CryptonewsCom

Abu Dhabi just made a quiet but massive Bitcoin bet.

Sovereign linked investors disclosed more than $1.04B in U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs at the end of 2025. Mubadala Investment Company alone reported over 12.7M shares of BlackRock spot Bitcoin ETF, worth about $630.7M.

Source: SEC

Al Warda Investments added another 8.2M shares, valued near $408.1M. Combined, that is roughly 20.9M shares tied to one of the largest Bitcoin ETF issuers in the world.

This is not retail speculation. It is state backed capital allocating at scale.

The filings come as Bitcoin ETFs recorded $104.87M in daily net outflows and short term selling pressure returned. Spot Bitcoin has been hovering near the mid $60,000 range while broader sentiment remains fragile.

Source: Coinglass

Yet these positions reflect holdings as of Dec. 31. That suggests a longer term allocation strategy rather than tactical trading.

Bitcoin Price Prediction: Are Governments Keeping Price At This Level To Accumulate?

Bitcoin is still compressing between clear levels.

On the chart, price bounced hard from the $60K–$64K demand zone and is now ranging just under the $70K–$71K resistance band.

That area keeps capping upside. A clean break and hold above $71K would shift short term structure and open the path toward $80K, then $90K.

The downside is simple. $64K is the key floor. Lose it, and $60K comes back into play fast.

Now, zoom out and connect it slightly to the ETF story. While price is chopping and sentiment feels fragile, sovereign-sized allocations are quietly building in the background.

If structure keeps improving and $71K eventually flips into support, price could start catching up to that longer-term positioning. For now, it is a battle between range resistance and a base trying to form above $64K.

While Governments Accumulate, Bitcoin Hyper Could Activate Capital

State-backed money can afford patience. They allocate. They wait. They hold through volatility.

Retail does not always move that way.

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is built for participants who want more than slow range compression. This Bitcoin-focused Layer-2, powered by Solana technology, adds speed, lower fees, and real on-chain utility while preserving Bitcoin’s core security.

It keeps the brand strength of Bitcoin but unlocks actual activity on top of it. Payments. Staking. Scalable execution.

Momentum is already visible. The Bitcoin Hyper presale has raised over $31 million so far, with $HYPER priced at $0.0136751 before the next increase. Staking rewards currently reach up to 37%.

If Bitcoin eventually breaks $71K, great. If it keeps chopping while institutions accumulate, Bitcoin Hyper could be positioned to move regardless.

Visit the Official Bitcoin Hyper Website Here

The post Bitcoin Price Prediction: Abu Dhabi Gov Funds Buy $1 Billion in BTC – What Do They Know? appeared first on Cryptonews.

Although current prices sit well below recent peaks, ongoing industry developments and technical indicators suggest XRP, Bitcoin and Ethereum may be setting new all-time highs (ATHs) sooner than you think.

Below is a closer look at what could be happening in the news and on the price charts over the next fiscal quarter and a half.

Discover: The best meme coins in the world right now.

XRP (XRP): Ripple’s On-Chain SWIFT Replacement Could Rally to $5

With a market cap of $88 billion, XRP ($XRP) remains the leading cryptocurrency in global remittance.

Ripple designed the XRP Ledger (XRPL) as a blockchain for the traditional SWIFT system, offering faster transaction settlement and significantly reduced costs for both institutions and individuals.

Recently, Ripple has reaffirmed its vision, highlighting XRPL’s preparedness for stablecoins and real-world asset tokenization, while hghlighting XRP’s central role within the ecosystem.

Furthermore, reports by United Nations Capital Development Fund and the White House emphasize XRP’s utility as a global solution.

On the regulatory front, U.S. authorities recently approved spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs), opening the door for regulated exposure for more traditional investors.

If broader market sentiment flips bullish, XRP could rally 3x to $5 before the end of summer. Should bearish conditions persist, strong support is likely to keep XRP above $1.

Bitcoin (BTC): A New ATH by Summer?

The world’s first and largest cryptocurrency, Bitcoin ($BTC), recorded a ATH of $126,080 on October 6. before shedding 46% over the last five months to trade at.

Since then, BTC has declined by about 46% and now trades below $70,000, following two sharp selloffs triggered by geopolitical concerns tied to possible U.S. military actions involving Iran and Greenland.

Often compared to digital gold, Bitcoin continues to attract demand from both institutions and individual investors looking for protection against inflation and broader economic instability.

Rising institutional adoption, reduced post-halving supply and incoming US crypto legislation could have a catalytic effect, pushing Bitcoin to multiple new highs this year.

Additionally, if Trump delivers on his proposal for a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, this OG crypto could remain the daddy for a long time yet.

Ethereum (ETH): DeFi’s Backbone May Retest Record Levels

Ethereum ($ETH) is the dominant force powering decentralized finance (DeFi) and Web3 applications, with a market capitalization of approximately $244 billion.

With nearly $55 billion locked across the network, Ethereum continues to be the most economically active blockchain.

In a bull market, ETH could push past the $5,000 resistance level as early as June, surpassing its previous ATH of $4,946 recorded last August.

Over the longer term, Ethereum’s path toward five-figure prices will depend heavily on clearer regulatory frameworks in the United States and supportive macroeconomic trends.

Both factors are critical for accelerating institutional adoption, particularly in stablecoins and real-world asset tokenization.

At present, ETH is trading below its 30-day moving average, with the relative strength index hovering near oversold territory around 36. For bullish investors, this range may represent an attractive accumulation zone.

New Bitcoin Hyper Presale Turns Bitcoin into an Ethereum Challenger

While established networks such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP offer relative stability in a volatile market, the largest gains this cycle may come from early-stage innovators like Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER), a new presale project gaining rapid traction.

Bitcoin Hyper brings Solana-style performance to Bitcoin via a proprietary Layer-2 network, while dramatically lowering transaction fees.

The Bitcoin upgrade allows BTC holders to stake assets, generate yield, trade tokens, and interact with smart contracts without moving funds off the network, significantly expanding Bitcoin’s functionality.

With $31.5 million already raised and growing interest from large wallets and exchanges, $HYPER is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched crypto launches of the year.

Investors interested in locking in $HYPER at its fixed presale price can visit the official Bitcoin Hyper website and connect a supported wallet such as Best Wallet.

Purchases can also be done via bank card.

Visit the Official Website Here

The post Crypto Price Prediction Today 18 February – XRP, Bitcoin, Ethereum appeared first on Cryptonews.

Running a carefully structured prompt through ChatGPT can reveal some striking 2026 price outlooks for XRP, Dogecoin, and Solana.

Based on ChatGPT’s projections, all three cryptocurrencies could reach fresh all-time highs (ATHs) sooner than you think.

Below, we break down the analysis.

XRP ($XRP): ChatGPT Maps Out a Long-Term Route to $8

In a recent update, Ripple reiterated that XRP ($XRP) remains the core pillar of its plan to establish the XRP Ledger as a globally scalable, institution-ready payments network.

Source: ChatGPT

Known for fast transaction finality and minimal fees, XRPL has also emerged as a leading blockchain for two fast-growing crypto segments: stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets.

With XRP currently trading near $1.44, ChatGPT estimates that the token could climb as high as $8 by the end of 2026, implying a potential sixfold increase from current levels.

Market signals appear to reinforce this outlook. XRP’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) is uptrending at 42, a sign of renewed buying interest following an extended selloff.

Key catalysts include rising institutional inflows tied to recently approved U.S.-listed XRP exchange-traded funds, Ripple’s expanding enterprise partnerships, and the possible passage of the U.S. CLARITY bill later this year.

Dogecoin (DOGE): Could the First Meme Coin Eclipse the Doge Army’s $1 Target?

Dogecoin ($DOGE) started as a joke in 2013 but has grown into a digital asset with a market capitalization of $17 billion, accounting for over half of the $36 billion meme coin sector.

DOGE last set an all-time high of $0.7316 during the retail-driven bull market of 2021.

While Dogecoin’s $1 milestone feels far off, ChatGPT suggests a bull market could spur Dogecoin to reach that level this year.

From its current price around $0.10, reaching $1.50 would represent gains of 1,400%, or 15x.

Adoption continues to grow. Tesla accepts DOGE for select merchandise purchases, while platforms such as PayPal and Revolut support Dogecoin transactions.

Solana (SOL): ChatGPT Sees a Run Toward $450

Solana ($SOL) currently supports approximately $6.6 billion in total value locked (TVL) and holds a market capitalization near $50 billion. Increasing on-chain activity, rising developer engagement, and expanding daily users are fuelling its growth.

