Crypto World
Bitcoin Surges 3% as Gold Divergence Signals Major Upside
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) traded toward the $66,000 level as US equities regained ground, signaling renewed risk appetite after a softer spell for crypto markets. The move followed a broad market rally led by technology and AI names, with the Nasdaq posting modest gains and the S&P 500 edging higher. Observers said the resilience reflects a combination of regained liquidity, regulated access via spot BTC ETFs, and a return of domestic buyers. Data points include Tuesday’s net inflows of roughly $258 million into spot BTC funds and a positive swing in the Bitcoin Coinbase Premium Index, a sign that US demand is re-emerging after weeks of caution. Longer-term narratives around BTC’s role as a hedge and its place within diversified portfolios continue to persist even as near-term price moves respond to liquidity shifts.
Key takeaways
- Bitcoin climbed toward the $66,000 mark as US stock markets recovered, signaling renewed demand for BTC alongside broad market strength.
- The Bitcoin Coinbase Premium Index flipped to positive territory, aligning with notable ETF inflows into spot BTC products.
- BTC’s correlation with stocks and gold has weakened to levels not seen since 2022, though analysts expect reversion during risk-on cycles.
- Crypto-linked equities rose modestly, with Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN) and MicroStrategy (NASDAQ: MSTR) posting gains as liquidity returned.
- On-chain and liquidity narratives point to BTC remaining a long-run inflation hedge and collateral narrative, even as near-term flows swing with risk appetite.
Tickers mentioned: $BTC, $COIN, $MSTR
Sentiment: Bullish
Price impact: Positive. The combination of BTC’s price uptick, ETF inflows and renewed US demand supports a constructive near-term bias.
Trading idea (Not Financial Advice): Hold. With market liquidity improving but macro risks still present, maintain balanced exposure and avoid aggressive positioning on a single catalyst.
Market context: The latest move ties BTC to broader market liquidity and risk sentiment, with renewed appetite for regulated access to crypto exposure through ETFs and a visible return of US buyers. The dynamic comes as traders reassess macro risk, liquidity conditions and the evolving landscape for crypto products in traditional financial channels.
Why it matters
The recent price action underscores a maturation in the crypto market’s relationship with traditional asset classes. After a period of decoupling or weaker cross-asset correlations, BTC has shown episodes of co-movement with equities when liquidity and risk appetite rise, while still maintaining a distinct narrative as a potential inflation hedge and a form of collateral. The inflows into spot BTC ETFs and the renewed US demand flagged by the Coinbase Premium Index together suggest that investors are seeking regulated, transparent routes to gain exposure to Bitcoin’s upside while managing counterparty risk.
Analysts framing the longer-term picture argue that the current dislocation between stocks, gold and BTC could revert to historical patterns during moments of liquidity expansion. Santiment recently highlighted that when BTC diverges significantly from stocks and gold, the longer-term bias tends to tilt toward upside for Bitcoin and altcoins once liquidity returns. While such reversion is not guaranteed, the historical tendency is to see BTC catch up with equities during growth phases, a view echoed by market observers who see liquidity as the primary driver of BTC’s near-term trajectory.
Additionally, industry voices emphasize that the present dynamics are less about Bitcoin’s price alone and more about market structure and availability of capital for crypto exposure. Darius Sit, founder and CIO of QCP Capital, has argued that the BTC-versus-gold narrative can obscure the true driver: liquidity. He notes that Bitcoin’s longer-term narrative as a hedge persists even as near-term price action can be influenced by hedging costs, leverage unwinds and shifts in risk tolerance. In this light, BTC’s resilience and the appetite for regulated access could reinforce its status as a mature asset class for institutional and strategic investors alike.
For investors tracking adoption, the trend remains one of broad institutional participation. Bitcoin’s maturation—spurred by greater adoption among financial institutions, banks, merchants and even some public-sector actors—continues to support a structural case for BTC beyond speculative trading. Cointelegraph has documented how adoption expanded in 2025, reinforcing the narrative of Bitcoin as a credible, long-term asset rather than a purely cyclical play. This backdrop helps explain why even as prices fluctuate, structural demand remains a persistent force behind BTC’s trajectory.
The near-term implications hinge on continued liquidity and the durability of US demand. If ETF inflows persist and the Coinbase Premium Index sustains its positive tilt, BTC could consolidate above key levels and test new resistance zones as market participants reassess risk. Conversely, any rolling back of liquidity or a shift back toward risk-off posture could curtail the immediate upside. Still, the framework described by market observers points to a scenario where BTC’s trajectory is increasingly tethered to market-wide liquidity dynamics rather than isolated crypto-specific catalysts.
“Historically, when an asset that is usually correlated breaks away in this dramatic fashion, it typically does not stay disconnected forever. In the long term, this unusual separation actually argues for significant upside for Bitcoin and altcoins.”
The ongoing discussion around BTC’s price discovery and its role within asset allocations remains central for traders and institutions alike. As adoption accelerates and regulated access grows, the market is likely to price in both the structural case for Bitcoin as a reserve-like asset and the cyclical demand tied to macro liquidity conditions. In this environment, a decisive shift in risk appetite or regulatory clarity could tilt BTC back toward a more pronounced correlation with risk-on cycles, potentially delivering meaningful upside if fundamentals align with liquidity conditions.
What to watch next
- Continued ETF inflows into spot BTC products—monitor next week’s data for signs of sustained demand.
- BTC trading near the $66k level and testing for persistence above the level as liquidity conditions evolve.
- Updates to the Bitcoin Coinbase Premium Index and other on-chain indicators for signs of durable US buying interest.
