Crypto World
Coinbase Retail Users Increase BTC and ETH Holdings During Market Downturn, Armstrong Reports
TLDR:
- Coinbase retail users accumulated more Bitcoin and Ethereum in native units during recent market volatility
- Platform data shows vast majority of customers maintained or increased holdings between December and February
- CEO Brian Armstrong confirmed retail investors bought the dip rather than panic selling during downturns
- Native unit measurements reveal investor conviction independent of fiat currency price fluctuations
Coinbase retail users have maintained strong purchasing activity during recent market volatility, according to data shared by CEO Brian Armstrong.
The exchange platform recorded increases in native unit holdings for both Bitcoin and ETH among retail customers.
Armstrong’s analysis revealed that most customers demonstrated long-term holding patterns, with February balances matching or exceeding December levels across major digital assets.
Retail Investors Increase Native Unit Holdings
Armstrong disclosed the trading patterns through his official Twitter account on February 16, 2026. According to his statement, “Retail users on Coinbase have been very resilient during these market conditions, according to our data.” The CEO noted that customers actively purchased digital assets during price declines.
Armstrong specifically stated that “they’ve been buying the dip” in his public announcement. Platform data confirmed this behavior through measurable growth in cryptocurrency holdings.
The Coinbase executive further explained that “we’ve seen a native unit increase for retail users across BTC and ETH.”
This buying behavior contrasts with traditional market panic selling during downturns. Retail investors on Coinbase chose to accumulate more tokens as prices dropped.
The pattern suggests confidence in long-term value appreciation despite short-term market fluctuations. The data represents actual customer holdings tracked across the Coinbase platform.
Long-Term Holding Patterns Emerge
Armstrong described the customer base using a popular market term in his tweet. He stated that “they have diamond hands” when characterizing their holding behavior. The phrase refers to investors who maintain positions through market volatility without selling.
The data backed up this characterization with concrete numbers. Armstrong noted that the “vast majority of customers had native unit balances in Feb equal to or greater than their balances in December.” This two-month period captured behavior through significant market volatility and price fluctuations.
The holding pattern indicates retail investors are not engaging in panic selling during downturns. Instead, customers are either maintaining existing positions or adding to them strategically.
Platform data tracked individual account balances to measure this retention behavior across the entire user base.
Market observers often question retail investor resilience during extended price declines. However, Coinbase data suggests this demographic is exhibiting patience and long-term thinking.
Armstrong’s public disclosure of internal platform metrics offers transparency into retail trading patterns. The findings challenge common assumptions about retail capitulation during market stress periods and demonstrate sustained conviction among individual investors.
Bittensor’s TAO token climbed nearly 8% to become the top gainer after Upbit, South Korea’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, announced its listing.
The rally enabled TAO to outperform the broader crypto market, which remained under pressure as the total market capitalization declined 2.53% over the past 24 hours.
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Upbit Introduces TAO Trading Pairs Amid Turbulent Market Conditions
Upbit confirmed that TAO will be available for trading against three trading pairs: Korean won (KRW), Bitcoin (BTC), and Tether (USDT). Trading is scheduled to begin on February 16 at 16:00 Korean Standard Time (KST). Furthermore, deposits and withdrawals will open within approximately 90 minutes of the announcement.
“Deposits and withdrawals are supported only through the specified network (TAO – Bittensor Network). Deposits and withdrawals via EVM networks are not supported. Please verify the network before depositing,” the notice read.
As is standard for new listings on the platform, Upbit will implement temporary trading safeguards at launch. The exchange will restrict buy orders for approximately five minutes after trading begins.
During that same window, it will block sell orders priced more than 10% below the previous day’s closing price. For roughly two hours after the listing, Upbit will permit only limit orders.
The listing triggered a price surge for TAO, reinforcing a pattern commonly observed when tokens secure new exchange support. Following the announcement, the token advanced nearly 8%.
