Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said the company is actively engaging with U.S. policymakers, banks and industry peers to shape a market structure framework that advances the President’s crypto priorities while addressing banking sector concerns. Coinbase attended two White House meetings as debate around the GENIUS Act resurfaces; Armstrong warned that re‑litigation of the law creates regulatory uncertainty that can affect customers. He emphasized preserving consumer rewards and argued for a balanced approach that supports innovation and financial stability. Armstrong described talks as constructive and said Coinbase aims for a “win‑win‑win” outcome between the White House, banks and crypto firms. Primary keywords: Coinbase, crypto market structure, GENIUS Act, regulatory clarity.

Ripple’s XRP has rallied to about $1.40 after the Feb. 6 crash and analysts are largely bullish, citing potential legislative catalysts (the Clarity Act) and technical signs such as reduced Binance reserves. Several analysts flagged $1.3820 as a key support level and suggested institutional demand could accelerate once regulatory clarity arrives. Cardano’s ADA also rose ~3% on the week but large holders dumped nearly 200 million ADA (≈$50 million) over seven days, increasing circulating supply and raising short-term downside risk despite some analysts pointing to a historical demand zone near $0.26 as a potential bounce area. Bitcoin fell to roughly $60,000 last week (lowest since Oct 2024) and trades near $67,000; market watchers flagged an 8,200 BTC deposit to Binance by an anonymous whale that preceded price weakness, and Lookonchain and Alphractal metrics (including a negative long-term Realized Cap Impulse) suggest a higher chance of renewed downside or extended correction. Key data points: XRP ~ $1.40, ADA sell-off ~200M tokens (~$50M), BTC low ~ $60k and current ~ $67k, 8,200 BTC whale deposit. Primary implications for traders: monitor XRP support $1.3820 and institutional/regulatory developments for breakout risk; watch ADA whale activity and on‑chain supply for further selling pressure or a bounce around $0.26; for BTC, track large exchange inflows and realized-cap metrics as potential early warning of further declines.

Exchanges have seen roughly 330,000 ETH (about $660 million) withdrawn since Feb 11, signalling accumulation by long-term holders and smart money. The Ethereum validator deposit queue reached a record ~4.1 million ETH with a 71-day wait, reinforcing staking conviction. Despite these on-chain bullish signals, market structure remains weak: 30-day moving average net flows into spot ETFs for BTC and ETH have been negative for three months and open interest has fallen, per Glassnode. Funding rates for ETH have been deeply negative recently — the most extreme short-bias since August 2024, according to Santiment — indicating dominant bearish positioning and potential for a short squeeze if sentiment shifts. Digital asset treasuries largely held steady; Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) was the only public buyer adding ~820k ETH since mid-November (180k in the past 30 days). Overall: exchange outflows and validator queues point to long-term conviction, but negative ETF flows, falling OI, and deep negative funding suggest selling pressure may not be exhausted; traders should be cautious as further downside or volatile squeezes remain possible.

USD/CAD has traded in a narrow 1.3400–1.3600 range for six weeks as of March 2025, driven by converging technical indicators and balanced fundamentals. Rabobank highlights escalating tariff risks between the US and Canada—particularly over USMCA rules of origin, steel/aluminum Section 232 adjustments, and potential lumber retaliation—as primary catalysts that could disrupt the range. Key technicals: support ~1.3400, resistance ~1.3600, 50- and 200-day moving averages converged, RSI ~40–60, and tightly contracted Bollinger Bands signaling potential volatility ahead. Fundamentals supporting the range include synchronized Fed and Bank of Canada policy stances, narrowing inflation differentials, improved Canadian current account helped by stable energy exports (Canada ~4.9m bpd in 2024), and balanced institutional positioning (speculative USD longs modest, COT shows muted extremes). Rabobank’s baseline fair value is ~1.3500; scenario targets include 1.4000 on tariff escalation, 1.3200 on trade resolution, and upside from external risk aversion or policy divergence. Traders should monitor 1.3400/1.3600 breaks, tariff negotiation developments, commodity/energy prices, and central bank communication. Primary keywords: USD/CAD, tariff risks, forex trading, technical levels, energy exports. Secondary/semantic keywords included: USMCA, Section 232, moving averages, RSI, Bollinger Bands, COT positioning. This concise outlook is intended for traders assessing short-term breakout risk and directional bias amid geopolitical trade uncertainty.

