Crypto World
Bitcoin Opens New Door for Institutions, Says Bitwise CEO
Bitcoin’s slide below $70,000 is dividing market participants, according to Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley. Long-time holders appear uneasy as prices slip, while a fresh class of buyers—institutions—seems to be getting another shot at entry at levels they once believed out of reach. In a CNBC interview on Friday, Horsley noted that the new investor set—institutions—are seeing prices they thought they’d forever missed. The pullback arrives as regulators push for clearer rules and as institutional interest remains visible through inflows to crypto products. The dynamics highlight how price, sentiment, and regulation are intertwining in a single, fast-moving market.
Key takeaways
- Bitcoin priced around $69,635 at publication, down about 22.6% in the last 30 days, signaling persistent downside pressure in a broad bear phase.
- Institutional demand remains robust, with Bitwise reporting more than $100 million in inflows on a single day as Bitcoin hovered near $77,000.
- Long-time holders appear uncertain about the path forward, while new buyers re-enter at elevated levels, underscoring a split between conviction and opportunity.
- Macro assets are moving in tandem with Bitcoin, with gold and silver retreating from their peaks, illustrating a broad risk-off tone across markets.
- Retail curiosity has spiked as searches for “Bitcoin” rose on Google Trends, while mainstream product inflows continued to surface.
Tickers mentioned: $BTC
Sentiment: Bearish
Price impact: Negative. The ongoing bear market and the price retreat imply continued headwinds for near-term momentum.
Market context: The price action comes as regulators pursue clearer rules for digital assets and institutions gradually increase exposure, with Bitcoin correlating with broader liquidity conditions and risk sentiment.
Why it matters
For investors who built positions during the earlier hype around crypto adoption, the current pullback tests the resilience of on- and off-ramp infrastructure and the staying power of institutional interest. The emergence of genuine demand from large buyers at higher price points suggests that the market could still attract capital even as prices soften, potentially laying groundwork for a more durable base if macro conditions stabilize.
From a market structure perspective, the divergence between cautious, long-hold participants and opportunistic institutional entrants could influence price discovery over the medium term. If inflows from institutional vehicles persist, they may counterbalance selling pressure from traders who favor liquidity and quick turns, contributing to a more two-sided market rather than a simple downtrend. This dynamic matters for exchanges, custodians, and other ecosystem participants, as steady liquidity and credible risk controls become critical to sustaining institutional confidence despite ongoing volatility.
What to watch next
- Keep an eye on Bitcoin’s price around the $70,000 level; a sustained hold could invite renewed risk-taking, while a break lower may accelerate exits from leveraged positions.
- Track daily institutional inflows into crypto products and funds, which can indicate whether the current interest is a temporary reentry or a longer-term shift in allocation.
- Monitor regulatory developments in major jurisdictions, as clearer guidelines could unlock additional deployment channels for institutions and funds.
- Watch retail sentiment indicators, including Google Trends data and other search signals, for signs of broader momentum beyond professional buyers.
- Observe ETF and product-flow dynamics into spot BTC offerings; continued inflows would reinforce the thesis of growing mainstream participation.
Sources & verification
- Horsley’s CNBC interview on Feb. 5, 2026, discussing institutional demand and price action.
- Bitcoin price data around $69,635 and the 30-day performance from CoinMarketCap: Bitcoin (BTC) on CoinMarketCap.
- Google Trends data showing heightened search interest for “Bitcoin” in the week starting Feb. 1: Google Trends.
- BlackRock spot Bitcoin ETF inflows reported in coverage from Cointelegraph: Cointelegraph.
- Bitwise fund size and inflows cited by Bitwise communications in the context of institutional demand: over $15 billion in assets under management and more than $100 million in inflows in a single session.
Bitcoin price action shows divergence between holders and new buyers
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) sits near $69,635 after slipping more than 22% over the past month, according to CoinMarketCap, a move that underscores a bear market in which liquidity and macro forces dominate the narrative. The decline arrives as the industry progresses toward regulatory clarity and as institutional interest remains visible in episodic bursts. In a CNBC interview, Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley described a market split: long-time holders grow wary of the pace of downside, while institutions—previously priced out—are re-entering at levels they once believed out of reach, signaling a renewed but cautious appetite for exposure.
The conversation about Bitcoin’s next leg has a longer memory. Geoff Kendrick, head of digital asset research at Standard Chartered, had argued in October that Bitcoin wouldn’t likely fall below $100,000 again. That perspective highlights how fast-changing sentiment can reshape benchmark expectations, especially when macro conditions—ranging from liquidity to policy—pose competing forces. Horsley’s account aligns with a broader view: Bitcoin’s price action cannot be divorced from the macro backdrop, and the asset is currently being carried by the same tides that move risk assets in a climate of evolving regulation and central-bank liquidity.
