Market Signal Briefing

Crypto markets are clearly losing steam in early 2026. Bitcoin is trading around $62,900, stuck in a frustrating $60,000 to $70,000 range. Over the past week alone, major cryptocurrencies have dropped between 8% and 11%. This isn’t the kind of fast crash that sparks aggressive dip-buying. Instead, it feels slow and heavy, like the market is gradually deflating.

Altcoins have taken even more pressure. Sell-side activity has reportedly climbed to levels not seen in five years. Sentiment is cautious. Traders are tired. Volatility hasn’t disappeared, but it has changed shape. It’s no longer explosive. It’s structural.

And yet, when you look at ETF flows, a different story begins to emerge.

Bitcoin and Ethereum See OutflowsLast year, spot ETF inflows were one of the main reasons Bitcoin rallied to $126,000. Regulated investment products now account for more than 6% of Bitcoin’s total market capitalization.

But since November, the tide has shifted. Bitcoin ETFs have recorded $7.2 billion in outflows. Ethereum funds have lost another $2.8 billion. Most weeks have ended in the red.

Institutions, at least in BTC and ETH products, appear to be trimming exposure.

XRP and Solana ETFs Stay PositiveHere’s where it gets interesting. Both Solana and XRP ETFs launched right into this broader market slowdown. Yet neither has recorded a single negative month since its debut.

Inflows have slowed significantly. Solana ETF flows fell from $419 million in November to just $19 million in February. XRP dropped from $667 million to $49 million over the same period. But the key point is this: not one red month.

That consistency matters.

According to market analysts, the U.S. spot XRP ETF has seen outflows on only five trading days since launch. That’s a remarkable level of stability during a period when prices have been sliding.

A Different Kind of DownturnThis market feels different from past cycles. Earlier downturns were often driven by retail leverage, leading to sharp collapses followed by violent rebounds. Today’s structure appears more institutionally anchored. Price action is slower. More controlled. More range-bound.

That doesn’t mean weakness is over. Bitcoin’s consolidation near $62,900 shows a balance between buyers and sellers. Altcoins remain under pressure. Liquidity is thinner.

But ETF flows are becoming one of the clearest windows into institutional sentiment. And right now, XRP and Solana are quietly holding their ground.

In a cooling market, staying green every month is not a small detail. It may be one of the more important signals beneath the surface.

Never Miss a Beat in the Crypto World!Stay ahead with breaking news, expert analysis, and real-time updates on the latest trends in Bitcoin, altcoins, DeFi, NFTs, and more.

FAQsWhy are crypto prices falling in early 2026?

The market is experiencing a structural slowdown rather than a crash, with Bitcoin trading sideways. Selling pressure on altcoins has increased, and institutional outflows from Bitcoin ETFs are contributing to the heavy, range-bound price action.

Are investors pulling money out of Bitcoin ETFs?

Yes, Bitcoin ETFs have seen significant outflows recently, totaling $7.2 billion since November. This shift indicates that institutions are trimming their exposure to Bitcoin, moving away from the aggressive buying seen during the 2025 rally.

What makes this crypto downturn different from past crashes?

Unlike past crashes driven by retail leverage and sharp collapses, this downturn feels institutionally anchored. The price action is slower and more controlled, resulting in a gradual deflation rather than violent, quick rebounds.

What is the most important signal in the market right now?

ETF flows have become the clearest window into institutional sentiment. While Bitcoin and Ethereum see outflows, the fact that XRP and Solana ETFs stay positive every month is a significant signal of underlying strength and stability.

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4 mins mins

Boston Fed signals risk of higher structural unemployment beyond rate policyFresh research and on-the-record remarks are centering a risk that U.S. unemployment could become more structural, limiting what interest-rate policy can achieve. According to the Boston Fed, a working paper on “assessing maximum employment” underscores tools used to separate cyclical softness from deeper labor-market shifts (https://www.bostonfed.org/publications/research-department-working-paper/2025/assessing-maximum-employment).

If labor demand is durably reshaped by technology and mismatches, the jobless rate consistent with stable inflation may be drifting higher. That would leave the central bank’s conventional lever, moving the policy rate, less effective at restoring pre-shock employment dynamics.

Why it matters: limits of monetary policy and NAIRUMonetary policy mainly counteracts cyclical slack. Structural unemployment reflects frictions like skill mismatches or technology-driven shifts that rate cuts cannot quickly repair. In that context, NAIRU, the unemployment rate consistent with stable prices, could rise, implying a different “full employment” benchmark.

Several policymakers have cautioned that interest rates alone cannot offset technology-driven dislocations. “If we are having structural change, then we really need to lean into that truth, and set interest rates accordingly,” said Raphael Bostic, president of the Atlanta Fed, as reported by Investing.com (https://www.investing.com/news/economy-news/exclusivebostic-says-fed-cannot-offset-possible-rise-in-structural-unemployment-4520852).

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Diagnosing structural pressure relies on how key series behave together. The Boston Fed paper highlights vacancy-unemployment dynamics (the Beveridge curve), labor force participation, wage growth, and worker flows as a toolkit to judge whether frictions are rising or matching efficiency is deteriorating.

A sustained outward shift in the Beveridge curve, more openings for a given unemployment rate, can indicate worse matching or sectoral reallocation frictions. According to the federal reserve, Michael Barr has also warned about skill mismatches if transformative AI outpaces re-training capacity (https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/barr20250509a.htm). “Many displaced workers would have obsolete skills, and skill mismatch could lead to a structural increase in unemployment,” said Michael Barr, Vice Chair for Supervision.

What non-monetary policies could help, and what’s nextRe-skilling, job matching, and fiscal support beyond Fed toolsIf structural frictions are rising, faster re-skilling, improved job matching, and targeted fiscal support become central. These tools address root causes, skills and mobility, rather than aggregate demand.

Training aligned with in-demand roles, support for worker transitions, and institutions that speed matching can narrow mismatches. Complementary safety nets can cushion incomes while workers retrain, reducing long-duration joblessness.

Upcoming signals: Fed speeches, labor data, and reassessment triggersWatch official speeches, the vacancy-to-unemployment ratio and Beveridge curve shifts, wage growth relative to productivity, participation trends, and worker flows for confirmation of structural strain. Persistent wage cooling with still-elevated vacancies may suggest matching frictions rather than cyclical slack alone.

At the time of this writing, broader market sentiment remains cautious: Bitcoin (BTC) traded near $63,097, with very high volatility around 10.68% and a bearish sentiment gauge; the 14-day RSI was close to 32.62. These figures are contextual and do not imply a market view.

FAQ about structural unemploymentCan the Federal Reserve lower interest rates to offset structural unemployment?It can mitigate cyclical slack, but structural mismatches, like skills and placement, often persist despite lower rates, according to the officials’ cautions and research cited above.

Watch Beveridge curve shifts, the vacancies-to-unemployment ratio, wage growth versus productivity, labor force participation, and worker flows for signs of persistent frictions.

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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DOGE has slid below key weekly MAs, risking a drop toward $0.06 on weak volume and downside Bollinger pressure.

Summary

DOGE trades below weekly 8 EMA, 34 EMA, 50 SMA and 200 SMA, keeping structure bearish until reclaimed.​ Price sits near the lower Bollinger Band with low volume, reinforcing downside risk toward the analyst’s $0.06 target.​ DOGE recently broke below the Oct. 10 crash low; next support aligns with the August 2024 bottom near prior weekly demand.​ A cryptocurrency analyst has warned that Dogecoin (DOGE) could decline to $0.06, citing technical indicators that suggest continued downside pressure, according to a chart analysis posted on social media.

