Market Signal Briefing

TLDR: Buterin confirms users need no alignment with his views on AI, DeFi, or culture to use Ethereum.  He argues calling an app “corposlop” is free speech, not censorship, under Ethereum’s open framework.  Buterin warns that pretend neutrality weakens values, urging crypto builders to state principles clearly.  He compares Ethereum to Linux, saying a full-stack value-aligned ecosystem must exist alongside the protocol. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has issued a wide-ranging statement on personal views, free speech, and decentralized protocols.

He made clear that users do not need to share his opinions to participate in the Ethereum network. At the same time, he firmly asserted his right to openly criticize applications he disagrees with.

His remarks draw a firm line between protocol neutrality and individual expression within the broader ecosystem.

Ethereum Belongs to No Single Voice Buterin opened his statement by listing several areas where he holds strong personal views. He wrote, “You do not have to agree with me on political topics to use Ethereum,” adding the same applies to his views on DeFi, AI, and even cultural preferences.

He noted that agreement on none of these topics is required to use Ethereum. This reflects the core promise of a permissionless system.

He was direct in stating that Ethereum is a decentralized protocol. As such, no single person — including himself — speaks for the entire ecosystem.

He noted that “the whole concept of permissionlessness and censorship resistance is that you are free to use Ethereum in whatever way you want.” Users are free to build and transact without seeking approval from any central figure.

You do not have to agree with me on which applications are and are not corposlop to use Ethereum.

You do not have to agree with me on what trust assumptions are acceptable in which situations to use Ethereum.

You do not have to agree with me on political topics to use Ethereum.…

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) February 16, 2026

However, Buterin acknowledged that his individual voice still carries weight in public discourse. He separated his personal commentary from any form of network-level control.

The distinction, he argued, is essential to understanding what decentralization actually means in practice.

Free Speech Carries Responsibility in Crypto Buterin addressed the tension between criticism and censorship directly in his post. He stated clearly, “If I say that your application is corposlop, I am not censoring you.”

The network remains open regardless of what he says about any project. This, he argued, is the grand bargain of free speech.

Furthermore, he pushed back against what he described as false neutrality. He wrote that “the modern world does not call out for pretend neutrality, where a person puts on a suit and claims to be equally open to all perspectives.”

Instead, he called for the courage to state principles clearly and to point to negative examples when needed. Criticism, in his view, is a civic responsibility, not an attack.

He also noted that principles cannot remain at the protocol layer alone. He argued that “valuing something like freedom, and then acting as though it has consequences on technology choices, but is completely separate from everything else about our lives, is not pragmatic — it is hollow.” Staying silent on broader social questions, he said, weakens the values themselves.

The Linux Parallel and Full-Stack Value Systems To illustrate his point, Buterin drew a direct comparison to Linux. He noted that “Linux is a technology of user empowerment and freedom,” yet it also serves as “the base layer of a lot of the world’s corposlop.” The same base layer can serve very different ends. Ethereum, he said, operates the same way.

Because of this, he argued that building the protocol is not enough. He wrote that “if you care about Linux because you care about user empowerment and freedom, it is not enough to just build the kernel.”

A full-stack ecosystem aligned with specific values must also exist alongside it. That ecosystem will not be the only way people use Ethereum, but it must remain available.

He closed by noting that the borders of any shared value framework are naturally fuzzy. He acknowledged that “it is possible, and indeed it is the normal case, to align with any one on some axes and not on other axes.” Ethereum, like Linux, will always serve many communities and value systems at once.

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Crypto market maker Wintermute is expanding its offerings for its institutional investors by adding tokenized gold trading on its platform. The firm also went on to project the market would hit $15 million through the course of 2026.

Wintermute Adds Tokenized Gold Trading for Investors In recent turn of events, the market maker rolled out institutional over-the-counter trading for gold-backed digital tokens as the industry picks up pace. The firm shared yesterday that its OTC trading desk will begin executing trades in Pax Gold and Tether Gold. These are two of the largest gold-backed assets by market cap.

Wintermute plans to offer algorithmically optimal spot trading for institutional counterparties interested in accessing gold through blockchain-based settlement.

“We’re watching gold undergo the same infrastructure evolution that turned foreign exchange into the world’s largest market,” CEO of Wintermute, Evgeny Gaevoy said. “Gold is now following that playbook, and we expect the tokenized gold market to reach $15 billion in 2026 as institutional adoption accelerates.”

This comes as tokenization of commodities appears to be an emerging trend in the thriving RWA market. For instance, at the start of this month, Billiton Diamond and tokenization company Ctrl Alt jointly tokenized more than $280 million of certified polished diamonds in the UAE.

It also comes as the trading volume of tokenized gold exceeded that of the top five gold ETFs, with a volume of $126 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Source: Wintermute The market cap of on-chain gold has increased by more than 80% in the last three months, from close to $3 billion to approximately $5 billion. This shows that more investors choose 24/7 liquidity and instant settlement over traditional ETFs.

Wintermute’s trading desk will facilitate trading of PAXG and XAUT against USDT, USDC, fiat, and major cryptocurrencies. The company said that demand has increased as gold prices are near all-time highs.

What Top Tokenized RWAs are Investors Buying Today? This increase in tokenized bullion is a part of the overall expansion in tokenized RWAs. Tokenized public market RWAs have already tripled in 2025 to around $16.7 billion. The crypto-based commodities also reached a break of $4 billion towards the end of last year.

The top commodity that is experiencing growing activity is Gold, as Wintermute explained in their new development. It is worth noting that the Silver commodity has also experienced high demand with its market cap currently at $4.21 trillion as investors continue to rotate their capital from the traditional crypto market.

BlackRock’s BUIDL has also continued to gain traction with its AUM currently surpassing over $2 billion. The company has also recently announced its plans to launch its tokenized market fund on Uniswap where institutional traders will be able to trade the token.

ARK Invest, led by Cathie Wood, has also predicted that tokenized assets may surpass $11 trillion by 2030. Standard Chartered also included its prediction, stating that tokenized RWAs may reach $2 trillion by 2028.

TLDR: Table of Contents

TLDR:New Cross-Chain Capabilities Reach Builders ImmediatelyInstitutional Adoption Drives the Integration’s Strategic DirectionGet 3 Free Stock Ebooks Axelar Network has integrated Stellar, connecting its payments infrastructure with cross-chain interoperability tools Solv Protocol, Stronghold, and Squid Router launched live on the Axelar-Stellar integration at launch day. Stronghold bridges SHx between Stellar and Ethereum, maintaining a unified 1:1 token supply across both chains. Axelar’s 2026 roadmap targets compliant, institutional-grade infrastructure, aligning closely with Stellar’s focus. Axelar Network has completed its integration with Stellar, linking two key infrastructure layers in the digital asset space.

The move connects Stellar’s payments and asset issuance capabilities with Axelar’s cross-chain interoperability protocol. At launch, Solv Protocol, Stronghold, and Squid Router are already live and operational.

