Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Waymo publicly rejected Tesla’s camera‑only approach to robotaxis, arguing autonomous vehicles must meet safety standards above human driving. Waymo VP of onboard software Srikanth Thirumalai told Business Insider that relying on fewer than 10 cameras (Tesla’s approach) is insufficient; Waymo equips its vehicles with multi‑sensor arrays — currently 29 cameras, 5 lidars and 6 radars — and plans a next‑gen fleet (late 2026) with 13 cameras, 4 lidars and 6 radars. The debate pits cost and scalability (Tesla’s cheaper camera‑only system) against higher demonstrated safety (Waymo cites an independent audit of 200 million autonomous miles showing 10x fewer serious crashes than humans). Tesla’s AI chief Ashok Elluswamy argues self‑driving is primarily an AI problem, not a sensor problem, noting humans drive with eyes alone. Waymo says regulators and riders may not accept camera‑only safety levels and will not drop lidar solely to cut costs. Key figures: Waymo’s Srikanth Thirumalai and co‑CEO Tekedra Mawakana; Tesla’s Ashok Elluswamy. Critical stats: Waymo’s audit — 10x fewer serious crashes vs. humans over audited miles; Tesla FSD — 5.1 million miles between major crashes; U.S. human driving average — 699,000 miles between major crashes. For traders: the dispute highlights divergent cost vs. safety strategies in autonomous vehicle tech, potential regulatory scrutiny, and differing capital intensity — factors that can affect valuations of companies tied to AV sensors, AI suppliers, and ride‑hailing integrations.

Senior Trump administration appointees retain political power while their adult children have launched crypto ventures that generated rapid, large payouts, The Wall Street Journal reports. Key examples include World Liberty Financial, whose founders sold governance-token benefits to insiders, sold a major stake to Abu Dhabi investors, then pivoted to a profitable stablecoin business that leverages interest on Treasury holdings and a distribution partnership with Binance. Founding families realized billions via token distributions, token sales, and stablecoin revenue. Companies and family members deny improper conflicts of interest, but the optics raise questions because parents in government were involved in related policy areas while their children profited. The story highlights governance-token distributions, token sales, stablecoin yield strategies, and political risk — core issues for crypto traders tracking regulatory and reputational exposures around politically connected projects.

Bitcoin (BTC) has slid roughly 40–50% from a $126,000 peak to the $70,000 area, triggering accelerated loss realization among retail and short-term holders (STH). The 90-day net position change flipped deeply negative (drawdowns near -1.5M to -2M BTC) and STH supply contracted from a late-cycle peak of about 8M BTC, leaving many recent buyers underwater. BTC was trading just above $69,000 while STH realized price sat near $92,000–$92,500; STH-MVRV dropped to ~0.75–0.78, indicating deep unrealized losses and historical washout conditions. Market liquidity thinned, depth compressed and long liquidations cascaded through derivatives; Fear & Greed metrics plunged into extreme fear (5–20). Countervailing flows included dip accumulation and institutional absorption, but whale behavior diverged: on-chain indicators show whales closing longs and opening shorts (whale vs retail delta > 0.8), suggesting hedging and engineered consolidation rather than aggressive buying. The article warns of a possible final downside liquidity sweep before a sustainable recovery, with stabilization dependent on renewed demand, MVRV recovering toward 1.0, and price reclaiming cost bases. Primary keywords: Bitcoin, BTC, short-term holders, STH-MVRV, whale hedging, liquidation. Relevant secondary/semantic keywords included: loss realization, liquidity, derivatives, Fear & Greed Index, consolidation, base-building. Traders should watch BTC spot price vs STH realized price, MVRV levels, whale vs retail delta, derivatives open interest and liquidation clusters for short-term risk management and positioning.

Pi Network’s PI token has fallen near its record low after losing more than 90% from its peak. Traders face a major scheduled supply event: roughly 82 million PI are set to unlock over the next seven days (part of about 206 million unlocking this month), adding roughly $11 million of immediate sellable supply at current prices. Additional token issuance is planned in March via validator rewards, which could further expand circulating supply if validators sell. On-chain unlocks and large monthly releases — including spikes mid-February — raise the risk of significant sell-side pressure and heightened volatility. Technical indicators are bearish: PI trades below its 50- and 100-day EMAs and the Supertrend, it recently broke support at $0.1520, and the RSI is below 30 (oversold). Short-term support sits in the $0.130–$0.152 range; downside is possible around unlock dates unless selling abates. A potential Kraken listing—appearing on Kraken’s roadmap but unconfirmed—represents the main bullish catalyst because a major exchange listing can materially improve liquidity and demand. For traders: expect elevated volatility and supply-driven downside in the near term; monitor on-chain flows of unlocked tokens (especially deposits to centralized exchanges), short-term supports at $0.130–$0.152, reclaiming of $0.1520 to reduce immediate downside risk, and any confirmed exchange-listing news which could trigger a recovery.

