🛡 Bipartisan Efforts to Protect Blockchain Developers in the U.S.

🚀 A bipartisan initiative is underway to clarify federal regulations surrounding blockchain innovation in the United States. On January 12, U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis from Wyoming and Ron Wyden from Oregon introduced the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act. This legislation aims to protect certain blockchain developers from being classified as money transmitters, which has been a significant concern for the industry.

🗣 Senator Lummis, who chairs the Senate Banking Digital Assets Subcommittee, emphasized the need for this legislation by stating,

Blockchain developers who have simply written code and maintain open-source infrastructure have lived under threat of being classified as money transmitters for far too long.

She pointed out that treating these developers like financial institutions, despite their lack of access to customer funds, limits innovation and exposes them to legal risks for activities that do not involve money laundering.

🔔 The proposed act establishes federal standards to determine when blockchain developers and infrastructure providers are exempt from money transmitter definitions. It specifically focuses on "non-controlling developers or providers", defined as those who develop or maintain distributed ledger technology without the authority to initiate or complete transactions involving user assets. Activities protected under this legislation include publishing blockchain software, maintaining distributed networks, supporting self-custody tools, and providing infrastructure for ledger operations.

🗣 Senator Wyden, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, criticized the current regulatory approach by stating,

Forcing developers who write code to follow the same rules as exchanges or brokers is technologically illiterate and a recipe for violating Americans’ privacy and free speech rights.

He stressed that the federal government can oversee digital asset markets without imposing restrictions on what software creators can build.

💱 Citrea Launches Citrea USD (ctUSD): A New Stablecoin for Bitcoin Liquidity

🌍 Citrea has officially launched its stablecoin, Citrea USD (ctUSD), which is pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar. This stablecoin is backed by short-term U.S. Treasury bills and cash, and is issued by Moonpay. It is designed to serve as native liquidity for the bitcoin ecosystem and will be available to users in the U.S. (excluding New York) and in over 160 countries (excluding Canada and the European Economic Area).

🔗 The primary goal of ctUSD is to unify on-chain bitcoin collateral with off-chain fiat rails, thereby reducing fragmentation and providing immediate access to deep liquidity through Moonpay’s extensive network of over 30 million verified users. Users can instantly buy or sell ctUSD using various payment methods such as Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Paypal, where available. Additionally, ctUSD offers virtual accounts and banking services through Moonpay’s Iron platform, and supports cross-chain swaps and merchant payments via Swaps. and Helio.

🗣 Orkun Kilic, co-founder and CEO of Chainway Labs, stated,

Liquidity on Citrea is forming now.

The access and distribution of ctUSD adhere to Moonpay’s compliance framework, which includes U.S. money-transmitter licensing (in 49 states excluding New York), MiCA approval in Europe, and registration with the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) where applicable.

❓ FAQs about ctUSD include:
- Availability in the U.S.: ctUSD can be accessed in all states except New York under Moonpay’s money-transmitter licenses.
- Excluded regions: ctUSD is not initially available in Canada and the European Economic Area.
- Backing reserves: ctUSD is fully backed by short-term U.S. Treasury bills and cash held for the benefit of token holders.
- Integration for developers in the EU: Developers can integrate ctUSD using M0’s platform and Moonpay’s banking APIs, subject to MiCA and local jurisdictional requirements.

🪙 Bitcoin's Stagnant Price Masks a Major Repricing, Says ARK's Cathie Wood

🔍 ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood views the current stagnation of Bitcoin's price as a cover for a significant restructuring taking place. In her 2026 outlook, she argues that while the U.S. economy has entered a "coiled spring" phase due to a prolonged rolling recession, Bitcoin is positioning itself to benefit from an impending productivity boom.

📈 Wood describes the broader economy as a "coiled spring"—with housing sales at 1980s lows and contracting manufacturing—which she believes will "bounce back powerfully" due to deregulation and lower taxes. She places blockchain technology alongside AI and robotics as key platforms ready to drive this rebound.

Gold and bitcoin miners are likely to respond to these price signals differently: gold miners, by boosting production of gold, something not possible with bitcoin.

