Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Dogecoin (DOGE) technical analysis indicates a possible bullish reversal after the meme token tested support near $0.10 and bounced. Analysts including Trader Tardigrade point to the Price Momentum Oscillator (PMO) at levels that historically preceded large rallies (notably a 21,000% surge in 2015–2018 and an 800% move in 2022–2024). Chart patterns cited include an ascending triangle on the 4-hour timeframe and accumulation behavior, while a confirmed MACD bullish crossover on the 4-hour chart suggests rising momentum. Short-term targets mentioned by analysts range from prior pivot highs near $0.13 to longer-term projections above $1, which would surpass DOGE’s all-time high of $0.73. DOGE was trading around $0.109 at the time of reporting. Key keywords: Dogecoin, DOGE price, PMO, MACD, ascending triangle, accumulation, $1 target.

France is exploring legal measures to restrict or regulate virtual private networks (VPNs) to strengthen enforcement of a proposed ban on social media access for users under 15. The move follows draft legislation aimed at protecting children online by requiring stricter age verification and blocking minors from major platforms. Officials argue widespread VPN use could let underage users circumvent the ban, prompting proposals to limit VPN availability, require provider cooperation with age checks, or mandate logging for compliance. The proposals raise privacy and technical concerns: VPNs are commonly used for legitimate privacy, security, and business needs, and mandatory logs or weakened encryption could create security risks and conflict with EU digital privacy norms. Tech companies and privacy advocates warn that restricting VPNs could be technically difficult, lead to overblocking, and face legal challenges. For crypto traders, immediate market impacts are indirect: enforcement could affect on-chain and off-chain privacy tool demand narratives, regulatory risk perceptions in France and EU digital policy, and wider debates on internet sovereignty and surveillance. Key keywords: France VPN restrictions, social media under-15 ban, age verification, online child protection, privacy concerns.

Celo (cLabs) is positioning itself as a consumer-focused payments blockchain by simplifying onboarding and lowering costs. CEO Marek Olszewski highlights three core moves: using phone numbers as account identifiers to reduce UX friction, enabling native payment of gas in stablecoins, and offering transaction fees cheaper than Solana. Celo’s stack targets peer-to-peer payments, neobank builders, on-chain FX and local stablecoins (via the Mento protocol). Products and partners cited include Valora wallet, Minipay (Opera Mini integration) and Euphoria (real-time social trading). Celo reports weekly active user peaks (cited 3.3M) and claims to have overtaken Tron on some usage metrics. The team emphasizes growth in emerging markets, stablecoins as immediate working capital (Argentina example), and last-mile solutions like Minipay’s virtual bank accounts for local rails. Strategic views: Olszewski expects Ethereum to remain the settlement layer, Layer-2 interoperability to improve, and a shift toward on-chain financial services. He stresses civil-resistant, privacy-preserving identity (Self protocol, biometrics, ZK proofs) for mass onboarding. For traders, the news signals product-led user growth, expanding stablecoin use-cases, and increasing on-chain FX volumes — all factors that could boost demand for Celo-linked assets and stablecoin transaction flows while intensifying competition with other payment-focused chains.

Aave founder Stani Kulechov has purchased a £22 million (≈$30 million) mansion in London’s Notting Hill, reported at roughly a £2 million discount to the guide price. The acquisition comes amid an escalating governance dispute between Aave Labs and the Aave DAO after a vote rejected transferring brand ownership to the DAO. Key ecosystem members have publicly criticized Aave Labs for perceived exclusion from decision-making, the handling of a $5 million fee tied to the CoW Swap integration, and proposed reinvestment features for the platform’s v4 app. Kulechov defends Labs’ strategy, positioning the U.K. as a potential crypto hub and arguing that consumer-grade, revenue-generating apps from Labs are essential to the protocol’s future. Aave’s markets currently hold about $50 billion in deposited assets, and the brand continues to produce significant revenue — context that underpins the tensions between on-chain governance and the company’s commercial operations.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin warned that improved scaling on Ethereum’s base layer (L1) — including low fees and planned large gas-limit increases by 2026 — undermines the original role of many Layer-2 networks. He noted slow progress for Layer-2 phase-two developments and argued that expanding secure, full-credibility block space on L1 reduces the need for separate Layer-2 chains. The comments raise uncertainty for Layer-2 tokens (for example ARB, OP, STRK), which already face inflationary pressure and weak market interest. Traders should watch on-chain fee trends, planned L1 gas-limit changes, and adoption metrics for major Layer-2 projects, as Buterin’s stance could worsen sentiment and price action for Layer-2 tokens in both the near and longer term.

