Hírek

US President Donald Trump announced a 10% global tariff on Friday following the Supreme Court's ruling striking down his authority to levy tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

Trump was critical of the Supreme Court’s decision, calling the decision “ridiculous” at Friday’s press conference, and said that he will levy the tariffs under different legal methods, including the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 and the Trade Act of 1974. Trump said:

“Effective immediately. All national security tariffs under Section 232 and Section 301 tariffs remain fully in place. And in full force and effect. Today, I will sign an order to impose a 10% Global tariff under Section 122 over and above our normal tariffs already being charged.”

US President Donald Trump announced a 10% global tariff and commented on Friday’s Supreme Court ruling. Source: The White House

Trump’s tariffs have repeatedly caused severe downturns in markets considered high risk, including crypto and equities, as the threat of tariffs fuels uncertainty and shakes investor confidence.

Related: Bitcoin ignores US Supreme Court Trump tariff strike amid talk of $150B refund

The Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s authority to levy tariffs under emergency powers

Trump levied a 25% tariff on most goods coming in from Canada and Mexico, and a 10% tariff on goods coming in from China under the IEEPA, framing both tariffs as a response to national security threats.

An influx of drugs from foreign countries created a “public health crisis,” according to Trump, while trade deficits with China threatened the industrial manufacturing base in the US, he alleged.

The Supreme Court ruling struck down Trump’s authority to levy tariffs under the IEEPA. Source: The US Supreme Court

However, the Supreme Court rejected both premises as national security threats under the IEEPA and said that the Executive Branch does not have the authority to levy tariffs under the IEEPA during peacetime. 

“In IEEPA’s half-century of existence, no president has invoked the statute to impose any tariffs, let alone tariffs of this magnitude and scope,” the ruling said.

“Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution specifies that ‘The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises.’ The Framers recognized the unique importance of this taxing power,” the Supreme Court ruled on Friday.

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

Bitcoin climbed above $68,000 on Friday, extending its rebound as crypto markets largely brushed off renewed U.S. tariff headlines and legal uncertainty around President Donald Trump’s trade measures. The move marked a modest but notable continuation of risk appetite, with altcoins leading gains.BTC Breaks $68K Despite Tariff NoiseBitcoin rose through the $68,000 level after spending much of the session consolidating just below it, signaling limited sensitivity to a volatile sequence of U.S. trade developments. Earlier in the day, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Trump’s global tariff rollout illegal, adding uncertainty around existing levies. By the afternoon, Trump announced a new 10% global tariff under Section 122, set to take effect within days.Despite the back-and-forth, crypto prices pushed higher, suggesting markets are viewing the tariff news as macro noise rather than a decisive risk-off catalyst.Altcoins Lead as Broad Crypto Index AdvancesThe CoinDesk 20 Index rose roughly 2.5%, with BNB, Dogecoin (DOGE), Cardano (ADA), and Solana (SOL) posting gains of 3%–4%, outperforming Bitcoin on the day.Traditional markets also advanced, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 gaining 0.9% and 0.7%, respectively. Crypto-linked equities followed suit: Coinbase (COIN), Circle (CRCL), and Strategy (MSTR) each rose more than 2%.Bitcoin miners tied to AI and data-center expansion continued to lag, with Riot Platforms (RIOT), Cipher Mining (CIFR), IREN, and TeraWulf (WULF) down 3%–6%.Rangebound Outlook Still DominatesDespite the move above $68,000, traders remain cautious about upside follow-through.“We’ve seen a modest rally as markets interpret tariffs as broadly negative for growth,” said Paul Howard, director at trading firm Wincent. “But volumes remain muted, and without a clear macro catalyst, crypto is still likely to trade rangebound.”Geopolitical Risks Remain on the RadarBeyond trade policy, investors are watching rising geopolitical tensions, including the risk of U.S. military action involving Iran, which could inject fresh volatility across global markets.For now, Bitcoin’s push above $68,000 reinforces the view that crypto remains resilient to headline-driven shocks, even as conviction stays limited and price action points to consolidation rather than a decisive breakout.

TLDR:

RWA integration reaches a new level as BlackRock’s $2.4B BUIDL fund goes live on UniswapX for 24/7 trading

Apollo Global Management is authorized to acquire up to 90M MORPHO tokens over 48 months.

MORPHO token surged 17.8% after Apollo’s formal cooperation agreement was publicly announced.

Wall Street’s governance token purchases signal a major shift in institutional DeFi confidence.

RWA momentum reached a new milestone this week as BlackRock and Apollo Global Management moved beyond pilot programs into deep infrastructure integration.

BlackRock connected its tokenized fund to Uniswap’s trading rails, while Apollo signed a formal agreement with Morpho’s lending protocol.

Together, these moves mark a structural shift in how traditional asset managers are engaging with decentralized finance. Wall Street is no longer testing the waters; it is now actively building within them.

BlackRock Plugs BUIDL Into Uniswap’s Trading Infrastructure

BlackRock partnered with Securitize and Uniswap Labs to integrate its BUIDL fund into the UniswapX system. The fund currently holds approximately $2.4 billion in assets under management. Eligible institutional investors can now trade BUIDL against USDC around the clock, seven days a week.

Notably, the integration bypasses traditional AMM liquidity pools entirely. Instead, it uses UniswapX’s off-chain order routing system, which settles transactions on-chain.

Orders flow through a Request-for-Quote framework to whitelisted market makers, including Wintermute and Flowdesk, acting as solvers.

Sentora’s newsletter captured the weight of the moment, noting that “the era of testing is over,” and that Wall Street is now “actively utilizing decentralized protocols to trade and lend” tokenized assets.

RWA momentum continued as two of the world’s largest traditional asset managers, BlackRock and Apollo Global Management, moved to deep infrastructure integration.

We break it down in our latest newsletterhttps://t.co/ZLRaKbNfEM

— Sentora (@SentoraHQ) February 21, 2026

Securitize handles compliance by pre-qualifying all participating wallets. This structure keeps institutional capital separate from non-KYC retail pools.

Beyond the technical setup, BlackRock also purchased an undisclosed amount of UNI governance tokens, marking its first direct financial engagement with a DeFi protocol’s governance structure.

Apollo Enters Decentralized Credit Through Morpho Agreement

Apollo Global Management, which oversees $940 billion in traditional assets, signed a formal cooperation agreement with Morpho.

The deal centers on building and scaling on-chain lending markets using Morpho’s infrastructure. Apollo and its affiliates are authorized to acquire up to 90 million MORPHO tokens over the next 48 months.

Sentora  framed the broader trend clearly, stating that these institutions are “natively plugging tokenized assets into Uniswap’s liquidity rails and Morpho’s lending markets.”

The MORPHO token rallied 17.8% in the week following the announcement, according to CoinGecko data. Apollo’s acquisition strategy combines open-market purchases with over-the-counter transactions, with strict ownership caps and transfer restrictions built into the agreement.

Morpho’s architecture suits institutional needs because it allows permissionless market creation. Apollo can launch isolated lending pairs and custom vaults without waiting for a DAO governance vote.

This flexibility lets large managers set their own collateral ratios and interest rate parameters within a controlled environment.

Wall Street’s Growing Appetite for DeFi Governance Tokens

The RWA narrative is evolving beyond asset tokenization into active protocol ownership. Both BlackRock and Apollo are now acquiring governance tokens, a practice that traditional institutions previously avoided due to regulatory concerns.

As Sentora analyst Gabriel Halm put it, these firms view governance tokens as “essential infrastructure stakes,  analogous to holding equity in a clearinghouse or a traditional exchange network.”

This shift also reflects a broader efficiency argument. Traditional markets carry T+1 or T+2 settlement delays and fragmented liquidity.

Halm noted that by “plugging tokenized Treasuries into decentralized routing and building structured credit on permissionless rails, institutions are actively upgrading their operational efficiency.”

These advantages are increasingly difficult for institutional managers to overlook as competition for yield tightens.

Meanwhile, the broader DeFi market shows mixed conditions. TVL and token supply remain flat, and leveraged ETH restaking strategies have moved into negative carry territory.

The debt-weighted average cost of borrowing ETH now sits at 3.40%, exceeding yields across all major liquid staking and restaking protocols tracked as of February 20, 2026.

The post RWA Goes Mainstream: BlackRock and Apollo Plug Billions Into Uniswap and Morpho Protocols appeared first on Blockonomi.

Catholic steward has two-word blunt response to Trump’s tariffs (2:02)

Supreme Court's ruling on Trump's tariff might seem like a long-due relief. 

But an analyst is warning that the absence of tariff revenues might lead to a different consequence.

Matthew Sigel, Head of digital assets research at VanEck, highlighted on X the Bitcoin rally right after the decision. But he warned further,

"In the absence of tariff revenues, money printing and debasement will accelerate."

Related: Supreme Court's reversal of Trump's tariffs could bring policy 'clarity'

Debasement fears make Bitcoin appeal

Debasement refers to the reduction in a currency’s value, historically by lowering the precious metal content in coins and today by expanding the money supply through printing or monetary stimulus. 

When governments increase supply without matching economic growth, purchasing power declines, effectively diluting existing holders.

Bitcoin is often viewed as a hedge against debasement because its supply is capped at 21 million coins. Unlike fiat currencies, it cannot be printed at will. During periods of aggressive monetary easing or rising inflation, investors may turn to Bitcoin as a store of value, potentially driving demand and price appreciation.

In fact, back in late October 2025, Google searches for “Bitcoin” hit an all-time high. At the same time, searches for “dollar debasement” also spiked. People weren’t just casually browsing. They were worried.

Concerns were building that the U.S. dollar was losing value as the national debt crossed $38 trillion for the first time. That milestone seemed to reignite the debate around money printing, deficits and long-term purchasing power.

Bitcoin responded almost instantly. On Oct. 23, it briefly surged past $110,000 in early trading as investors once again leaned into its “digital gold” narrative, a hedge against economic uncertainty.

But that was months ago.

Today, the mood looks very different. Bitcoin is hovering around $67,000, roughly 64% below that October peak. 

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How did the market react to the Supreme Court ruling?

Pretty well, actually.

For months, markets had been pricing in the potential outcome of the tariffs ruling, adjusting positions and volatility along the way. So when the decision finally landed, it felt more like a breath of fresh air.

The S&P 500 edged up 0.18%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.19% on paper, but that doesn’t tell the full story. It actually climbed 93.81 points, or 0.2%, reversing a 200-point drop earlier in the day that was triggered by weaker-than-expected economic data. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.45%.

Crypto followed the momentum.

According to CoinGecko, Bitcoin (BTC) rose 1.3% over 24 hours to $67,296.96 before cooling slightly to $67,018.17. Ethereum (ETH) climbed 1.4% to $1,954.59 before easing to $1,946.95. XRP added 1.2% to trade around $1.41.

Solana (SOL) stood out, jumping 3.8% to $83.49.

Overall, the total crypto market cap increased 1.4% overnight to $2.38 trillion.

Crypto-linked stocks were also flashing green. Shares of MicroStrategy (NASDAQ: MSTR), Robinhood (NASDAQ: HOOD), and Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN) gained roughly 3% to 4%, according to SoSo Value data.