Flare Labs CEO Hugo Philion says Flare is evolving the XRP Ledger (XRPL) from a payments-focused network into a leading tokenization and institutional DeFi platform. Philion highlighted Flare’s FAssets system and the FXRP wrapped-XRP token as the primary bridge that lets XRP holders lock XRP on XRPL and mint FXRP on Flare’s EVM-compatible Layer 1, enabling yield, lending, trading and cross-chain flows without selling XRP. Since FXRP’s September 2025 launch, the token now represents 97.1 million XRP and Firelight — Flare’s liquid-staking protocol — has $40 million staked. Philion set an adoption target of 5 billion XRP represented as FXRP by mid-2026 (about 8.2% of circulating supply). Flare positions XRPL as the asset issuance layer and itself as the compute/privacy layer, citing privacy tools, confidential compute and institutional custody partnerships (notably Hex Trust) to attract large clients. The article notes XRPL hosts over $1 billion in tokenized commodities and ranks fourth for RWA representation. These developments aim to increase institutional access to XRP-based DeFi while keeping settlement on XRPL.

The American Bankers Association (ABA) asked the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) on February 11, 2026 to slow approvals of national bank charters for crypto-focused firms. The ABA cited concerns about custody controls, liquidity safeguards, consumer protections and operational resilience, arguing regulators need more time to evaluate safety standards as blockchain firms move toward core banking functions. The letter frames the request as prudential oversight but also highlights competitive tension: faster settlement, lower costs, and programmable finance threaten traditional banks’ revenue models. The timing coincides with momentum for Ripple and the XRP Ledger — including RLUSD integration and Binance-connected exchange infrastructure — which increase tokenized dollar settlement accessibility. The dispute raises broader strategic stakes about whether the U.S. will integrate blockchain firms into its banking core or see innovation migrate to more receptive jurisdictions. The article notes this is a regulatory timing battle with implications for liquidity, market structure and which institutions will lead global finance. Disclaimer: this is informational and not financial advice.

ING analysts find the Norwegian krone (NOK) showing resilience against major currencies thanks to Norway’s sovereign wealth fund (~$1.6T) and energy exports, but warn of marked vulnerability if consumer price index (CPI) data softens. ING highlights a weakening oil–NOK correlation and growing sensitivity to domestic inflation readings and Norges Bank policy expectations. Recent CPI moderation could lower anticipated rate paths, pressuring NOK—especially NOK/EUR and NOK/USD pairs. Key structural factors: ~20% GDP from petroleum, large Government Pension Fund Global buffer, high household debt (debt-to-income >240%), and a small open economy exposed to trade and capital flows. Traders should monitor CPI releases, Norges Bank communications, European economic indicators, employment/PMI/retail data, and energy developments. ING recommends updating models beyond commodity correlations, tightening position sizing around CPI prints, stress-testing for CPI outcomes, and preparing hedges for correlation breakdowns. The report concludes that while NOK is currently durable, inflation surprises (softer CPI) are the primary tail risk that could drive depreciation through 2025.

This guide ranks nine Telegram-based crypto trading bots traders should watch in February 2026, focusing on speed, automation, multi-chain support and key trading features. Top picks: BONKbot (Solana-focused, $5B+ volume, auto-buy, P&L tracking), Cornix (customizable automation, $25/mo premium), Shuriken (multi-chain, copy trading, sniper, web app), BullX (multi-chain, MEV protection, 0.9% fees), GMGN (Solana copy trading, sniper), SolTradingBot (DEX sniping on Jupiter/Orca/Radium, $1.8B volume, 1% fee, some zero-commission tokens), Fluxbot (Solana Foundation-backed, limit orders, lending/borrowing), Banana Gun (fast sniping across EVM & Solana, $3.3B volume, 1% snipe fee), and CryptoHopper (cloud-based, easy templates, 50+ exchanges, $19/mo pro). The article highlights each bot’s strengths—sniping, copy trading, multi-wallets, limit/stop-loss, security measures and fee structures—while noting trade-offs such as learning curves, limited multi-chain reach, waitlists or API risks. Final advice: bots accelerates execution and accessibility but are not one-size-fits-all; traders must evaluate security, fees, supported chains and how automation aligns with their strategy before committing.