The integration opens new pathways for tokenization, trading, and yield products across blockchain networks for institutional and retail participants alike.

New Cross-Chain Capabilities Reach Builders Immediately Axelar Network confirmed the integration is live, with projects already building on the combined infrastructure. Stellar brings high throughput, low fees, and native compliance tooling to the table.

Its ecosystem includes payment providers, fintech platforms, and capital markets participants with an established developer base.

The Axelar team announced the milestone on X, stating: “Stellar is now live on Axelar. This integration expands institutional-grade onchain finance, connecting @StellarOrg’s strengths in payments and asset issuance with Axelar’s interoperability layer. At launch, @SolvProtocol, @strongholdpay, and @squidrouter are already live.”

Solv Protocol is among the first to build on the combined stack. Solv is a major allocator in tokenized real-world assets and holds the largest onchain Bitcoin reserve.

Through Axelar and Stellar, Solv can extend yield-bearing products into cross-chain markets. Builders can bridge solvBTC to Stellar today using Solv’s cross-chain application.

Stronghold is bridging its SHx token between Stellar and Ethereum through Axelar’s protocol. The bridge maintains a 1:1 supply across both networks while supporting consistent liquidity.

As noted in the announcement, the bridge allows “SHx holders to move assets freely between the two networks while maintaining a unified 1:1 supply.” SHx holders can already move assets between the two chains via Squid Router.

Institutional Adoption Drives the Integration’s Strategic Direction Axelar Network’s 2026 roadmap, outlined by Common Prefix, centers on institutional adoption and compliant infrastructure.

Stellar’s focus on payments, regulated asset issuance, and compliance-oriented tools aligns well with that direction.

The roadmap specifically targets “strengthening economic security, enabling compliant and privacy-aware infrastructure, and building institutional products up the stack.”

Squid Router already supports bridging assets including XLM and solvBTC on the integrated network. Its role as a liquidity routing layer allows Stellar-based assets to access broader markets without fragmenting developer workflows. This gives builders immediate cross-chain reach from the Stellar ecosystem.

Financial institutions across global markets continue to explore onchain infrastructure for settlement and trading. Axelar and Stellar co-authored a joint article on onchain retail payments published in The Stablecoin Standard.

That collaboration reflects a shared focus on production-ready infrastructure built for institutional participants.

Axelar Network’s integration with Stellar is fully available to builders today. The announcement confirmed that “applications can begin connecting onchain assets and services across both networks today.”

The integration positions both ecosystems to support the continued growth of regulated, cross-chain digital asset products.

XRP is showing bullish momentum after consolidation, with $1.67 emerging as a key resistance level.

Brian Njuguna2 min read

17 February 2026, 06:20 AM

Source: ShutterstockXRP Technical Update: Momentum Shifts as Key Resistance LoomsXRP is signaling a bullish turnaround, breaking above the Ichimoku Cloud, a key trend and reversal indicator, marking a shift from consolidation to renewed upward momentum, according to market analyst Xaif Crypto.

Notably, XRP is testing a key resistance as the Ichimoku Cloud flips bullish, suggesting growing buying momentum if bulls hold. How the token reacts here could define its near-term trend. Meanwhile, Upbit has surpassed Binance and Coinbase in XRP spot volume, underscoring South Korea’s market dominance.

Therefore, Xaif Crypto identifies $1.67 as a crucial resistance for XRP. A clean break above this level could fuel further upside, while rejection may lead to a short-term pullback or consolidation. This zone is both a technical and psychological pivot, key for the next major move. 

Amid this development, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson is exploring XRP integration to broaden Cardano’s DeFi ecosystem.

XRP Eyes Key Resistance as Bullish Momentum BuildsXRP is showing early signs of bullish momentum after a consolidation phase, suggesting buyers are gaining confidence. A push above $1.67 could fuel further upside, but caution is warranted, consolidation often precedes volatile swings. 

Notably, questions are being raised whether this is a genuine rebound or just another bull trap, keeping the outlook uncertain in the near term.

According to CoinCodex, XRP is trading at $1.48, leaving roughly 12% upside to the critical $1.67 resistance. 

Source: CoinCodexWith the Ichimoku Cloud turning bullish and momentum improving, the market is poised for a potential advance. 

Therefore, volume, confirmation signals, and price action should be watched closely, as the next move at this key level could determine whether XRP continues higher or faces rejection.

ConclusionXRP faces a pivotal technical crossroads. With the Ichimoku Cloud turning bullish and momentum building, a breakout above the $1.67 resistance could trigger a strong upward move. Failure to breach this level may lead to short-term consolidation or a pullback. Therefore, the next sessions could define XRP’s near-term trend and reveal market sentiment.

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Brian Njuguna is a seasoned crypto journalist at Coinpaper, specializing in blockchain innovation, market trends, and regulatory developments. With a background in economics and years of experience covering the digital asset space, Brian delivers sharp, data-driven insights that cut through the hype. His reporting bridges global crypto narratives with emerging market perspectives, making complex topics accessible to a wide audience.

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Latest Cryptocurrencies News TodayXRP (Ripple) News

Wintermute Expands Into Tokenized Gold Market According to news outlet, Wintermute has introduced institutional over-the-counter trading services for tokenized gold. This news came to light via a tweet from the official account of Coin Bureau. This tweet indicated that the crypto market maker expects the tokenized gold market to reach $15 billion in 2026.

Summary

Wintermute Expands Into Tokenized Gold MarketInstitutional OTC Trading Model DetailedMarket Growth Projection to $15 Billion The tweet highlighted the introduction of the institutional service in the trading market. The service was referred to as institution-grade OTC trading. Nevertheless, the tweet did not provide information on the operational timelines or product structures.

Wintermute is a leading liquidity provider in the digital asset market. The company has now entered the blockchain-based commodity market. This piece of trading news brings tokenized gold into the growing list of institutional trading products.

Institutional OTC Trading Model Detailed The trading news update states that the new offering focuses on over-the-counter execution. OTC trading allows for large trades that are not executed through public order books. Traders commonly use OTC desks to minimize price impact for large trades.

The tweet called the service institutional-grade. This is an indicator of a service targeting hedge funds, institutional investors, and corporate investors. There was no mention of trade size requirements or custody requirements.

Tokenized gold usually represents actual gold held in vaults. Blockchain tokens represent claims on the gold. Traders can move or settle these tokens electronically. This is a combination of commodity investing and blockchain settlement infrastructure.

Wintermute’s foray into tokenized gold trading is consistent with trends in trading news. Trading companies continue to develop their offerings in the area of real-world asset tokenization.

Market Growth Projection to $15 Billion The tweet also mentioned the market forecast by Wintermute. According to the tweet, the gold market that is tokenized could reach $15 billion by 2026. The tweet did not provide information on how the forecast was arrived at.

Tokenized commodities are part of the real-world assets category. The category is followed by analysts in the decentralized finance and institutional trading markets. Gold tokens are among the most developed commodity-linked digital assets.