Related: Cathie Wood just made her biggest stock purchase of 2026

Tether’s USDt (USDT) is on track for its sharpest monthly supply contraction since the 2022 collapse of FTX, as large holders continue to redeem or reduce exposure, according to blockchain data.Data from Artemis Analytics cited by Bloomberg shows that USDT’s circulating supply has declined by roughly $1.5 billion so far in February, following a $1.2 billion drop in January. If the trend holds through month-end, February would mark the largest monthly decline in USDT supply in nearly three years.The last comparable contraction occurred in December 2022, when USDT supply fell by around $2 billion in the aftermath of the FTX bankruptcy, which triggered widespread deleveraging across the crypto market.USDT Decline Raises Liquidity QuestionsUSDT is the largest U.S. dollar–pegged stablecoin and a core source of liquidity for crypto trading. With a market capitalization of roughly $183 billion, it represents about 71% of the total stablecoin market, according to CoinMarketCap.As a result, sustained declines in USDT supply are often viewed as a proxy for tightening crypto liquidity, particularly during periods of heightened market uncertainty.Tether Pushes Back on “Trend” NarrativeTether disputed the interpretation that the February data reflects a structural shift.A Tether spokesperson said the figures represent short-term changes in circulating supply, emphasizing that the analysis is based on only 18 days of February data, which “does not establish a durable trend.”“For context, during the same period, USDC saw a $4.6 billion decline, or roughly 6%,” the spokesperson said, adding that recent changes appear more related to exchange-level distribution dynamics rather than a deterioration in end-user demand.“Short-term supply fluctuations should be viewed in the context of exchange programs and market structure, not as evidence of structural erosion in USDt’s position,” the spokesperson added.Total Stablecoin Market Continues to GrowDespite the pullback in USDT, the broader stablecoin market has not contracted.According to DeFiLlama, the total stablecoin market capitalization has risen 2.33% in February, increasing from $300 billion to $307 billion.While USDT and Circle’s USDC declined by 1.7% and 0.9%, respectively, other stablecoins expanded sharply. World Liberty Financial’s USD1 stablecoin — linked to the Trump family — posted a 50% increase in market capitalization over the past month, reaching $5.1 billion.Whales Reduce USDT Exposure, New Wallets Step InOnchain data suggests a split in behavior between large holders and new market participants.According to Nansen, whale wallets sold approximately $69.9 million in USDT across 22 wallets over the past week, representing a 1.6× increase in selling activity among large holders. “Smart money” wallets tracked by returns have also been net sellers.At the same time, new wallets created within the past 15 days accumulated around $591 million in USDT during the same period, indicating fresh demand offsetting redemptions by established players.Market Signals Mixed, Not CapitulativeThe divergence in flows points to reallocation rather than outright capital flight. Large investors appear to be trimming or repositioning liquidity, while new participants continue to adopt USDT as an entry point into crypto markets.While February is shaping up to be USDT’s largest monthly supply decline since 2022, the stability of the broader stablecoin market suggests the move reflects liquidity rotation and market structure dynamics, not a systemic loss of confidence in stablecoins.

Nvidia is reportedly close to finalizing a $30 billion investment in OpenAI, scaling back from an earlier plan to invest as much as $100 billion in the ChatGPT maker, according to a report by the Financial Times.The AI chip giant is expected to participate in OpenAI’s new funding round, with a deal that could be concluded as early as this weekend, the report said, citing sources familiar with the matter.Nvidia declined to comment on the report.Funding Round Could Value OpenAI at $850 BillionThe upcoming funding round is said to value OpenAI at approximately $850 billion, underscoring the continued surge in capital flowing into artificial intelligence infrastructure and model development.Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has previously stated that the company intends to make a “huge” investment in OpenAI, dismissing reports that Nvidia had paused or reconsidered its earlier $100 billion investment framework.In late January, Huang called suggestions of hesitation “complete nonsense,” reaffirming Nvidia’s commitment to backing OpenAI’s long-term expansion.Strategic Infrastructure InvestmentNvidia originally announced its intention in September to invest up to $100 billion to support OpenAI’s infrastructure buildout. The capital is expected to help finance the expansion of next-generation AI systems, including large-scale data centers equipped with high-performance GPUs.Huang has described OpenAI as “one of the most consequential companies of our time,” emphasizing Nvidia’s role in powering the underlying hardware stack behind generative AI systems.“Sam is closing the round, and we will absolutely be involved,” Huang said, referring to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.Nvidia at the Center of the AI Infrastructure BoomNvidia has emerged as the dominant supplier of advanced processors used to train and operate large language models (LLMs), including OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.AI developers have directed a significant portion of recent funding into Nvidia’s GPUs, racing to construct data centers capable of supporting growing enterprise and consumer demand for AI services.The surge in AI investment continues despite signs of market caution, with billions being deployed into energy-intensive infrastructure to sustain what many see as the next technological supercycle.AI Capital Cycle Remains IntactWhile the reported $30 billion figure marks a scaled-back commitment relative to earlier headlines, the investment would still rank among the largest private funding allocations in technology history.The move reinforces Nvidia’s strategic alignment with OpenAI and signals continued conviction in the long-term growth trajectory of artificial intelligence infrastructure, even amid broader market volatility.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin haspushed back against suggestions that the original Ethereum blockchain should be left to wither away in favor of a new, from-scratch network.

Instead, Buterin has unveiled a highly ambitious strategy to rebuild the network from the inside out with the help of radical upgrades while keeping the existing system fully operational.

An X user has argued that Buterin should allow the current iteration of Ethereum to "die a slow and painful death by fragmentation" with a highly sophisticated web of layer-2 rollups (L2s), app chains, and institutional involvement.

The user claimed that Buterin should start over and rebuild a purely "cypherpunk chain" from first principles using RISC-V architecture just to "show who was the boss."

The bolt-on strategy

Buterin swiftly rejected the idea of abandoning the network. In his response, he outlined an ambitious plan to transform the network.

Buterin envisions creating a "cypherpunk principled non-ugly Ethereum" as a tightly integrated "bolt-on" to the present-day system.

The goal is to grow this new infrastructure alongside the current chain while aggressively injecting core cypherpunk principles into Ethereum's base layer.

card

Buterin compared Ethereum’s ongoing evolution to replacing parts of an airplane while it is still flying. "Ethereum has already made jet engine changes in-flight once," Buterin stated. "We can do it ~4 times more!"

AI acceleration

The ambitious transformation could be achieved within five years, according to Buterin.

Interestingly, Buterin noted that this timeline could be drastically shortened "with AI coding and verification."

"Then, in 5 years (or maybe way sooner with AI coding and verification, who knows), we have an open pathway to turn the existing system into smart contracts written in the language of the new system if/when we want," he said.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has paved the way for Wall Street to integrate stablecoins into traditional finance.

On February 19, the financial regulator issued guidance allowing broker-dealers to apply a 2% “haircut” to positions in payment stablecoins. A haircut is the percentage of an asset’s value that a financial institution cannot count toward its deployable capital, acting as a customer-protection buffer against market risk.

SEC Stablecoin Pivot Pressures Brokers to Build Crypto Rails

Previously, broker-dealers faced a punitive 100% haircut on stablecoins. If a financial firm held $1 million in digital dollars to facilitate rapid on-chain settlement, it had to lock up that capital.

That requirement effectively made institutional crypto trading economically radioactive for traditional financial institutions.

By dropping the capital penalty to 2%, the SEC has granted compliant stablecoins the same economic treatment as traditional money market funds.

“This is another terrific step in the right direction from our team in the Division of Trading and Markets to remove barriers and unlock access to on-chain markets,” SEC Chair Paul Atkins said.

Interestingly, this pivot is heavily anchored in the newly passed GENIUS Act. This is a federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins in the US. It mandates 1:1 reserve backing and strengthens anti-money laundering (AML) compliance.

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce noted that the new legislation forces stringent reserve requirements for stablecoin issuers.

According to her, these requirements are even stricter than those applied to government money market funds, which justify the reduced capital penalty.

“Stablecoins are essential to transacting on blockchain rails. Using stablecoins will make it feasible for broker-dealers to engage in a broader range of business activities relating to tokenized securities and other crypto assets,” Peirce added.

In light of this, US-regulated entities such as Circle’s USDC could see substantial adoption from firms in the $6 trillion sector.

As a result, industry executives were quick to celebrate the digital asset industry’s shifting fortunes.

Exodus CEO JP Richardson called it the most important crypto win of the year. He argued it makes tokenized treasuries, equities, and on-chain settlement “economically viable overnight.”

“This puts pressure on every major broker-dealer to build stablecoin infrastructure or fall behind the ones who do. Because their competitors now can and there’s no longer a capital penalty that makes it uneconomical,” he explained.

Meanwhile, this approval continues the current SEC’s slew of pro-crypto regulations.

Over the past year, the SEC has launched a digital asset task force and initiated “Project Crypto” to modernize its rules. These efforts are designed to make the US the crypto capital of the world.

European Central Bank (ECB) president Christine Lagarde is stepping down sometime before the French presidential election next year.

Under her leadership, the ECB has consulted on the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) legislation that defined the crypto landscape in the European Union. The preeminent European bank also began work on the digital euro — the next iteration of the Eurozone’s currency.

But there is still work to be done on crypto policy in Europe. MiCA does not, in its current form, regulate decentralized finance (DeFi), and policymakers at the ECB are still deliberating over the digital euro’s final details.

While the exact timing of Lagarde’s departure has not yet been determined, observers are already speculating about who will take her place and how it will affect crypto policy in Europe.

Lagarde was a crypto-skeptic, critical of stablecoins

Like many central bankers, Lagarde has been cautious at best when it comes to cryptocurrencies. In 2022, she said regarding crypto, “My very humble assessment is that it is worth nothing.”

“It is based on nothing ... There is no underlying asset to act as an anchor of safety.”

She said that crypto should be regulated, citing concern that investors did not understand the risks associated with crypto investing and would “lose it all.”

This set the tone for the ECB consultations on MiCA that would follow. The ECB itself does not create laws, but throughout the legislative process, the ECB advised, observed and offered comments, particularly over areas related to monetary policy and payments regulations.

Even after MiCA was passed, Lagarde advocated for tight regulations on stablecoins and aligning international standards. In September 2025, she called on lawmakers in Europe to provide safeguards for stablecoins and equivalence for foreign stablecoin issuers to prevent the risk of stablecoin runs.

“European legislation should ensure that such schemes cannot operate in the EU unless supported by robust equivalence regimes in other jurisdictions and safeguards relating to the transfer of assets between the EU and non-EU entities,” she said.

“This also highlights why international cooperation is indispensable. Without a level global playing field, risks will always seek the path of least resistance.”

She further stated that stablecoins are a threat to national sovereignty and turn money from a public good into a privately controlled enterprise.

“When stablecoins are left unchecked, we risk creating a system in which money is controlled by the private sector. That is not the mandate we were appointed to serve as public servants.”

Demand for digital cash and the euro

While a noted crypto skeptic, Lagarde acknowledged the demand for digital currencies back in 2021. In an interview that year at the World Economic Forum, Lagarde said, “If customers prefer to use digital currencies rather than have banknotes and cash available, it should be available.”

“We should respond to that demand and have a solution that is European based, that is secure, that is available, and friendly terms that can be used as a means of payment.” At the ECB level, this response took the form of the digital euro.

But the wheels of Brussels do not turn quickly. The investigation phase for a digital euro began all the way back in October 2021. In October 2025, the ECB completed the preparation phase when its governing council decided to start preparing for issuance.

Envisioned timeline for digital euro rollout. Source: PwC

The digital euro has faced harsh criticism, namely that it will give central banks yet another tool to monitor consumer behavior, control spending and eradicate anonymous transactions. There have also been concerns over offline operability and overreliance on digital systems.

The ECB claims that the digital euro will have strict privacy standards and that it will bring all the same benefits of cash to the digital monetary space. In October 2025, Lagarde said that the ECB wants to make the euro “fit for the future, redesigning and modernising our banknotes and preparing for the issuance of digital cash.”

Her colleague, ECB executive board member Piero Cipollone, iterated that the digital euro “will ensure that people enjoy the benefits of cash also in the digital era. In doing so, it will enhance the resilience of Europe’s payment landscape, lower costs for merchants, and create a platform for private companies to innovate, scale up and compete.”

New ECB frontrunners unlikely to depart from cautious stance

Lagarde’s decision to step down comes at a politically fraught time. Leaving before the next French presidential election will allow President Emmanuel Macron to participate in picking her replacement.

France is the second-largest economy in the EU, and according to Reuters, no ECB president has been picked without a nod from Paris.

The right-wing National Rally has been ascendant in the polls recently, while Macron has failed to offer stable governance, with seven different prime ministers serving under his tenure. National Rally president Jordan Bardella claims that, in choosing a new ECB president, Macron would be able to exercise influence beyond the end of his official term.

According to the Financial Times, the current frontrunners to replace Lagarde are former Spanish central bank governor Pablo Hernández de Cos and former Dutch central bank governor Klaas Knot.

In 2022, Hernández de Cos said at a Bank of International Settlements (BIS) conference that crypto can “pose highly significant risks that are hard to understand and measure, even for the most experienced agents.”

