Market Signal Briefing

, /PRNewswire/ -- Global talent solutions and business consulting firm Robert Half (NYSE: RHI) has appointed Ryan Skubis to senior district president, business operations modernization. In this newly created role, Skubis will lead efforts to strengthen the company's operational infrastructure, advance technology adoption and accelerate strategic initiatives supporting teams and customers worldwide.

Ryan Skubis Skubis joined Robert Half in 1999 and has held numerous leadership roles during his tenure. Most recently, he served as senior district president for talent solutions, overseeing operations across the Southeastern U.S. He has played a key role in several major modernization initiatives, including the expansion of Robert Half's proprietary AI and business development tools.

"Modernizing our operations is essential to delivering exceptional experiences for our clients, candidates and employees," said Paul F. Gentzkow, president and CEO of talent solutions at Robert Half. "Ryan brings deep institutional knowledge, a strong track record of leading transformation and the ability to turn strategy into action. His leadership will be critical as we continue investing in the future of our business."

About Robert Half
Robert Half is the world's first and largest specialized talent solutions and business consulting firm, connecting highly skilled job seekers with rewarding opportunities at great companies. We offer contract talent and permanent placement solutions in the fields of finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, and administrative and customer support, and we also provide executive search services. Robert Half is the parent company of Protiviti®, a global consulting firm that delivers internal audit, risk, business and technology consulting solutions. In the past 12 months, Robert Half, including Protiviti, has been named one of the Fortune® Most Admired Companies™ and 100 Best Companies to Work For. Explore talent solutions, research and insights at RobertHalf.com.

SOURCE Robert Half

An updated edition of the Dec. 23, 2025 article.

Cybersecurity has become one of the top priorities for organizations. Businesses today face nonstop attacks, whether through ransomware, phishing or large-scale data breaches. These cyberattacks do not just disrupt operations. They threaten financial stability and long-term brand reputation.

That’s why cybersecurity has become one of the fastest-growing global industries. Fortune Business Insights expects that the global cybersecurity market will jump from $218.98 billion in 2025 to nearly $699.39 billion by 2034, a 13.8% compound annual growth rate. This surge reflects not only stronger demand but also the growing complexity of digital networks, new compliance requirements and the urgent need to protect critical data. Leaders like Palo Alto Networks (PANW - Free Report) , CrowdStrike Holdings (CRWD - Free Report) and Fortinet (FTNT - Free Report) are already monetizing this demand with platforms built for modern threats.

Today’s attacks are smarter and faster than ever, and traditional security tools are falling behind. This is where artificial intelligence (AI) comes in. AI can analyze vast volumes of data and detect potential threats before they escalate. It shifts cybersecurity from reactive to proactive. The pace at which threats emerge means companies need to automate their detection and response processes, and AI is the most promising way to do that.

Companies like Palantir Technologies (PLTR - Free Report) , Cisco Systems (CSCO - Free Report) and A10 Networks (ATEN - Free Report) are leaning heavily into AI. They're upgrading their platforms to detect and respond to threats more quickly and intelligently. This not only makes their products more valuable to customers but also gives them a stronger position in a fast-growing industry.

Our Cybersecurity Screen makes it easy to identify high-potential stocks at any given time, just like the four mentioned above. Leveraging advanced tools, our thematic screens identify companies shaping the future, making it easier to capitalize on emerging trends.

Ready to uncover more transformative thematic investment ideas? Explore 37 cutting-edge investment themes with Zacks Thematic Screens and discover your next big opportunity.

3 Cybersecurity Stocks to BuyPalantir Technologies builds and deploys software platforms for the intelligence community to help in counterterrorism investigations and operations across the United States and internationally.

Palantir Technologies’ AI strategy is comprehensive, combining its proprietary Foundry and Gotham platforms with a solid plan to promote AI adoption across both government and commercial sectors. Its AI Platform (“AIP”) is the backbone of these capabilities, enabling organizations to process large datasets and derive real-time insights. This is especially valuable in sectors requiring extensive data integration, such as defense, healthcare, finance and intelligence, where operational efficiency and decision-making speed are critical.

In the government sector, Palantir Technologies is aligning its AI strategy with U.S. defense priorities. Its work in high-profile initiatives, such as the Department of Defense’s Open DAGIR project, highlights its ability to modernize military operations through AI-driven solutions where data interoperability and real-time decision-making capabilities are imperative. These capabilities solidify Palantir Technologies’ position as a key player in the defense sector. In the commercial space, PLTR's AIP boot camps — providing hands-on experience to more than 1,000 companies — have proven instrumental in customer acquisition.

With the global cybersecurity market rapidly expanding, this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company’s deep integration of AI not only enhances its competitive edge but also provides an opportunity for sustainable revenue growth. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Cisco Systems offers cybersecurity products and services that prevent unauthorized access to system resources and protect from worms, spam, viruses and other malware. The company has been integrating AI into its product portfolios across networking, security, collaboration and observability.

Strong demand for Cisco’s products in developing AI infrastructure has been a game-changer for the company. In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, the company received $2.1 billion worth of AI infrastructure orders from web-scale customers.

Data center switching orders continue to register solid year-over-year growth in the second quarter of fiscal 2026, implying strong demand. These orders are coming from some of the biggest players in cloud computing and reflect a growing demand for AI-optimized networks. Cisco Systems is expanding its AI portfolio for data centers with new solutions like the Unified Nexus Dashboard, Cisco Intelligent Packet Flow, configurable AI PODs, and 400G bidirectional (BiDi) optics.

As cyber threats become more sophisticated, Cisco Systems’ AI-powered platform gives it a competitive edge. These innovations are likely to accelerate customer adoption and support strong long-term revenue growth for this Zacks Rank #2 company.

A10 Networks provides software-based application networking solutions. A10 Networks is embedding AI across its security and infrastructure stack, and these initiatives are increasingly shaping its growth outlook. Its Advanced Core Operating System now includes an integrated AI stack that can interface directly with customer AI inference and generative AI systems, helping optimize performance and reduce infrastructure complexity. This allows A10 Networks solutions to offload compute-heavy tasks from GPUs and CPUs, improving throughput and latency for AI workloads, an advantage as enterprises scale AI deployments.

The company is also building AI-native security tools. Its AI firewall protects large language models by inspecting prompt-level traffic to detect threats like data leakage and prompt injection. Its DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) solutions use machine learning and automated mitigation to detect anomalous behavior and block attacks in real time.

These capabilities are already gaining traction. Microsoft selected A10 to help secure mission-critical generative AI workloads, highlighting demand for its technology in hyperscale environments. By securing AI infrastructure and improving performance for AI workloads, A10 Networks is positioning itself as a critical enabler of enterprise AI adoption. ATEN currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.

Key Takeaways Energy Fuels has rallied 134% in six months, beating industry, sector and uranium peers.UUUU is expanding rare earth capacity at White Mesa and acquiring Australian Strategic Materials.Energy Fuels expects a wider 2025 loss despite higher uranium volumes and long-term contracts. Energy Fuels (UUUU - Free Report) has rallied 134.2% in the past six months, significantly outperforming the non-ferrous mining industry’s 81.3% growth,  the Zacks Basic Materials sector’s 31% gain and the S&P 500’s 9.8% climb.

The stock has also beaten peers like Centrus Energy (LEU - Free Report) , Uranium Energy (UEC - Free Report) and Cameco (CCJ - Free Report) , as shown in the chart below. 

UUUU’s Performance vs. Industry, Sector, S&P 500 & Peers
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Before investors chase this powerful run, it is important to examine what is driving the momentum, the sustainability of UUUU’s growth and the associated risks.