The analyst shared a weekly chart from TradingView showing the memecoin trading below multiple key moving averages on the Coinbase exchange, according to the post reviewed by NewsBTC.

The technical setup shows Dogecoin trading beneath the 8-period exponential moving average (EMA), 200-period simple moving average (SMA), 34-period EMA, and 50-period SMA, according to the chart. The positioning below these indicators suggests the weekly structure remains weak unless the price can reclaim those levels, the analyst stated.

Bollinger Bands displayed on the same chart place the asset closer to the lower band than the midline, consistent with downside pressure on the weekly timeframe, according to the analysis. The analyst’s $0.06 target would represent a move below the displayed lower Bollinger Band, framing the projection as a deeper continuation scenario.

The chart indicates continued low trading volume, with the price sliding after failing to hold higher levels visible earlier in the cycle, according to the data.

The token has fallen below the October 10 crash low, the chart shows. The next support level could be near a previous price point visited three weeks ago, which also marked the August 2024 bottom, according to the analysis.

The analyst’s thesis rests on the premise that the asset remains below near-term and medium-term trend references, with buyers needing to reclaim weekly indicator levels, starting with the EMA 8, to invalidate the bearish outlook.

Dogecoin, originally created as a satirical cryptocurrency, has experienced significant volatility throughout its trading history and remains one of the most widely traded memecoins by market capitalization.

TL;DR

Bitcoin Breakdown: Bitcoin trades near $63K after a sharp rejection above $70K, with liquidations accelerating the decline and pushing the market toward levels last seen in early February. Macro Pressure: Fresh tariff headlines and uncertainty around AI’s economic impact have triggered a broad risk‑off shift, sending the Crypto Fear & Greed Index into extreme fear as traders brace for a potential test of $60,000 support. Altcoin Slide: ETH at $1,800, XRP at $1.32, BNB at $587, and SOL at $72 all drop roughly 4 to 5%, contributing to a $150B market‑wide contraction.
Bitcoin’s latest slide has pushed the broader crypto market into another sharp drawdown, with the asset briefly dipping under $63K and extending a month‑long correction that has erased billions in value. The move reflects a rapid deterioration in risk appetite as traders react to fresh tariff headlines, renewed macro uncertainty, and a wave of forced liquidations that accelerated the downturn across major exchanges.

Bitcoin Extends Its Breakdown as Liquidations Surge BTC’s rejection above $70,000 last week set the stage for a steady retreat, culminating in a swift drop from $67,700 to $64,400 once legacy futures markets opened. The asset now trades near $63K, down nearly 5%, marking its weakest level since early February. Derivatives markets amplified the decline, with long positions unwinding aggressively and contributing to hundreds of millions in liquidations over the past day.

The latest tariff developments, including a temporary 15% measure from the U.S. administration, have fueled a broader risk‑off shift that hit equities and crypto simultaneously. Traders are also grappling with uncertainty surrounding the economic impact of artificial intelligence and the potential for tighter policy responses. Sentiment gauges reflect the strain, with the Crypto Fear & Greed Index sliding into extreme fear territory as BTC edges closer to the key $60,000 support zone.

Altcoins Follow Bitcoin Lower in a Broad Market Pullback Altcoins are sliding in tandem, though with varying degrees of severity. Ethereum is trading around $1,800, dropping nearly 5% as it slips from recent range highs. XRP is down to $1.32, also losing nearly 5%, while BNB trades at $587 after shedding close to 4%. High‑beta names like Solana have been hit harder, with SOL falling to $76 and extending its weekly losses.

The broader market’s synchronized decline has erased roughly $150B in value, with Bitcoin’s market cap falling to about $1.260 trillion and its dominance slipping below 56%. Large‑cap alts such as DOGE, ADA, and HYPE have posted drops of over 5%, while Bitcoin Cash leads the downside with an 11% slide to below $485, underscoring the depth of the ongoing correction.

After closing the week below a crucial support level, Bitcoin (BTC) has fallen below the $65,000 support for the first time since the early February crash, reaching a two-week low of $64,152.

Amid this performance, some analysts have warned that the flagship crypto could be on the “cusp of bearish acceleration,” warning that another major crash could be around the corner.

Bitcoin Loses The 200-Week EMA On Monday, analyst Rekt Capital highlighted that Bitcoin produced a “historically pivotal” development after closing last week below the 200-week Exponential Moving Average (EMA), which currently sits “at the center of a major confluence zone.”

Notably, the 200-week EMA aligns with BTC’s Post-Halving Re-accumulation Range highs, located between $66,000-$71,000. Meanwhile, the Post-Halving Re-accumulation Range lows, around the $58,000-$60,000 levels, define the broader structure of BTC’s current range.

Bitcoin loses the 200-week EMA in the weekly chart. Source: Rekt Capital Over the past three weeks, the cryptocurrency attempted to develop a demand region around this area, which was previously a major supply area. However, this level hasn’t historically been a structurally reliable support for BTC’s price, the analyst asserted, noting that it has previously acted as a 10-month resistance.

“In the current structure, we have seen three consecutive weeks of elevated sell-side volume in this region, with limited meaningful buy-side response,” he explained.

Per the post, this imbalance has led to a weekly close below the 200-week EMA, losing it as support in this timeframe. This suggests that a “continuation of Bearish Acceleration into its second wave” could follow soon.

The analyst cautioned that now that price has closed the week below this critical level, there is a “strong probability that Bitcoin presses back toward the underside of that EMA to attempt turning it into new resistance.”

If the underside retest holds, the structure would shift from defending the support to confirming the resistance at this level. He warned that if that level begins to act as resistance, downside continuation will become increasingly probable.

BTC’s Bottom Targets $30,000 Rekt Capital also noted that BTC’s recent performance aligns closely with its price action in prior cycles. As he detailed, in 2018 and 2022, a weekly close below the 200-week EMA acted as a structural trigger to the second wave of bearish acceleration.

“Bitcoin would attempt to reclaim the level, turn it into resistance, and then dissipate lower. That pattern is now attempting to replicate itself,” he asserted.

Similarly, Ali Martinez pointed to the cryptocurrency’s historical performance, but on the three-day chart, affirming that this has been one of BTC’s key timeframes from a macro perspective.

According to Martinez’s post, market observers must watch the upcoming interaction of the 50-day and 200-day Simple Moving Averages (SMAs), as the crossover between these two indicators on the three-day timeframe has historically preceded the final leg down of the bear market.

Bitcoin dropped around 50%-72% from its 2013, 2017, and 2021 cycle tops before its death crosses took place in late 2014 and 2018, and mid 2022. Following the 50-day and 200-day SMAs crossovers, the flagship crypto experienced another 45%-52% decline.

Now, BTC has fallen more than 52% from its October 2025 peak and is approaching a potential death cross on the three-day chart by the end of February. “If history repeats — even partially — this could signal the beginning of the final leg down of this cycle,” the analyst warned.

Based on this, Martinez predicted that another 30%-50% correction from current levels could follow, placing the cryptocurrency’s target near the $30,000-$40,000 supports. “If the cross confirms, it becomes a level to take very seriously,” he concluded.

BTC’s performance in the one-week chart. Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView Featured Image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com

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XRP price retreated to $1.33 as Clarity Act approval odds dropped to 53%, raising concerns among traders. The XRP continued its weekly decline moving below the critical level of support of $1.40, indicating the increasing bearish pressure.

Broader market sentiment weakened as the crypto sector declined 3.24% to $2.19 trillion over the past 24-hours.