Goldman Sachs general counsel Kathy Ruemmler will step down on June 30 after Justice Department documents revealed private communications and gifts from Jeffrey Epstein. The disclosures include emails about job requests, forwarded messages about a personal affair, and luxury gifts such as a Hermès handbag, Apple devices, spa treatments and travel. Ruemmler, a former White House Counsel under Barack Obama, said media attention had become a distraction and that she regretted knowing Epstein. CEO David Solomon accepted her resignation and praised her service; the bank has not named a successor or interim legal lead. Market reaction was immediate: Goldman shares fell about 4.2% in pre-market trading (a 40-point drop from a $944 close) as broader US indexes also declined; the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell sharply. Inside the firm, some current and former executives criticized Solomon’s handling of the situation and expressed reputational concerns. The episode follows other high-profile resignations linked to the Epstein document releases, increasing scrutiny on firms and individuals with prior ties to Epstein. Primary keywords: Goldman Sachs, Kathy Ruemmler, Epstein emails, resignation, shares tumble. Secondary/semantic keywords: reputational risk, legal leadership, market reaction, stock drop, DOJ documents. Relevance for traders: reputational scandals at major financial institutions can trigger immediate equity volatility and broader risk-off moves that often spill into crypto and commodity markets; monitor GS stock, major US indices, and correlated assets for spillover effects.

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has created a 35-member Innovation Advisory Committee (IAC) to advise on blockchain, digital assets, prediction markets, decentralized finance (DeFi) and artificial intelligence in trading. Appointees include major crypto executives — Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev, Kraken Co-CEO Arjun Sethi, Gemini co-founder Tyler Winklevoss, Uniswap’s Hayden Adams, Chainlink’s Sergey Nazarov, Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko, Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek and Polymarket’s Shayne Coplan — alongside leaders from traditional market operators such as Nasdaq, CME, DTCC and the London Stock Exchange. CFTC Chair Mike Selig framed the move as “future-proofing” markets and said the IAC will clarify crypto market structure, assess how decentralized platforms fit under existing law, and examine AI-driven trading risks and standards. The committee follows the agency’s recent policy shifts on event contracts and reflects a pro-innovation regulatory pivot. For traders, the IAC could bring clearer guidance that affects DeFi platforms, tokenization projects, prediction-market products and compliance costs; watch for meeting notes, draft guidance or rule proposals that may influence listing policies, product availability and operational requirements.

Aave Labs submitted the “Aave Will Win” governance proposal to route 100% of revenue from Aave‑branded products (UIs, institutional tools and services) to the Aave DAO treasury. Instead of retaining product income, Aave Labs would request an annual budget from the DAO paid in stablecoins and AAVE to fund development and go‑to‑market efforts. The proposal also calls for creating a separate foundation to hold trademarks, domains and branding assets to resolve IP and brand‑control disputes. Central to the plan is rolling out Aave V4 as the protocol’s core architecture, with a proposed migration from V3 to V4 within eight to twelve months pending DAO approval and subsequent activation and funding votes. Proponents say the model aligns incentives between Aave Labs and token holders, increases governance transparency and simplifies launching new markets. Critics argue the move effectively functions as a large funding request (reported around $50M), risks concentrating influence, and could turn governance into theater if a single party sways votes with token holdings. Some community members ask for extended stress testing before major capital migrations. Traders should watch AAVE governance votes, budget requests, and migration timelines for potential on‑chain activity, token unlocking or treasury spending that may affect AAVE liquidity and price.