Yet the narrative is not simply about price in isolation. Horsley emphasized ongoing demand from institutions, noting that Bitwise manages more than $15 billion for investors and witnessed well over $100 million in inflows on a single Monday when Bitcoin traded near $77,000. The message is clear: even as headlines and charts point to weakness, a steady stream of capital from sophisticated buyers remains a meaningful counterweight to selling pressure. The market’s liquidity—the ability to absorb a burst of selling without a sharp price collapse—continues to be a defining feature of this cycle, a feature that could ultimately determine whether this pullback establishes a durable base or merely prolongs volatility.
Macro assets offer a complementary lens on the current mood. Gold has retreated about 11.43% from its all-time high of $5,609, trading around $4,968, while silver has dropped roughly 35.95% from its peak of $121.67 to about $77.98. This broad decline across risk-on assets suggests a risk-off stance among investors, even as crypto-specific narratives persist. Google Trends data underscore that retail curiosity remains palpable: searches for “Bitcoin” spiked to a 12-month high during the week when the price dipped toward the $60,000 area, a level not seen since late 2024. At the same time, BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF inflows—around $231.6 million on a single Friday—illustrate how mainstream interest continues to ebb and flow with volatility, underscoring the ongoing process of crypto-market maturation and broader adoption.
Looking ahead, the market appears to be negotiating the tension between momentum and prudence. The convergence of elevated institutional participation with persistent price fluctuations implies that Bitcoin could remain range-bound for a while longer, awaiting clearer catalysts. If macro conditions stabilize and regulatory signals sharpen, the probability of a more decisive move—up or down—could rise as new players re-evaluate risk, liquidity, and the strategic case for crypto exposure. The current data set paints a nuanced picture: a market increasingly steered by institutional conviction, even as price action continues to test the resolve of both bulls and bears.
Crypto World
Block (XYZ) weighs cutting up to 10% of jobs: Bloomberg
Block Inc. (XYZ), the payments company run by Jack Dorsey, may reduce its workforce by as much as 10%, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
Hundreds of employees at the bitcoin -supporting owner of Cash App and Square have been told their jobs are at risk, Bloomberg said. The reviews are part of a broader overhaul of the Oakland, California-based company’s business, it said.
In addition to the payment apps, which allow individuals and businesses to transact in bitcoin, Block has Bitkey, a bitcoin self-custody hardware wallet, and Proto, a suite of bitcoin mining products and services. Its Spiral unit builds and funds open-source projects advancing bitcoin adoption.
The company introduced a 12,000-employee cap in 2023 and reiterated its commitment to the number in its third-quarter earnings report. It had fewer than 11,000 in November, Bloomberg said.
Shares in the company have dropped 14% this year while the S&P 500 index, which it joined in July, rose 1.27%. The stock lost 23% in 2025.
Block is due to post fourth-quarter earnings on Feb. 26. Adjusted earnings are forecast to come in at $403 million, or 68 cents a share, Bloomberg said. The company posted adjusted EPS of 71 cents in fourth-quarter 2024.
The company did not respond to an emailed request for comment sent outside regular U.S. business hours.
Crypto World
Pi Network price gets oversold ahead of a big unlock and potential Kraken listing
Pi Network price continued its strong downward trend this week and is nearing its lowest level on record as traders anticipated a big token unlock this week.
Summary
- Pi Network price continued its strong downward trend last week.
- The network will unlock 82 million tokens in the next seven days.
- A potential catalyst for the coin is Kraken listing.
Pi Coin (PI) token was trading at $0.1450 on Sunday, a few points above the all-time low of $0.1305. It has dropped by over 90% from its all-time high, erasing billions of dollars in value.
Pi token may come under pressure this week as the network unlocks over 82 million coins in the next seven days. At the current price, these coins are valued at over $11 million. These coins are part of the 206 million tokens that come online this month.
Token unlocks are risky for a cryptocurrency because they boost the circulating supply. Soaring supply at a time when demand is not rising will always put pressure on the price.
Pi Network’s supply will also jump in March when the team will issue the validator rewards. In a recent note, they said that they had completed the design and were currently testing it, with the implementation happening in March.
While many validators will hold their tokens, some will dump, leading to lower prices over time.
On the positive side, Pi Network has a major catalyst in that it was added on Kraken’s roadmap list. In most cases, this is usually the first stage before the company lists a token. A Kraken listing would be highly bullish for Pi because of its scale as the second-biggest American crypto exchange after Coinbase.
Pi Network price prediction: technical analysis

The daily timeframe chart shows that the value of Pi has remained under pressure in the past few months. It recently crossed the crucial support level at $0.1520, its previous all-time low.
The coin has remained below the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages. It also sits below the Supertrend indicator, a highly bearish sign in technical analysis.
On the positive side, the coin has become highly oversold, with the Relative Strength Index remaining below 30. Therefore, the most likely scenario is where it remains in this range this week. A move above the key resistance at $0.1520 will invalidate the bearish outlook and point to more gains.
Crypto World
Strategy’s Bitcoin Treasury Is Underwater But 2025 Results Still Impressive
Bitcoin dips near $60K, leaving Strategy’s $59.75 billion holdings underwater.