LDO (LDO/USDT) trades near $0.42 at a critical decision zone between resistance $0.4255 and support $0.3839. Technicals show a clear short-term downtrend: price below the 20-day EMA (~$0.50), Supertrend bearish, MACD negative, and RSI deeply oversold (~23–28), indicating dominant selling momentum but leaving scope for a short-lived rebound. Volume has moderated (roughly $43–82M 24h across reports) and has declined from higher levels, suggesting weakening conviction behind moves. Bull case: a volume-backed daily close above $0.4255 with RSI positive divergence, MACD moving toward zero and a Supertrend flip would validate a reversal. Targets on sustained bullish confirmation are $0.50, $0.6127 and $0.7541. Bear case: a daily close below $0.3839 would likely accelerate selling toward $0.35 and potentially $0.1359 as a deeper bearish target. Primary near-term support to defend is $0.3841 (multi-timeframe confluence); invalidation for bulls is a break under $0.3839. Correlation: LDO shows high correlation with Bitcoin (~0.8–0.85). Weakness in BTC (key levels noted ~ $72,946 support and $75,567–$77k resistance) increases downside risk for LDO; a BTC break below its support could push LDO below $0.38. Risk/reward skews bearish in the near term (reported deeper downside probability vs upside targets). Trading guidance for traders: limit position size, use tight stops (for longs consider stops below $0.38; for shorts consider stops above $0.4575), watch daily candle closes and volume confirmation, monitor RSI divergence and MACD signals, and prioritize BTC direction. This is analysis-based market commentary and not investment advice.

Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan says the cryptocurrency market has been in a full-scale "crypto winter" since January 2025, driven mainly by excess leverage and large profit-taking by long-term holders. Institutional flows — notably heavy spot-Bitcoin ETF buying and Digital Asset Treasuries (DATs) — purchased roughly 744,000 BTC (~$75bn) during the period, which masked deeper retail-led losses. Without those institutional purchases, Bitwise estimates BTC could have fallen about 60% instead of ~39% from the October 2025 peak; ETH is down roughly 50–53%. Mid- and large-cap assets (BTC/ETH/XRP) saw relatively muted declines (10–20% in Bitwise large-cap measures), while many retail-focused tokens plunged far more (examples: SOL, LTC, LINK down ~37–46%; ADA, AVAX, SUI, DOT down ~62–75%). Historically, crypto winters average around 13 months and typically end through seller exhaustion and sentiment normalization rather than positive news. Bitwise argues the market may be nearer the trough now, helped by structural tailwinds — stronger regulatory clarity, continued Wall Street adoption, growth in stablecoins and tokenization — that could enable a faster recovery once selling pressure eases. For traders: expect continued dispersion between ETF-/institutionally supported assets and retail tokens, a likely gradual reduction in selling pressure, and the possibility of a quiet stabilization before any sustained rally.

The European Union plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Trump administration to create a Strategic Partnership Roadmap for rare earths and critical minerals aimed at reducing dependence on China. The draft, to be finalised within three months, proposes joint US–EU mining and refining projects, coordinated export and pricing rules to prevent market dumping, real-time data sharing, emergency stockpiles and secure direct supply routes between the US and Europe. The White House recently approved a $12 billion US stockpile for rare earths; the EU’s proposal similarly includes stockpiling. Negotiations briefly stalled following tensions over Greenland, prompting language in the draft that stresses respect for territorial sovereignty. Officials are pushing for broader international buy-in and a single pricing framework to prevent Chinese undercutting of Western producers. The deal focuses on industrial security for sectors such as defence, satellites, electronics and batteries and signals urgent action to diversify supply chains away from a single country.