This decline came after the Trump administration announced a new tariff of 15%. The policy change was a sudden risk-off event that impacted the key assets and increased the uncertainty in the future perspective of XRP.

Clarity Act Passage Odds Plunge to 53% The outlook for the Clarity Act shifted sharply on prediction markets this week amid uncertainty. Polymarket odds fell from 70% to 53% and then rebounded partially later on Tuesday.

The suggested bill would establish control over digital assets among federal agencies with better requirements. Policymakers are trying to explain who oversees the issuers of tokens and stablecoins within a particular set of laws.

The White House officials took a compromise that limited yields on idle holdings of stablecoins in closed-door discussions. The proposal was introduced at ETHDenver when industry and banking leaders had meetings last Friday.

The talks were reduced to activity-based rewards, and compromises were sought before a March deadline.

Nevertheless, fading optimism and unstable mood in the digital asset markets have been dampened by the falling odds over the course of the week. There is also pressure caused by geopolitical tensions and new 15% tariffs in the world recently.

XRP Records Largest Realized Loss Spike Since 2022 XRP price has witnessed its steepest on-chain realized loss surge since 2022.

In the market data, weekly losses were close to negative $1.93 billion. A similar selloff was experienced 39 months back when there was a lot of fear. Following the episode, XRP soared up 114% in 8 months.

Analysts say sharp realized losses often reflect widespread capitulation. When weaker holders exit, selling pressure can gradually ease.  These spikes are considered by some traders as signs of an early recovery.

XRP Price Prediction: Can Bulls Defend the $1.30 Support Level? The XRP price decreased to $1.33 during Tuesday’s early trading session. The four-hour chart shows persistent selling pressure across the broader trend.

The bigger line is around $1.50, where sellers had turned down advances. Technical indicators indicate a short-term weakening in momentum.

The RSI is lingering around 34, indicating oversold without any apparent signs that it is reversing. In the meantime, the MACD is in the negative region and declining bullish trends.

Source: XRP/USDT 4–hour chart: Tradingview The nearest support is at around $1.30, which traders are keenly observing. Any further decline below this level might lead to the opening of the doors to the price levels of $1.25 and $1.20. On the other hand, recovery to around $1.40 could lead to recovery to $1.50 and even more.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Clearer regulations could reduce uncertainty for crypto markets, potentially supporting XRP and other digital assets.

A new 15% tariff announcement triggered a risk-off reaction across financial markets, pressuring crypto prices.

WLFI stablecoin USD1 experienced a coordinated attack. USD1 briefly slipped to $0.994. A broader worry is in terms of rate cuts. USD1, a stablecoin by World Liberty Financial (WLFI), has recovered after slipping to a value below its standard range. It declined following an attack, which reportedly went unaffected. USD1 is still in the same position it was before in terms of market cap. However, a broader concern remains for the stablecoin sector as authorities contemplate the next rate cut.

Recovery for WLFI Stablecoin USD1 The WLFI stablecoin USD1 briefly slipped to $0.994, below the benchmark of $1. It was reportedly a coordinated attack that triggered the low movement of the stablecoin. The engineering and security teams have repelled it with no smart contract affected.

X accounts of the co-founders of WLFI were accessed without authorization, but all holdings remained safe and fully backed as they were before the incident. A post published by WLFI has clarified that the infrastructure operated exactly as it was designed to operate in such situations.

Notably, hackers had paid influencers to spread FUD and open shorts to book profits from the architectured chaos.

USD1 and the Market The global market is watching the development closely and has its sights on what happens in the next couple of days. USD1, or any other stablecoin, does experience fluctuation, but it remains within the range of deviation – unlike abrupt ups & downs that otherwise affect cryptocurrencies.

USD1 has retained its 5th position on the list of stablecoin in terms of the market cap, which is over $4.74 billion. The WLFI stablecoin is behind DAI and just above PYUSD. Backed by US Dollar reserves along with cash-like securities, USD1 is currently aiming to surpass DAI and other top stablecoins on the list.

Broader Worry for the Sector A broader worry remains not just for stablecoins but also for the entire crypto market. This is in terms of rate cuts, as reports have hinted that authorities are contemplating whether to cut rates or not. This is in the wake of the striking down of Trump’s tariff by the US Supreme Court. The US President has fired back by announcing 10% tariffs on countries, followed by an increased rate of 15%.

This has forced authorities to discuss if they can ever cut rates, and the size if they decide to slash lendings any time. There is also uncertainty about how much and by when the US will refund excess collection to its importers.

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XRP is likely to see further losses in the coming sessions as the asset’s whales signal potential selling pressure.

In this regard, on-chain data indicates that more than 31 million XRP tokens flowed into Binance in a single day, with the surge driven almost entirely by large holders, according to CryptoQuant data shared on February 24.

XRP Ledger exchange flows. Source: CryptoQuant The spike in exchange inflows suggests whales may be preparing to sell, increasing the risk of renewed downside pressure that could push XRP below the key $1 level.

On February 21, XRP Ledger data showed deposits into the exchange exceeding 31 million XRP, driven almost entirely by wallets holding between 100,000 and 1 million XRP and over 1 million XRP. Retail participation was minimal, confirming the move was whale-led rather than broad-based.

In the preceding days, inflows were relatively subdued. February 15 and 17 saw limited activity, while February 16 recorded a moderate increase, largely from 1 million-plus XRP holders, still far below the February 21 spike. Activity briefly rose on February 18 before easing again on February 19 and 20, when the price hit a short-term low.

What’s next for XRP Historically, sharp whale inflows to exchanges have preceded volatility, as large transfers often signal intent to sell. If even part of the 31 million-plus XRP is offloaded, it could amplify selling pressure while the asset struggles to reclaim higher levels.

This grim picture comes as XRP continues to trade in a volatile state, with recent losses tied to broader market sentiment led by Bitcoin (BTC).

Despite the price pressure, positive developments persist, including Ripple’s planned 2026 XRPL upgrades to enhance tokenized assets and institutional features, alongside recent institutional products such as Japan’s SBI Holdings issuing blockchain-based bonds with XRP rewards.

XRP price anaysis As of press time, XRP was trading at $1.33, well below both its 50-day SMA ($1.75) and 200-day SMA ($2.29).

XRP seven-day price chart. Source: Finbold This positioning signals a clear bearish structure, considering that when price trades below the 50-day average, it reflects short- to medium-term weakness. 

Sitting beneath the 200-day average reinforces a longer-term downtrend. The wide gap between the current price and both moving averages suggests sustained selling pressure rather than a brief pullback.

Meanwhile, the 14-day RSI stands at 36.85, which is in neutral territory but leaning toward oversold conditions. While it has not yet dipped below 30, it indicates weakening momentum and reduced buying strength.

Featured image via Shutterstock

Jane Street is one of the biggest buyers and holders of IBIT shares. The exposure to BlackRock’s ETF, however, is not necessarily a bullish position. 

Jane Street, the global trading firm and one of the biggest global market makers, is among the most active buyers and holders of IBIT shares. 

The latest 13-F filings show Jane Street increased its position by 53.78%, holding 20.3M shares valued at $1B. The position has sparked speculation that Jane Street may be long on BTC and accumulates IBIT for exposure. 

Paradoxically, Jane Street has also been accused of suppressing the BTC price to achieve accumulation at a lower range. 

Are Jane Street’s holdings bullish? IBIT’s holdings should not be seen as a bullish bet on BTC. In the past, Jane Street has increased positions in BTC mining firms, ahead of the AI boom, leading to the conviction that the trading firm is making a bet on BTC and the crypto market. 