Strategy, the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin holder, reported owning 713,502 BTC, worth approximately $59.75 billion as of February 1st. The company’s total cost basis for these holdings is $54.26 billion, which translates to an average cost of $76,052 per bitcoin.
With Bitcoin dropping to almost $60,000, well below Strategy’s average purchase price, the firm’s vast BTC treasury is currently underwater.
Treasury Under Strain
In 2025, Strategy achieved a full-year BTC yield of 22.8% and recorded gains of 101,873 BTC. The company continued to expand its BTC treasury in January 2026 and ended up acquiring an additional 41,002 BTC.
Strategy started in 1989 as a traditional software company focused on data analytics. In 2020, co-founder Michael Saylor made a major pivot to Bitcoin, seeing it as a safer alternative to cash during pandemic-era stimulus and low interest rates. The company began using BTC as a long-term treasury asset.
By 2025, it rebranded as Strategy and fully embraced its role as a BTC-first company. The pivot drew attention from regulators and index providers, who questioned whether a firm dominated by crypto should remain in major indices. MSCI suggested companies holding more than half their assets in Bitcoin might be considered non-operating. Strategy, however, argued that it actively uses Bitcoin to raise capital and drive shareholder value. Attempts to join the S&P 500 in September and December 2025 also failed.
Despite this, Strategy’s Bitcoin holdings have remained central to its financial structure and are closely tied to its digital credit instruments, particularly STRC, which acts as a complementary tool for risk management and capital amplification. STRC’s growth to $3.4 billion has been supported by higher liquidity and lower volatility in the crypto markets.
The company raised $25.3 billion in 2025 to support its BTC treasury and preferred stock offerings, which made it the largest US equity issuer for the second consecutive year. It also maintains a $2.25 billion USD Reserve, covering over 2.5 years of preferred stock dividends and interest obligations, providing additional stability amid market swings.
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The recent dip in the leading crypto asset has renewed concerns about corporate BTC exposure. Popular investor Michael Burry recently claimed that Bitcoin’s behavior as a speculative asset, rather than a hedge, could pose significant risks for companies holding large BTC treasuries. He observed that further price declines could leave major holders, including Strategy, deeply underwater and potentially limit access to capital markets, thereby amplifying financial stress.
Losses Surge in Q4
Meanwhile, Strategy’s operating losses for the quarter were found to be $17.4 billion, entirely due to unrealized losses on digital assets, compared with a $1.0 billion operating loss in Q4 2024 under the prior accounting model.
Net loss for the quarter was $12.4 billion, up from $670.8 million in the same period of 2024. Cash and cash equivalents rose to $2.3 billion from $38.1 million, driven largely by the establishment of the USD Reserve.
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Crypto World
Jack Dorsey’s Block Could Cut Up to 10% of Staff, Report Says
Block Inc. is pursuing a broad restructuring designed to sharpen efficiency, align its product lines, and knit together Cash App’s consumer payments with Square’s merchant services. The plan has prompted conversations within the company about role reductions during annual performance reviews, a sign that management is tightening cost controls as it recalibrates its business mix. People familiar with the matter say as many as 10% of Block’s workforce could be affected, a substantial slice for a company that employed just under 11,000 people as of late November. The move arrives as Block seeks to balance near-term profitability with long-running bets in crypto and fintech innovation.
The restructure, which began taking clearer form after a 2024 reorganization, is intended to bring Cash App more tightly in line with Square, Block’s merchant services division. By integrating the consumer-to-business payments ecosystem, executives hope to create a more seamless flow of users across services and reduce redundancies within operations. The strategy reflects a broader industry trend: fintech firms are recalibrating their internal structures to preserve margins as competition intensifies and users demand more integrated products.
Beyond cost discipline, Block has pressed ahead with growth initiatives that extend well beyond payments. The company has been expanding its newer lines, including a Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) mining venture under Proto and an artificial intelligence project known as Goose. While some investors worry about “growth at any cost” disclosures, Block is positioning these projects as long-duration bets that could diversify revenue streams in a crypto-rich future. The balance sheet, however, continues to reflect the complexity of crypto exposure: the company’s third-quarter results highlighted both the potential and the risk of its bitcoin activities.
Block shares rallied on the latest trading day, ending Friday up nearly 5%. The move underscores a market that remains sensitive to earnings trajectories and the trajectory of Block’s efficiency drive as investors weigh the potential upside from its crypto and AI bets against the near-term impact of cost reductions.
The company is set to report its fourth-quarter results on February 26. Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg expected adjusted earnings of about $403 million, or 68 cents per share, on roughly $6.25 billion in revenue. Those projections sit against Block’s prior quarter, when it posted net income of $461.5 million on $6.11 billion in revenue. Gross profit rose 18% year over year, driven by 24% growth in Cash App and 9% growth in Square, though some performance metrics missed Wall Street expectations and weighed on sentiment.