UUUU’s Recent Efforts in Growing Rare Earth PresenceBuilding a "Mine-to-Metal & Alloy" REE champion: Last month, Energy Fuels inked a deal to acquire Australian Strategic Materials, a leading producer of REE (rare earth element) metals and alloys.  This will combine Australian Strategic Materials’ operating Korean Metals Plant (KMP) and its planned American Metals Plant with Energy Fuels' existing REE oxide production at its White Mesa Mill. Expected to close in the first half of this year, the deal will help create the largest, fully integrated REE "mine-to-metal and alloy" producer outside of China.

REE Expansion Project at White Mesa Mill: Energy Fuels is planning a Phase 2 expansion of REE processing at White Mesa, increasing Neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr) oxide capacity from roughly 1,000 tons per year to more than 6,000 tons annually. With an estimated capital cost of $410 million and projected all-in production costs of $29.39/kg NdPr equivalent, the company expects its REE operations to rank among the lowest-cost producers globally. The expansion could play a pivotal role in rebuilding a competitive U.S.-based rare earth supply chain.

Vara Mada Shows Strong Economics: The feasibility study for the Vara Mada project (previously Toliara) in Madagascar highlights strong project economics, world-class reserves of rare earths, titanium and zircon, and an initial mine life of 38 years with significant expansion potential.

Breakthroughs in Magnet-Grade Rare Earth Production: In December, the 99.9% purity dysprosium oxide produced at its White Mesa Mill passed the stringent quality check requirements of a major South Korean permanent magnet manufacturer. This follows the earlier qualification of its NdPr oxide (another key ingredient in REPMs) for use in NdFeB magnet applications.  These achievements position it among the very few U.S. companies capable of supplying both “light” (NdPr) and “heavy” rare earth oxides that are qualified for permanent magnet applications, representing a meaningful step toward rebuilding a secure domestic and allied rare earth ecosystem.  

Energy Fuels’ Uranium Mines Continue to OutperformThe Pinyon Plain Mine in Arizona and La Sal Complex in Utah produced more than 1.6 million pounds of uranium through 2025, exceeding the upper end of its guidance by approximately 11%. 

Current operations are running at an annualized rate of about 2 million pounds of recoverable uranium, a level management expects to sustain through 2026. Additional exploration drilling is planned in the Juniper Zone at Pinyon Plain in 2026 to further delineate and potentially expand the resource base.

UUUU Headed for Y/Y Decline in Revenues, Loss in 2025Despite operational momentum, near-term financials remain pressured. In December, Energy Fuels announced uranium sales volume for the fourth quarter of 2025 to be around 360,000 pounds, reflecting a 50% sequential rise. At an average price of around $74.93 per pound, uranium revenues for the quarter are expected to be $27 million. UUUU sold 50,000 pounds of uranium at $80.00 per pound in the fourth quarter of 2024, generating uranium revenues of around $40 million. The company is expected to report its fourth-quarter 2025 results later this month. 

This will likely take its yearly total uranium sales volumes to 650,000 pounds at an average price of $74.15 per pound. In 2024, the company had sold 450,000 pounds at an average price of $84.23.  Despite higher sales volumes, the lower realized prices are weighing on its revenues.  In addition, elevated exploration, development, processing and administrative expenses are expected to result in a full-year loss. Although lower-cost Pinyon Plain ore processing beginning in the fourth quarter is likely to have provided some margin relief, profitability remains elusive.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Energy Fuels’ 2025 earnings is currently pegged at a loss of 34 cents per share, wider than the loss of 28 cents reported in 2024. The bottom-line estimate for 2026 is also pegged at a loss of 14 cents per share.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Both the estimates have undergone negative revisions, as shown in the chart below.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Energy Fuels Provided Upbeat Long-Term Sales OutlookThe company has secured two uranium supply contracts with U.S. nuclear utilities covering deliveries from 2027 through 2032. With these agreements, Energy Fuels expects to sell 780,000–880,000 pounds of uranium under long-term contracts in 2026, while retaining flexibility to sell into the spot market. 
From 2027-2032, its current six long-term contracts represent delivery commitments totaling 2.41-4.41 million pounds of uranium, leaving significant additional uncommitted low-cost uranium for sale.

UUUU’s Balance Sheet Remains Debt-FreeEnergy Fuels ended the third quarter with $298.5 million of working capital, including $94 million of cash and cash equivalents, $141.3 million of marketable securities, $12.1 million of trade and other receivables, $74.4 million of inventory and no debt.

The company, like its peer Uranium Energy, has no debt on its balance sheet. Meanwhile, Cameco’s debt-to-capital ratio is at 0.13 and Centrus Energy’s at 0.77.

Energy Fuels’ Valuation Appears StretchedEnergy Fuels is trading at a forward price/sales (P/S) of 49.83X, well above the industry average of 5.19X. The company’s Value Score of F suggests that the stock is not so cheap and has a stretched valuation at this moment.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Meanwhile, Centrus Energy and Cameco are cheaper alternatives than UUUU, with P/S of 7.82X and 20.66X, respectively. Uranium Energy is trading at a loftier P/S of 76.64.

UUUU’s Long-Term Investment Thesis IntactDemand growth for uranium and rare earth elements, coupled with U.S. efforts to reduce dependence on China, provides structural tailwinds for the company. The inclusion of uranium on the U.S. Geological Survey’s 2025 Critical Minerals List further underscores its national security importance. White Mesa’s unique capability as the only U.S. facility to be able to process monazite and produce separated REE materials gives the company an edge. 

Backed by its debt-free balance sheet, Energy Fuels is ramping up uranium production while developing significant REE capabilities. The Whirlwind mine and Nichols Ranch ISR project are capable of producing within a year of a “go” decision. This could lift annual production to more than 2 million pounds by 2026. Advancing major projects like the Roca Honda Project and the Bullfrog Project in Utah, which, together with its Sheep Mountain Project, could expand the company’s uranium production to a run-rate of up to 5 million pounds annually in the coming years.

Our Final Take on UUUU StockEnergy Fuels presents a compelling long-term growth story, backed by a strong balance sheet, expanding uranium production and an increasingly strategic rare earth platform.However, after a 134% rally, the stock trades at a premium valuation and faces near-term losses through 2027. It has also seen downward earnings revisions. New investors can consider waiting for a better entry point.

UUUU currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Are SHIB bulls about to face another massive setback?

Shiba Inu (SHIB) has lately been a pale shadow of its former self, with its valuation tumbling by double digits in a matter of weeks.

According to some analysts, the bad days for the bulls might be just starting.

Devastating Crash Ahead? As of press time, SHIB trades at around $0.000006127, representing a 20% decline on a 14-day scale. Its market cap slipped to around $3.6 billion, making it the 30th-biggest cryptocurrency. Recall that it ranked much higher in the spring of last year when the capitalization neared $10 billion.

One popular analyst who touched upon the meme coin’s downfall is Ali Martinez. He claimed that the recent drop below $0.00000667 could have opened the door to a much deeper collapse to as low as $0.00000138. Such a move south would represent a whopping 77% crash from current levels.

Several key indicators also suggest that SHIB’s price could be headed for a further plunge. Over the past 24 hours, the Shiba Inu team and community have burned a negligible 483 coins, representing a 99% decline from yesterday’s figure.

The ultimate goal of the mechanism, adopted in 2022, is to reduce the meme coin’s overall supply, potentially making it more valuable in time (assuming demand remains constant or heads north). Data shows that the current circulating supply is roughly 585.46 trillion tokens after more than 410.7 trillion SHIB have been scorched over the years.