Momentum has also been boosted by the launch of Solana-linked exchange-traded funds from firms such as Bitwise and Grayscale, which are drawing new institutional interest.

However, after undergoing a prolonged correction in late 2025, SOL has spent much of February trading below $100.

Under ChatGPT’s most bullish projection, Solana could advance from its current price of $85 toward $450 by Christmas. Such a move would represent nearly 5x upside for current holders and comfortably surpass Solana’s prior ATH of $293, recorded in January 2025.

Solana’s long-term outlook remains strong. Asset managers including Franklin Templeton and BlackRock are actively issuing tokenized real-world assets on the network, reinforcing Solana’s position as a scalable platform for institutional-grade blockchain applications.

Maxi Doge: Step Aside Dogecoin, Maxi Enters the Meme Coin Spotlight

Finally, for investors chasing higher-risk, higher-reward opportunities, there is an abundance of opportunities among meme coin presales.

Maxi Doge ($MAXI) has quickly become one of the most discussed presales of 2026, raising $4.6 million so far during its ongoing funding round.

The project centers on Maxi Doge, a loud, gym-loving, unapologetically degen character portrayed as a distant cousin and challenger to the throne of Dogecoin, capturing the irreverent fun that fueled the 2021 meme coin boom.

MAXI is an ERC-20 token on Ethereum’s proof-of-stake network, giving it a much lower environmental footprint than Dogecoin’s proof-of-work model.

Early presale buyers can currently stake MAXI tokens for yields of up to 68% APY, with returns gradually decreasing as more participants enter the staking pool.

The token is priced at $0.0002804 in the current presale phase, with automatic price increases triggered at each funding milestone. Purchases are supported through MetaMask and Best Wallet.

Maxi Doge’s the new sheriff of Memesville!

Stay updated through Maxi Doge’s official X and Telegram pages.

Visit the Official Website Here.

The post New ChatGPT Predicts the Price of XRP, Dogecoin and Solana By the End of 2026 appeared first on Cryptonews.

XRP is quietly climbing the rankings while price action looks boring.

The XRP Ledger just moved into sixth place by tokenized real world asset value, overtaking Solana and closing in on BNB Chain.

Over the past 30 days alone, the network added $354M in tokenized assets. That growth happened even as XRP price faced pressure during the broader market pullback.

Source: RWA.XYZ

That divergence matters. On chain expansion while price stalls often signals infrastructure building beneath the surface. If issuance continues at this pace, XRP could challenge for a top five position globally.

This is structural growth. More assets issued on chain means more utility flowing through the network..

The key question is whether this on chain strength eventually forces a repricing, or if macro and liquidity conditions keep XRP capped in the short term.

XRP Price Prediction: Can This Stop The Bleeding Now?

XRP is no longer bleeding inside that old descending channel. It already broke out and is now consolidating just under the $1.50 supply zone.

That level is everything short term.

It lines up with prior breakdown structure and is acting as the current ceiling. As long as price holds above the broken trendline and keeps printing higher lows on this 4H structure, pressure builds.

Immediate support sits at $1.30. Lose that and the market likely rotates back toward $1.10, which is the real invalidation zone for this recovery attempt.

But if $1.50 gets flipped into support with clean acceptance, the chart opens up quickly toward $1.90, then $2.10.

So while price looks “boring,” the structure is quietly improving. If that continues, it would not be surprising to see price eventually catch up to the underlying growth narrative.

While Utility Builds Quietly, Meme Energy Like Maxi Doge Moves Loudly

XRP may be strengthening under the surface, but consolidation under $1.50 is not exciting traders right now.

Meme coins do not wait for patience.

Maxi Doge ($MAXI) is built for momentum phases, not quiet accumulation. Clear narrative. High-conviction meme branding. A community-driven setup designed to move fast when sentiment rotates away from slow structural plays.

And early momentum is already visible. The $MAXI presale has raised around $4.6 million so far, with staking rewards reaching up to 68% APY for early participants.

If large caps are building quietly, retail often chases louder opportunities. Maxi Doge is positioned exactly where that energy usually flows next.

Visit the Official Maxi Doge Website Here

The post XRP Price Prediction: XRP is Crushing Solana and Coming for Binance Coin Next – Should You Buy Now? appeared first on Cryptonews.

Arthur Hayes just switched gears. The BitMEX co founder is now calling for a major crypto rally, and he is tying it to a $572 billion liquidity wave coming from Washington.

The trigger? A Treasury shift involving the TGA and heavier buybacks. In simple terms, more cash flowing back into the system.

Hayes calls it monetary morphine. And in his view, that shot of liquidity means the worst of the downturn is already behind us.

Key Takeaways

The Thesis: A synchronized drawdown of the Treasury General Account and debt buybacks will flood markets with cash.

The Numbers: Hayes calculates roughly $572 billion in net liquidity hitting the financial system before year-end.

The Timeline: This injection creates a high-probability environment for a Bitcoin surge starting now.

Why Is Hayes Calling This a Liquidity Event?

To get Hayes point, you have to look at how the Treasury actually works. The Treasury General Account is basically the government checking account at the Fed. When that balance is high, cash just sits there. When it gets spent down, that money flows into the banking system and boosts overall liquidity.

Source: Treasury Gov

Hayes says this is stealth stimulus. While the Fed keeps talking tough about tightening, the Treasury is quietly pushing cash back into circulation to stabilize the debt market. That gap between messaging and action is where he sees opportunity.

In simple terms, liquidity is being injected even if it is not labeled as easing. And in markets driven by flows, that matters more than headlines. If the faucet is open, risk assets like Bitcoin tend to respond.

Breaking Down the Numbers: The $1 Trillion Question

Hayes is not being subtle about the scale. The TGA balance is sitting near $750 billion, while Treasury guidance points to a target closer to $450 billion. That difference alone implies roughly $301 billion flowing back into the system as the balance gets drawn down.

Source: MacroMico

Then add the buybacks. The Treasury has started repurchasing older bonds to support market functioning. Hayes estimates that program could inject another $271 billion per year at the current pace. Put together, that is about $572 billion in liquidity.

From his perspective, that kind of flow offsets much of the Federal Reserve quantitative tightening. It is not labeled as easing, but the effect can feel similar. And when liquidity rises, risk assets usually do not stay quiet for long.

What Does This Mean for Bitcoin Price?

Hayes is calling it plainly. In his view, the bad phase for crypto is behind us. Bitcoin has historically moved with global liquidity, and if dollars are expanding again, that shifts the balance in BTC favor.

More supply of USD often means stronger upside pressure on scarce assets.

Bitcoin (BTC)

24h7d30d1yAll time

The setup is already tilted bullish. Funding rates have been extreme, hinting at a crowded short trade. If fresh Treasury liquidity starts flowing while shorts are leaning the wrong way, that combination can turn into a fast squeeze. Hayes thinks that opens the door to a run back toward all time highs, even $100,000.

He is not alone in that stance. Big players are quietly stepping back in, adding exposure during dips. The message from Hayes is simple. When liquidity turns, markets move. And this time, he believes the move is up, not down.

Discover: Here are the crypto likely to explode!

The post Arthur Hayes Shares Two Scenarios for Bitcoin Price, Calling for a Major Crypto Rally appeared first on Cryptonews.

BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes says Bitcoin is flashing a severe warning regarding dollar liquidity that stock markets have yet to acknowledge.

While the Nasdaq remains flat, Bitcoin has tumbled from its highs, signaling what Hayes describes as an impending AI-driven credit crisis.

This divergence suggests traditional equities are mispricing systemic risk.

Key Takeaways

Market Signal: Bitcoin’s decoupling from a stable Nasdaq indicates a sharp withdrawal of dollar liquidity.

Macro Thesis: Hayes predicts AI advancements will trigger white-collar job losses, leading to consumer credit defaults.

Critical Data: Crypto derivatives markets saw a massive $12 billion leverage washout in a single week.

Why Is the Correlation Between Bitcoin and Nasdaq Breaking?

Bitcoin has traded in lockstep with tech stocks for months, with correlations surging to 0.75 by January 2026.

That relationship has unraveled. While the Nasdaq 100 holds steady, bear market risks are escalating for crypto as Bitcoin retreats significantly from its October 2025 all-time high of $126,080.

Hayes argues this split is not innocuous market noise. In his Substack post “This Is Fine,” he claims Bitcoin is reacting primarily to fiat credit conditions.