On the revenue mix, Bitcoin contributed a significant portion in the third quarter, generating roughly $1.97 billion in revenue, a decline from $2.4 billion a year earlier but still the company’s second-largest revenue stream. Block held 8,780 BTC worth over $1 billion by the end of September, though the company logged a quarterly valuation loss of about $59 million on its bitcoin holdings. Those figures illustrate the tension between crypto as a revenue engine and the volatility that accompanies digital asset exposure.
Block’s push into crypto-enabled payments has been a core feature of its broader strategy. In November of last year, Square, Block’s payments arm, rolled out a Bitcoin payments option at checkout via its point-of-sale terminals, enabling merchants to accept BTC directly and offering multiple pathways for conversion and settlement. The feature builds on earlier tools that let merchants convert a portion of daily card sales into Bitcoin as part of Square’s wallet ecosystem, reinforcing the company’s aim to embed cryptocurrency into everyday transactions. The expansion has reached millions of sellers across eight countries, underscoring Block’s ambition to normalize crypto in everyday commerce.
The broader narrative around Block’s strategy also touches on how it manages digital-asset capabilities within a traditional payments framework. Some observers have flagged regulatory and market risks inherent in crypto-adjacent businesses, while others highlight the potential for cash flows from both merchant services and consumer wallets to harness network effects. In parallel with its payments ambitions, Block has signaled interest in stablecoins and other crypto-facilitated capabilities. The company’s crypto endeavors are occasionally framed as a hedge against the volatility of traditional payments margins, even as they introduce new layers of risk that investors must monitor closely. For readers tracking this space, it’s worth noting that stablecoin-related developments have drawn scrutiny and interest from regulators, a dynamic that could influence Block’s product roadmap and timing of crypto-enabled features.
Why it matters
The near-term significance lies in Block’s attempt to fuse its consumer and merchant ecosystems more tightly while continuing to push into crypto and AI experimentation. If the restructuring yields meaningful cost savings without sacrificing growth, Block could improve its operating leverage at a time when fintechs face margin pressure and competitive intensity. The company’s ability to deliver a coherent cross-sell thesis—pulling Cash App users into Square’s merchant services and vice versa—could unlock higher lifetime value per customer and create a more resilient revenue base.
From a crypto perspective, the scaling of BTC-related revenue and the ongoing mining and AI ventures signal a deliberate, long-horizon approach to digital assets as a core strategic differentiator. The Q3 bitcoin rebound in revenue—despite a year-over-year decline—demonstrates that crypto remains a material driver of Block’s top line, even as the company navigates volatility in asset prices and the valuation challenges that come with large BTC holdings. The question for investors is whether the company’s crypto investments translate into durable cash flows or whether they remain a portfolio of bets requiring ongoing capital allocation and risk management.
For users and developers in the payments and fintech space, Block’s moves underscore a broader shift toward platform-centric models that knit together payments, wallets, and crypto services. If successful, the integration of Cash App with Square could yield more seamless onboarding, better data integration, and richer product ecosystems, enabling the company to monetize increasingly large audiences across both consumer and merchant segments. The ongoing expansion into mining and AI suggests Block intends to diversify away from reliance on any single revenue source, a strategy that could resonate with investors seeking exposure to multiple growth vectors within a single corporate banner.
What to watch next
- Feb. 26 – Block’s fourth-quarter earnings release and accompanying guidance, including updated profit metrics and potential commentary on the restructuring’s impact on margins.
- Progress updates on the 2024 reorganization, specifically any milestones tied to aligning Cash App with Square and improving cross-product customer journeys.
- Operational updates from Proto (BTC mining) and Goose (AI) projects, including any partnerships, capital deployments, or pilot milestones.
- Regulatory developments or market signals affecting crypto-enabled payments and stablecoins, which could influence product timing and capital allocation.
Sources & verification
- Bloomberg article on Block cutting up to 10% of staff as part of an efficiency push.
- Block’s reported third-quarter results: net income, revenue, gross profit growth, and Bitcoin revenue details.
- Square’s November rollout of Bitcoin payments for merchants and related capabilities.
- Block’s anticipated fourth-quarter earnings release date (Feb. 26) and consensus estimates.
Block’s restructuring tightens focus on payments and crypto ventures
Block Inc. is pursuing a broad restructuring designed to sharpen efficiency, align its product lines, and knit together Cash App’s consumer payments with Square’s merchant services. The plan has prompted conversations within the company about role reductions during annual performance reviews, a sign that management is tightening cost controls as it recalibrates its business mix. People familiar with the matter say as many as 10% of Block’s workforce could be affected, a substantial slice for a company that employed just under 11,000 people as of late November. The move arrives as Block seeks to balance near-term profitability with long-running bets in crypto and fintech innovation.
The restructure, which began taking clearer form after a 2024 reorganization, is intended to bring Cash App more tightly in line with Square, Block’s merchant services division. By integrating the consumer-to-business payments ecosystem, executives hope to create a more seamless flow of users across services and reduce redundancies within operations. The strategy reflects a broader industry trend: fintech firms are recalibrating their internal structures to preserve margins as competition intensifies and users demand more integrated products.