SHIB Supply, Source: shibburn.com Meanwhile, Shibburn – the X account spreading information about the recent token burns – has been inactive lately. The last update on the matter, from January 9, showed that the daily and weekly burn rates have been unimpressive.

You may also like: Whales Can’t Get Enough of Meme Coins as FLOKI Explodes 950% DOGE, SHIB, PEPE Explode: Is Meme Coin Frenzy Back in Full Force? Shiba Inu’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) supports the bearish scenario. Over the past few hours, the metric’s ratio exceeded 70, indicating the asset is overbought and could be gearing up for a pullback. The technical analysis tool ranges from 0 to 100, where readings between 30 and 70 are considered neutral, whereas anything below 30 may be viewed as a buying opportunity.

SHIB RSI, Source: RSI Hunter Can the Bulls Return? Contrary to Martinez’s grim prediction, the analyst who goes by the X moniker Vuori Trading argued that SHIB may explode in the foreseeable future.

They claimed that the asset remains in the “bear trap” stage, characterizing the setup as “pure manipulation before shooting higher.” The analyst set a target of “at least” $0.00014, which would be an all-time high and represent a staggering 2,200% increase from the ongoing valuation.

Despite the recent price plunge, SHIB investors don’t appear to be rushing to sell. In fact, CryptoQuant’s data shows that the number of coins stored on exchanges has declined over the past month. This trend signals a shift toward self-custody and reduces immediate selling pressure.

SHIB Exchange Reserves, Source: CryptoQuant Tags:

Solana network has experienced explosive growth in payment volume, outpacing both Web3 and Web2 platforms. The network’s payment volume grew 755% year on year, according to Artemis data.

The Solana network is currently leading all payment platforms across Web2 and Web3 in total payment volume. According to data from onchain data provider Artemis, Solana’s payment processing volume grew 755% year over year across all platforms, with total payment volume exceeding $1.8 billion.

Solana Network’s B2B payment volume rises by 9X in 16 months, onchain data shows Solana leads payments growth across all platforms, at +755% YoY.

While blockchains are winning growth (+755% on $6.5B), TradFi still owns volume (PayPal processes $1.8T). https://t.co/9bW2qfzIlA pic.twitter.com/k0BlKxdckJ

— Artemis (@artemis) February 11, 2026

In comparison, Artemis data showed that stablecoin payment volume increased by over 137% year over year as of August 2025, with B2B accounting for the largest share across all stablecoins. The data also shows that Solana’s B2B payment volume grew by 9X to $3.84 billion in just 16 months.

Solana Network has also witnessed massive growth in spot trading volume. A previous report by Cryptopolitan, dated January 5, highlighted that the network recorded $1.6 trillion in spot trading volume in 2025, outpacing major crypto exchanges.

Solana’s trading volume accounted for 11.92% of the global spot market according to onchain data. The network’s spot volume ranked it only behind Binance, which led the pack with $7.2 trillion. According to onchain data, Solana outperformed major crypto exchanges such as Bybit, Coinbase, and Bitget in 2025. 

Data from the open-source DeFi data aggregator DefiLlama shows that SOL’s monthly volume on decentralized exchanges outperformed major rivals such as Ethereum and BSC in most of 2025, peaking in January 2025 at $313.91 billion.

In the same month, Ethereum followed in second place with a total trading volume of $85.692 billion, while Base ranked third with $50 billion. Solana ended the year with total trading volume exceeding $1.5 trillion, while Ethereum clocked $950 billion.

SOL price dips, sending treasury firms tumbling However, SOL has had a rough start to the year amid the ongoing crypto winter. The crypto asset is down 9% over the last 7 days, according to CoinMarketCap data. SOL has declined by more than 35% year to date and is trading at $82.38 at the time of this publication.

The price decline has had a devastating impact on SOL treasury firms. Cryptopolitan recently reported that Solana treasury firms have seen their holdings decline after SOL fell nearly 40% over the last 30 days.

According to data from Coingecko, Forward Industries currently ranks first with 6.9 million Solana in its books, valued at $564.38 million. In comparison, Solana Company claims the second spot with 2.3 million SOL, valued at $187.8 million. The report noted that SOL’s price mirrored the massive liquidations that occurred on Friday, wiping out more than $300 million in long positions. 

Spot SOL ETFs have recorded net outflows of more than $10 million so far in February. Data from Sosovalue shows that these funds recorded inflows worth $478.90k on Wednesday after drawing $8.43 million from investors the previous day. The funds currently hold $673.99 million in net assets under management, which accounts for 1.49% of the crypto asset’s total market capitalization.

Solana’s daily validator count has fallen to its lowest level since 2021, below 800. The figures mark a significant decline from the network’s peak validator count of 2,500 recorded in early 2023. The decline in validator count could be a deliberate effort by the Solana Foundation, according to a previous Cryptopolitan coverage.

The report noted that the foundation implemented a deliberate behind-the-scenes restructuring to reshape validator conditions and requirements. The pruning phase led the Solana Foundation to offload many underperforming nodes amid efforts to improve the network’s quality and reliability.

The crypto market is beginning to return to the green zone as leading cryptocurrencies are beginning to show decent increases after the recent market crash.

While there are multiple indications that the market is seeing shifting sentiment and is about to see broad market resurgence, data from SosoValue shows that XRP ETFs recorded zero daily net inflows during their last trading session on Feb. 11.

This silent movement of XRP funds reflects a pause in investor activity, possibly out of caution, even as market watchers pointed to potential recovery signals in XRP’s price.

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XRP ETFs maintain $1.23 billion milestone despite zero twistAccording to the data, the U.S. XRP spot ETFs have retained massive cumulative net inflows of $1.23 billion even though they posted a daily total net inflow of $0.00.

While XRP has continued to hover below the $1.40 line, the flat inflow seen yesterday suggests that investors are taking a moment to observe the market following the repeated volatility recently seen across the broader crypto market.

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Following the dormant performance pulled off by XRP funds, all five funds, including Bitwise, Franklin Templeton and others, reported zero one-day net inflows and modest daily price declines of roughly 1% to 1.3%, alongside small premium or discount fluctuations.

While XRP ETFs have continued to show mixed momentum, they have maintained resilience as they have continued to pull in steady but low inflows, while other ETFs saw repeated withdrawals. XRP ETFs previously recorded single-day inflows of $3.26 million on Feb. 11 and $6.31 million on Feb. 10. 
 

Ripple and Stellar Lead the Charge in Transforming Cross-Border PaymentsTop crypto researcher SMQKE notes that only Ripple (XRP) and Stellar (XLM) are effectively offering DLT to correspondent banking infrastructures, positioning them to transform the more than $100 trillion cross-border payments industry.

Cross-border payments, long slowed by multiple intermediaries, high fees, and delayed settlements, are being transformed by Ripple and Stellar. According to SMQKE, their DLT-powered solutions, XRP and XLM, serve as efficient bridges, cutting costs, accelerating transfers, and enhancing transparency in international transactions.

Ripple’s global network of bank and financial institution partnerships leverages the XRP Ledger to deliver near-instant settlements and liquidity solutions, bypassing traditional correspondent banking delays. 

By integrating XRP into cross-border payments, Ripple reduces pre-funded accounts and boosts efficiency, transforming a market worth over $100 trillion.

From Correspondent Banks to Remittances: Ripple and Stellar’s Playbooks for Cross-Border EfficiencyStellar champions financial inclusion by connecting institutions to underbanked populations. 