"This Is Fine" is an essay on why $BTC is predicting an AI-adoption driven financial crisis which will be "solved" with printed monay!https://t.co/sp2NBHWorM pic.twitter.com/RTtEbogYAR

— Arthur Hayes (@CryptoHayes) February 17, 2026

He envisions a scenario where economic displacement grinds the “Pax Americana” economy to a halt. In this view, Bitcoin is acting as the canary in the coal mine, pricing in liquidity stress before it hits the broader stock market.

The Data Behind the Move

The numbers support the theory of a liquidity withdrawal. Bitcoin futures open interest collapsed by approximately 20% in a single week, dropping from $61 billion to $49 billion.

This rapid deleveraging suggests capital is fleeing the crypto sector faster than traditional finance.

While the liquidity landscape is tightening due to the Federal Reserve draining the reverse repo facility, warnings of a full crisis may be overblown.

Arthur Hayes' essay "This Is Fine" argues AI will cause massive white-collar job losses (e.g., 72M US knowledge workers), triggering defaults on credit/mortgages, bank failures, and deflationary crisis. Bitcoin's recent drop signals this, diverging from Nasdaq. The Fed will…

— Grok (@grok) February 17, 2026

Crypto-specific factors, such as stalled regulation and ETF flow exhaustion, are also exacerbating Bitcoin’s drawdown.

Interestingly, Bitcoin has lost its sensitivity to the dollar itself. The asset has failed to rally even during periods of USD weakness, a reversal from historical trends where a cheaper dollar boosted crypto prices.

Discover: The best meme coins.

How Concerned Should You Be?

Hayes’ theory falls if Bitcoin can launch a quick and sustained recovery. If it fails to rebound, the inverse link to equities might assert itself further.

Hayes believes the smart money is moving toward privacy assets like Zcash and DEX tokens like Hyperliquid, betting that state oversight will increase in order to manage economic contraction.

For shorter-term traders, volatility signals remain elevated. If Hayes is correct about the dollar credit crunch, traditional markets may soon join Bitcoin downward.

However, if this is purely a crypto-native washout, the divergence could offer a buying opportunity for those betting on a liquidity rotation later in the year.

Discover: The best new cryptocurrencies.

The post Bitcoin’s Divergence From Nasdaq Signals Dollar Liquidity Risk, Says Arthur Hayes appeared first on Cryptonews.

A critical oracle pricing glitch has left decentralized lending platform Moonwell grappling with nearly $1.8 million in bad debt.

A misconfigured oracle briefly valued Coinbase Wrapped ETH (cbETH) at just $1 Sunday morning, triggering a sudden cascade of liquidations, in a sobering reminder of the fragility lurking in DeFi infrastructure.

Key Takeaways

Oracle Failure: A configuration error in Chainlink OEV wrapper contracts caused the system to price $2,200 cbETH at a 99.9% discount.

Bad Debt Event: Liquidators seized collateral by repaying mere pennies on the dollar, wiping out 1,096 cbETH and leaving the protocol with $1.78 million in bad debt.

Risk Signal: The incident highlights systemic liquidity risks, mirroring concerns seen as BlockFills freezes withdrawals due to counterparty exposure.

What Caused the Oracle Failure on Moonwell?

According to the postmortem on Moonwell’s Discord, the trouble started Sunday at 6:01 PM UTC following the execution of governance proposal MIP-X43. This upgrade enabled Chainlink OEV wrapper contracts on Base and Optimism, but one feed contained a fatal flaw.

According to risk management firm Anthias Labs, the system failed to multiply the cbETH/ETH exchange rate by the ETH/USD price. Instead, it used the raw exchange rate directly.

This resulted in the oracle reporting a price of roughly $1.12 for an asset trading near $2,200.

Reports indicate the flawed code layout may have been generated by AI tools, specifically Claude Opus 4.6, raising serious questions about audit verification standards for generated code.

Claude Opus 4.6 wrote vulnerable code, leading to a smart contract exploit with $1.78M loss

cbETH asset's price was set to $1.12 instead of ~$2,200. The PRs of the project show commits were co-authored by Claude – Is this the first hack of vibe-coded Solidity code? pic.twitter.com/4p78ZZvd67

— pashov (@pashov) February 17, 2026

Breaking Down the $1.8M Bad Debt

Trading bots immediately pounced on the discrepancy. With the system believing cbETH was worth barely a dollar, liquidators repaid roughly $1 of debt to seize massive amounts of collateral.

In total, 1,096 cbETH was wiped out. That effectively erased the collateral for many borrowers while leaving the protocol holding the bag for the unpaid loan value.

Update on yesterday’s cbETH Core Market issue:

No other markets on Base or OP Mainnet were affected. The issue is isolated to the cbETH Core Market on Base.

Once identified, our risk manager @anthiasxyz moved quickly to reduce the cbETH borrow cap to 0.01 to contain further… https://t.co/CCwNK9aalw

— Moonwell (@MoonwellDeFi) February 16, 2026

Moonwell’s risk manager, Anthias Labs, moved fast to contain the bleeding. They reduced supply and borrow caps to 0.01 to prevent new users from entering the broken market.

This type of sudden liquidation cascade shows why Ethereum faces crash risks whenever on-chain leverage is mispriced.

Discover: The best new crypto on the market

What This Means for DeFi Lenders

While Moonwell operates across multiple chains with over $90 million in TVL, this incident shakes confidence in automated governance execution. Users must now wait for a governance vote to fix the configuration.

This is not an isolated event. It follows a trend of oracle-related exploits, reinforcing why decentralized protocol security is just as critical as centralized solvency.

The crypto market structure is currently fragile, evidenced by data showing Binance controls 65% of CEX stablecoin reserves.

When liquidity is concentrated and validation fails, the fallout is instant. For yield farmers, this is a signal to check whether your protocol’s code was written by a human or a chatbot before depositing.

Discover: The best meme coins in the world.

The post Oracle Error Leaves DeFi Lender Moonwell With $1.8 Million in Bad Debt appeared first on Cryptonews.

The Digital Chamber has officially announced the Prediction Markets Working Group, a strategic unit designed to secure federal oversight for the booming wagering sector.

With individual state regulators cracking down on prediction market platforms, the group is pushing for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to take exclusive control to end the fragmentation of the market.

Key Takeaways

New Defense Unit: The Digital Chamber forms a specialized group to defend prediction markets against state-level bans.

Primary Goal: Advocating for CFTC supremacy over fragmented state gaming commission enforcement.

First Move: Strategic letter sent to CFTC Chair Mike Selig urging tailored federal rulemaking over litigation.

What’s Happening to U.S. Prediction Markets Now?

The regulatory turf war has reached a boiling point. While volumes on decentralized platforms explode, state regulators are effectively trying to shut the sector down.

Just recently, the Nevada Gaming Control Board hit Kalshi with a civil enforcement action, seeking an injunction against what they term “unlicensed wagering.”

This creates a hostile environment for traders. Platforms are caught between federal compliance efforts and aggressive state gaming commissions claiming jurisdiction.

The Digital Chamber’s move is a direct response to this chaos, aiming to consolidate oversight under federal law rather than state gambling statutes.

4/4 Focusing exclusively on shaping durable and responsible policy and regulation, our Prediction Markets working group looks forward to working closely with the CFTC, Congress, and market participants. Full statement: https://t.co/p9T7pP7e6r

— The Digital Chamber (@DigitalChamber) February 17, 2026

The Mechanics of the Push

The group’s immediate strategy involves aggressive advocacy and litigation support. In the announcement released Tuesday, the Digital Chamber outlined plans to file “friend-of-the-court” briefs to educate judges on the CFTC’s historic regulatory exclusivity.

Their first official action was sending a letter to CFTC Chairman Mike Selig. The group praised Selig’s stance on maintaining federal jurisdiction but demanded an end to regulation by enforcement.

We confidently support the nomination of Michael Selig as CFTC Chair. This is a critical era for crypto policy and @MikeSeligEsq is prepared to lead @CFTC from day one with a strong understanding of crypto's potential to position the U.S. as a financial leader for generations. pic.twitter.com/1AWbBRi6oc

— The Digital Chamber (@DigitalChamber) October 24, 2025

“For too long, operators in this space have navigated a maze of regulatory ambiguity, including unclear overlaps between federal and state regulators,” the group stated.

This initiative parallels broader legislative efforts. While Trump wants a market structure bill soon, this working group seeks to define prediction markets strictly as financial derivatives, not gambling products.

