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Speaking live on Fox Business, MicroStrategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylorconfirmed on Tuesday that the digital asset market has entered a "crypto winter."

This will be the fifth major drawdown for Bitcoin since Saylor entered the space five years ago.

"Milder" and "shorter"

When asked if the market was in the early stages of an extended bear cycle, Saylor was direct.

"We are in a crypto winter," Saylor admitted. "This is the fifth major drawdown of Bitcoin in the five years since I've been in the marketplace."

However, he emphasized that this downturn differs significantly from previous cycles, predicting a rapid recovery due to institutional and political support.

"This is a much milder winter than previous winters. It'll be shorter than previous winters. It's going to be followed by a spring and then a glorious summer. So don't fear," he said.

Pro-Bitcoin White House

Saylor attributed his confidence to a fundamentally different macro environment compared to four years ago.

He cited the embrace of digital assets by the banking sector and the current U.S. administration as key stabilizers.

"We've got the support of the administration…We've got 12 cabinet members that are pro-digital assets and pro-innovation," Saylor explained.

Defending the Strategy

Fox Business pressed Saylor on MicroStrategy's financials, noting that the company's average Bitcoin acquisition cost of approximately $76,000 is now "materially above current market levels."

As the price action moves toward the $1.50 support zone, which is currently a pivotal point of contention between buyers and sellers, XRP is getting close to a crucial technical moment. XRP has finally reached a point where market players must decide whether the asset can stabilize, or if another leg lower is likely after weeks of constant downward pressure.

With XRP trading below important moving averages that are still sloping lower and feeding bearish momentum, the overall trend is still under pressure. Sellers have repeatedly regained control, and recent price recovery attempts have only resulted in brief bounces. According to its current structure, XRP is heading for another test of the $1.50 level, which has previously served as short-term support during recent volatility.

There is a good chance that this level will not break right away, though even in the face of bearish pressure. Repeatedly tested support zones frequently draw defensive buying, especially from traders hoping to seize relief rallies following protracted declines. Any impending breakdown may be slowed down by volume spikes around recent lows, which also suggest that some participants are actively accumulating at discounted prices.

However, the dangers are still high. The response may be quick if XRP is unable to maintain above $1.50 in the next test. A confirmed breakdown would probably lead to stop-loss cascades and fresh selling pressure, which could quickly push the asset toward deeper support zones. When round-number support levels do not hold, market psychology tends to increase volatility.

Overall, momentum indicators are still weak, and although there is a chance for a brief recovery, the overall bearish trend has not yet been altered. Buyers must effectively defend $1.50 and drive the price back above adjacent resistance levels if they want to prevent XRP from plunging too quickly.

Shiba Inu rounding up

After months of consistent downward pressure, Shiba Inu is starting to exhibit early technical indicators that a recovery phase may be developing. On the daily chart, SHIB may be forming a rounded bottom pattern based on recent price action. This formation is frequently linked to slow trend reversals rather than abrupt rebounds.

Selling pressure seems to be waning after a prolonged decline that drove SHIB to steadily lower levels. Price action has begun to flatten rather than make aggressive new lows, with buyers filling in during dips and progressively raising short-term support zones. Rounded bottom formations usually appear in this gradual shift from aggressive selling to cautious accumulation. Although the pattern is still in its early stages, its structure is already apparent.

The price of SHIB has started to rise after forming a base, indicating that market players are gradually moving from distribution to accumulation. Following prior sell-off-related spikes, volume activity also exhibits indications of stabilization, suggesting that panic-driven selling may be abating.

The recovery has not yet been verified, though. Key moving averages continue to serve as overhead resistance, and SHIB is still trading below them. A complete breakout has not occurred because selling pressure has halted recent attempts to move higher. The price must keep making higher lows and eventually retake adjacent resistance zones if the rounded bottom is to result in a long-term recovery.

Additionally, momentum indicators are progressively getting better, edging out of oversold territory and confirming the notion that downside momentum is waning. However, it is still necessary to exercise patience, because rounded bottoms often take some time to fully develop before making a clear upward move.

Will BTC breakthrough commence?

Following a severe sell-off earlier this month that sent the cryptocurrency below multiple important support levels, Bitcoin is now stabilizing. Price action has entered consolidation mode after a decline toward the $65,000-$68,000 range, with sellers still active close to short-term resistance and buyers trying to regain control. Though the pattern is still in its early phases, this force balance is starting to form what may eventually turn into a triangle formation on the daily chart.

Bitcoin is currently trading in a narrow range, making slightly higher lows but consistently failing to regain nearby moving averages. Following the recent panic-driven decline, this slow compression indicates that volatility is cooling. Nevertheless, the triangle that many traders are observing is far from finished. It will take a long time and more swings for the price to fully develop the pattern; only the initial structure is currently taking shape.

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It would be premature to declare an impending breakout because the structure is still in its infancy. Triangle formations usually need a long period of consolidation before a final move is made. The current price action instead indicates hesitancy as market players process the recent decline and assess whether the worst of the correction is over, or if there is still a chance for another leg down.