At the time of writing, the altcoin was trading at $207.6. Moreover, TAO’s rise pushed it to become the largest gainer among the top 100 cryptocurrencies on CoinGecko.
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The latest rally builds on the token’s recent momentum. TAO has gained more than 21% over the past week after trending predominantly downward since the beginning of the year.
TAO Price Prediction: What Comes Next?
Meanwhile, analysts remain optimistic about the artificial intelligence-focused blockchain. Analyst Michaël van de Poppe signaled a bullish outlook for Bittensor’s token. He projected at least a “mean reversion” toward approximately $300.
“I think that protocols working on AI <> Crypto are a must have in every portfolio and I’m glad I’ve added funds into this position. I think that we’re going to see more strength going forward from here,” Van de Poppe wrote.
Looking ahead, TAO’s short-term trajectory will likely depend on whether the listing-driven momentum converts into sustained trading volume and continued buyer interest. If broader sentiment stabilizes and participation remains elevated, the token could extend its recovery.
However, weakening momentum or renewed market pressure may temper gains. As exchange accessibility improves, overall crypto market conditions will also be a key factor.
Russia’s finance ministry and central bank are reportedly calling on the government to speed up the rollout of crypto market regulations amid booming adoption of digital assets, claiming citizens are spending almost 50 billion Russian rubles ($648 million) on crypto daily.
According to a report from Russian news outlet RBC on Thursday, Russia’s deputy finance minister, Ivan Chebeskov, emphasized the importance of regulating the market, as most crypto spending is happening primarily through unregulated channels.
“We have always said that millions of citizens are involved in this activity, these are trillions of rubles from the point of view of citizens in use, in savings,” he said as part of a panel discussion on digital assets at the Alfa Talk conference, adding:
“Also, for example, one of the figures, about 50 billion rubles per day is the turnover of crypto in our country. That is a turnover of more than 10 trillion rubles per year, which is now happening outside the regulated zone, outside our attention.”
The daily volume of 50 billion rubles cited by Chebeskov equates to roughly $648 million, with the yearly figure equating to $129.4 billion. It marks strong crypto adoption within the country as it tangles with economic sanctions slapped on the country by the US and Europe.
The European Union, in particular, has recently raised concerns over Russia’s use of crypto to bypass sanctions, and is pushing to “ban all cryptocurrency transactions with Russia” as part of a new sanctions package, according to a report from the Financial Times on Feb. 10.
In late December, Russia’s central bank released a policy proposal looking to enable both qualified and non-qualified investors to buy certain crypto assets, marking a stark contrast to its earlier push for an outright ban on crypto.
The proposal seeks to provide a strict limit on non-qualified investors, allowing them to hold up to 300,000 rubles ($3,834) worth of crypto a year, while allowing broad access to the market, excluding privacy coins, for qualified investors.
Related: Russia is blocking WhatsApp to push ‘surveillance’ app, company says
Speaking on the same panel as Chebeskov, the first deputy chairman of Russia’s central bank, Vladimir Chistyukhin, said he hopes to see crypto market regulation adopted by the government in the spring session of the State Duma, the first of two annual legislative periods in Russia.
“We would very much like the government to see the law adopted in the spring session. I hope that this is a possible consensus decision and this will provide an opportunity for a transition period for market participants to obtain the necessary licenses, to develop appropriate internal documents to start work, as I said, to legalize this segment of the market,” he said.
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Zcash price is pressing against a key psychological level as privacy adoption quietly tightens supply.
Summary
- Zcash is testing a major psychological level at $300, with price structure showing recovery but momentum not yet fully bullish.
- Privacy adoption is accelerating, as 30% of total ZEC supply now sits in shielded addresses, potentially tightening circulating float.
- A breakout above $300 could trigger renewed upside, while failure at resistance may lead to short-term consolidation.
ZEC was trading around $287 at press time, down 11% in the past 24 hours. The short-term drop comes after a strong run. Over the last seven days, the price is up 23%. On a 30-day basis, gains stand at 29%.