Wood emphasized that Bitcoin's price slipping 6% in 2025 (while gold surged) creates a divergence that ignores Bitcoin's tightening issuance schedule. She detailed the specific metrics that define Bitcoin’s inelastic supply:

Bitcoin is mathematically metered to increase ~0.82% per year for the next two years, at which point its growth will decelerate to ~0.41% per year.

📊 Beyond supply mechanics, Wood highlighted that Bitcoin’s returns have remained uniquely independent of other major asset classes since 2020. She noted that BTC’s correlation with gold is only 0.14, and its correlation with bonds is even lower at 0.06—a level significantly lower than the 0.27 correlation between the S&P 500 and bonds.

Bitcoin should be a good source of diversification for asset allocators looking for higher returns per unit of risk during the years ahead.

💰 Strive Announces $150 Million Follow-On Offering of Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Preferred Stock

📈 On January 21, 2026, Strive, Inc. (Nasdaq: SATA) announced its intention to conduct a $150 million follow-on offering of its Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Preferred Stock (SATA). The offering is contingent on market conditions and aims to raise net proceeds for several purposes, including the redemption or repurchase of Semler Scientific’s 4.25% Convertible Senior Notes due 2030, acquiring bitcoin and related products, and covering working capital and general corporate needs.

💸 The SATA Stock offers monthly cash dividends that are initially set at 12.25% per annum on the $100 stated amount. These dividends come with variable adjustment rights and compound penalties for any unpaid amounts. Additionally, the stock includes provisions for redemption and repurchase in the event of fundamental changes. Strive also has the option to reduce the offering size through negotiated exchanges of Semler Convertible Notes for SATA Stock; however, the final terms of the offering will be subject to market conditions, investor qualifications, and applicable securities laws.

🔍 Key details about the offering include:
- The proposed size of the offering is $150 million.
- Proceeds will be used for repaying Semler Convertible Notes, acquiring bitcoin, and general corporate purposes.
- SATA Stock will accrue monthly cash dividends at a variable rate, starting at 12.25% per annum and payable from February 15, 2026.
- There are redemption and exchange mechanics associated with the offering, allowing Strive to redeem SATA Stock under certain conditions and negotiate note-for-stock exchanges that could reduce the offering size.

📈 Bitcoin's Balancing Act: Navigating Support and Resistance

📉 Bitcoin is currently trading just above a critical support level of $88,000, amidst a market filled with uncertainty. After a failed attempt to reach $97,939, Bitcoin experienced a sharp decline, leaving behind a series of red candles. The daily chart indicates a bearish trend, with volume surges suggesting institutional selling rather than retail interest.

🔄 On the 4-hour chart, Bitcoin appears to be stuck in a sideways movement between $87,193 and $89,500. This pattern resembles a bearish flag rather than a consolidation phase. The market shows signs of indecision, with decreasing volume indicating buyer apathy. A break above $89,500 could lead to a short-term relief rally, but hesitation at this resistance level could result in a further drop towards $85,000.

📈 The 1-hour chart shows a slight bounce from $87,957 towards $88,500; however, the intraday trend remains downward with lower highs and seller dominance. While there is an attempt to rise, volume still favors the bears. A rejection near $88,800 to $89,000 would maintain the downtrend, whereas a clear break could allow for a quick move up to the $89,700–$90,000 range.

⚖️ Technical indicators present a mixed picture. The relative strength index (RSI) is at 41, the Stochastic at 17, and the commodity channel index (CCI) at −102, all indicating a lack of momentum. The average directional index (ADX) is at 25, suggesting low trend strength. However, the Awesome oscillator and momentum indicators show bearish undertones but hint at a potential for reversal. The moving average convergence divergence (MACD) level at −351 adds a bearish note.

🔄 Tom Lee: Gold and Silver's Impact on Bitcoin's Performance

📉 Tom Lee, managing partner at Fundstrat Global Advisors, recently discussed the short-term effects of gold and silver prices on cryptocurrency performance during an appearance on CNBC. He noted that strong demand for precious metals can temporarily hinder the performance of cryptocurrencies.