NZD/USD has decisively broken below the key 0.6030 support, signaling heightened bearish pressure for the pair. Technical indicators show a 50-day moving average crossing below the 200-day (death cross), RSI under 30 (oversold), and increased volume confirming institutional selling. Immediate resistance forms at 0.6030, with near-term supports at 0.5980 and 0.5925 (61.8% Fibonacci). Fundamental drivers include a clear monetary policy divergence — a hawkish Fed versus a dovish RBNZ — widening US–NZ 10-year yield spread to about 185 basis points, softer commodity prices (notably dairy), and stronger US growth (Q1 2025 GDP 2.8% annualized). Market impacts: systematic selling from trend-following programs, potential retail margin calls on long NZD positions, increased demand for NZD puts, and carry-trade unwinding. Major banks revised forecasts lower (Goldman: 0.5850 by Q3 2025; Morgan Stanley: 0.5950). Key trading implications: monitor 0.5980 and 0.5925 for stabilization or breakdown, watch Fed and RBNZ communications, and track CFTC positioning and options risk reversals for sentiment shifts. Traders should consider risk management for trend-following exposures and be alert for short-term technical rebounds if USD weakness, Chinese stimulus, or relief in commodity prices emerges.

Prediction-market exchange Kalshi has partnered with sports-insurance broker Game Point Capital to offer hedges of professional sports team/player performance bonuses on its exchange. Game Point executed two NBA bonus hedges on Kalshi — a playoff-berth bonus priced at 6% (versus about 12–13% OTC) and a second-round advancement bonus at 2% (versus about 7–8% OTC) — highlighting materially cheaper pricing and tighter price discovery on exchange-based markets. Kalshi says sports markets represent the bulk of its volume and claims deep liquidity (it says it could have handled a $22m Super Bowl trade without major price impact). The collaboration targets products such as performance-bonus insurance, event cancellations and sponsorship guarantees, and Kalshi expects Game Point to route tens of millions in similar hedges in coming months. The deal signals growing institutional use of prediction markets for large hedging flows and potential increases in contract sizes and liquidity on Kalshi. Regulatory risks have intensified since these trades. State regulators in Massachusetts, Nevada and Connecticut have moved to temporarily bar Kalshi’s sports markets as unlicensed sports betting; courts have allowed geofencing orders in Massachusetts. Competing platforms (Polymarket) have filed federal suits challenging state authority. Federal agencies have signaled overlapping interest: the CFTC plans involvement to assert federal jurisdiction in related suits, and the SEC chair has indicated possible supervisory interest over prediction markets. Separately, market-making and institutional liquidity initiatives continue (e.g., Jump Trading taking equity stakes and providing market-making on Kalshi and Polymarket). Traders should note the immediate benefits for hedgers (lower premia, greater transparency) but also rising legal and regulatory uncertainty that could affect market access, geolocation, and liquidity if states or federal agencies impose restrictions.

U.S. inflation data is unlikely to change the Federal Reserve’s near-term rate path, supporting a steady macro backdrop as traders monitor technical setups in crypto markets. Bitcoin (BTC) is trading near $67,000 and consolidating inside a falling wedge after a failed breakout around $68,000. Analysts warn a downside breach could target sub-$64,000 closes and potentially $56,000, while a breakout above resistance would signal renewed upside momentum. Chainlink (LINK) has slipped to single-digit prices and is compressing into a descending triangle despite positive project news; some traders expect volatility to expand once the structure resolves and foresee LINK market cap reclaiming $10 billion post-consolidation. Recent on-chain and institutional signals include Coinbase adding $39M in BTC (Q4), Indiana proposing pension crypto investments, Senate and SEC officials working on crypto infrastructure legislation, and the CFTC forming an Innovation Advisory Committee. These regulatory and institutional developments point to deeper crypto–traditional finance integration, which could support longer-term adoption even as short-term technical patterns keep volatility high. Key takeaways for traders: watch BTC’s $68,000 resistance and $64,000–$56,000 downside targets; monitor LINK’s triangle support and signs of a volatility expansion; and factor in macro/regulatory headlines that could trigger directional moves.