Canada’s self-regulatory investment body, the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO), has published a Digital Asset Custody Framework that takes effect immediately to tighten how crypto trading platforms hold customer assets. Prompted by past failures such as the 2019 QuadrigaCX collapse (about $123 million still missing), the framework establishes a tiered, risk-based custody standard to address hacking, fraud, weak governance and insolvency. CIRO says the guidance was developed with input from trading platforms and custodians and aims to balance innovation with stronger investor protections. The regulator will monitor custody and cyber risks and proactively update expectations if market practices change. The move aligns with Canada’s cautious crypto policy trend — including securities rule application to trading platforms and growing federal attention to stablecoins and broader digital-asset oversight. Key names: CIRO, QuadrigaCX. Primary keywords used: crypto custody, digital asset custody, CIRO.

The US House approved a $1.2 trillion funding package 217–214 that will fund most of the federal government through Sept. 30, following Senate passage. President Donald Trump is expected to sign the bill so long as the Senate text is unchanged, which would end a four-day partial government shutdown. The legislation provides the Department of Homeland Security only two weeks of funding, forcing lawmakers to return to negotiations on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol policies. The brief shutdown (far shorter than the 43-day shutdown in 2025) had some disruptive effects and likely delayed previous efforts to pass digital asset market-structure and other legislation. Bitcoin rose roughly 2% to about $74,620 on the House vote. Further developments are expected as negotiations continue on border enforcement provisions.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is probing whether cryptocurrency platforms — not just individual wallets — enabled Iran to evade Western sanctions, according to TRM Labs’ Ari Redbord. Investigators are shifting focus from isolated wallet activity to service-layer infrastructure such as exchanges, stablecoin corridors, liquidity hubs and payment rails. TRM Labs identified an Iran-linked exchange, Zedcex, which it says processed about $1 billion tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), representing roughly 56% of Zedcex’s volume and peaking at 87% in 2024. Chainalysis and TRM estimate Iran’s crypto transaction volumes reached $8–10 billion in the past year, with Chainalysis attributing about half of Iran’s flows to the IRGC. The U.S. Treasury recently sanctioned U.K.-registered exchanges Zedcex and Zedxion for facilitating IRGC transactions; Treasury said one such exchange processed over $94 billion since 2022. Officials stress sanctions are more effective when they target liquidity and access points rather than single addresses, as service-layer platforms provide repeatable financial access for state-linked actors. The shift in enforcement signals increased scrutiny of exchanges, stablecoin corridors and other crypto infrastructure as sanctioned states increasingly use digital assets at scale.

At the Ondo Summit in New York, senior asset-management executives from Franklin Templeton, Fidelity, State Street and WisdomTree argued that tokenization has moved from theory to practical infrastructure and predicted a ‘wallet-native’ future where digital wallets hold and manage most financial assets. Franklin Templeton’s head of innovation Sandy Kaul said the “totality” of people’s assets will be represented in tokenized wallets. Panelists agreed the technology is ready; the main hurdles are building real-world utility, trust and investor education. Fidelity’s Cynthia Lo Bessette said token representation is easy but ecosystem utility is hardest. State Street’s Kim Hochfeld highlighted tokenized funds’ potential to improve liquidity and collateral management, citing the 2022 UK mini‑budget liquidity stress as an example where tokenized assets could provide instant collateral. WisdomTree’s Will Peck noted growing interest from crypto-native firms and compared tokenized products to early ETFs — adoption follows when products demonstrably work better. Panelists also pointed to emerging “universal liquidity layers” on blockchain rails enabling seamless, global access and more personalized portfolios. Key takeaways for traders: tokenization’s infrastructure maturity increases the long-term case for on‑chain liquidity and collateral markets; near-term adoption remains gradual and dependent on regulatory clarity, institutional education, and demonstrable utility.

Ethereum co‑founder Vitalik Buterin sold 211.84 ETH (~$500,000) and transferred the proceeds to the Kanro Fund, a charity he founded. Shortly after the sale and a public post in which he criticised the long‑standing "rollup‑centric" Layer‑2 (L2) scaling narrative, Ether (ETH) declined roughly 7–10% in a 24‑hour window, trading near $2,117 and seeing a 31% drop in 24‑hour volume — a sign of low‑liquidity volatility. Buterin urged reframing L2s as a spectrum of solutions offering differentiated value (privacy VMs, application‑specific efficiency, ultra‑high throughput, low‑latency sequencing, non‑financial use cases) rather than solely pure scaling. The move has amplified uncertainty for projects and investors building on L2s and coincided with broader macro pressures, though institutional interest in major crypto products such as Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs remains. Key metrics: 211.84 ETH sold; ~$500k moved to Kanro; ETH price ~ $2,117; ~10% intraday decline; 31% lower trading volume. Primary keywords: Ethereum, Ether, Vitalik Buterin, Layer 2, rollups, ETH price.

