Market Signal Briefing

Ethereum price has slipped back toward the $1,900 region amid broader market hesitation, reflecting a cooling phase across major cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin remains heavy, risk appetite is selective, and volatility has compressed after weeks of uneven recovery attempts. Yet beneath the surface, ETH price structure continues to follow a far more disciplined roadmap than short-term fluctuations suggest.

Rather than signaling the start of a breakdown, the current Ethereum price pullback appears to be unfolding inside a much larger expanding diagonal formation that has guided the asset since the 2018 cycle low. The broader technical backdrop suggests that ETH price may be consolidating within Wave-5, the terminal leg of the structure ,rather than exiting its macro uptrend entirely. The key question now is whether Ethereum price is preparing for a final expansion phase that could eventually stretch toward the $9,000-$18,000 macro projection zone, or whether the structure begins to weaken before that thesis materializes.

Ethereum’s Price Long-Term Structure Remains IntactThe long-term Ethereum price chart outlines a five-wave expanding diagonal that began forming after the 2018 bear market bottom. Each wave has progressively widened in amplitude, creating higher highs and deeper corrective lows. Wave-1 marked the first structural recovery in Ethereum price. Wave-2 retraced sharply but respected the lower boundary. Wave-3 delivered the aggressive 2021 expansion that pushed ETH price to cycle highs. Wave-4 corrected deeply, yet it maintained the integrity of diagonal support. Ethereum price is now trading within Wave-5, traditionally the final impulse leg in a diagonal sequence.

Expanding diagonals often emerge in terminal phases of broader cycles. They do not resolve quietly; instead, they typically conclude with a volatility expansion that sweeps liquidity before exhaustion sets in. The absence of a decisive breakout so far suggests that the terminal expansion phase for Ethereum price may not yet be complete. Crucially, ETH price has not invalidated the structure. The lower boundary of the diagonal, currently projecting through the $1,850–$1,900 zone, continues to act as a technical floor for Ethereum price.

Where Ethereum Price Stands in the Final Wave?Wave-5 is the technical focal point right now. The broader structure suggests Ethereum price is navigating the latter stages of a five-wave cycle, and current price action appears to be forming the internal subdivisions of that final leg. The key detail is behaviour, not just positioning. ETH is no longer trending impulsively downward. Instead, candles are tightening, range is compressing, and downside follow-through is limited. That typically signals that selling pressure is slowing rather than accelerating.

In classical expanding diagonals, the fifth wave frequently stretches toward and sometimes beyond the upper boundary of the formation before exhaustion. Based on the current diagonal trajectory and historical Fibonacci extension models, projected completion zones for Wave-5 range between $9,000 and $18,000, depending on volatility expansion and macro liquidity conditions. These projections are structural, not immediate targets, and assume the integrity of the diagonal remains intact.

If Wave-5 continues developing, Ethereum price is likely still in the corrective sub-wave phase before attempting a broader expansion. For upside continuation to gain credibility, ETH price must reclaim short-term resistance and show sustained acceptance above recent lower highs. Failure to hold the $1,850–$1,900 support corridor, however, would shift the structure into a deeper corrective scenario and delay the expansion thesis.

Final ThoughtsEthereum price is positioned at a structural inflection point rather than in active breakdown mode. The broader multi-year formation remains intact, and despite today’s 1.5% dip, selling pressure has not accelerated in a disorderly manner. As long as this demand zone holds, the larger Wave-5 thesis stays valid, with long-term projection targets ranging between $9,000 and $18,000 based on historical extension models. A confirmed loss of support, however, would delay that trajectory and shift Ethereum price back into a deeper consolidation phase before any major upside expansion.

Trust with CoinPedia:CoinPedia has been delivering accurate and timely cryptocurrency and blockchain updates since 2017. All content is created by our expert panel of analysts and journalists, following strict Editorial Guidelines based on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Every article is fact-checked against reputable sources to ensure accuracy, transparency, and reliability. Our review policy guarantees unbiased evaluations when recommending exchanges, platforms, or tools. We strive to provide timely updates about everything crypto & blockchain, right from startups to industry majors.

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Cardano’s Trading Activity Crashes to a 6-Month Low — Can ADA Still Attempt a Reversal? Prefer us on Google

Cardano trading activity collapsed, but price structure now hints at possible reversalBullish divergence appears, yet rising profits could trigger unexpected selling pressureADA sits near a critical level that could decide the next major moveThe Cardano price has declined sharply in recent months, reflecting weakening investor participation. This decline did not happen alone. Cardano’s on-chain trading activity has also collapsed during the same period. Decentralized exchange trading volume has dropped by over 94% since August, hitting a six-month low.

Yet despite this collapse in participation, technical charts now show early signs of a possible reversal. This creates a conflict between weakening network activity and improving price structure.

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On-Chain Trading Activity Collapse Confirms Weak TrendCardano’s weekly decentralized exchange trading volume has dropped dramatically over the past six months. In August 2025, weekly volume peaked at 19,103,979 ADA. By February 16, 2026, this figure had fallen to just 1,176,723 ADA, highlighted exclusively by BeInCrypto’s Dune Dashboard.

This represents a 94% collapse in on-chain trading. This is also indicative of the low on-chain participation, as aggressively traded coins are often associated with sharp price moves.

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Weak DEX Trading Volume: DuneOn-chain trading volume measures real buying and selling happening directly on the blockchain. It reflects user participation and demand. When volume falls this sharply, it shows fewer investors are actively trading the asset.

Cardano’s price has mirrored this weakness. ADA has dropped roughly 68% over the same six-month period. This confirms the downtrend was supported by declining participation and demand. However, price structure now shows early signs that this trend may be changing.

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Bullish Price Pattern Emerges, But Profit-Taking Risk RemainsCardano is currently forming an inverse head-and-shoulders pattern on the daily chart. This is a bullish reversal pattern that appears when selling pressure weakens, and buyers begin slowly regaining control.

The left shoulder formed in January. The head formed in early February. The right shoulder has now formed near similar levels, validating the structure. However, to confirm the breakout, the daily Cardano price candle must close above $0.30.

Momentum indicator, in the form of RSI, supports this formation. The Relative Strength Index, or RSI, has formed a bullish divergence. Between December 31 and February 18, Cardano’s price made a lower low. But during the same period, RSI made a higher low. This shows selling pressure is weakening even as the price tests new lows. It confirms buyers are slowly returning.

Bullish Divergence: TradingViewSponsored

However, another on-chain metric introduces risk. The percentage of Cardano supply in profit dropped sharply from 27% to just 6% during the recent decline, from late January to mid-February. It has now started rising again and currently sits near 10%.

This increase shows more investors are returning to profit. While this can support recovery, it also creates selling risk. When holders return to profit, many choose to sell and secure gains. For example, on February 15, profitable supply rose near 11%. Cardano’s price dropped from $0.29 to $0.27 soon after. This was a 7% decline in a single trading session.

Profitability Rises Again: SantimentThis shows rising profitability can trigger selling pressure even during recovery attempts, making support and resistance levels all the more important.

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Cardano Price Faces Critical Breakout Level at $0.30Cardano now sits near its most important resistance level. The neckline of the inverse head and shoulders pattern is located at $0.30. This level will decide the next major move.

If Cardano breaks above $0.30 and closes above it, the bullish pattern would be confirmed. Based on the structure, this could push ADA toward $0.40 and $0.41. This would represent a potential 35% to 38% rally from the neckline.

Cardano Price Analysis: TradingViewHowever, failure to break this level would weaken the recovery attempt. If Cardano falls below $0.27 (led by possible profit booking), the bullish structure would begin weakening. A further drop below $0.22 would completely invalidate the pattern and confirm continued downside.

For now, Cardano sits at a critical decision point. On-chain trading confirms participation has collapsed. But technical indicators suggest a possible reversal. The next move above $0.30 or below $0.27 will determine whether Cardano begins a true recovery or resumes its longer-term decline.

