As the chart indicates, AAPL shares declined from roughly $275 to $256 over Thursday and Friday — a drop of about 7%. This move has effectively erased the gains that followed the strong earnings report released on 29 January.

Why Is AAPL Falling?

According to media reports, negative sentiment has been driven by:

→ Data pointing to rising memory chip costs, which could weigh on profit margins.
→ Reports that the long-anticipated Siri upgrade featuring advanced AI capabilities has been delayed again.
→ Increased scrutiny of the company’s operations by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Technical Analysis of Apple (AAPL) Shares

At the start of 2026, AAPL shares broke below an ascending channel (shown in black) near the $272 level. Price and volume dynamics suggest this area has become a zone where bears are active and gaining the upper hand.

Note the following (as highlighted by the arrows):

→ On 4 February, the price edged higher slightly, but trading volumes were elevated — signalling difficulty for bulls in sustaining upward momentum.

→ The 11 February candle shows a long upper shadow, displaying the characteristics of an Upthrust After Distribution (UTAD) in Wyckoff methodology terms.

Taken together, this suggests that initiative currently lies with the bears. Price action may continue to develop within the descending channel (shown in red), with the potential to set a new low for the year.

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Russia’s Ministry of Finance has estimated the country’s daily cryptocurrency turnover at 50 billion rubles, or roughly $650 million, with annual activity exceeding 10 trillion rubles, around $130.5 billion.

The figures were shared by Deputy Finance Minister Ivan Chebeskov at the Alfa Talk conference, highlighting the growing scale of unregulated crypto use in the country, local outlet RBC reports.

“This is a turnover of more than 10 trillion rubles per year, which is currently taking place outside the regulated zone, outside our attention,” Chebeskov said.

Government officials, including the Bank of Russia, are now pushing for legislation to bring that activity into the regulatory fold.

Vladimir Chistyukhin, first deputy of chairman of the Central Bank, said both the government and the Bank hope a crypto market regulation bill will be passed during the State Duma’s spring session.

The proposed rules would allow existing licensed infrastructure, like exchanges and brokers, to enter the cryptocurrency space and boost their crypto offerings. The Moscow Exchange (MOEX) is already offering bitcoin BTC$68,770.50 and ether ETH$1,978.09 cash-settled futures contracts, and plans on adding SOL, XRP, and TRX futures.

The new framework would also allow MOEX and brokers to enter the spot market. Qualified and non-qualified investors would be allowed to participate, though with restrictions for the latter. Specific licensing would only apply to crypto exchange offices, and penalties are planned for unlicensed intermediaries.

According to the Bank of Russia’s financial stability report, Russian users held an estimated 933 billion rubles ($11.89 billion) on global crypto exchanges in mid-2025. These platforms are not currently regulated in Russia.

Sergey Shvetsov, Chairman of the Moscow Exchange’s Supervisory Board, said Russian users pay around $15 billion annually in commissions to global crypto platforms.

“As soon as it becomes possible, we will begin to compete with the gray sector,” he said. “The commissions that crypto exchanges and regular exchanges receive from trading crypto assets annually is $50 billion; there are estimates that the Russian share is about a third.”

Russia is indeed estimated to be the largest cryptocurrency market in Europe. Chainalysis found that between July 2024 and June 2025, Russia received $376.3 billion in crypto, far ahead of the $273.2 billion the United Kingdom received over the same period. Germany and Ukraine were the only other European countries to have received over $200 billion for the period.

Ripple’s XRP has staged a sharp rebound after printing a local low near $1.10, but the broader structure remains fragile. The recent impulsive move higher has pushed the price back into a key supply area, creating a critical decision point between continuation and another rejection within the dominant downtrend.

Ripple Price Analysis: The Daily Chart

On the daily timeframe, XRP remains inside a well-defined descending channel, respecting the bearish structure despite the recent bounce. The sell-off accelerated toward the major demand zone around $1.10–$1.20, where buyers finally stepped in aggressively. This reaction confirms the significance of the $1.15 area as a strong higher-timeframe demand.

However, the rebound is now approaching the channel’s middle trendline , a prior breakdown region near $1.75–$1.85, which previously acted as support and has now flipped into resistance. As long as the asset remains below this $1.80 region, the broader bias stays corrective within a bearish trend. A daily close above $1.85 would open the path toward the next major supply at $2.40–$2.50, while rejection from this zone could send the price back toward $1.20 again.