Garrett Jin — a noted crypto figure linked in reports to insider activity around Bitcoin price swings — transferred 6,599 BTC (≈$463M) to Binance after an earlier 1,599 BTC deposit. The moves follow a reported $250M liquidation Jin suffered during Bitcoin’s recent decline. Traders flagged the transfers because large whale deposits to centralized exchanges often precede sell-offs, especially while Bitcoin is trading with bearish technicals: RSI ~31.6 (near oversold), MACD indicating negative momentum, and a price structure of lower highs and lower lows. Bitcoin recently traded between $60,000 and $70,000 and the market’s Crypto Fear & Greed Index hit extreme fear (score ~6). The combination of concentrated whale activity, fragile macro risk sentiment and bearish indicators raises the risk of additional downward pressure in the near term. Key takeaways for traders: monitor Jin-linked addresses and Binance order flow for potential large market sales; watch support around recent lows and resistance above $70k; manage position sizing given elevated volatility and on‑chain whale signals.

Google search interest for “Bitcoin” surged to a roughly one-year high in the week beginning Feb. 1, 2026 as BTC price swung from about $81,500 to near $64,000 before recovering into the low $70,000s. The spike in Google Trends coincided with short-lived price weakness that tested the $60,000 area for the first time since October 2024. Analysts say rising search volume signals renewed retail attention and can bring fresh capital into markets, amplifying short-term price pressure. Traders warn that search activity is an imperfect signal: historically, search peaks have accompanied both rapid rallies and steep drops and do not reliably indicate sustained direction. In the coming sessions, market participants will watch whether higher public interest converts into durable demand or remains a transient news-driven boost that increases near-term volatility. Key SEO keywords: Bitcoin, Google Trends, BTC price volatility, retail interest, market sentiment.

Bitcoin plunged to about $60,000 before staging a recovery as market participants reacted to a sudden sell-off. The rapid drop erased a portion of recent gains, prompted heightened volatility, and triggered increased trading volumes and short-term liquidations across derivatives markets. Major on-chain indicators showed spikes in transfers to exchanges and elevated realized volatility, suggesting profit-taking and stop-loss cascades. While some traders viewed the pullback as a buying opportunity, risk managers and macro-sensitive investors reassessed exposure amid uncertain catalysts. The episode underscores persistent market sensitivity to large orders and macro news, with implications for leverage, funding rates, and liquidity in the short term. Traders should monitor BTC price action, open interest, funding rates, and exchange flows to gauge whether the rebound sustains or more downside follows.

Block, the owner of Cash App and Square led by Jack Dorsey, is reviewing workforce reductions that could remove up to 10% of staff as part of a broader business overhaul. Hundreds of employees across its bitcoin units and payments operations have been notified that their roles are at risk. The company’s bitcoin projects include Bitkey (self-custody hardware), Proto (bitcoin mining products/services) and Spiral (open-source bitcoin tools). Block capped headcount at 12,000 in 2023 and had under 11,000 employees as of November. Shares have fallen about 14% year-to-date after a larger decline in 2025. The review and potential cuts appear timed ahead of the company’s quarterly results on Feb. 26 — Bloomberg projects adjusted EBITDA of $403m (68¢/share) — suggesting management is seeking cost savings and product consolidation, notably tighter integration between Cash App peer-to-peer payments and merchant services. For crypto traders, the developments highlight potential short-term uncertainty for bitcoin-focused operations at Block and signal management prioritizing efficiency and capital allocation ahead of earnings.