Documents and reporting show financier Jeffrey Epstein invested in bitcoin infrastructure firm Blockstream and invited its founder, cryptographer Adam Back, to visit his private island. The disclosures come from archived records and contemporaneous accounts linking Epstein to early-stage funding and social introductions within the crypto community. Blockstream, known for bitcoin infrastructure and sidechain work, did not comment beyond standard privacy. The story highlights potential reputational risks for firms and individuals tied—directly or indirectly—to controversial financiers. Key names: Jeffrey Epstein, Adam Back, Blockstream. Primary keywords: Jeffrey Epstein, Blockstream, Adam Back, bitcoin. Secondary/semantic keywords: bitcoin infrastructure, crypto reputation, investor ties, crypto funding.

xAI posted a remote role for a “Finance Expert – Crypto” to help train its next-generation trading-focused AI on blockchain markets and crypto trading. The contractor will prepare and label training data (text, audio, video), review model outputs, provide step-by-step reasoning traces and recorded explanations, and critique AI performance — not execute live trades. Required expertise includes on-chain analytics, DeFi protocols, perpetual futures and derivatives, cross-exchange arbitrage, market microstructure, MEV-aware execution, and 24/7 risk/portfolio management. The U.S. pay range is $45–$100 per hour, with separate international rates. CoinDCX CEO Sumit Gupta noted the hire highlights growing convergence between AI and crypto. The posting and related commentary also raised regulatory concerns, with a UK parliamentary committee warning that AI is propagating through finance faster than rules can keep up. For traders, the vacancy signals more institutional-grade AI development aimed at crypto market strategies and model-driven execution insights — a development that can increase professionalization of algorithmic trading and data-driven signals, though the role appears focused on data labeling and model evaluation rather than deploying live trading systems.

2025 tested crypto markets with sharp geopolitical shocks and wide price swings, but trader behaviour signalled growing maturity. Bitcoin oscillated between roughly $75k and $126k during the year; altcoins saw corrections up to 34%, while Ethereum and Solana fell ~45.3% and ~34.1% respectively. Despite this, trading activity and participation remained strong and stablecoin market cap hit an all-time high of $226.1 billion, with USDC adding $16.1 billion. Traders shifted strategies away from concentrating solely on the “Big Four” (BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP) toward stablecoin CFDs and smaller tokens, prioritising risk management, diversification and execution quality. Brokers with resilient infrastructure and low spreads — cited example: Exness — gained relevance as traders demanded fast execution and precise fills during volatile sessions. Macro risks cited for 2026 include slower global growth, tariff fallout, and the late stage of the post-halving rally; ETF inflows and developments like a digital euro could influence stablecoin dynamics. For traders, the takeaway is to prioritise diversification, disciplined risk controls and broker execution when navigating ongoing volatility.

Bitcoin fell to around $73,000 on Feb 3, 2026, its lowest since early 2025, extending a decline of more than 15% year-to-date and roughly 40% from its October 2025 record high. The sell-off intensified after President Trump’s tariff comments and his nomination of Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair tightened expectations for rate cuts and balance-sheet policy, pressuring risky assets. The drop erased roughly $19 billion in leveraged positions, while Ethereum slid to about $2,100. Key technical levels: immediate resistance at $80,000–$84,000, a critical support cluster near $65,000, and a bullish reversal threshold above $87,551. Gold posted its largest single-day gain since 2008 and silver spiked after recent volatility, underscoring a broader risk-off move. Despite a pro-crypto administration and strong institutional interest, Bitcoin is trading more like a high-risk asset than “digital gold,” increasing short-term volatility and testing major support levels for traders.