XRP/USDT 4-Hour Chart

On the 4-hour timeframe, the recovery appears more impulsive, with strong bullish candles reclaiming the short-term supply area around $1.50–$1.55. The asset pushed into the $1.65–$1.80 region, which aligns with minor intraday supply and the lower boundary of the previous consolidation range. However, it was rejected there and brought back to its starting point.

If RP manages to stabilize above $1.55 and build a base between $1.55 and $1.70, a continuation toward $1.80 becomes likely. On the other hand, failure to hold above $1.55 could shift momentum back to the downside, exposing $1.30 first and then the key $1.15 demand again.

Altcoin markets remain highly reactive as February enters its third week, with several major tokens approaching critical technical inflection points. While broader sentiment remains fragile, select assets are relying on external developments that could determine their next directional move. 

In line with the same, BeInCrypto has analysed three such altcoins that the investors should watch in the third week of February.

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Arbitrum (ARB)

ARB is trading at $0.1134 following a sustained downtrend from $0.2261, maintaining a clear bearish market structure defined by consecutive lower highs and heavy sell-side pressure. Fibonacci retracement levels mark $0.1255 (0.236) as immediate overhead resistance, with $0.1447 (0.382) acting as the next key supply zone. Momentum remains skewed to the downside.

Near-term support sits at $0.1074, just above the altcoin’s all-time low at $0.0944. A daily close below $0.1074 would likely trigger continuation toward $0.0944. A breakdown beneath that level opens the door to fresh price discovery. CMF at -0.04 reflects ongoing capital outflows and a lack of meaningful accumulation.

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For bulls to shift structure, ARB needs a decisive daily close above $0.1255 to regain short-term control. A confirmed breakout above $0.1447 would signal a broader trend reversal, targeting $0.1758 (0.618). The bearish thesis is invalidated only on strong acceptance above $0.1447; until then, downside risk toward $0.0944 prevails.

Injective (INJ)

INJ is trading at $3.134 after a sharp rejection from $5.924, maintaining a clear bearish market structure defined by lower highs and impulsive sell-side candles. Fibonacci retracement levels place immediate resistance at 0.382 ($3.275) and stronger overhead supply at 0.618 ($3.662). Price remains capped below both levels, keeping short-term momentum tilted to the downside.

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On the downside, 0.236 support at $3.036 is the key level to watch. A daily close below $3.036 would likely trigger continuation toward $2.650. If bearish momentum continues to build, an extension to $2.500 becomes a high-probability move. The 0.98 correlation with BTC adds risk, suggesting INJ is highly likely to mirror any further Bitcoin weakness.

For bulls to regain control, the price must reclaim $3.275 and establish acceptance above that level. A decisive daily close above $3.662 would confirm a structural shift, opening upside targets at $3.937 and $4.287. The bearish thesis is invalidated on a strong close above $3.662; until then, downside continuation toward $2.650 remains the dominant bias.

Bitcoin Cash (BCH)

Another one of the altcoins to watch in February is BCH, which is trading at $558.3 after a strong relief bounce from $423.0, successfully reclaiming the 0.786 Fib at $541.8. Price is now pressing into the 1.0 retracement at $574.1, which stands as immediate overhead resistance. The broader structure suggests recovery from prior distribution, but bulls still need follow-through to confirm a sustained trend reversal.

The 0.786 level at $541.8 now acts as near-term pivot support. A daily close below $541.8 shifts momentum back to the downside, exposing $516.4 (0.618) and then $480.7 (0.382). MFI sits at 57.12, reflecting constructive but not overextended momentum. If sellers regain control, $458.7 (0.236) becomes the next logical downside liquidity target.

For bullish continuation, BCH must secure acceptance above $574.1 on a daily closing basis. A confirmed breakout opens upside extension targets at $609.8 (1.236), $631.8 (1.382), and $649.6 (1.5). The bullish thesis is invalidated on a decisive close below $516.4. The February 17 Bitcoin Cash Toronto meetup will dive deep into BCH’s tech and the major improvements coming with the LAYLA upgrade this May. This could act as a catalyst for recovery.

Binance co-founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao warns crypto’s lack of privacy blocks everyday adoption, echoing CoinDesk Consensus Hong Kong panelists who called it a barrier to widespread institutional use.

Blockchain’s total transparency gets hyped as the ultimate democratization middle finger to shady banks and Wall Street fat cats operating in the dark. But here’s the catch: it means anyone globally can snoop on your send amounts, wallet balances, and deals.