He called for a robust regulatory framework to transition crypto from “that hyperbolic ‘Wild West’ myth to a more desirable orderly ‘railroad of civilisation.’”

Knot has been similarly cautious. Speaking before the BIS in 2024, he acknowledged the possible benefits of certain aspects of blockchain technology.

“Creating a digital representation of an asset and placing it on a distributed ledger could bring benefits to the financial system. This includes efficiency gains and potentially increased liquidity of certain assets. Of course, there may also be risks for financial stability.”

Still, he stressed the regulators were assessing the implications these technologies would have on broader financial stability, stating that, “We cannot presume that this innovation, and potentially more decentralization, will bring significant benefits to the global financial system.”

In June 2025, he addressed stablecoins specifically. Knot said that whether the next form of money comes via stablecoins or already established payment networks “should be something we are agnostic on.”

While neutral on the manner of technology supporting financial innovation, he said that “fostering innovation must not come at the expense of stability.”

While often criticized for the glacial pace of progress, the EU managed to pass a comprehensive crypto framework earlier than the far more crypto-friendly United States. This framework included guidance and input from a crypto-cautious central bank, with a skeptic at the helm.

Magazine: Bitcoin may take 7 years to upgrade to post-quantum: BIP-360 co-author

SBI Holdings announced that it will issue its first blockchain-based security token bond worth ¥10 billion, or about $64.5 million. The product name is “SBI START Bonds.” It targets Japanese retail investors and runs fully on-chain. What makes it stand out is the built-in XRP reward structure. Eligible investors will receive XRP soon after subscribing. The move highlights SBI’s long-standing partnership with Ripple. It also shows how traditional finance in Japan is slowly blending with crypto incentives.

SBI Pioneers Blockchain Security Tokens

This marks SBI Holdings’ first corporate bond issued entirely as a security token. The bond lifecycle runs on the iBET for Fin blockchain platform instead of the traditional JASDEC system. That means issuance, management and redemption all happen digitally on-chain.

Japan SBI Launches On-Chain Bonds That Instantly Reward Investors With $XRP. #Ripple The JPY 10 billion ($64.5 million) bond issuance targets retail investors and operates fully on blockchain infrastructure.Investors receive XRP equivalent to their subscription amount shortly… pic.twitter.com/OhPQn8LmYz

— TheCryptoBasic (@thecryptobasic) February 21, 2026

The bonds will trade on the Osaka Digital Exchange through its proprietary START system. Trading is expected to begin on March 25, 2026. SBI Holdings says the fully electronic setup should improve efficiency and transparency. Meanwhile, the company continues pushing tokenized finance products. That aims at everyday investors rather than just institutions.

Key Terms and Timeline

The total issuance size is set at ¥10 billion. Each bond has a denomination of ¥10,000. The bonds will carry an annual interest rate expected between 1.85% and 2.45%, with the final rate confirmed on March 10, 2026. 

Interest will be paid twice a year, specifically on March 24 and September 24. The bonds have a three-year term and will mature on March 23, 2029. Subscription opens from March 11 to March 23. With payment scheduled for March 24. The bonds will be issued and redeemed at par value. It also keeps the structure simple for retail buyers.

XRP Rewards Bridge Crypto and Traditional Finance

The biggest talking point is the XRP incentive. Eligible investors who subscribe through SBI’s ecosystem will receive XRP equal to their investment amount shortly after purchase. To qualify, investors must hold accounts with SBI VC Trade.

Ripple also plans additional XRP rewards. These bonus distributions will arrive on interest dates in March 2027, 2028 and 2029. SBI clearly aims to attract crypto curious retail users while promoting XRP usage inside regulated finance. The structure blends fixed-income investing with digital asset exposure in a way rarely seen in Japan’s bond market.

Implications for Japan’s Tokenization Push

SBI Holdings views the bond as part of a broader effort to modernize Japan’s capital markets. The company has also invested heavily in Ripple and continues to support blockchain-based finance products. While analysts expect a small immediate financial impact on SBI, the strategic message remains clear.

Japan has already taken a relatively friendly stance toward digital assets compared with many regions. This launch could encourage more tokenized securities in the country. However, participation remains limited to domestic investors for now. Still, the move signals where things may be heading. As traditional bonds gain on-chain features and crypto rewards. The line between old finance and digital assets keeps getting thinner.

The post SBI Japan Launches ¥10B On-Chain Bond With XRP Rewards appeared first on Coinfomania.

OpenAI has told investors it now plans to spend about $600 billion on total compute by 2030. That replaces the earlier $1.4 trillion infrastructure figure that CEO Sam Altman had discussed months ago.

The new number comes with a clearer timeline. US media alleges that the lower target follows concern that expansion plans were too aggressive compared with expected revenue.

OpenAI is now projecting more than $280 billion in total revenue by 2030, with consumer and enterprise segments contributing almost equally.

Reportedly, the revised spending plan ties directly to that revenue outlook.

OpenAI resets spending plan

As Cryptopolitan reported during the second half of last year, OpenAI announced many multibillion-dollar infrastructure agreements after partnering with major chipmakers and cloud providers to expand supercomputing capacity.

Meanwhile, Nvidia has confirmed that it is in talks to invest up to $30 billion in OpenAI as part of a funding round. That round could value OpenAI at a $730 billion pre-money valuation. The potential $30 billion investment is separate from the $100 billion infrastructure agreement announced in September between Nvidia and OpenAI.

A person familiar with the matter said the $30 billion is not tied to deployment milestones. The September framework was different. It outlined Nvidia investing over several years as new supercomputing facilities came online. At the time, it was said that Nvidia’s first $10 billion would be deployed once the first gigawatt facility was completed.

The possible $30 billion investment does not follow that same structure. However, the person said Nvidia could still participate in future rounds that align with the September framework. OpenAI reported $13.1 billion in revenue for 2025. That exceeded its $10 billion target. The company burned $8 billion during the year, below its earlier $9 billion spending target. These numbers were shared by sources familiar with internal figures.

Nvidia faces earnings spotlight

OpenAI started in 2015 as a nonprofit research lab. It became mainstream after launching ChatGPT in 2022. ChatGPT now serves more than 900 million weekly active users, up from 800 million in October, according to people with knowledge of the data. The coding tool Codex has passed 1.5 million weekly active users. Codex competes with Anthropic’s Claude Code, which has gained adoption over the past year.

Nvidia is set to release quarterly earnings on Wednesday. Investors are watching closely as concerns grow about returns on artificial intelligence spending. Nvidia is currently the largest company in the world by market capitalization. Its stock surged after ChatGPT launched in late 2022. So far in 2026, shares of Nvidia and other Magnificent Seven companies have stalled.

Markets are also watching upcoming earnings from Salesforce and Intuit. Software stocks have fallen this year. Investors worry that artificial intelligence will disrupt traditional business models.

In November, Nvidia stated in its quarterly report that there was “no assurance that we will enter into definitive agreements with respect to the OpenAI opportunity or other potential investments.”

Sam Altman responded to speculation on X, writing that OpenAI loves working with Nvidia and that he does not “get where all this insanity is coming from.”

Earlier this month, Jensen Huang told Jim Cramer there was “no question” Nvidia would invest in OpenAI’s next funding round.

Claim your free seat in an exclusive crypto trading community - limited to 1,000 members.

Anthropic has launched a limited research preview of Claude Code Security, a new tool that scans software for vulnerabilities and recommends fixes, marking a significant step in the use of artificial intelligence for cyber defense and sending shockwaves through the cybersecurity industry.

The tool, built into Anthropic’s Claude Code platform, is now available to Enterprise and Team customers, with free accelerated access offered to open-source project maintainers. It comes as the San Francisco-based AI company says it expects AI to scan a significant share of the world’s code in the near future.

The existing security tools only work through the common problem patterns, like exposed passwords or outdated encryption.

Claude Code Security is supposed to go further than pattern-matching. It works through a full codebase the way a human researcher would, following the path data takes across a system and catching problems that standard scanners overlook.

Results go through several rounds of checks before a developer ever sees them, cutting down on dead ends. Each issue is also ranked by how serious it is, so teams know where to start.

It runs on Claude Opus 4.6, Anthropic’s newest model, which the company’s own Frontier Red Team has been putting through its paces. That testing turned up more than 500 vulnerabilities sitting in live open-source codebases — some of them had been there for decades without anyone catching them, even after years of expert review.

Anthropic says it is now going through the process of notifying the people responsible for those projects. The company has also been running Claude across its own internal code and says the results have been strong.

Analysts push back, but markets aren’t convinced

The news shook cybersecurity investors. CrowdStrike shares dropped 6.8% on Friday and Okta fell 9.2%, as markets began questioning whether AI tools could eat into the business of established security companies.

Cloudflare lost 6.7%, SailPoint shed 9.1%, and Palo Alto Networks slid 1.5%. Zscaler was down 5.47%. The Global X Cybersecurity ETF, which follows security firms around the world, closed the day nearly 5% in the red.

Not everybody saw the reaction as warranted. Barclays analysts called it “incongruent,” saying a tool built for code security does not really go up against what companies like CrowdStrike or Palo Alto Networks actually do.

But the gap between what spooked markets and what analysts are brushing off sits uneasily alongside one hard fact: Anthropic’s AI turned up more than 500 vulnerabilities in live codebases that had been sitting there for years, in some cases decades, without any human expert catching them.

Whatever the competitive boundaries analysts draw, the tool did something the security industry had not managed to do on its own.

AI cyberattack warning adds to the pressure

The timing of the launch carries its own uncomfortable irony. Claude Opus 4.6, the exact model now being positioned as a security defender, was blamed just days earlier for a $1.78 million loss at DeFi lending protocol Moonwell.

The bar for causing serious damage with AI-written code has dropped so low that it no longer requires an attacker at all. Security experts have been warning about this shift for months.

Anthropic acknowledged the same trend in its own release, warning that “less experienced and resourced groups can now potentially perform large-scale attacks of this nature.”

“Attackers will use AI to find exploitable weaknesses faster than ever,” the company said. “But defenders who move quickly can find those same weaknesses, patch them, and reduce the risk of an attack.”

Its internal research, published in December 2025, went further, showing that an earlier version of the model, Claude Opus 4.5, could independently identify and exploit smart contract vulnerabilities worth up to $4.6 million in a controlled setting, with minimal human involvement.

The company was aware its models could cut both ways. Claude Code Security is its answer to that problem. Take the same capability and put it in the hands of defenders before attackers get there first.

Anthropic’s rival OpenAI debuted its own automated security tool, called Aardvark, in October of last year, signaling that AI-driven security is becoming a competitive battleground.

Want your project in front of crypto’s top minds? Feature it in our next industry report, where data meets impact.

ME News 消息，2 月 21 日（UTC+8），Walsh Trading商业对冲部门主管John Weyey表示，黄金在最高法院关税裁决后的价格走势表明，虽然黄金似乎失去了一个利多因素，但仍然拥有充足的上涨动力。黄金在消息公布后立即大幅下跌，但市场主流（看涨）情绪很快重新占据上风。黄金仍在依靠自身动能上涨，许多市场参与者将继续坚持这一策略，直到市场给出看空理由。过去六个月，市场参与者买入黄金的原因很简单，因为它在上涨。这是一轮前所未见的涨势，我认为市场会继续买入。即使关税裁决消除了一部分不确定性，但在其他风险仍然存在的情况下，黄金仍将继续上涨。（来源：ME）

Ripple is heading to the White House and if you think about it, this is crazy.

The White House administration is convening a third high stakes meeting on stablecoin yields, and Ripple chief legal officer Stuart Alderoty is on the invite list alongside legal leaders from Coinbase and a16z.

The focus whether stablecoin issuers should be allowed to pass interest earned on reserves directly to users.

This debate has stalled key crypto legislation in the Senate. Traditional banks are pushing back hard, arguing that yield bearing stablecoins could pull deposits out of the banking system and weaken their lending power.

If you don’t think crypto is the future…

Pay attention to how hard traditional banks are fighting against stablecoins paying yield.

It’s really that simple.

— Nate Geraci (@NateGeraci) February 20, 2026

Crypto executives counter that allowing yields is a consumer benefit and essential for keeping innovation inside the US rather than offshore.