Disclaimer

In line with the Trust Project guidelines, this price analysis article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. BeInCrypto is committed to accurate, unbiased reporting, but market conditions are subject to change without notice. Always conduct your own research and consult with a professional before making any financial decisions. Please note that our Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.

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Bitcoin is struggling to maintain stability around the $70,000 level as persistent selling pressure continues to weigh on market sentiment. Repeated rejection near this psychological threshold has reinforced a cautious environment, with volatility elevated and traders closely monitoring liquidity conditions and macro signals. While consolidation above key support levels can sometimes indicate resilience, the current price structure suggests a market still searching for direction after months of corrective momentum.

Recent on-chain analysis from Darkfost offers additional context regarding whale activity. The report notes that although inflows from large holders to exchanges have increased in recent weeks — often a sign of potential short-term selling pressure — total whale-held supply has continued to expand overall. This distinction is important when evaluating broader market structure.

Exchange inflows typically capture immediate positioning behavior and can precede temporary price weakness. However, the chart referenced in the analysis focuses on the medium-term evolution of whale-held supply using a monthly average, providing a more structural perspective. From this viewpoint, the continued growth in holdings suggests that larger investors may still be accumulating despite ongoing volatility.

Whale Accumulation Returns As Large Holders Rebuild Bitcoin Positions According to Darkfost, recent on-chain data suggests a notable shift in Bitcoin whale behavior following the sharp contraction observed late last year. After the monthly average of whale-held supply dropped to nearly -7% on December 15, accumulation appears to have resumed. Over the past month, holdings attributed to large investors have increased by roughly 3.4%, signaling renewed positioning despite ongoing market uncertainty.

Bitcoin Total Whale Holdings and Monthly % Change | Source: CryptoQuant This rebound translates into a rise in whale-controlled supply from approximately 2.9 million BTC to more than 3.1 million BTC. In absolute terms, that represents an accumulation exceeding 200,000 BTC within a relatively short period. Historically, movements of this magnitude have tended to coincide with transitional phases rather than immediate trend reversals.

A comparable accumulation wave occurred during the April 2025 correction, when sustained whale buying helped absorb selling pressure and contributed to Bitcoin’s subsequent rally from about $76,000 to $126,000. While past patterns do not guarantee repetition, the parallel provides useful context for interpreting current flows.

With Bitcoin still consolidating roughly 46% below its most recent all-time high, current price levels may be perceived by large holders as relatively attractive. However, Darkfost cautions that persistent selling pressure remains a dominant factor, meaning accumulation alone may not yet be sufficient to drive a decisive recovery.

Bitcoin price action on the weekly timeframe continues to reflect a structurally corrective phase following the rejection from the late-2025 highs near $125,000. The chart shows a clear transition from bullish trend continuation into a sustained downtrend, with lower highs forming since November, and the price recently breaking decisively below the 100-week moving average. This breakdown typically signals weakening medium-term momentum and often precedes extended consolidation or further downside exploration.

BTC testing critical demand level | Source: BTCUSDT chart on TradingView Currently, BTC is trading around the $67,000 area, which appears to be acting as a tentative stabilization zone after the sharp decline from the $90,000–$95,000 range earlier this year. The 50-week moving average has rolled over and now acts as dynamic resistance, while the 200-week moving average near the mid-$50,000 region remains the primary structural support level if selling pressure intensifies.

Volume spikes during the recent decline suggest forced deleveraging and defensive repositioning rather than gradual distribution. Historically, similar patterns have marked transitional phases between late bull cycles and early accumulation periods.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

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Sebastian's journey into the world of crypto began four years ago, driven by a fascination with the potential of blockchain technology to revolutionize financial systems. His initial exploration focused on understanding the intricacies of various crypto projects, particularly those focused on building innovative financial solutions. Through countless hours of research and learning, Sebastian developed a deep understanding of the underlying technologies, market dynamics, and potential applications of cryptocurrencies. As his knowledge grew, Sebastian felt compelled to share his insights with others. He began actively contributing to online discussions on platforms like X and LinkedIn, focusing on fintech and crypto-related content. His goal was to expose valuable trends and insights to a wider audience, fostering a deeper understanding of the rapidly evolving crypto landscape. Sebastian's contributions quickly gained recognition, and he became a trusted voice in the online crypto community. To further enhance his expertise, Sebastian pursued a UC Berkeley Fintech: Frameworks, Applications, and Strategies certification. This rigorous program equipped him with valuable skills and knowledge regarding Financial Technology, bridging the gap between traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi). The certification deepened his understanding of the broader financial landscape and its intersection with blockchain technology. Sebastian's passion for finance and writing is evident in his work. He enjoys delving into financial research, analyzing market trends, and exploring the latest developments in the crypto space. In his spare time, Sebastian can often be found immersed in charts, studying 10-K forms, or engaging in thought-provoking discussions about the future of finance. Sebastian's journey as a crypto analyst and investor has been marked by a relentless pursuit of knowledge and a dedication to sharing his insights. His ability to navigate the complex world of crypto, combined with his passion for financial research and communication, makes him a valuable asset to the industry. As the crypto landscape continues to evolve, Sebastian remains at the forefront, providing valuable insights and contributing to the growth of this revolutionary technology.

The Ethereum Foundation has laid out its Protocol Priorities for 2026, focusing on core upgrades that could reshape the network’s technical direction this year.

Summary

The Ethereum Foundation outlined its 2026 protocol priorities, building on 2025 upgrades including Pectra and Fusaka, which improved smart contract functionality, validator performance, and data efficiency. Major 2026 upgrades Glamsterdam and Hegotá aim to boost scalability, security, and user experience, with added focus on account abstraction and cross-chain tooling. Despite technical progress, Ethereum (ETH) is flashing bearish signals on the charts, forming a pennant pattern that suggests potential further downside. The update outlines progress from 2025 and sets strategic goals for scaling, user experience, and core security enhancements.

In 2025, developers delivered two major network upgrades. The Pectra upgrade landed in May. It added EIP-7702, which enables accounts to run smart contract code.

In December, the Fusaka upgrade rolled out PeerDAS, reducing validator data bandwidth needs and expanding potential blob capacity.

2025 saw meaningful developments across the network, including enhancements to validator performance and higher network throughput capabilities. These technical advances laid groundwork for the scaling and usability improvements now prioritized in the new year roadmap.

Now, the first major upgrade on the 2026 roadmap is Glamsterdam, targeted for the first half of the year, followed by Hegotá later in 2026. These efforts aim to make Ethereum (ETH) more efficient, secure, and resilient as the ecosystem continues growing.

The new structure also emphasizes native account abstraction and better cross-chain tooling to simplify development and end-user interactions. Developers say this structure will help Ethereum scale securely while improving the experience for users and builders.

At the same time that developers pivot to long-term upgrades, the Ethereum price trend has shown increasing downside risks. On the charts, ETH has formed a bearish pennant pattern, a classic technical setup that often signals continuation of the existing downtrend.

This structure appeared after a series of lower highs and lower lows, compressing price action into a tightening range as volatility fades, which traders interpret as hinting at potential further weakness.

The longer Bitcoin remains rangebound, the more likely it is to fall further as the bear market deepens. 

Bitcoin is “range-bound under pressure,” having broken below the “True Market Mean,” slipping into a “defensive range toward the Realized Price,” of around $55,000, reported Glassnode on Wednesday. The on-chain analytics provider remained bearish, noting that demand across spot and derivative markets was weak.

“Spot flows and ETF demand remain weak, accumulation is fragile, and options positioning shows panic hedging fading, but not renewed bullish conviction.”

Glassnode noted that historically, deeper bear market phases have found their lower structural boundary around the Realized Price. This is a measure of the average acquisition cost of all circulating coins, which now stands near $54,900.

This level is almost 18% lower than current prices and would put the fall from peak to 56.4%, which is much shallower than the last two bear markets.

Market in Controlled Consolidation The analysts also noted that the Accumulation Trend Score sits near 0.43, well short of the 1.0 level that would signal serious large-entity buying.