Dogecoin (DOGE) dropped about 6.9% — from roughly $0.1085 to $0.1030 — after broader crypto markets weakened and ether fell about 7%. The sell-off was driven by risk-off positioning and heavy derivatives speculation: futures volumes surged while spot trading declined, signaling speculative positioning rather than fresh buy-side demand. Price rejected around $0.110 after a high-volume failed breakout, flipped that zone into resistance, and accelerated lower after breaking $0.106. Traders view $0.10 as immediate support; a break below could open downside toward $0.08, while reclaiming $0.106–$0.110 would be needed to suggest recovery. Macro news (U.S. lawmakers narrowly passing a funding bill) removed a short-term political overhang but didn’t materially restore risk appetite. Short-term outlook: bearish unless spot demand returns and DOGE reclaims $0.106–$0.110. Key takeaways for traders: monitor futures vs. spot volume divergence, watch $0.10 support and $0.106–$0.110 resistance, and consider increased volatility from high-beta exposure and amplified moves via derivatives.

Bitcoin (BTC) surged about 1.63% in a five‑minute window on Binance’s USDT pair, lifting price from roughly $73,525 to $74,720 (move timestamps reported as March 15, 2025 and April 10, 2025 in separate accounts). The rapid jump is attributed to large institutional buy orders (“whales”), algorithmic cascade buys, thin order‑book liquidity on short timeframes and possible news/sentiment shifts. Such micro‑moves often trigger leveraged short liquidations and rapid arbitrage as Binance’s USDT pair commonly leads global price discovery. Analysts recommend checking cross‑exchange prices to see if the move is isolated, confirming trade volume behind the spike, and reviewing on‑chain metrics (exchange flows, NUPL) plus derivatives data (liquidation heatmaps, funding rates) to distinguish genuine accumulation from transient volatility. For traders, the event creates short‑term opportunity but raises execution risk: tight stops can be taken out, algos may amplify moves, and altcoins often follow Bitcoin. Recommended actions: verify order‑book depth and volume, monitor derivatives liquidations and funding, use disciplined position sizing and hedges, and seek confirmation on higher timeframes (hourly/daily) before assuming trend continuation.

Bitcoin (BTC) surged past $75,000 on March 21, 2025, establishing a new nominal all‑time high as sustained inflows from newly approved spot Bitcoin ETFs and growing institutional adoption drove demand. The rally follows months of bullish momentum since late 2024, including consolidation around $55,000 and prior breaks above $65,000 and $70,000. Network fundamentals remain strong: hash rate is near all‑time highs despite the April 2024 halving, indicating robust miner participation and deeper liquidity. Analysts say this cycle differs from 2021’s retail‑led peak — it is more ETF‑ and institution‑led with clearer regulatory context and more balanced futures open interest. Key technical level: $75,000 has become critical support; a sustained hold could open the path toward $80,000, while a failure to hold may trigger consolidation. Traders should monitor exchange net flows (continued withdrawals to cold storage), MVRV, futures funding rates, and leverage levels. Risks include elevated volatility, regulatory shifts, macroeconomic changes, and large‑holder profit‑taking. The rally is also selectively channeling capital into altcoins with clear DeFi utility, institutional backing, and active development.

BitDegree has launched a new educational Mission titled “PayPal Alternatives: Compare the Best Options” on its play-to-earn app and website. The Mission, in partnership with Ogvio (an international money-transfer service), lets participants complete rounds to earn up to 1,500 Bits. Bits collected from this Mission will contribute to the BitDegree x Ogvio airdrop, a $20,000 prize pool that will be distributed proportionally based on Bits held when the event ends on February 8, 2026. To qualify for prize conversion, users must link their BitDegree account with an Ogvio account. The Mission can be retaken for practice, but Bits and Degrees are awarded only on the first completion. Participants can earn additional Bits via other Missions, referrals, and bonus tasks; prior Ogvio-linked Missions have offered up to 1,800 Bits. Primary keywords: BitDegree, PayPal alternatives, Ogvio, airdrop, Bits. Secondary/semantic keywords: play-to-earn, money transfer, rewards, crypto education. This launch targets Web3 learners and users of cross-border payment services, offering on-chain-adjacent incentives and user-acquisition benefits for Ogvio.