The news comes at a time when there is growing institutional involvement in blockchain infrastructure. Companies are looking into tokenization as a way of simplifying settlement and increasing market access. Gold tokens provide market access without the need to move gold.

Industry analysts also remain focused on the growth of liquidity in tokenized asset markets. Trading infrastructure and custody services are also being developed in tandem. As companies continue to diversify their product lines, tokenized commodities also gain interest from the traditional finance community.

The latest development by Wintermute is another milestone in the evolution of digital commodity markets. The company is part of a growing list of trading-native companies that are developing institutional trading infrastructure. More information may become available regarding the scope of operations related to this launch.

At present, the trading community is focused on the company’s institutional approach and market growth.

Victor Olaitan

Victor Olaitan is a crypto writer who spends most of his time tracking charts, on-chain data, and market narratives as they happen. He is all about taking the fast-paced world of crypto and breaking it down into readable stories without all the noise.

On-chain data shows almost half of all Bitcoin is currently underwater, representing overhead supply that might need to be absorbed before a price bottom.

Around 9.31 Million Bitcoin Is Now Being Held At A Loss In a new post on X, CryptoQuant community analyst Maartunn has talked about why a true Bitcoin bottom takes time to form. To illustrate his point, Maartunn has shared a chart for the Bitcoin Supply In Loss, an indicator that measures, as its name suggest, the total amount of the cryptocurrency that’s being held at a net unrealized loss.

The value of the metric seems to have shot up in recent weeks | Source: @JA_Maartun on X As is visible in the above graph, the Bticoin Supply In Loss shrunk down to zero as the asset set its new all-time high (ATH) back in October. Since then, however, the metric’s value has sharply expanded as the cryptocurrency has gone through its bearish reversal.

Today, the indicator is sitting at 9.31 million BTC, which is the highest that it has been since the 2022 bear market. In terms of supply percentage, this amount is equivalent to 46% of all tokens in circulation.

Generally, holders in loss look forward to retests of their cost basis level so that they can exit with their capital back. Currently, there would be a significant amount of such investors. “A large share of holders are waiting to sell at breakeven or a small profit,” noted the analyst.

Another on-chain indicator called the UTXO Realized Price Distribution (URPD) showcases which levels exactly the underwater hands bought their Bitcoin at.

The current URPD of BTC | Source: @JA_Maartun on X As displayed in the indicator’s chart, the Bitcoin loss supply is particularly clustered between the $80,000 to $95,000 and $105,000 to $120,000 ranges. Given the distance that the current BTC price has to these levels, it’s possible that traders who bought inside the ranges will stay underwater in the near future.

Upward moves for the asset would naturally be met with selling pressure from these investors looking to cut their losses. “That overhead supply must be absorbed and redistributed to stronger hands before a durable bottom can emerge,” explained Maartunn.

During the previous bear market, the Bitcoin Supply In Loss dropped to even lower levels than now and the market observed a long phase of consolidation before this transfer of loss supply to more resolute hands could occur. It now remains to be seen how long the cryptocurrency will take to reach a floor this time around.

BTC Price Bitcoin has taken to sideways movement since its recovery from the $60,000 low as its price is still trading around $68,600.

The trend in the price of the coin over the last five days | Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com

Solana failed to stay above $90 and corrected gains. SOL price is still above $85 and might attempt another increase in the near term.

SOL price started a downside correction below $90 against the US Dollar. The price is now trading above $85 and the 100-hourly simple moving average. There is a rising channel forming with resistance at $88 on the hourly chart of the SOL/USD pair (data source from Kraken). The pair could extend losses if it dips below the $85 zone. Solana Price Starts Downside Correction Solana price failed to surpass $92 and started a downside correction, like Bitcoin and Ethereum. SOL dipped below $90 and $88 to enter a short-term bearish zone.

There was a move below the 50% Fib retracement level of the upward wave from the $76.54 swing low to the $91.20 high. However, the bulls were active above the $82 support. The price is back above $85. There is also a rising channel forming with resistance at $88 on the hourly chart of the SOL/USD pair.

Source: SOLUSD on TradingView.com Solana is now trading above $85 and the 100-hourly simple moving average. On the upside, the price is facing resistance near the $88 level. The next major resistance is near the $90 level. The main resistance could be $92. A successful close above the $92 resistance zone could set the pace for another steady increase. The next key resistance is $95. Any more gains might send the price toward the $102 level.

Another Decline In SOL? If SOL fails to rise above the $92 resistance, it could start another decline. Initial support on the downside is near the $85 zone. The first major support is near the $82 level or the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the upward wave from the $76.54 swing low to the $91.20 high.

A break below the $82 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 gaining pace in the bullish zone.

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

Major Support Levels – $85 and $82.

Major Resistance Levels – $88 and $92.

The mobile wallet Zashi has been rebranded to Zodl following a split from its former parent organization, as its development team moves forward under a new independent structure.

Summary

Zashi wallet has rebranded to Zodl after its development team left Electric Coin Company to form an independent entity. The wallet’s functionality, security, and user data remain unchanged, with the update applied automatically. The team will continue focusing on privacy and long-term growth under independent management. In a statement released on Feb. 16, the team said the upcoming app update will rename Zashi to Zodl without changing how the wallet works. Users will not need to download a new app, move funds, or update their recovery phrases.

The transition will take place automatically with the next software update. As per the announcement, the rebrand reflects “a new chapter” for the wallet, while keeping the same product, developers, and focus on privacy.

Transition to an independent structure The change follows the departure of the full Zashi (ZEC) development team from Electric Coin Company in January 2026. The group, which helped build both the Zcash protocol and the Zashi wallet, resigned after internal disagreements over governance, funding, and autonomy.

After leaving, the team formed a new company called Zcash Open Development Lab, also known as ZODL. Under this entity, the wallet was renamed Zodl and placed fully under independent management.

The developers said the move was needed to support long-term growth without relying on the Zcash development fund. Since forming the new organization, the team has continued releasing updates and maintaining the wallet.

Zodl’s creators stressed that the rebrand does not affect security or compatibility. Wallet balances, transaction history, and seed phrases will continue to work as before, and the app will remain connected to the Zcash blockchain.

Over the coming days, the Zashi name will be replaced with Zodl across websites, support channels, and social platforms.

Transition to an independent structure In its announcement, the team said its mission remains unchanged. Zodl will continue to focus on private transactions and expanding access to shielded ZEC.

“We envision a world without mass financial surveillance,” the statement said, adding that financial privacy is central to personal sovereignty. The developers said their goal is to make private digital payments accessible to a wider audience.

The rebrand comes as privacy-focused cryptocurrencies continue to gain attention. Due to a rise in the use of privacy features, shielded ZEC transactions now account for roughly 30% of the supply in circulation. 