Spot Cumulative Volume Delta (CVD), which tracks the difference between market buy orders and market sell orders over time, has turned firmly negative across major exchanges such as Binance and Coinbase, meaning sellers are in control.

Glassnode concluded that the market is “transitioning from reactive liquidation to controlled consolidation.”

“For a durable recovery to emerge, renewed spot demand, sustained accumulation, and improving liquidity conditions will be required.”

Range-Bound Under Pressure

Bitcoin has broken below the True Market Mean, slipping into a defensive range toward the Realized Price (~$54.9k). Spot and ETF demand remain weak, and panic hedging has eased.

Read the full Week On-Chain👇 https://t.co/XAp8OQr65i pic.twitter.com/iLuDT8o50v

— glassnode (@glassnode) February 18, 2026

You may also like: CryptoQuant Founder Proposes Freezing Old Bitcoin Addresses to Prevent Quantum Attacks Bitcoin Still Being Bought, Just Much More Cautiously: Report Bitcoin Entering Phase 2 Bear Market, Analyst Warns Bitcoin network activity has also collapsed, according to Santiment, which reported on Wednesday that there have been large declines in new and unique addresses as Bitcoin’s utility declined in 2025.

“A justification for crypto beginning to see a true long-term relief rally will be when metrics like active addresses and network growth begin to rise.”

“BTC is still strengthening its bear trend,” observed analyst Willy Woo, who said that volatility is a key metric to detect trends. Bitcoin entered its bear market when volatility spiked upwards quickly, he said, before adding:

“Volatility then continues to climb, meaning the bear trend is strengthening. Then volatility finds a peak in the mid to late phase bear market… that’s when the bear trend starts to weaken.”

BTC Price Outlook Bitcoin continues to weaken, dropping below $66,000 briefly in late trading on Wednesday. It came just shy of $67,000 during the Thursday morning Asian trading session, but had not reclaimed it at the time of writing.

The asset has been trading sideways for the past two weeks, and the path of least resistance appears to be downwards.

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U.S. spot crypto ETFs saw broad-based redemptions led by bitcoin and ether funds, while Solana products drew fresh inflows, signaling selective institutional rotation rather than a full retreat from digital assets.Updated Feb 19, 2026, 7:29 a.m. Published Feb 19, 2026, 7:25 a.m.

U.S.-listed crypto ETFs are flashing red across the board, with one notable exception.

Bitcoin spot ETFs saw $133.3 million in daily net outflows as of Feb. 18, led by BlackRock’s IBIT, which shed $84.2 million, and Fidelity’s FBTC, which lost $49 million. Total net assets across bitcoin funds stand at $83.6 billion, roughly 6.3% of bitcoin’s market cap, but recent flows suggest institutions are trimming exposure rather than adding on dips.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW

Ethereum products followed a similar pattern. U.S. ETH spot ETFs recorded $41.8 million in net outflows on the day, with BlackRock’s ETHA losing nearly $30 million. Total net assets across ether funds sit at $11.1 billion, about 4.8% of ETH’s market cap.

The steady bleed comes as ether trades below $2,000 and struggles to build momentum despite broader expectations of rate cuts later this year.

XRP ETFs also slipped into negative territory, posting $2.2 million in daily outflows. Total net assets across XRP funds are just over $1 billion, or roughly 1.2% of XRP’s market cap. Price action in XRP has mirrored the cautious tone, with the token down over 4% on the day.

Solana, however, stood out.

U.S. SOL spot ETFs recorded $2.4 million in net inflows, pushing cumulative inflows to nearly $880 million. Bitwise’s BSOL led with $1.5 million in fresh capital. While modest in absolute terms, the inflow contrasts sharply with the broader risk-off positioning across bitcoin and ether products.

Elsewhere, smaller altcoin ETFs such as LINK saw marginal inflows, but the overall picture remains one of selective exposure rather than broad-based accumulation.

The divergence suggests investors are rotating within crypto rather than exiting entirely. With macroeconomic uncertainty lingering and the dollar firming, ETF flows offer a real-time read on where institutional conviction remains and where it is fading.

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Ledn raises $188m with first bitcoin backed bond sale in asset backed market

27 minutes ago

Crypto lender packages more than 5,400 bitcoin collateralized loans into first asset backed securities transaction of its kind.

What to know:

Ledn sold $188m of bonds backed by 5,400 bitcoin collateralized consumer loans, with an investment grade tranche priced at +335 basis points.Automated liquidation of bitcoin collateral helped shield asset backed security investors even as the token fell.

The Aptos Foundation has proposed an overhaul of its tokenmomic and governance structure, which it says will replace the “bootstrap-era subsidy model” with a more sustainable and usage-driven economic model.

Summary

Aptos Foundation proposed a 2.1 billion APT hard cap, lower staking rewards, and higher gas fees to curb emissions. The plan includes permanently staking 210 million APT and a potential buyback program. “Aptos Foundation is proposing structural reforms that replace subsidy-based emissions with performance-driven mechanisms, establishing conditions for reduced emissions, increased burns, and potential decline in circulating supply,” it said on Wednesday.

Among the key proposals are plans to set a hard cap on total supply. Under the current structure, new tokens are continuously minted to support development, grants, and staking rewards across the ecosystem. The foundation is proposing a fixed 2.1 billion token hard cap.

“There are currently 1.196 billion APT in circulation. 1 billion APT was minted at mainnet, and 196 million APT has been distributed as staking rewards since mainnet. With a hard supply cap of 2.1 billion, this leaves 904 million APT of headroom or approximately 43% of this total cap,” the foundation said.

Over time, the additional tokens would be distributed in decreasing amounts as staking rewards and eventually phase out entirely as the network approaches the ceiling, at which point validators would be funded primarily through transaction fees rather than new token issuance.

Revamped staking rewards and gas fees Other policy changes include plans to reduce the annual staking rewards rate from 5.19% to 2.6% and transition to a revised staking framework that rewards “longer staking commitments.”

The foundation is also proposing increasing network gas fees by 10X, which are burned with every transaction, as another mechanism to reduce net emissions and tighten circulating supply.

“Even with a 10X increase, stablecoin transfers would still be the lowest in the world at around $0.00014, making it the ideal blockchain for stablecoins, payments, and any other similar high-volume transactions,” it said.

The team has also suggested permanently staking 210 million APT tokens, or about 18% of the current circulating supply, and supporting foundation operations using the staking rewards instead of selling treasury tokens into the market.

Meanwhile, the foundation also wants to transition to performance-based grants where tokens vest only after predefined milestones are achieved and are deferred until those targets are met. 

Lastly, the foundation will explore launching a token buyback program or establishing an APT reserve funded through cash on hand or future foundation revenue to help balance supply dynamics over time.

Aptos Foundation is joining a slew of others that have proposed tokenomic overhauls and governance changes in recent months.

Last week, Aave Labs proposed redirecting all product-related revenue directly to the DAO treasury. Meanwhile, in late January, the Injective community approved a proposal to further reduce the INJ token’s long-term supply by cutting issuance and reinforcing existing burn mechanisms.

In December, Uniswap burned 100 million UNI tokens as part of the UNIfication proposal, which received overwhelming support from the community.

A Google logo is seen at a company research facility in Mountain View, California, U.S., May 13, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

JAKARTA, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O), opens new tab Google and Southeast Asian technology conglomerate Sea Ltd (SE.N), opens new tab announced a new tie-up on Thursday that will develop artificial intelligence tools for Sea's e-commerce and gaming products.

Under the newly-signed strategic partnership, the two companies will jointly "explore the building of an AI agentic shopping prototype" on Sea's e-commerce platform Shopee, they said in a statement.

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The move is part of the efforts by global tech firms to monetise their AI models by promoting capabilities beyond simply answering questions and executing a much wider range of tasks from shopping on different apps to managing complex workflows.

China's Alibaba (9988.HK), opens new tab, whose Lazada e-commerce platform competes with Shopee in Southeast Asia, released a new AI model earlier this week that it described as being built "for the agentic AI era."

Shopee was the most dominant e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia with a 52% market share in 2024, according to a report by consultancy Momentum Works.