Its blockchain enables faster, cheaper, and transparent cross-border payments, facilitating direct currency transfers without heavy reliance on intermediaries, ideal for remittances and emerging market transactions.

While both XRP and XLM target cross-border payments, their approaches differ. Ripple excels through deep integration with traditional banks and major corporate partnerships, while Stellar offers a lightweight, flexible network serving smaller institutions and underserved communities. 

Together, they showcase how distributed ledger technology can transform payments for both institutions and individuals.

By prioritizing speed, cost-efficiency, and transparency, XRP and XLM are not just cryptocurrencies, they are practical solutions poised to capture a significant share of the trillion-dollar global payments market and redefine the future of international finance.

ConclusionIn today’s fast-paced, cost-conscious, and transparent financial world, Ripple and Stellar are redefining cross-border payments. Leveraging distributed ledger technology, XRP and XLM go beyond cryptocurrencies, they offer real solutions to inefficiencies in global banking. 

With the $100 trillion cross-border payments market ripe for disruption, these platforms are poised to capture market share, drive innovation, and transform international money transfers.

Therefore, Ripple and Stellar are proving to be gateways to a faster, smarter, and more inclusive global financial system.

Why Trust CoinGape

CoinGape has covered the cryptocurrency industry since 2017, aiming to provide informative insights to our readers. Our journal analysts bring years of experience in market analysis and blockchain technology to ensure factual accuracy and balanced reporting. By following our Editorial Policy, our writers verify every source, fact-check each story, rely on reputable sources, and attribute quotes and media correctly. We also follow a rigorous Review Methodology when evaluating exchanges and tools. From emerging blockchain projects and coin launches to industry events and technical developments, we cover all facets of the digital asset space with unwavering commitment to timely, relevant information.

The Bhutan Government is cutting its Bitcoin holdings again as the BTC price weakness continues. Today, the Royal Government of Bhutan reduced its Bitcoin stash to 5,600 BTC, valued near $385 million. The move comes as market sentiment worsens, with CoinMarketCap’s Fear & Greed Index falling to 8, even as Bitcoin showed a slight recovery.

Bhutan Government Reduces Bitcoin Holdings  Arkham Intelligence data shows the Bhutan Government transferred 100 BTC, worth about $6.77 million, to QCP. Notably, this transfer follows an increase in on-chain activity linked to Bhutan wallets, suggesting that they have offloaded these coins. 

The Royal Government of Bhutan now holds 5,600 BTC, down from a peak of 13,295 BTC in October 2025. This means Bhutan has reduced its Bitcoin holdings by nearly 60% within just four months.

However, some transfers have raised speculation without clear confirmation of direct selling. As Coingape reported a few days ago, there were several Bitcoin transfers from the Bhutan government leading to fresh market scrutiny, although on-chain records showed transfers to unknown wallets instead of confirmed exchange addresses.

Even so, the steady reduction has placed Bhutan’s Bitcoin activity back into focus as the BTC price remains under pressure. That pressure has also appeared across broader market sentiment indicators.

Standard Chartered Predicts BTC Price Drop to $50,000 Standard Chartered has now cut its Bitcoin price forecast for the second time in under three months. The bank warned that Bitcoin could fall toward $50,000 before recovering later. Geoffrey Kendrick, Standard Chartered’s global head of digital assets research, wrote that the bank expects further capitulation over the coming months. 

This comes as Glassnode flagged a structural weakness in Bitcoin, with the possibility that the BTC price could crash to the realized price of $55,000. Analyst Benjamin Cowen warned that the leading crypto could drop below the realized price and crash to as low as $40,000.

Meanwhile, Standard Chartered now expects Bitcoin to end 2026 at $100,000, down from its prior $150,000 estimate. In December, Standard Chartered had already reduced its 2026 target from $300,000. Kendrick linked the latest downgrade to ETF outflows and weaker macro conditions.

Notably, Kendrick said Bitcoin ETF holdings have dropped by nearly 100,000 tokens since the Oct. 10 peak. He also noted the average ETF buyer now holds losses, with an entry price near $90,000.

Bloomberg data also showed investors pulled nearly $8 billion from U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs since the Oct. 10 selloff. Standard Chartered also cut its Ether forecast, lowering its end-2026 target to $4,000 from $7,500. They predicted Ether may drop toward about $1,400 before any sustained recovery.

Fong Lee, CEO of Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR), said the company's Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) model is built to offer amplified exposure to Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), positioning the stock as a leveraged proxy for the asset. Strategy's ‘Stretch' Product Targets Yield-Focused Investors In a Bloomberg interview on Wednesday, Lee described Bitcoin as "digital capital" — a decentralized, supply-limited store of value inherently tied to volatility.

Pudgy Penguins has surged nearly 10% in the past 2 hours after the firm integrated with Visa and KAST on Thursday to launch the Pengu Card. At the time of publication, Pudgy Penguins is trading at $0.006403, up 8.8% in the past 24 hours.

Pudgy Penguins has dropped 9% in the last 7 days and more than 46.5% in the last 30 days prior to the partnership announcement. The firm’s initiative shows that it’s expanding beyond the cryptocurrency sector into retail traditional finance.

Pengu Card offers up to 12% rewards Today, Pengu enters the world of consumer finance.

Introducing the Pengu Card on @Visa, in collaboration with @KASTxyz.

Sign up for the waitlist below to secure your very own Pengu Card. pic.twitter.com/Kdj5lNmMOw

— Pudgy Penguins (@pudgypenguins) February 11, 2026

Pudgy Penguins said on Wednesday that users can access the Pengu Card in advance via a waitlist. The Visa Debit Card will be accepted globally, targeting more than 150 million merchants.

The firm revealed that the card will offer users up to 12% rewards and up to 7% yield. The card will also enable users to directly pay with stablecoins or cryptocurrencies. Pengu Penguins said the initiative aims to enable seamless circulation of virtual assets in daily financial activities.

The financial firm released the card in three tiers: Standard Card, Black Card, and Gold Card. Pengu Penguins revealed that the Standard Card offers 6%, while the Premium and Gold Cards offer up to 8% and 12%, respectively.

Pengu Penguins added that it will offer users on the waitlist a unique referral code to invite friends to participate. Users will also receive a Black Card once they get a higher ranking on the leaderboard. The waitlist will open a few weeks before the virtual card launch.

The firm will also offer the top 10 referrers on the waitlist leaderboard a free Premium Pengu Card. The referral program will rank users by total successful referrals, with the final leaderboard confirmed before launch.

KAST also revealed that users will require a verified KAST account to receive and use the Pengu Card. The Pengu card will be accepted in more than 170 countries where Visa is accepted. 

Pengu Penguins said it will first launch the card as a virtual card, enabling users to use it online with digital wallets. The firm confirmed that it will release a physical card later and will offer waitlist members early updates on the release. Pengu Penguins and KAST have also arranged a party in Hong Kong to celebrate the project, with the firm promising attendees an early access code and exclusive merch. 

Pudgy Penguins hosts a three-day Valentine’s pop-up event The firm is also planning to host the Pudgy Petals for Valentine’s Day pop-up event, signifying its efforts to build cultural relevance. The firm said the three-day event in New York City will feature major retailers and integrate with physical products in the Pudgy World metaverse. Pudgy Penguins will offer the Pudgy Penguins Plush Bouquet ($49.99), featuring plush characters and soft textures as an alternative to traditional flowers.