XAG/USD climbed intraday toward $76.50 on Dec. 13, 2024, gaining about 1.2% but remained on track for a third consecutive weekly decline. Key technical levels: resistance at $76.50 (immediate), $77.80 and $79.00; support at $75.20 and $74.00. The 50-day MA sits near $77.15 and RSI reads 42. Fundamental drivers include firmer Fed rate expectations, a strong US dollar (DXY > 104), and higher real yields—factors that pressured precious metals this week. Industrial demand is mixed: strong photovoltaic (solar) growth vs. weaker electronics fabrication; ETFs added ~42 tonnes while COMEX managed-money positions turned net short. Supply-side constraints—2% drop in primary mine output, multi-year low COMEX/London inventories and an estimated 2024 market deficit of ~140 million ounces—provide structural support. The gold-silver ratio is ~84:1 (above 10-year average of 75:1), suggesting potential silver undervaluation. Seasonal trends historically favor a January recovery. Traders should watch a sustained break above $76.50 for bullish confirmation or a fall below $75.20 to extend downside. Primary keywords: silver price, XAG/USD, resistance, support, Fed policy. Secondary/semantic keywords included: US dollar strength, photovoltaic demand, gold-silver ratio, COMEX, ETFs.

Taurus, a regulated Swiss digital-asset custodian, has formed a strategic partnership with Blockdaemon to deliver integrated, bank‑grade staking services for institutional clients. The collaboration combines Taurus’s custody, compliance, white‑label and client‑facing channels with Blockdaemon’s node management, validator operations and multi‑network staking infrastructure. Key features include support for multiple proof‑of‑stake networks, custody‑linked staking via Taurus‑PROTECT, improved operational resilience, policy oversight and governance controls required by banks, and an end‑to‑end staking stack aimed at asset managers, family offices and financial institutions. The alliance is intended to accelerate institutional adoption of on‑chain staking revenue while mitigating operational and regulatory risks, leveraging Taurus’s regulated custody framework and Blockdaemon’s validator footprint and technical expertise.

Crypto developer and analyst Bird posted a four-hour XRP/USD chart on Coinbase urging XRP holders to “stay patient,” suggesting a breakout and move higher could follow current consolidation. The chart showed XRP trading around $1.36 beneath a descending trendline that began in late January; Bird highlighted a compression zone just below that resistance and projected a potential run toward levels above $2.00 if buying pressure pushes price above the trendline. Community reactions were mixed: some users voiced frustration over prolonged patience calls, others proposed alternate scenarios such as a drop to ~$0.90 before a rapid rise or questioned the strength of current support. The post did not include further analysis from Bird. Key takeaways for traders: XRP is consolidating under descending resistance near $1.36, a decisive breakout above the trendline would be a bullish trigger toward Bird’s above-$2 target, while failure to hold support or lack of buying volume could see further declines to lower support levels. This is commentary, not financial advice.

The official Dogecoin X account highlighted that Dogecoin (DOGE) mints a fixed 5 billion DOGE annually. This steady yearly issuance reduces the inflation rate over time relative to total supply, while providing predictable miner rewards to secure the network. Developers argue the design encourages spending over hoarding and removes the need for token burns; issuance has no hard end date but remains finite over any given period. Current price action: DOGE recovered from a five-day decline, trading around $0.093 (up 0.87% in 24 hours and ~3.4% weekly) after a low of $0.087 on Feb. 11. Analysts note a break above $0.10 could signal weakening bearish momentum toward $0.122 (daily 50 MA), while failure to hold $0.08 risks deeper declines toward $0.06. Key points for traders: fixed annual supply (5B DOGE) lowers inflation rate as supply grows; issuance funds mining and network security; the narrative promotes utility and spending; watch price levels $0.10, $0.122 (resistance), $0.08 and $0.06 (support) for short-term directional cues.

Danske Bank’s January 2026 assessment finds Denmark’s economy off to a solid start, driven by low unemployment (around 4.1%), rising consumer confidence, resilient manufacturing and steady service-sector growth. Projected GDP growth for Q1 2026 is 1.8–2.2%, outperforming several Nordic peers. Sector highlights include pharmaceutical production (+4.2% annual), renewable energy equipment manufacturing (+6.8%), and steady food processing (+2.1%); IT services and sustainable construction also show strong momentum. The bank credits Denmark’s diversified structure, green-transition investments, digital infrastructure and effective labor-market policies for buffering global volatility. Risks flagged include global economic uncertainty, commodity price swings, inflation expectations, housing-market developments and long-term demographic pressures. Danske Bank concludes that current indicators support sustainable growth but recommends monitoring export markets, inflation and climate-related transition risks.