At the ecosystem level, the Zcash Foundation recently published its 2026 roadmap, outlining plans to improve wallet usability, developer tools, and network infrastructure. Many analysts view the Zodl transition as another example of the friction that can arise between non-profit governance bodies and independent development teams within the crypto space.

Similar splits have occurred in other technology and blockchain projects over funding and control. For now, Zodl’s team says users can continue using the wallet as usual, while future updates will focus on improving privacy tools and user experience.

Dogecoin is flashing a rare weekly “bearish cross” just as traders debate whether last week’s $0.08 washout was the cycle’s reset or merely the first leg lower. The setup matters beyond DOGE itself because memecoin flows are increasingly being treated as a proxy for risk appetite across crypto.

Is The Dogecoin Bottom In? A chart shared by Charting Guy shows the 20-week EMA crossing below the 200-week EMA, a technical event he argues has historically aligned with DOGE capitulation. “DOGE typically bottoms around when the 20 weekly EMA crosses below the 200 weekly EMA. That happened last week” he wrote, adding that he “increased my position by 50% at the lows” and that his community received buy alerts.

Dogecoin weekly bearish cross | Source: X @ChartingGuy That framing is colliding with more cautious range-based reads from other analysts watching spot structure instead of the moving-average signal alone.

Daan Crypto Trades described the post-dip bounce as constructive, but explicitly framed it as range trade rather than trend confirmation. “DOGE Decent price action here over the past few days after the big $0.08 test last week. Currently seeing this $0.08-$0.13 area as a large range,” he posted.

“Anything above that point would make me confident in a further move towards the Daily 200MA/EMA. Currently near the middle so hard to really assume a direction here the way it’s trading.”

Dogecoin price analysis | Source: X @DaanCrypto On his chart, DOGE/USDT was sitting around the middle of that band near $0.10–$0.11, with the upper range marker around $0.132 and the lower boundary near $0.088. In other words: not a clean trend, not a clean mean reversion, just a market waiting for a push.

That “waiting” can be expensive in a leverage-heavy coin. CEO of Aphractal João Wedson struck a stark tone, warning: “If you are long on Doge, you will likely be liquidated soon!”

An aggregated liquidation heatmap shared by Alphractal highlights why this warning resonates with derivatives traders: thick bands of potential liquidation levels sit below current price over the past three days, suggesting stop-driven moves could cascade if DOGE starts trending instead of chopping.

Dogecoin liquidation heatmap | Source: X @joao_wedson Wedson also argued that DOGE rallies can function as a broader volatility tell for Bitcoin, calling them “a risk signal for Bitcoin” and saying it “usually happens when Bitcoin is moving sideways.”

Alphractal echoed the rotation narrative in a longer note on flows. “Over the past few days, memecoins have significantly outperformed BTC and other altcoins. What stood out the most was Dogecoin, where the number of trades surpassed all others in its category,” the account wrote. “However, in the last few hours, memecoins have started to correct while BTC remains relatively stable.”

The near-term map is clean even if the conviction isn’t. Bulls need a decisive reclaim of the top of the $0.08–$0.13 range to credibly reopen the path toward the daily 200 MA/EMA that Daan flagged. Bears, meanwhile, will focus on whether the market revisits the $0.08 area and whether that level holds on a second test with liquidation clusters in play.

At press time, Dogecoin traded at $0.10.

DOGE closed the week above the Oct. 10 low, 1-week chart | Source: DOGEUSDT on TradingView.com Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

4 mins mins

Wintermute enables institutional OTC access to PAXG/XAUT block liquiditycrypto market maker Wintermute has launched institution-grade over-the-counter trading for tokenized gold products Pax Gold (PAXG) and Tether Gold (XAUT), as reported by FinanceFeeds. The service is designed for professional counterparties that require large, negotiated block trades in gold-backed tokens without moving public order books.

The arrangement targets execution quality for institutions by minimizing visible market impact and offering flexible settlement. Access is limited to KYC/AML-screened entities, aligning tokenized commodity trading with established compliance workflows.

Why it matters: reduced slippage, flexible settlement, KYC counterpartiesOTC venues allow block execution via request-for-quote, reducing slippage relative to screen-based venues and enabling bilateral credit arrangements. Institutions can align settlement in fiat, stablecoins, or on-chain tokens while maintaining preferred custody setups.

Wintermute frames on-chain gold as the next phase of market-structure modernization, where institutional rails converge with tokenized real-world assets. “We’re watching gold undergo the same infrastructure evolution that turned foreign exchange into the world’s largest market … Gold is now following that playbook, and we expect the tokenized gold market to reach 15 billion in 2026 as institutional adoption accelerates,” said Evgeny Gaevoy, CEO of Wintermute.

Tokenized gold fundamentals strengthened through 2025, based on data from Cointelegraph: market cap expanded from roughly $1.6 billion to $4.4 billion, with about $178 billion of annual trading volume and $126 billion in Q4 alone. Those figures suggest rising depth and utility relative to legacy products.

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Off-exchange block liquidity can complement centralized and decentralized venues by absorbing size away from public books. Better execution and bespoke settlement may tighten effective spreads and improve routing for institutions that already trade gold exposure.

At the time of this writing, tokenized gold’s market capitalization has surpassed $6 billion by mid-February 2026, according to Tekedia. Additional OTC connectivity could support depth across pairs such as PAXG and XAUT, subject to counterparty onboarding and credit availability.

Industry debate remains active on trust models for gold-backed tokens, according to Yahoo Finance. Proponents emphasize portability and 24/7 settlement, while critics stress custodial and issuer risk versus claims of being “on-chain” gold.

Mechanics, custody, and redemption for tokenized goldHow institutional OTC settlement works for PAXG and XAUTIn institutional OTC workflows, counterparties submit RFQs for block sizes in PAXG or XAUT, negotiate price bilaterally, and settle via pre-agreed rails. Settlement can involve fiat, stablecoins, or direct token delivery, depending on credit terms and operational preferences.

Access is restricted to KYC/AML-vetted institutions, aligning with standard onboarding, sanctions screening, and trade surveillance. Post-trade, operations include confirmations, reconciliations, and custody instructions that reflect the institution’s asset-segregation and audit requirements.

Risks versus gold ETFs and futures exposureTokenized gold introduces custodial and counterparty dependencies on the token sponsor, along with smart contract and chain risks. Regulatory treatment varies by jurisdiction, which can affect reporting, capital, and operational controls.

ETFs and futures centralize risk in regulated funds or clearinghouses with established margin and disclosure regimes. Tokenized gold prioritizes 24/7 transferability and programmability but requires confidence in issuer solvency, custody controls, and redemption procedures.

FAQ about tokenized goldIs the $15 billion tokenized gold market projection by 2026 realistic, and what data supports or challenges it?Momentum is strong, with 2025 volumes and a 2026 market cap above $6 billion. Achieving $15 billion likely depends on institutional rails, custody assurance, and regulatory clarity.