- Liquidity dynamics and leverage flows in risk assets that could influence BTC’s near-term trajectory.
- Regulatory or product-launch developments that could improve or constrain access to BTC exposure via regulated vehicles.
Sources & verification
- ETF inflows: Spot Bitcoin ETFs drew about $258 million in net inflows on Tuesday. (Source material references a Cointelegraph report on ETFs.)
- Coinbase Premium Index: Data showing the index turning positive, indicating renewed US demand. (Source: CoinGlass data referenced in the original article.)
- Correlation and on-chain analysis: Santiment’s notes on BTC’s correlation with stocks and gold. (Source: Santiment’s posts cited in the article.)
- Liquidity and market structure comments: Darius Sit of QCP Capital discussing liquidity as a primary driver for BTC movement. (Source: QCP Capital insights.)
- Adoption narrative: BTC adoption growth among institutions and broad market participants. (Source: Cointelegraph’s reporting on Bitcoin adoption.)
Bitcoin price action and institutional demand: toward 66k, ETF inflows revive risk appetite
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) moved back toward the $66,000 threshold as a renewed bid for risk assets underpinned the move, aligning BTC with the day’s broader market strength in U.S. equities. The rally followed a period of softness earlier in the week and came as investors rotated into higher-yielding assets and defensive hedges alike, suggesting a cautious but constructive stance among market participants. The move above $66k is notable given the backdrop of mixed macro signals and ongoing debates about liquidity, making BTC a focal point for traders watching how crypto assets interact with traditional markets.
Institutional demand appeared to re-emerge, with spot BTC exchange-traded products and related vehicles drawing renewed attention. Reports indicated around $258 million in net inflows flowed into spot BTC ETFs on Tuesday, signaling that regulated pathways for price exposure are gaining traction again as investors seek transparent access to Bitcoin’s upside potential. The inflows also support a broader comeback in regulated crypto products that had faced headwinds in the prior quarters.
Meanwhile, the Coinbase Premium Index, a gauge of price gaps between major exchanges, shifted into positive territory for the first time since Jan. 15, implying that buyers in the United States were returning to the market. Market observers cautioned that the premium’s durability matters; a sustained positive reading would indicate ongoing demand, whereas a quick reversal could signal exhaustion and prompt a retreat. The index’s turn to positive aligns with the broader risk-on posture and with spot-btc inflows, but it does not guarantee a sustained rally on its own.
In equities, tech-focused names continued to lead, with the Nasdaq rising around 1% on the day and the S&P 500 gaining roughly 0.7%. The general market bid helped ease risk-off pressure on crypto, enabling BTC to recover some of the losses incurred during prior sessions. Crypto-related equities also benefited, with Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN) edging higher and MicroStrategy (NASDAQ: MSTR) posting modest gains as investors recalibrated exposure to the broader technology and financial services ecosystem. The cross-asset bid reinforced the view that liquidity and risk appetite largely drive BTC’s near-term trajectory rather than a pure crypto-specific dynamic.
From a broader perspective, BTC’s recent decoupling from the stock and gold markets has drawn attention from researchers and traders. Data from on-chain analytics provider Santiment shows the daily correlation between BTC and the S&P 500 slipping toward its weakest levels since the FTX era’s upheavals, while correlation with gold has also cooled. The firm’s analysts observed that when such a dramatic separation occurs, the longer-term bias tends to tilt toward upside for Bitcoin and altcoins once liquidity returns. In practical terms, this could mean more upside for BTC if liquidity conditions permit, even if macro headwinds persist in the near term. Cointelegraph has documented Bitcoin adoption as a booming trend, reinforcing the narrative of a maturing asset class with broader institutional resonance.
The ongoing discussion around BTC’s price discovery and its role within asset allocations remains central for traders and institutions alike. As adoption accelerates and regulated access grows, the market is likely to price in both the structural case for Bitcoin as a reserve-like asset and the cyclical demand tied to macro liquidity conditions. In this environment, a decisive shift in risk appetite or regulatory clarity could tilt BTC back toward a more pronounced correlation with risk-on cycles, potentially delivering meaningful upside if fundamentals align with liquidity conditions.
The exchange’s institutional desk highlights negative gamma exposure between $60,000 and $70,000, a setup that can amplify volatility.
Bitcoin’s brief rebound above $66,000 following U.S. President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address has done little to shift the underlying market structure, with fresh analysis from Coinbase Institutional pointing to a critical support zone near $60,000 that, if broken, could trigger accelerated selling.
The combination of options market dynamics and on-chain data suggests the path of least resistance remains lower, with any sustained recovery likely requiring a reclaim of $82,000, a level that currently stands as the first major hurdle to renewed upside momentum.
Options Market Points to Accelerated Downside Risk
Coinbase Institutional’s latest Bitcoin playbook introduced gamma exposure (GEX) as a lens for understanding how options dealers influence price action. According to the firm, when dealers hold positive gamma, their hedging tends to stabilize prices, selling into strength and buying into weakness. Negative gamma has the opposite effect, forcing dealers to buy as prices rise and sell as they fall, amplifying trends.
The current configuration shows a pronounced negative gamma band concentrated in the $60,000 to $70,000 region, with positive gamma pockets forming higher up near $85,000 and $90,000. This structure, per Coinbase, carries a specific implication: downside momentum into the $60,000 area could accelerate rapidly, while any advance toward $90,000 would likely grind and consolidate rather than break out cleanly.