Beyond cost discipline, Block has pressed ahead with growth initiatives that extend well beyond payments. The company has been expanding its newer lines, including a Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) mining venture under Proto and an artificial intelligence project known as Goose. While some investors worry about “growth at any cost” disclosures, Block is positioning these projects as long-duration bets that could diversify revenue streams in a crypto-rich future. The balance sheet, however, continues to reflect the complexity of crypto exposure: the company’s third-quarter results highlighted both the potential and the risk of its bitcoin activities.
Block shares rallied on the latest trading day, ending Friday up nearly 5%. The move underscores a market that remains sensitive to earnings trajectories and the trajectory of Block’s efficiency drive as investors weigh the potential upside from its crypto and AI bets against the near-term impact of cost reductions.
The company is set to report its fourth-quarter results on February 26. Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg expected adjusted earnings of about $403 million, or 68 cents per share, on roughly $6.25 billion in revenue. Those projections sit against Block’s prior quarter, when it posted net income of $461.5 million on $6.11 billion in revenue. Gross profit rose 18% year over year, driven by 24% growth in Cash App and 9% growth in Square, though some performance metrics missed Wall Street expectations and weighed on sentiment.
On the revenue mix, Bitcoin contributed a significant portion in the third quarter, generating roughly $1.97 billion in revenue, a decline from $2.4 billion a year earlier but still the company’s second-largest revenue stream. Block held 8,780 BTC worth over $1 billion by the end of September, though the company logged a quarterly valuation loss of about $59 million on its bitcoin holdings. Those figures illustrate the tension between crypto as a revenue engine and the volatility that accompanies digital asset exposure.
Block’s push into crypto-enabled payments has been a core feature of its broader strategy. In November of last year, Square, Block’s payments arm, rolled out a Bitcoin payments option at checkout via its point-of-sale terminals, enabling merchants to accept BTC directly and offering multiple pathways for conversion and settlement. The feature builds on earlier tools that let merchants convert a portion of daily card sales into Bitcoin as part of Square’s wallet ecosystem, reinforcing the company’s aim to embed cryptocurrency into everyday transactions. The expansion has reached millions of sellers across eight countries, underscoring Block’s ambition to normalize crypto in everyday commerce.
The broader narrative around Block’s strategy also touches on how it manages digital-asset capabilities within a traditional payments framework. Some observers have flagged regulatory and market risks inherent in crypto-adjacent businesses, while others highlight the potential for cash flows from both merchant services and consumer wallets to harness network effects. In parallel with its payments ambitions, Block has signaled interest in stablecoins and other crypto-facilitated capabilities. The company’s crypto endeavors are occasionally framed as a hedge against the volatility of traditional payments margins, even as they introduce new layers of risk that investors must monitor closely. For readers tracking this space, it’s worth noting that stablecoin-related developments have drawn scrutiny and interest from regulators, a dynamic that could influence Block’s product roadmap and timing of crypto-enabled features.
Block’s restructuring and crypto bets illustrate a deliberate attempt to diversify revenue streams while strengthening core services. If the company can successfully integrate Cash App with Square, it would enable more robust cross-selling opportunities and a cohesive loyalty proposition that could boost retention and lifetime value. At the same time, the BTC mining and Goose AI initiatives serve as parallel growth rails, potentially generating new cash flows even as they introduce volatility and execution risk. The next earnings cycle will be crucial in signaling whether the restructuring translates into measurable margin improvement and sustainable long-term growth.
Crypto World
Arthur Hayes Reportedly Dumps These DeFi Tokens: Full Details
The former BitMEX CEO has moved millions of dollars worth of certain DeFi tokens, here’s which ones.
Arthur Hayes, perhaps best known for his leadership at BitMEX years ago, has made several high-value transfers for numerous altcoins, mostly from the DeFi space, which caught the attention of monitoring resources such as Lookonchain.
Given his history of offloading similar tokens in times of market uncertainty, the analysts speculated that he had likely made the transfers to sell $1.06 million worth of ENA, $954,000 worth of ETHFI, and $1.14 million worth of PENDLE.
Arthur Hayes(@CryptoHayes) is selling DeFi tokens.
In the past 15 minutes, he moved out 8.57M $ENA($1.06), 2.04M $ETHFI($954K), and 950K $PENDLE($1.14M) — likely to sell.https://t.co/loeYKUb9rN pic.twitter.com/ZOJnUHCTdr
— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) February 8, 2026
Hayes made several big sell-offs in August last year, claiming that the crypto market was due for a large correction. However, the market went the other direction, and some of the assets he sold, such as ETH, skyrocketed in the following weeks.
Just days later, he regretted his decision with a post on X. Hayes explained that he had to buy it all back at higher prices, asked for forgiveness from the Ethereum community, and promised not to take ETH profits again.
In November, though, further on-chain data from Lookonchain showed that he disposed of 520 ETH for $1.66 million, alongside ENA and ETHFI.