Coinbase reported a $666.7–$667 million net loss for Q4 FY2025 on roughly $1.78–$1.8 billion in revenue, its first quarterly loss in about two years as crypto trading activity cooled. Transaction (spot) revenue fell sharply year-over-year (to about $983M in one report and $734M consumer transaction revenue in another), driven by lower consumer volumes (consumer volume down ~6% to $56B) and softer institutional spot volumes, though institutional revenue rose on derivatives activity following the Deribit acquisition. Management attributed part of the loss to token price declines (~$718M) and $395M in strategic investment write-downs. Early Q1 trends remained weak: Coinbase generated roughly $420M in transaction revenue through Feb. 10. Subscription and services (higher-margin) revenue, including record stablecoin-related income tied to USDC, provided some offset — stablecoin revenue reached a record near 19% of total revenue, with Coinbase holding about $17.8B on-platform USDC and earning fees on ~$58.4B off-platform balances. Product and policy moves included curtailing USDC rewards for most users and reserving incentives for Coinbase One subscribers (approaching 1M members). Expenses rose (~$1.5B) as headcount increased to ~4,951. Operational and governance issues weighed on sentiment: platform outages during market stress, roughly 9,200 CFPB complaints, heavy insider selling with no insider buys, and management restricting live analyst Q&A — a change that coincided with disclosures that Jeffrey Epstein had been an early investor. Regulatory and legal activity continued (procedural FDIC settlement over FOIA, AML access disputes in Australia). Shares fell sharply on the report (down >8% on the day and ~30–40% YTD across reports). For traders: the results underline heightened downside sensitivity of Coinbase’s stock and spot revenue to market volatility, while stablecoin and subscription revenue partially mitigate earnings volatility but are unlikely to offset sustained weak trading volumes if the market remains soft.

Three masked, armed men attempted two suspected home-invasion robberies targeting the residence of the head of Binance France. According to RTL and PANews, the suspects first entered a Val-de-Marne apartment building, mistakenly entered the wrong room, then reached the executive’s apartment, found it empty, and fled after stealing two mobile phones. The same three then drove to Vaucresson in Hauts-de-Seine and allegedly carried out a second “home-jacking” attempt; a woman was assaulted and questioned about the address. Police tracked the vehicle using mobile-phone location data and CCTV, and arrested the three suspects in Lyon. No indication in the report that the Binance France executive was physically harmed. Authorities recovered evidence linking the suspects to the incidents. The matter is a criminal security incident; PANews notes the report is for market information only and not investment advice.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said inflation could decline to around 2% by mid-2026 and reiterated that U.S. GDP growth for 2025 is very likely to reach about 3%. Her comments focus on macroeconomic outlook rather than policy changes. The brief report noted these projections in the context of broader market monitoring; no new fiscal measures or guidance for monetary policy were announced. The statement is aimed at setting expectations for inflation normalization and continued economic expansion into 2025, which may influence investor and trader sentiment across asset classes.

Crunchbase reported 31 companies reached unicorn status in January — the most in a single month since June 2022 — adding $9.3 billion in funding and $58.5 billion in value to the Unicorn Board. The new cohort includes 23 U.S. firms and companies from Canada, Germany, France, Belgium, Israel, Japan and India. AI and AI infrastructure dominated, contributing nine new unicorns; manufacturing and security (boosted by AI) added three each. Notable large financings included a reported $20 billion raise for Elon Musk’s xAI (valued at an estimated $230 billion) and a $500 million round for AI chip developer Etched.ai (valued at $5 billion). Four new unicorns are under one year old. Exits included Capital One’s $5.2 billion acquisition of nine-year-old fintech Brex, below its 2022 valuation but providing liquidity to early investors; seven companies IPO’d in January, including Chinese foundation-model firms MiniMax and Z.ai. Other sector highlights: GPU and AI-inference marketplaces (PaleBlueDot AI, Cast AI), voice AI (Deepgram), semiconductor and AI chip designers (Ricursive Intelligence, Etched.ai), crypto payments and stablecoin platform Rain ($250M, $2B valuation) and payments network Mesh ($75M, $1B valuation). The report underscores renewed investor appetite for large rounds, rapid AI-driven valuation growth across sectors, and notable activity in crypto payments infrastructure. Primary keywords: unicorns, AI infrastructure, venture funding, crypto payments. Secondary/semantic keywords included: IPOs, M&A, valuations, GPU marketplace, stablecoin. The surge signals elevated capital flow into AI and adjacent sectors, with implications for liquidity and startup valuations.