The fact that Ripple has a seat at the table matters. It signals that policymakers are not sidelining major crypto players. Instead, they are actively engaging them as legislation takes shape.

That does not mean the US government is about to endorse XRP directly. But it does suggest that regulatory clarity around stablecoins and digital assets is moving closer.

XRP Price Prediction: Is That Retest Or Deeper Pullback?

XRP pushed above the upper boundary of the descending channel but failed to hold it, getting rejected near the $1.61 zone and slipping back down.

That kind of move usually signals unfinished business. Price is now drifting back toward the channel structure, potentially retesting it from the inside.

Source: XRPUSD / TradingView

If XRP fully falls back into the channel, it could trigger a move toward $1.30 support. A deeper breakdown below would expose $1.10 again, but for now that remains a secondary scenario.

Failed breakouts often lead to one more sweep lower before a stronger push.

If XRP stabilizes and forms a higher low inside or just at the edge of the channel, it would build pressure for another breakout attempt.

A decisive reclaim of $1.50, especially with momentum expanding, would confirm the channel break and shift focus toward $1.90 and beyond.

Maxi Doge Standing Out As One Of The Best Meme Coins In 2026

Maxi Doge ($MAXI) is not waiting on legislation or regulatory clarity.

It is built for narrative velocity. Bold meme identity. High-conviction positioning. Community-driven momentum that thrives when sentiment rotates away from slow institutional plays and toward asymmetric upside.

Early traction is already strong. The $MAXI presale has raised around $4.6 million so far, with staking rewards offering up to 68% APY for early participants.

If blue chips are stuck proving themselves on the chart, Maxi Doge is positioned for the phase where attention shifts and moves get fast.

Visit the Official Maxi Doge Website Here

The post XRP Price Prediction: Ripple Has Been Invited to the White House — Is the US Government About to Back XRP? appeared first on Cryptonews.

A long-running governance dispute inside the Aave ecosystem has escalated after a core engineering firm announced it will step aside.

Key Takeaways:

Core developer BGD will not renew its contract, deepening a governance dispute between Aave DAO and Aave Labs.

The conflict centers on plans to push users from Aave v3 to the upcoming v4 upgrade.

The announcement rattled the market, with the Aave token dropping over 6%.

Bored Ghosts Developing (BGD), a software company contracted by Aave DAO to build and maintain key components of the lending protocol, said Friday it will not renew its agreement when the current term expires in April.

In a post on Aave’s governance forum, the team blamed Aave Labs, the company founded by protocol creator Stani Kulechov, for pushing a strategic shift tied to the upcoming Aave v4 upgrade.

Aave Developer Refuses to Support V3 Amid Push Toward V4

BGD said it could not continue work on Aave v3 while efforts were underway to steer users toward the new version.

“We believe even proposing this on the main revenue-maker & fully functional engine of Aave is borderline outrageous,” the group wrote.

The market reacted quickly. The Aave token fell more than 6% following the announcement.

Kulechov acknowledged the departure, writing on social media that the team had played a critical role in the protocol’s development.

BGD co-founder Ernesto Boado previously served as chief technology officer at Aave Labs.

“Aave V3 would not be what it is today without their contributions,” Kulechov said. Delegate Marc Zeller called the move “devastating,” noting that much of the platform’s revenue depends on BGD’s code.

BGD Labs are rage quitting Aave DAO after 4 years.

They built Aave v3, governance infra, Umbrella, and most core systems.

Why they're leaving:

– Aave Labs pivoted from independent company to central contributor pushing v4
– Aave Labs controls the brand, comms, and has voting… pic.twitter.com/MqRR105eEK

— Ignas | DeFi (@DefiIgnas) February 20, 2026

Aave, with more than $26 billion in user deposits, is the largest decentralized finance lending protocol.

It is governed by tokenholders through a DAO structure, but tensions have been building for months over the role of Aave Labs and control of the brand.

Delegates recently sought to transfer brand assets, including naming rights, social media accounts and the aave.com website, from Labs to the DAO, though the proposal narrowly failed.

Labs later offered to redirect revenue from Aave-branded services to the DAO but tied the plan to recognizing Aave v4 as the project’s future technical foundation.

That clause alarmed BGD, which described Aave v3 as the ecosystem’s “crown jewel” and warned that altering lending parameters could pressure users to migrate prematurely.

Aave Labs Says V3 Will Remain Supported With No Immediate Migration

Aave Labs said there is no immediate timeline for migration and that v3 will remain supported. Kulechov added the company can assume maintenance duties if needed, and that the protocol will continue operating normally.

BGD’s contract ends April 1. The firm has offered a short-term transition arrangement to help the DAO find a replacement, marking the first tangible break in what was once viewed as one of DeFi’s most stable governance models.

Meanwhile, the US Securities and Exchange Commission formally concluded its multi-year investigation into the Aave Protocol without recommending any enforcement action.

The action ends nearly four years of regulatory uncertainty surrounding one of decentralized finance’s most widely used lending platforms.

The post Aave’s “Civil War” Claims First Casualty as Key Developer Walks Away appeared first on Cryptonews.

Hayden Adams, founder of the decentralized exchange Uniswap, has warned users about fraudulent ads impersonating the platform, highlighting a case in which a victim reportedly lost everything.

It comes after January saw the highest amount of money stolen in crypto scams in 11 months.

“Scam ads keep returning despite years of reporting,” Adams said in an X post on Friday. “There were scam Uniswap apps while we waited months for App Store approval,” he said.

Scammers are increasingly buying ads on popular search engines targeting keywords like “Uniswap,” so when crypto users search for it, the top result looks official.

Unsuspecting users may then connect their wallets and approve a transaction, allowing scammers to drain their entire funds.

A consequence of a “long chain of bad decisions”

An X user named “Ika” said in an X article, titled “I lost everything, what’s next?” that his crypto wallet, valued in the mid-six-figure range, was drained despite his extreme care. “Disciplined for two years. Half-searching for a web3 job, half-hoping to make it fast enough not to need one,” he said.

“I believe that getting drained isn't bad luck. It's the final consequence of a long chain of bad decisions,” Ika said.

Source: Ika

The lengthy post on X came shortly after he posted a screenshot of a top Google search result with an inauthentic Uniswap link. 

It isn’t the first time that Uniswap has experienced this issue. In October 2024, Cointelegraph reported that scammers recognized the website’s lack of domain authority and created a version of the site that looks exactly like the real one, except that it featured a “connect” button where “get started” should have been and a “bridge” button where “read the docs” should have been.

More recently, the value of cryptocurrency stolen through exploits and scams reached $370.3 million last month, the highest monthly figure in 11 months and a nearly fourfold rise from January 2025. 

Crypto security company CertiK said that of the 40 exploit and scam incidents over January, the majority of the total value stolen came from one victim that lost around $284 million due to a social engineering scam.

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

BlackRock plans to stake up to 95% of ETH in ETHB, sharing 82% of rewards with investors for steady yield.

The ETF lets institutions earn from Ethereum without handling complex staking themselves.

ETHB launch reflects a major U.S. policy shift, now allowing staking rewards in exchange-traded products.

BlackRock is gearing up to launch a groundbreaking Ethereum staking ETF, signaling a new era for institutional crypto investors. The iShares Staked Ethereum Trust, trading under the ticker ETHB, could transform ETH from a passive holding into a yield-generating asset. 

According to Arkham, the ETF plans to stake up to 95% of its Ethereum while sharing 82% of the rewards with investors. This initiative follows BlackRock’s successful spot Ethereum ETF, ETHA, which has already accumulated over $6 billion in assets.

The fund got its first funding from a “Seed Capital Investor,” who bought 4,000 shares at just $0.25 each. BlackRock has officially filed with the SEC, but there’s still no set launch date. Experts expect the ETF to start sometime in the first half of 2026. 

Besides getting regulatory approval, this move also reflects a big shift in U.S. rules, now allowing staking rewards to be included in ETFs—something that wasn’t possible before.

Staking Structure and Revenue Model

BlackRock intends to stake between 70% and 95% of the Ether held in ETHB. To meet redemption demands, the fund will maintain a “Liquidity Sleeve” of 5% to 30% in unstaked ETH. This setup ensures investors can access liquidity even while the majority of assets generate staking rewards. 

Additionally, the fund will share 82% of staking rewards with investors, while BlackRock and Coinbase, as the prime execution agent, retain 18%. The trust carries a sponsor fee of 0.25% on top of staking revenue cuts.

Investors can monitor ETHB’s real-time performance and holdings through Arkham’s Intel Platform. BlackRock already ranks as the fourth-largest entity on Arkham, with over $57 billion in on-chain holdings as of February 2026. 

However, traders should note that T+1 settlement in traditional finance delays on-chain evidence of ETH purchases by one business day. Monitoring BlackRock’s entity page reveals these significant capital movements as they settle on the blockchain.

Despite Ethereum trading below $2,000 during the ongoing “crypto winter,” institutional participation in DeFi continues to rise. The ETHB ETF represents a convergence of traditional finance with decentralized finance infrastructure. 

Moreover, it opens opportunities for institutions seeking yield on long-term ETH holdings without navigating complex staking processes. Consequently, ETHB could redefine Ethereum’s utility for large-scale investors.

The post BlackRock Prepares ETH Staking ETF Amid Institutional Push appears on Crypto Front News. Visit our website to read more interesting articles about cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, and digital assets.

BNP Paribas Asset Management issued tokenized fund shares on Ethereum.

Access remains permissioned, with wallets and keys managed by BNP Paribas Securities Services.

Pilot tests public blockchain fund operations within regulated governance controls.

BNP Paribas Asset Management has issued a tokenized share class of a French-domiciled money market fund on Ethereum. The issuance took place recently through an internal pilot led by BNP Paribas. The project explores how public blockchain infrastructure can support regulated fund operations using controlled access.

How the Tokenized Fund Was Structured

According to the announcement, BNP Paribas Asset Management acted as the fund issuer. Meanwhile, BNP Paribas Securities Services served as transfer agent and fund dealer. The tokenization and blockchain connectivity relied on BNP Paribas CIB’s AssetFoundryTM platform.

Notably, the tokenized shares were issued directly on the public Ethereum network. However, access remains restricted through a permissioned model. Only eligible and authorized participants can hold or transfer the tokens, in line with regulatory requirements.

Additionally, BNP Paribas Securities Services operated the wallet infrastructure and held private keys. This setup applied only within the limited intra-group pilot. The bank said the structure allowed end-to-end testing while maintaining governance controls.

Why Public Blockchain Was Used This Time

This initiative follows an earlier tokenized money market fund issued in Luxembourg on a private blockchain. However, this second project used a public blockchain with a different operational design. Both pilots reflect BNP Paribas’ approach to testing multiple tokenization models.

According to Edouard Legrand, Chief Digital and Data Officer at BNP Paribas Asset Management, the project builds operational knowledge. He said the issuance supports efforts to improve efficiency and security within regulated frameworks. Julien Clausse, Head of AssetFoundryTM at BNP Paribas CIB, added that the pilot helps assess governance implications.

Money Market Funds as Tokenization Test Beds

Money market funds play a central role in institutional liquidity management. Therefore, BNP Paribas used this structure to examine blockchain-based issuance and transfer processes. The bank stated the experiment remains a one-off internal test.

According to Paul Daly, Head of Distribution Product Solutions at BNP Paribas Securities Services, the setup streamlines fund operations. The pilot allows the group to evaluate public blockchain integration while preserving investor protections.

The post BNP Paribas Tests Tokenized Money Market Fund on Ethereum appears on Crypto Front News. Visit our website to read more interesting articles about cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, and digital assets.

Financial markets rarely show near certainty, yet traders now price a 96.5% probability that the Fed rate decision will result in no change. This surge in conviction comes despite a major court ruling that struck down former President Trump’s tariffs. Investors quickly recalibrated their interest rate outlook after digesting the legal development and broader economic signals.

Many expected the tariff ruling to inject uncertainty into Federal Reserve policy discussions. Instead, market expectations moved decisively toward stability. Traders interpreted the court decision as unlikely to create immediate inflationary or growth shocks. As a result, confidence in a steady Fed rate decision strengthened across bond and futures markets.