This cautious approach is supported by volume behavior. After a sharp increase during the decline, trading activity has since leveled off, exhibiting neither aggressive accumulation nor fresh capitulation. Additionally, momentum indicators remain neutral, showing a lack of strong directional conviction and, instead, a sense of uncertainty.

Bitcoin would need to overcome adjacent resistance zones and regain short-term trend indicators, which currently limit recovery attempts, in order for a bullish breakout scenario to be credible. If the emerging higher-low structure is not maintained, on the other hand, downside risk toward earlier support zones may reopen.

XRP drops 7.5%, Upbit sell-off blamed

50 million XRPsold in less than 24 hours.

Sharp correction. XRP recovery stalled near $1.66 over the weekend before triggering a sharp reversal.

XRP's recovery stopped around the $1.66 level this weekend, which triggered a rather violent crash. According to CoinGecko data, XRP is currently down 7.5%, reaching an intraday low of $1.45.

According to fresh market analysis by pseudonymous trader Dom (@traderview2), the enormous plunge was driven by a localized sell-off event on South Korea’s largest exchange, Upbit.

Key driver. The abrupt exit may have been driven by either a single large whale.

After XRP reached the $1.66 local high, sell pressure on Upbit exploded. Over a window of just 15 hours, Upbit users executed a staggering -50 million XRP in net market sales. Either a "mega-whale" or a collective panic among South Korean retail traders forced an abrupt exit.

SHIB attempts to stabilize after extended sell-off

Shiba Inu istrending downward after an unsuccessful recovery attempt that got shut down as soon as weekend trading ended.

$0.00000666. Shiba Inu dropped below the $0.000006 mark earlier this week following a sharp breakdown but has since reclaimed that level.

Shiba Inu's recent price action indicates that the asset is returning to the $0.00000666 region following a brief recovery attempt that was unable to create long-term upward momentum.

After recovering from recent lows, the token looked to be stabilizing for a short while, but fresh selling pressure soon put SHIB back in a precarious position, making traders wary of what might happen next.

The most recent drop, which quickly erased about 9% of SHIB's value, essentially made it impossible for a longer-term reversal to form. The price had started reclaiming moving averages and testing short-term resistance levels prior to the decline, indicating a possible change in momentum.

Downtrend. SHIB remains below downward-sloping moving averages, keeping the broader trend bearish.

But the sell-off that followed the rejection close to those resistance points shows that bearish pressure is still predominant over longer time periods.

SHIB is still trading below important trend indicators from a technical perspective, and volume spikes during red sessions indicate that sellers are still in control of the overall direction.

The idea that the current rebound phase is more corrective than transformative has been strengthened by the repeated failures of attempts to create higher lows.

BTC is breaking 12-year trend against gold

Willy Woowarns of a "Quantum Discount" as Bitcoin breaks a 12-year trend against gold.

BTC vs. gold. Willy Woo says Bitcoin’s long-standing “digital gold” narrative is facing a structural test.

The decade-long narrative of Bitcoin as "digital gold" is facing its most significant structural challenge yet. Renowned on-chain analyst Willy Woo, in a recent X post, warned that Bitcoin has broken a 12-year valuation trend relative to gold, citing a looming "Quantum Discount" that could suppress prices for years.

Historically, Bitcoin has aggressively outpaced gold in value — by 76,231,860% according to ICE chart on TradingView. However, Woo observes that this relationship has decoupled just as the global "long-term debt cycle" reaches its peak. While macro investors typically flee to hard assets during debt deleveraging, gold is "mooning" while Bitcoin remains tethered.

Liquidity shock. The concern centers on roughly four million dormant or “lost” BTC.

The primary fear is not just Bitcoin network security but a massive liquidity event, as Woo points out that roughly four million "lost" Bitcoins — untouched for years and often belonging to early adopters and even the creator of the cryptocurrency, Satoshi Nakamoto — could become vulnerable. If quantum technology can unlock these wallets, those coins would effectively return to circulation.

The crypto market is currently suffering from a severe case of indifference, according to new data from the derivatives sector.

David Lawant, a prominent market analyst, has pointed to the collapsing premiums in Bitcoin futures as definitive proof that speculative appetite has completely evaporated.

In a post on X, Lawant stressed the CME Bitcoin basis typically acts as a key gauge of institutional demand for leverage, noting that the "carry" trade has all but vanished.

"Where's the carry?"

The "basis" refers to the difference in price between a Bitcoin futures contract and the underlying spot market. In a healthy, bullish market, futures trade at a premium (contango) as traders pay up for leverage.

Currently, that premium is compressing rapidly.

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"Where's the carry? CME BTC basis is a great gauge for market apathy rn," Lawant wrote. "Constant-maturity basis is compressing across the curve to levels not seen since Oct '23."

Worse than panic

The analysis offered by the expert shows that the market is currently displaying less demand for upside leverage than it did during some of the most chaotic market crashes of the last two years.