“The Plushie Bouquet marked our first Valentine’s Day expression. The item is intentionally positioned as a long-lasting symbol of companionship designed to be kept and revisited rather than disregarded after a few days like traditional flowers or candy.”

-Steve Starobinsky, Director of Business Development at Pudgy Penguins.

Starobinsky also revealed that the firm is aiming to expand the pop-up event globally in 2027. Pudgy Penguins began as an internet-native phenomenon and NFT project after Canary Capital filed for an S-1 form with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in March 2025 to list a fund tracking PENGU.

Cryptopolitan previously reported that the SEC has extended its review of a Pengu ETF proposal filed by Grayscale and T. Rowe Price. The ETFs will be the first funds to include both the PENGU token and Pudgy Penguins NFTs once approved. The firm also revealed that the ETF will hold Solana and Ethereum to allow the sale and purchase of the included assets.

Strategy is moving away from issuing common stock to purchase Bitcoin and is now focusing on preferred shares to finance cryptocurrency investments. CEO Phong Le announced this strategic shift as a way to protect the value of existing common shares while attracting investors to its new offering.

"We're beginning the transition from common equity to preferred capital," Le said on Bloomberg's The Close. "This approach allows us to grow our cryptocurrency portfolio without diluting shareholder value."

Preferred Shares Take Center StageIn July 2025, Strategy launched its fourth series of perpetual preferred shares, called Stretch (STRC). These shares offer an annual dividend yield exceeding 11%, targeting investors seeking consistent returns and stability in volatile markets.

STRC recently regained its par value of $100 at the close of trading on February 11, the first time since mid-January. Earlier this month, shares had fallen below $94 amid Bitcoin’s decline to $60,000.

Returning STRC to par value positions Strategy for new share offerings, with the company setting $100 as the minimum price for future purchases to fund Bitcoin acquisitions.

Bitcoin itself has traded largely unchanged over the past 24 hours at around $66,800, down from an intraday high above $68,000.

Focused Growth Without DistractionsLe acknowledged that preferred shares require time to mature and careful marketing to attract investors. "Over the course of this year, we expect Stretch to become a key product for our financing strategy," he added.

Analysts warn that the market for corporate Bitcoin reserves is becoming crowded, with companies competing for a limited pool of investors. In some cases, a company’s crypto holdings exceed its market capitalization, creating opportunities for acquisitions. However, Strategy has confirmed it will not pursue such deals.

"I think in any new market, whether it's electric vehicles or artificial intelligence, focusing on the core product is key," Le explained. "Buying another digital asset company at a discount would distract from our strategy."

Strategy (MSTR) shares closed down more than 5% at $126.14 on February 11.

Key ConsiderationsFrom a financial perspective, Strategy’s pivot to preferred shares highlights the classic challenge of financing growth while maintaining shareholder value. With an 11% annual dividend yield on STRC, investors gain potential returns above current Fed interest rates of 5.25-5.5%. However, the strategy also introduces ongoing obligations even if Bitcoin’s price drops.

Preferred shares tend to perform well in stable markets but can become a liability during prolonged downturns. Strategy is effectively positioning itself as a cryptocurrency-focused dividend fund, where success depends not only on Bitcoin appreciation but also on generating sufficient cash flow to support payouts.

The key question remains whether this model can withstand an extended crypto winter.

The Hyperlane Nexus Bridge will enable holders to transfer wBTC tokens between Ethereum and Solana, the team wrote in a press release.

Crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) lost momentum as bitcoin and ether reversed into heavy outflows. XRP funds were flat, while solana ETFs managed a modest inflow in an otherwise cautious session.

An Ethereum wallet paid more than $125,000 in transaction fees to move an almost negligible amount of ETH, according to onchain data from Etherscan and a post by Whale Alert on X. The transaction, recorded this week, shows an unusually high gas fee relative to the value transferred.

Blockchain records indicate that the user spent roughly $125K in fees while transferring a minimal amount of ETH, raising questions about whether the payment was a mistake, a misconfigured bot, or an automated process gone wrong. The transaction hash, publicly visible on Etherscan, confirms the disproportionate fee structure. Such anomalies can occur during periods of network congestion or when users manually set excessive gas parameters. In this case, the extreme imbalance between the fee and the transferred amount has drawn attention across crypto tracking accounts.

So far, there has been no public explanation from the wallet owner. Market participants are monitoring the address for further activity that could clarify whether the fee was accidental or intentional.

Source: Etherscan; Whale Alert on X.

Disclaimer: Crypto Economy Flash News are based on verified public and official sources. Their purpose is to provide fast, factual updates about relevant events in the crypto and blockchain ecosystem.

This information does not constitute financial advice or investment recommendation. Readers are encouraged to verify all details through official project channels before making any related decisions.

WLFI has unveiled plans for “World Swap,” a new forex trading platform, according to a post shared by BSC News on X this week. The announcement outlines the project’s ambition to expand into global currency markets under the World Swap brand.

🚨LATEST: TRUMP-LINKED WLFI TO LAUNCH FOREX PLATFORM “WORLD SWAP”@DonaldTrump-backed @worldlibertyfi will roll out a foreign exchange platform called World Swap, co-founder @zakfolkman said at Consensus Hong Kong.

The platform will operate within the project’s USD1 stablecoin… pic.twitter.com/BZX3JYGaX6

— BSCN (@BSCNews) February 12, 2026

Details released indicate that World Swap is designed as a dedicated foreign exchange trading platform, marking a strategic move beyond WLFI’s existing crypto-focused footprint. While specific operational timelines and technical features were not disclosed in the initial communication, the branding and positioning suggest an effort to tap into the broader forex market. The development may attract attention from both digital asset participants and traditional currency traders assessing new venues for cross-border trading.

At this stage, further clarity on launch dates, regulatory framework, and supported currency pairs is still pending. Market observers will likely monitor upcoming statements and official releases to determine how World Swap differentiates itself within the competitive forex landscape and how it integrates with WLFI’s broader ecosystem.

Source: BSC News on X.

Disclaimer: Crypto Economy Flash News are based on verified public and official sources. Their purpose is to provide fast, factual updates about relevant events in the crypto and blockchain ecosystem.

This information does not constitute financial advice or investment recommendation. Readers are encouraged to verify all details through official project channels before making any related decisions.

Bitcoin price has entered a decisive phase after losing upside momentum and slipping back into a historically sensitive price region. What initially looked like a routine pullback from the 2025 highs is now evolving into a broader consolidation structure, with price compressing between major supply and demand zones.  

The key question for traders is no longer whether volatility will return but from which direction the breakout will come. And if the breakout heads north, will the BTC price rise above $70,000?

Bitcoin Is Entering a Bearish Range as Momentum FadesOn the weekly timeframe, Bitcoin has broken back below the $70,000 psychological level, which previously acted as a strong acceptance zone during the 2024–2025 markup phase. The rejection from the $110,000–$120,000 region formed a classic distribution top, followed by a series of lower highs—an early signal that market structure was weakening.

The chart highlights a multi-month consolidation that originally acted as a launchpad for the late-2024 rally. Bitcoin has now returned to that same region, but instead of bouncing impulsively, the price is showing hesitation and thinner buying interest.

Bitcoin’s structure now reflects a clear shift in behaviour, with the former $70,000 support zone now acting as firm resistance. Instead of sharp, confident moves higher, candles have become choppier and more overlapping, a sign of consolidation. Momentum is also cooling, as the weekly RSI has slipped into the low 40s and CMF remains negative, pointing to steady capital outflows. Together, this suggests Bitcoin is going through a reset phase rather than attracting aggressive buying.