When gold and silver rise, and let’s say folks are using margin or options, then they’re using capacity that could be used to buy other risk assets whether it’s Mag 7 or cryptocurrencies,

Lee explained. He emphasized that as investors allocate leverage towards precious metals, their ability to invest in cryptocurrencies is limited.

📊 Lee pointed out that cryptocurrencies typically thrive in a weaker dollar environment and with an easing Federal Reserve. However, the current lack of leverage in the crypto sector due to prior deleveraging has muted short-term gains despite favorable macroeconomic conditions.

When gold and silver take a break, then and in the past, that would lead to a bitcoin and ethereum surge afterwards,

Lee stated. He highlighted a historical pattern where bitcoin and ethereum lag during periods of capital concentration in precious metals but accelerate once that momentum fades.

📈 Lee characterized the current situation as consistent with earlier market cycles. As trades in precious metals become crowded, this setup has historically preceded a resurgence in crypto markets rather than indicating a decline in demand.

💱 Silver Plunges Record 36% as Precious Metals Suffer Historic Collapse

✔️ Precious metals suffered a catastrophic collapse on January 30 as gold plunged over 12% below $5,000 an ounce while silver recorded its largest intraday drop in history, falling as much as 36%. The selloff was triggered by President Donald Trump’s nomination of Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve chair, which sent the dollar soaring and sparked massive profit-taking across commodities markets.

❗️ The crash wiped out more than $15 trillion from the gold and silver markets in 24 hours, an amount equal to half the size of the entire U.S. economy. Despite the brutal correction, both metals still finished January with gains (gold up 12% and silver up 16%), while Bitcoin tumbled to a nine-month low of $82,000, raising questions about whether the digital asset will follow precious metals’ trajectory or chart its own path.

📌 Spot gold prices crashed more than 12% at one point, hitting a low of $4,682 per ounce in its biggest single-day decline since the early 1980s, closing down 9.25% at $4,880. Silver experienced an even more dramatic collapse, plummeting 36% intraday to $74.28 per ounce before settling 26.42% lower at $85.259, marking its worst day since March 1980.

🔔 “Trump announcing Warsh as his pick for next Fed Chair has been a US dollar positive and precious metals negative,” Aakash Doshi, global head of gold and metals strategy at State Street Investment Management, told Bloomberg.

⚡️ Aave Goes All-In on DeFi, Shuts Down Avara Brand and Family Wallet

🚫 Aave founder Stani Kulechov announced the decentralized finance protocol is winding down its Family iOS wallet over the coming year and retiring the Avara umbrella brand as the company consolidates operations entirely under Aave Labs. The strategic retreat from consumer wallet products comes from a bet that mainstream users will adopt crypto through focused financial applications, such as savings and lending, rather than general-purpose explorers.

✔️ Family will stop onboarding new users from April 1, with existing customers able to access the app until April 2027 before transitioning to Aave’s infrastructure. The shift comes weeks after Aave transferred stewardship of its Lens Protocol social network to Mask Network, completing a dramatic narrowing of focus following years of ecosystem expansion and internal governance battles.

🔥 Kulechov said the decision reflects lessons learned from attempting to onboard millions of users through different product approaches. “Through this journey, we’ve learned that onboarding millions of users requires purpose-built experiences, such as savings, rather than generic, open-ended wallet experiences,” he stated in the announcement. The Family team, acquired by Avara in 2023 for their design capabilities, contributed work across multiple Aave products, including Aave Pro, the mobile app, and the protocol’s brand identity.

🔔 According to the company’s announcement, their core technology, Family Accounts, will continue to power authentication and embedded wallet functionality across Aave’s product suite rather than operate as a standalone consumer application. Existing Family users will maintain full control of their funds through accountsaavecom using their credentials, though app functionality will gradually be limited to account access and withdrawals only.

▶️ Kulechov emphasized the infrastructure approach supports “a more seamless user journey, stronger safety protections, and more intuitive interfaces, while preserving user sovereignty and full control of funds.“

❗️ AI Will Remove the Worst Human Decisions From Trading. Here’s Why It’s a Good Thing

⁉️ Did you know that between 70% and 80% of retail traders lose money? In fact, regulators in Europe and the U.S. have confirmed this figure so many times that brokers now regularly display it as a disclaimer on their websites. The typical narrative puts the blame on the traders. They lack discipline, chase losses, and panic at the wrong moment. Which, in and of itself, is not entirely wrong.