Bitcoin trades around $70,000 amid elevated volatility and tight correlation with risk assets. Short-term price action is driven by macro sentiment and options microstructure: 30-day correlations to the Nasdaq (0.731) and S&P 500 (0.727) suggest moves track equities, while gamma flip (~$68,692), gamma pin at $70,000, a put wall at $65,000 and call wall at $75,000 highlight key technical levels. Upcoming gamma expiries on Feb 13, Feb 27 and Mar 27 could amplify volatility. Market sentiment is split: bulls defend the 200-week EMA (~$65k–$68k), moderate bears expect $40k–$49k accumulation, while extreme bears project $29k–$37k. ETF outflows have added near-term downside pressure. Long-term valuation models (power-law and mean-reversion) show Bitcoin ~43.7% below trend (trend value ~$122,915) with a z-score of -0.82, projecting mean-reversion targets near $111,751 by June 2026, $142,452 by October 2026 and $166,516 by March 2027. For traders, the report implies macro events and options expiries will dominate short-term moves, while long-term models signal significant upside if market reverts to trend.

Ether (ETH) slipped below $2,050, trading around $2,020 after a weekly candlestick that ranged roughly $2,391–$1,739 and marked a weekly decline of about 10.8%. Technical snapshots from Crypto Rover highlighted price sliding into a lower brown support band just under $2,000 and identified deeper demand near $1,383 and the low-$1,000s. Fibonacci resistance levels sit overhead (0.65 ≈ $2,633; 0.618 ≈ $2,748; 0.382 ≈ $3,591), suggesting multiple resistance layers should price recover. On the four‑hour chart, ETH failed to reclaim prior support now acting as resistance in the low-$2,100s, with a descending trendline capping rebounds. Short-term moving averages rolled over above price, Bollinger Bands expanded during selling, and volume spiked on the selloff then eased during rebound attempts. Crypto Rover urged patience, noting ETH is "not in the perfect buying zone (yet)." Key takeaways for traders: ETH is in a short-term downtrend with critical support zones near $2,000, $1,383 and the low $1,000s; overhead Fibonacci and a falling trendline create resistance in the $2,600–$3,600 range; expect increased volatility and watch volume and moving averages for confirmation of a reversal or continuation.

Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley told CNBC that Bitcoin’s recent drop below $70,000 is prompting institutional investors to buy what they previously thought they’d missed. BTC fell to about $69,635 and has declined roughly 22.6% over the past 30 days; at a later update it traded near $71,170 with a 24‑hour gain of ~3.25%. Bitwise, which manages over $15 billion, recorded a roughly $100 million inflow on a day when BTC traded near $77,000. BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF also saw large flows, with $231.6 million reported on Friday after earlier outflows. Market signals cited include an RSI near ~34.5 (approaching oversold), strong ETF-driven institutional demand, elevated retail interest (Google Trends 12‑month high for “Bitcoin”), and notable whale activity — a reported 5,000 BTC (~$351m) deposit to Binance. Traders and analysts note BTC’s recent correlation with other liquid macro assets and gold as it declines, describing the move as part of a broader liquid-asset sell-off rather than idiosyncratic weakness. Key technical levels mentioned: supports at ~$62,910 and ~$70,580; resistances at ~$72,115 and ~$75,469. The update highlights that ETFs may continue to channel institutional flows into BTC even amid macro-linked volatility. This summary is informational and not investment advice.

QIE’s token currently trades across multiple blockchains — native QIE mainnet, Ethereum (wQIE on Uniswap) and BNB Chain (wQIE on PancakeSwap) — with persistent double-digit price discrepancies between decentralized exchanges. Traders are executing rapid multichain arbitrage: buy on the cheaper DEX, bridge assets via the official QIE Bridge, and sell on a higher-priced market, locking in typical spreads of 10–25% within minutes. Even stablecoins (wUSDT, wUSDC, native QUSDC) show pricing gaps across QIEDex, Uniswap, PancakeSwap and CEX references, creating repeatable arbitrage loops attractive to bots and active traders. Liquidity providers on QIEDex benefit from elevated swap volume and fees (0.3% per swap), producing strong early APYs. QIE plans further expansion to Solana (Raydium) and Cosmos (Osmosis), which could expand arbitrage corridors and attract institutional/HFT participation. Risks include narrowing spreads as liquidity equalizes and increased on-chain fees or bridge congestion. Key actions for traders: monitor cross-chain prices, assess bridge and gas costs, use reliable bridges and contracts (official bridge and wQIE addresses), and consider LP positions to earn fees during this early multichain phase.