Price is now rotating between two clearly defined macro levels:

Primary Resistance: $69,000 – $72,000Major Support/Demand Zone: $50,000–$54,000Mid-Level Liquidity Pivot: ~$59,600 (currently being tested)This structure resembles a range re-accumulation failure turning into redistribution, where former support flips into resistance—a pattern commonly seen during mid-cycle corrections.

Will the Bitcoin (BTC) Price Rise Above $70,000?Bitcoin is no longer trending—it is trading between $50K and $70K after an overheated rally. The next major move will likely come from a volatility expansion out of this range. A weekly close above $72,000, supported by stronger volume and improving momentum, would signal that buyers are regaining control. In that bullish case, Bitcoin could target $78,000 first, followed by a move toward $88,000–$95,000 later in the month. 

However, failure to hold the mid-range support near $59,000 would shift focus lower, opening the door for a retest of $54,000 and possibly the $50,000 demand zone. For now, BTC remains in a reset phase, and only a decisive breakout will determine whether $70,000 turns back into support or remains a ceiling.

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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The network activity became robust in Q4, with average daily transactions surging substantially from the Q3 levels.  In November, a prominent institutional fund offered via Securitise widened to BNB Chain, as per the report. The real-world assets of BNB Chain increased around 555% in the fourth quarter of 2025 as institutions tokenised funds and stocks, even as the market capitalisation and DeFi TVL of BNB witnessed volatility, as reported by research firm Messari. 

The blockchain network was positioned second in terms of blockchains by real-world asset value at quarter-end, exceeding Solana and tracing only Ethereum, as per the report. The surge was reported regardless of a decline in the native token price of the network in the period. 

The market capitalisation of the native token of BNB Chain slipped quarter over quarter after an industry-wide liquidation event on October 11 that further pressurised cryptocurrency markets. 

The token attained a record high in mid-October before slipping by year-end. In Q4, the token held its position as the third-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalisation, following BTC and ETH. 

The network activity became robust in the same quarter, with average daily transactions surging substantially from the Q3 levels, as per the report. Not only this, but the daily active addresses also surged, having early October volatility leading to a surge in activity. 

Leaving that surge, usage is still above Q3 levels, reflecting steady user growth. The overall real-world asset value on BNB Chain increased sharply from Q3 and surged 555% from a year ago. 

What Does The Report Further Mention? Institutional partnerships influenced the growth. In October, BNB Chain collaborated with CMB International to roll out a tokenised money market fund. Ondo Global Markets then added over 100 tokenised U.S. stocks and exchange-traded funds to BNB Chain, elaborating on the offering of money market funds into equities. 

In November, a prominent institutional fund offered via Securitise widened to BNB Chain, as per the report. Real-world asset value is still concentrated in a minimal number of products. One product accounted for the major portion of total value, followed by another showing around one quarter, Messari noted. 

Other assets, such as Matrixdock Gold and VanEck’s Treasury Fund, accounted for smaller accounts. Tokenised shares of prominent firms show a small portion of total value. 

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In a recent tweet, RippleX engineer Antonio Kaplan highlights two necessities for regulated payments and FX on-chain, which are compliance and deep liquidity.

Kaplan noted that the upcoming XRP ledger feature Permissioned DEX set to launch on the mainnet in the next six days is expected to bring compliance and deep liquidity to the XRPL without fragmenting capital across private systems. The RippleX developer noted that this is a big step toward a true global settlement layer.

If you want regulated payments and FX onchain, you need two things: Compliance & Deep liquidity

Permissioned DEX brings both to XRPL without fragmenting capital across private systems.

Shared institutional liquidity
Instant local payout
Protocol-level policy control

This is a…

HOT Stories

— Antonio Kaplan (@antoniokaplan) February 11, 2026 In a blog post written on behalf of RippleX developers, Kaplan noted that delivering an on-chain FX and settlement network with shared institutional liquidity, instant local payout and full policy control on the XRPL depends on a small set of core building blocks working together.

There are three building blocks in this category: first, Credentials (XLS-70), likened to a digital passport, are verifiable proofs of identity or compliance issued by trusted authorities.

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Permissioned Domains (XLS-80) are likened to the visa process, while Permissioned DEXes (XLS-81) are likened to the transportation network.

Permissioned DEXesTh permissioned DEX feature introduces a permissioned DEX system for the XRP Ledger. The amendment integrates permissioning features directly into the DEX protocol, allowing regulated financial institutions to be able to participate in the XRPL's DEX while still adhering to their compliance requirements.

The permissioned DEX system will ultimately pave the way for broader institutional adoption of the XRP Ledger.

Regarding what happens to the open DEX, RippleX developer Antonio Kaplan stated that it is not going anywhere, as it will continue to function exactly as it does today, enabling anyone to place and fill offers. The Permissioned DEX will build alongside it, giving developers and institutions the option to create permissioned order books tied to verified credentials.

Kaplan noted that this remains the key to unlocking real-world financial flows, given that most regulated institutions cannot engage on open systems without counterparties being verified. By allowing credential-gated liquidity on the same ledger as open markets, XRP Ledger is expected to be a far more suitable option for institutional-grade payments, FX and settlement use cases.

Bitcoin miner outflows jumped to 28,605 BTC, worth about $1.8 billion, on Feb. 5, one of the largest single-day transfers since November 2024, as prices swung sharply during a volatile trading session.

Another 20,169 Bitcoin (BTC), worth about $1.4 billion, left miner-linked wallets on Feb. 6, according to data from CryptoQuant. The last comparable spike occurred on Nov. 12, 2024, when outflows reached 30,187 BTC.

The spike coincided with sharp price swings, with BTC trading at about $62,809 on Feb. 5 before rebounding to $70,544 a day later. Large miner wallet transfers during volatile sessions often draw scrutiny because they can signal potential selling pressure. 

Eight miners disclosed January figures so far: CleanSpark, Bitdeer, Hive Digital Technologies, BitFuFu, Canaan, LM Funding America, Cango and DMG Blockchain Solutions. They reported a combined production of roughly 2,377 BTC for the month. That total is far below the 28,605 BTC transferred in a single day on Feb. 5.

Outflows likely reflect broader ecosystem flowsThe scale of the Feb. 5 and Feb. 6 outflows exceeds the January production of the publicly reporting firms reviewed by Cointelegraph. 

Even combining disclosed January sales from CleanSpark, Cango and DMG, confirmed selling amounts remain a fraction of the 28,605 BTC transferred in a single day. 

However, miner outflows do not automatically equate to capitulation or immediate spot-market selling.

According to CryptoQuant, miner outflow includes transfers to exchanges as well as internal wallet movements and transfers to other entities, meaning the metric does not by itself confirm that coins were sold on the open market.

Given the scale of the transfers relative to disclosed public miner sales, the movements may reflect activity beyond large, listed firms.

Bitcoin Miner Outflow 30-day chart. Source: CryptoQuantPublic miner disclosures show mixed treasury movesCleanSpark reported mining 573 BTC and selling 158.63 BTC during the month, ending January with 13,513 BTC on its balance sheet. 

Cango mined 496.35 BTC and disclosed selling 550.03 BTC, stating it would continue to sell newly mined Bitcoin to support the expansion of its artificial intelligence and inference platform.

On Feb. 9, the company sold an additional 4,451 BTC for about $305 million to partially repay a Bitcoin-collateralized loan and fund its AI pivot.

Other firms took a different approach. Canaan mined 83 BTC and increased its reserves to 1,778 BTC and 3,951 ETH. LM Funding mined 7.8 BTC and reported no sales, lifting its treasury to 364.1 BTC. 