Dense support sits near $60,000 based on historical market structure and volume profiles, while $82,000 represents the first significant resistance band. According to Coinbase’s market watchers, if Bitcoin fails to hold above $82,000 on approach, the lack of stabilizing gamma in that region suggests resistance may hold. By contrast, a break below $60,000 would occur in a negative gamma environment, meaning selling could feed on itself as dealers hedge in the direction of the move.
On-Chain Data Confirms Defensive Regime
Coinbase’s options-derived outlook matches up with deteriorating on-chain fundamentals. Yesterday, analyst Axel Adler Jr. noted that Realized Cap has declined for a second consecutive month, falling roughly $33 billion from its peak of $1.127 trillion in November 2025 to around $1.094 trillion. Furthermore, the 30-day Realized Cap Net Position Change is still negative, signaling ongoing capital outflows.
Separate data from Glassnode showed the 90-day moving average of the Realized Profit/Loss Ratio falling below 1, meaning more BTC is being sold at a loss than at a profit. According to the analytics platform, such regimes have historically persisted for months before liquidity conditions improved.
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Meanwhile, sentiment tracker Santiment said on Wednesday that bullish commentary across X, Reddit, and Telegram has reached a four-week high following Trump’s State of the Union speech. However, the firm cautioned that elevated retail optimism and talk of a “bear cycle” ending have, in the past, coincided with stalled rallies.
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Regulated US crypto bank Anchorage Digital has officially confirmed it holds Strategy’s STRC perpetual preferred stock on its balance sheet.
Conviction compounds. — Nathan McCauley
Institutions don’t just talk about Bitcoin, they structure around it.
Today, @Anchorage Digital has announced it holds $STRC, @Strategy’s perpetual preferred stock, on our balance sheet.
When the company that operationalizes Bitcoin infrastructure puts…
(@nathanmccauley) February 25, 2026
CEO Nathan McCauley disclosed the position on X today, framing it as a major strategic alignment between the sector’s largest digital asset treasury and its critical banking infrastructure.
This move validates the use of high yield Bitcoin proxies even as ETF outflows and price retests shake out weaker hands.
McCauley highlighted the synergy on X, noting that Anchorage plans to “build the future of BTC” alongside the Bitcoin treasury giant, Strategy.
While the exact size of the position remains undisclosed, the purchase signals that institutional custodians are now comfortable utilizing complex derivatives to gain exposure to crypto.
Key Takeaways
- Disclosure Filed: Anchorage Digital confirmed it holds Strategy’s Nasdaq-listed STRC stock.
- Position Scope: The move targets STRC’s 11.25% annual dividend yield, providing income-focused Bitcoin exposure.
- Strategic Signal: The partnership bridges operational custody with corporate treasury accumulation.
What the Anchorage Digital Disclosure Actually Signals
STRC is not a standard equity play. It is a Nasdaq listed perpetual preferred security designed as a high yield instrument that pays an 11.25% annual dividend in cash.
By holding STRC, Anchorage captures significant yield while funding Strategy’s aggressive Bitcoin purchasing engine.
“When the company that operationalizes Bitcoin infrastructure puts capital alongside the company that operationalized the Bitcoin treasury strategy … that’s a signal,” McCauley tweeted.
This structure allows institutions to bypass direct spot volatility while maintaining exposure to the ecosystem.
Proceeds from STRC issuances historically fund Strategy’s direct Bitcoin buys, creating a flywheel effect. As of Monday, Strategy held 717,722 BTC, valued at approximately $47 billion.
Discover: The best meme coins on Solana
A Divergence in Corporate Bitcoin Strategies
This disclosure highlights a sharp split in corporate behavior regarding crypto assets. While some operational entities liquidate positions to cover costs, (a major Bitcoin mining company just sold all its BTC), Anchorage and Strategy are doubling down on Bitcoin’s longer term prospects.
Michael Saylor, Strategy’s executive chairman, also responded to Anchorage Digital’s news by noting that “conviction is contagious.” That sentiment appears to be spreading beyond just crypto-native banks.
Strategy recently revealed that Prevalon Energy, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Power Americas, also holds STRC on its balance sheet. This corporate adoption mirrors a growing public sector trend, as lawmakers in states like Missouri advance Bitcoin reserve bills to secure state funds against inflation.
The timing is critical. Anchorage concurrently secured a $100 million investment from Tether, valuing the firm at $4.2 billion. Allocating a portion of that balance sheet to high-yield Bitcoin proxies indicates a shift from improved custody to supporting active treasury management.
Furthermore, with overnight market liquidations defending the $60k level, these corporate treasury strategies will face their next major stress test.
Until Anchorage discloses the size of the position, the market is treating this as a qualitative vote of confidence rather than a proven liquidity event.
Discover: The best crypto to buy today
The post Anchorage Digital Discloses Holding in Strategy’s STRC, Signals Long Term Conviction appeared first on Cryptonews.
South Korea is reportedly preparing new rules that would force social-media personalities promoting cryptocurrencies and stocks to reveal what they own and whether they are being paid.
Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Seung-won, a member of the National Assembly’s Political Affairs Committee, is drafting amendments to the Capital Market and Financial Investment Business Act and the Act on the Protection of Virtual Asset Users, according to a report from Korean-language business news website Herald Business.
Under the proposal, individuals who repeatedly offer advice or receive compensation to encourage the public to buy or sell financial products or virtual assets must disclose the compensation received and the type and quantity of assets they hold. The requirement would apply to advice delivered through publications, online communications and broadcasts, with detailed criteria to be set by presidential decree.
Violations may carry penalties similar in severity to those for market manipulation or insider trading, per the report.