Commerzbank’s December 2024 commodity analysis highlights a dramatic divergence in 2025 global oil supply forecasts, with institutional views ranging from a contraction of 0.8 million barrels per day (b/d) to an expansion of more than 1.2 million b/d — a span of roughly 2 million b/d (about 2% of global consumption). Key drivers: contested OPEC+ discipline (with Commerzbank warning of gradual erosion and a possible 400–600k b/d production increase despite quotas), uncertain U.S. shale productivity under capital constraints, and variable non‑OPEC growth (Guyana, Brazil, Canada). Persistent geopolitical risks — Strait of Hormuz tensions, Red Sea/ Yemen spillovers, Iran nuclear negotiations, Iraqi instability, and secondary effects from Russia–Ukraine — add a $5–8/ barrel risk premium in Commerzbank’s estimate. The bank shows Brent 2025 scenarios between $65–$95/bbl and notes unusual futures structure: near‑term mild backwardation but unclear longer‑dated curves, indicating market indecision and likely heightened volatility. Recommendations for traders and risk managers: adopt flexible supply/hedge contracts, run multiple scenario plans, and monitor high‑frequency indicators (rig counts, inventories, shipping metrics). Primary SEO keywords: oil supply forecasts, OPEC+, U.S. shale, oil price volatility. Secondary/semantic keywords: Brent crude, geopolitical risk premium, non‑OPEC production, hedging strategy. The analysis signals traders should expect increased price swings and prepare with optional hedges, scenario-based position sizing, and active tracking of supply signals.

Bybit’s joint report with Block Scholes finds crypto derivatives markets at their most extreme bearish positioning since the 2022 FTX collapse following Bitcoin’s Feb 5 flash crash to ~$60,000. Key data: 7‑day BTC implied volatility topped 100%, short-dated BTC and ETH implied volatility hit multi‑year highs, and demand for downside protection surged. Bitcoin has fallen roughly 50% from its October 2025 all‑time high and traded around $66,000 as of Feb 13, 2026. Major altcoins experienced deeper losses—ETH traded below $2,000, SOL plunged more than 70% from recent highs, and large‑cap tokens including ETH, XRP and BNB are down over 60% from peaks. Perpetual funding rates turned decisively negative across many altcoins (example: SOL 7‑day avg funding ≈ -0.04%), indicating shorts are paying premiums to hold bearish positions. Unlike some past crashes, BTC dominance remained relatively stable, implying proportional capital outflows across the market rather than rotation into Bitcoin. Bybit’s analysts — citing “extreme fear” sentiment and concentrated derivatives positioning — warn a sustained near‑term rebound is unlikely. The full Bybit x Block Scholes report includes detailed spot, futures and options analysis and is available for download.

Deutsche Bank warns that a concentrated selloff in large-cap technology and communication services stocks has driven recent S&P 500 weakness, with those sectors accounting for nearly 40% of the index. The bank’s March 15, 2025 report shows the tech sector underperformed the S&P 500 by ~8% month-to-date — the widest gap since late 2023. Analysts attribute the rout to elevated valuations, shifting rate expectations and growing investor uncertainty over AI’s near-term profitability. Deutsche Bank’s multi-factor model highlights a widening gap between AI capital expenditure and realized revenue, especially among firms building foundational AI models. The bank outlines two scenarios: “soft integration” (55% probability) with gradual AI adoption and market recovery, and “disruptive acceleration” with faster adoption causing prolonged volatility. Market reactions include rotation into defensive sectors (utilities, consumer staples, healthcare), higher money-market fund balances, and a modest decline in 10-year Treasury yields. Key trader takeaways: monitor tech relative performance, corporate commentary on AI monetization in earnings calls, and volatility indices; expect continued choppiness with potential sector-specific opportunities as investors reassess high-multiple, AI-exposed names.