Another report from late December 2025 indicated that he had sold additional ETH and purchased PENDLE, LDO, ENA, and ETHFI again. If he indeed offloaded the DeFi tokens now, it would result in a substantial loss given the latest market correction.
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Crypto World
Crypto is Europe’s answer to Revolut’s fintech dominance
Disclosure: The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to the author and do not represent the views and opinions of crypto.news’ editorial.
Revolut’s fintech expansion across Europe and globally is severely constraining the playing field for European fintech founders. Attempting to build a European-scale fintech — which means competing directly with Revolut — has become extremely challenging, both from a product and marketing perspective.
Summary
- Revolut closed the fintech door — crypto opens a new one: Competing head-on with a 65M-user super-app is a losing game, but Revolut’s relative neglect of crypto creates a rare, defensible opening.
- MiCA turned crypto from a risk into a credential: Regulatory clarity doesn’t just unlock Europe — it boosts global trust, capital access, and turns licenses into real balance-sheet value.
- Europe is perfectly priced for crypto scale: Cheaper talent, growing stablecoin demand, and returning VC capital make crypto-finance Europe’s best shot at building the next pan-regional champion.
By September 2025, Revolut reached 65 million customers worldwide, with 12 million in the UK alone. The company has also announced a firm timeline for serving 100 million customers, aiming to hit this milestone by mid-2027. As a result, the window of opportunity for European fintech development is rapidly narrowing. Entrepreneurs are left with only two viable options: either build a super-niche project, both in terms of product and geography — think local payment services — or exploit Revolut’s main blind spot. In their pursuit of banking licenses and regulatory relationships, they haven’t been developing crypto services with sufficient intensity.
The latter model offers several compelling advantages. Due to certain characteristics of the European startup scene, a crypto-finance project has excellent chances for global expansion, or at a minimum, pan-European growth.
Regulation
The rollout of Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation has given crypto projects a major boost — not because it specifically permitted or prohibited anything, but simply because it established clear, understandable frameworks for what a project must comply with to stay compliant in Europe.
There’s an unusual side effect to this regulation: MiCA enhances trust in crypto projects beyond Europe’s borders. For example, in Latin American markets, it creates an extremely positive attitude from regulators toward projects, so it becomes a notable green flag.
The workforce and economy
Compared to the US, hiring employees in Europe is significantly cheaper. Hiring one engineer in the US is equivalent to hiring two or three in Europe. It’s worth noting that in Europe, you can recruit the same developers or product managers from Revolut itself, which definitely makes sense in the context of expansion.
Cryptocurrency turnover is actively growing in Europe. Even our own statistics confirm that users are interested in receiving stablecoins to their accounts and using them as a means of payment.
Funding
While fintech attracted less and less money in recent years, the situation is now changing.
“If 2024 was defined by scarcity, 2025 was defined by bifurcation. The recovery in fundraising has been robust, with year-to-date figures reaching approximately €6.3 billion by September, surpassing 70% of 2024’s total.”
Part of this money is flowing into crypto, as the sector becomes institutionalized through MiCA. A license significantly capitalizes a company, transforming it in investors’ eyes from an unproven concept into a clearly understood fintech company.
“With MiCA fully live, we expect 2026 to be the year of Stablecoin Rails. Major European banks are already piloting Euro-denominated stablecoins. The ‘wild west’ of crypto is over; the institutionalization of digital assets is here, and it will likely become the standard for cross-border B2B payments.”
What could be improved?
Despite being a major benefit, MiCa still hasn’t fully solved compliance. Current legislation and regulators still stumble over crypto-specific issues when it comes to how businesses earn and spend money in crypto form. Moreover, since we’re dealing with an extremely young fintech instrument, tax incentives could facilitate its development and growth.
So if you’re feeling the pressure from Revolut on your European fintech business, we strongly advise taking a serious look at the crypto-finance market. Europe provides numerous benefits to fintech businesses that they can leverage for global expansion.
Crypto World
Ethereum price confirms inverted H&S as staking queue soars
Ethereum price could be preparing a strong rebound after forming a giant hammer candle and confirming the inverted head-and-shoulders chart pattern as the staking queue jumps to a record high.
Summary
- Ethereum price dropped for three consecutive weeks.
- The staking queue has jumped to a record high.
- ETH has formed an inverted head-and-shoulders pattern.
Ethereum (ETH) token was trading at $2,080, up sharply from last week’s low of $1,738. This price is much lower than the all-time high of nearly $5,000.
The ongoing Ethereum crash is notable as it is happening when the token has some of the best fundamentals ever. For example, more investors are delegating their coins to staking. Data shows that 4 million ETH coins are waiting in line to stake.
The entry queue has jumped to a record high of 4.06 million coins, while only 31,915 coins are waiting to get out. These numbers mean that the wait time to stake has jumped to 70 days. These numbers mean that there is still demand for Ethereum and that most holders are not panic-selling.