Traders are pricing in less demand for leverage now than they did during the "Liberation Day flush" of April 2025 and the "German/JPY unwind" of mid-2024.

This shows that the market has moved beyond fear and settled into deep apathy. Investors are not currently panic-selling, but they certainly aren't buying. This leaves the derivatives market with a "flatline" signal that hasn't been seen since the quiet accumulation phase of late 2023.

Veteran commodity trader and chartist Peter Brandt has poured cold water on a viral bullish theory circulating on social media, warning traders that the "massive" reversal pattern they are hoping for does not actually exist.

Bitcoin may go upBut this is NOT an inverse H&SThe level of incompetence about classical charting principles on X and YouTube is unbelievable https://t.co/VBT1QTWOeZ

— Peter Brandt (@PeterLBrandt) February 17, 2026

Brandt stopped short of predicting a price crash, but he took aim at the technical analysis skills of crypto influencers, specifically debunking the claim that Bitcoin is forming a multi-year "inverse head and shoulders" pattern.

The viral "6-year" theory

The rebuke was directed at a post by crypto analyst Coinvo Trading, which claimed that Bitcoin was on the verge of completing a massive bullish structure that has been building for half a decade.

The post urged traders to ignore "bearish noise," predicting that Bitcoin could "bottom at any moment" and launch into a cycle-defining pump.

The inverse head and shoulders is a classic technical setup that typically signals the end of a downtrend and the start of a new bullish phase.

Brandt, a classical chartist with decades of experience, was quick to dismiss the analysis.

"Bitcoin may go up," Brandt conceded. "But this is NOT an inverse H&S."

Brandt went on to express frustration with the loose interpretations of technical analysis often seen on social media platforms.

"The level of incompetence about classical charting principles on X and YouTube is unbelievable," he stated.

A "6-year" pattern often violates the time constraints typically associated with a head and shoulders formation, which is usually a medium-term reversal structure rather than a decade-long cycle map.

The reneweddebate around Adam Back and Satoshi Nakamoto has shifted from identity speculation to a more structural question: does Bitcoin function as a democracy? The trigger was a public exchange over the meaning of “one-CPU-one-vote” in the 2008 Bitcoin whitepaper, with critics arguing that the phrase implies majority rule embedded in the protocol’s design.

"One-CPU-One-Vote" controversy

Back rejects this framing directly. For him,Bitcoin (BTC) does not operate as a political voting system but as a technical consensus network. In his explanation, proof of work is not a ballot but a mechanism for resolving competing block histories under Byzantine conditions.

Hashpower determines which valid chain extends, yet validity itself is defined by nodes enforcing protocol rules. Miners cannot redefine those rules unilaterally because blocks that violate consensus are rejected regardless of computational weight.

The distinction becomes operational when examining Bitcoin Improvement Proposal 110, which proposes temporarily tightening "OP_RETURN" limits to restrict nonfinancial data, such as Ordinals inscriptions.

never mind what the paper says, bitcoin is clearly not a democracy for nakamoto consensus changes. and proof of work which is what that quote is about, is a one hash one "vote" system, as a tie-breaker for byzantine agreement to solve the BGP problem with anonymous participants.

— Adam Back (@adam3us) February 17, 2026

The proposal relies on a User-Activated Soft Fork, meaning node operators would adopt new validation rules without requiring explicit miner-majority signaling. That mechanism tests the core claim: inBitcoin, enforcement power rests with validating nodes rather than with a simple majority of hashpower.

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Back previously has criticized BIP-110 despite past support for limiting blockchain bloat, arguing that contentious rule changes activated without broad alignment risk network fragmentation and undermine Bitcoin’s stability as a monetary system. Current support levels among publicly visible nodes remain limited.

As it stands, if democracy implies majority rule overriding minority preferences, Bitcoin does not fit that description. Instead, it operates as a rules-enforced protocol, where consensus emerges from validation and economic coordination, not from ballots.

Bitmine Immersion Technologies Inc., the crypto treasury firm linked to Tom Lee of Fundstrat, has bought the Ethereum (ETH) dip. According tonew insights from Lookonchain, the firm has topped its Ethereum holdings with 45,759 ETH, a sign of its sustained support for the coin.

Bitmine betting on imminent price rebound

As showcased by the ETH purchase worth a total of $90.83 million, Bitmine has now increased its total holdings to 4,371,497 ETH, valued at $8.68 billion.

Tom Lee(@fundstrat)'s #Bitmine bought another 45,759 $ETH($90.83M) last week and now holds 4,371,497 $ETH($8.68B).The average cost is ~$3,821.At current prices, this position is down over $8.03B.https://t.co/1ut52yzsmO pic.twitter.com/gDnehedwyb

— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) February 17, 2026

Bitcoin has spent the better part of the past month advocating for Ethereum. Within the past year, it has grown its holdings, becoming the largest HODLer of Ethereum, ahead of SharpLink Gaming.