Over the past year, Zcash (ZEC) has surged roughly 792%, making it one of the stronger performers of this cycle. The 7-day range between $223 and $327 reflects elevated volatility as the price coils beneath the $300 level.
Derivatives data show some cooling. According to CoinGlass data, trading volume fell 27% to $1.57 billion, while open interest dropped 13% to $406 million, a sign that some leveraged positions have been flushed out during the pullback.
Shielded supply growth tightens float
A Feb. 16 post on X by Delphi Digital noted that Zcash’s shielded pool now accounts for 30% of total supply, up from just 11% a year ago.
The firm described this dynamic as a “privacy flywheel.” As more coins move into the shielded pool, the anonymity set expands. A larger anonymity set improves privacy guarantees, which in turn attracts more users. That feedback loop, if sustained, could materially shift supply dynamics.
At the current pace, Delphi estimates that more than 50% of the supply could be shielded within 12 to 18 months.
Coins that enter the shielded pool are often held longer. Historically, shielded users show higher conviction and lower turnover. That reduces the immediately available supply on the market. When float tightens and demand rises, price reactions can become sharper.
Zcash’s November 2024 halving also changed the equation. Annual inflation dropped to around 4% and is projected to decline toward roughly 1% by 2028. After nearly a decade of proof-of-work mining, most of the supply is already distributed across a global miner base.
Zcash price technical analysis
ZEC is trading near $287 and testing resistance around $300. This is a psychological round number and sits close to the recent swing high in the current recovery leg. This zone is also where previous price rejections cluster.
The short-term bullish case would be reinforced by a verified break and close above $300. Immediate support is located close to $277, which serves as a dynamic support level and is in line with the middle Bollinger Band. Holding above it maintains the upward momentum.
Below that, the recent swing low and lower Bollinger Band, which is located close to $188, provides the next significant support. That level marked the base of the previous oversold bounce.
The Bollinger Bands are beginning to contract after a period of expansion. Volatility is cooling. Often, this type of compression precedes a stronger directional move.
At 47, the relative strength index has bounced back from oversold territory below 30, indicating that selling pressure has subsided. Any breakout attempt would gain conviction if it were to sustain a move above 50.
A higher low of $188 has been set for the near term. A constructive structure is indicated by the price’s current upward push into resistance. The next technical target is located around $366, close to the upper Bollinger Band, if $300 is broken.
But a decline toward $277 is likely if the price fails at $300. The $188 level, which would be crucial to defend if the larger bullish structure were to hold, could be exposed once more in a deeper correction.
Kevin O’Leary, investor and Shark Tank star, has won a $2.8 million defamation judgment against crypto influencer Ben “BitBoy Crypto” Armstrong.
Summary
- Kevin O’Leary won a $2.8 million defamation judgment against crypto influencer Ben Armstrong after a Florida federal court entered a default ruling in his favor.
- The case stemmed from March 2025 social media posts in which Armstrong falsely accused O’Leary of murder and a cover-up tied to a 2019 boating accident.
- Judge Beth Bloom awarded $2,828,000 in damages, including $2 million in punitive damages, after Armstrong failed to respond or appear in court.
A federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida entered a default judgment in O’Leary’s favor after Armstrong failed to meaningfully defend against the lawsuit.
The case stemmed from a series of social media posts Armstrong made in March 2025, in which he falsely accused O’Leary of murder and claimed O’Leary paid to cover up involvement in a 2019 boating accident that killed two people. O’Leary was never charged in that incident, and his wife was later acquitted at trial.
Kevin O’Leary wins damages against BitBoy
Judge Beth Bloom presided over the case and awarded $2,828,000 in damages after an evidentiary hearing.
As Armstrong did not respond to the lawsuit or appear at the hearing, the court entered default judgment against him on the claims of defamation per se and publication of private facts. Armstrong’s later motion to set aside the default judgment was denied.