Ethereum’s network statistics are booming, a sign that the Fusaka upgrade was successful. Nansen data shows that Ethereum’s active addresses jumped by 38% in the last 30 days to over 15 million. Its transactions soared by 37% to over 70 million, while its fees soared to nearly $20 million.
Ethereum is benefiting because of its commanding market share in some of the most important industries in the crypto industry. For example, it is the biggest chain in the real-world asset tokenization industry, with a market share of over 70%.
Ethereum price technical analysis

The weekly timeframe chart shows that the ETH price has been in a freefall in the past few months. It has dropped in the last three consecutive weeks, with the Relative Strength Index moving to the oversold level of 30.
The coin has been slowly forming the inverted head-and-shoulders pattern, a common bullish reversal sign. There are signs that the coin has completed the formation of the right shoulder.
It has also formed a hammer candle, which is made up of a long lower shadow and a small body. A hammer is another common bullish reversal sign in technical analysis.
Therefore, the coin will likely bounce back in the coming weeks, potentially to the psychological point at $2,500. A move below the lower side of the hammer will invalidate the bullish outlook.
Crypto World
HBAR Price Signals Potential Rally, But Bitcoin Risk Looms
Hedera has come under renewed pressure after a broader market downturn dragged HBAR lower. The recent price drop reflects bearish cues driven by macro uncertainty and weakness in Bitcoin.
While the long-term outlook for Hedera remains constructive, near-term recovery attempts may struggle as market headwinds continue to weigh on sentiment.
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HBAR Has A Different Target
Price action remains macro bullish, with HBAR trading inside a well-defined descending channel. The rejection from the channel’s upper boundary near $0.1290 confirmed seller dominance.
The recent drop toward $0.0893 shows weak demand, signaling continuation risk as momentum and structure remain tilted to the downside.
Immediate support sits at $0.0786, which previously triggered a short-lived bounce. As the pattern projects a bullish outcome, the breakout from it can trigger a 31% rise. This would send HBAR rallying towards $0.1252, marking a short bounce which in turn could lead to further recovery.
Want more token insights like this? Sign up for Editor Harsh Notariya’s Daily Crypto Newsletter here.
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HBAR Traders Are Preparing For New Lows
Derivatives data, however, paints a more nuanced picture of trader expectations. HBAR’s futures funding rate has stayed in negative territory for the past 48 hours, even as the price attempted to stabilize. Negative funding indicates short positions are paying longs, reflecting a bias toward further downside.
This positioning suggests traders expect additional weakness and are attempting to profit from it. Short contracts currently dominate longs, signaling skepticism around any immediate recovery.
While excessive short exposure can fuel sharp squeezes, it also highlights prevailing caution across speculative participants.
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HBAR’s high correlation with Bitcoin adds another layer of risk. The correlation coefficient between HBAR and BTC currently sits near 0.96. Such a strong relationship typically benefits altcoins during Bitcoin rallies, as capital flows across the market in unison.
In the current environment, however, this correlation acts as a constraint. Bitcoin has struggled to regain momentum, and continued weakness in BTC could delay HBAR’s recovery. Until Bitcoin stabilizes or reverses higher, HBAR is likely to mirror broader market pressure rather than decouple meaningfully.
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HBAR Price Support Levels Next
HBAR is trading near $0.0895 at the time of writing, sitting just below the $0.0907 resistance. This level has capped recent upside attempts. A successful flip of $0.0907 into support would be the first signal of improving structure, opening a path toward the $0.1029 target.
Given prevailing conditions, a failed breakout appears more likely in the near term. If HBAR cannot reclaim $0.0907, the price may consolidate above the $0.0832 support. A breakdown below that level would expose HBAR to a deeper decline toward $0.0710, extending the downtrend.
A more constructive outcome depends on reclaiming $0.1029. Securing that level would allow HBAR to recover a meaningful portion of recent losses. Such a move would invalidate the bearish thesis and signal that buyers are regaining control, provided broader market conditions, led by Bitcoin, also improve.
Crypto World
Is This the Best Crypto Coin to Buy While Prices Are Still Low?
With the crypto market still trading below previous highs, many investors are asking a familiar question: where is the best opportunity before the next major move begins? Historically, periods of muted prices have rewarded those who focus on early-stage projects showing real progress rather than short-term hype. One name increasingly coming up in these discussions is Mutuum Finance (MUTM), a new DeFi project that is still in presale while actively delivering on development.
Why MUTM Is Still Considered Undervalued
Mutuum Finance is currently in Phase 7 of its presale, with the MUTM token priced at $0.04, compared to a confirmed $0.06 launch price. Since the presale began at $0.01, the token price has increased in structured steps tied to development milestones rather than speculation. At today’s level, MUTM is already up 300% from its starting price, yet it remains 50% below its launch valuation.
The presale has raised over $20.43 million, drawing participation from a growing number of holders and signaling sustained demand. Analysts often point out that this combination—strong fundraising, disciplined price progression, and a clear launch price—creates a window where tokens are still considered discounted relative to their initial market entry.