The Federal Reserve now faces a crucial moment. Inflation has cooled from its peaks, yet economic growth remains resilient. Policymakers must balance price stability with employment strength. With the Fed rate decision approaching, investors appear convinced that holding rates steady serves the current interest rate outlook best.

UPDATE: Odds of the Fed holding rates steady have surged to 96.5% despite court striking down Trump’s tariffs. pic.twitter.com/eX3rfAvHuS

— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) February 21, 2026

Federal Reserve Policy Faces A Changing Trade Landscape

The court’s decision to strike down Trump-era tariffs reshapes the trade environment. Tariffs once raised concerns about imported inflation and supply chain disruptions. Removing them reduces immediate price pressures in certain sectors. However, markets believe the impact will unfold gradually rather than suddenly.

Federal Reserve policy depends heavily on data, not headlines. Officials track employment growth, wage trends, and inflation readings. The latest data suggests moderate economic momentum. That environment supports a steady Fed rate decision rather than a quick pivot.

Market expectations reflect that thinking. Futures markets show overwhelming consensus for no change at the next meeting. Investors see little urgency for cuts or hikes. Stability, for now, remains the dominant theme.

Why Market Expectations Remain So Firm

Bond markets often signal shifts before equities react. Treasury yields have stabilized after recent volatility. That stabilization strengthens the case for a predictable Fed rate decision. Investors appear comfortable with current borrowing costs.

The interest rate outlook hinges on inflation trends. Recent reports show price pressures easing but not collapsing. Core inflation remains above the central bank’s long-term target. Policymakers therefore avoid rushing toward rate cuts.

At the same time, labor markets continue to show resilience. Hiring has slowed slightly but remains solid. Wage growth supports consumer spending. These dynamics reinforce market expectations that Federal Reserve policy will stay steady.

A Pivotal Moment For Monetary Stability

Markets now stand at an inflection point. The court ruling created headlines but did not disrupt financial stability. Instead, traders doubled down on the belief that the Fed rate decision will remain unchanged.

This confidence highlights how deeply market expectations align with current economic data. The interest rate outlook shows gradual moderation rather than dramatic shifts. Federal Reserve policy aims to preserve that balance.

Investors understand that central bankers rarely react impulsively. They respond to sustained trends, not single events. With inflation easing slowly and growth holding steady, a pause makes strategic sense.

The coming weeks will test this near certainty. Yet for now, a 96.5% probability signals remarkable consensus. Financial markets appear united behind a steady path forward.

The post Fed Rate Decision Odds Jump To 96.5% As Court Blocks Trump Tariffs appeared first on Coinfomania.

ChainCatcher 消息，在《关于进一步防范和处置虚拟资产等相关风险的通知》（42 号文）发布当周末，中金香港相关团队已与多家公链及交易所接触，探讨业务合作可能性。

另有公链负责人表示，希望与投行等中介机构探索相关合作机会，蚂蚁、京东等机构亦对政策变化表示关注。报道称，香港为 RWA 境外发行地之一。熟悉监管人士表示，以中国香港资产为底层资产的 RWA 不在 42 号文监管范围内；若涉及境内证券或基金作为底层资产并在境外进行 RWA 发行，则由中国证监会相关部门负责。相关表述强调，对境内资产出境进行 RWA 将实施严格监管，不应解读为鼓励或放松监管信号。

Tether ends CNH₮ minting and starts a two-phase exit after reviewing usage and demand.

Redemptions remain available for one year as the token exits across supported chains.

The firm reallocates resources to products with stronger adoption and durable utility.

Tether has announced a strategic transition for CNH₮, its offshore Chinese yuan-pegged stablecoin, and said it will phase out the token through a structured two-phase process. The company has already stopped issuing new CNH₮ and said it plans to discontinue redemption support one year after the announcement date. Tether linked the move to market demand, operational sustainability, ecosystem conditions, and community adoption.

Review Process Tied to Community Adoption

Tether said it regularly evaluates its stablecoin offerings to keep them aligned with real-world usage and long-term sustainability. It also said product decisions must match the needs of the communities that use its tokens. 

Tether pulls plug on CNH₮ !

Tether will discontinue support and new issuance of its offshore yuan-pegged stablecoin CNH₮, citing limited demand and market conditions, while allowing redemptions for one year.#Tether #Stablecoin $USDT #CryptoTale pic.twitter.com/EoBPs1kIO1

— CryptoTale (@cryptotalemedia) February 21, 2026

In its blog post, Tether described how it decides whether to maintain or introduce a token. Tether said, “Community interest and adoption are central to every product decision we make.” 

“When evaluating whether to maintain or introduce a Tether token, we assess market demand, operational sustainability, and broader ecosystem conditions that influence long-term usability.” Tether added that its priority is to allocate resources to strengthen “security, reliability, and innovation” across digital assets.

Decision to Discontinue CNH₮

Tether said it reached its decision after review and then set out a planned wind-down. “After careful consideration, Tether has decided to discontinue support for CNH₮.” It also said the transition will follow a process used in earlier product sunsets. 

The company said the transition will proceed in two phases. First, it has ceased all new issuances of CNH₮, so it will not mint additional tokens going forward. It framed the step as a way to reallocate resources toward products with stronger adoption and longer-term relevance. 

Tether also tied the decision to CNH₮ usage levels and to the standards it applies across its stablecoin portfolio. It said the token’s demand did not support continued operational focus at those standards.

Redemption Timeline and Holder Guidance

Next, Tether said it plans to discontinue redemption support for CNH₮ one year after the announcement date. It told holders across supported blockchain networks to redeem their CNH₮ as soon as possible, and to meet the deadline it will set. 

Until that date, Tether said it will continue to facilitate redemptions in line with its Terms of Service. It also said it will publish a separate reminder notice before the final redemption deadline so holders can track the timeline. 

Related: Tether Moves Toward Top 10 Position in US Treasury Bill Market

Tether said shifting market dynamics and limited community demand contributed to the move. It said the wind-down allows it to streamline its lineup and focus work where it can deliver more value, including core stablecoin liquidity, tokenization infrastructure, and tools for global users and builders. How will this shift shape demand for region-linked stablecoins? 

The transition shows Tether’s approach to product management through its data-based methods, which respond to market needs by converting tokens that fail to maintain user interest and reallocating resources to more valuable assets and infrastructure.

Tether uses three factors to decide which products to support: market conditions, customer demand, and community engagement to maintain its focus on stablecoins and value-adding solutions. The strategy creates a sustainable business model that meets customers’ current needs while adjusting to ongoing changes in the market and customer patterns.

The post Tether Halts CNH₮ Minting as Two-Phase Wind-Down Starts appeared first on Cryptotale.

The post Tether Halts CNH₮ Minting as Two-Phase Wind-Down Starts appeared first on Cryptotale.

The ProShares GENIUS Money Market ETF (IQMM) shattered all records by logging $17 billion in first-day trading volume. The ETF invests in very short-term US government debt, making it extremely low risk and similar to holding cash.

This ETF is designed so institutions, including stablecoin issuers, can use it as a safe place to store money while earning a small yield. However, market structure experts warn the staggering sum reflects a massive, behind-the-scenes corporate treasury migration rather than a sudden wave of retail investor mania.

IQMM’s Historic Launch Redraws How Stablecoin Issuers Hold Dollar Reserves

Bloomberg Senior ETF Analyst Eric Balchunas noted that BlackRock’s highly successful Bitcoin fund, IBIT, only pulled then the unprecedented $1 billion in day-one volume. IBIT is the largest Bitcoin fund with over $50 billion in assets.

However, Balchunas stated that IQMM’s launch is “multitudes beyond the all-time record for an ETF.”

“I was wrong about this ETF, I just figured it would be niche at best as people would use $BIL or $SHV as money market substitutes,” he wrote on the social media platform X.

According to him, the fund appears to be a textbook example of a “bring your own assets” strategy, in which an institutional client pre-arranges the transfer of existing off-balance-sheet capital into a newly regulated wrapper.

Initially, industry experts assumed ProShares had secured a lucrative deal with a major stablecoin issuer, such as Boston-based Circle.

“Would assume ProShares cut a deal with one of the major US-based stablecoin issuers. Looking at assets, believe that would only leave Circle,” Nate Geraci, president of NovaDius Wealth Management, claimed.

This is because IQMM is not a standard cash-equivalent fund as it is a purpose-built regulatory compliance vehicle. It was designed specifically to meet the strict legal reserve requirements established by the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act.

Signed into law last year, the legislation mandates that domestic stablecoin issuers maintain one-to-one backing with highly liquid assets. It also strictly caps eligible US Treasury maturities at 93 days to prevent forced selling during periods of market stress.

However, Balchunas later clarified the true, decidedly less glamorous source of the record-breaking inflow.

“The call is coming from inside the house, literally, ProShares own funds are all now using IQMM now for their cash positions. Big time BYOA and not as exciting but arguably smart vs paying another fund co,” he added.

Still, crypto research firm 10X Research said the IQMM’s record launch proves that stablecoin reserves could rapidly migrate into transparent structures.

According to the firm, ProShares’ IQMM represents an unprecedented bridge between traditional financial markets and the digital asset economy.

The fund allows stablecoin issuers to park their dollar reserves in a highly liquid, transparent, and heavily regulated ETF wrapper, rather than shouldering the operational burden of managing complex, private portfolios.

“This is massive because it institutionalizes stablecoin backing, reduces opacity risk, and could channel hundreds of billions of dollars in digital dollar reserves directly into Treasury markets under the GENIUS framework,” the firm added.

By institutionalizing stablecoin backing, the traditional US financial system has effectively pulled crypto’s monetary base onshore.

The post Why WLFI Price is Rising Today: Trump-Backed RWA Deal and Apex Integration Fuel Demand appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

While the broader crypto market has been rotating capital selectively this week, Trump-linked World Liberty Financial (WLFI) is quietly building momentum, climbing over 3% today and extending its weekly surge to around 12% as institutional headlines and on-chain movements converge. Here’s a closer look at the catalysts fueling the recent WLFI price rally.

RWA Expansion Anchors WLFI’s Next Growth Chapter

World Liberty Financial confirmed a strategic partnership with Securitize and DAR Global to launch institutional-grade real-world asset offerings. The first asset tied to this initiative is Trump International Hotel & Resort, Maldives, marking a direct connection between blockchain infrastructure and a branded physical property.

JUST IN – The Next Generation of RWAs We are officially partnering with @Securitize and @dar_global to bring institutional-grade RWA offerings. (Availability limited to supported jurisdictions)The first asset on the list? Trump International Hotel & Resort, Maldives. … pic.twitter.com/lSuN652g6U

— WLFI (@worldlibertyfi) February 18, 2026

For the broader market, this matters. Tokenized real-world assets are increasingly being positioned as the bridge between traditional finance and decentralized infrastructure. By anchoring its first RWA initiative to a Trump-branded property, Trump-linked WLFI is embedding political branding into a financial product narrative, a combination that drives both retail curiosity and institutional evaluation.

 This development reinforces the argument that the WLFI crypto ecosystem is not limited to speculative token activity but is positioning itself within compliant asset tokenization frameworks.

Apex Group Integration Expands Stablecoin Utility

Beyond the RWA announcement, WLFI’s collaboration with Apex Group to pilot the USD1 stablecoin as a settlement rail for tokenized funds has strengthened the infrastructure thesis behind the WLFI token. Stablecoin settlement layers are often overlooked because they operate in the background. Yet institutional adoption depends on backend reliability. 

LATEST: Global financial services provider Apex Group is partnering with World Liberty Financial to pilot using WLFI's USD1 stablecoin as a payment rail for its tokenized fund ecosystem. pic.twitter.com/7tYZWae0Pj

— CoinMarketCap (@CoinMarketCap) February 19, 2026

By integrating USD1 into structured fund settlement workflows, WLFI crypto transitions from concept to operational functionality. Markets typically reward that shift. The combination of tokenized real-world assets and settlement infrastructure signals vertical integration ,something investors increasingly look for when assessing long-term protocol viability.