Discover: The hottest meme coins on Solana right now.

What Happens Next for Traders?

If the working group succeeds in establishing federal oversight, it opens the floodgates for institutional capital.

A clear mandate from the CFTC would remove the “gambling” stigma and allow US-based traders deeper access to liquid markets without fear of sudden platform geo-blocking.

However, the legal battles will likely drag on. While international jurisdictions move quickly, evident as Germany and the EU solidify frameworks like MiCA, the US remains stuck in litigation.

The next thing to look out for will be the CFTC’s response to the Digital Chamber’s letter.

Any signal of formal rulemaking could be a bullish catalyst for governance tokens associated with prediction platforms.

Discover: The next crypto to explode.

The post Crypto Lobby Forms Working Group to Push for Prediction Market Regulatory Clarity appeared first on Cryptonews.

Crypto advocacy group Coin Center is lobbying the U.S. Senate to maintain a crucial clause in the upcoming market structure bill, according to a new blog post.

This provision protects software developers from liability if third parties misuse their open-source code for illicit activities.

The stakes are incredibly high for the industry. Removing these protections could freeze innovation by making coders legally responsible for how strangers use their tools. That is a risk few developers are willing to take.

Key Takeaways

Liability Shield: Coin Center argues that developers who do not control assets should not be treated as money transmitters.

Senate Standoff: The Senate Judiciary Committee is blocking the clause, citing enforcement concerns over platforms like Tornado Cash.

Procedural Roadblock: The dispute has stalled the broader market structure bill, delaying regulatory clarity.

Why Is Coin Center Lobbying so Hard?

The Senate Banking Committee is currently deliberating a comprehensive digital asset market structure bill.

This legislation aims to define how the CFTC and SEC regulate the industry. Recently, Trump suggested a crypto market structure bill could arrive soon, ramping up the urgency.

However, a specific clause protecting non-custodial developers has hit a wall. Leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee, including Senators Dick Durbin and Chuck Grassley, have intervened. They argue that shielding developers weakens laws against unlicensed money transmitters.

This political friction has created a significant procedural hurdle for the bill. Without a compromise, the entire legislative package risks indefinite delay.

https://t.co/s2WfxKDelb

— Coin Center (@coincenter) February 17, 2026

The Battle Over Code Liability

For Coin Center, preserving this liability shield is a top priority. The advocacy group contends that punishing developers for the actions of users creates “chilling uncertainty” for open-source innovation.

The core issue revolves around control. Coin Center argues that if you merely publish code, like the developers of a decentralized exchange, you do not control user funds. Therefore, you cannot comply with Bank Secrecy Act requirements designed for custodial intermediaries.

Few people are actually paying attention to the fact we are on the edge of a generational bull run in Bitcoin and crypto that will be spearheaded by the Clarity act and Market Structure bill.

There is going to be insatiable demand for digital assets once the market digests this. pic.twitter.com/hyXJaVoGlu

— The ₿itcoin Therapist (@TheBTCTherapist) February 6, 2026

This distinction is vital for the DeFi sector. Protocols where rely on developers building open systems without fear of prosecution.

If the Senate removes these protections, writing smart contracts could become a criminal liability in the U.S.

This debate refers back to earlier legislative attempts, such as the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act, which sought similar clarifications regarding non-controlling blockchain services.

Discover: The best crypto to diversify your portfolio with.

What Happens Next?

The industry is now watching the Senate Banking Committee. They must decide whether to strip the clause to appease the Judiciary Committee or fight to keep it. Stripping it might pass the bill, but it leaves developers exposed.

Looking globally, the U.S. risks falling behind jurisdictions with clearer frameworks. For instance, Germany’s central bank endorsed stablecoins under the MiCA regulation, providing the kind of legal certainty U.S. builders are desperate for.

If the Senate fails to resolve this standoff, major market structure legislation could be pushed into late 2026. Until then, American developers operate in a dangerous gray zone.

Discover: Here’s the best pre-launch token sales in crypto now.

The post Coin Center Pushes Senate to Preserve Crypto Developer Liability Protections appeared first on Cryptonews.

Crypto sentiment has cooled heavily in the past few months. Bitcoin dipped from $126k to $65k, most altcoins dipped 50-80% from local highs and with this in mind, capital allocation has become more selective. In this climate, speculative narratives tend to fade quickly, and infrastructure-focused projects receive closer scrutiny.

That does not mean development has slowed. Historically, quieter market phases have often been when core infrastructure is built and refined. Investors and builders alike begin paying closer attention to structural efficiency, sustainability, and long-term utility instead of short-lived momentum.

LiquidChain ($LIQUID) enters the conversation from that angle. Its ongoing crypto presale centers on liquidity coordination and staking mechanics rather than trend-driven hype. Instead of positioning itself as another isolated blockchain, the project frames its Layer 3 architecture around unifying liquidity across major ecosystems while integrating staking as a core network function.

LiquidChain’s Unified Liquidity Model

Liquidity fragmentation remains one of decentralized finance’s most persistent inefficiencies. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana each command deep capital pools, yet these reserves operate largely within separate ecosystems. Moving capital between them introduces additional steps, infrastructure complexity, and operational risk.

LiquidChain proposes a unified liquidity framework designed to coordinate execution across these major chains. Rather than relying entirely on traditional bridging mechanisms, the protocol introduces a settlement layer intended to manage cross-chain interactions under a single execution environment.

Unified liquidity pools sit at the center of this design. Assets from Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana can be represented within a shared structure, allowing capital to interact across ecosystems without remaining siloed. The objective is to reduce duplicated liquidity and improve capital efficiency across decentralized markets.

The architecture is supported by a high-performance virtual machine capable of processing multi-chain operations in real time. Combined with cross-chain verification mechanisms, the system aims to minimize the additional trust assumptions that have historically accompanied bridging solutions.

By operating as a Layer 3 meta-layer, LiquidChain does not attempt to replace existing blockchains. Instead, it focuses on coordinating liquidity and execution across them.

$LIQUID Crypto Presale and Staking Model

The $LIQUID token underpins participation within this framework. The current crypto presale marks the early distribution phase prior to broader infrastructure rollout and mainnet milestones.

Staking plays a central role in the token’s utility design. Public data indicates that over 30.5 million $LIQUID tokens are currently staked. This early staking participation signals engagement from presale participants and introduces supply dynamics that influence circulating availability.

High annual percentage yields (APYs) are currently offered as staking incentives. However, these yields are structured dynamically. As more participants stake $LIQUID, reward distribution becomes spread across a larger pool of tokens. This naturally reduces the APY over time. The mechanism is common in staking-based systems: early participants receive a larger proportional share of rewards, and as the staking pool grows, returns normalize.

This design creates a time-sensitive incentive without guaranteeing outcomes. Early participation benefits from higher reward distribution rates, yet long-term sustainability depends on ecosystem growth and network usage. The staking framework therefore functions both as an incentive layer and as a mechanism to align token holders with network development.

Beyond staking, $LIQUID is positioned to interact with unified liquidity pools, cross-chain settlement processes, and future ecosystem modules outlined in the roadmap. As infrastructure components go live, token utility is expected to expand alongside them.

As with all early-stage blockchain initiatives, development milestones, market conditions, and adoption will influence long-term dynamics. The crypto presale phase provides exposure to the project prior to full deployment, but it also carries the typical risks associated with infrastructure buildout.

Infrastructure Before Momentum

Market cycles tend to reward infrastructure only after it proves resilience. During periods of muted sentiment, attention shifts toward structural gaps that remain unresolved. Cross-chain liquidity coordination remains one of those gaps.

LiquidChain’s thesis centers on reducing capital fragmentation across major ecosystems while aligning token holders through staking incentives. Unified liquidity pools, cross-chain execution, and staking participation form the core pillars of its design.

Whether the model achieves broad integration will depend on technical execution and developer adoption. Yet the focus on liquidity efficiency and incentive alignment positions the project within a longer-term infrastructure narrative rather than a short-term price narrative.

In an environment where sentiment fluctuates, infrastructure development continues. LiquidChain’s crypto presale represents an early-stage entry into a framework built around coordination, staking mechanics, and cross-chain liquidity efficiency; areas that remain central to the next phase of decentralized finance expansion.

Explore LiquidChain and its ongoing crypto presale:

Presale: https://liquidchain.com/

Social: https://x.com/getliquidchain

Whitepaper: https://liquidchain.com/whitepaper

The post LiquidChain ($LIQUID) Crypto Presale Introduces Unified Liquidity and Staking Framework appeared first on Cryptonews.