Google and Sea's gaming unit Garena will also use AI solutions to "transform" the productivity of game development, both companies said.

The partnerships follow a 2024 tie-up between Shopee and Alphabet's YouTube in the Southeast Asian e-commerce market.

Reporting by Stanley Widianto; Editing by Miyoung Kim

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

TLDR: Table of Contents

TLDR:A Single Stack Replaces a Web of DependenciesFaster Hard Fork Schedule Targets Six Upgrades Per YearSecurity Council and Decentralization Standards Are PreservedOpen-Source Commitments Remain Central to Base’s Direction Base is moving from OP Stack to a unified base/base repository, requiring node operators to migrate to the new Base client.
The new upgrade schedule targets six hard forks per year, doubling the current rate of three annual protocol upgrades.
Base retains its Stage 1 Decentralized Rollup status and is adding an independent signer to its Security Council. All Base specifications and code remain open-source, with alternative client implementations actively encouraged by the team.
Base Chain is moving away from its multi-dependency architecture toward a single, consolidated software stack. The transition consolidates all components into one repository, base/base, built on open-sourced tools. Node operators will need to migrate to the new Base client to stay compatible with future hard forks.

A Single Stack Replaces a Web of Dependencies Base originally launched as an OP Stack chain, relying on partners like Optimism, Flashbots, and Paradigm. Over time, this created a complex web of external dependencies. Managing these relationships added coordination overhead for the engineering team.

The Base Engineering Team stated: “Base was built on the shoulders of giants — we could not have gotten so far so quickly without the world-class technology underpinning the OP Stack.”

The new unified stack consolidates everything into base/base, removing that friction entirely. This approach makes the protocol easier to understand and maintain for individual developers.

Previously, code for Base components was spread across multiple repositories owned by different teams. That structure slowed down shipping and created communication gaps. Bringing it all under one roof changes how releases are managed going forward.

Faster Hard Fork Schedule Targets Six Upgrades Per Year One of the clearest changes from this transition is a faster upgrade cadence. Base plans to ship six hard forks per year, up from three. Each fork will be smaller and more tightly scoped to reduce risk.

The team described the goal clearly: “We’re targeting six smaller, tightly scoped hard forks per year, doubling the current schedule.”

This replaces the current model of batching many changes into large, infrequent upgrades. Smaller updates are easier to audit and easier to roll back if needed.

The roadmap already outlines several upcoming releases. Base V1 will handle client consolidation and a proof upgrade from optimistic proofs to TEE/ZK proofs.

Base V2 and V3 will introduce new transaction types, block access lists, and alignment with Ethereum’s Glamsterdam upgrade.

Security Council and Decentralization Standards Are Preserved Base confirmed it remains a Stage 1 Decentralized Rollup through this transition. The team made clear that no tradeoffs were made on security or technical decentralization. An additional independent signer is being added to the Base Security Council to replace Optimism’s previous role.

The engineering team noted: “The protocol spec and codebase should be understandable by a single developer.” The accelerated roadmap also includes faster withdrawals through a more robust multi-proof system. Base-specific governance structures are being developed alongside enhanced neutrality standards.

Base will continue working with Optimism as a client of OP Enterprise for mission-critical support. Bug fixes will still be upstreamed, and security disclosures will be coordinated to protect the broader Superchain ecosystem. The separation is technical, not adversarial.

Open-Source Commitments Remain Central to Base’s Direction Despite moving away from the OP Stack, Base reaffirmed its commitment to building in public. All specifications and code will remain open-source and available for forking. Alternative client implementations are actively encouraged to strengthen network resilience.

The team was direct on this point: “Base specifications and code will always be public, open for contribution, and available for others to fork.”

Base also confirmed continued contributions to ecosystem tooling like Foundry and Wagmi. The team views this work as maintaining Base’s role as a public good within the ecosystem.

Node operators currently face no immediate action. However, over the next few months, migration to the Base client will be required to stay compatible with future hard forks.

All existing RPCs, including those in the Optimism namespace, will continue to be fully supported during the transition.

.

Recent trading shows bitcoin staging short-lived rallies that quickly fade amid a stronger dollar, hawkish Fed signals and persistent selling pressure. Feb 19, 2026, 4:51 a.m.

Bitcoin is finding space to bounce, but not yet the fuel to run.

The macro backdrop has improved just enough to give bulls something to work with. Cooling headline inflation has strengthened expectations for three rate cuts this year, reviving the familiar playbook in which easier monetary policy supports risk assets.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW

And it could signal the possibility of liquidity slowly returning after months of tight financial conditions for crypto markets.

But caution against reading too much into that shift. The Federal Reserve is unlikely to embark on an aggressive easing cycle. Instead, it appears set for a measured approach that rebuilds liquidity gradually. That creates an environment where bitcoin can stage tactical rallies yet struggle to hold them.

Bitfinex analysts describe the market as one prone to moves in waves rather than clean breakouts.

“In this environment, volatility remains likely," the firm said in a note shared with CoinDesk. "Tactical upside moves can occur when positioning becomes overly defensive, but a durable structural advance will require clearer confirmation from both macro disinflation trends and sustained spot demand.”

Spot recoveries continue to meet steady selling. Each bounce is absorbed more smoothly than earlier in the quarter, suggesting some stabilization.

The overnight tape is a good example. Bitcoin traded as high as $68,500 before rolling over during the U.S. afternoon and sliding under $66,000, a move that lined up with a stronger dollar and hawkish Fed minutes. That kind of intraday reversal is the market’s way of saying rallies are still fragile, and that traders are quick to sell the moment macro conditions turn even slightly less friendly.

"It is alarming that Bitcoin's dynamics mirror the recent strengthening of the dollar. When investors become convinced that the rise of the dollar is a trend, there may be a sharp increase in volatility," Alex Kuptsikevich, the FxPro chief market analyst, said in an email."

"Volatility seems to have been turned off in this market, while stock indices are much livelier. There, investors are actively buying up dips, relying on support in the form of important moving averages: 50-day for the Dow Jones and Russell 2000 and 200-day for the Nasdaq100. The crypto market is now below its 50- and 200-day curves by 17% and 31%, respectively," he added.Sentiment remains fragile, meanwhile, as a crypto fear gauge has printed single digits on nine of the past fourteen days, territory rarely seen outside prior cycle lows.

At the same time, stablecoin outflows from major exchanges point to tighter liquidity, and long-term holders have shown signs of stress comparable to late bear-market phases in 2022, according to Glassnode.

For now, bitcoin appears caught between improving macro optics and stubborn supply. Tactical upside remains possible, especially when positioning leans too defensive.

A durable advance, however, likely requires clearer evidence of disinflation, a softer dollar and consistent spot demand. Until then, the path higher may be uneven.

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Bitcoin’s $40,000 put becomes second-largest options bet ahead of February expiry next week

4 minutes ago

Heavy positioning at lower strikes signals rising demand for downside protection for bitcoin.

What to know:

The $40,000 put option is the second largest strike by open interest, with about $490 million in notional value, highlighting strong demand for crash protection into the Feb. 27 expiry.Roughly $566 million is positioned at the $75,000 strike, the max pain level.Calls still outnumber puts overall, showing traders are balancing rebound exposure with downside hedges.

Terrill Dicki Feb 19, 2026 05:57

The Graph shares its decentralized support playbook after slashing user response times from a week to under 3 minutes using distributed teams and analytics tools.

The Graph has reduced its median support response time from up to seven days to just three minutes, according to the protocol's latest operational update. The indexing protocol is now publicly sharing its support methodology, positioning fast user assistance as a competitive differentiator in an industry notorious for poor customer experience.

Edge & Node, The Graph's core developer, achieved the improvement through four changes: expanding its L1 support team, establishing clear roles with ecosystem partners, deploying a Discord bot for common questions, and implementing Astronaut's analytics platform to track response times across Discord, Telegram, and Slack in real-time.

Why Traditional Support Breaks in Web3The fundamental mismatch is structural. Web2 support operates on business hours with tiered escalation—fine for centralized products, useless for protocols running 24/7 across global user bases. When demand spikes at 3 AM in a company's home time zone, users get bots and delays.