Bitmine's bets onEthereum are currently questionable, as the average cost is $3,821. At the current price of $1,960, this position is down over $8.03 billion. Despite this massive drawdown, Chairman Tom Lee has reiterated that Bitmine has a long-term disposition to the market and does not focus on momentary price shifts.

Pending when the firm sees a return on its holdings, it has staked its Ethereum holdings, compounding returns to its shareholders.

Bitmine and investment diversification

Beyond its role as the biggest Ethereum treasury firm, Bitmine is also diversifying its stake into other ventures. The company hasinvested in MrBeast Industries, injecting up to $200 million into the YouTuber’s business interests.

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Bitmine started as a Bitcoin mining firm, but the undervalued nature of Ethereum soon attracted the firm. Tom Lee once predicted theEthereum price would surpass $15,000 in the long term.

The acquisitions from Bitmine are partially offset by BlackRock, which has continued to sell ETH as part of its ETF portfolio rebalancing.

The Ethereum market outlook remains shaky, with open interest and CME gap analysis hinting at a potential rebound in the long term.

XRP, the fourth largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has gained attention from the crypto community after a large transfer involving tens of millions of XRP stunned the market earlier today.

The transfer, which has stirred discussions across the crypto market, saw a total of 80,898,070 XRP worth over $117 million move among two unknown wallets, according to data provided by blockchain monitoring firm Whale Alert today, Feb. 17.

Although the nature of the transfer remains uncertain considering the undisclosed sender and receiver of the large XRP transaction, speculations predict the move has only sparked a selling narrative, with commentators suggesting that it could be Ripple selling.

The selling narrative is attributable to the bearish sentiment looming across the crypto market, as the market is consistently faced with repeating price corrections, which has seen all leading cryptocurrencies trade in red territory.

XRP stays in red

The timing of the transfer has sparked more doubts than hopes in the minds of investors, as many predict that such a large XRP transfer at a time when the price of the asset has plummeted significantly is unlikely to be a bullish move from the sender.

While XRP has remained in red territory since the time of the transfer, data from CoinMarketCap shows that XRP has declined by 2.69% over the last 24 hours, trading at $1.45 as of writing time.

This shows that the large transfer spotted earlier has not in any way impacted the asset’s price movement positively. Nonetheless, market watchers have expressed concerns about XRP’s next price action amid its weak on-chain performances.

XRP ETFs see fading momentum

While the XRP ETFs had started off very strong, recording significant daily gains as of the early days and weeks of launch, they have failed to maintain this strength.

Following sustained crypto market volatility, the funds have continued to see weak performances, recording little to no capital intake in recent days.

Ripple USD stablecoin has crossed $1.5 billion in market capitalization as institutional utility grows.

Ripple USD (RLUSD)'s market capitalization is currently at $1.52 billion, according to CoinMarketCap data. The Ripple stablecoin is currently ranked as the 46th largest cryptocurrency by market cap.

In recent news, UAE bank Zand, together with Ripple, announced a partnership to help advance and support the digital economy, with innovative solutions powered by the Zand AED (AEDZ) stablecoin and Ripple’s USD (RLUSD) stablecoin.

Powerful new use cases can be unlocked by leveraging stablecoins, blockchain technology and tokenization, as traditional finance moves on-chain, and the partnership between Ripple and Zand represents a significant step forward in the growth of the digital asset ecosystem.

RLUSD expands

The Ripple USD has seen new listings of late. In a new listing, RLUSD was listed on the HashKey exchange.

In the past week, Major crypto exchange Binance completed the integration of Ripple USD (RLUSD) on the XRP network, with deposits and withdrawals now open. This follows an earlier listing by Binance on Ethereum.

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The listing on Binance includes spot trading support for RLUSD and portfolio margin eligibility, and increasing RLUSD’s utility in leveraged trading strategies will be added.

Inclusion in Binance Earn is soon to come, giving users new ways to interact with and benefit from RLUSD holdings.

Earlier in the year, Hong Kong-based crypto exchange OSL announced RLUSD listing with two trading pairs, RLUSD/HKD and RLUSD/USDT, offered to professional investors, and with over-the-counter (OTC) trading services.

XRP sees institutional demand

At the recent XRP community event, Rayhaneh Sharif Askary, head of product and research at Grayscale, highlighted continued interest in XRP.

The Grayscale head of product and research stated that advisors across the country consistently hear about XRP from their clients, highlighting persistent demand.

Grayscale shared this detail in a recent tweet, highlighting the strong community behind XRP as demand stays persistent.

"Advisors are constantly asked by their clients about XRP, and in some cases, it's the second most talked about asset in this community behind Bitcoin," the asset manager noted, sharing a recap of Sharif Askary's comments at the recent XRP Community Day event.

Shiba Inu (SHIB) has successfully staged a nearly 30% recovery from its February lows, but the asset is now facing a critical technical crossroads as the rebound is currently stalling at the $0.0000068 zone — a level that digital assets market participants have dubbed the "Black Friday" resistance due to its history as a major liquidation trigger back in Oct. 10, 2025.