HYLQ Strategy Corp has completed a strategic digital asset investment in qLABS, acquiring qONE tokens in an over-the-counter transaction with the Quantum Labs Foundation.

The qONE token trades on the booming Hyperliquid platform and is the native token of the qLABS ecosystem. HYLQ Strategy is the second public company to invest in quantum-safe tokens. qLABS partner 01 Quantum, as a founding member, is also a holder of qONE tokens.

According to the terms of the agreement shared in a company press release, HYLQ purchased 18,333,334 qONE tokens for an aggregate purchase price of $0.006 in an investment totalling $100,000, inclusive of bonus tokens.

The transaction was executed directly with the Quantum Labs Foundation and settled in USDC. This strategic investment represents HYLQ’s commitment to supporting quantum-resistant infrastructure within the Hyperliquid ecosystem, making this the first institutional investment in quantum-safe cryptographic solutions built natively on Hyperliquid.

qLABS is the world’s first quantum-native crypto foundation, developing blockchain solutions resistant to quantum computing threats.

https://t.co/cOPw1T2zCF

— qLABS (@qlabsofficial) February 18, 2026

qLABS Launching Quantum-Safe Protection for Digital Assets

The foundation will launch the Quantum-Sig smart contract wallet to provide quantum-safe protection for digital assets at the user and asset level.

A separate L1 Migration Toolkit is in the works. Its design will help Layer-1 blockchains transition their core infrastructure to quantum-resistant cryptography ahead of Q-Day. Q-Day is the anticipated moment when quantum computers become powerful enough to break current cryptographic systems.

The qONE token, launched on Hyperliquid on 6 February 2026, serves as the ecosystem utility token, granting access to quantum-resilient wallet functions, protocol governance, and the broader quantum-safe infrastructure developed by qLABS.

qLABS leverages IronCAP by 01 Quantum Inc. (TSXV: ONE), a NIST-approved post-quantum cryptography system.

HYLQ Strategy CEO Matt Zahab, commenting on the company’s investment in qLABS’ Quantum Labs Foundation, said:

“As quantum computing advances toward Q-Day, protecting crypto assets from quantum threats is becoming increasingly critical.”

He added: “qLABS is building essential quantum-resistant infrastructure natively on Hyperliquid, addressing a systemic risk that threatens the entire blockchain industry. This investment aligns perfectly with HYLQ’s mandate to support innovative companies within the Hyperliquid ecosystem that are building foundational infrastructure for the future of decentralized finance.”

HYLQ Stock Price is up 28.5% YTD

Year-to-date, HYLQ Strategy (HYLQ:CNSX CA) stock is up 28.5% at CAD0.90. In addition to its primary Canadian listing, the stock also trades over-the-counter in the US (HYLQF: OTCMKTS US). HYLQ is not to be confused with the competing digital asset treasury company, Hyperliquid Strategies (PURR), which trades on the Nasdaq.

How qONE’s staking plans could provide an income stream for HYLQ shareholders

According to Ada Jonuse, Executive Director at qLABS, qONE owners will be able to stake their tokens to earn yield and acquire protocol governance rights.

This means that HYLQ – at some point in the future – may be able to generate yield for its shareholders as a direct result of its $100,000 investment in qONE. An exact date for staking going live is yet to be revealed.

“Staking and governance participation are features to be enabled further down the roadmap when our core products are live and implemented in a full operational environment,” Jonuse explains.

“Because our 100% focus lies on security, in the early stage of the ecosystem, key decisions will be taken by the core team with gradual decentralization envisioned over the years.”

The centralization risk is acknowledged and mitigated through staking-based governance participation, time-weighted and activity-weighted voting, and progressive decentralization as emissions and unlocks occur.

Governance is expected to decentralize meaningfully as protocol usage grows.

Staking rewards will be set dynamically, which means yield is determined by the size of the staking pool, protocol usage, and fee generation, as well as the staker’s proportional contribution.

Jonuse says this approach “aligns incentives with real economic activity rather than fixed inflation.”

The price of the qONE token has been on a bullish run since launch, but the discounted token price offered to HYLQ triggered a sharp pullback, followed by an equally sharp bounceback. qONE was trading at $$0.01569 in the European morning session.

Why launching qONE on Hyperliquid was probably a smart move

Since last year’s 10 October record liquidation event, which wiped out $19 billion in value and marked the start of the current bear market, Hyperliquid and its native HYPE token have decoupled from other crypto assets.

While Bitcoin and Ethereum struggle with institutional outflows, retail investor apathy, and stagnant price action, HYPE surged to new highs, recently trading around $30.05.

YTD Performance Comparison (1 Jan – 17 Feb 2026)

Launching on Hyperliquid is looking increasingly like a very smart move by the qLABS team. As Jonuse points out, “Hyperliquid is a top player in DeFi and soon a venue for trading pretty much all assets on-chain.

“While Quantum-Sig wallet technology will protect any EVM or Solana assets, and our core innovation can be used to upgrade any smart contract-based chain, we are launching on Hyperliquid to highlight the importance of this chain.

“Launching $qONE on Hyperliquid positions us at the intersection of cutting-edge security infrastructure and an actively expanding ecosystem, allowing $qONE to benefit not only from technical alignment but also from narrative-driven adoption and visibility.”

The post HYLQ Strategy Invests in Hyperliquid Quantum Solutions Pioneer qLABS, Buys 18,333,334 qONE Tokens appeared first on Cryptonews.

Christine Lagarde might not stick around until 2027. Reports suggest the ECB president is weighing an early exit.

If that happens, it is not just a personnel change. It could scramble the timeline for the digital euro and stablecoin oversight right as MiCA rules start taking effect.

A leadership shakeup at this stage would inject fresh uncertainty into Europe crypto roadmap.

Key Takeaways

Early Departure: Lagarde is reportedly weighing an exit before October 2027 to align with French presidential elections.

Succession Race: Top contenders include Dutch central bank chief Klaas Knot and Spain’s Pablo Hernández de Cos.

Project Risk: A change in leadership threatens the continuity of the digital euro project and euro-stablecoin oversight.

Why Is The Timing Critical for Europe And Crypto?

Lagarde has been the driving force behind the ECB digital push. Since 2019, she moved the digital euro from theory into formal investigation. Now, just as MiCA stablecoin rules are being finalized, her potential exit lands at a sensitive moment.

Source: Christine Lagarde

Without her leading the charge, the sovereign payment narrative weakens. There are also political layers here. Aligning her departure with the April 2027 French election could give President Macron influence over who steps in next.

The bigger concern is policy drift. A new ECB chief could shift focus back to traditional tightening and slow down digital euro efforts. That would leave more room for private stablecoins to fill the gap.

Who Could Take The Reins?

Publicly, the ECB says she is fully focused on her job. But the timing being floated suggests this is more than random chatter. The idea is to step aside before political shifts in France and Germany complicate the process.

Names are already circulating. Spain’s Pablo Hernández de Cos. Dutch central bank chief Klaas Knot. Even Bundesbank head Joachim Nagel is in the conversation.

Glad to welcome @BIS_org General Manager Pablo Hernández de Cos back to the @ecb today.

We had a good discussion on the latest economic developments. pic.twitter.com/NiOrDgbMRV

— Christine Lagarde (@Lagarde) February 11, 2026

Officially, nothing is confirmed. ECB executive Piero Cipollone says he has no knowledge of an early exit plan. Still, markets tend to price political risk before headlines become formal announcements.

With 21 eurozone nations needing to approve a successor, whoever takes over could significantly shape Europe’s stance on crypto and the digital euro.

What Happens to the Digital Euro?

A leadership vacuum would leave the digital euro in a fragile spot. The project already faces pushback from banks and privacy advocates. Without Lagarde driving it forward, momentum could fade fast.

And this is happening while stablecoin liquidity is shifting quickly. If the ECB hesitates on building a serious euro alternative to US dollar tokens, private players will not wait.

At the same time, the US and other major economies are accelerating their crypto frameworks. Europe cannot really afford a slowdown. Leadership uncertainty rarely supports long term institutional projects.

Discover: Here are the crypto likely to explode!

The post Lagarde Exit Report Raises Questions Over Digital Euro Timeline and Stablecoin Policy appeared first on Cryptonews.

Cathie Wood is back shopping. ARK Invest just picked up 41,453 shares of Coinbase stock, worth about $6.9 million.

What makes it interesting is the timing. Just weeks ago, ARK was trimming exposure. Now they are stepping back in as COIN tries to stabilize.