The IBIT inventory may be used to back positions that make use of the volatility and sharp downturns of crypto. In this case, the quant trading firm employs much more sophisticated strategies, rather than just buying BTC exposure and waiting for a rally. 

Jane Street has also been mentioned in the narrative that BTC has been deliberately suppressed, which includes daily selling from unknown entities. The daily pattern of selling when the US markets open has led to suspicions that a large fund may be suppressing BTC. 

At this point, it remains unknown who the biggest sellers are, and the crypto market has seen multiple rumors that market makers dump BTC to liquidate leveraged positions. However, Jane Street may not be deliberately suppressing BTC, but instead acting in its best interest, and being able to benefit from the ongoing market slide. 

Jane Street also increased MSTR holdings Jane Street has also increased its holdings of MSTR common stock, once again raising the question of whether it was making a directional bet. Jane Street increased its MSTR holdings by 16.23% in February.

Jane Street decreased its exposure to MSTR put and call positions, but boosted MSTR holdings by 473% in the last quarter, holding 951,000 shares valued at about $124M. Once again, the position does not indicate a bullish expectation for Strategy, and may be simply inventory management. 

The positions of Jane Street have come under scrutiny, as the company is the target of a lawsuit. Terraform Labs claims Jane Street traded on insider information, exacerbating the de-pegging of UST and precipitating the unraveling of Terra (LUNA). Allegedly, Jane Street gained information from Terraform insiders and was able to sell before the depegging event, leaving retail and other investors to absorb the losses. 

The positions of Jane Street also raise the issue of mainstream funds operating in crypto, potentially being able to sway the market and leave retail holders with major losses.

Could Ethereum really outperform Bitcoin this year? Harvard seems to think so.

With Bitcoin (BTC 4.75%) down 47% from its all-time high of $126,000 just a few months ago, it's perhaps no surprise that crypto investors are starting to look elsewhere for opportunities.

For some investors, it means hunting for undervalued cryptocurrencies with the potential to outperform Bitcoin this year. One of those beaten-down cryptos is Ethereum (ETH 4.72%), which has historically played second fiddle to Bitcoin. But is that still the case in 2026?

Harvard's shift from Bitcoin to Ethereum The high-profile example that has investors buzzing is the recent decision by Harvard's $50 billion endowment fund to trim its exposure to Bitcoin and replace it with a brand-new position in Ethereum.

According to recent 13F filings with the SEC, Harvard Management Company now owns 5.35 million shares of the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT 4.87%), with a reported market value of $265.8 million. That's down 21% from its previously reported position of 6.81 million shares.

Moreover, Harvard reported that it now owns 3.87 million shares of the iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA 5.64%), worth approximately $86.8 million. This is the first time that Harvard's endowment has owned Ethereum.

Image source: Getty Images.

There are several different ways to interpret this move by Harvard Management Company. It could simply be a decision to diversify away from Bitcoin. The days of single-asset crypto exposure could be over, as institutional investors hunt for broader exposure to the crypto economy. With an expanding array of crypto ETFs now available for trading, it's getting easier to gain exposure to other cryptocurrencies.

Or it could simply be a relative value play. Bitcoin is down 25% this year, while Ethereum is down 35%. Bitcoin is down 47% from its all-time high of last year, while Ethereum is down a whopping 61%. So Ethereum appears to be getting hit much worse than Bitcoin. It could be oversold right now, making it attractive to crypto bargain-hunters.

Could Ethereum really outperform Bitcoin this year? There are a few reasons why Ethereum could outperform Bitcoin this year. One of them has to do with its ability to offer "staking yield." Simply put, investors can earn additional passive income by staking their Ethereum. In contrast, Bitcoin is a proof-of-work blockchain, and does not directly offer staking yield.

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Until recently, Ethereum ETFs could not provide this additional staking yield due to regulatory concerns. If you wanted to stake your Ethereum, you needed to buy it directly on a cryptocurrency exchange and stake it yourself. This left many institutional investors out in the cold.

However, given the pro-crypto regulatory approach of the Trump administration, this may no longer be a problem going forward. BlackRock (BLK 2.15%), the issuer of the iShares Ethereum Trust, is already planning for an influx of new money from institutional investors hunting for this additional staking yield. All that's needed is a green light from regulatory authorities.

For now, Ethereum does look like a more compelling investment than Bitcoin. Once hailed as "digital gold," Bitcoin has failed to be the store of value that everyone hoped it would be. You can't call yourself a store of value and shed 47% of your value in a matter of months.

Dominic Basulto has positions in Bitcoin and Ethereum. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, Ethereum, and iShares Bitcoin Trust. The Motley Fool recommends BlackRock. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Similar to Bitcoin, Ether, and XRP, Solana’s SOL has been underperforming since the start of the week. 

The bearish performance, which began on Sunday, has seen SOL drop below the $80 support level, extending its 6% drop from Monday amid increased sell pressure.

However, the institutional support holds for Solana with Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) expanding exposure, but the derivatives market shows that retail traders are still reluctant to open long positions.

The technical outlook for Solana is bearish, with the bears eyeing the recent February 6 low of $67.

Institutional investors flock to Solana amid market downturnSOL is down 4.5% in the last 24 hours and is now trading at $76.5 per coin.

The coin is approaching the $75 support level, but remains a favourite among institutional investors. 

US spot Solana ETFs recorded $7.99 million in inflows on Monday, extending the accumulation spree for the ninth consecutive trading session. 

While institutions continue to accumulate, retail traders remain bearish.

CoinGlass data shows that SOL’s Open Interest (OI) stands at $4.92 billion on Tuesday, down 1.44% over the last 24 hours, suggesting risk-off sentiment among traders.

The current market conditions resulted in long liquidations accounting for $15.97 million over the same time period, which is significantly higher than the short liquidations of $3.46 million.

The dip in OI amid increased long liquidations shows that more bullish traders were liquidated, driving the traders to the sidelines.

Furthermore, SOL’s long-to-short ratio now stands at 0.9627, indicating that there are more short positions in the market.

Additionally, the funding rate remains negative at -0.0027%, reaffirming the current bearish bias.

Will Solana extend its fall below $70?The SOL/USD pair has dropped below $80, resulting in its third consecutive day of losses.

The bearish trend means that Solana remains below the 50- and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs), with both slopes lower, indicating a bearish bias. 

If the bearish trend persists, SOL could retest the crucial $75 support level in the near term.

An extended selloff period will see the bears push the price towards the February 6 low of $67.50.

The technical indicators on the 4-hour chart suggest that the short-term recovery is losing strength.

The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) is diverging and remains below zero, suggesting fading bullish momentum.

At the same time, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 37, stretched to the downside, and approaching the oversold conditions. 

However, if the bulls defend the $75 support level and SOL bounces back, it could rally towards the February 15 high at $91.26.

The next key resistance at the 50-day EMA at $102.90 could be challenging for the bulls in the near term.

Step is working on a buyback for holders of native token STEP based on a snpashot of holdings and value prior to the incident. Feb 24, 2026, 10:36 a.m.

DeFi portfolio tracker Step Finance will wind down operations effective immediately. (Tim Mossholder/Unsplashed, modified by CoinDesk)

What to know: DeFi portfolio tracker Step Finance will wind down operations effective immediately following a $27 million hack in January.Native token STEP lost nearly 96% of its value following the incident, and is a further 36% lower in the last 24 hours after the project announced its closure.Affiliate projects SolanaFloor, a Solana-focused media outlet, and tokenization platform Remora Markets, will also close.Decentralized finance (DeFi) portfolio tracker Step Finance said it will wind down operations effective immediately.