🔔 But that explanation does miss the architectural problem underneath. Which is that retail platforms were never designed to help users make good decisions. On the contrary, they were designed to make sure users made frequent decisions. Every price alert, every red or green indicator, every buy and sell button places the trader directly inside a high-pressure moment where human psychology works against the user.

➡️ Sure, retail traders are emotional. But platforms are the ones who designed the emotional triggers and called it market access. However, for the first time, there may be a way out of that trap. In 1979, Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky published a theory that would eventually earn Kahneman a Nobel Prize. Prospect theory demonstrated that humans do not weigh gains and losses equally. A loss feels roughly twice as painful as an equivalent gain feels rewarding.

🔖 Kahneman himself used to illustrate this with a coin flip exercise. He would offer students a gamble where tails meant losing ten dollars. Most students demanded at least twenty dollars on the winning side before they would accept the bet. On paper, a fifty-fifty shot at ten dollars either way should be a neutral bet. But students would not accept it unless the upside doubled the downside. This asymmetry explains a lot of what happens in volatile markets. After a win, confidence grows exponentially, and traders then increase position sizes and ignore the risk limits.

🌐 The worst part, though, is what happens after a loss. The pain triggers a desperate need to recover, which leads to revenge trades, doubled positions, and abandoned stop-losses.

▶️ Venezuela’s Anti-Corruption Investigation Rocks Cryptocurrency Industry: Exchanges and Mining Farms Shut Down

💥 Venezuelan crypto companies have reportedly been ordered to shut down over the past few days, following the President’s order to restructure the country’s crypto regulatory agency. Exchanges and mining companies seem to have been a casualty of an investigation that resulted in the arrest of 21 individuals.

📌 According to the tweets from Venezuela’s National Association of Cryptocurrencies, mining facilities were shut down in Bolívar, which “goes against the interests of private industry.” Bolívar is not the only state impacted, as Lara and Carabobo reportedly saw the same action against the facilities located there.

🚫 They added that they couldn’t say how long the “longer than usual power cut” would last. There is currently no verified information as to how many mining companies have been shut down. The reports claim that the licensed mining farms have been closed down as well, calling for their reopening and arguing that the measure is costing people their jobs and the country the taxes paid by these employees.

💰 Cango Inc. Secures $10.5 Million Investment and Plans $65 Million Equity Raise

📣 On February 12, Bitcoin mining company Cango Inc. announced the completion of a $10.5 million equity investment from Enduring Wealth Capital Ltd. (EWCL). Additionally, Cango has entered into definitive agreements for an extra $65 million in Class A equity investments from entities fully owned by Chairman Xin Jin and Director Chang‑Wei Chiu. The purchases are priced at $1.32 per Class A share and $1.50 per Class B share.

📈 Following the closing of the Class B investment, EWCL's ownership increased to approximately 4.71% of outstanding shares, with voting power rising to about 49.71%. If the proposed Class A investments are completed, Mr. Chiu would hold roughly 11.99% ownership and Mr. Jin about 4.70% ownership.

💡 Cango stated that the proceeds from these investments will be used to expand into artificial intelligence (AI) and computing infrastructure, as well as to strengthen its balance sheet. However, the closing of the investments from Mr. Jin and Mr. Chiu is still subject to customary conditions, including New York Stock Exchange approvals. The company anticipates these closings to occur in February 2026, but cautions that they may not happen as expected.

🚀 The Rise of Autonomous AI Agents and the Shift to Permissionless Crypto Infrastructure

💡 Corbin Fraser, CEO of Bitcoin, emphasizes that the emergence of autonomous AI agents will necessitate a transition towards permissionless and high-speed crypto infrastructure. He argues that traditional finance operates at a human pace, but AI agents demand faster, frictionless transactions.

As autonomous software begins to transact at scale, finance itself must accelerate.

🔍 Fraser references Andreas M. Antonopoulos' thought experiment from 2016, which envisioned a self-owning car that could pay for its expenses through rideshare. This concept, once considered sci-fi, is becoming a reality as we enter the era of AI agents that require digital wallets.