Why "Black Friday" resistance acts as gatekeeper for SHIB

After a slide down starting in late December, SHIB established a base in the $0.0000052-$0.0000054 range, as visible on theTradingView chart. While the 30% bounce looks impressive on paper, the underlying data suggests caution:

Polarity flip: The $0.0000068 level, which acted as a floor during the October crash, has now solidified as a "ceiling." This confirms a classic support-turned-resistance flip.Momentum metrics: The Daily RSI has climbed out of oversold territory but remains capped in the midrange. This indicates that while the selling exhaustion has ended, bullish conviction has not yet taken over.

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For SHIB to transition from a "relief rally" to a "trend reversal," it must decisively reclaim the $0.0000068-$0.000007 band.

The bull case: A daily close above $0.000007 would clear the path forShiba Inu toward the next high-liquidity zone at $0.000009, with a secondary target in the $0.000011 supply cluster.The bear case: Failure to breach this "Black Friday" gatekeeper likely leads to a period of distribution. Watch for a retest of the $0.0000058 support, where a break below that would put the February lows back in play.

SHIB has regained its footing, but the "Black Friday" level, set four months ago, remains the ultimate technical arbiter. Until this barrier is broken, the broader market structure remains corrective for Shiba Inu.

T. Rowe Price has outlined the eligible digital assets for its proposed Active Crypto ETF in an amended Form S-1 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The document outlines a diversified portfolio of 15 cryptocurrencies that the fund may invest in, including XRP, Litecoin,Shiba Inu (SHIB) and Bitcoin, as well as Ethereum.

How Shiba Inu qualified for the Active Crypto ETF alongside XRP and LTC

The filing does not automatically allocate assets and instead defines a structured eligibility framework that determines which assets can be included in the portfolio. As set out in the prospectus, an asset must be classified as a commodity and satisfy at least one of the following three criteria:

Trade on an Intermarket Surveillance Group (ISG) member market.Underlie a CFTC-regulated futures contract with at least six months of trading history.Represent at least 40% of the NAV of an existing exchange-traded fund.

Unlike passive, single-asset spot ETFs, this structure lets the fund be managed actively, allowing adjustments based on liquidity, volatility, derivatives availability and broader market signals. This flexibility gives exposure beyondBitcoin and Ethereum, while staying within regulated market infrastructure.

T. Rowe Price files for an Active Crypto ETF with Litecoin $LTC as one of the considered digital assets. pic.twitter.com/IV1Njf9MlK

— Litecoin (@litecoin) February 16, 2026

Shiba Inu's appearance is interesting, as it suggests that certain high-volume alternative tokens now meet institutional screening criteria relating to market access and surveillance mechanisms.

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Likewise, Litecoin’s presence reinforces its status as one of the longest-running proof-of-work networks with well-established exchange depth. Similarly,XRP’s listing reflects its positioning within the regulated U.S. market following the legal clarification of secondary market trading.

For T. Rowe Price, a $1.8 trillion asset manager, the formal definition of a multiasset crypto universe is more of an operational step toward broader product design than just narrative positioning.

If approved, the ETF would offer diversified crypto exposure within a regulated framework, potentially expanding institutional capital flows into a variety of digital assets under clearly defined eligibility criteria.

According to Ali charts, whale transactions for the largest cryptocurrency by market cap, Bitcoin (BTC), have dropped 72% in two weeks, falling from 5,767 to 1,637.

This follows as sentiment remains fragile on the markets, with the crypto Fear and Greed Index currently at 13, indicating "extreme fear."

Bitcoin $BTC whale transactions have dropped 72% in two weeks, falling from 5,767 to 1,637. pic.twitter.com/nqeaEdg79t

— Ali Charts (@alicharts) February 17, 2026

Bitcoin is currently in red after it marked its fourth consecutive weekly loss since the start of 2026, with the cryptocurrency struggling to find clear direction as its weekend rally fizzled.

Bitcoin fell ahead of the U.S. market open, tracking weakness in equity futures as investors returned to a more cautious macro backdrop.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin was down 0.25% in the last 24 hours to $68,125 as Nasdaq 100 futures and S&P 500 contracts fell.

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Flows remain a headwind. U.S.-listed Bitcoin exchange-traded funds saw a fourth straight week of net outflows, with $360 million withdrawn last week.

According to Arkham, Bitcoin ETFs have now recorded four straight weeks of net outflows, with over $3.4 billion leaving the funds in this time frame. If this week closes red, it will be the longest outflow streak since last March.

Bitcoin drops 46% from all-time high

Bitcoin is currently down 46.12% from an all-time high of $126,198 reached last October as it struggled to latch onto rallies in gold or equities. The broader crypto market has lost almost $2 trillion in value over the same period, according to data from CoinGecko.

Bitcoin’s drop followed a major sell-off on Oct. 10, when billions of dollars in crypto bets were liquidated.