How do PAXG and XAUT compare on custody, redemption policies, fees, liquidity, and chain support?Both are gold-backed with sponsor-defined custody and redemption. Fee schedules and chain support differ by issuer. Liquidity concentrates in major pairs, with terms set in official documentation.

DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is provided as general market commentary and does not constitute investment advice. We encourage you to do your own research before investing.

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Coinbase data shows retail investors are buying the bitcoin dip despite sharp market losses, as CEO Brian Armstrong reinforces long-term bullishness and expands products, signaling confidence in crypto's resilience and financial system ambitions.

4 mins mins

Bitcoin weekly RSI near 2022 lows: what it means nowBitcoin’s weekly RSI is approaching levels last seen during the 2022 bear market, reviving debate about whether momentum exhaustion is nearing or if downside risk persists. In thin liquidity, a modest order-flow imbalance can trigger outsized moves, making any “oversold” reading less conclusive on its own. The setup now hinges on how quickly momentum stabilizes, how a potential liquidity squeeze resolves, and whether spot bitcoin ETF flows improve from recent caution.

Recent sessions featured sharp liquidations on both sides as low-volume trading amplified price swings. That pattern underscores why traders are watching liquidity pockets, execution venues, and whale behavior more than single indicators. The interplay between market depth and order-book positioning is likely to define near-term path dependency.

Why a liquidity squeeze intensifies BTC moves in thin marketsA liquidity squeeze occurs when resting bids or offers vanish or cluster at a few levels, so moderate market orders push price disproportionately. In crypto, this often coincides with holiday trading or off-peak hours, when depth is shallow and ranges compress before snapping.

As reported by Cointelegraph, recent low-volume windows cleared longs and shorts within tight ranges, highlighting how quickly stops and liquidations can cascade. Editorially, that dynamic suggests signal-to-noise improves when liquidity normalizes and order books refill.

“Focus on both what patterns are repeating and what is diverging,” said Keith Alan at Material Indicators. That framing helps separate surface similarities with 2022 from today’s different market structure and participants.

BingX: a trusted exchange delivering real advantages for traders at every level.

The same report detailed shifting bid/ask “walls” that disappear and re-form as price moves, a hallmark of liquidity games. When depth migrates higher, resistance hardens; when bids pull, gaps can accelerate downside. These mechanics can invert quickly if forced liquidations spark a squeeze.

Spot Bitcoin ETF flows add another layer to intraday microstructure. According to AInvest, recent net outflows point to institutional caution, which, if persistent, can sap spot demand and leave derivatives positioning more exposed to squeezes.

Whale activity on Binance continues to matter because large tickets can reshape local depth and set short-term ranges. In aggregate, concentrated orders from bigger holders can force reactive repositioning by smaller participants, then fade once liquidity migrates.

At the time of this writing, Bitcoin was trading around $68,000, as reported by FXLeaders. That context is directional, not determinative, and remains sensitive to liquidity conditions and flows.

Bulls vs bears: near-term paths and invalidation levelsBull triggers: RSI stabilization, short squeeze, improving spot ETF flowsA constructive path likely starts with weekly RSI stabilizing rather than making fresh lows, signaling momentum fatigue. If shallow pullbacks fail and resting asks thin out, a short squeeze can develop as stops cascade. Improving spot etf flows would reinforce spot-led bids and reduce reliance on perpetually funded leverage. Bulls risk invalidation if RSI deteriorates alongside sustained ETF outflows and deepening order-book gaps.

Bear triggers: continued outflows, liquidity gaps, whale selling on BinanceBears gain traction if net spot ETF outflows persist while order-book support pulls lower, creating air pockets. Liquidity gaps can accelerate downside as bids vanish and forced sellers chase exits. Visible whale selling on Binance could cap bounces and reset resistance closer to price. Bears risk invalidation if depth rebuilds beneath price and squeezes shorts despite weak momentum readings.

FAQ about Bitcoin weekly RSIHow do low-liquidity conditions and holiday trading amplify BTC price swings?Thin order books mean smaller orders move price further. Around holidays, reduced depth and clustered stops can trigger outsized, rapid liquidations.

What are whales and order-book data on exchanges like Binance showing right now?Large orders can shift local support and resistance quickly. When whales pull bids or stack asks, ranges reset and short-term direction can flip fast.

DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is provided as general market commentary and does not constitute investment advice. We encourage you to do your own research before investing.

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Harvard University has cut back on its Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) position and dived into Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) for the first time, according to its latest 13F filing released on Friday. Harvard Loses Significant Chunk Of Bitcoin ETF Harvard Management Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Harvard University that manages its financial assets, reported holding 5.35 million shares of iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (NASDAQ:IBIT ) as of Dec. 31, down 21% from the previous quarter.

Ethereum price found support near $1,928 and recovered some losses. ETH is now consolidating and faces key hurdles near $2,020.

Ethereum is attempting a fresh recovery wave above $1,950. The price is trading below $2,020 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. There is a bullish trend line forming with support at $1,950 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD (data feed via Kraken). The pair could start a fresh decline if it stays below the $2,020 zone. Ethereum Price Faces Resistance Ethereum price failed to stay above $2,000 and started a fresh decline, like Bitcoin. ETH price traded below the $1,950 and $1,940 levels to enter a bearish zone.

Finally, the bulls appeared near $1,925. A low was formed at $1,928, and the price started a recovery wave. There was a move above the $1,950 resistance. The price even spiked above the 38.2% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $2,101 swing high to the $1,928 low.

Ethereum price is now trading below $2,020 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. If the bulls remain in action above $1,950, the price could attempt another increase. Immediate resistance is seen near the $2,020 level or the 50% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $2,101 swing high to the $1,928 low.

Source: ETHUSD on TradingView.com The first key resistance is near the $2,035 level. The next major resistance is near the $2,060 level. A clear move above the $2,060 resistance might send the price toward the $2,120 resistance. An upside break above the $2,120 region might call for more gains in the coming days. In the stated case, Ether could rise toward the $2,150 resistance zone or even $2,185 in the near term.

Another Decline In ETH? If Ethereum fails to clear the $2,020 resistance, it could start a fresh decline. Initial support on the downside is near the $1,970 level. The first major support sits near the $1,940 zone or the trend line.

A clear move below the $1,940 support might push the price toward the $1,880 support. Any more losses might send the price toward the $1,820 region. The main support could be $1,780.

Technical Indicators

Hourly MACD – The MACD for ETH/USD is gaining momentum in the bullish zone.

Hourly RSI – The RSI for ETH/USD is now above the 50 zone.

Major Support Level – $1,940

Major Resistance Level – $2,020

Crypto sentiment has slid to what CryptoinsightUk founder Will Taylor describes as “historical lows,” and the damage is starting to show up in higher-timeframe indicators that rarely flash. In a Feb. 14 weekly note, Taylor argued the setup is shifting from “collapse” to late-stage drawdown and pointed to XRP priced in gold as one of the cleanest tells.