Entrepreneur and investor Patrick Bet-David disclosed that he purchased XRP and Bitcoin during recent cryptocurrency price pullbacks, citing a long-term investment strategy and staggered buying across price levels. His purchases come amid a broader market decline in which major digital assets have lost substantial value and shown increased volatility. Bet-David emphasized disciplined, long-term focus over short-term trading and suggested that market fear prevents some investors from seizing opportunities. The article notes renewed debate about cryptocurrencies’ behavior during economic stress, observing that digital assets have increasingly correlated with traditional markets as institutional interest grows. No specific purchase amounts or prices were disclosed. Primary keywords: Patrick Bet-David, XRP, Bitcoin, crypto pullback, long-term investment.

OKX transferred 20,841,045,129 SHIB (≈$132,130) from its hot wallet into cold storage on Feb. 7, according to on-chain tracker Arkham. The large removal coincided with a rapid 22% weekend rally in Shiba Inu (SHIB), which reclaimed $0.0000062 amid broader market fear. The move took roughly $132k worth of SHIB offline from OKX order books and occurred during SHIB testing price levels not seen since early 2023. Analysts and traders are debating whether the transfer signals exchange reserve management, order-book restructuring, plunge-protection, or a supply adjustment that could support price recovery. While most meme coins experienced outflows in the same period, SHIB was locked away — a pattern sometimes associated with long-term holding and reduced circulating supply. Key data points: 20.84 billion SHIB moved, ~$132,130 value, 22% price jump, price reclaim at $0.0000062. Traders should watch OKX order-book depth, withdrawal/cold-storage patterns, and on-chain flows for confirmation; the event may have short-term bullish implications if it reduces available sell-side liquidity, but broader market fear could limit sustained gains.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 50,115 on Feb. 8, 2026, rising 2.5% (over 1,200 points intraday) to surpass 50,000 for the first time in its history. The S&P 500 rose 2% and the Nasdaq Composite gained 2.2%, signaling broad market strength. The rally followed University of Michigan data showing one‑year inflation expectations at their lowest since January 2025, which eased investor concerns about persistent inflation. Market breadth widened as investors rotated back into cyclical and industrial names after a recent AI-driven sell-off in growth stocks. Nvidia led Dow gains with a ~7% jump; Caterpillar surged 7.1% (largest single boost), contributing to the Dow’s broadening leadership. Other contributors included 3M, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Walmart and Walt Disney. The Dow has climbed rapidly in recent years — from 40,000 to 50,000 in 630 days — and stands up 4.3% year‑to‑date, outperforming the S&P 500 and Nasdaq so far in 2026. Analysts attribute the move to easing inflation expectations, stronger corporate earnings and renewed risk appetite. Key takeaways for traders: inflation data can spark swift cross‑market rotations; leadership expansion into industrials and financials may shift sector risk profiles; large‑cap tech remains market‑sensitive (AI narrative) and can drive volatility.

Crypto analyst Jake Claver drew attention after reiterating a prior prediction that XRP would decline — a call that provoked heavy online reaction when first made and appears to be unfolding now as XRP falls to 2024 lows. The move followed increased discussion tying XRP’s price action to U.S. regulatory progress: the Senate Agriculture Committee voted 12–11 to advance a crypto market-structure bill closely aligned with the House-passed CLARITY Act, clarifying the CFTC’s authority over digital assets. Traders view the committee vote as a positive step toward regulatory clarity, which could encourage institutional participation and later bullish momentum for XRP. Analysts characterize the recent price movement as a short-term adjustment linked to regulatory uncertainty; some see the pullback as an accumulation opportunity ahead of potential gains if the CLARITY-style legislation is reconciled and approved. Disclaimer: not financial advice.

Former BitMEX CEO Arthur Hayes executed large on‑chain transfers involving ENA, ETHFI and PENDLE, according to Lookonchain. Initial reporting noted roughly $1.42m moved into those tokens; later on‑chain data for Feb 8, 2026 updated the totals to about 8.57M ENA (~$1.06m), 2.04M ETHFI (~$954k) and 950k PENDLE (~$1.14m), an aggregate near $3.15m. Analysts and trackers flagged the transfers as probable sell-side flows, continuing a pattern: Hayes previously made significant disposals in Aug, Nov and Dec 2025 across ETH and DeFi tokens and has sometimes re-entered positions later. For traders: primary tokens affected are ENA, ETHFI and PENDLE; monitor on‑chain flows, exchange inflows, order books and short interest for signs of increased selling pressure; use measured position sizing and risk management if following the activity. This development may add short‑term downward pressure on the mentioned DeFi tokens but should be treated as an informational data point, not trading advice.

Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) holds 713,502 BTC (≈ $59.75 billion) as of Feb 1, 2026, with a total cost basis of $54.26 billion and an average purchase price of $76,052 per BTC. With Bitcoin trading near $60,000, Strategy’s treasury is underwater. In 2025 the firm reported a full-year BTC yield of 22.8% and net BTC gains of 101,873. The company added 41,002 BTC in January 2026. Strategy raised $25.3 billion in 2025 to support its BTC holdings and preferred stock offerings and maintains a $2.25 billion USD Reserve covering over 2.5 years of preferred dividends and interest. Q4 operating loss widened to $17.4 billion — driven entirely by unrealized digital asset losses — versus a $1.0 billion operating loss in Q4 2024 under the previous accounting model; net loss for the quarter was $12.4 billion, up from $670.8 million a year earlier. The company’s pivot to Bitcoin since 2020 and rebranding to Strategy made BTC central to its balance sheet and capital instruments (including STRC). Critics and index providers have questioned whether heavy BTC holdings should affect index inclusion; Strategy has failed S&P 500 inclusion attempts in 2025. Concerns persist that further BTC price declines could strain access to capital and amplify financial stress for large corporate holders.

Ethereum (ETH) appears set for a technical rebound after forming an inverted head-and-shoulders (H&S) pattern and a weekly hammer candle. ETH traded near $2,080 after falling to $1,738 recently, more than 60% below its ATH. On-chain data show strong staking demand: the entry queue hit a record ~4.06 million ETH while only ~31,915 ETH await exit, implying a ~70-day wait to stake. Network activity has surged post-Fusaka upgrade — active addresses (+38% in 30 days to >15M), transactions (+37% to >70M) and fees (~$20M). Ethereum retains dominant positions in several sectors, e.g., >70% market share in real-world asset tokenization. Technicals: weekly RSI sits near oversold (around 30); the inverted H&S appears complete with a formed right shoulder and hammer candle, suggesting a potential bounce toward psychological resistance near $2,500. A break below the hammer’s lower shadow would invalidate the bullish setup. Key trading signals: strong on-chain staking demand, rising activity metrics, bullish reversal pattern (inverted H&S + hammer), and clear invalidation level below the hammer. Primary keywords: Ethereum price, ETH staking queue, inverted head-and-shoulders, ETH technicals.

Revolut’s rapid growth — 65 million users by Sept 2025 and a target of 100 million by mid-2027 — has narrowed the window for European-scale fintech challengers. The article argues that competing directly with Revolut is impractical, but Europe’s regulatory shift (Markets in Crypto-Assets, MiCA), cheaper engineering talent, rising stablecoin use, and returning venture capital create a defensible opportunity: build crypto-finance champions instead. MiCA provides clearer compliance frameworks, raising trust internationally and turning licenses into tangible balance-sheet value. Europe’s lower hiring costs and available skilled staff (including ex-Revolut engineers) improve unit economics. Funding recovered in 2025, with year-to-date fintech funding ~€6.3bn by September, and a portion flowing into crypto as institutionalization increases. The author expects 2026 to be a year of stablecoin rails and broader bank pilots for euro-denominated stablecoins, while noting remaining gaps in compliance, taxation, and crypto-specific regulatory guidance. Recommendation to founders: avoid head-on fintech competition with Revolut and pursue crypto-finance products (stablecoins, crypto remittance, regulated services) that can scale pan-Europe and globally.

XRP is testing a critical support at $1.41, which corresponds to the 200-week moving average on the weekly chart. After a sharp pullback from the $3.3–$3.6 distribution zone, XRP fell roughly 30% in one week and is attempting to stabilize around this long-term mean. A weekly close above $1.41 would preserve the bullish super-cycle thesis and cast the recent decline as a healthy correction; a weekly close below it risks invalidating the rising trend and could trigger a deeper correction toward the next demand zones at or below $1.00. Institutional interest continues—weekly ETF inflows were reported at $45 million—and Ripple’s ongoing political visibility (including executive engagement with the White House) and sector developments keep fundamentals under watch. Technically, rallies that fail to reach $2 are treated as reactive; stronger resistance levels lie near $2.4 and $3. Traders should watch weekly closes around $1.41, ETF flow data, and macro news for cues on short-term volatility and longer-term trend direction.