Meanwhile, Hive used structured pledge mechanics tied to 480 BTC to preserve liquidity while maintaining operations.

While some miners report monthly production results consistently, others only report intermittently or have shifted to quarterly disclosures. 

January miner data compiled by Cointelegraph. Source: Cointelegraph Winter storms affect US miner hashratesNetwork hashrate also fluctuated sharply in late January as severe winter storms hit parts of the United States. On Jan. 27, Bitcoin’s hashrate fell to 663 exahashes per second over two days, marking a more than 40% drop.

Total mining hashrate. Source: Blockchain.comThe temporary decline came as miners curtailed operations to stabilize regional power grids during extreme cold and surging energy demand. US-based firms reported reduced uptime, including Marathon Digital Holdings and Iren, which saw sharp short-term drops in daily production.

Blockchain.com data showed that hashrate recovered in early February after the drop during the last week of January. 

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Bitcoin market observers believe that the recent price slump may actually reflect the asset’s wider adoption by institutions, which still don’t see it as a risk-off asset.

It’s been rough out there for crypto in recent months. Since October, when Bitcoin’s price reached a high of over $120,000, BTC has been gradually sliding. In recent weeks, it dropped sharply, down over 25% on the month.

Amid the sell-off, market observers have been looking for explanations. Bitwise chief investment officer Matt Hougan attributed the fall to the notorious four-year cycles that have previously defined crypto market price swings.

Others, including one US Federal Reserve governor, claim that the recent price movements show that institutions are risk-averse and that Bitcoin itself hasn’t reached the status of digital gold — yet.

Bitcoin is down over 25% on the month. Source: CoinMarketCapBitcoin still seen as risky, “not digital gold”Institutional interest in Bitcoin and crypto could be one reason for the recent sell-off. While major financial institutions have lots of money to pour into the crypto market, their appetite for risk is much lower than retail investors, and Bitcoin is still broadly seen as a risky asset.

Chris Waller, a governor of the United States Federal Reserve, spoke to this effect at a recent monetary policy conference on Monday. He said that much of the “euphoria” around crypto that accompanied the new administration of President Donald Trump is now fading.

“I think there was a lot of sell-off just because firms that got into it from mainstream finance had to adjust their risk positions.”These sentiments were echoed by Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz on Tuesday, who said in an interview with CNBC that the crypto industry has brought in “institutions where people have a different risk tolerance.”

“Retail people don’t get into crypto because they want to make 11% annualized ... They get in because they want to make 30 to one, eight to one, 10 to one.”Crypto asset manager Grayscale noted in a report that recent Bitcoin price action more closely correlates to software stocks with high enterprise values than to historically stable assets like gold. The investment company stated that short-term price movements have not been tightly correlated with gold or other precious metals.

Source: GrayscaleBloomberg commodity strategist Mike McGlone, also a noted Bitcoin bear, claimed that Bitcoin is still highly speculative. “[Bitcoin] has proven it’s neither digital gold nor leveraged beta,” he said, adding, “It’s a highly speculative [number]-on-the-screen tracking nothing with unlimited competition.”

Grayscale remained more optimistic about Bitcoin’s long-term prospects. “The network will likely continue operating well beyond our lifetimes and the asset may retain its value in real terms ... in a wide range of outcomes for the economy and society,” it said.

The company also highlighted the central role institutions will have in the future success of the asset, which it noted was dependent on regulatory clarity, something the US hasn’t yet achieved.

Lack of progress on CLARITY signals riskThe CLARITY Act, which is currently under debate in the US Senate, would overhaul how crypto is regulated in the country, from the agencies that oversee rules for decentralized finance (DeFi).

The bill has stalled for weeks as crypto bigwigs like Coinbase and the bank lobby are at loggerheads over stablecoin interest: a core aspect of the exchange’s business model that banks feel could threaten financial stability.

Failure for Congress to deliver quickly on a crypto market structure bill has added to this insecurity, according to Waller. “The lack of passing of the CLARITY Act I think has kind of put people off on this,” he said.

Novogratz also emphasized the effect the bill could have on markets. He said that both Democrats and Republicans want to pass the bill and that “we need it for spirit back in the crypto market.”

Grayscale underscored the importance of CLARITY and the GENIUS Act in its report, the latter of which passed in July 2025. It stated that “improving regulatory clarity for the crypto industry is a structural trend much bigger than one piece of legislation.”

More favorable regulations will drive an increase in use cases in “stablecoins, tokenized assets, and other applications of public blockchain technology,” which in turn will “drive value to blockchain networks and their native tokens.”

High-level talks to clear the roadblocks on CLARITY are currently underway. On Tuesday, executives from the crypto and banking industries met at the White House for another closed-door meeting.

Ripple legal chief Stuart Alderoty said, “Compromise is in the air. Clear, bipartisan momentum remains behind sensible crypto market structure legislation.”

Meanwhile, analysts debate just how low the Bitcoin bear market can go. Kaiko Research shared a research note with Cointelegraph, which claimed that the $60,000 mark could be a “halfway point.”

“Analysis of on-chain metrics and comparative performance across tokens reveals a market approaching critical technical support levels that will determine whether the four-year cycle framework remains intact,” Kaiko said.

McGlone said that $60,000 is just a “speedbump on the way back down” to $10,000, citing a number of reasons. These include interest in crypto supposedly shifting from digital assets to stablecoins and the likelihood that “cheer-leader and chief, President Trump, will be a lame duck this time next year.”

A lame-duck president who is also pro-crypto may find it difficult to effect the change they want in Congress. It remains to be seen whether crypto will secure the regulatory clarity it wants for institutions to fully jump in.

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BitMart to launch primary listing of Aztec tokens on February 12, 2026. AZTEC price is up by 30.38% in less than 12 hours. ViFox Coin, VFX, showed a similar pattern. BitMart has announced that it will launch the primary listing of Aztec tokens. An initial response now reflects in the AZTEC price, which has surged considerably. AZTEC is not the first token to record the pattern, given a previous listing also surged via a broader reach of billions of users.

Aztec Token on BitMart A digital asset exchange platform, BitMart, has announced the primary listing of Aztec tokens in the AZTEC/USDT trading pair. The listing is scheduled to go live on February 12, 2026, with the deposit feature scheduled to commence at 3:00 AM UTC and the trading feature to start from 7:00 AM UTC.

The withdrawal feature would go live on the next day, that is, February 13, 2026, at 8:00 AM UTC. The trading zone is defined as Potential/USD when the article is being written.

A few community members who have responded to the announcement by BitMart have said that getting privacy tech on a public exchange was like having a bulletproof glass in a fishbowl.

AZTEC Price Jumps The AZTEC price has surged by 30.38% in less than 12 hours. The token is now trading at $0.02312 with a market cap of over $65.42 million. It briefly recorded an ATH of $0.0224 a couple of hours ago. A lot of the high is attributed to Aztec tokens gaining broader reach, given that the digital asset exchange platform has millions of users across the globe.

The same factor has possibly contributed to an upswing that is currently defying the ongoing turmoil across the crypto market. BTC has slipped below the $68k milestone, and ETH is trading at a value of less than $2k.

They have surged by 1.11% and 1.93% over the last 24 hours, respectively; however, concerns regarding the increasing volatility and upcoming downtrend remain valid.

Previous Listing of BitMart BitMart previously listed ViFox Coin, VFX. It becomes important to go through this listing because it recorded a similar surge in its price after gaining broader market access. The trade feature commences on February 12, 2026, at 9:00 AM UTC, but the deposit feature is live since February 10, 2026, from 9:00 AM UTC.