Taylor framed the week as “another painful week in crypto,” but said the timing of the pessimism matters. On Bitcoin’s weekly chart, he wrote, BTC “has just hit oversold levels for only the third time in recent history,” adding that the prior two occurrences marked either the bear market low or “very close to it.” In his telling, extreme sentiment paired with a statistically rare signal leans toward exhaustion rather than fresh downside acceleration.

The core of Taylor’s argument rests on positioning for a volatility expansion in Bitcoin dominance. He said Bollinger Bands on dominance are “extremely compressed,” a configuration he views as unstable: “Compression leads to expansion. And expansion leads to volatility. In simple terms, volatility is inbound.”

Direction is the debate. Taylor’s base case is a downside break in dominance – eventually below 36% – which, if paired with a resilient or rising Bitcoin price, would imply not just new money entering crypto but rotation across the risk curve. He cited a prior episode as a template: in November 2024, when dominance fell by roughly 10 percentage points, “XRP saw a subsequent move of around 490%,” which he characterized as “a vertical expansion.”

To corroborate the rotation setup, Taylor pointed to the OTHERS/BTC ratio: the market outside the top 10 relative to Bitcoin. On the monthly timeframe, he said RSI “has just crossed bullish,” and that the chart is “on the verge of printing” a second green monthly MACD volume candle after what he described as a bullish cross near the lows. The combined picture, he argued, is alignment: altcoins starting to regain relative strength as dominance volatility compresses.

XRP Against Gold: A ‘Historic Zone’ Setup Taylor’s more specific claim centered on XRP priced in gold, a pairing he said is largely ignored despite being structurally informative. “When you look at XRP priced against gold, what you’ll notice is that we’ve pulled back into an extremely strong historical support region,” he wrote. “At the same time, on the monthly timeframe, the RSI has reached levels we have only ever seen once before. And that was just before the 2017 parabolic expansion.”

XRP vs gold, 1-month chart | Source: @CryptoinsightUK From there, Taylor sketched a scenario rather than a prediction: if XRP holds that support and completes what he called a 4.236 Fibonacci extension “from this structure,” the move could be “around 20x against gold.” He stressed the usual caveat that relative performance doesn’t map cleanly to the dollar pair. “That does not automatically mean 20x against the dollar,” he wrote, noting gold itself could weaken, and “macro conditions could shift.”

Still, he argued the relative signal is the point. In his framework, sustained outperformance versus gold suggests capital “aggressively rotating into risk,” a backdrop where altcoins tend to lead.

Taylor added a second relative-strength angle: XRP versus Ethereum. He floated an Elliott Wave interpretation in which XRP may have completed wave one and wave two against ETH, setting up a potential wave three: “typically the most aggressive, most explosive leg.” While calling Elliott Wave “a framework, not a certainty,” he emphasized a momentum detail: monthly RSI holding above 50 through consolidation, which he viewed as consistent with continuation rather than breakdown.

XRP vs ETH, 1-month chart | Source: @CryptoinsightUK At press time, XRP traded at $

XRP must overcome the 0.618 Fib, 1-week chart | Source: XRPUSDT on TradingView.com Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

SBI Holdings CEO Yoshitaka Kitao clarifies that the company does not hold $10 billion in XRP The company’s value comes from its 9% stake in Ripple Labs, which represents a “hidden asset.” Brad Garlinghouse says that Ripple has the potential to become a trillion-dollar company focused on XRP. Yoshitaka Kitao, CEO of SBI Holdings, put an end to the discussion and clarified that the company does not hold $10 billion in $XRP tokens, but it owns a massive equity stake in Ripple Labs itself.​

As the debate started on February 15 from the user named @strivex_, who mentioned, “SBI, a major partner of Ripple and holder of $10 billion in #XRP.” In response, the CEO of SBI Holdings explained that Ripple owns about 9% of Ripple Labs rather than directly holding $10 billion in XRP.

When it comes to Ripple Lab.'s total valuation which obviously include its ecosystem that Ripple has created,
that would be enormous. SBI owns more
than 9 % of that much.

— 北尾吉孝 (@yoshitaka_kitao) February 15, 2026 Since equity in Ripple Labs provides the company with strategic impact and value growth without having to risk price volatility from holding crypto XRP, as he mentioned, “So our hidden asset could be much bigger.”

​Then, in a follow-up tweet, Kitao mentioned, “when it comes to Ripple Labs’ total valuation, which obviously includes its ecosystem that Ripple has created, that would be enormous. SBI owns more than 9 % of that much,” when calculated, 9% stake in Ripple Labs would be worth around $3.6 billion.

​Also, Kitao confirmed that SBI Holdings had acquired a majority stake in Coinhako, a regulated cryptocurrency exchange, on February 13, which is part of its strategy to strengthen its position in the Asian crypto market, which may support Ripple’s ecosystem by providing a platform for XRP trading and adoption.

Ripple’s Long-Term Vision Previously, on February 12, during the XRP Community Day on X, Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple labs said, There WILL be a Trillion Dollar Crypto company and I don’t have any doubt that Ripple has that opportunity. But the target goes beyond corporate growth.  He stated, “Ripple’s reason for existence is driving success around XRP and the XRP ecosystem.”​

As Ripple continues to focus on XRP, where the present market conditions are showing a persistent downtrend, as of writing, XRP is down over 6% in the last 24 hours and is trading at $1.48, with a monthly down of about 28%, amid wider crypto market weakness.  

​Highlighted Crypto News Today:

Russia Flags $129B in Annual Crypto Activity

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The founder of Capriole Investments has pointed out how Google searches related to “Quantum Computing Bitcoin” peaked alongside the price top.

Bitcoin Saw Increased Interest In Quantum Threat During Bull Run In a new post on X, Capriole Investments founder Charles Edwards has talked about the trend in the Google search interest around the Quantum Computing threat to Bitcoin.

Below is the NYDIG chart cited by the analyst that lines up the Google search data for “Quantum Computing Bitcoin” against the cryptocurrency’s price trajectory.

Looks like interest in the search term hit a peak last year | Source: @caprioleio on X As displayed in the graph, the Google search interest in the topic witnessed a sharp surge just as last year’s bull rally reached its peak. This would imply that the price appreciation brought with it risk evaluation around the Quantum Computing threat to the cryptocurrency.

Quantum Computing is an emerging technology that could, in theory, exploit the vulnerabilities present in old BTC wallets to access the tokens stored inside them and dump them on the market.

The timeline related to when Quantum Computing could become advanced enough to do this remains yet uncertain, but it has nonetheless raised concerns among many in the BTC community. Edwards has been one of the loudest voices when it comes to this issue, urging the community to work together on a solution as soon as possible.

Based on the Google search interest chart, the analyst has noted, “Evaluation of the risk was at a maxima when price was, resulting in derisking, a leading indicator to price falling.” Shortly after the peak in the metric, the asset observed a bearish shift that has today taken it below the $70,000 mark. “The Quantum threat drove Bitcoin down,” said Edwards.