🌐 He points out that the validation of decentralized money will come not from political movements but from billions of autonomous AI agents. Currently, there are about 400 million crypto wallets worldwide, but the next billion will be opened by AI agents rather than humans. For these agents, crypto is not an alternative to traditional currency; it is the only viable infrastructure.

🚫 Fraser highlights the incompatibility of traditional finance with non-human actors. Legacy banking systems are built on the assumption that a human is moving the money, making them slow and inaccessible for AI.

Legacy banking isn’t just slow for AI; it is a closed door.

📉 Bitcoin ETFs Experience Significant Outflows as Ether and Solana Attract Inflows

📉 On Tuesday, February 17, Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) faced a sharp decline with a net outflow of $105 million, primarily due to substantial redemptions from Blackrock’s IBIT. In contrast, ether and solana funds saw an influx of new capital, while XRP ETFs remained inactive.

➡️ The session was marked by a clear divide: Bitcoin funds struggled under heavy redemptions, whereas ether funds experienced steady demand. Spot bitcoin ETFs reported a total net outflow of $104.87 million, largely driven by Blackrock’s IBIT, which experienced a significant exit of $119.68 million. Additional outflows came from Bitwise’s BITB ($10.29 million), Grayscale Investments’s GBTC ($8.45 million), and ARK Invest & 21Shares’ ARKB ($8.31 million).

📊 Despite these challenges, there were some positive performances. Grayscale’s Bitcoin Mini Trust attracted $35.97 million, and Fidelity’s FBTC added $5.89 million. However, these gains were insufficient to counteract the overall selling pressure. The total trading volume reached $3.05 billion, with total net assets across bitcoin ETFs closing at $85.52 billion.

💰 Bitcoin's Weekend Stability Amidst Active Derivatives Trading

📈 This weekend, Bitcoin has remained stable, fluctuating between $67,563 and $68,636. Despite this range-bound movement, derivatives traders have been highly active. According to coinglass, the global open interest for Bitcoin futures is at 671,140 BTC, valued at approximately $45.97 billion. Over the past 24 hours, there has been a 1.44% increase in open interest, indicating repositioning rather than a retreat.

🏦 The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) leads the futures market with an open interest of 122,470 BTC worth $8.38 billion, making up 18.23% of the market. Binance follows closely with 116,190 BTC, while OKX holds 46,600 BTC. Other exchanges like Bybit, Gate, and MEXC also have significant positions.

📊 On the options side, total open interest mirrors the growth in futures. The CME's options data shows layered expirations from one month to over six months, indicating that the market is positioning itself for the long term rather than just chasing weekly volatility. Currently, calls outnumber puts with 283,456.92 BTC in calls versus 219,725.98 BTC in puts, giving calls a 56.33% share.

🔍 Strike-level data reveals that among the largest open interest contracts are Deribit’s Feb. 27, 2026 $75,000 calls and $40,000 puts. Longer-dated bets include December 2026 $120,000 calls, suggesting that some traders are anticipating significant price increases. Max pain levels, which indicate where the most options contracts would expire worthless, are around $85,000 on Deribit and $80,000 to $85,000 on OKX.

🟢 Bitcoin's Current Trading Position and Technical Analysis

📉 Bitcoin is currently trading at $65,419, caught between diminishing macro momentum and a persistent short-term squeeze attempt. The daily chart reveals a significant decline from approximately $95,000 to a low near $59,900, followed by a heavy-volume flush before stabilizing in the $64,000 to $66,000 range. However, this stabilization remains corrective within an ongoing downtrend.

📌 Key support levels are identified at $59,900 to $60,000, with mid-range demand at $62,000 to $63,000. Resistance is layered between $68,000 to $70,000, and major resistance is noted at $72,000 to $75,000. Unless Bitcoin reclaims and sustains acceptance above $70,000 on a daily closing basis, the macro structure remains bearish, with the current move resembling a relief bounce forming a potential lower high.