Related: Victim of a crypto scam? Here’s what to do next
Lawmaker warns on “finfluencer” investor risks
The initiative is aimed at reducing conflicts of interest and improving transparency in online investment promotion. “So-called fin-influencers are emerging, offering investment advice to unspecified individuals without compensation from positions of significant public influence,” Kim reportedly said.
“These individuals are providing inappropriate information and creating conflicts of interest. However, their opinions have significant influence on the public, causing unpredictable losses to investors,” he added.
The move comes as Financial Supervisory Service data shows reports involving quasi-investment advisors (QIAB), entities in Korea that provide general investment advice to people via media, jumped from 132 in 2018 to 1,724 in 2024, according to the report.
Cointelegraph reached out to Kim Seung-won for comment, but had not received a response by publication.
Related: Influencers shilling memecoin scams face severe legal consequences
Global regulators tighten rules on finfluencers
Regulators abroad have also taken similar initiatives. The United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority allows financial promotions only with prior approval, while the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) have issued fines and reprimands tied to undisclosed promotions.
Last month, Italy’s market watchdog Commissione Nazionale per le Societa e la Borsa (CONSOB) also circulated new guidance from the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) warning that EU investment and advertising rules fully apply to social-media “finfluencers,” including those promoting crypto and high-risk products.
Magazine: How crypto laws changed in 2025 — and how they’ll change in 2026
Whales and sharks have acquired more than $220 million worth of ADA over the last 180 days.
Cardano’s native token has experienced a prolonged downturn over the past several months, reflecting sustained weakness across the broader crypto market.
However, the accumulation efforts of large investors suggest a rebound may be approaching.
Buying During the Decline
The crypto analytics platform Santiment revealed that Cardano investors holding between 100K and 100 million ADA have purchased almost 820 million coins over the last six months. At current rates, the acquired stash exceeds $220 million. The collective holdings of these whales and sharks have risen to 25.36 billion tokens, representing nearly 70% of ADA’s circulating supply.
The accumulation comes at a time when Cardano’s native token has been struggling, shedding a significant portion of its value. Towards the end of August, ADA traded around $0.90, whereas it is currently worth roughly $0.27 (per CoinGecko’s data), representing a 70% decline.
Stacking coins during downturns is a common approach among whales, as they often view lower prices as great buying opportunities. This development reduces ADA’s circulating supply, which can be followed by a rally (assuming demand remains stable or heads north). Last but not least, large investors are viewed as experienced market players who may have access to deeper insights, so their actions are rarely considered irrational.
Some technical indicators lean toward a bullish outlook. ADA’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) has plunged below 30 on a weekly scale, signaling that the token has entered oversold territory and could be due for a resurgence. The metric runs from 0 to 100 and helps traders identify potential reversal points by measuring the speed and magnitude of price changes. Ratios under 30 are considered buying opportunities, while anything above 70 is a bearish zone.
ADA’s recent exchange netflow is the next factor in focus. Over the past several weeks, outflows have dominated inflows, signaling that investors have been abandoning centralized platforms and shifting to self-custody. This, in turn, reduces the immediate selling pressure.
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Price Predictions
Some market observers are optimistic that Cardano’s native token might indeed be gearing up for a jump. X user Bitcoinsensus hinted at a potential shift in the monthly structure, predicting a recovery in the coming months and an ascent to a new all-time high by the end of 2026.
“Historically, major expansions followed prolonged compression phases – structure now at a key transition zone,” they added.
Crypto Tony stands on the opposite corner. The trader argued that ADA “looks weak at the range low,” asking their 550,000+ followers when a crash to zero might arrive.
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Editor’s note: Metaplex has introduced a new self-service application designed to simplify how tokens are launched on Solana. The Metaplex App aims to replace gated launchpads, custom-built infrastructure, and volatile bonding curve models with a standardized, permissionless interface for Token Generation Events. By lowering technical and structural barriers, the platform targets a broader range of issuers, including Web2 companies, institutions, and emerging AI-driven projects. The move reflects a broader shift in onchain capital formation, as tokenization continues to expand beyond crypto-native startups into more traditional and hybrid digital business models.
Key points
- Metaplex launches a self-service app enabling permissionless token creation without coding expertise.
- Projects can choose between structured “project tokens” and short-window “memecoin” launch formats.
- Launch pools replace bonding curves, with anti-sniper protections to reduce bot and insider advantages.
- At least 20% of sale proceeds are automatically allocated to locked liquidity pools.
- The app includes a discovery and trading dashboard for participating in and tracking new launches.
Why this matters
As tokenization expands into new sectors, infrastructure that reduces complexity and perceived unfairness becomes critical. By standardizing launch mechanics and embedding liquidity and anti-bot protections, Metaplex is positioning itself as a foundational layer for capital formation on Solana. For builders and institutions exploring onchain fundraising, simplified tooling may lower entry barriers and accelerate adoption.
What to watch next
- Adoption levels among Web2 companies and institutional projects launching tokens via the app.
- Early performance and liquidity outcomes of tokens created through launch pools.
- Integration of the app within the broader Solana ecosystem and SVM-based applications.
- User activity within the discovery and trading hub as new launches go live.
Disclosure: The content below is a press release provided by the company/PR representative. It is published for informational purposes.
SAN FRANCISCO – February 24, 2026 – Metaplex, the protocol behind over 99% of all tokens and NFTs on Solana, today announced the launch of the Metaplex App, a new platform providing a full-stack, self-service solution for token launches. The application provides an alternative to gated ICOs and chaotic bonding curves, reducing friction for businesses, platforms, and asset classes to leverage the reliable, battle-tested Metaplex launch protocol for global capital formation.