OP (OP/USDT) is trading in a clear downtrend, last seen near $0.229–$0.21 with a 24-hour drop (~6%). Technicals show RSI in oversold territory (~25–28), bearish Supertrend and price below EMA20, indicating downside pressure. Key support is at $0.2067 (strength 77/100); a break risks a rapid fall toward $0.0720 (~66% downside). Short-term resistance levels: $0.2373 and $0.29; bullish recovery needs a close above EMA20 and rising volume, with an upside target at $0.3580 if momentum reverses. Average True Range suggests daily moves of ~5–7%, making OP vulnerable to sharp >10% drops on volatility spikes. OP is highly correlated with Bitcoin (~+0.8); further BTC weakness would add selling pressure. Recommended trader actions: prioritize capital preservation, place stop-losses below $0.2067 (e.g., $0.2050 or ATR-based 0.01–0.015 USD buffer), size positions to risk 1–2% of capital, prefer R/R ≥1:2, and use trailing stops or hedges in futures. Short positions show more favorable risk/reward while longs are high-risk until price closes above EMA20 and key resistances with strong volume. Analysis attributed to COINOTAG analysts David Kim and Devrim Cacal. This is not investment advice.

Dogecoin (DOGE) trades near $0.105 and is approaching a rare weekly double death cross as the 23-week SMA (~$0.172) and 50-week SMA (~$0.185) converge toward the 200-week EMA (~$0.153). Technical models indicate the crossover could occur within weeks, increasing bearish pressure. Historical single death crosses in meme-coin cycles have often preceded 15–30% declines; a double configuration near multi-month lows raises the probability that DOGE will test the $0.09–$0.11 support band. To invalidate the bearish setup, bulls must push DOGE back above the 200-week EMA near $0.153, ideally on rising volume or significant whale accumulation. Current trading volume and large-holder inflows are lacking, lowering the chance of an immediate reversal. Traders should monitor weekly moving averages, EMA200, volume spikes, and whale activity for signs of trend reversal or accelerating downside volatility.

Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz told Bloomberg that fears about quantum computing did not cause Bitcoin’s recent fall below $74,000. Novogratz said market weakness reflects profit-taking after BTC briefly traded above $100,000 and a "seller’s virus" where more sellers than buyers set prices at the margin. Alex Thorn, Galaxy’s head of research, clarified that Novogratz was describing "quantum concerns" as a broader market FUD narrative he rejects. Novogratz called price action "disappointing" and said Bitcoin must reclaim the $100,000–$103,000 range to resume a clear bullish trend. He added that passage of a US market-structure bill could act as a bullish catalyst and that BTC may be nearing a bottom, though "you always know the bottom after you see it." Key names and terms: Mike Novogratz, Alex Thorn, Galaxy Digital, Bitcoin (BTC), quantum computing, seller’s virus, profit-taking, US market-structure bill. Primary keywords: Bitcoin, BTC, quantum computing, Mike Novogratz. Secondary/semantic keywords: profit-taking, market FUD, seller’s virus, market-structure bill.

The Canadian dollar (CAD) strengthened sharply versus the US dollar after a significant oil-price rally, underscoring the close CAD–oil correlation. On March 15, 2025, Brent climbed above $92/barrel (a 7% weekly gain) while WTI followed suit. USD/CAD fell to 1.3150 (about a 1.8% loonie appreciation since Monday), and CAD futures volumes on the CME rose 22%. The CAD–energy correlation coefficient is around 0.78. Drivers include OPEC+ production cuts, geopolitical supply risks and a 400,000 bpd upward revision to 2025 demand by the IEA, with Asian strength and stockpiling noted. Financial institutions estimate each $10/bbl oil rise historically adds ~3–4¢ to CAD; sustained oil gains can improve Canada’s current account by roughly $15bn per $10/bbl. Market effects: energy stocks and ETFs outperformed (XEG.TO up ~5% month-to-date), non-energy exporters face competitiveness headwinds, and imported-goods costs ease. Bond investors increased Canadian government bond demand; pricing suggests a slightly higher chance the Bank of Canada will hold rates. Near-term risks that could reverse the trend include Fed–BoC policy divergence, renewed pipeline/infrastructure constraints, weaker global demand, or bearish weekly EIA/API inventory prints. Traders should watch oil inventories, OPEC+ statements, USD moves, and upcoming Canadian economic data for trade signals.