The Solana-based platform was subject to a hack at the end of January, which saw 261,854 SOL, worth roughly $27 million at the time, stolen.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW

Step said it was unable to secure a viable outcome following the hack after it "explored every possible path forward, including financing and acquisition opportunities," in a post on X on Monday.

The project is working on a buyback for holders of native token STEP based on a snpashot of holdings and value prior to the incident.

STEP lost nearly 96% of its value following the incident, and is a further 36% lower in the last 24 hours after the closure announcement.

Step Finance was founded in 2021 and offered an aggregation of yield farms, liquidity provider (LP) tokens and other DeFi positions from a single platform.

Affiliate projects SolanaFloor, a Solana-focused media outlet, and tokenization platform Remora Markets, will also close.

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RedotPay, a Hong Kong-based stablecoin payments company, is preparing a U.S. IPO that could raise more than $1 billion and value the firm at over $4 billion, according to Bloomberg.The company, which became a unicorn in 2024 and now has more than 6 million registered users, has hired JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs and Jefferies to explore a New York listing as early as this year.Backed by major crypto investors including Accel, Pantera Capital and Blockchain Capital, RedotPay’s offering would be among the largest IPOs to emerge from Asia’s stablecoin sector.Top Stories

Cover image via U.Today Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available.

Prominent investor Fred Krueger has stepped forward on X with a tweet, sharing his vision for the future path the Bitcoin price is likely to take in 2026. He seems to be ultra-bullish on the prospects of the largest currency in the crypto market this year.

A famous trader and crypto entrepreneur, Willy Woo, seems to be on the same page with him.

2026 might be "awesome" for Bitcoin: Fred KruegerFred Krueger tweeted that he expects 2026 to be “an awesome year” for Bitcoin. The crypto community reacted positively to this statement, sharing Krueger’s enthusiasm. One of the commentators, who responded, was trader and crypto entrepreneur Willy Woo.

HOT Stories

Woo stated: “A bear market always strengthens BTC.”

Correct, a bear market always strengthens BTC.

— Willy Woo (@willywoo) February 24, 2026 Currently, Bitcoin is trading roughly 50% below its all-time high of $126,000 reached in October and is changing hands at $63,390 per coin. Over the past 24 hours, the bellwether cryptocurrency has crashed, losing roughly 6.5% as it went down from above $67,000 to the current level.

The push down followed the U.S. government imposing 15% trade tariffs on countries despite the ruling of the Supreme Court against these tariffs.

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Saylor's Strategy suffers massive losses on BTC holdingsInvestor Ted Pillows has shared data about Michael Saylor and his brainchild, Strategy, suffering tremendous losses on their Bitcoin holdings — a staggering $9,500,000,000. Despite this, the company continues to stack BTC.

Earlier this week, Michael Saylor announced on X that the BTC treasury firm had acquired another large Bitcoin batch — 592 BTC for roughly $39.8 million at $67,286 per coin on average. Now, Strategy holds 717,722 Bitcoins in total, worth $45,410,436,016.

A day before, an internet entrepreneur, Vinny Lingam, tweeted a sarcastic post about him expecting Saylor to announce a half-billion Bitcoin purchase this week, hinting at Saylor’s persistence despite the current market crash. While many holders, including Bitcoin ETFs, have been selling their Bitcoin and closing long positions, Saylor is among those who continue to buy the dip based on his long-term vision of BTC as the basis of the future global financial system.

Robert Kiyosaki, the author of the “Rich Dad Poor Dad” book, has also announced a Bitcoin purchase lately; last week he bought a whole BTC, saying that he was going to buy more if BTC falls deeper.

On Feb. 20, Brazil's foreign trade council published a technical resolution reducing import duties to zero for a narrow class of hardware: SHA256 Bitcoin miners exceeding 200 terahashes per second with energy efficiency below 20 joules per terahash.

Three days later, French state-owned energy giant Engie told Reuters it was considering installing Bitcoin miners at its 895-megawatt Assu Sol plant in northeast Brazil, the company's largest solar facility globally, to monetize curtailed electricity and improve profitability.

The two developments landed within 72 hours of each other, and together they sketch a thesis most observers missed: Brazil is building a pressure valve for stranded renewable energy, and Bitcoin mining is the release mechanism.

This isn't a story about Brazil “legalizing” mining or launching a national strategy. It's about the quiet convergence of three forces: chronic curtailment, falling hardware cost barriers, and generator economics breaking.

Together, they create the conditions for incremental hashrate to flow toward a market nobody was watching.

Brazil's zero-percent import duty for high-efficiency mining hardware runs from February 2026 through January 2028, with Engie announcing mining consideration three days after policy launch.The curtailment problem that Bitcoin miners can solveBrazil's wind industry curtailed roughly 32 terawatt-hours between October 2021 and September 2025, amounting to about 6 billion reais (roughly $1.2 billion) in lost revenue for wind farms.

Curtailment occurs when the grid can't absorb the electricity being produced due to the wrong place, the wrong time, or insufficient transmission capacity. For renewable generators, curtailed megawatt-hours are destroyed value.

Wind and solar generated 24% of Brazil's electricity in 2024, and in August 2025, that share hit 34% for the first time.

Grid operator ONS describes curtailment as a structural feature of systems with high shares of variable renewables, not a temporary friction.

As the renewables mix rises and transmission buildout lags, the mismatch grows. Generators need local, dispatchable demand that can absorb otherwise-wasted electrons and turn on or off quickly. Bitcoin mining fits that profile precisely.

Engie's Assu Sol plant is located in Brazil's northeast, a region with strong solar irradiance but transmission constraints.

The company told Reuters that mining or storage could make the facility more profitable by monetizing energy that would otherwise be curtailed, but emphasized this would take years to implement.

The signal matters because it's coming from a state-owned European utility with no prior crypto exposure, framing mining purely as an industrial demand response tool.

What the tax change actually does to Bitcoin minersResolução GECEX 861, published Feb. 20, amends Brazil's consolidated ex-tariff list to reduce import duty to zero for specific information technology goods.

Annex I adds a new line covering servers dedicated to cryptocurrency mining using the SHA256 algorithm with energy efficiency measured at 35 degrees Celsius, below 20 joules per terahash, and processing capacity above 200 terahashes per second.

The zero-percent duty remains in effect through Jan. 31, 2028.

This is not a blanket exemption for all mining hardware. The thresholds filter for top-tier ASICs. Older or less efficient models don't qualify. The policy targets the hardware class that can actually compete at scale in a professional mining environment.

Brazil's import tax structure is notoriously layered. Import duty is one component of the total landed cost, along with IPI, PIS/COFINS-Import, ICMS, and various fees. Trade logistics guides commonly cite total import burdens in the 40%-100% range.

Cutting import duty to zero removes one federal lever but doesn't eliminate the full stack.

Nevertheless, Brazil reduced a key cost barrier for high-efficiency mining hardware, lowering payback periods, even though other taxes remain.

The break-even power price that makes this workMining profitability depends on three variables: hash price (revenue per terahash per second per day), hardware efficiency, and electricity cost.

As of Feb. 16, Hashrate Index reported a hash price of around $34.05 per petahash per second per day. Bitcoin traded near $64,000 on Feb. 23.

For a minimum-qualifying rig under Ex 040, with 200 terahashes per second at 20 joules per terahash, daily revenue equals roughly $6.81. Power consumption is 4.0 kilowatts. Daily energy use is 96 kilowatt-hours.

The break-even electricity price, ignoring capital expenditure and operating overhead, is about $0.071 per kilowatt-hour.