For years, onchain capital formation has been broken. Creators have been forced to choose between three flawed paths: investing heavy technical resources into custom infrastructure, applying for acceptance into exclusive, gated launchpads, or risking a launch on a bonding curve that often lacks control and favors insiders. The Metaplex App eliminates these barriers, offering a streamlined interface where anyone can create and launch tokens without coding knowledge. Metaplex allows any project, from Web2 companies and institutions to AI agents, to execute a professional Token Generation Event (TGE) permissionlessly.
“The next generation of breakout technology businesses and platforms will launch onchain, using tokens for capital formation and DeFi to deliver their products at scale.,” said Stephen Hess (@meta_hess), the founder of Metaplex and director at the Metaplex Foundation. “ Since 2021, Metaplex has powered 99% of asset creation on Solana, but accessing that infrastructure required deep technical expertise. By moving away from the application only model of traditional launchpads and removing the technical barriers to entry, we are providing every project, from Web2 institutions to AI agents, the ability to formulate capital onchain.”
The Metaplex App is designed to serve as the foundational entry point for the next wave of global capital. Metaplex is clearing the path for Web2 companies, traditional financial institutions, and emerging AI agents to form capital onchain. This expansion moves the industry beyond speculation and enables a vast array of new asset classes to leverage tokens as a transparent, efficient vehicle for growth. For the first time, projects have a reliable alternative to the friction of traditional funding or the roadblocks native to existing onchain methods, allowing them to focus on building value rather than navigating infrastructure.
Key features of the Metaplex App include:
- Self-Service Token Creation: Projects can manage their own launch parameters with no technical skills required. The platform allows projects to choose between two distinct streams designed to scale with their project’s specific needs: project tokens or memecoins. Project tokens are optimized for long-term capital formation and feature higher minimum caps and extended launch pool windows, while memecoins leverage 1-hour launch pools and a lower minimum cap.
- Anti-Sniper Protection: By utilizing launch pools, the app removes the vulnerabilities of bonding curves and the traditional “first-come, first-served” advantages of presales, the platform prevents bots and front-runners from hijacking the initial supply.
- Automated Liquidity: To ensure immediate tradability and long-term health, a minimum of 20% of sale proceeds are automatically locked into liquidity pools.
- Discovery & Trading Hub: A central dashboard for users to discover upcoming launches, participate in active pools, and trade tokens launched on Metaplex.
With over 22 million fungible tokens and nearly 1 billion total assets created to date, Metaplex is reshaping onchain capital formation on Solana. For more information, visit Metaplex.com.
ABOUT METAPLEX
Metaplex is the standard for asset creation on one of the largest blockchain ecosystems in the world. The Metaplex App allows users to discover, trade and launch tokens, while Metaplex asset standards power the largest stablecoins, RWAs, DEXes, launchpads, wallets and other apps on Solana and the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM).
FG Nexus, a publicly listed Ethereum treasury and infrastructure company, liquidated another chunk of its Ether treasury on Tuesday, offloading 7,550 ETH worth roughly $14 million.
The latest sale adds to a series of disposals that have locked in more than $80 million in losses on a position built near Ether (ETH) 2025 highs.
Onchain data from Arkham shows that the firm accumulated 50,770 ETH worth around $196 million between August and September 2025 at an average price of $3,860 per coin.
On Oct. 22, the company doubled down on its ETH accumulation strategy, announcing its intention to sell its Quebec property to accumulate more ETH.
As the market turned and the ETH price fell from its October highs of over $4,600 per coin to around $2,700 in November, the company began selling.
FG Nexus has offloaded just over 21,000 ETH for about $55 million, and netted a loss of over $80 million.
The company has also seen its share price for FGNX drop roughly 52% over the past month.
FG Nexus remains one of the largest publicly traded owners of ETH, with holdings of 37,594 ETH, according to Arkham.
ETH treasury companies under fire
FG Nexus isn’t alone in feeling the pain from an Ether downturn that has left many large corporate treasuries deeply underwater.
Bitmine Immersion Technologies, by far the largest listed ETH holder with 4,422,659 ETH on its books, is sitting on paper losses estimated at around $8.8 billion as Ether trades well below its average acquisition price, even as the company continues to add to its stash.
Related: ETHZilla liquidates $74.5M in Ether to redeem convertible debt
Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund exited its stake in Ethereum treasury firm ETHZilla entirely last week, with ETHZilla’s stock now down about 97% from its all‑time high, as equity markets punish aggressive Ether‑heavy strategies, with other companies actively unwinding.
Trend Research spent February slashing its Ether position on Binance, selling 651,757 ETH for about $1.34 billion on Feb. 8, and locking in an estimated realized loss of around $747 million.
Bitcoin treasury plays feel the heat
The strain on crypto treasury plays is not limited to Ethereum. On Feb. 20, Bitcoin (BTC) treasury company Metaplanet came under fire from shareholders, accusing the company of hiding losses and key details of its Bitcoin bets.
Despite continued BTC purchases throughout February, on Wednesday, the largest listed owner of BTC, Strategy, became the most-shorted large-cap US stock according to data from Goldman Sachs, as hedge funds turned bearish on Saylor’s highly leveraged, Bitcoin‑centric balance sheet model.
Magazine: Bitcoin’s ‘biggest bull catalyst’ would be Saylor’s liquidation — Santiment founder
- Curve DAO Token (CRV) price has posted notable gains as the price jumps to $0.24.
- Bulls could target resistance at $0.40 as Bitcoin eyes fresh momentum.