VFX has surged by 2.69% over the last 24 hours and is now exchanging hands at $0.7354.

It is important to note that the content of this article is neither advice nor a recommendation. Thorough research and risk assessment are important before crypto investments.

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Transak has completed its integration with MegaETH, enabling users to purchase ETH directly on the high-speed Layer 2 network using standard fiat payment methods.

Transak, the web3 payments infrastructure provider, announced its full integration with MegaETH, a real-time Ethereum Layer 2.

According to the firms, with this integration, over 10 million users globally can purchase ETH natively on MegaETH in seconds using everyday payment methods, including credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, SEPA, etc. And, there will be no need for bridging, centralized exchange accounts, or prior crypto holdings.

Jack Bushell, Director of Sales at Transak, states that this integration is about removing friction at the exact moment users want to get started. He adds that MegaETH has built Ethereum performance that finally matches real-world expectations, and that with Transak, users can jump straight into that experience using the payment methods they already trust: no setup, no complexity, no detours.

As per both companies, Transak’s direct fiat on-ramp eliminates these barriers, opening MegaETH’s high-frequency use cases, such as real-time DeFi trading, on-chain gaming, AI agents, streaming payments, and micro-transactions, to mainstream audiences.

The integration arrives just days after MegaETH opened its Frontier mainnet to builders and ahead of the upcoming “OMEGA” phase that will welcome the broader public. Transak also confirmed that popular stablecoins will be added in the near future, further strengthening liquidity for DeFi and payments on the chain.

Disclosure: This content is provided by a third party. Neither crypto.news nor the author of this article endorses any product mentioned on this page. Users should conduct their own research before taking any action related to the company.

Following the aggressive sell-off toward the $1.8K demand region, Ethereum stabilised and produced a corrective rebound. However, this recovery lacks strong momentum and is unfolding within a broader bearish structure. The current price behaviour indicates a potential consolidation between a well-defined demand zone below and an overhead supply area that continues to cap upside attempts.

Ethereum Price Analysis: The Daily Chart On the daily timeframe, ETH remains within a descending channel, with the price trading below both the 100-day and 200-day moving averages, which are now sloping downward and serving as dynamic resistance. The recent breakdown below the prior major swing low around $2.4K accelerated the sell-off, confirming bearish continuation and triggering a move toward the $1.8K demand zone.

The rebound from this crucial zone shows that buyers are defending this key historical support, which previously acted as an accumulation area. However, the price is currently trading at approximately $2K and remains below the internal resistance near $2.2K.

As long as Ethereum remains between $1.8K and $2.2K, the market is likely to consolidate within this range. A daily close below $1.8K would expose the next lower liquidity pocket toward $1.6K, while a reclaim of $2.2K could open the path toward the $2.6K supply region.

ETH/USDT 4-Hour Chart Zooming into the 4-hour timeframe, the price action reveals a compression structure following the sharp decline. Ethereum formed a local bottom near $1.8K and then produced a higher low, creating a short-term ascending trendline against the broader downtrend. At the same time, a descending resistance line from the recent swing high continues to cap price, forming a tightening range.

The immediate supply lies around $2.2K, where the previous breakdown occurred, while the nearest demand remains at $1.8K. With price hovering near $1,960, Ethereum appears to be consolidating between these two zones. A breakout above $2.2K on the 4-hour chart would signal short-term bullish continuation toward $2.4K, whereas a breakdown below $1.8K would likely invalidate the consolidation scenario and resume the dominant bearish trend.

Overall, the structure remains bearish on higher timeframes, but in the short term, Ethereum is compressing between $1.8K demand and $2.8K supply, and the next impulsive move will likely emerge from a decisive break of this range.

Sentiment Analysis The ETH liquidation heatmap over the last 6 months provides critical confirmation of the bearish technical structure. A significant concentration of liquidity has been built around and just below the $2K level, which has recently acted as a strong magnet for price. The sharp sell-off into this area confirms that downside liquidity was actively targeted, resulting in a large flush of leveraged long positions.

Despite this liquidation event, the heatmap still reveals residual liquidity pockets extending slightly below current price levels, indicating that the market may not have fully exhausted its downside objectives yet. These remaining clusters continue to exert gravitational pull on price, especially if spot demand remains weak and derivatives positioning rebuilds on the long side too quickly.

That said, the intensity of liquidations around the $2K zone suggests that a meaningful portion of forced selling has already occurred. This reduces immediate liquidation pressure and explains the short-term stabilization seen after the drop. However, from an on-chain perspective, this behavior supports consolidation or corrective rebounds, not a confirmed trend reversal, unless liquidity interest decisively shifts back above current levels.

In summary, on-chain data aligns closely with the technical picture: Ethereum is still operating in a bearish liquidity-driven environment, with downside risks remaining active as long as price fails to reclaim key supply zones and attract sustained spot demand.

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Bitcoin miner Cango has closed a $10.5 million equity investment and secured an additional $65 million in commitments as it pivots toward AI.

Ethereum price remained in a bear market as the crypto market continued to weaken ahead of the U.S. consumer inflation report.

Summary

Ethereum price has moved into a bear market after falling by 60% from its all-time high. The Relative Strength Index is approaching the oversold level. Ethereum’s staking ratio has jumped to a record high of 30%. Ethereum (ETH) dropped to $1,985, down by 60% from its highest level in August last year. This is the token’s fourth consecutive week in the red, a move that has shed billions of dollars in value.

Ethereum’s price retreated as demand for its ETFs and futures open interest declined. Data compiled by SoSoValue shows that spot ETH ETFs shed over $129 million in assets on Wednesday, bringing the monthly outflow to over $224 million. It is the fourth consecutive month of outflows, with the cumulative net inflows being $11.75 billion.

More data show that Ethereum’s futures open interest has continued to fall over the past few months. Its open interest dropped to $23 billion, down sharply from last year’s high of over $70 billion. Falling open interest is a sign that investor demand has waned.

However, there are signs that more Ethereum is being moved today to staking pools. Data show that Ethereum staking recently crossed 30% of the total supply for the first time.

71 days, 11hrs.

That's how long you'd wait to stake $ETH right now.

Ethereum staking recently hit 30% of total supply, meaning 36.8M $ETH ($72B at current prices) is now locked up.

Nearly 1 million validators are securing the network.

The obvious impact: This is a massive… pic.twitter.com/GXwFxXQg9u

— Milk Road (@MilkRoad) February 11, 2026 More data show that the staking queue has continued soaring in the past few months. There are now over 4 million ETH tokens in the queue waiting to be staked, with less than 25,000 waiting to exit.

Ethereum price prediction: Technical analysis  ETH price chart | Source: crypto.new The weekly timeframe chart shows that the ETH price has been in a strong downward trend in the past few months, moving from $4,950 in August to the current $1,988.

It has crashed below the crucial support level at $2,112, its lowest level in August 2024. 

On the positive side, the coin has formed an inverted head-and-shoulders pattern, a common bullish reversal sign in technical analysis.

Also, the Average Directional Index has dropped from 33 in July last year to 21 now, a sign that the downtrend is losing momentum. 

Most notably, the Relative Strength Index is nearing the oversold level of 30, its lowest level since April last year. Ethereum has often rebounded whenever the RSI has moved into the oversold zone.

Therefore, as Tom Lee noted, there are signs that Ethereum is about to bottom. If this happens, the next level to watch will be the psychological $2,500 level.