Key Takeaways

The Buy: ARK purchased 41,453 shares worth $6.9 million across three ETFs on Feb. 18.

The Split: The majority went to the flagship Innovation ETF (ARKK), which took 29,689 shares ($4.9 million).

The Pivot: This reverses a selling streak from early February where ARK offloaded $17.4 million in COIN.

Is This a Tactical Pivot?

Just a few weeks ago, ARK was heading the other way. The firm dumped about $17.4 million worth of COIN on Feb. 5 and Feb. 6 while the broader market was sliding. At the same time, it rotated capital into the crypto exchange Bullish.

Now the script has flipped. That fresh $6.9 million buy suggests ARK sees value at these levels. It looks like the classic buy the dip play they are known for.

For traders watching ETF flows, this matters. ARK usually caps positions around 10% of a fund. The earlier selling and latest add likely reflect portfolio balancing, not panic. It feels more like weight management than a change in long term conviction.

Why ARK Just Bought $6.9M in Coinbase Stock

The accumulation was spread across three key funds. The flagship ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) led the charge with a $4.9 million allocation. The Next Generation Internet ETF (ARKW) added $1.2 million, while the Fintech Innovation ETF (ARKF) picked up $704,000.

This buying activity occurred as COIN rebounded. Shares closed up 1% Tuesday at $166.02 and have gained 8.4% over the last five trading days. Technically, the stock is trying to find support after falling 28% year-to-date.

Source: Ark Invest Tracker

Market observers note that such purchasing often precedes potential rallies. Similar technical signals are flashing elsewhere in the market, with some analysts warning of extreme funding rates that could trigger squeeze scenarios.

According to the firm’s disclosures, COIN remains a heavyweight in the portfolio. It is the seventh-largest holding in ARKK (4% weighting) and the third-largest in ARKF (5.6% weighting).

What Does This Signal for COIN Stock?

ARK’s return to the buy side suggests confidence despite Coinbase’s mixed earnings. The company recently reported a $667 million net loss for Q4, driven largely by unrealized crypto losses.

However, analysts remain bullish. Bernstein maintained an outperform rating with a $440 price target—implying over 200% upside. This optimism is partly fueled by expectations that historical capital inflows could boost retail trading volume in the coming months.

Regulatory clarity also looms large. With discussions heating up in Washington, specifically regarding upcoming market structure bills, the fundamental case for Coinbase could shift rapidly. For now, Cathie Wood is betting that the current price is a discount, not a distress signal.

Discover: Here are the crypto likely to explode!

The post Cathie Wood Reverses Course, Buys $6.9M in Coinbase Stock – Is ARK Betting on a Rebound? appeared first on Cryptonews.

World Liberty Financial (WLFI) crypto is tearing through resistance, rallying nearly 20% to test the critical $0.12 level. The catalyst is clear: intense Whale Accumulation ahead of today’s high-stakes summit at Mar-a-Lago.

Key Takeaways

Surge: WLFI spikes 20% to trade near $0.118, eyeing a confirmed breakout above the $0.12 resistance zone.

Whales: A fresh wallet withdrew 25 million tokens ($2.75M), signaling high-conviction buying before the event start.

Catalyst: The sold-out Mar-a-Lago forum kicks off today with top finance and Trump Crypto figures.

Why is the Market Buying the Hype?

All eyes are on the World Liberty Forum, launching today at Donald Trump’s Palm Beach club. This is not a casual networking event. It is positioned as a serious attempt to connect traditional finance with DeFi.

Big names are expected in the room, including Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and Goldman Sachs chief David Solomon. That kind of guest list shifts the tone from hype to credibility. Traders are watching closely, not for meme momentum, but for signals of institutional alignment.

The timing also matters. Political momentum around clearer crypto regulation is building, and optimism around an upcoming market structure bill is adding fuel. If that backdrop firms up, projects tied to this ecosystem could benefit from a stronger foundation rather than just speculative buzz.

The Data: Whale Wallets in Motion

The big players are not waiting for headlines to confirm anything. On chain data shows a brand new wallet pulled 25 million WLFI, about $2.75M, off exchanges just hours before the rally kicked off. That is not random timing. That is positioning.

The World Liberty Fi (@worldlibertyfi) has withdrawn 313.31M $WLFI worth $33.76M from #Binance in the past 11 hours.

Address: 0xd1fc0d21a2122bcb3204e28ac5fc3449ee01f6ee pic.twitter.com/Jqo7Jp0t70

— Onchain Lens (@OnchainLens) February 18, 2026

When tokens leave exchanges, supply tightens. If demand starts rising at the same time, price reacts faster. We are already seeing that effect.

Volume has exploded more than 120%. That kind of spike usually means larger flows are involved, not just retail chasing green candles. It fits the classic pattern where whales accumulate during politically or economically sensitive moments, then momentum builds around them.

Will WLFI Break $0.15?

All eyes are locked on $0.12. Clear that level cleanly and $0.15 comes into focus fast. The market is already front running expectations around the rumored “World Swap” forex service and potential RWA integrations set to be discussed at the forum.

That kind of anticipation fuels momentum. But it also raises the stakes.

24h7d30d1yAll time

Well, the announcements come with real details and timelines, buyers likely press harder. If it is vague or delayed, a sharp sell the news reaction would not be surprising.

For now, though, sentiment is leaning bullish. The heavyweight guest list and political backing are giving the Trump crypto narrative serious traction.

Discover: Here are the crypto likely to explode!

The post WLFI Crypto Surges Toward $0.12 as Whale Buys $2.75M Before Trump-Linked Forum appeared first on Cryptonews.

Peter Thiel just made a quiet but loud move. He and Founders Fund have fully exited their position in Ethereum treasury firm ETHZilla. The confirmation came through a fresh 13G filing with the SEC.

That is a sharp pivot. Just months ago, Thiel’s entry sent the stock flying more than 90%. Now he is out.

The timing raises eyebrows. It suggests that institutional enthusiasm for this Ethereum treasury model may be cooling, especially with broader market volatility back in focus.

Key Takeaways:

Total Exit: Founders Fund liquidated its entire stake following an initial 7.5% acquisition in August 2025.

Market Impact: ETHZilla shares slid nearly 7% to $3.20 in premarket trading, down 97% from their $107 peak.

Strategic Pivot: The firm is shifting focus from pure ETH accumulation to tokenizing real-world assets (RWA) like aircraft engines.

What Does the Exit Signal?

This is not just any investor stepping aside. Founders Fund was one of the biggest early backers, taking a 7.5% stake when ETHZilla pivoted from biotech into a digital asset treasury play. At the time, that move felt like serious institutional validation for Ethereum linked balance sheet strategies.

Now they are out. Completely.

BREAKING: Peter Thiel Fully Exits ETHZilla – What It Means

Billionaire Peter Thiel just dumped his ENTIRE stake in #ETHZilla – The company that tried to be the "MicroStrategy of Ethereum."

They raised $425M, hoarded 100,000+ ETH, got Thiel's backing… and now?
→ $ETH Crashed… pic.twitter.com/ykaQ1uDJND

— Crypto Patel (@CryptoPatel) February 18, 2026

That does not automatically mean they are bearish on crypto itself. It looks more like a shift in confidence toward this specific treasury model. The distinction matters.

Interestingly, Founders Fund has kept exposure to other crypto infrastructure names. That suggests selectivity, not retreat. In volatile markets, capital often consolidates into what it sees as higher quality plays rather than spreading risk widely.

Breaking Down the Filing And What Could Happen Next

The SEC filing shows Founders Fund fully liquidated its position. No trimming. No partial exit. A clean break. The market did not take it lightly.

ETHZilla shares fell nearly 7% in premarket trading, hovering around $3.20. That is a brutal 97% drop from the $107 peak last August.

Source: ETHZ / TradingView

The weakness lines up with the company’s own moves. ETHZilla recently sold $40 million worth of ETH for stock buybacks and another $74.5 million to manage debt. It now holds about 69,802 ETH, roughly $139 million at current prices. That is small compared to larger treasury players in the space.

The firm is now shifting toward real world asset tokenization, targeting areas like housing loans and aircraft engines.

At this stage, the story is no longer just about holding ETH. It is about whether the RWA strategy can generate real revenue and stabilize the business model.

Discover: Here are the crypto likely to explode!

The post Peter Thiel Quietly Exits Ethereum Treasury Firm ETHZilla – Warning Sign for the DAT Model? appeared first on Cryptonews.