- However, on-chain metrics and broader sentiment could cap upside potential.
The Curve DAO Token (CRV) was among the top intraday performers in the cryptocurrency market, rising more than 10% over the past 24 hours.
The token climbed above $0.24 during early Asian trading hours, supported by a brief market rebound following a bounce in Bitcoin, which helped lift sentiment across altcoins.
Some market participants are now looking at potential further gains toward the $0.40 level.
However, with Bitcoin continuing to struggle below $70,000, downside risks remain. This has kept broader market sentiment cautious, limiting the upside potential for tokens such as CRV.
Why Curve DAO Token faces selling pressure
Curve DAO Token (CRV) has rebounded from recent lows near $0.21, but, like most altcoins, remains well below the highs recorded in 2025.
The broader downtrend remains intact, keeping the token under sustained downward pressure.
While some buyers may look to extend gains, weakening on-chain activity and negative market sentiment suggest that downside risks remain elevated in the short term.
Despite the price increase over the past 24 hours, social media sentiment around CRV has stayed largely cautious, raising the possibility of further price erosion.
Perpetual futures data also points to continued trader scepticism, with funding rates remaining in negative territory.
In recent sessions, short positions have been paying longs, highlighting persistent selling pressure and increasing the risk of a retest of recent lows.
At the same time, macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties continue to weigh on investor confidence across risk assets.
Bitcoin trading below $70,000 has added to the cautious tone, overshadowing positive fundamentals such as network growth.
Without a meaningful improvement in macro conditions, sentiment is likely to limit CRV’s recovery.
There is also a risk that short-term gains may prompt some investors to take profits, potentially leading to a brief and fragile rebound.
CRV price technical setup
Overall, CRV’s price outlook offers mixed technical indicators.
Despite climbing 10% intraday to hover near $0.24, the token remains pinned beneath its 50-day and 100-day exponential moving averages (EMAs).
The moving averages are sloping from above $0.30 and provide a formidable overhead barrier, with a horizontal hurdle at the $0.40-$0.45 zone.
However, the daily chart shows the Relative Strength Index (RSI) has ticked up from oversold territory to around 40.
This suggests bulls need momentum for a sustained reversal.
Curve Token’s daily chart also has the MACD indicator holding onto its bullish signals.
But the histogram is showing contracting bars, hinting at near-term consolidation rather than an outright breakout.
Buyers must get a decisive close above $0.24 to allow for a probe of the initial resistance at $0.26, followed by the 50-day EMA currently at $0.29.
Yet, broader market headwinds and bearish derivatives data temper such optimism.
If prices follow current downside trends, immediate support aligns at $0.22, coinciding with the demand reload zone from November 2025.
A drop below this could accelerate toward $0.20, where stronger volume clusters might intervene.
Circle (CRCL) shares jumped over 15% in pre-market trading after the stablecoin issuer’s fourth-quarter earnings per share (EPS) beat analysts’ forecasts.
The issuer of the USDC stablecoin reported EPS of $0.43, compared with a consensus estimate of $0.16, according to FactSet data.
The New York-city based firm also posted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) of $167 million, a surge of some 412% from the year-earlier quarter.
CRCL shares traded at $71.17 in pre-market trading, just under 16% above Tuesday’s close.
ETH pivots DeFi support to permissionless, secure, privacy-first protocols, enforcing a walkaway test for long-term resilience.
Summary
- ETH DeFi focus shifts to permissionless, open-source, security-first protocols that minimize trusted third parties and central chokepoints.
- New EF bar is the walkaway test: protocols must keep functioning if teams disappear or turn hostile, with oracle infrastructure flagged as a systemic risk.
- Roadmap prioritizes privacy-preserving CDPs, AI-assisted formal verification, wallet safeguards, and stronger oracle decentralization for sustainable DeFi growth.
Ethereum (ETH) co-founder Vitalik Buterin has outlined a renewed vision for decentralized finance on the Ethereum network, emphasizing permissionless access, privacy, and security as core priorities, according to statements released by the Ethereum Foundation.
The Ethereum Foundation announced it will support projects that align with these principles, focusing on user control, open systems, and reduced reliance on centralized actors.
Buterin stated that decentralized finance represents a core component of Ethereum’s value proposition. DeFi platforms offer savings, risk management, and wealth-building tools without permission requirements, operating globally without central gatekeepers, according to the announcement.
“Financial empowerment is a central part of what it means to have agency and freedom in our current world,” Buterin stated. “Finance is far from the only thing that Ethereum is good for, but it is an important thing.”
The Ethereum Foundation does not plan to support all blockchain-based finance projects, according to Buterin. Instead, the organization will back protocols that are open-source and prioritize security, maximizing user control while reducing reliance on trusted third parties.
Buterin introduced what he termed the “walkaway test” for DeFi protocols, stating that a protocol should continue functioning if the original development team disappears and remain operational even if founders become compromised or hostile.
Security remains a central concern for the Ethereum Foundation, according to the announcement. Buterin identified audits, shared standards, and wallet safeguards as key tools, while also highlighting AI-assisted formal verification as an emerging method to improve smart contract safety.
Oracle security requires urgent attention, Buterin stated, noting that oracles connect blockchains to external data sources and weak oracle systems can expose DeFi platforms to manipulation and financial loss. The co-founder called for stronger decentralization in oracle design, describing secure infrastructure as essential for sustainable DeFi growth.
Privacy represents another major focus in Ethereum’s DeFi roadmap, according to Buterin. Both payment systems and complex financial tools require stronger privacy features, with collateralized debt positions cited as one example requiring privacy-preserving solutions.