The Bank of Russia (CBR) plans to study the feasibility of issuing a Russian fiat-pegged stablecoin in 2026, First Deputy Chairman Vladimir Chistyukhin said at an Alfa-Bank conference. The CBR has historically opposed stablecoins but will reassess risks and prospects, drawing on foreign experience and opening the topic for public discussion. The move follows a broader softening in Russia’s crypto policy since 2025—an experimental regime for crypto transactions, permission for crypto derivatives investment, and a regulatory concept that treats stablecoins and decentralized cryptocurrencies as “monetary assets.” The announcement comes amid Western pressure on third countries facilitating crypto flows for Russia. Regulators are especially focused on the ruble-pegged stablecoin A7A5 (issued via Kyrgyz-registered Old Vector), which reportedly processed over $100 billion in transactions in its first year and has a market cap above $500 million. The EU, US and UK have already sanctioned platforms tied to A7A5, and additional EU measures target Kyrgyz banks suspected of processing crypto transactions for Russian actors. Russia’s Finance Ministry says crypto turnover in Russia has reached about 50 billion rubles (~$650 million) per day, with growing domestic crypto use driven by sanctions and restricted traditional channels. Primary keywords: Russian stablecoin, Bank of Russia, stablecoin regulation. Secondary keywords: ruble-pegged stablecoin, A7A5, crypto sanctions, digital financial asset. This development could lead to licensing and regulated local stablecoin services, impact cross-border payment flows, and influence traders’ risk assessment of ruble-linked crypto instruments.

The XRP Ledger activated the TokenEscrow amendment (XLS-85) at ledger #102204929, extending escrow functionality from XRP to issued tokens and IOUs. TokenEscrow allows issued assets — including stablecoins like RLUSD, meme tokens and tokenized instruments — to be time-locked, condition-locked or coordinated across multiple parties using on-ledger, verifiable conditions. The upgrade removes the need for external custodians or smart contracts for many custodial workflows, enabling automated OTC settlements, vesting schedules and compliance-embedded asset flows directly at protocol level. XRPL contributor Vet described the change as transforming the ledger from a single-asset network into a multitoken “opportunity market” for institutional DeFi. Practical implications highlighted include easier testing and deployment of stablecoins and tokenized treasuries by TradFi players, reduced counterparty/custodian risk, and new infrastructure for automated, compliance-aware settlement. The amendment is presented as foundational infrastructure rather than a consumer feature, positioning XRPL for broader institutional adoption and on-chain stablecoin use.

At Solana Accelerate APAC during Consensus 2026, Byreal co-founder Emily Bao presented the protocol’s 2026 strategic roadmap focused on expanding on‑chain trading infrastructure. Key initiatives include: 1) Automated, AI‑powered LP infrastructure — tools such as AutoSwap for single‑asset entry, AI‑assisted LP strategy engines, automated rebalancing and yield compounding to lower barriers for liquidity providers; 2) Prop AMM — a protocol‑managed automated market maker with dynamic fees tied to order flow quality, intended to improve execution stability and capital efficiency before gradually opening to broader participation; 3) 24/7 perpetual futures for real‑world assets (RWA) — bringing perpetual trading of RWAs and other on‑chain assets on‑chain and integrating prediction‑market data as an on‑chain signal layer. Byreal, incubated by Bybit and launched mid‑2025, has become a prominent DEX on Solana, aiming to serve as infrastructure for “internet capital markets.” The initiatives will roll out across 2026. Primary keywords: Byreal, perpetual trading, AI liquidity provider, Prop AMM, Solana. This roadmap could influence liquidity provision, derivatives availability, and institutional access to tokenized real‑world assets.