Picture wiring your salary or sealing a big business move that has the whole world reading every digit – not desirable, right?

That’s precisely the issue here. Crypto’s been screaming for Main Street and Wall Street adoption for years, yet this same “killer feature” of zero privacy is slamming the brakes hard.

“(Lack of) Privacy may [be] the missing link for crypto payments adoption. Imagine, a company pays employees in crypto on-chain. With the current state of crypto, you can pretty much see how much everyone in the company is paid (by clicking the from address),” CZ said on X on Sunday.

Institutions share that concern

Fabio Frontini, chief executive officer of Abraxas Capital Management, highlighted the need for privacy in large institutional transactions if the use of public blockchains on Wall Street is to become the norm.

“The privacy—especially for large transactions—is the key point, I think, particularly for institutional players,” says Abraxas Capital Management CEO Fabio Frontini. “Total transparency isn’t particularly good. Actually, you want transactions to be auditable and visible, but only to certain people who should know exactly who’s behind them,” Frontini said during the panel “The 2026 Outlook: The Institutional Market Cycle,” in Hong Kong last week.

Frontini was responding to a question about when institutional use of blockchain to issue traditional instruments like commercial paper will go from an experimental stunt to an everyday norm. Wall Street giant JPMorgan tested these waters in December by arranging a landmark $50 million U.S. commercial paper issuance for Galaxy Digital Holdings LP on the Solana blockchain.

Coinbase Global and Franklin Templeton snapped it up, with issuance and redemption settled in Circle’s USDC stablecoin for near-instant delivery-versus-payment. JPMorgan handled structuring and on-chain token creation, while Galaxy Digital Partners LLC acted as the structuring agent.

The landmark deal highlighted the use of public blockchains like Solana for tokenizing debt, but also exposed the lack of transparency.

Emma Lovett, the credit lead for the Markets Distributed Ledger Technology team at JP Morgan, who was one of the panelists, stressed that institutions won’t shift massive assets on-chain at scale until they can trust the system won’t expose them.

“They need to be confident that it’s not going to take one person to find out what their address is and then know all the transactions they’ve done—that’s really key,” Lovett said.

Thomas Restout, group CEO of institutional-grade liquidity provider B2C2, agreed that privacy is key while highlighting “certainty of execution” as another key factor.

“It’s still a space that institutions aren’t comfortable with. They also need partners. You look at other chains that have gone private and are developing a lot for institutions. So if you’re a large institution, you always have to imagine that you’re not going to try this for $10,000—you’re going to have to do this for $10 trillion. And therefore, the level of certainty you need to achieve to operate at that scale is very high,” he explained.

Crypto markets are heading into a potentially volatile week as investors brace for the U.S. Supreme Court’s tariff decision scheduled for Feb. 20.

The ruling could determine the legality or scope of contested trade measures, a development that may ripple across equities, commodities, foreign exchange and, increasingly, digital assets.

U.S. Supreme Court tariff decision looms over risk assets

Tariff decisions tend to influence broader macro sentiment rather than crypto directly. In past episodes of trade tension, markets initially reacted with a risk-off tone, strengthening the U.S. dollar and pressuring equities.

Crypto has historically responded in two phases: an immediate liquidity-driven pullback alongside other risk assets, followed by a divergence when investors rotate toward alternative stores of value.

During earlier trade escalations, Bitcoin fell in tandem with stocks before stabilizing as dollar strength faded. The key transmission channel has often been the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY).

A stronger dollar tightens global liquidity, which can weigh on speculative assets such as cryptocurrencies. Conversely, dollar weakness has tended to support risk appetite.

With markets already fragile after a volatile start to February, the Feb. 20 ruling could act as a catalyst rather than a standalone trigger.

Crypto market prediction

From a technical standpoint, the crypto total market cap (TOTAL) sits near $2.32 trillion after a sharp early-February decline toward the $2.1 trillion region. The daily RSI is hovering in the mid-30s, recovering from near-oversold territory, suggesting selling pressure is easing but momentum remains weak.

More notably, TOTAL remains below both its 50-day SMA (around $2.82 trillion) and 200-day SMA (near $3.37 trillion). This indicates the broader structure is still corrective. Unless price reclaims the 50-day average, rallies may face resistance near the $2.6–$2.8 trillion zone.

In contrast, the U.S. Dollar Index is trading around 96.9, below both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages. The downward slope of those averages signals continued dollar weakness.