Web3 compounds this with technical complexity. Resolving issues requires deep blockchain knowledge, and protocols typically rely on developers providing ad hoc help in their spare time. The result? Users bounce between platforms, often getting no response at all.

"No matter the time zone or issue, The Graph's support is always available," said Fabien, founder and CEO of Snapshot Labs. "Slack, Telegram, Discord, ticketing—every channel is optimized for speed, with real-time guidance from experts who actually build on the protocol."

The Three-Pillar FrameworkThe Graph's approach centers on people, processes, and tooling—none of which are revolutionary individually, but the execution details matter.

On staffing: L1 engineers must be technical enough to resolve issues directly, not just copy-paste messages into triage channels. The team operates on a "follow the sun" model with staff across time zones. No scripts or canned responses—ever.

On process: Engineers own problems until resolution or explicit handoff. The protocol sets time-to-first-response SLAs but avoids time-to-resolution guarantees, acknowledging that fixes often depend on upstream providers outside their control. Root cause analyses are mandatory for recurring issues.

On tooling: Bots handle repetitive questions, freeing humans for complex problems. Astronaut provides unified analytics across messaging platforms. The team maintains observability dashboards and automated alerting through Grafana and PagerDuty.

What This Means for BuildersFor developers building on The Graph, the practical impact is straightforward: problems get addressed in minutes rather than days. High-volume users and chain partners can access dedicated support contacts via Telegram or Slack.

The broader signal is that infrastructure protocols are starting to compete on operational quality, not just technical features. As Ayoola John, Astronaut's CEO, put it: "The Graph has set a new standard for web3 customer experience."

Whether other protocols adopt similar frameworks will depend on their willingness to invest in support as a core function rather than an afterthought. The Graph is betting that in a space where user experience remains a persistent complaint, responsive support becomes a moat.

Image source: Shutterstock

the graph grt web3 customer support decentralized protocols

Journalist

Posted: February 19, 2026

Wall Street is moving from watching crypto to actively joining it. 

Even with market volatility, institutions are finding ways to get into risk assets. Among these, ETF launches remain the go-to route, gradually pulling both retail and institutional players deeper into digital assets.

Sui [SUI] is no exception. Grayscale kicked off a staking SUI ETF [GSUI] on 18 February, clearly pushing SUI onto Wall Street’s radar. The timing of this move, however, raises some important questions.

Source: TradingView (SUI/USDT)

On the charts, SUI has been one of the worst-performing assets of 2026 so far, falling by 31% after extending last year’s 57% losses. Overall, the altcoin has wiped out 100% of its post-election gains from its $5.35 peak.

Meanwhile, speculative capital has clearly cooled off. Data from Coinglass revealed that SUI’s Open Interest (OI) dropped by nearly 30% – A sign that traders have been pulling back and liquidity in derivatives markets might be thinning.

In the middle of this slowdown, Grayscale’s GSUI staking ETF starts to take on significance. With the market leaning bearish, FOMO largely absent, and fundamentals still weak, the question is whether this launch could finally spark a much-needed boost for the network.

Staking ETFs could be SUI’s shot at a DeFi comeback Staking ETFs could be a game-changer for the altcoin.

Unlike traditional ETFs, they let investors stake their tokens and actively participate in the network in exchange for rewards, a smart twist that’s especially relevant given the current market setup. 

Other ETFs haven’t been great lately, with billions flowing out every week. However, Grayscale’s staking ETF could flip the script, pulling in more validators through rewards and giving SUI’s DeFi ecosystem a much-needed boost.

Source: DeFiLlama

That said, the road ahead won’t be easy.

SUI’s price underperformance has weighed heavily on network fundamentals. Total value locked (TVL) has slipped back to pre-election levels at around $580 million too. 

Adding to the pressure, 43.35 million SUI tokens may be set to unlock on 01 March, which could spark further volatility. In light of the prevailing technical setup, it may be unlikely that the altcoin will absorb this hit smoothly.

If the trend continues, SUI could see a deeper correction towards the $0.70-level, raising questions about whether the recent GSUI launch can genuinely revive the token, particularly its DeFi ecosystem.

Final Summary Grayscale’s GSUI staking ETF could attract institutional capital and validators, potentially giving SUI’s DeFi ecosystem a boost. SUI faces pressure from poor price performance, declining TVL, and an upcoming token unlock.

Solana failed to stay above $86 and corrected gains. SOL price is now below $84 and remains at risk of more losses below $80.

SOL price started a downside correction below $86 against the US Dollar. The price is now trading below $85 and the 100-hourly simple moving average. There is a bearish trend line forming with resistance at $84 on the hourly chart of the SOL/USD pair (data source from Kraken). The pair could extend losses if it dips below the $80 zone. Solana Price Dips Further Solana price failed to stay above $90 and started a downside correction, like Bitcoin and Ethereum. SOL dipped below $88 and $86 to enter a short-term bearish zone.

There was a move below the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the upward wave from the $76.55 swing low to the $91.20 high. The price even tested the $80 support. Besides, there is a bearish trend line forming with resistance at $84 on the hourly chart of the SOL/USD pair.

Source: SOLUSD on TradingView.com Solana is now trading below $84 and the 100-hourly simple moving average. On the upside, the price is facing resistance near the $83 level. The next major resistance is near the $84 level. The main resistance could be $85.60. A successful close above the $85.60 resistance zone could set the pace for another steady increase. The next key resistance is $88. Any more gains might send the price toward the $92 level.

More Losses In SOL? If SOL fails to rise above the $85 resistance, it could start another decline. Initial support on the downside is near the $80 zone and the 76.4% Fib retracement level of the upward wave from the $76.55 swing low to the $91.20 high. The first major support is near the $79 level.

A break below the $79 level might send the price toward the $76.50 support zone. If there is a close below the $76.50 support, the price could decline toward the $72 support in the near term.

Technical Indicators

Hourly MACD – The MACD for SOL/USD is losing pace in the bullish zone.

Hourly Hours RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for SOL/USD is below the 50 level.

Major Support Levels – $80 and $79.

Major Resistance Levels – $85 and $88.

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World Liberty Financial has announced its intention to tokenize real estate loan revenue interests. This would also be done in partnership with Securitize.

World Liberty Financial Ventures into Real Estate Tokenization According to Bloomberg, the crypto project plans to tokenize revenue interests from loans secured by the Trump International Hotel and Resort. This is part of a broader strategy to design and distribute WLFI-branded tokenized real-world asset offerings.

It also comes after World Liberty Financial said last December that it would begin to roll out RWA products to the market in 2026. This is the first reported type of offering since the announcement.

The product launch reveal was done at its Mar-a-Lago crypto forum, which was held on Wednesday in Florida. This is the latest development in the wider foray into the world of crypto that the family has been making.

The family’s crypto empire currently includes meme coins and a stablecoin that have made both incredible paper profits and controversy for the Trumps. This has continued even as some of these operations have made losses for some poorly timed investors.

For example, the WLFI token has lost over half its value since it became tradable last year. The Trumps are launching these new products in a market that has already wiped out significant gains. The loan revenue of the resort is being tokenized in collaboration with Dar Global and Securitize Inc.

Investors in the token will receive both fixed income and loan revenue streams, according to World Liberty. The token will be sold to accredited investors.

Why are Firms Moving into Tokenization? Tokenization is the process of turning assets such as bonds, stocks, or even the revenue streams that come from hotel projects into digital tokens. Whoever owns the token owns the asset or the revenue streams. It can be transferred easily and instantly by simply transferring it from one crypto wallet to another.

More crypto firms are beginning to see that the sector could be more profitable. This comes especially with the current drawdown in crypto prices. For World Liberty Financial, Real estate has been more sluggish in moving on-chain compared to other types of assets.

The secondary market is still not liquid enough. Only 57 properties worth a total of $356 million have been tokenized so far, according to rwa.xyz.

