and risk-off flows reflected in ETF outflows and extreme fear readings.

OpenClaw founder Peter Steinberger confirmed on social media that a user was banned from the project’s Discord server after mentioning “Bitcoin.” Steinberger said the server enforces strict rules that members agree to on entry, including an explicit prohibition on mentioning any cryptocurrency-related content. The notice aims to clarify the moderation action after the banned user requested reinstatement. No wider policy explanation or timeline for appeals was provided. This incident highlights a moderation choice by a crypto-related AI/tooling project to exclude on-chain or cryptocurrency discussion from its community channels.