A flood of fresh cash might about to land in crypto. Roughly $150 billion in tax refunds will hit U.S. consumer accounts by the end of March.

Some analysts think part of that money could drift straight into risk assets. Including crypto. Wells Fargo strategists say this refund wave, boosted by 2026 tax incentives, may quietly fuel retail participation again.

And the timing is interesting. Markets are sitting at key technical levels. If even a fraction of that capital rotates into digital assets, the retail bid could show up right when it matters most.

Key Takeaways

$150B Liquidity Wave: Wells Fargo analysts project roughly $150 billion in refunds will be distributed by late March.

Refunds Are Up 11%: Early IRS data shows the average refund size has jumped to $2,290, increasing retail purchasing power.

Retail Catalyst: Historical data suggests the “refund effect” correlates with increased inflows into retail-heavy crypto assets.

Why Does Refund Season Matter for Crypto?

Liquidity moves markets. And right now, the U.S. Treasury is about to inject a wave of it. After the One Big Beautiful Bill passed in July 2025, tax cuts boosted refund sizes for a lot of Americans.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has already hinted that refunds this season could be “very large.” That means more disposable cash landing in bank accounts.

Average tax refunds are projected to jump by $1,000 this year — returning $91 BILLION back to the American people.

The largest tax refund season in U.S. history is here thanks to @HouseGOP’s Working Families Tax Cuts.

More money back in your pocket. pic.twitter.com/U3hktiKsq7

— Congressman Gabe Evans (@repgabeevans) February 7, 2026

Historically, lump sum payouts like this do not just go toward bills. A slice often flows into investments. And in recent cycles, that has included digital assets. Retail participation tends to rise when people feel flush.

Refund averages usually peak around mid February. That timing lines up with the current surge in activity across several altcoins. When fresh cash meets technical breakout zones, the reaction can be sharper than most expect.

The Data: Bigger Checks, Faster Deposits

The early numbers for the 2026 filing season are already coming in hot. By February 6, the IRS had processed more than 20.6 million returns and sent out nearly $16.954 billion in refunds.

The average check is now around $2,290, up roughly 10.9% from last year.

Source: Tax Foundation

Direct deposits are even higher, averaging about $2,388. And the money moves quickly. Most e filers see funds within about 21 days, which means that cash is ready to be deployed almost immediately.

Another wave is coming too. Once PATH Act restrictions lift after February 15, refunds tied to the Earned Income Tax Credit start flowing. Historically, that second wave is larger and hits later in February.

Fresh liquidity entering an already concentrated exchange environment can have an outsized effect. Especially if even a small slice finds its way into risk assets.

Will This Trigger the Next Leg Up?

Tax refund season hitting at the same time as improving regulatory tone is not random timing. It creates a strong backdrop for risk assets. Funding rates are already flashing extremes, which tells you shorts are crowded.

If even a fraction of retail refund money rotates into spot crypto, that buying pressure could trigger a fast short squeeze.

Bitcoin (BTC)

24h7d30d1yAll time

The macro tone adds fuel. Political signals around clearer crypto legislation are improving sentiment. When retail feels regulatory risk is fading, confidence returns quicker.

Over the next six weeks, roughly $150 billion will move into consumer accounts. Not all of it will hit crypto, but it does not need to. Even a small percentage can shift momentum in a leveraged market.

Keep an eye on the weekly IRS updates toward the end of February. That data will show whether the liquidity wave is building or already peaking.

The post $150B in US Tax Refunds Could Fuel Fresh Crypto Inflows, Historical Data Suggests appeared first on Cryptonews.

Crypto fans are living through turbulent times but global crypto adoption continues to progress quietly in the background.

Here’s why XRP, Solana, and Dogecoin may be some of the savviest plays ahead of the next bull run.

XRP (XRP): Ripple’s SWIFT Challenger Targets a $5 Move

With a market cap exceeding $87 billion, XRP ($XRP) remains the leading cryptocurrency issued specifically to facilitate enterprise-grade cross-border payments.

The XRP Ledger (XRPL) was developed as a blockchain solution to SWIFT, deliver near-instant settlement times and lower costs for banks and financial institutions.

Ripple has recently unveiled its developing vision, underlining XRPL’s role in institutional payment systems and real-world asset tokenization, while reinforcing XRP’s importance as the network’s core utility token.

Both the United Nations Capital Development Fund and the White House have highlighted to XRP’s efficiency in recent reports, reflecting high-level recognition of its potential to revolutionize global payment rails.

Adding to the bullish case, U.S. regulators recently approved spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs), giving traditional investors regulated access to the asset.

A bullish flag formation formed across its support and resistance lines from late 2025 through to January. This means XRP could be on track to test the $5 level by summer. However, further bearish market news could see it drop to the $1 support level.

Solana (SOL): Ethereum’s Main Rival at a Make-or-Break Moment

Solana ($SOL) is the largest smart contract platform outside of Ethereum, currently hosting $6.6 billion in total value locked (TVL) and carrying a market cap of $47 billion.

Trading around $83.50, SOL recently dropped well below its 30-day moving average after forming a bearish head-and-shoulders pattern.

However, the relative strength index (RSI) is hovering near 34, a reading that can signal undervaluation and attract buyers searching for a discounted entry point.

A decisive break above resistance levels around $200 and $275 could open the door for SOL to revisit, and potentially surpass, its previous all-time high of $293.31 before the end of Q2. On the downside, failure to recover could see the price slide toward the $30 range.

Solana’s early leadership in real-world asset tokenization remains a key long-term catalyst. Major asset managers, including BlackRock and Franklin Templeton, have already launched tokenized investment products on the network.

Dogecoin (DOGE): Can the Original Meme Coin Reach $1?

Introduced in 2013, Dogecoin ($DOGE) is still the largest and most recognizable meme coin, with a market capitalization around $17 billion.

DOGE surged into the mainstream during the 2021 bull market, boosted by vocal support from celebrities such as Elon Musk, Snoop Dogg, and Gene Simmons.

Despite its joke-inspired origins, Dogecoin’s massive community and liquidity tend to dampen the extreme volatility seen in smaller meme tokens. As a result, DOGE often trades more like established assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP, making it undoubtledly one of the best meme coins.

The long-standing “Dogecoin to $1” narrative continues to energize holders.

If bull season comes early, DOGE could make significant progress toward that goal, potentially climbing from its current $0.09 level to around $0.50 by mid-year, a move representing gains of more than 5x.

New Bitcoin Presale Brings Solana-Level Performance to BTC

While established networks like Solana and XRP offer relative stability, investors looking for more headroom for growth may want to investigate Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER), a viral Bitcoin layer 2 project that delivers Solana-style transaction speed and low costs to the Bitcoin network.

For the first time, Bitcoin holders can stake assets, earn yield, trade, and interact with smart contracts without transferring funds off the Bitcoin network.

This unlocks new possibilities for Bitcoin, including DeFi applications and near-instant payments, all supported by high-throughput infrastructure.

With more than $31 million already raised and growing interest from major wallets and exchanges, $HYPER is already one of the buzziest crypto launches of the year.

Visit the official Bitcoin Hyper website and connect a compatible wallet such as Best Wallet.

Bank card payments are also supported.

Visit the Official Website Here

The post Crypto Price Prediction Today 18 February – XRP, Solana, Dogecoin appeared first on Cryptonews.

When asked a carefully structured prompt, DeepSeek hints at the possibility of high upside this year for current HODLers of XRP, Pepe, and Shiba Inu, a timeline that may catch unprepared investors off guard.

Below is a breakdown of how current technical signals and broader ecosystem developments may support DeepSeek’s bullishness.

XRP ($XRP): DeepSeek Believes Ripple’s Roadmap Could Lift XRP Toward $8

In a recent company blog post, Ripple reiterated that XRP ($XRP) remains central to its ambition of turning the XRP Ledger into a globally adopted, enterprise-level payments infrastructure.

Source: DeepSeek

Thanks to near-instant settlement times and minimal transaction costs, the XRP Ledger is likely to benefit from growth in two rapidly expanding segments: stablecoins (including RLUSD) and real-world asset tokenization.

Presently, XRP trades close to $1.44. DeepSeek’s forecast points to a potential advance toward $8 by late 2026, implying gains of over 450% from current prices.

From a technical standpoint, XRP’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) is hovering around 42 and rising after briefly being oversold. That it has now converged with its 30-day moving average again suggests growing strength.