The token’s recent weakness has led some analysts to question whether prices have found a floor, with many seeing $60,000 as a key support level, but that may not hold if risk appetite worsens further.

Standard Chartered predicts Bitcoin could reach $50,000 before recovering to end the year around $100,000, down from a prior projection of $150,000.

Despite market weakness, Strategy continues to add to its Bitcoin position. Today, the Bitcoin treasury company announced it had bought 2,486 BTC for nearly $168.4 million, bringing its total holdings to 717,131 BTC.

XRP is still struggling to recover from the recent price crash that saw it retest multiyear lows. Amid this steady price drop, XRP has seen its network activities continue to decline.

Although the crypto market saw a mild resurgence that witnessed XRP record a notable daily price surge as of Feb. 15, its network activities showed no improvement as the amount of XRP burned as fees on the same day had plunged massively to 126 XRP.

While the asset saw about 519 XRP burned as fees in the previous day, the massive reduction seen the following day included the XRP burn rate declining by a massive 75% in just 24 hours, according to data provided by XRPSCAN.

XRP still up for recovery?

The massive crash in XRP network performance has been largely fueled by the bearish sentiment looming across the crypto market since the recent volatility began a few weeks ago.

While the price of assets has often remained in red territory, investors' confidence is beginning to grow weak, and many traders are beginning to move with caution.

The fading momentum has played a large role in the notable decline in the XRP burn rate, as demand appears to have stalled with no major growth. Rather, the market is only witnessing growing selling pressure.

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While XRP has been showing mixed price action since the new week, kickstarting the week on a slightly bullish trail, it is quite difficult to predict XRP’s next price move with this metric as it does not pose any major or immediate impact on the asset’s potential price movement.

Nonetheless, data from CoinMarketCap shows that XRP has declined by 2.53% over the last 24 hours, and it is trading at $1.45 as of writing time.

While it remains unclear whether XRP would recover from the low price level anytime soon, the slowdown in its network activity coupled with the poor performance from XRP ETFs does not provide a positive outlook for its potential price movement.

Banking and brokerage giant Charles Schwab has boosted its exposure to Strategy, the leading corporate holder.

According to a 13F filing released Tuesday, Schwab, which oversees $12 trillion in client assets, purchased an additional 91,859 shares of Strategy (MSTR) during the reporting period.

This acquisition brings the firm’s total position to 1.27 million shares. They are valued at roughly $168 million at current prices.

Strategy stock has been battered in early 2026 after facing a brutal 2025. Its shares are currently trading at $132 per share.card

Strategy’s enormous $12.6 billion net loss for Q4 2025 has seemingly failed to dissuade Schwab from increasing its MSTR bet.

The bulk of this was due to unrealized "paper" losses on its Bitcoin holdings required by accounting standards during price drops.

Schwab’s crypto bet

Beyond MSTR, Schwab has an efficient "pick-and-shovel" play in the market with its Crypto Thematic ETF (STCE). This fund focuses on providing exposure to the infrastructure backbone of the crypto economy.

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The biggest development, however, is what comes next. Schwab CEO Rick Wurster has confirmed that the brokerage plans to launch direct spot Bitcoin and Ethereum trading in the first half of 2026.

Schwab plans to integrate spot crypto directly into its flagship Thinkorswim platform. This will make it possible for sophisticated traders to manage spot Bitcoin alongside futures, equities, and options.

Schwab could commoditize Bitcoin access for boomers and Gen X.

The Ethereum (ETH) price is likely to record a major rebound in the coming weeks on a potential filling of multiple CME gaps on its chart. According to an updateshared by market analyst Mister Crypto, three distinct CME gaps are now visible on the ETH/USD chart.

Ethereum price to $2,700?

According to the chart, the first of the CME gaps was formed at the $2,020 to $2,070 price mark. A look at the price trend shows the coin dropped from this level over the weekend and presents a good resistance for any relief rebound.

The second CME gap appeared much higher at the $2,200 to $2,310 price mark. This region is considered a major turning point to confirm that short-term selling is gradually easing.

$ETH now has 3 active CME Gaps.These always fill eventually. pic.twitter.com/wsdLdwZxzI

— Mister Crypto (@misterrcrypto) February 17, 2026

Should the ETH price breach this level, it will then face a push toward the gap at $2,710, 36% from the current price level of $1,981.

Ethereum is one of the most sold digital currencies in the industry, withBlackRock often selling it alongside BTC. With the oversold conditions appearing on the ETH chart, Mister Crypto dropped a note, saying CME gaps always fill up in due course.

Ethereum bulls to focus on positives

It is not uncommon for altcoins like Ethereum to experience intense price volatility. While spot whale traders are known to offload the coin, dormant ETH addresses are also adding to this selling pressure.

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Pending when the market rebounds, the broader Ethereum ecosystem is focusing on technical capabilities to prepare for institutional adoption.

Vitalik Buterin has often shared new thoughts on implementing innovations like modernized DAOs to get the most out of the protocol.