In October, World Liberty co-founder Zach Witkoff announced that he would like to see the Trump family’s real estate portfolio represented as tokens on the blockchain in order to provide more people with access to the assets.

A new report said the market value of tokenized products such as stocks reached approximately $963 million as of January 2026. This marks a year-over-year growth of nearly 2,878% from $32 million in the previous year.

A new analysis from Coin Metrics, authored by Senior Research Associate Tanay Ved, finds that January's record $8 trillion in adjusted stablecoin transfer volume was largely driven by USDC activity on Base, with much of the spike tied to decentralized finance ( DeFi) mechanics rather than payments.

Bitcoin is about to log its longest losing streak since 2022 as geopolitical nerves hit risk tradesGeopolitical tensions lift the U.S. dollar and crude prices, adding pressure to an already fragile crypto market. Feb 19, 2026, 5:44 a.m.

What to know: Escalating tensions in the Middle East have lifted both the U.S. dollar index and WTI crude, tightening financial conditions and pressuring risk assets.Bitcoin is on track to post its fifth consecutive weekly decline, a streak not seen since March to May 2022.Bitcoin is on course to print its fifth consecutive weekly loss, which would mark the first such streak since March to May 2022, when bitcoin went down for nine consecutive weeks.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW

As of Thursday Asia time, the largest cryptocurrency by market cap is already down roughly 3% on the week, below $67,000, according to CoinDesk market data, and leaving it vulnerable to another weekly red close.

Macro pressures are adding to the technical weakness. According to the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. has amassed its largest concentration of air power in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq invasion. While Washington is reportedly prepared to launch strikes on Iran, President Donald Trump has not made a final decision, with Polymarket bettors giving a 27% chance of strikes occurring by the end of the month.

The geopolitical uncertainty has lifted the dollar index to 97.7, its highest level since Feb. 6, while WTI crude oil has climbed to $65 from Wednesday’s $62 low. A stronger dollar and rising oil prices typically weigh on risk assets, creating additional headwinds for bitcoin, reinforcing a negative weekly close.

Bitcoin has declined by more than 50% from its October all-time high near $126,500 to levels as low as $60,000.

On a monthly basis, bitcoin has recorded five straight declines since October, the second-longest losing streak on record, surpassed only by the six-month slide from 2018 to 2019.

Against gold, bitcoin is down seven consecutive months relative to the precious metal, its longest stretch of underperformance in that pairing.

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Coinbase lets XRP, ADA and dogecoin holders borrow up to $100,000 without selling

39 minutes ago

The exchange is widening access to its Morpho-powered lending product after a wave of liquidations earlier this month, giving holders of major retail tokens a way to borrow USDC without selling.

What to know:

Coinbase is expanding its U.S. crypto-backed lending service to include XRP, dogecoin, Cardano's ADA and litecoin, allowing more customers to borrow against their holdings without selling.The loans, capped at $100,000 in USDC and routed on-chain through the Morpho protocol, are available nationwide except in New York and use wrapped versions of some tokens as collateral.While marketed as a tax-efficient way to access liquidity, the product carries liquidation risk if collateral values drop and may trigger taxable events when assets are converted into wrapped tokens.Top Stories

Journalist

Posted: February 19, 2026

Selling pressure on River (RIVER) has intensified following the breakdown of a major support level at $11.20. After a 32% drop, the altcoin printed its second consecutive red candle on the daily chart, with its price action suggesting that the press time level might be a make-or-break zone for the crypto.

On 18 February, RIVER lost over 32% of its value in just 24 hours, with the altcoin trading at $8.51 at press time. Despite the sustained price decline, market participants have shown strong interest in the asset though. This can be evidenced by the trading volume surging by more than 110% to $90.95 million.

Investors and traders show mixed sentiment Amid this uncertainty, derivatives and analytics tools revealed that some traders strongly believe in a potential reversal, while others are still offloading their holdings.

According to Nansen, RIVER’s exchange reserves across CEXs and DEXs jumped by 7.08% in 24 hours. This surge suggested that investors have been moving their RIVER holdings to exchanges in preparation for a potential sell-off.

Source: Nansen

On the other hand, the derivatives analytics platform Coinglass found that intraday traders have been increasingly betting on the bullish side. Strong interest emerged around the $8.04-level on the downside (support), while the $8.58-level on the upside (resistance) saw comparatively lower interest.

At these levels, traders built $1.77 million in long leveraged positions and $1.02 million in short leveraged positions. This seemed to imply that bearish interest might be fading, with traders strongly believing that RIVER’s price is unlikely to fall below $8.04 anytime soon.

Source: Coinglass

RIVER’s price action eyes $8.25-level On the daily charts, RIVER’s price seemed to be taking support at the key level of $8.25.

Based on its previous performances, when the altcoin previously broke below the $11.20 support, it saw a sharp decline of over 35%. If RIVER breaks this support again, it could see another heavy fall in the coming days. Especially since there appeared to be no clear support near this level.

Source: TradingView

The bearish thesis would only be validated if RIVER closes a daily candle below the $8.25-level. If that happens, the altcoin could record a further downside move of around 48% in the coming days. However, if the price holds above this key support, a recovery might follow.

Meanwhile, amid this uncertainty, a crypto expert is predicting that RIVER’s price could continue its downward momentum and even hit the $7.50-level.

Source: X/TraderEthem

At the time of writing, the Average Directional Index (ADX) had a value of 18.89, below the key threshold of 25. This finding highlighted the asset’s weak directional momentum.

Final Summary Following a 32% fall, RIVER’s price action is now all dependent on a key price level on the charts.  Altcoin’s exchange reserves jumped by 7.08% while intraday traders have been increasingly betting on a potential reversal.

TLDR: Ether.fi Cash processes 28,000 daily spend transactions averaging $2 million in volume, doubling every two months.  The migration covers 70,000 active cards, 300,000 accounts, and millions in user TVL moving to OP Mainnet.  OP Stack processed 3.6 billion transactions in H2 2025, accounting for 13% of all global crypto transactions.  ether.fi users will access OP token rewards, 3%+ cashback, travel perks, and free metal cards post-migration. Ether.fi is migrating its flagship Cash product to Optimism’s OP Mainnet. The move covers roughly 70,000 active cards and 300,000 accounts.

Millions in user TVL will also transfer to the new network. The migration is part of a long-term OP Enterprise partnership.

Together, the teams aim to accelerate on-chain global payments. This positions OP Mainnet as a leading destination for payment activity in the broader crypto ecosystem.

Ether.fi Cash Brings Scale and Speed to OP Mainnet Ether.fi Cash is a non-custodial digital banking product combining a credit card with a savings account. It runs DeFi protocols under the hood to generate yield for users.

The product allows movement between fiat and crypto while offering cashback and global spending. Users manage their assets without giving up custody.

Since launching last year, the product has grown quickly. Each day, the app processes 2,000 internal swaps and 28,000 spend transactions.

Daily spend volume averages around $2 million. These numbers have roughly doubled every two months since launch.

1/ Today, we announce our plan to move to @Optimism's OP Mainnet

70,000+ active cards, 300,000+ accounts, and $160M+ in TVL will migrate to the Superchain in the coming months, marking a long-term partnership to accelerate global onchain payments.

Learn more below ↓ pic.twitter.com/ayd11I4SAd

— ether.fi (@ether_fi) February 18, 2026

The migration to OP Mainnet will expand liquidity access for users making swaps. They will also gain access to more assets for deposits and withdrawals.

Gas fees and network costs for card transactions will be covered by ether.fi. More cashback rewards are also planned as part of the move.

For end users, the transition is designed to be seamless. Optimism has managed major ecosystem migrations before and has a structured process in place. Users should not experience disruption during the switch to the new network.

What the OP Enterprise Partnership Means for Ether.fi As an OP Enterprise customer, Ether.fi gains access to several infrastructure benefits. These include established liquidity, a dedicated account manager, and priority access to new features. The same codebase works across all OP Stack chains, which reduces development overhead.