Bitcoin dropped to a 2026 low of $72,945 after bulls failed to hold $80,000, driven by a US stock sell-off and heavy futures liquidations. Year-to-date BTC is down about 15% and roughly 45% below its all-time high of $126,267. Weakness in major AI-linked stocks (NVIDIA, Microsoft, Amazon) and broader S&P 500 pressure amid concerns over AI infrastructure costs and upcoming earnings have amplified risk-off sentiment. On-chain and derivatives data show substantial liquidations: roughly $127.25 million in BTC long liquidations and $159.1 million in ETH long liquidations. Strive VP Joe Burnett said current BTC price action around $74,000 is “within historical norms,” noting a 45% drawdown aligns with past volatility. Order-book data from TRDR.io indicates bids concentrated between $71,800 and $63,000, suggesting a potential support zone if buyers step in. Traders should watch macroeconomic and corporate earnings catalysts closely, as continued equity weakness and leveraged liquidations could extend downside, while buy-side interest in the $71.8K–$63K band could stabilize prices. This is not investment advice.

Bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH) have fallen by double digits year-to-date, yet a number of U.S.-listed companies tied to the crypto industry have rallied in the stock market. The divergence highlights a growing disconnect between the prices of major digital assets and the equities of businesses exposed to mining, custody, infrastructure and crypto services. Notable tickers mentioned in the report include IREN, HUT, WULF, CIFR, RIOT and BTDR (company-level exposure varies by business model). For traders, this means equity performance in the crypto complex can move independently from spot crypto prices — driven by company fundamentals, operational updates, balance-sheet changes, investor sentiment toward listed exposures, and macro forces affecting equities differently than spot crypto. Key SEO keywords: bitcoin, ether, crypto stocks, crypto-linked equities, BTC, ETH. The primary takeaway for traders: watch both on-chain price action and company-specific news (earnings, miner production, custody flows, regulatory developments). Correlated risks remain — a sustained crypto price drop can eventually pressure crypto-linked equities, while equity rallies do not guarantee spot-crypto strength.

Ripple, Mastercard, WebBank and Gemini have moved from pilot to execution for blockchain-based card settlements using Ripple’s regulated stablecoin RLUSD on the XRP Ledger. Announced in early February 2026, the program settles Gemini credit card transactions (issued by WebBank) on-chain within seconds, replacing conventional 1–3 day interbank clearing. Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach confirmed the shift to active deployment and said stablecoins will be treated as native currency within Mastercard’s settlement strategy. WebBank provides FDIC-insured banking oversight and compliance controls remain aligned with existing card regulations. RLUSD supply exceeded $1.3 billion by January 2026 amid rising demand for settlement use cases. Mastercard is also pursuing “Agent Pay,” an initiative for AI-driven automated payments, while Ripple expects 5–10% of capital market settlements could move on-chain by end-2026. Key stakeholders: Ripple, Mastercard, WebBank, Gemini. Primary keywords: RLUSD, Ripple, Mastercard, XRP Ledger, stablecoin settlement. Secondary keywords: Gemini Credit Card, WebBank, Agent Pay, on-chain settlement.

Payward, the parent company of Kraken, reported adjusted fiscal 2025 revenue of $2.2 billion, a 33% year‑on‑year increase driven by expansion into traditional assets and strategic acquisitions including NinjaTrader and Breakout. Transaction volume rose 34% to $2.0 trillion. Adjusted EBITDA improved to $531 million (26% margin). Asset‑based operations — custody, yield products, payments and financing — now represent roughly 53% of revenue, surpassing trading (47%) and providing greater revenue stability versus volatile spot volumes. Funded customer accounts jumped 50% to 5.7 million and platform assets/AUM increased about 11–12% to roughly $48 billion. Futures activity saw the largest gains after the NinjaTrader integration and the launch of US‑regulated crypto futures: futures daily average revenue trades (DARTs) rose 119%, boosting derivatives revenue and liquidity. Q4 produced $625 million in adjusted revenue and $84 million in adjusted EBITDA despite softer industry conditions; the platform remained operationally resilient during a 1.5% one‑day crypto market drop in October. Payward also secured EU MiCA and UK EMI licenses and filed a confidential U.S. IPO prospectus in November, with plans for a separate Nasdaq listing for another group company. Key takeaways for traders: a more diversified revenue mix reduces Kraken’s sensitivity to spot volatility; higher transaction volumes and surging DARTs point to deeper liquidity and greater derivatives activity, which can increase intraday volatility and trading opportunities; regulatory approvals and IPO plans raise institutional credibility but could shift corporate focus toward compliance and traditional‑asset product expansion. (Primary keywords: Payward, Kraken, revenue growth, transaction volume, DARTs, asset‑based services, acquisitions, IPO)