Shiba Inu (SHIB) surged about 23% within hours after a period of heavy selling pressure and thin liquidity. The rebound followed days and weeks of a downtrend, with SHIB trading below major moving averages and indicators showing oversold conditions. On-chain and exchange-flow data show high exchange reserves remain, indicating available supply for sale and suggesting the rally was driven by technical short-covering and limited liquidity rather than a strong fundamental catalyst. Panic-selling appears to be easing, allowing for technical bounces, but SHIB still needs to overcome key resistance levels and move above medium-term moving averages for a sustainable recovery. Expect continued volatility: short-term gains possible if market sentiment stabilizes and risk-on flows return, but sporadic sell pressure could keep the recovery uneven.

Crypto presales remain a prominent early-investment avenue in 2026, offering discounted token access before exchange listings but carrying elevated risk. The article highlights four presales drawing attention: Bitcoin Hyper (HYPER) — a Bitcoin layer‑2 scaling project on Solana with over $30M raised; Dogeball (DOGEBALL) — an Ethereum-based meme/GameFi title with high volatility; SpyDoge (SPYD) — a meme token on BSC/Ethereum featuring staking and NFTs and early fundraising above $1M; and IPO Genie — an Ethereum DeFi project focused on tokenized fundraising. Key evaluation criteria for traders include team transparency, tokenomics (supply, vesting, liquidity locks), clear utility and demand drivers, and security/compliance checks such as audits and KYC. Primary risks cited are sharp post-listing price swings, low liquidity, execution failure, and scams/rug pulls. The guide recommends limiting exposure to a defined risk budget, prioritizing projects with transparent teams, sustainable tokenomics and real utility, and conducting independent due diligence before participating in presales.

Bithumb, a major South Korean crypto exchange, mistakenly credited roughly 2,000 BTC per eligible account during a February 6 promotional reward due to a technical glitch (not a hack). The error briefly created an erroneous allocation affecting many accounts and caused sharp intraday price swings as some recipients sold excess BTC. The exchange restricted affected accounts within minutes and stabilized trading. Bithumb said it recovered 99.7% of the excess Bitcoin the same day; the remaining ~0.3% (about 1,788 BTC) had been sold and was covered using company funds. Compensation measures include a 20,000 KRW (~$15) credit for active users, full reimbursement plus an extra 10% for traders who sold BTC at disadvantageous prices, and a seven-day waiver of trading fees across markets starting February 9. Bithumb also stated its asset holdings meet or exceed user deposits and emphasized the incident was an operational error, not a security breach. The event highlights operational risk at centralized exchanges and may influence trader confidence and short-term volatility in Bitcoin markets.

Block Inc. is notifying employees that up to 10% of its roughly 11,000 workforce may be cut as part of a 2024 restructuring to better integrate Cash App with Square merchant services, scale its Bitcoin mining arm Proto, and accelerate AI project Goose. The restructuring aims to improve operating efficiency and align product lines ahead of the company’s Q4 earnings report on Feb. 26, where analysts expect $403M adjusted profit on $6.25B revenue. The announcement comes as Bitcoin (BTC) has spiked — rising roughly 15% over a 15-hour window and trading around $70,900 — supported by institutional flows (including a reported 5,000 BTC deposit) and merchant-focused product rollouts such as Square’s Bitcoin payment option. Block holds about 8,780 BTC (~$622M) on its balance sheet and reported sizable prior Bitcoin-related revenue; the company’s stock rose about 5% on the news. Short-term BTC technicals are mixed: price momentum shows a downtrend with RSI near ~34.5, key supports near $70,580 and $62,910, and resistance around $72,115. For traders, primary takeaways are the potential for increased BTC demand from Block’s product integration and corporate holdings, possible volatility around Block’s earnings and restructuring announcements, and the need to watch institutional transfers and merchant adoption developments that could sustain BTC inflows. Key keywords: Block layoffs, Cash App integration, Bitcoin (BTC) holdings, Proto mining, Goose AI, BTC rally, job cuts.

Analysts are comparing Mutuum Finance (MUTM) to early-stage Solana (SOL), citing steady product development, real utility and presale momentum. Mutuum Finance is building a non-custodial decentralized lending and borrowing hub with a dual-market structure (shared liquidity pools and peer lending) and a yield-bearing mtToken for lenders. The project has raised over $20.4 million, gathered more than 19,000 holders, and is in Phase 7 of its presale at $0.04 (launch price slated at $0.06). Mutuum’s V1 is live on Sepolia testnet; roadmap items include an over-collateralized native stablecoin and Chainlink oracles, with mainnet targeted in late 2026. Analysts contrast Mutuum’s unpriced utility and higher upside potential with Solana’s large market cap (~$70bn) and more limited forward return potential. Presale mechanics show rapid token distribution (840M+ tokens distributed), whale participation, and incentive programs (24-hour leaderboard bonuses). The article is a press release; readers should conduct due diligence.