The technical updates, alongside the latestleadership reshuffle at the Ethereum Foundation, suggest that the ETH price will be the net beneficiary in the long term.

The final countdown has begun for the permissioned DEX amendment, which creates controlled environments for trading within the XRP Ledger's decentralized exchange (DEX).

According to XRPScan data, the Permissioned DEX amendment is expected to activate on the XRP Ledger within the next 24 hours, with the current countdown being 23 hours.

Permissioned DEX (XLS 81) creates Permissioned DEXes, which are controlled environments for trading within the XRP Ledger's decentralized exchange (DEX). Trading in a permissioned DEX works like trading in the open DEX, except that a permissioned domain controls who can place and accept offers.

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By integrating permissioning features directly within the DEX protocol, regulated financial institutions will be able to participate in the XRP Ledger's DEX while still adhering to their compliance requirements.

The permissioned DEX amendment builds on top of XLS-80, Permissioned Domains, as Permissioned Domains are needed to handle the permissioning aspect. In the long run, it is seen as that which paves the way for wider institutional adoption of the XRP Ledger.

XRP sees persistent demand

At the recent XRP community event, Rayhaneh Sharif Askary, head of product and research at Grayscale, highlighted continued interest in XRP. The Grayscale head of product and research stated that advisors across the country consistently hear about XRP from their clients, highlighting persistent demand.

Grayscale shared this detail in a recent tweet, highlighting the strong community behind XRP as demand stays persistent.

"Advisors are constantly asked by their clients about XRP, and in some cases, it's the second most talked about asset in this community behind Bitcoin," the asset manager noted, sharing a recap of Sharif Askary's comments at the recent XRP Community Day event.

Meanwhile, XRP funds quietly attract inflows. XRP-focused products attracted nearly $4.5 million in the last 24 hours, according to data compiled by SoSoValue, indicating sustained interest despite a market drop.

At the time of writing, XRP was down 1.78% in the last 24 hours to $1.45 and up 3.59% weekly.

Dogecoin (DOGE) has recorded a massive liquidation imbalance in the last hour as the meme coin’s price resets. As perConGlass data, Dogecoin long position traders suffered a 12,928% liquidation imbalance as the price declined by over 2.7% in the last 24 hours.

Dogecoin battles volatility amid Bitcoin slip

Dogecoin has been on a downward spiral in the last 30 days, plunging by 28.02%. The loss of momentum has lingered for a while, but some bullish traders anticipated a reversal was on the horizon. These long-position traders bet on the meme coin’s price to witness an uptick.

However, this failed to materialize, wiping out $304,860 in the last 60 minutes. Dogecoin has seen its price drop from a daily high of $0.103 to a low of $0.09862. DOGE has once again slipped below the critical $0.10 level, losing the gains made in recent days.

Short traders were not spared as they were wiped clean of a total of $2,304. This is due to the sharp drop that caught short-position traders unawares.

As of this writing, Dogecoin waschanging hands at $0.09873, which represents a 2.71% decline in the last 24 hours. The meme coin’s trading volume has also dipped by a massive 31.38% to $1.08 billion. This is likely due to the meme coin-wide market sell-off, as the sector recorded capital rotation within the last 24 hours.

Coincidentally, Bitcoin, to which DOGE is coupled, has also dropped by over 1.45%, increasing the bearish impact on the meme coin. This price slip and capital rotation to less riskier assets could have been responsible for the huge liquidation, which Dogecoin experienced within the 60 minutes.

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Market participants will need to monitor developments as a slip below the $0.0937 level could extend the losses. However, if Dogecoin is able to reclaim the $0.10 level, the meme coin might continue on its bullish rally.

Can DOGE’s golden cross trigger reversal?

Notably, a rally is possible given that over the weekend, Dogecoin’s open interest surged by 12%.

The uptick was triggered by the meme coin’s bullish price outlook. It is likely that theweekend optimism was what overflowed and prompted long-position traders to bet huge on DOGE.

Meanwhile, the golden cross flashed by Dogecoin about seven days ago might still improve the meme coin’s outlook, particularly with DOGE oversold.

Recent on-chain data indicates that roughly 150.4 billion tokens are moving toward exchanges, which is adding to selling pressure, as the asset tries to stage a recovery. Shiba Inu is still struggling for directional momentum. Price action, at the moment, shows a market torn between sustained general bearish pressure and fleeting attempts at a recovery.

Shiba Inu siding with bears

The 26-day EMA serves as an instantaneous resistance barrier, and SHIB is still well below its major moving averages on the daily chart. The fact that every recovery attempt in recent sessions has been capped close to this dynamic level indicates that medium-term price action is still controlled by sellers. Even though SHIB recovered briefly from recent lows, the move has not been able to change the overall trend structure thus far.

Increased selling intent is often indicated by an influx of tokens on exchanges, and this seems to be in line with SHIB's recent price behavior. Rather than confirming a sustained reversal, price momentum weakened once more after the inflow spike, pushing the asset back toward lower support zones. More downward pressure is usually the outcome of increased exchange supply, particularly when market sentiment is still cautious overall.