Buterin noted that enhanced privacy features could reduce liquidation risks but require advanced technical solutions. The co-founder encouraged deeper innovation in decentralized finance, urging developers to move beyond improving existing stablecoins and rethink core financial problems such as hedging future expenses.
Ethereum remains a permissionless network where anyone can deploy applications, according to the Foundation. However, the Ethereum Foundation will prioritize projects that support user agency and open access, with the stated goal of building a global financial system that is secure, private, and resilient.
In an era where payment infrastructure is the battleground for customer experience and margin expansion, A2A payments have evolved from a niche innovation to a strategic imperative. For serious investors evaluating white-label neo banking and Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) opportunities, A2A is a value multiplier rather than a feature. A2A eliminates costly intermediaries, improves merchant unit economics, reduces customer friction, and enables richer data flows that drive new products and revenue lines. As real-time rails, open banking APIs, and instant-payment schemes gain global traction, a neo bank that does not prioritize native A2A capability risks losing market share, margin, and strategic flexibility to better-equipped competitors. We present a market-based, technically precise, investor-focused analysis that explains why A2A is critical to any white-label neo bank play, how it is implemented in a crypto-enabled context, and how a full-service engineering partner can provide end-to-end growth and regulatory resilience.
Key Stats:
- Global A2A transaction value is set to grow from $1.7T in 2024 to $5.7T by 2029.
- Annual transactions are expected to jump from 60 billion to 186 billion by 2029.
- By 2030, total A2A payment value could reach $195T, fueled by real-time payment systems.
- The consumer A2A market is projected to grow 209% between 2024 and 2029.
- A2A already powers $525B in global e-commerce transactions.
- It is the leading online payment method in markets like Finland, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Thailand, and Poland.
- Growth is driven by lower fees, instant settlement, and stronger bank-level security.
Current Market Trends in A2A Payments
A2A is rising on multiple fronts. Large-scale instant-payment infrastructures and open banking adoption are shifting transaction volumes away from expensive card rails toward low-cost direct transfers. Industry research and major payment reviews indicate that non-card direct payment types are growing across APAC, Europe, and Latin America, and global payments revenue dynamics are changing as a result of this structural shift.
Region-specific rails are already evidence of the shift. India’s Unified Payments Interface has demonstrated explosive scale with tens of billions of monthly transactions, showing that when a cheap, instant A2A mechanism is available, consumer behavior changes quickly and permanently. This level of adoption validates the merchant economics and user experience proposition that A2A delivers.
Market forecasts point to steep A2A volume growth over the next five years, with projections expecting transaction volumes to multiply as merchants and platforms embrace direct settlement and as open-banking payment initiation services expand. For investors, this means addressable volume and low-variable-cost revenue streams are likely to increase materially over a standard investment horizon. Let us scroll through the blog to see how account-to-account payments actually help enterprises planning for white label neo bank app development.
How a White-Label Neo Bank App with A2A Payment Integration Looks Like?
From the outside, A2A makes the crypto-friendly neo banking platform’s UX faster, cheaper, and cleaner. From the inside, it requires integration across several technical and compliance layers. A practical architecture includes:
- API gateway layer for secure client interactions and webhook handling.
- Payment orchestration engine to handle routing logic, retry, reconciliation, and fallback to alternative rails.
- Connectors to payment initiation providers and instant rails, plus adapters for country-specific schemes (for example, UPI in India, Pix in Brazil, SEPA Instant in Europe).
- Real-time settlement and ledger module that supports both fiat and tokenized balances for crypto-enabled features.
- Reconciliation and rich metadata capture to support merchant settlement, invoicing, and data-led product features such as accounting automation.
- Risk and fraud scoring layer operating in real time with adaptive thresholds and behavioral signals.
Advantages of a White-Label BaaS Platform With A2A Payments
For investors, converting product-level features into portfolio outcomes matters. A2A, when integrated into a customized BaaS platform, offers several investor-relevant advantages:
- Revenue quality and margin expansion- A2A reduces per-transaction cost relative to card rails and proprietary networks, which improves unit economics for merchant acquiring and P2P transfer products. Lower variable cost drives sustainable take rates on payment volumes.
- Customer acquisition and retention- A2A provides a stickier onboarding experience. Fast settlement and lower fees increase merchant willingness to route more volume through your platform, increasing lifetime value.
- New product and data monetization channels- Because A2A preserves richer transactional metadata and can be orchestrated through your platform’s APIs, you can bundle value-add services such as reconciliation-as-a-service, embedded lending, and treasury optimization. Those services drive higher ARPU.
- Regulatory and operational resilience- Owning A2A capability, or tightly integrating with compliant payment initiation providers, reduces dependency on third-party processors and gives better control over risk, KYC/AML flows, and dispute handling.
- Faster path to scale in local markets- When a white-label solution supports local A2A rails, market entry is accelerated. Local merchants prefer payment flows that match their customers’ expectations and cost sensitivities; integrated A2A unlocks faster merchant acquisition.
How Does A2A Work Inside A Crypto-Enabled Neo Bank?
In a white-label crypto neo bank, fiat and crypto worlds must coexist seamlessly. Here is a clear technical narrative:
- On-ramp and off-ramp orchestration- The neo bank provides tight orchestration between fiat A2A rails and on-chain wallets. Users can initiate an A2A transfer from their bank account into the neo bank’s fiat custody. The system either credits a fiat ledger balance immediately upon confirmation or, if the user intends to mint tokenized assets, it triggers a controlled conversion workflow that uses a compliant brokerage or internal AMM to swap fiat for the desired token.