Analyst Price Outlook and Upside Potential
Some analysts are projecting that MUTM could reach $0.35 shortly after launch, driven by a mix of early adoption, development delivery, and potential exchange exposure. From the current presale price of $0.04, a move to $0.35 would represent an increase of approximately 775%.
These projections are largely based on execution rather than narrative alone. Mutuum Finance has already launched its V1 lending and borrowing protocol on the Sepolia testnet, allowing users to test core functionality ahead of mainnet. In addition, the project has completed security audits and continues to roll out updates, which analysts see as key factors in reducing execution risk.
Some market observers also suggest there is a high possibility of listings on major exchanges after launch, as platforms often prioritize projects that demonstrate live infrastructure, audited contracts, and sustained investor demand. Exchange exposure, if it materializes, has historically been a catalyst for increased liquidity and price discovery in the early post-launch phase.
To put the potential upside into perspective, a $2,000 investment at the current $0.04 price would secure 50,000 MUTM tokens. When the token were to reach the $0.35 level discussed by analysts, that position would be valued at $17,500, representing a gain of $15,500 before fees and market considerations.
How Mutuum Finance Works
At its core, Mutuum Finance is designed to generate real utility through decentralized lending and borrowing. Users who supply assets receive mtTokens, which represent their deposit positions and automatically accrue yield over time. These mtTokens can be staked, making holders eligible for dividends paid in MUTM tokens through a buy-and-distribute mechanism funded by protocol revenue.
Borrowers, meanwhile, can unlock liquidity by providing overcollateralized positions rather than selling their assets. This structure allows users to access capital while maintaining exposure to their holdings, a model widely used across DeFi but refined in Mutuum Finance through automated risk controls and transparent on-chain tracking.
Expansion and Ecosystem Growth
Beyond launch, Mutuum Finance’s roadmap includes several developments aimed at expanding the ecosystem. Plans include multi-chain expansion, allowing the protocol to operate across multiple blockchain networks, and the future introduction of a native overcollateralized stablecoin designed to enhance liquidity and platform utility.
The project is also running a $100,000 giveaway, aimed at rewarding early participants during the presale phase. Entry requirements and tasks are outlined on the project’s website, adding an additional incentive for community engagement while development continues.
For investors searching for the best crypto coin to buy while prices are still low, Mutuum Finance is increasingly part of the conversation. With a token price of $0.04, a confirmed $0.06 launch price, active protocol development, and analyst projections pointing toward higher post-launch valuations, MUTM remains in a phase that many view as an early opportunity.
As always, market conditions can change, but with the presale still open and development milestones already delivered, Mutuum Finance continues to stand out as a project worth watching while prices remain at early-stage levels.
For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:
Website: https://www.mutuum.com
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance
Disclaimer: This is a Press Release provided by a third party who is responsible for the content. Please conduct your own research before taking any action based on the content.
Crypto World
Jack Dorsey’s Block May Slash Up To 10% of Staff: Report
Jack Dorsey’s payments company Block Inc. has begun informing hundreds of employees that their roles could be eliminated during annual performance reviews, as the firm undertakes a wider restructuring effort.
As much as 10% of Block’s workforce may be affected, Bloomberg reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter. The company employed just under 11,000 people as of late November, an executive reportedly said at the time.
The potential layoffs come as Block reshapes its operations following a reorganization launched in 2024 aimed at improving efficiency and aligning its product lines. The company is working to more closely link its peer-to-peer payments platform Cash App with its merchant services arm Square.
At the same time, Block is expanding newer initiatives, including its Bitcoin (BTC) mining division Proto and an artificial intelligence project known as Goose.
Related: Cash App plans to unlock stablecoin transactions ’soon’
Block expected to post $403 million Q4 profit
Block is scheduled to release quarterly earnings on Feb. 26, according to Bloomberg. Analysts expect adjusted profit of about $403 million, or 68 cents per share, on revenue of roughly $6.25 billion for the fourth quarter, per the report.
The company last reported third-quarter net income of $461.5 million on $6.11 billion in revenue. Gross profit rose 18% year over year, driven by 24% growth in Cash App and 9% growth in Square, though the stock fell after the release as some performance metrics missed Wall Street expectations.
For the third quarter, Bitcoin generated about $1.97 billion in revenue, down from $2.4 billion a year earlier but still the company’s second-largest revenue stream. Block held 8,780 BTC worth over $1 billion by the end of September, recording a $59 million quarterly valuation loss.
Related: Jack Dorsey urges tax-free status for ‘everyday’ Bitcoin payments
Square launches Bitcoin payments for merchants
In November last year, Square, the payments platform owned by Block, rolled out a Bitcoin payment option, allowing merchants to accept BTC directly at checkout through its point-of-sale terminals. Sellers can process transactions in multiple ways, including Bitcoin-to-Bitcoin and automatic conversion between Bitcoin and fiat currency.
The launch added on earlier tools that let merchants convert a portion of daily card sales into Bitcoin as part of Square’s broader payment and wallet ecosystem. More than four million sellers across eight countries use Square.
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