The OP Stack processed 3.6 billion transactions in the second half of 2025. That represented 13 percent of all crypto transactions during that period. OP Mainnet serves as a hub for DeFi activity and a launchpad for consumer apps.

As part of the integration, ether.fi users will receive access to OP token rewards. Ongoing reward programs include 3% or more cashback, in-app campaigns, travel discounts, and free metal cards. Membership tiers and lounge access are also part of the package.

ether.fi sees blockchain infrastructure as a way to expand globally at a lower cost than traditional fintech. Operating non-custodially allows the platform to scale without the overhead traditional banks carry.

The partnership with Optimism supports that model with enterprise-grade tools and network depth.

The Ethereum Foundation has announced it is targeting faster transactions, smarter wallets, better cross-chain transactions and quantum security measures as its “protocol priorities” in 2026.

In a statement published on Wednesday, the Ethereum Foundation outlined several goals, including continuing to scale the gas limit — the maximum amount of computational work a block can handle — “toward and beyond” 100 million, which has been a major topic of discussion among the Ethereum community in 2025. 

Source: Ethereum FoundationSome Ethereum community members anticipate that the gas limit will increase significantly this year. In November 2025, Ethereum educator Anthony Sassano said that the goal of significantly increasing Ethereum’s gas limit to 180 million in 2026 is a baseline rather than a best-case scenario. 

“Post-quantum readiness” is a focus for EthereumThe foundation pointed to the Glamsterdam network upgrade, set for the first half of 2026, as a major priority. It also emphasized “post-quantum readiness” in its trillion-dollar security initiative as a priority.

On Jan. 24, Ethereum researcher Justin Drake said in an X post that the foundation had “formed a new Post-Quantum (PQ) team.” 

“Today marks an inflection in the Ethereum Foundation's long-term quantum strategy,” Drake said.

The Ethereum Foundation said it will also focus on improving user experience in 2026, with an emphasis on enhancing smart wallets through native account abstraction and enabling smoother interactions between blockchains via interoperability.

“The goal remains seamless, trust-minimized cross-L2 interactions, and we're getting closer day by day. Continued progress on faster L1 confirmations and shorter L2 settlement times directly supports this.”

The foundation said that 2025 was one of the “most productive years,” citing two major network upgrades, Pectra and Fusaka, and the community raising the gas limit from 30 million to 60 million between the upgrades, for the first time since 2021.

Buterin’s big plans for Ethereum and AIEthereum Foundation’s Mario Havel said in an X post on Wednesday that, “It took us a while to push out the announcement because we were preparing the biggest curriculum so far.” 

It comes just days after Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin shared his latest vision for Ethereum’s intersection with artificial intelligence on Feb. 10. Buterin explained that he sees the two working together to improve markets, financial safety, and human agency.  

Buterin said his broader vision for the future of AI is to empower humans rather than replace them, though he said the short term involves much more “ordinary” ideas.

Magazine: Is China hoarding gold so yuan becomes global reserve instead of USD?

Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently. Read our Editorial Policy https://cointelegraph.com/editorial-policy

World Liberty Financial (WLFI) announced at the World Liberty Forum that it plans to tokenize loan revenue interests in Trump International Hotel & Resort, Maldives, marking the first transaction in its broader strategy to issue WLFI-branded tokenized real-world asset ( RWA) offerings.

Solana price hovers near $80 as bearish sentiment grows and key support at $75 comes into focus.

Summary

Solana price outlook is still bearish as SOL trades near the lower end of its weekly range. Funding rates have flipped negative while open interest climbs, showing growing short exposure. Loss of the $75 level could trigger a move toward the $70–$60 zone. Solana traded at $81.67 at press time, down 3.7% in the past 24 hours. Over the last seven days, SOL has ranged between $76.81 and $90.59, hovering close to the lower end of that band.

The decline has been persistent. Solana (SOL) is down 38% over the past 30 days and 50% over the past year. Each bounce has been capped by lower highs, keeping pressure on the chart.

In derivatives markets, activity remains elevated. CoinGlass data shows futures volume up 6% to $8.01 billion, while open interest rose 3% to $5.24 billion. When open interest increases as price falls, it often reflects new short positions being added rather than longs exiting. In effect, traders are leaning bearish.

Hype fades as funding turns negative According to a Feb. 19 report from Santiment, the excitement that surrounded Solana in 2025 has largely faded. The token is now down 67% from its $249 high on Sept. 18, 2025. Social dominance, which once stood above 6%, has dropped below 0.4% daily.

Network-related concerns have also weighed on sentiment. In January, maintainers urged validators to upgrade to Agave/Jito v3.0.14 after two critical vulnerabilities were disclosed. One issue could crash validator nodes, while another involved vote processing and raised questions about consensus integrity.

Although fixes were delivered quickly, the urgency highlighted how co-ordination affects and confidence.

Infrastructure discussions re-surfaced again after a Feb. 4 disruption, when traffic across the continental U.S. was temporarily rerouted through Europe and Asia. While rerouting is common in networking, performance consistency matters on high-speed chains and massively affect user sentiment.

Santiment also noted that the memecoin mania that once fueled record trading activity on the chain has faded, alongside NFT launches. Funding rates, however, have flipped deeply negative. Shorts are paying longs. Extended negative funding can create conditions for a squeeze if price stabilizes, but for now, it reflects dominant bearish positioning.

These factors have weakened the technical outlook for SOL, with a possible retest of the $50 to $60 range if sellers stay in control. Despite price weakness, daily network growth has increased. New wallet creation has continued to rise, showing that activity has not disappeared.

Solana price technical analysis The daily chart shows a clear bearish structure. Lower highs and lower lows have formed for weeks. SOL trades below the 50-day and 200-day moving averages, and the 50-day sits under the 200-day in a death cross alignment. The slope of both averages points downward.

Solana daily chart. Credit: crypto.news The recent bounce failed near the $90–$100 supply zone, which now acts as strong resistance. Dynamic resistance sits around $88–$95, where short-term moving averages cluster.

Momentum is weak. The daily RSI is near 33, hovering just above oversold territory. It has not reclaimed the 50 midline, which keeps sellers in control. Oversold readings can produce quick bounces, but they do not confirm reversals on their own.

Price has been riding the lower Bollinger Band. The bands have widened during the sell-off, showing increased volatility. There has been no sustained move back toward the mid-band (20-day average).

Key support sits at $80–$82, followed by the psychological $75 level. Below that, the next demand zone appears near $70–$72. A deeper slide could expose the $60 region, which aligns with prior macro structure.

On the upside, resistance stands at $88–$90, then $100. A recovery above $100 on strong volume would weaken the bearish case. For that to happen, RSI would need to push above 50, funding would need to stabilize, and price would need to form a higher low above $80.

These three iconic brands look beaten down for temporary reasons.

We all love a winner, right? I used to pile into stocks already up 50%, 100%, or more. But real money gets made in stocks that Wall Street has already written off, the ones nobody wants to be caught owning any longer.

Right now, three well-known consumer goods names are trading at prices that look almost absurd when you consider their brand power, recognition, and long-term earnings potential. Each has a clear catalyst that the market is underpricing.

Here's why I'd split $1,000 across them today.

1. Lululemon Athletica I think Wall Street gave up on Lululemon Athletica (LULU +2.50%) too early. The sentiment around the stock is that the company grew on hype, only to be undercut by competitors and knock-offs.

Lululemon's share price has been cut by more than half from its 2024 highs, and its forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio has cratered to roughly 13. This is below the broader apparel industry average of 15.7. For a premium brand that's never traded this cheaply relative to its earnings power, that's striking.

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Here's the angle that I think most investors are missing: Lululemon's Americas segment is soft, yes. U.S. revenue fell 3% last quarter. But the international business is absolutely on fire. International revenue jumped 33% year over year in the third quarter, with mainland China surging 46%. The Rest of World segment grew 19%.

Management expects China's growth above the high end of its original 20% to 25% guidance.​

The company is launching in India through a franchise partnership in the second half of fiscal 2026. It's also going live in Greece, Austria, Poland, Hungary, and Romania.