The European Commission on 6 February 2026 announced its 20th sanctions package against Russia, expanding measures into digital finance and tightening controls on crypto-linked sanctions evasion. Key actions include potential bans on use of the digital ruble (CBDC) within the EU and new restrictions on cryptocurrency platforms, traders and service providers who allegedly help Russia circumvent sanctions. The package reiterates and is expected to broaden earlier rules that limited crypto services to Russian citizens, barred Russian ownership or control of custody providers, sanctioned specific crypto firms, and imposed reporting obligations for large transfers. Non-crypto measures were also expanded: a full ban on maritime services for Russian crude; sanctions on an additional ~43 vessels—bringing the so-called shadow fleet near 640 vessels; export bans on goods and services to Russia worth over €360 million (including rubber, tractors and cybersecurity services); import bans on Russian metals, chemicals and minerals worth over €570 million; and financial measures targeting 20 regional Russian banks and third-country institutions suspected of facilitating evasion. The package activated an Anti‑Circumvention Tool focused on third countries in Central Asia and the Middle East, and added export controls on industrial inputs and electronics used in military production. Implications for crypto traders: enforcement could further restrict centralized on‑ramps and custodial services for Russian-linked users and entities, increasing compliance risk for exchanges and counterparties. Analysts warn past sanctions on centralized platforms pushed users toward P2P, OTC and DeFi channels; effectiveness will depend on cross-border enforcement and the ability to police decentralized protocols. Traders should monitor regulatory guidance, exchange policy updates, on‑chain flows (P2P and bridge activity), and any listings of sanctioned entities that could affect liquidity or lead to delistings and frozen funds.

Solana (SOL) showed renewed weakness against Bitcoin and the US dollar after technical charts signaled bearish breaks on multiple timeframes. The SOL/BTC pair closed the month around 0.00125 BTC, trading between ~0.00112–0.00135 BTC on Binance, and finished below a key monthly support/resistance area near 0.00144 BTC. Analysts flagged two downside targets at ~0.00101 BTC and a deeper zone near ~0.00060 BTC if selling continues. On USD charts, SOL broke a long-term weekly neckline from a multi-year head-and-shoulders pattern. The weekly breakdown pushed price below a gray support band in the low hundreds of dollars, with the chart showing SOL near $79 and printing a lower wick that indicates buyer reaction but not a full recovery. A weekly close back above the neckline (and a monthly reclaim of 0.00144 BTC on SOL/BTC) would reduce immediate bearish pressure. Key implications for traders: bearish technical structure on both BTC-relative and USD charts, clear short-term support targets (0.00101 BTC, 0.00060 BTC; ~low hundreds and lower $100s in USD), and critical reclaim levels to watch (0.00144 BTC monthly close; weekly reclaim of the neckline).

The CFTC updated Staff Letter 25-40 on Feb. 6 to explicitly allow payment stablecoins issued by national trust banks to be accepted as margin collateral by CFTC-registered futures commission merchants (FCMs). This reissue expands the Dec. 8 no-action position, which permitted FCMs to accept non‑security digital assets (including payment stablecoins) but had referenced only state-regulated money transmitters and trust companies as issuers. Chair Michael S. Selig framed the change alongside the GENIUS Act and broader federal policy to foster payment stablecoin innovation under federal oversight. The clarification reduces issuer ambiguity for bank-issued stablecoins, aligns CFTC guidance with recent banking charters and legislative trends, and follows a pattern of crypto firms pursuing national bank charters (examples: Anchorage Digital, Coinbase, Circle, Ripple, BitGo). For traders, the ruling may increase liquidity and on/off-ramp flows for bank-issued stablecoins, broaden approved margin collateral options for FCMs, and encourage institutional adoption of nationally chartered stablecoins — potentially shifting stablecoin flows toward national issuers. Primary keywords: CFTC, payment stablecoin, national trust bank. Secondary keywords: margin collateral, FCM, national bank charter, stablecoin regulation.