📊 On the four-hour chart, momentum tells a more nuanced story. After falling from $68,600 to $62,500, Bitcoin staged a V-shaped rebound and is now forming higher lows on the intraday structure. Immediate resistance sits at $66,800 to $68,000, while support holds at $63,000 to $64,000. A breakdown level remains clearly defined at $62,500. If the price clears and holds above $68,000, continuation toward $70,000 becomes structurally plausible.

📈 The one-hour chart shows a strong impulse candle driving the price to $66,300, followed by consolidation marked by higher lows. The defined scalp zone sits between $64,500 and $65,000, with a breakout trigger on an hourly close above $66,500. Rejection wicks between $66,500 and $67,000 would signal exhaustion, while a structural failure below $63,800 would invalidate the short-term constructive pattern.

🪙 Revival of Dormant Bitcoin Wallets Amid Price Fluctuations

📉 In February 2026, long-dormant Bitcoin wallets from 2010 to 2017 became active, transferring 1,908.21 BTC worth over $125 million across 69 transactions. This activity comes as Bitcoin prices remain below the $70,000 mark, significantly lower than the over $100,000 valuations seen in 2025.

Just two 2010-era spends were detected,

the report notes,

as a pair of block rewards were moved this month.

Wallets from 2011 saw only four transactions, while 2014 addresses were the most active with 13 transfers totaling 626.96 BTC. Additionally, 506.74 BTC from 2016 marked the second-largest yearly total for February.

📊 Pre-2012 wallets collectively shifted 4,086.02 BTC, amounting to approximately 4.02% of the 101,539 BTC moved from these wallets in 2025. Pre-2015 holdings also saw activity with about 8,416.45 BTC reawakened in 2026, accounting for 6.06% of the 138,809 BTC shifted throughout 2025.

🔍 When considering pre-2019 wallets, a total of 46,264 BTC have been moved in 2026 so far. Of this, 37,847.55 BTC originated from wallets established between 2016 and 2019. However, the current reactivation rate of ancient coins is still lower than last year's totals.

The numbers indicate that while ancient coins are certainly awakening, the magnitude remains fairly contained — at least for now — when measured against last year’s totals.

📌 Nexo Launches in Argentina with High-Yield Savings and Crypto-Backed Credit

🌍 Digital asset platform Nexo has officially launched in Argentina following its acquisition of Buenbit. This expansion introduces a digital dollar savings option for local users, allowing them to earn up to 13% annual interest on stablecoins like USDT and USDC.

💳 Nexo also brings crypto-backed credit to the Argentine market, enabling holders of bitcoin and ethereum to access liquidity without having to sell their assets. These offerings provide better returns than traditional local financial instruments, which usually offer 0.5% to 8% annual returns.

Today, technology enables people to save in hard currency, earn yield, and access liquidity — complementing traditional financial alternatives

said Federico Ogue, CEO of Buenbit by Nexo.

📈 Nexo currently manages over USD 8 billion in global assets and aims to enhance the financial landscape in Argentina with its innovative services.

📈 Bitcoin ETFs Lead Inflows as XRP Experiences Outflows

📊 Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) continued their streak of inflows on Tuesday, adding $251 million, primarily driven by Blackrock’s IBIT. Ether funds also saw slight gains, while XRP ETFs faced outflows and Solana ETFs had no trading activity.

💰 Spot bitcoin ETFs recorded $250.92 million in net inflows, marking a strong day for the sector. Blackrock’s IBIT led the way with a significant inflow of $185.76 million, followed by Fidelity’s FBTC with $33.54 million and Bitwise’s BITB with $16.35 million. March has been a positive month for BTC ETFs, with more days of inflows than outflows.

📈 Smaller funds also saw additional inflows: Vaneck’s HODL attracted $5.94 million, Grayscale’s Bitcoin Mini Trust added $5.27 million, and Ark & 21shares’ ARKB recorded $4.07 million. No bitcoin ETF experienced outflows during this session, highlighting strong buying activity.

📊 Ether ETFs ended the day with modest gains, recording $12.59 million in net inflows. Fidelity’s FETH led these inflows with $10.66 million, while Grayscale’s Ether Mini Trust contributed an additional $1.93 million. Trading volume for ether ETFs reached $812.33 million.