From the graph, it’s also visible that a similar trajectory was visible during the price surge that occurred in late 2024. Back then, the topic saw slightly lower peak traction and faded quickly once the cryptocurrency slowed down.

Interest in the topic has gone down this time as well as Bitcoin has declined, but it still remains significantly above the low from early 2025, a potential sign that the floor interest in the risk has gone up. “The good news is, at least this means we are starting to get traction and attention in the right places to solve the problem (Strategy, Eth foundation etc),” noted the Capriole founder.

Analyst Willy Woo has also made an X post discussing the Quantum risk. As the chart shared by Woo illustrates, the Bitcoin vs Gold price has broken a twelve-year trend recently.

The trend in the XAUBTC ratio over the years | Source: @willywoo on X The XAUBTC ratio was in a state of downtrend for twelve years, but its value saw a reversal last year and has since been rising. “The valuation trend broke down once QUANTUM came into awareness,” explained the analyst.

BTC Price At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading around $68,600, down 2.4% over the last week.

The price of the coin seems to have been moving sideways over the past few days | Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.

XRP price extended losses and traded below $1.520. The price is now consolidating losses but faces hurdles near $1.5150 and $1.520.

XRP price started another decline and traded below the $1.550 zone. The price is now trading above $1.450 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. There is a short-term bullish trend line forming with support at $1.4720 on the hourly chart of the XRP/USD pair (data source from Kraken). The pair could continue to move down if it stays below $1.550. XRP Price Trims Most Gains XRP price failed to stay above $1.60 and extended its decline, like Bitcoin and Ethereum. The price declined below $1.550 and $1.520 to enter a short-term bearish zone.

The price even extended losses below $1.50. A low was formed at $1.4437, and the price is now consolidating losses. There was a minor upward move above the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $1.6713 swing high to the $1.4437 low.

The price is now trading above $1.450 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. There is also a short-term bullish trend line forming with support at $1.4720 on the hourly chart of the XRP/USD pair.

If there is a fresh recovery move, the price might face resistance near the $1.5150 level. The first major resistance is near the $1.520 level. A close above $1.520 could send the price to $1.550 and the 50% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $1.6713 swing high to the $1.4437 low.

Source: XRPUSD on TradingView.com The next hurdle sits at $1.5840. A clear move above the $1.5840 resistance might send the price toward the $1.620 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $1.650 resistance. The next major hurdle for the bulls might be near $1.6750.

Another Drop? If XRP fails to clear the $1.520 resistance zone, it could start a fresh decline. Initial support on the downside is near the $1.460 level or the trend line. The next major support is near the $1.440 level.

If there is a downside break and a close below the $1.440 level, the price might continue to decline toward $1.380. The next major support sits near the $1.350 zone, below which the price could continue lower toward $1.3250.

Technical Indicators

Hourly MACD – The MACD for XRP/USD is now losing pace in the bearish zone.

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

Major Support Levels – $1.470 and $1.440.

Major Resistance Levels – $1.520 and $1.550.

In brief Bitcoin’s long-term holder accumulation during February's dip is weaker when compared to FTX, LUNA Crash. Still, a key metric has flipped for the first time since May 2022, signaling veteran holders are under pressure and realizing losses. CLARITY Act, more Fed rate cuts, and sustained ETF inflows are key catalysts that could trigger a recovery, Decrypt was told. Bitcoin's long-term holders are buckling under pressure following this month’s sell-off, amid signs of a relatively weaker accumulation trend that could trigger a deeper correction.

February 6’s dip to $62,800 imposed overhead pressure on long-term holders comparable to the May 2022 LUNA crash, marking a “rare shift in conviction typically seen in deeper stages of bear markets,” Glassnode wrote in a Telegram note on Monday.

Meanwhile, the 7-day exponential moving average of the Long-Term Holder Spent Output Profit Ratio (SOPR) fell below 1, a sign that veteran investors are now realizing losses.

Long-term holders are the market's strongest hands and have typically served as the last line of defense in previous cycles, helping form cycle bottoms as capitulation forced wealth transfers. 

When such cohorts are underwater, the question arises: where is the next floor? Glassnode points to $54,000 as the next critical support level.

Recent macro data has done little to clarify the path forward.

The U.S. added 130,000 jobs in January, dampening expectations of a rate cut and sending risk assets lower. Inflation slowed to 2.4%—but the print failed to trigger a recovery rally from Bitcoin.

Markets still assign a 90% probability that the Federal Funds Rate will remain unchanged in March, per CME's FedWatch tool.

Still, not everyone is convinced the floor will give way. 

Sean McNulty, APAC derivatives trading lead at FalconX, is arguing for the contrarian case that $60,000 will hold as the cycle floor in the near term, citing “healthy buying flows.” "This level has been defended by a massive wall of buyers who recently absorbed the capitulation of short-term holders," he told Decrypt.

Extreme market pessimism during the recent drop—and the sell-off lacking a systemic blow-up like FTX—are reasons McNulty believes a further decline is unlikely.

The recent drawdown was "orderly deleveraging" that led to excess speculative capital rotating out of crypto without structural failure, he said.

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Bloom Energy's stock catapulted upward on AI and data center momentum in 2025 and shows no signs of slowing.

A stock increasing nearly 300% in a single year is remarkable. Bloom Energy's (BE +0.39%) stock has exploded and the company's market cap is approaching $40 billion. All told, Bloom has risen 465% since last Valentine's Day. What's caused this spectacular rise and can it continue?

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Power generation is surging Bloom Energy specializes in solid oxide fuel cell technology for on-site power generation. It's well documented that energy demands are experiencing unprecedented growth. The U.S. power grid, in its current state of aging, isn't going to be able to keep pace.

The power grid in the U.S. is already struggling, and according to the U.S. Department of Energy, it could see a deficit of more than 100 gigawatts (GW) in the next five years. This shortage is where Bloom Energy has a serious competitive advantage.

Bloom is able to install its systems quickly, whereas it'll take years for grid updates to be complete. It also has a ready-to-deploy product, unlike some competitors, such as Oklo, that are still a bit away from commercialization.

Data center developers are realizing that total reliance on the grid isn't feasible, nor is it particularly popular with the American public. Again, Bloom Energy is positioned to help these developers and hyperscalers with off-grid electricity needs.

Bloom has momentum In October 2025, Bloom announced a partnership with Brookfield Asset Management to power AI infrastructure. Bloom is also working with Oracle, and in 2024 signed a deal with American Electric Power. The energy company expects to increase capacity from 1 GW to 2 GW by the end of 2026. Bloom's momentum is undeniable.

Image source: Getty Images.

Record revenue continues Bloom now has four consecutive quarters of record revenue. Bloom is also finally profitable as of its latest earnings report released on Feb. 5. This coming year looks to be more good news for Bloom as its 2026 guidance has revenue exceeding $3 billion. Bloom's backlog is also now $20 billion, increasing by $6 billion in just the fourth quarter of 2025 alone.