It might get worse

This outlook is further supported by volume analysis. Even though there have been sporadic buying spikes, they have not been sufficient to counteract the ongoing sell-side liquidity. Consequently, if support levels close to recent lows do not hold, SHIB is still susceptible to additional declines.

Notably, though, SHIB has shown that it can generate strong short-term recoveries following oversold situations. Short-term relief rallies are still possible, even though the overall trend is still weak, as indicated by the RSI level's slow recovery from depressed territory. Nevertheless, unless the price can recover and stay above the 26-day EMA, these rallies are probably going to encounter immediate resistance.

SHIB might keep moving toward lower consolidation zones unless exchange inflows slow and buyers regain control above moving average resistance. Whether support levels out or selling pressure picks back up will be determined in the upcoming sessions.

Recently, Dogecoin has drawn more attention as price action levels off after weeks of consistent decline. DOGE is currently trading just above the psychologically significant $0.10 level, trying to establish a local base after dropping from higher ranges earlier in the quarter. Recent candles show attempts at recovery, with buyers intervening following repeated tests of lower support zones, despite ongoing bearish pressure on higher time frames.

Futures flow changing direction

Data on futures flow has also garnered attention, displaying negative net inflows over a number of time periods. On the derivatives markets, short-term metrics show that outflows are outpacing inflows, indicating that traders are rotating or closing positions.

However, it might be deceptive to interpret this data as a strong bearish signal. Metrics related to futures flow are by nature erratic. Leveraged traders open and close positions in a matter of minutes, causing them to fluctuate quickly.

According to the most recent readings, net inflows went negative during five-, fifteen-, hourly- and multihour windows; however, these changes frequently indicate temporary realignment rather than persistent directional conviction. Furthermore, percentage changes in futures flows may seem inflated when overall trading volumes are low. When the actual dollar value involved is kept small, even a small movement of capital can result in significant percentage swings that give the appearance of abrupt changes in market sentiment.

DOGE derivatives flowing down

In the case of DOGE, derivatives activity does not seem to be indicating the beginning of another significant downward leg but rather seems to be adjusting following a quick sell-off. Current charts indicate that DOGE is trying to stabilize above recent lows rather than accelerating downward, and the price itself is still the more trustworthy indicator.

But the fact that sellers were unable to drive the price much lower than recent lows raises the possibility that aggressive short pressure is already abating. As a result, futures flow readings should be handled carefully by investors. Although these indicators are helpful for tracking trader behavior, they should not be used in isolation. When determining direction, volume confirmation, spot demand and market structure are given more weight.

In a recent tweet, Shiba Inu's official X account reveals that SOU is now live. SOU, an abbreviation for "Shib owes you," is an on-chain NFT intended as a good-faith effort to support impacted Shibarium users with payouts, donations and occasional rewards.

In a 2025 year-end message, Shiba Inu developer Kaal Dhairya introduced this system, revealing his commitment to ensuring that every Shiba Inu-related activity is oriented toward making Shibarium users whole.

In the "Shib Owes You" system, every affected Shibarium user has an SOU NFT — an on-chain, verifiable record of exactly what the Shiba Inu ecosystem owes them. This is cryptographic proof that users own a claim, recorded permanently on the Ethereum blockchain, where no one can manipulate it or make it disappear.

SOU is live Introducing SOU (Shib Owes You) an onchain NFT built as a good-faith effort to support impacted users with payouts, donations, and occasional rewards.Transparent. Tradable. On-chain.You can transfer it, split it, merge it, or trade it on marketplaces.Claim your… pic.twitter.com/ONyO8OitJQ

— Shib (@Shibtoken) February 16, 2026

Each SOU tracks a principal amount, which is the value being owed to a specific user. When payouts happen, the principal goes down, as well as when donations come in from the community.

The entire system, including minting, payouts, donations and transfers, was audited by Hexens, which revealed the audit has now been completed.

In a recent tweet, Hexens revealed security review of the new SOU (Shib Owes You) contracts powering a secondary NFT market for recovery and repayments following the Shibarium hack.

The assessment focused on asset recovery logic, repayment flows, NFT mechanics, access controls and overall fund safety.

The Shiba Inu community reacted to the recent update about the SOU, including Shiba Inu lead ambassador Shytoshi Kusama, who praised the team's work.

"Great work guys getting this out, kaal dhairya and the team," Kusama stated.

Shiba Inu price

The crypto market is mostly in red in early Tuesday session. At the time of writing, SHIB was down 2.36% in the last 24 hours to $0.000006431 and up 7% weekly.

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The markets are reacting ahead of the FOMC minutes on Wednesday, which will show insights into the last interest rate decision and future monetary policy.

Investors are also expecting more delayed economic data this week, including December’s personal consumption expenditures index on Friday, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge.

Shiba Inu retreated after a sharp surge to $0.00000724 on Feb. 14, with the next support now at $0.00000575.