If DXY extends lower following the Supreme Court decision, it could provide breathing room for crypto to attempt a relief rally.

Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) performance will be critical. According to the latest data, Bitcoin continues to command the largest market share and has shown relative resilience compared to the broader altcoin market. BTC was trading at $68,459 at press time, down nearly 3% in the last 24 hours.

Ethereum, while stabilizing near $2,000, remains more sensitive to risk sentiment shifts. If Bitcoin holds key support while ETH regains momentum, it may signal improving internal strength.

Heading into Feb. 20, three scenarios stand out: a risk-off spike that briefly pressures crypto, a relief rally if dollar weakness continues, or choppy consolidation as traders await clarity.

With TOTAL near support and DXY trending lower, the market appears poised for a volatility expansion rather than a quiet reaction.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has outlined plans to bring AI chatbots under stricter online safety rules, warning that emerging technologies are reshaping childhood in ways policymakers can no longer ignore.

AI chatbots could soon fall under tighter UK rules aimed at protecting minors

In a recent Substack update, Starmer said protections for young people must evolve alongside rapidly advancing artificial intelligence tools. While much of the debate around online harm has focused on social media, he argued that AI-powered chatbots now pose new and complex risks, particularly for children and teenagers.

Starmer said the government in the United Kingdom is considering extending existing online safety laws to explicitly cover AI systems. Chatbots are increasingly embedded in apps, search engines and standalone platforms, often engaging users in highly personalised, human-like conversations.

For young users, he warned, that can blur the line between information, influence and manipulation.

The Prime Minister pointed to concerns ranging from exposure to inappropriate content to emotional dependency and unchecked advice. Unlike traditional platforms, AI systems can generate responses in real time, making oversight and moderation more difficult.

He suggested Parliament may need new regulatory powers to respond quickly as the technology develops.

Starmer framed the issue as part of a broader effort to “give children the space to grow” without being shaped by opaque algorithms or unregulated digital systems. He stressed that innovation should not come at the expense of safety, and that tech companies must take greater responsibility for how their tools are designed and deployed.

A public consultation is expected to examine how best to regulate AI-driven services used by minors. Once evidence is gathered, Starmer said the government would move swiftly to act, signalling that AI chatbots are likely to become a central focus of the UK’s next phase of online safety reform.

The Binance app is no longer available on the Google Play Store in the Philippines, according to local media.

Users searching for “Binance” on the Philippine version of the app store are being redirected to listings for local exchange Coins.ph and region-specific versions such as Binance TH for Thailand and Binance TR for Turkey, according to local media.

One user going by the handle “realitynofantasy” was seen on Reddit questioning whether the disappearance was a technical bug or a signal that the exchange was exiting the Philippine market on the official Binance subreddit. See below.

Filipino locals are also unable to access the crypto exchange’s main website, the report added. Screenshots and user testimonials reviewed by the outlet showed error messages such as “Privacy Error” and “Site can’t be reached.”

At press time, Binance had not issued any public statement addressing the app’s unavailability in the Philippines, but it may be linked to a regulatory crackdown on foreign exchanges led by the country’s Securities and Exchange Commission and the National Telecommunications Commission.

As previously reported by crypto.news, the SEC sent letters to both Google and Apple in late 2024, urging the tech companies to remove the Binance app from their respective Philippine app stores. The letter was sent just months after the National Telecommunications Commission blocked access to the exchange’s website nationwide.

At the time, the SEC said Binance was offering unregistered securities to Philippine residents and operating as an unlicensed broker in violation of the Securities Regulation Code.

The Philippines has also blocked several other foreign exchanges that it deemed were operating without a license.

Binance has navigated similar challenges in India, where it was fined by the country’s regulator for non-compliance. However, after paying a hefty fine, the exchange continues its operations as a registered entity.

SBI Holdings Chairman Yoshitaka Kitao has confirmed that the Japanese financial services giant holds an equity stake in Ripple Labs, clarifying speculation surrounding the company’s exposure to XRP.

The statement follows recent remarks from Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse. He suggested the firm has the “opportunity” to become a $1 trillion company. 

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SBI Holdings Chairman Dismisses XRP Rumors

Kitao addressed circulating claims that SBI directly holds $10 billion worth of XRP tokens. He rejected those assertions, clarifying that the firm’s exposure is not to XRP but to Ripple Labs. According to Kitao, SBI owns approximately a 9% stake in Ripple.