Converting to reais using the Feb. 23 exchange rate of roughly 5.17 reais per dollar, break-even sits around 370 reais per megawatt-hour. Retail business electricity prices in Brazil averaged 0.657 reais per kilowatt-hour in June 2025, which is far too high for mining.

However, wholesale spot prices often trade in the 250-450 reais per megawatt-hour range, and curtailed energy, by definition, has no better buyer.

If a generator can sell otherwise-lost megawatt-hours to a miner at or below its break-even cost, the generator recovers revenue that would otherwise be zero.

This is the mechanism: curtailment creates stranded value, mining converts stranded value into computation, and the ex-tariff drops hardware cost enough to tighten the arbitrage window.

Bitcoin mining break-even electricity price sits at R$370/MWh, below Brazil's wholesale spot band and far below retail rates, creating profitability window for curtailment-based operations.What happens if the thesis plays outIf Brazil's curtailment persists or grows, driven by continued renewables buildout outpacing transmission capacity, generators will face mounting revenue pressure.

Mining offers a bilateral PPA structure that requires no new transmission and can ramp within days of hardware delivery. The ex-tariff remains in effect through January 2028, creating a 24-month window for miners to lock in hardware cost certainty while testing curtailment economics.

Engie's pilot framing suggests other utilities and independent power producers will evaluate similar options. If several large renewable projects announce colocation deals over the next 12 months, Brazil becomes a meaningful incremental hashrate destination.

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This happens not because of national strategy, but because project-level economics align.

The country already has regulatory clarity around Bitcoin, established banking infrastructure for crypto firms, and no capital controls that would trap mining revenue onshore.

Yet, the thesis can also fail. If transmission upgrades accelerate and reduce curtailment, the stranded energy pool shrinks, and power prices rise.

If Bitcoin's difficulty spikes, compressing the hash rate below the $30-per-petahash range, break-even power costs drop below what most curtailment contracts can deliver.

If local permitting or grid interconnection processes create friction for data center builds, the hardware cost advantage becomes irrelevant.

And if the ex-tariff expires in January 2028 without renewal, the import cost barrier returns.

BucketMetricValueWhy it mattersCurtailment scaleWind curtailment (Oct 2021–Sep 2025)32 TWhDefines the “stranded value” pool mining targetsCurtailment impactWind revenue lost (same period)R$6B (~$1.2B)Shows curtailment is an economics problem, not a rounding errorRenewables penetrationWind+solar share of generation (2024)24%Higher VRE share tends to raise congestion/curtailment pressureRenewables penetrationWind+solar share (Aug 2025)34%“First time” milestone that signals structural shiftPolicy filterEligible hardwareSHA256, >200 TH/s, <20 J/TH @35°CTargets top-tier ASIC class; excludes older rigsPolicy window0% import duty valid throughJan 31, 2028Time-bounded “option window” for miners to moveUtility signalEngie Assu Sol plant size895 MWpBig enough to matter; shows serious generator interestMining revenueHashprice (Feb 16)$34.05 / PH/s/dayAnchors profitability mathRig economicsMin qualifying rig daily revenue~$6.81/dayTies revenue to a specific machine classRig economicsPower draw4.0 kWConverts efficiency → electricity cost sensitivityRig economicsDaily energy96 kWh/dayMakes break-even intuitiveBreak-even powerElectricity break-even$0.071/kWh (~R$370/MWh)The number that decides “hub or not”Price reality checkRetail business electricity (June 2025)R$0.657/kWh (R$657/MWh)Shows why miners need wholesale/curtailment pricingPrice reality checkWholesale spot band (often)R$250–450/MWhShows feasibility zone exists sometimesThe Bitcoin miner constraint no one talks aboutZero-percent import duty matters, but it doesn't fix the financing gap.

Mining hardware has a useful life measured in difficulty epochs, not decades. Brazil's cost of capital is higher than in the US or Europe, and local banks have limited appetite for crypto-native credit.

Miners scaling in Brazil will need either offshore financing denominated in dollars or equity structures that can absorb illiquidity.

The other constraint is operational. Mining at renewable plants works when curtailment is predictable or when contract structures allow interruptible load.

However, if curtailment becomes sporadic or grid dynamics shift hour to hour, uptime suffers, and effective hash price declines.

Engie's “years to implement” comment suggests the company understands that bolt-on mining infrastructure requires engineering, not just a PPA signature.

What Brazil is actually betting onBrazil didn't wake up and decide to become a mining hub. It created a targeted cost reduction for hardware that can monetize a structural grid problem, and a state-owned utility publicly tested the narrative on the same day.

The bet is narrower than it looks: can miners absorb enough curtailed energy to improve generator economics without destabilizing the grid or creating new political risk?

If the answer is yes, Brazil captures incremental hashrate without subsidizing it directly: miners pay for power, generators recover lost revenue, and the ex-tariff removes friction.

If the answer is no, the resolution expires in January 2028, and the experiment ends. Either way, the policy is time-bound, the economics are transparent, and the commitment is reversible.

But options have value when the underlying conditions align, and Brazil's conditions are aligning.

Curtailment is growing, hardware costs just dropped, and a major generator is publicly pricing the trade-off.

The window is open through January 2028. What happens next depends on whether enough miners recognize the opening before it closes.

Posted in

Ethereum [ETH] faced renewed distribution pressure as whale 0xeadc offloaded 16,924 ETH worth $31.97M within 30 minutes at $1,889. 

This rapid conversion into stablecoins signals a deliberate supply injection rather than gradual rotation. 

Large transfers executed through CoW Protocol settlements show structured unloading instead of fragmented exchange selling. Such concentrated activity reflects defensive positioning as broader structure weakens. 

When nearly $32M enters the market within half an hour, liquidity must respond immediately to prevent imbalance. 

However, aggressive spot demand has cooled, which increases the influence of this distribution. As a result, whale activity now amplifies downside vulnerability near critical support for ETH.

Ethereum presses critical $1,800 support At the time of writing, Ethereum continued trading inside a long-term descending channel that has governed structure since the $4,800 peak. 

Each recovery has formed a lower high beneath declining resistance, reinforcing sustained trend weakness. 

Price has already broken below $2,797 and later lost the $2,261 horizontal support, confirming continuation of bearish structure. 

At the time of writing, ETH traded at around $1,828 while pressing directly against the clearly marked $1,800 support zone. 

This level represents the final horizontal defense before a broader structural extension. If sellers force a decisive breakdown beneath $1,800, the next major support sits near $1,400. 

However, sustained defense here could trigger a liquidity-driven rebound toward overhead resistance.

Source: TradingView

The MACD has crossed above the signal line, and green histogram bars currently print at +20.54, showing easing downside pressure. 

The MACD line sits near -176.93, while the signal line remains around -197.47, keeping both readings below the zero threshold. 

This configuration shows that short-term recovery attempts have started forming within a broader negative structure. 

Although bearish acceleration has slowed, Ethereum has not reclaimed broken resistance levels. Therefore, this crossover suggests temporary relief rather than confirmed reversal. 

If histogram expansion strengthens further, upside rotation becomes more likely. Otherwise, fading momentum would reinforce prevailing structural weakness.

Ethereum Spot Taker CVD shifts to neutral balance The Spot Taker CVD over the 90-day period has transitioned to neutral after maintaining buy dominance previously. 

This shift indicates that aggressive market buyers no longer sustain consistent control over order flow. Instead, demand and supply now reflect equilibrium conditions. 

As whale distribution accelerates, this neutral reading reduces confidence in immediate absorption strength. Without decisive taker-side expansion, recovery attempts struggle to gain traction. 

However, if buyers regain initiative and push CVD back into positive dominance, price stabilization becomes more sustainable. For now, balanced order flow aligns with consolidation near structural support.