International is no longer a side project for Lululemon. It's becoming the main revenue engine.​ I'd put a third of my $1,000 here. The U.S. story will normalize, and the global story is just getting started. 

Image source: Getty Images.

2. Hershey Hershey (HSY +1.20%) shares have underperformed the S&P 500 badly over the past year, dragged down by cocoa prices that are 70% higher than 2023 levels. Here's my semi-contrarian angle: Hershey's 2026 guidance blew past expectations. The company expects 4% to 5% net sales growth, versus the 2.69% that many analysts have modeled.

Its CEO, Kirk Tanner, formerly of PepsiCo, is pushing into healthier, zero-sugar products and ramping advertising and marketing spend. Innovation grew by more than 40% in 2024, and the pipeline continues to expand.

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Hershey owns more than a third of the U.S. chocolate aisle. That kind of shelf dominance doesn't evaporate because beans got expensive, or because competitors have new, "sexy" items.

Gross margins should inflect higher starting in second-quarter 2026 after a 17-point compression, supported by 9% pricing actions and $230 million in efficiency savings. The turnaround math is already working.

I'd put some of my money here.​

3. Nike The world's most famous sports brand is 65% off.

Nike (NKE +1.21%) trades around $64, with a trailing P/E of 20. That's cheap compared to Nike's typical valuation over the past decade, when it's often traded at 31 times earnings or more. In other words, the market is treating Nike like its best days are behind it.

Nike's turnaround under CEO Elliott Hill is showing real signs of progress. In the company's fiscal Q2 2026, North America -- Nike's biggest market -- saw a solid 9% sales increase, driven in part by strong performance in running and other sport categories like basketball and training.

Running shoes, in particular, grew more than 20% for the second quarter in a row, and products like the Structure 26 stability shoe sold very well. Nike is also rolling out new initiatives, including the Structure Plus shoe and a training platform called Nike Mind.

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Results in Greater China remained weak, with revenue around the mid-teens percentage-wise as Nike works through excess inventory and a promotion-heavy environment. But even with a substantial tariff headwind of roughly 520 basis points in North America, gross margins there only slipped modestly, a sign that the company's "Win Now" strategy is beginning to stabilize the core business.

The biggest catalyst nobody's pricing in? The 2026 FIFA World Cup. Nike is one of the world's dominant soccer brands, and the tournament, hosted in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico this summer, is a major driver of demand.

In the high-case scenario, the World Cup drives outsize growth, and margin improvement exceeds guidance as operational efficiency compounds.​

At roughly $64, you're buying a once-in-a-decade entry point on the planet's strongest athletic brand.​

Investors seeking market-beating returns should take a closer look at these stocks before they soar higher.

One of the best ways to see your investments in the stock market grow is to buy and hold solid stocks for the long run. After all, this buy-and-hold strategy enables investors to capitalize on disruptive and secular growth trends while also benefiting from the power of compounding.

Let's say if you have $1,000 in investible cash right now after paying your bills, clearing your high-interest loans, and saving for difficult times, you can consider putting that money (either individually or combined) into top growth stocks such as Palantir Technologies (PLTR +1.80%) and Vertiv Holdings (VRT 0.13%).

Let's look at the reasons why these stocks could be winners in the long run.

Image source: Getty Images.

Palantir is showing investors that AI is indeed driving solid profitability Palantir Technologies' artificial intelligence (AI) software platform has gained tremendous traction among customers, driven by its ability to boost productivity, increase automation, and reduce redundancy.

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The company finished 2025 with a 56% jump in revenue to $4.48 billion. The company's adjusted earnings increased at a faster pace of 83% to $0.75 per share. The faster growth in Palantir's earnings is due to higher spending by existing customers plus the larger deals it is signing.

For instance, Palantir signed 180 deals worth $1 million or more in the fourth quarter of 2025, up from 129 in the year-ago period. The number of deals valued at $10 million or more nearly doubled. This explains why Palantir expects its revenue growth rate to accelerate to almost 61% in 2026. Analysts are predicting a 76% increase in earnings this year, well above the 16% average earnings growth of companies in the S&P 500 index.

However, Palantir could do better than that, as its customer count increased by 34% in 2025, and the new customers that come into its fold tend to enhance their deployment of its AI software solutions across their operations. Also, the long-term opportunity in AI software could send Palantir stock soaring over the next five years, which is why it would be a good idea for investors seeking market-beating returns to buy this AI stock.

Vertiv's huge order book points toward better times The global AI infrastructure boom has been a boon for Vertiv. After all, the company is in the business of designing, manufacturing, and servicing critical data center components related to power management, cooling, and server racks.

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With the investment in data center systems expected to clock 32% growth in 2026 to more than $650 billion, according to Gartner, Vertiv is in a nice position to accelerate its growth. The company posted a 28% jump in overall revenue in 2025 to $10.2 billion. It is expecting a faster increase of 32% in 2026 to $13.5 billion, along with a 43% spike in adjusted earnings to $6.02 per share.

Analysts, however, are more bullish about Vertiv's growth.

VRT EPS Estimates for Current Fiscal Year data by YCharts

That's not surprising as AI infrastructure spending is anticipated to hit $1.4 trillion by 2030. This lucrative opportunity is helping Vertiv build a solid order book. It witnessed an 81% increase in orders in 2025, exiting the year with a backlog of $15 billion. The revenue backlog jumped by 109% last year, exceeding the growth in its revenue.

This backlog, along with the bump in AI infrastructure spending, positions Vertiv nicely for robust long-term gains. All this makes Vertiv an ideal growth stock to buy right now before it soars higher.

Walmart is expected to report its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday morning as the retail giant and its new CEO chase a future fueled more by digital businesses and artificial intelligence.

Here's what Wall Street analysts surveyed by LSEG are expecting the company to report:

Earnings per share: 73 cents expectedRevenue: $190.43 billion expectedWalmart said in November that it expects full-year net sales to climb between 4.8% and 5.1% and adjusted earnings per share to range from $2.58 to $2.63.

Investors are not only looking for a holiday and full-year recap. They're also eager for a better sense of the company's expectations for the year ahead and the priorities for new CEO John Furner, a more than three-decade-long company veteran and former Walmart U.S. CEO who succeeded Doug McMillon as Walmart's top executive on Feb. 1.

As a retail behemoth, Walmart offers a key snapshot of the U.S. consumer — particularly since it kicks off a batch of earnings reports from other major retailers, including Home Depot and Target.

"Everybody likes to get a litmus test on how the consumer acted in the quarter and how they are acting quarter to date," said Kate McShane, a retail analyst for Goldman Sachs.

She said Walmart could benefit from some helpful dynamics in the coming months, including tax cuts that were part of President Donald Trump's tax and spending bill last year that may free up more discretionary spending, especially for middle-income consumers.

Yet there are other mixed indicators about the U.S. economy, such as lackluster retail sales numbers in December and concerns about the jobs market and artificial intelligence-related head count cuts, despite a better-than-expected jobs report for January. Investors have closely watched inflation and tried to gauge if tariffs will increase prices in the coming weeks and months, too.

Investors largely expect Furner to focus on similar priorities as his predecessor McMillon, such as increasing Walmart's online business, attracting more customers across incomes and ramping up higher-margin businesses like its third-party marketplace and advertising.

However, Walmart is expected to lose the title as the largest retailer by annual revenue on Thursday. Amazon already surpassed Walmart on quarterly revenue and it is on track to top Walmart on an annual basis. Amazon's core retail unit is the company's biggest revenue driver, but it gets a sizeable chunk of its business from its cloud computing, advertising and seller services businesses.

Along with getting a new CEO, Walmart has hit other milestones lately. Its stock switched to the tech-heavy Nasdaq in December and its market value hit $1 trillion earlier this month.

As of Wednesday's close, shares of the company have climbed about 22% over the past year and about 14% so far this year. That's outpaced the S&P 500's 12% gains over the past year and less than 1% gains year to date.

Cummins Inc. (CMI) Presents at Citi's Global Industrial Tech & Mobility Conference 2026 Transcript