WLFI Price Structure Turns Constructive as Bulls Reclaim Ground

WLFI price had been in a downward trend for several weeks, consistently forming lower highs while defending horizontal demand between approximately $0.10 and $0.11. The recent bounce originated directly from that demand zone, reclaiming short-term moving averages and pressing against the upper boundary of the descending channel. Alongside the rise, volume rise during this push suggests buyers are attempting to reclaim structural control rather than merely executing a relief bounce.

Immediate resistance now sits near the $0.125–$0.13 region. A sustained break and acceptance above that level could open upside toward the $0.15-$0.16, the trendline hurdle, where prior distribution occurred. Failure to maintain support above $0.11 would shift structure back into consolidation.

Whale Wallet Activity Signals Strategic Positioning

Adding to the momentum, multiple large WLFI transfers were recorded from a tracked wallet, including over 133 million WLFI moved to a proxy-linked address and an additional 26.6 million WLFI to another wallet. Large token transfers during periods of positive news tend to attract trader attention. While internal restructuring cannot be immediately classified as accumulation, the sequencing of institutional announcements and high-value token movement often contributes to bullish interpretation.

Final Thoughts

WLFI price is approaching a structural inflection point as institutional headlines and on-chain activity converge with technical compression. A sustained move above the $0.13 resistance zone would likely expose the $0.15–$0.16 liquidity pocket, where prior supply emerged. However, failure to hold above the $0.11 demand band could return the WLFI token to consolidation mode. Momentum currently favors buyers, but continuation will depend on volume expansion and sustained narrative follow-through rather than isolated news catalysts.

Bitcoin’s next major leg up could hinge on artificial intelligence stocks becoming excessively overvalued in the eyes of investors, according to macroeconomist Lyn Alden.

“It could be that the AI stocks eventually just peak, they get so silly big that they can’t get realistically much higher,” Alden told Natalie Brunell on the Coin Stories podcast published to YouTube on Thursday.

When an asset’s price rises to a level where further gains are harder to justify, capital often moves into other opportunities with more potential upside.

Lyn Alden spoke to Natalie Brunell on the Coin Stories podcast. Source: Natalie Brunell/YouTube

With Bitcoin (BTC) down almost 46% from its October all-time high of $126,100, Alden suggests it could be a beneficiary of that rotation.

Nvidia may be the “most important stock” in US, says exec

Some financial analysts are questioning whether the largest AI stocks will keep up their momentum in 2026. Albion Financial Group chief investment officer Jason Ware recently told Fox Business that he expects GPU chipmaker Nvidia (NVDA), the largest company on the Nasdaq stock exchange by market capitalization, to have “another great quarter,” but asked whether it will “be good enough.”

“We all know they are the most concentrated, obvious winner in the AI build out. Can that growth continue in a way that supports the stock moving higher?”

Nvidia’s (NVDA) stock price is up 35.48% over the past 12 months, according to Google Finance, and Ware said that it is “probably the most important company and most important stock in America in the market.” 

The rise of investor interest in AI means that Bitcoin is now “competing for capital” in a way it never has before, Bitcoin developer Mark Carallo said on Thursday.

Bitcoin only needs a “marginal amount” of new demand

However, Alden said Bitcoin wouldn’t need a significant wave of capital to move higher. “It only takes a marginal amount of new demand to come in,” Alden said, adding that long-term holders essentially “put the floor in” as short-term traders rotate out. 

“The coins rotate from fast money hands to strongly held hands; they are really not going to want to part with it unless it goes up like 5X or more, that kind of buyer,” she said.

Bitcoin is trading at $67,849 at the time of publication, down 24.49% over the past 30 days, according to CoinMarketCap. 

Alden said she does not expect a quick, near-term surge in Bitcoin’s price.

“Bitcoin rarely makes V-shape bottoms outside COVID stimulus-type events,” she said, adding that it “normally it hits a low level then goes sideways for quite a while.”

“I think we’re in more of a grind,” Alden said, adding that it may move $10,000 lower or $20,000 lower, and it is still in that “grinding part.”

Magazine: Bitcoin may take 7 years to upgrade to post-quantum: BIP-360 co-author

BlockBeats 消息，2 月 21 日，Sonic Labs 发布 2026 年生态更新（第一部分），宣布 CEO Mitchell Demeter 及商务负责人 Evan Owens 已离任，目前由董事会暂代管理并寻求新任 CEO。Sonic 表示开发基金已形成长期运行储备，无风险投资解锁压力，资金配置涵盖 S 代币、稳定币及国债等资产。

战略层面，Sonic Strategy 持有约 1.27 亿枚 S（多签托管且禁止出售），并结束与 CMCC Resonance Fund 的合作。产品方面，AI 智能合约生成平台 Spawn 正进行内部测试；FeeM 已向开发者累计分配超 260 万枚 S，未来或从 90% 返佣调整为分层结构；同时终止 Meme Season 与 Sonic & Sodas 激励计划，后续将聚焦长期生态建设与代币经济整合。

The post IoTeX Bridge Hacked for $8.8M via Private Key Exploit, IOTX Price Dips appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

IoTeX’s cross-chain bridge was hit by a private key exploit on February 21, draining over $8 million in crypto assets and sending the IOTX token tumbling. The attack, which unfolded between 7 and 9 AM UTC, gave the hacker control over IoTeX’s TokenSafe and MinterPool contracts.

On-chain analyst Specter was among the first to flag the breach, reporting that the attacker drained $4.3 million in tokens including USDC, USDT, IOTX, PAYG, WBTC, and BUSD. The stolen assets were quickly swapped to ETH, with approximately 45 ETH bridged to the Bitcoin network.

But that was only part of the damage.

Attacker Minted Millions in CIOTX and CCS Tokens

Beyond the initial drain, the hacker exploited the compromised contracts to mint $4 million in CIOTX tokens and $4.5 million in CCS, pushing total estimated losses toward $9 million.

Blockchain security firm PeckShield confirmed the exploit on X, writing: “The IoTeX Bridge has been hacked for over $8M worth of crypto due to a compromised private key. The hacker has swapped the stolen funds to $ETH and has started bridging them to BTC via THORChain.”

#PeckShieldAlert The IoTeX[.]io Bridge @iotex_io has been hacked for over $8M worth of crypto due to a compromised private key. The hacker has swapped the stolen funds to $ETH and has started bridging them to #BTC via #Thorchain. pic.twitter.com/uNWHzahk4F

— PeckShieldAlert (@PeckShieldAlert) February 21, 2026

Three attacker addresses have been publicly identified so far.

IoTeX Says Actual Losses Are Lower

IoTeX confirmed the breach by 10:30 AM UTC and pushed back on the circulating estimates. The team stated that “initial estimates indicate the potential loss is significantly lower than circulating rumors suggest.”

The company added that it has “already coordinated with major exchanges and security partners, which are actively assisting in tracing and freezing the hacker’s assets.”

We are aware of recent reports regarding suspicious activity involving an IoTeX token safe. Our team is fully engaged, working around the clock to assess and contain the situation. Initial estimates indicate the potential loss is significantly lower than circulating rumors…

— IoTeX (@iotex_io) February 21, 2026

IOTX Price Reacts to the Exploit

IOTX is currently trading near $0.0049, down 9.2% over the last 24 hours, with daily volume surging over 507%.

This incident follows a rough stretch for cross-chain bridges in 2026. Just three weeks ago, CrossCurve lost $3 million in a separate bridge exploit, and January alone saw nearly $400 million in total crypto thefts industry-wide.

IoTeX says the situation is “under control” and has promised continued updates. Analysts are now watching whether the frozen funds can be recovered before the attacker moves them further.

Entities in Dubai and the archipelagic nation of the Maldives are moving forward with tokenized real estate development projects worth millions of dollars, combined.

On Friday, the Dubai Land Department announced that it would launch the second phase of a real estate tokenization pilot program. The move followed about $5 million worth of real estate in Dubai being tokenized, allowing the resale of about 7.8 million tokens.

Source: Reece Merrick, Ripple Labs’ managing director for the Middle East and Africa

The tokenization infrastructure partner for the pilot, called Ctrl Alt, which is also licensed as a Virtual Asset Service Provider in Dubai, will issue “Asset-Referenced Virtual Asset management tokens” to facilitate the transfer of the tokens on secondary markets.

According to Ctrl Alt, all onchain transactions for the real estate tokens will be recorded on the XRP Ledger and secured by Ripple Custody.

The Dubai Land Department predicted in May 2025 that the tokenization project could contribute about $16 billion by 2033, equivalent to 7% of the jurisdiction’s total property transactions.

Some experts have said Dubai’s real estate market and crypto-friendly regulatory environment have made the emirate stand out among other jurisdictions globally.

Trump-tied hotel deal in the Maldives is also looking to tokenize

Ctrl Alt’s announcement came a few days after real estate development company DarGlobal and World Liberty Financial, a crypto company backed by US President Donald Trump and his sons, announced plans to tokenize the development phase of a Trump-branded resort in the Maldives. 

The tokenization deal will happen in partnership with financial technology company Securitize.

“We definitely see this as taking over the way other projects are being funded,” DarGlobal CEO Ziad El Chaar told Cointelegraph.

“[Tokenization] will open the door to many more investors, who would like to take part in investing in real estate but don’t have access today.” 

World Liberty announced the deal at a crypto-aligned event at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property on Wednesday.

Attendees included traditional finance players like Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, crypto industry representatives including Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, and Senators Ashley Moody and Bernie Moreno.

Magazine: Here’s why crypto is moving to Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Michael Saylor, Strategy's executive chairman, hasposted yet another stunningly bullish Bitcoin (BTC) price prediction. In a recent social media post, Saylor confidently stated that the flagship cryptocurrency is going to $1 million if it does not hit zero.

"If it’s not going to zero, it’s going to a million" Saylor posted, doubling down on his thesis despite the current macroeconomic turbulence shaking the digital asset market.

He previously stated that he expected BTC to reach seven figures by the end of 2033.

History of Saylor's predictions

Saylor’s Bitcoin price predictions have grown increasingly bold over the years.

Saylor forecasted that Bitcoin would cross the $100,000 mark by the end of 2024. He confidently stated he was "planning the $100,000 party" for New Year's Eve.

When it comes to long-term predictions, Saylor forecasted a 29% annualized rate of return over 21 years.

The Strategy executivepredicted Bitcoin would hit $13 million per coin by 2045.

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At this price, he estimated Bitcoin would capture roughly 7% of total global capital.

The target was during a CNBC Squawk Box interview in September 2024, and reiterated in another CNBC appearance on Nov. 22.

He has argued that retail investors must front-run institutions. By the time financial advisors tell clients it is "safe" to buy Bitcoin, the price will already be $1 million. By the time they call it a "smart choice," the price will be $10 million, according to Saylor.

Last May, Saylor predicted that Bitcoin would hit $21 million in 21 years (by 2046). He attributed this elevated target to shifting geopolitical winds, particularly the U.S. government's changing regulatory stance and the prospect of an American strategic Bitcoin reserve.

Cardano (ADA) founder Charles Hoskinson said during a Feb. 19 livestream that the network is on track for a hard fork "next month" and that its long-awaited Leios scalability upgrade remains scheduled for delivery sometime this year, while also outlining what he described as growing ecosystem momentum around cross-chain connectivity, stablecoin access and the forthcoming Midnight network launch.

What Happened: Hard Fork Timeline Confirmed

Hoskinson addressed the protocol schedule directly: "Cardano hard fork is happening I believe next month. But you know the community is kind of working its way through that and getting these things done."

He framed the coming weeks as a convergence of two parallel tracks — protocol and developer-stack upgrades on one side, and the Midnight network launch on the other. He described Midnight, which he also expects "coming next month," as a project unusually difficult to ship even for teams with experience launching major chains.

On ecosystem developments, Hoskinson pointed to a newly announced LayerZero integration he said connects Cardano "to more than 80 blockchains," along with a stablecoin-like asset called USDCx designed for non-EVM systems. He drew a distinction between USDCx and standard USDC, saying the tradeoff gives Cardano users an asset that preserves "privacy" and "can't be frozen" — what he called "the best compromise" for a tier-one stablecoin in the ecosystem.

On Leios, he said discussions with product manager Michael Smolenski left him satisfied with the pace of progress, and he flagged additional near-term milestones including a new Plutus version, continued Aiken development, node diversity and the integration of Pyth as what he described as a "tier one Oracle" for Cardano ahead of a developer event in Argentina planned for March.