Source: CryptoQuant

Liquidation cluster builds above $1,920 The Binance ETH/USDT liquidation heatmap shows a dense leverage cluster forming near $1,923, with liquidation leverage reaching $30.45M in that region. 

This zone contains concentrated short exposure positioned above the current price. 

Meanwhile, recent total liquidations show $43.55M in long liquidations compared to $4.03M in shorts, confirming that recent declines have already flushed leveraged buyers. 

As a result, overhead liquidity now acts as a potential magnet if buyers regain control. A move toward $1,920 would likely clear trapped positions before any larger structural decision unfolds.

Source: CoinGlass

To sum up, Ethereum now stands at a decisive inflection point near $1,800 as whale distribution, neutral order flow, and descending channel pressure converge. 

If buyers defend this zone convincingly, price could rotate toward $1,920 and attempt stabilization. 

However, if selling pressure forces a breakdown beneath $1,800, the chart highlights $1,400 as the next major support level. 

The coming sessions will reveal whether demand absorbs supply or allows structural decline to extend.

Final Summary Whale distribution near $1,800 support increases the probability of a deeper structural breakdown toward $1,400.  Strong defense at $1,800 would demonstrate resilience despite aggressive whale-driven sell pressure.

A viral claim circulating on X has sparked fear across the crypto community, suggesting that Strategy could face a massive $55 billion in margin calls if Bitcoin drops another 4%.

This raised concerns among investors, especially as the Bitcoin price has recently droped 5% today, trading near $63,212.

So Coinpedia stepped in to fact-check whether this claim is real or misleading.

Who Made This Claim?The claim was made by DeFi researcher Crypto Nobler, who warned that a further 4% drop in Bitcoin’s price could trigger a margin call on Strategy’s Bitcoin holdings.

According to the claim, Saylor would be forced to liquidate Strategy’s entire Bitcoin position of over 717,000 BTC, valued at approximately $55 billion.

But is all this claim true? Let’s break it down.

Coinpedia’s Key Findings: What’s Actually True?No Liquidation Risk, even if Bitcoin Drops 4%

Strategy currently holds 717,722 BTC, acquired at an average price of $76,018 per Bitcoin. With Bitcoin trading around $63,233, the company is sitting on an unrealized loss of about 17%.

Strategy’s Bitcoin holdings are primarily funded through convertible notes and corporate financing, not fully through margin-based loans.

This means that a 4% drop to near $60K alone is unlikely to trigger a forced liquidation of its entire holdings.

Strategy’s Debt Structure Prevents Automatic Bitcoin Liquidation

Unlike margin-based loans, Strategy funded most of its Bitcoin purchases using low-interest convertible notes with maturities extending to 2032.

Michael Saylor has also publicly stated that Strategy plans to gradually convert its debt into equity over time. This strategy helps the company protect its Bitcoin holdings and avoid selling assets during market volatility.

Strategy Can Survive Even If Bitcoin Drops To $8,000

Saylor earlier stated that even in an extreme scenario where Bitcoin drops sharply to $8,000, Strategy’s Bitcoin holdings would still be valued at around $6 billion, which is close to its total net debt of $5.6 billion.

Summary Table: Coinpedia’s Evidence Against the TheoryClaim Made by TheoryCoinpedia’s Counter-EvidenceWill Strategy face a margin call if BTC drops 4%No official filing or confirmation supports this.Michael Saylor must liquidate $55 billion in BTCThe company has financial flexibility and collateral options, so it won’t be required to liquidate $55 billion in BTCCan Strategy Survive If BTC Drops To $8KYes, Strategy can survive even if BTC drops To $8KConclusionClaimWill Strategy face forced liquidation if Bitcoin drops another 4%?Verdict❌ MisleadingFact-Check by CoinpediaBased on available financial disclosures and the strategy’s funding structure, there is no verifiable evidence that a 4% Bitcoin drop would trigger a $55 billion liquidation of its entire holdings.The claim appears to exaggerate liquidation risk without considering the company’s financial structure and flexibilityNever Miss a Beat in the Crypto World!Stay ahead with breaking news, expert analysis, and real-time updates on the latest trends in Bitcoin, altcoins, DeFi, NFTs, and more.

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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Bitcoin fell below 200-week EMA, over 52% off peak, risking death-cross capitulation.

Summary

BTC closed last week under the 200-week EMA, a key confluence zone tied to post-halving re-accumulation range highs, after three weeks of elevated sell volume and weak demand.​ Analysts warn BTC may retest the underside of the 200-week EMA as new resistance, echoing 2018 and 2022 structures that triggered a second bearish acceleration wave.​ BTC has dropped over 52% from its October top and approaches a 3-day 50/200 SMA death cross by late February, historically followed by an additional 45%-52% drawdown. Bitcoin (BTC) closed the week below a critical support level, falling beneath that threshold for the first time since early February and reaching a two-week low, according to market data. Analysts have warned that the cryptocurrency could face additional downward pressure.

Analyst Rekt Capital stated that Bitcoin closed last week below the 200-week Exponential Moving Average (EMA), which sits at the center of a major confluence zone. The 200-week EMA aligns with the Post-Halving Re-accumulation Range highs, while the Post-Halving Re-accumulation Range lows define the broader structure of Bitcoin’s current range, according to the analyst.

Over the past three weeks, the cryptocurrency attempted to develop a demand region around this area, which was previously a major supply area, Rekt Capital noted. The analyst stated that this level has not historically been a structurally reliable support, noting that it previously acted as a 10-month resistance.

“In the current structure, we have seen three consecutive weeks of elevated sell-side volume in this region, with limited meaningful buy-side response,” the analyst stated in a post. The imbalance led to a weekly close below the 200-week EMA, losing it as support in this timeframe, according to the analysis.

Rekt Capital stated that there is a strong probability that Bitcoin will press back toward the underside of that EMA to attempt turning it into new resistance. If the underside retest holds, the structure would shift from defending the support to confirming the resistance at this level, the analyst said. The analyst added that if that level begins to act as resistance, downside continuation will become increasingly probable.

The analyst also noted that Bitcoin’s recent performance aligns closely with its price action in prior cycles. In 2018 and 2022, a weekly close below the 200-week EMA acted as a structural trigger to the second wave of bearish acceleration, according to the analysis. “Bitcoin would attempt to reclaim the level, turn it into resistance, and then dissipate lower. That pattern is now attempting to replicate itself,” Rekt Capital stated.

Analyst Ali Martinez pointed to the cryptocurrency’s historical performance on the three-day chart, stating that this has been one of Bitcoin’s key timeframes from a macro perspective. Martinez said market observers must watch the upcoming interaction of the 50-day and 200-day Simple Moving Averages (SMAs), as the crossover between these two indicators on the three-day timeframe has historically preceded the final leg down of the bear market.

Bitcoin dropped approximately 50% to 72% from its cycle tops in past cycles before death crosses took place in subsequent years, according to historical data. Following those SMA crossovers, the cryptocurrency experienced another 45% to 52% decline, Martinez noted. Bitcoin has fallen more than 52% from its October peak and is approaching a potential death cross on the three-day chart by the end of February, according to the analyst.

“If history repeats — even partially — this could signal the beginning of the final leg down of this cycle,” Martinez stated. The analyst predicted that another substantial correction from current levels could follow, placing the cryptocurrency’s target near lower support levels. “If the cross confirms, it becomes a level to take very seriously,” Martinez said.