“Not $10 bil. in XRP but around 9% of  Ripple Lab. So our hidden asset could be much bigger,” he said. “When it comes to Ripple Lab’s total valuation, which obviously includes its ecosystem that Ripple has created, that would be enormous. SBI owns more than 9% of that much.”

SBI has been a long-standing strategic partner of Ripple and has supported the expansion of blockchain-based payment solutions across Asia through joint ventures and financial infrastructure initiatives.

​​In November 2025, Ripple’s valuation rose to $40 billion after a $500 million funding round led by funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group and affiliates of Citadel Securities.

Based on that valuation, a 9% stake in Ripple Labs would be worth approximately $3.6 billion on paper. However, if Ripple’s valuation were to increase significantly, particularly in line with Garlinghouse’s long-term $1 trillion ambition, SBI’s equity stake could rise proportionally in value.

Ripple CEO Eyes Trillion-Dollar Milestone

During the XRP Community Day on X (formerly Twitter), Garlinghouse projected that a crypto firm will eventually surpass the $1 trillion mark. This could put it in the same league as major technology corporations such as Nvidia, Apple, Alphabet, and Microsoft.

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“There will be a trillion-dollar crypto company. I don’t doubt that for a second. I think Ripple has the opportunity, if we do things well in partnership with the overall XRP ecosystem, to be that company, and maybe there’ll be more than one,” he said.

Garlinghouse emphasized that Ripple aims to be successful. However, its mission goes beyond corporate growth. 

He stated that Ripple’s “reason for existence is driving success around XRP and the XRP ecosystem.” The executive described XRP as Ripple’s “north star.” 

“We will continue to build products and services that customers love and will pay for to make Ripple successful, but it’s in service of the overall XRP ecosystem,” he added.

These remarks come as XRP continues to face market challenges. BeInCrypto Markets data showed that the altcoin has dropped 7.8% over the past 24 hours. At the time of writing, it traded at $1.47.

Despite Ripple’s strategic focus on XRP, ongoing network developments, and ecosystem expansion, these advances have not yet resulted in a meaningful price breakout.

Over the longer horizon, continued ecosystem growth and deeper institutional integration may provide stronger support for price appreciation and broader adoption. Nonetheless, for now, XRP remains largely influenced by broader market conditions.

Bitcoin’s recent bounce has pushed the market back toward the $70K–$72K area, but the broader structure remains fragile. The key question now is whether this rebound can evolve into a deeper corrective move toward overhead resistance, or if it is merely a temporary reaction within a dominant downtrend.

Bitcoin Price Analysis: The Daily Chart

On the daily timeframe, BTC remains inside a clear descending channel, preserving the overall bearish structure. The breakdown below the $75K level triggered an accelerated sell-off that extended directly into the $60K demand zone, where buyers finally stepped in.

The recent recovery has brought the price back toward $70K, which also aligns with the channel’s mid-boundary, making it a notable resistance. However, Bitcoin is still trading below the critical $75K resistance. As long as the market remains beneath the $75K-$80K region, the move is technically considered a corrective rebound within a broader bearish trend.

A decisive reclaim of $75K would expose $78,915 and then $81,485 (0.702) as the next upside targets. On the downside, the $60K zone remains the primary structural support.

BTC/USDT 4-Hour Chart

On the 4-hour timeframe, the rebound from $60K appears impulsive, but the price is now approaching the $70K-$72K short-term resistance area, which aligns with the descending structure and previous breakdown region. The market is currently compressing below this level.

A confirmed break and consolidation above $72K would likely trigger continuation toward $75K crucial threshold. However, failure to clear this resistance could result in renewed downside pressure, targeting $65K first and potentially revisiting the $60K demand zone if selling momentum increases.

Sentiment Analysis

The Bitcoin Futures Average Order Size chart reveals a notable shift during the recent decline. As the asset approached the $60,000–$65,000 region, several green dots appeared, representing large whale-sized orders entering the market. This cluster of green dots near the local bottom suggests that larger participants began accumulating during the panic-driven sell-off.

However, red dots has been apeared following the recent rebou, reflecting retail-driven activity. The recent whale participation at lower prices increases the probability that the $60K region attracted strategic accumulation rather than random buying, while the retail-driven rebound hints at a potential consolidation stage followed by bullish retracements.

If this whale activity returns around the $65K-$80K range, it strengthens the case for a sustained rebound. However, for the structure to shift meaningfully bullish, Bitcoin must reclaim $80K. Without that reclaim, the broader daily trend remains corrective within a bearish framework.