Also Read: Ex-Coinbase CTO Calls Zcash Key Weapon To Fight AI Surveillance

Why It Matters: Ecosystem Maturity At Stake

Hoskinson used the broader livestream to argue that the industry's central battle is shifting from enforcement actions to questions of custody and settlement architecture.

He warned about what he called "factions" pushing to route crypto transactions through "permission federated networks owned and operated by large financial institutions."

"What's not okay is to build a network that's forever owned and operated by five or 10 or 20 banks and they basically lord and leverage that power and position over the users," he said. "And once they have absolute control, they just simply flip a switch and you're at their mercy and they own all your money."

Read Next: Can Ethereum Break Through Bearish Trend Line Blocking $2K Path?

Foresight News 消息，据 Onchain Lens 监测，77DsB 开头的 Pump.fun 关联地址再次出售 33.76 亿枚 PUMP 并收到约 723 万枚 USDC。该地址目前仅剩约 3.735 亿枚 PUMP，价值约 78.8 万美元。

Bitfinex, a leading digital asset trading platform, has reassured the community that thequantum computing threat does not pose any immediate risk to Bitcoin. In anupdate shared on X, Bitfinex noted that the quantum computing threat is a long-term solvable challenge.

Hardware limitations keep quantum risk theoretical

Notably, Bitfinex maintains that breaking Bitcoin’s cryptography would require a very powerful quantum computer. It insists that such a computer would need to have millions of stable qubits and can run Shor’s algorithm at a large scale.

Additionally, the quantum computer must operate long enough and consistently without error to crack Bitcoin’s cryptography. However, the existing quantum machines are nowhere near that level of sophistication.

Quantum computing is not an imminent threat to Bitcoin.But it is a long-horizon engineering problem the ecosystem is already preparing for.Today’s blog looks at real exposure, hardware gaps, and proposals like BIP 360.Full breakdown 👇 pic.twitter.com/6Zp0TWCCmw

— Bitfinex (@bitfinex) February 20, 2026

The hardware barriers required to affect it remain steep and far beyond the capacity of today’s computing. Hence, before that level of advancement can be achieved, it would allow time for upgrades to reduce public key revelations on-chain.

Generally, addresses that have spent Bitcoin before are theoretically more exposed in a quantum scenario. This gap in capacity gives Bitfinex the confidence that Bitcoin is safe from quantum computing threats. It would allow developers enough time to plan and combat quantum threats.

By Bitfinex’s estimate, the quantum computing threat remains a distant risk, not an emergency. If anything, the threat could begin to manifest around the mid-2030s to 2040s.

Meanwhile, the Bitcoin community is not just idle. Bitfinex stated thatdevelopers in the community are planning a gradual migration to new wallet types that would avoid exposing public keys for long periods. Another solution to the threat might involve using lattice-based signatures.

The Bitcoin community is also considering the BIP 360 proposal. This is a safer structure that eliminates one of the main quantum attack surfaces. It would serve as a safe environment for Bitcoin to operate in without fear of any threat.

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Stakeholders optimistic Bitcoin quantum computing risk poses no threat

Bitfinex is therefore assuring Bitcoin users that while the quantum computing threat remains a distant risk, the community is preparing to counter it. As such, there is no need to panic about this theoretical threat.

Strategy’s co-founder, Michael Saylor, also believes thatquantum computing will not break the leading digital asset but make it stronger. According to Saylor, before the threat becomes real, the Bitcoin network consensus would likely agree to freeze the old protocol.

Overall, the sentiment in the larger part of the Bitcoin community remains positive and free of panic as it concerns quantum threats.

Robert Kiyosaki, a renowned financial author, famous for his best-selling book “Rich Dad Poor Dad,” has announced that he has recently bought more Bitcoin on the dip. Once again, he has provided his reasons for his long-term bullish BTC vision.

Meanwhile, the world’s largest cryptocurrency continues to trade below the $68,000 level after two recent failed attempts to break and hold above it.

Kiyosaki's reasons for buying Bitcoin recently

Robert Kiyosaki, whom many believe to be a financial guru, has taken to his account on X to share with the millions of his followers some bullish news — a recent purchase of BTC.

According to the tweet, the entrepreneur and investor bought one whole Bitcoin at approximately $67,000 recently. He did it despite Bitcoin continuing to crash, as he emphasized, showing his firm belief in Bitcoin’s bullish global future.

Although Bitcoin is crashing I bought one more whole Bitcoinfor $67k.Why? Two reasons: # 1: Because the Big Print will begin when the US debt crashes the dollar and “The Marxist Fed” begins printing trillions in fake dollars.#2: The magical 21 millionth Bitcoin is…

— Robert Kiyosaki (@theRealKiyosaki) February 20, 2026

Kiyosaki said that there were two reasons for his acquisition this time. In fact, he has been tweeting about those quite often recently, so he has just repeated them once again. The first reason is that he expects the Federal Reserve to start printing money again “when the US debt crashes the dollar.” Trillions in “fake dollars” will be printed then, Kiyosaki believes.

The second reason is related to Bitcoin’s unique features — its ultimate scarcity. The Bitcoin supply is programmed to be only 21 million coins, and this number of BTC “is getting close to be mined,” Kiyosaki said, reminding the community that more than 19 million coins out of 21 million have already been produced from the digital space by miners.

Once all the 21 million is mined, “Bitcoin becomes better than gold,” Kiyosaki tweeted. However, thanks to a halving every four years, this event will happen only in 2140.

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"The giant crash is now imminent," Kiyosaki says

In a tweet published earlier this week, Robert Kiyosaki reminded the community about his prediction made in the “Rich Dad’s Prophecy” book published in 2013. In that book, he stated that a giant stock market crash was coming soon.

I Am Warning You: In Rich Dad’s Prophecy published 2013 I warned of the biggest stock market crash in history still coming.That giant crash is now imminent.The good news is those of you who followed my rich dad’s warning and prepared….the coming crash will make you richer…

— Robert Kiyosaki (@theRealKiyosaki) February 17, 2026

Now, he tweeted, this crash is imminent. However, those who are prepared for it can get richer “beyond their wildest dreams.” Kiyosaki says he will profit from this crash, since he has made big bets on Bitcoin, Ethereum, gold and silver, which he expects to skyrocket.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded another round of outflows Thursday, shaving roughly $165.8 million from assets and extending a five-week withdrawal streak that’s now closed in on $4 billion. According to SoSoValue, spot Bitcoin ETFs posted $165.76 million in net redemptions on Feb. 19 — the third straight day of outflows. The five-week run has erased just under $4 billion after weekly withdrawals of $1.33 billion, $1.49 billion, $318.1 million, $359.9 million and $403.9 million since mid-January. Market reaction has been mixed. Bitcoin has held up, rising about 1.4% over the past 24 hours to roughly $67,800 (CoinGecko), and the total crypto market cap climbed about 1.6% to $2.4 trillion. Several altcoins, including Hyperliquid, Avalanche and Sui, gained around 4% in the same window. Sentiment measures have perked up: users on prediction market Myriad (owned by Decrypt’s parent company) now put a 44% probability on Bitcoin reaching $84,000 — an 8% increase on the day. Why the outflows? Analysts are split. - Enmanuel Cardozo, an analyst at Brickken, framed the pullbacks as portfolio recalibration rather than institutional flight. After a strong 2025, Cardozo says leveraged funds and short-term allocators naturally trim exposure amid an uncertain macro backdrop. He argues the outflows are a small slice of total ETF assets under management, noting cumulative net inflows since the ETFs’ launch remain positive and predicting flows and price should stabilize as leverage unwinds. - Illia Otychenko, lead analyst at CEX.IO, offered a more cautious read. He said Bitcoin has struggled to sustain either of its core narratives: as a store of value (where gold’s rally has drawn interest) and as a speculative alternative (where an AI-driven equity boom attracts risk capital). Otychenko added that ETF redemptions have often tracked Bitcoin’s price moves rather than driven them, acting as amplifiers during downturns. He pointed to on-chain signals that suggest persistent selling pressure and noted the recent bounce occurred on declining trading volume — a sign, he said, of limited buyer conviction. His base case: prolonged consolidation or another decisive move before selling pressure abates, and continued ETF outflows in the near term unless momentum turns clearly bullish. The debate now is whether the current bleed reflects a temporary deleveraging and healthy rebalancing or a more structural pullback in institutional appetite. Traders and watchers will be watching both ETF flows and on-chain indicators closely for clues on the next major leg for Bitcoin. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

TLDR:

Treasury T-bill issuance holds a +0.80 correlation with Bitcoin price over the last four years of data.

M2 money supply has decoupled from Bitcoin, making it an unreliable indicator for forecasting price direction.

The Fed balance sheet scores a near-zero correlation of -0.07 with Bitcoin, removing it as a credible signal.

T-bill issuance peaked in late 2024, and Bitcoin has shown renewed weakness as early 2026 issuance declines.

T-bill issuance is gaining recognition as Bitcoin’s most reliable macro indicator, pushing aside long-favored metrics like M2 money supply.

A crypto analyst recently shared data pointing to a +0.80 correlation between Treasury T-bill issuance and Bitcoin over four years.

That figure towers above what M2 and the Federal Reserve balance sheet have managed to produce. With Bitcoin last trading around $67,721, the conversation around macro signals is shifting in a clear direction.

Why M2 and the Fed Balance Sheet No Longer Tell the Full Story

T-bill issuance is stepping into the spotlight as M2 money supply loses its grip as a Bitcoin forecasting tool. Crypto analyst Axel Bitblaze posted on X that Bitcoin has already decoupled from M2 in observable stretches. During those periods, M2 stayed flat or moved higher, yet Bitcoin did not respond accordingly.

This chart is worth watching next time..

Not M2 supply, not the fed balance sheet. as we’ve already seen M2 decouple.

there were periods where M2 was flat or even up and $BTC didn’t care..

same with the fed balance sheet. correlation here is basically zero at -0.07.

the chart… pic.twitter.com/bR4UhXX0xr

— Axel Bitblaze (@Axel_bitblaze69) February 20, 2026

The Federal Reserve balance sheet has also struggled to track Bitcoin’s price behavior with any consistency. Bitblaze recorded the correlation between the Fed balance sheet and Bitcoin at just -0.07. That number effectively removes it from serious consideration as a directional signal.

T-bill issuance, however, has held a +0.80 correlation with Bitcoin across the same four-year period. For a notoriously volatile asset like Bitcoin, that reading carries real weight.

Analysts are now paying closer attention to how Treasury market activity channels liquidity into broader risk appetite.

The Four-Year Timeline That Makes T-Bill Issuance Hard to Ignore

The case for T-bill issuance as a Bitcoin signal is built on a timeline that stretches back to late 2021. Bitblaze noted that issuance peaked around that time, and Bitcoin soon followed with its own cycle top.

When issuance began falling through 2022, Bitcoin crashed in the months that came after.

The connection held again in mid-2023, when T-bill issuance bottomed out alongside Bitcoin’s price floor. From that low point, both began climbing in tandem, with Bitcoin trailing the issuance trend by a visible lag.

Through 2024 and into 2025, rising issuance continued to pull Bitcoin higher with that same delayed rhythm.

Then in late 2024, T-bill issuance peaked once more. As early 2026 arrived, issuance started declining, and Bitcoin’s price weakened in step.

Bitblaze summed it up directly: “When the blue line goes up, BTC follows with a delay. When it rolls over, BTC struggles.” The four-year record now has traders watching Treasury issuance schedules as closely as any on-chain metric.

 

The post Move Over M2: Data Shows Treasury T-Bill Issuance Drives Bitcoin Price Cycles appeared first on Blockonomi.

Dogecoin whales added $23.5 million as price reclaimed key EMAs.

Chainlink saw renewed whale inflows while testing resistance levels.

Uniswap showed steady accumulation near bullish RSI divergence signals.

Large crypto holders have started positioning again as prices recover across the market. On-chain data shows steady accumulation in select altcoins, even though price gains remain moderate. This pattern often appears before stronger momentum develops. Instead of chasing sharp breakouts, these investors build exposure near key technical levels. Dogecoin, Chainlink, and Uniswap now show clear signs of renewed whale interest, supported by both blockchain flows and chart structure.