- Dual-ledger architecture- Maintain a fiat ledger and a tokenized ledger. The fiat ledger reconciles with external rails and instant payments. The token ledger mirrors user balances on-chain or in controlled custody. Movement between ledgers is handled by deterministic business logic, ensuring atomicity (credit to the token ledger only after settlement confirmation or via escrow techniques).
- Settlement and reconciliation- The payment orchestration layer handles instant confirmations, settlement timing differences, and reconciliation. For example, a UPI payment confirmation can trigger immediate ledger credit, while cross-border A2A may require multi-step settlement and liquidity management.
- Custody, AML, and KYC- For crypto rails, custody models vary: self-custody with wallet integrations, custodial crypto wallets, or hybrid ones. AML and KYC flows must be synchronized to the fiat rails so that on-chain flows do not create regulatory gaps. Real-time transaction monitoring must incorporate both on-chain heuristics and off-chain bank signals.
- Programmable rails and smart routing- Smart routing sends payments across the most cost-effective and compliant rail. For domestic instant rails, it prefers direct A2A. For cross-border transfers, it may leverage partner pools, local settlement entities, or tokenized stablecoins held in regulated custody.
This hybrid design allows a neo banking app platform to offer low-cost merchant acceptance, instant payouts to users, and seamless fiat-crypto rails, a compelling set of capabilities for modern web3-native products. For context, well-designed A2A integration is what enables competitive offerings like instant merchant settlements, embedded payroll, and real-time treasury for business customers.
When national rails achieve mass scale, they change behavior. For example, India’s UPI shows how an A2A-first economy dramatically shifts consumer and merchant preferences. Integrating such rails is not optional for market leaders.
Antier’s A-Z Capabilities for a White-Label Neo Banking Solution with A2A payments
Do you want to get more clarity on what a full-stack platform looks like? Well-designed by a white-label BaaS partner, it supports an investor’s road to scale. Below we list the investor-facing capabilities that matter most. Note that when we mention Antier once, we use that as the brand anchor for the consolidated capability set.
- Strategy and market entry: product-market fit studies, merchant economics modeling, and revenue playbooks tailored to local rails and verticals.
- End-to-end architecture: API-first platform design, payment orchestration engine, and dual-ledger support for fiat and tokenized assets.
- Rail integrations: connectors for instant payment networks and payment initiation providers, plus custom adapters for country rails and QR systems.
- Compliance-by-design: built-in KYC/AML flows, transaction monitoring, and support for regulatory reporting across jurisdictions.
- Custody and treasury: secure custody integrations, liquidity management, and bank-grade settlement reconciliation modules.
- Risk and fraud engineering: ML-powered scoring, adaptive rulesets, and real-time monitoring for both fiat and crypto flows.
- UX and developer experience: white-label banking apps, merchant portals, and developer APIs for embedding payments into platforms.
- Operations and SRE: 24/7 support, incident management, and SLAs for settlement integrity and uptime.
- Go-to-market enablement: merchant onboarding automation, pricing strategy, and performance dashboards to measure acquisition and take-rate.
- Ongoing product evolution: roadmap management, feature A/B testing, and telemetry to evolve product-market fit.
Make sure that you are hiring a genuine and reliable white label crypto neo bank development company that holds a good reputation in the market. has a vast team of certified blockchain experts, and delivers customized banking solutions.
Implementation Checklist For Investors
When you evaluate a white-label neo bank with A2A claims, confirm these capabilities:
- Native connectors to relevant national rails and a modular orchestration layer.
- Real-time reconciliation and rich metadata capture for merchant settlement.
- Robust AML/KYC that binds fiat and crypto flows.
- A clear custody model and liquidity plan for fiat-crypto settlement.
- Proven operational SLAs, incident playbooks, and test harness for payments.
- Productized APIs and SDKs to enable partner integration and network effects.
Conclusion
A2A payments is a strategic enabler for any white-label neo bank that seeks durable growth and defensible margins. For investors, it is the mechanism that shifts payment economics, increases customer stickiness, and unlocks monetizable product layers. Market evidence shows large-scale adoption in regions where instant rails and open banking are present, and projections indicate continued A2A volume growth over the coming years.
We, the team of Antier brings deep engineering, payments, and regulatory experience to help portfolios turn A2A capability into predictable revenue. Our approach covers policy-aware integration, hardened custody and treasury, and continuous operational support to manage settlement, disputes, and compliance. With the right architecture and a partner that understands both rails and tokens, investors can capture the margin gains and product optionality that A2A unlocks.
If you would like, we can produce a due-diligence checklist tailored to a specific market or assemble a short roadmap estimating engineering scope and go-to-market milestones for a white-label neo bank in your target jurisdiction.
Frequently Asked Questions
01. What are A2A payments and why are they important for neo banks?
A2A payments, or Account-to-Account payments, eliminate costly intermediaries, improve merchant unit economics, reduce customer friction, and enable richer data flows, making them a strategic imperative for neo banks to enhance customer experience and maintain competitive advantage.
02. How is the A2A payment market expected to grow in the coming years?
The global A2A transaction value is projected to increase from $1.7 trillion in 2024 to $5.7 trillion by 2029, with annual transactions expected to rise from 60 billion to 186 billion during the same period.
03. What factors are driving the growth of A2A payments?
Growth in A2A payments is driven by lower fees, instant settlement, stronger bank-level security, and the adoption of large-scale instant-payment infrastructures and open banking, which are shifting transaction volumes away from traditional card payments.
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