Danaos Corporation remains a deep value play, boasting high profitability, strong earnings visibility, and a fortress balance sheet, despite a recent run-up. DAC's disciplined and opportunistic capital allocation would make Buffett proud, with a proven record of buying at cycle lows and focusing on immediately accretive transactions derisked through financing and chartering. Recent moves into dry bulk and the Alaska LNG partnership provide optionality and potential new earnings engines, while core containership operations remain resilient.

Celsius Holdings faces ongoing distribution disruptions tied to its Pepsi partnership and the Alani Nu acquisition transition. Management anticipates over 17% shelf space gains for CELH and 100% for Alani Nu, but execution risks remain due to past flavor launch missteps. The stock trades at just 4x forward sales, significantly discounted versus Monster Beverage, despite stronger growth prospects and recent sales outperformance.

Claritev Corporation (CTEV) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Prepared Remarks Transcript

February 24, 2026 04:49 ET  | Source: Shore Capital Stockbrokers Limited

FORM 8.5 (EPT/RI)

PUBLIC DEALING DISCLOSURE BY AN EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADER WITH RECOGNISED INTERMEDIARY STATUS DEALING IN A CLIENT-SERVING CAPACITY
Rule 8.5 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)

1.        KEY INFORMATION

(a)        Name of exempt principal trader:Shore Capital Stockbrokers Ltd(b)        Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
        Use a separate form for each offeror/offereeCAB Payments Holdings Plc(c)        Name of the party to the offer with which exempt principal trader is connected:CAB Payments Holdings Plc(d)        Date dealing undertaken:23 February 2026(e)        Has the EPT previously disclosed, or is it today disclosing, under the Code in respect of any other party to this offer?No 2.        DEALINGS BY THE EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADER

(a)        Purchases and sales

Class of relevant securityPurchases/ sales Total number of securitiesHighest price per unit paid/receivedLowest price per unit paid/receivedOrdinaryPurchases126,33485p81.95pOrdinarySales126,98284.525p82.275p (b)        Derivatives transactions (other than option)

Class of relevant securityProduct description
e.g. CFDNature of dealing
e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short positionNumber of reference securitiesPrice per unit      (c)        Options transactions in respect of existing securities

(i)        Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Class of relevant securityProduct description e.g. call optionWriting, purchasing, selling, varying etc.Number of securities to which option relatesExercise price per unitType
e.g. American, European etc.Expiry dateOption money paid/ received per unit         (ii)        Exercising

Class of relevant securityProduct description
e.g. call optionNumber of securitiesExercise price per unit     (d)        Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

Class of relevant securityNature of dealing
e.g. subscription, conversionDetailsPrice per unit (if applicable)     The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(b), copy table 2(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

3.        OTHER INFORMATION

(a)        Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the exempt principal trader making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:
If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”None

(b)        Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the exempt principal trader making the disclosure and any other person relating to:
(i)        the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or
(ii)        the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:
If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”None

Date of disclosure:24 February 2026Contact name:Justin BallTelephone number:0207 601 6116 Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service and must also be emailed to the Takeover Panel at [email protected]. The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s dealing disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.
The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

24 February 2026 - Fleet utilisation for January 2026 was 100%.   In Brazil, Safe Eurus, Safe Notos, and Safe Zephyrus continued to operate at full capacity in January, delivering near 100 % commercial uptime.

Key support today is an uptrend line from the January 7 main bottom at $55.48, coming in at $64.70. This is followed by a 50% level at $64.52.

Further down is a pair of 50% levels at $62.84 and $61.08. The major support and trend indicators are the 200-day moving average at $60.97 and the 50-day moving average at $60.43. The 50-day MA is slowly creeping up and is likely to cross to the strong side of the 200-day MA within a few days, which would be a bullish signal.

Iran Talks Thursday with the Clock Already Ticking Fundamentally, buyers continue to assess the risks to supply if there is direct military activity between the United States and Iran. In the meantime, talks centering on Iran’s nuclear program are expected to resume in Geneva on Thursday. The U.S. wants Iran to give up its nuclear program, but Iran has yet to yield to pressure, citing it as their right. They have also denied trying to develop an atomic weapon.

Last Thursday, President Trump said he has a 10-to-15-day window before he would consider bombing Iran. With the next meeting on Thursday, it’s possible that a U.S. attack could begin over the weekend if a deal or even the framework of a deal isn’t struck during this round of negotiations.

At this point, the bullish price action is being generated by aggressive traders hedging against the worst-case scenario — an actual disruption in oil supply. So far, no oil has been lost, but the recent rally suggests traders have taken about 6% to 10% of protection.

More evidence that the United States is moving closer to a showdown with Iran: Reuters reported that the State Department is pulling out non-essential government personnel and their families from the U.S. embassy in Beirut.

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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Global consultancy to consolidate travel operations with Navan across more than a dozen markets

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Navan (NASDAQ: NAVN), the global AI-powered business travel and expense platform, today announced it has been selected by Simon-Kucher, the world’s leading commercial growth and pricing consultancy, as its global travel partner. Simon-Kucher teams will now have access to Navan’s AI-powered travel management platform across more than a dozen markets, including in the North American, European, and APAC regions.

“Our work is increasingly global, and travel remains essential to how we collaborate with clients and with one another,” said Thomas Wohlan, Director of Travel Management at Simon-Kucher. “To support that at scale, we needed a modern travel platform that brings consistency across countries and simplifies the experience for our teams. Navan enables us to operate more efficiently on a single global platform, with the level of intelligence and support expected of a firm like ours.”

Through the partnership, Simon-Kucher will benefit from:

A modern booking experience: Leveraging Navan’s AI-assisted booking to reduce the average time to book a trip to under seven minutes and aiming to increase platform adoption to more than 95%. Optimized travel spend: Improving access to competitive travel inventory and fare options through Navan’s dynamic policy controls and unrivalled airline content. Emissions visibility and lower-impact travel choices: Providing consolidated reporting of travel-related emissions and offering lower-emission options, such as rail. Employee-level sustainability insights: Enabling dashboards for employees to view their travel footprint, while giving the firm deeper visibility into regional patterns. “For a global consultancy like Simon-Kucher, travel is the engine of the business, but the old way of managing it just slows people down,” said Michael Riegel, Chief Customer Officer at Navan. “Teams today expect their work tools to be as smart and intuitive as the apps they use in their personal lives. By moving to Navan, Simon-Kucher is gaining an AI-powered platform that makes travel easy for its teams.”

The agreement with Simon-Kucher reinforces Navan’s growth in the enterprise segment, joining new customers Yahoo, Axel Springer, and Frasers Group.

About Simon-Kucher

Simon-Kucher is a global consultancy with more than 2,000 employees in 30+ countries. Its sole focus is on unlocking better growth that drives measurable revenue and profit for its clients. They achieve this by optimizing every lever of their commercial strategy – product, price, innovation, marketing, and sales – based on deep insights into what customers want and value. With over 40 years of experience in monetization topics of all kinds, it is regarded as the world’s leading pricing and growth specialist.

About Navan

Navan (NASDAQ: NAVN) is the global AI-powered business travel and expense platform that makes travel easy for frequent travelers. From finding flights and hotels, to automating expense reconciliation, with 24/7 support along the way, Navan delivers an intuitive experience travelers love and finance teams rely on. See how Navan customers benefit and learn more at navan.com.

Forward Looking Statements

All statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact could be deemed to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are often identified by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “will,” or similar expressions. Such statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks and other factors include the risks described under the caption “Risk Factors” in Navan’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on December 15, 2025 and in other reports Navan files from time to time with the SEC. Except as required by law, Navan undertakes no obligation, and does not intend, to update these forward-looking statements.

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