Is it too late to buy Bloom Energy? It's been an exciting time for Bloom Energy investors, but now the stock is extraordinarily expensive. It's tough to justify buying an energy stock trading with a forward P/E ratio of over 100. The stock is also quite volatile and currently has an extremely high beta of 3.12 as of Feb. 13.

Yet, for bullish investors, there's still plenty of room for growth in Bloom Energy. The power needs associated with AI don't look like they'll slow down for quite some time. Power grid updates will be slow in execution, but AI companies are ready to deploy serious capital for the energy they need now. This means Bloom Energy's market share should continue to expand.

Catie Hogan has positions in Oracle. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bloom Energy, Brookfield Asset Management, and Oracle. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

NEW YORK, Feb. 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of securities of Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: INO) between October 10, 2023 and December 26, 2025, inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important April 7, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Inovio securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Inovio class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=52847 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than April 7, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: Inovio describes itself as a “biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of DNA medicines to treat and protect people from diseases associated with, inter alia, human papillomavirus (“HPV”).” According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) manufacturing for Inovio’s CELLECTRA device was deficient; (2) accordingly, Inovio was unlikely to submit the INO-3107 Biologics License Application (“BLA”) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) by the second half of 2024; (3) Inovio had insufficient information to justify the INO-3107 BLA’s eligibility for FDA accelerated approval or priority review; (4) accordingly, INO-3107’s overall regulatory and commercial prospects were overstated; and (5) as a result, defendants’ public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Inovio class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=52847 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

-------------------------------

Contact Information:

        Laurence Rosen, Esq.
        Phillip Kim, Esq.
        The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
        275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
        New York, NY 10016
        Tel: (212) 686-1060
        Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
        Fax: (212) 202-3827
        [email protected]
        www.rosenlegal.com

NEW YORK, Feb. 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces an investigation of potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of KDDI Corporation (OTC: KDDIY) resulting from allegations that KDDI may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.

SO WHAT: If you purchased KDDI securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=52883 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On February 6, 2026, KDDI posted an announcement on its website entitled “Notice Regarding Expectation that Disclosure of Earnings Report for the Third Quarter of the Fiscal Year Ending March 2026 Will Exceed the 45-Day Period Following the End of Such Quarter.” The announcement stated that KDDI has “decided to postpone the disclosure of its earnings report” and that the reason for postponement was due to uncertainties regarding the quarterly results, in light of a previously announced internal investigation.

On this news, KDDI American Depositary Receipts (under the ticker symbol “KDDIY”) fell 11.4% on February 6, 2026.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. At the time Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
[email protected]
www.rosenlegal.com

Macmahon Holdings Limited (MCHHF) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

-

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of securities of F5, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV) between October 28, 2024 and October 27, 2025, inclusive (the “Class Period”). F5 is a global multicloud application security and delivery company.

For more information, submit a form, email attorney Phillip Kim, or give us a call at 866-767-3653.

The Allegations: Rosen Law Firm is Investigating the Allegations that F5, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV) Misled Investors Regarding its Business Operations.

According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period created the false impression that they possessed reliable information pertaining to F5’s projected revenue outlook and anticipated growth while also minimizing risk from seasonality and macroeconomic fluctuations. In truth, F5’s optimistic claims, touting its purported best-in-industry security and overall emphasis and confidence in F5’s ability to meet and capitalize on the growing security needs for its clientele fell short of reality; F5 was, at the time, the subject of a significant security incident, placing its clientele’s security and F5’s future prospects at significant risk. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

What Now: You may be eligible to participate in the class action against F5, Inc. Shareholders who want to serve as lead plaintiff for the class must file their motions with the court by February 17, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. You do not have to participate in the case to be eligible for a recovery. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. For more information, click here.

All representation is on a contingency fee basis. Shareholders pay no fees or expenses.

About Rosen Law Firm: Some law firms issuing releases about this matter do not actually litigate securities class actions. Rosen Law Firm does. Rosen Law Firm is a recognized leader in shareholder rights litigation, dedicated to helping shareholders recover losses, improving corporate governance structures, and holding company executives accountable for their wrongdoing. Since its inception, Rosen Law Firm has obtained over $1 billion for shareholders.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

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Coca-Cola's stock is known for providing steady income, but new leadership could reinvigorate growth.

Coca-Cola (KO 0.41%) is older than clothing zippers, airplanes, and sliced bread. The company, now 134 years old, continues to dominate the beverage space and remain relevant worldwide. There are several good reasons to buy Coca-Cola stock right now, and surprisingly, our love of a fizzy beverage isn't one of them.

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Reinvigorated by new leadership Chief Operating Officer Henrique Braun will become the company's CEO on March 31. Coca-Cola also created a new executive position, the Chief Digital Officer. This role will be held by Sedef Salıngan Şahin, who will focus on how the digital strategy can "strengthen execution, simplify how we work and enable us to deliver for consumers with greater precision and speed," according to Braun in a January press release.

These changes in operational leadership should help Coca-Cola stay current in a fast-paced consumer landscape. It may also reinvigorate the company's growth trajectory as it shakes up its digital strategy.

Coca-Cola remains one of the strongest brands in the world Coca-Cola and its products are ubiquitous worldwide. Its products command premium shelf space and have maintained customer loyalty not just for a few years, but for generations. Brand power is its most important competitive advantage.

It isn't just a soda company. Coca-Cola's portfolio includes sports beverages, energy drinks, bottled water, coffee, and tea. If you're drinking anything other than tap water, you've likely consumed a Coca-Cola product recently. Its diversified portfolio is an important aspect of the company's ability to navigate changes in consumer behavior.

Coca-Cola is a Dividend King A Dividend King is defined as a company that has paid dividends for at least 50 consecutive years. Coca-Cola is well into its sixth decade of dividends and now pays $0.51 per share quarterly. The company has also steadily increased its dividend for several decades. For income investors, Coca-Cola is elite and reliable.

It has excellent free cash flow Why is Coca-Cola's strong free cash flow important? Not only does it fund the consistent dividend, but it also enables Coca-Cola to continue expanding through strategic acquisitions. Coca-Cola isn't a high-growth company, but it does maintain a position to acquire brands it believes will add meaningful shareholder value. The acquisitions aren't frequent, but they are impactful.

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KO is a strong defensive stock Coca-Cola will provide your stock portfolio with lower volatility than most during uncertain economic times. Its current beta is just 0.36; this means that as volatility increases, Coca-Cola isn't as affected by it. The beverage behemoth is also resilient during economic downturns, as its 100-plus-year history proves.

Buy Coca-Cola stock for total return Consistent dividends, share repurchases, and steady long-term growth make Coca-Cola an excellent choice for investors who prioritize total returns. For 2026, Coca-Cola expects to grow 4% to 5%. This level of growth isn't anything to write home about, but it is exactly what the company's investors have come to expect.

Mid-single-digit growth combined with dependable income is why Coca-Cola's stock is a foundational holding in any long-term equity portfolio.