Dogecoin (DOGE)

Source: Trading View

Dogecoin has regained attention from large holders as price action improves. On January 14, DOGE climbed about 5.9 percent, extending the 30-day gain to roughly 7.6 percent. While that increase may not seem dramatic, the context matters. Whales holding between 10 million and 100 million DOGE expanded their positions during this move. Their combined holdings rose from 17.60 billion to 17.76 billion DOGE in just one day. That increase equals 160 million DOGE, valued at around $23.5 million. Technical structure strengthens the case. Dogecoin pushed back above both the 20-day and 50-day exponential moving averages. Traders often rely on these indicators to detect early trend shifts because they give greater weight to recent price action.

Chainlink (LINK)

Source: Trading View

Chainlink also attracted renewed whale activity. Although holdings dipped slightly between January 12 and 13, buyers returned as broader market conditions improved. On January 14, LINK gained nearly 6 percent and began testing an important resistance zone following a controlled pullback.Large wallets increased holdings from 503.20 million to 503.42 million LINK within a single day. That addition equals roughly 220,000 LINK, valued near $3.1 million. Compared with earlier accumulation phases during sharp corrections, this inflow appears smaller. However, timing often carries more weight than size. Earlier this month, LINK underwent a correction after a momentum warning signal appeared on the chart. That cooling phase reset overextended conditions.

Uniswap (UNI)

Source: Trading View

Uniswap shows a similar pattern of cautious but deliberate accumulation. On January 14, UNI rose about 5.5 percent as the market strengthened. Whale behavior indicates measured exposure rather than aggressive buying.Holdings climbed from 549.37 million to 549.57 million UNI since January 13. That change equals 200,000 UNI, worth approximately $1.1 million. Although the scale remains modest, context again proves important. From December 9 to January 6, UNI formed lower highs while the Relative Strength Index created higher highs. This divergence often signals weakening downside momentum and the potential for a trend shift.

Dogecoin, Chainlink, and Uniswap now display steady whale accumulation near important chart levels. The capital deployed ranges from millions to tens of millions of dollars. While price gains remain controlled, positioning suggests growing confidence among large holders. When experienced investors build exposure quietly, the broader market often takes notice soon after.

Foresight News 消息，Circle 官网信息显示，在截至当地时间 2 月 19 日的一周内，USDC 共发行约 53 亿枚，赎回约 46 亿枚，流通量增加约 7 亿枚。截至当地时间 2 月 19 日，USDC 流通量约 737 亿枚，储备资产价值约 740 亿美元。

Silver price has had a brutal yet fascinating start to 2026. After surging to an all-time high near $121 on January 29, the metal crashed nearly 47% by February 6. But since then, silver has staged a relentless 32% recovery to trade near $84 on February 20.

With markets closed on the 21st and 22nd, the question heading into March is clear: is this recovery the real deal, or does more pain lie ahead? The technicals and positioning data paint a nuanced picture. A consolidation is likely before the next decisive move, but the weight of evidence leans bullish.

Cup Formation, Hidden Bearish Divergence, And Signs Of Consolidation

The XAG/USD daily chart reveals a developing cup pattern, with the impulse wave originating from November 21, 2025, peaking at $121 on January 29, and pulling back to $63.85 on February 6. The recent recovery toward $84 is now approaching the neckline of this formation.

XAG-USD Chart: TradingView

Between February 4 and February 20, silver is printing a lower high setup. But the relative strength index (RSI), a momentum indicator, during the same period is forming a higher high: a hidden bearish RSI divergence.

This signals that, despite apparent RSI strength, the price trend favors consolidation before a decisive move. This pattern holds as long as the next candle remains below $92 (the previous high) and the RSI continues to climb.

Smart money betting is betting on consolidation as well.

If the current consolidation develops into a handle, it must still hold above $75 to keep the bullish structure intact.

The cup-and-handle pattern gains validity on a clean daily close above $84. However, some consolidation is expected first — and the supporting indicators explain why a pause here is healthy rather than concerning.

Miners Lead, Silver Futures Lag: The Physical-Paper Divergence

The Global X Silver Miners ETF (SIL), trading above $107, adds early validation to the bullish case. SIL peaked at $119 on January 26 — three days before silver spot topped on January 29. Miners leading on the way up and holding relatively firm on the recovery is a classic bullish leading indicator.

Silver Miners ETF: TradingView

Mining companies have direct visibility into industrial order books and production demand, and their resilience suggests the fundamental picture remains intact despite the January liquidation. When miners hold while the metal consolidates, it typically signals that the next move is higher, not lower.

The disconnect between this physical market’s strength and the futures market’s hesitancy defines the current silver landscape.

COMEX silver futures (SI1!) are trading around $82 — below the spot price of $84. This backwardation (futures below spot) is rare and significant. It means buyers are willing to pay a premium for physical silver now rather than wait for future delivery.

The market is pricing urgency into spot, signaling physical tightness in the supply chain.

However, open interest on SI1! has been steadily declining since February 6, even as the Silver price rose from $63 to $82. A rising price amid falling open interest is the signature of a short-covering rally — traders who were short after the crash are buying back their positions, pushing the price higher.

Silver Futures: TradingView

This is not fresh money entering yet. It is the aftermath of the January wipeout clearing out. Short covering rallies have a natural ceiling, and once covering is exhausted, the price needs new buyers to sustain momentum.

This is where the transition to consolidation becomes the most probable near-term path — the short-covering fuel is running low, but the next wave of buying hasn’t arrived yet, as explained later.

Dollar Divergence, Gold Ratio Risks, And Hedge Funds On The Sidelines

The macro and positioning layers explain why consolidation is healthy rather than dangerous.

The US Dollar Index (DXY) sits above 97, having risen steadily since February 11. But since February 17, silver decoupled and started rising alongside the dollar. This is one of the strongest signals in the current setup. When silver rises despite dollar headwinds, it means underlying demand. Buyers want silver now, regardless of what the dollar is doing.

Dollar Index: TradingView

The Gold-Silver Ratio (XAUXAG) adds a layer of caution. Currently at 60, the ratio has been declining since February 17, meaning silver has been outperforming gold.

However, the ratio is consolidating inside a bullish flag pattern. A breakout above the upper trendline could push it toward 70 or higher.

If that happens, gold would reclaim dominance over silver — the market rotating back from silver’s risk-on appeal toward gold’s safe-haven purity.

Gold/Silver Ratio: TradingView

This would cap silver’s upside momentum or trigger a pullback. As long as the flag holds without breaking upward, silver’s outperformance can continue, but this is a risk to watch in March.

The tiebreaker comes from the COT (Commitment of Traders) report dated February 17. Managed Money — hedge funds and Commodity Trading Advisors — holds a net long position of just 5,472 contracts. During the rally to $121, hedge funds were positioned at multiples of this level.

A reading this low means the speculative heavyweights are still on the sidelines, waiting for a confirmed base before committing capital.

COT Report: Tradingster

This is simultaneously the most bullish medium-term signal and the clearest explanation for near-term consolidation. There is massive room for fresh institutional buying when hedge funds re-enter. But they need to see a stable base and a clear breakout — likely above $92 — before stepping in.

March 2026 Outlook: Silver Price Levels To Watch

Four of seven key indicators lean bullish. These include Miners leading via SIL strength, backwardation confirming physical demand urgency, dollar-silver divergence showing genuine underlying buying pressure, and hedge funds barely positioned with massive room to re-enter.

Plus, three indicators urge caution. These include declining COMEX open interest, hidden bearish divergence, and the gold-silver ratio’s bullish flag threatening to rotate momentum back toward gold.

The most probable path for March: silver consolidates between $75 and $92 as the market builds a base that gives Managed Money the confidence to re-enter.

A daily close above $84 confirms the cup-and-handle neckline. A push above $91–$92 validates the full breakout and opens the door to $100 — a psychologically significant level likely achievable by mid-March.

Extended targets of $121 (a retest of the all-time high) and $136 (the full Fibonacci extension) become realistic if the rally sustains through March with rising open interest confirming fresh institutional participation.

Silver Price Analysis: TradingView

On the downside, $75 is the line in the sand. A daily close below $75 cracks the cup structure and invites a retest of $71. Losing $71 invalidates the cup formation entirely, exposing the 100-day moving average at $69.

Below that, the 200-day moving average at $57 represents one of the strongest structural support levels on the chart.

The bearish scenario gains traction if DXY surges above 100. Or the gold-silver ratio decisively breaks out of its bullish flag. Or if upcoming US economic data reinforces a higher-for-longer Fed stance, crushing rate-cut expectations.

Vet, an XRP Ledger validator, informed the XRP community that a bug was found in the batch transaction and another fix amendment for the XRP Ledger, causing a setback for both. This fix amendment is the fixbatchinnersigs amendment included in the latest xrpl v. 3.1.0 release.

Earlier, Vet had informed followers that the batch transaction amendment had only one more vote to go for it to enter majority. At the time that Vet reported that, the Batch amendment on XRP had secured 28 "yes" votes, one "yes" vote away from activation.

FYI - A bug was found in Batch (+fix) amendment for the XRP Ledger. Validators are moving the vote to Nay for both as we speak. The XRPL main net is not affected because it didn't go live.XRP software update is coming out with a new bug fixed Batch amendment for voting.❤️ pic.twitter.com/CZGgs9YWCN

— Vet (@Vet_X0) February 20, 2026

Now, with the bug detected, Vet noted that validators are shifting their stance, changing their votes to "nay."

Vet clarifies that the XRPL mainnet remains unaffected, as both amendments — including the batch transaction — did not go live. He added that the next XRP software update will include a new bug-fixed Batch amendment for voting.

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The bug detection comes as XRP Ledger participants tested the feature, in line with Ripple Engineer Mayukha Vadari's advice.

As reported, Vadari urged XRP Ledger users that if there is an upcoming amendment they need for their project, they should review the XLS specification and make sure it works for them. This is to prevent issues that might be too late to correct as, the earlier an issue is found, the easier it is to address.

Batch transaction and "fixbatchinnersigs" amendment

The proposed batch transactions feature allows atomic execution of multiple transactions and will make it even easier for developers to build apps that can generate revenue directly on-chain.

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This long-sought-after amendment from the broader community makes it much easier to offer paid features, automate flows and build apps that generate revenue.

The fixbatchinnersigs amendment fixes an issue where the inner transactions of a batch transaction would be flagged as having valid signatures.

In recent news, SBI Ripple Asia has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on a technical support partnership with Asia Web3 Alliance Japan. This partnership will establish a framework in which SBI Ripple Asia will provide technical support to startups and businesses aiming to implement financial services using blockchain technology in society.

Leading dog-themed meme token Shiba Inu has continued to fail every attempt to recover as selling pressure continues to increase amid the prolonged crypto market volatility.

Over the past weeks, Shiba Inu has consistently flashed bearish signals amid the stalled demand highlighted by the steady netflow increases recorded recently.

Shiba Inu netflow surges

As of Feb. 21, data from on-chain analytics platform CryptoQuant shows that the Shiba Inu exchange netflow has surged by over 6%, hitting a massive 138,022,600,000 SHIB.

This notable increase in the SHIB netflow is a strong indication of heightening selling pressure as netflows are used to represent the difference between tokens purchased and sold across all supported exchanges.

The massive surge in the SHIB exchange netflow over the last 24 hours means that the amount of SHIB returned to exchanges for selling purposes during the period is massively larger than the amount of tokens scooped out of the exchanges for purchase by over 138 billion tokens.

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With this bearish signal, it appears that investors have continued to lose interest and optimism for SHIB amid the prolonged price downturn. Hence, they are becoming unwilling to hold the asset for longer.

What's next for SHIB?

The bearish Shiba Inu on-chain movement has continued to weaken investors' confidence on the future price prospects of the asset, triggering fear and doubts among retail and institutional traders.

Amid the steady price downturn, Shiba Inu has continued to hover around $0.0000065, dashing the hopes of removing a zero anytime soon.

It remains uncertain how long SHIB will remain on the downside, but traders are optimistic about a major recovery after the bear phase finally wraps up.