Possible upcoming catalysts include fresh institutional demand following approval of U.S. spot XRP ETFs with more ETFs to come, Ripple’s growing list of strategic partnerships, and the likelihood of U.S. legislators progressing the CLARITY bill later this year.

Pepe ($PEPE): DeepSeek Says Crypto’s Biggest Frog May Grow More than 5x in 2026… Feels Good, Man

Pepe ($PEPE), launched in April 2023, has emerged as the largest meme coin outside the Dogecoin niche, currently sporting a market capitalization near $2 billion.

Inspired by Matt Furie’s Boy’s Club comics, PEPE’s instantly recognizable visuals and meme-driven appeal have kept it highly visible across social media platforms.

Despite fierce competition within the meme coin arena, PEPE’s committed community, along with the many imitators it has spawned, has helped it maintain high visibility and dominance within the space.

Adding to the intrigue, occasional cryptic posts from Elon Musk on X have fueled speculation that PEPE may be sitting beside DOGE and BTC among his personal holdings.

PEPE is currently priced around $0.000004444, roughly 84% below its December 2024 peak of $0.00002803.

Although under DeepSeek’s most bullish assumptions, PEPE may not set a new ATH this year. Still, it could surge by approximately 440%, climbing to around $0.000024.

Shiba Inu (SHIB): DeepSeek Sees an Explosive Rally of Nearly 2,000%

Shiba Inu ($SHIB), introduced in 2020 as a tongue-in-cheek rival to Dogecoin, has since grown into a broad crypto ecosystem with a market capitalization of about $3.8 billion.

Currently trading near $0.000006505, DeepSeek suggests that a decisive breakout above resistance in the $0.000025 to $0.00003 range could trigger a strong breakout, potentially driving SHIB to $0.000115 by year-end.

Such a rally would represent roughly 1,668% upside from current levels and would place SHIB just above its October 2021 ATH of $0.00008616.

On the fundamentals front, Shiba Inu now offers more than meme appeal. Its Layer-2 network, Shibarium, delivers faster transactions, lower fees, enhanced privacy, and improved developer tools, helping SHIB stand apart from most meme coins, which lack utility.

Maxi Doge: A New Meme Coin Enters the Conversation

Thanks to their multibillion market caps, Shiba Inu and Pepe are effectively blue chip cryptos now.

So, investors chasing the next SHIB or PEPE are better off in the presale market, which offers bounteous opportunities to snap up the next big thing at very little cost.

Maxi Doge ($MAXI), a new meme coin that has already attracted over $4.6 million from investors anticipating a fresh meme-coin supercycle this year.

The project centers on Maxi Doge, a gym-obsessed, degen-themed rival to Dogecoin, leaning heavily into the competitive, irreverent humor that originally catapulted meme coins into the mainstream.

Presale buyers can currently stake MAXI for yields of up to 68% APY, with rewards decreasing as more tokens enter the staking pool.

MAXI sells at $0.0002804 in the current presale round, with scheduled price increases at each funding milestone. Tokens can be purchased using wallets such as MetaMask and Best Wallet, or via bank card.

Stay updated through Maxi Doge’s official X and Telegram pages.

Visit the Official Website Here

The post China’s DeepSeek AI Predicts the Price of XRP, PEPE and Shiba Inu By the End of 2026 appeared first on Cryptonews.

XRP just flashed a warning sign traders hate to see.

A Gravestone Doji printed on the daily chart after buyers failed to hold a breakout above $1.65. Price is now hovering around $1.45. That candle tells a simple story. Bulls pushed higher. Sellers slammed it back down.

This pattern forms when the open, close, and low sit near the same level, but a long upper wick shows aggressive rejection.

The last time XRP showed a similar signal on a higher timeframe, it dropped 46%. That is why traders are paying attention.

Volume slipped during the move, suggesting the recent rally was losing momentum. That adds to the exhaustion narrative. The options market is not offering much comfort either, with flows leaning cautious rather than aggressively bullish.

XRP Price Prediction: Can XRP Go to Zero?

Let’s be precise here. By strict candlestick definition, this is not a textbook gravestone. A true Gravestone Doji has the open, close, and low almost identical, with a near invisible body.

Yes, buyers pushed toward $1.65, only to get slammed back to around $1.45. That is rejection. But it is not an automatic collapse.

Source: XRPUSD / TradingView

The more important factor right now is structure. XRP already broke out of its prior descending channel, and the real danger would be slipping back inside that structure.

As long as price holds above that broken channel and defends the $1.40–$1.45 zone, this can still be a consolidation above a breakout rather than a reversal.

Volume did fade into the push higher, which supports the idea of short-term exhaustion, but fading volume alone does not confirm a 46% style drop.

The key now is whether XRP maintains its breakout structure. Lose that, and $1.30 comes into focus.

When Big Caps Get Boring, Memecoins Like Maxi Doge Do Not

While XRP debates whether that rejection near $1.65 means consolidation or collapse, attention quietly shifts elsewhere. In uncertain moments, capital does not disappear. It rotates toward assets that can move without needing a perfect structure.

That is where Maxi Doge ($MAXI) steps in.

Maxi Doge is not fighting over broken channels or defending psychological levels. It is built for momentum bursts. Clear meme identity. Aggressive positioning. A community that thrives when volatility rises and sentiment turns reactive.

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.

Visit the Official Maxi Doge Website Here

The post XRP Price Prediction: Deadly “Gravestone Doji” Spotted – Can XRP Go to Zero? appeared first on Cryptonews.

Bitcoin price just did something it hasn’t done in 12 years. It broke its long-term trend against gold.

That line held through bull markets, crashes, bans, ETFs, everything. Now it is gone. And some analysts are not calling it random noise. They are pointing at something much bigger. Quantum computing.

On-chain analyst Willy Woo argues that the breakdown aligns with rising awareness of quantum risk. The concern is simple but heavy.

Bitcoin relies on ECDSA cryptography. In theory, a powerful enough quantum computer running the Shor algorithm could derive private keys from public ones. Not today. But possibly within 5 to 15 years.

Source: The 12-year trend line of Bitcoin priced in Gold has broken to the downside

Fund manager Justin Bons says the market may be rational in starting to price that risk early. Roughly 4 million older or lost BTC could be vulnerable in a quantum scenario. If those coins were suddenly accessible, that would constitute a supply shock that no current valuation model properly accounts for.

That narrative is creeping into price. Not just macro. Not just ETF flows. A structural tech risk.

Price reflects that uncertainty. Bitcoin is sitting near $68,000 and struggling to build momentum. Support around $66,500 remains critical. A failure there opens the door to deeper downside, with some analysts watching the $55,000 region.

Developers are discussing quantum-resistant upgrades, but no clear roadmap has been finalized. Until the network standardizes a solution, this narrative adds a ceiling over long-term valuation.

Bitcoin Price Prediction: BTC Price is Feeling The Doubts Now

Zoom into the chart, and you can actually see that hesitation.

After the sharp drop inside that descending channel, Bitcoin price was based around $60K–$64K and then carved a higher low.

That is important. It shows buyers are defending that red demand zone. Since then, price has been grinding sideways under the $70K–$71K supply band. That area is the gatekeeper. Flip it, and $80K opens up quickly, with $90K and even $98K sitting above as clean air targets.

Source: BTCUSD / TradingView

Lose $64K, though, and the structure weakens fast. Below that, $60K is the last major support before things get uncomfortable.

Now layer in the quantum narrative. The break in the 12-year BTC/gold trend adds a psychological ceiling. It explains why price is not exploding higher even after heavy short positioning and extreme funding. The market is cautious. Not panicking, but cautious.

If Bitcoin Faces a Tech Ceiling, Bitcoin Hyper Builds a New Layer

Bitcoin is still grinding under heavy resistance. It needs strong conviction to move. And conviction is fragile when narratives turn cautious.

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is not waiting for macro clarity or long-term debates to resolve.

This Bitcoin-focused Layer-2, powered by Solana technology, delivers speed, lower fees, and real on-chain utility while preserving Bitcoin core security. It maintains brand power while removing the limitations that slow capital.

And traction is already building. The Bitcoin Hyper presale has raised over $31 million so far, with $HYPER priced at $0.0136751 before the next increase. Staking rewards currently reach up to 37%.

Bitcoin Hyper is positioned to capture momentum in the meantime.

Visit the Official Bitcoin Hyper Website Here

The post Bitcoin Price Prediction: 12-Year Trend Shattered Has Broken – Is “Quantum Computing” Secretly Killing Bitcoin? appeared first on Cryptonews.