The damages awarded include:
- $78,000 for reputational harm,
- $750,000 for emotional distress, and
- $2 million in punitive damages intended to punish Armstrong for the false statements.
The posts at issue also included Armstrong posting O’Leary’s private phone number and urging followers to “call a real life murderer,” which contributed to harassment and increased security concerns for O’Leary.
Armstrong had attempted to argue that his failure to respond was due to mental health issues and incarceration, but the judge rejected those claims, noting Armstrong was served with the complaint and had ample opportunity to participate.
The ruling underscores legal accountability for defamatory conduct online, particularly when claims are made to large audiences on social media.
Democratic senators are calling for a national security review of a major foreign investment in World Liberty Financial, the crypto firm tied to Donald Trump and his family.
Summary
- Democratic senators urged the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to review a reported $500 million UAE-linked stake in World Liberty Financial, citing national security concerns.
- Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim questioned whether the deal was formally reviewed and whether foreign investors could gain board influence or access to sensitive financial data.
- The investment is reportedly tied to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with links to G42, intensifying political scrutiny as Donald Trump denies knowledge of the transaction.
In a Feb. 13 letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim urged the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to examine a reported $500 million stake linked to the United Arab Emirates.
The lawmakers said the investment could pose national security risks. They questioned whether CFIUS was notified. They also asked whether the deal was formally reviewed.
According to the letter, a UAE-backed entity acquired a large stake in World Liberty shortly before Trump’s January inauguration. The senators said the timing raises concerns. They warned that foreign ownership of a U.S. financial technology firm tied to a sitting president is unprecedented.
The letter sets a March deadline for answers from the Treasury.
Background and political fallout
The controversy centers on reports that an investment vehicle linked to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan purchased nearly half of World Liberty. Tahnoon is the UAE’s national security adviser. He is also linked to tech conglomerate G42, which has previously drawn scrutiny in Washington.
Lawmakers said the structure of the deal could give foreign actors board influence and access to sensitive financial data.
Trump has denied knowledge of the specific transaction. He said his sons manage the business. The White House has rejected claims of improper influence.
World Liberty has already faced a congressional probe over its foreign fundraising. The new letter intensifies pressure. It frames the issue as a national security matter, not just an ethics debate.
Treasury officials have not yet publicly responded.
TLDR:
- Strategy can maintain full debt coverage even if Bitcoin price crashes 88% to $8,000 levels
- Michael Saylor plans to convert company’s convertible debt into equity over three to six years
- The announcement demonstrates Strategy’s confidence in its balance sheet and risk management approach
- Debt-to-equity conversion strategy aligns with Saylor’s long-term bullish outlook on Bitcoin
Strategy announced it can weather a Bitcoin price decline to $8,000 while maintaining sufficient assets to cover all outstanding debt obligations.
The bitcoin-focused company made the statement amid ongoing market volatility. Michael Saylor, the firm’s founder, simultaneously revealed plans to convert convertible debt into equity over a three to six-year period. The disclosure provides insight into the company’s risk management approach.
Financial Buffer Against Market Downturn
Strategy’s official statement indicates the company maintains substantial financial cushion despite aggressive bitcoin accumulation.
The company posted that it “can withstand a drawdown in BTC price to $8K and still have sufficient assets to fully cover our debt.” The $8,000 threshold represents an 88% decline from Bitcoin’s current trading levels.
Such a dramatic collapse would bring the cryptocurrency to prices last seen in early 2020. The company’s assertion demonstrates confidence in its balance sheet structure and asset management strategy. Strategy has positioned itself as a corporate bitcoin treasury company.
The firm holds one of the largest corporate bitcoin reserves globally. This financial resilience stems from the company’s debt-to-asset ratio and overall capital structure.
Strategy has raised billions through various financing mechanisms to fund bitcoin purchases. The company apparently structured these obligations with significant downside protection in mind.
Convertible Debt Transformation Timeline
Michael Saylor shared his vision for the company’s debt management through a post on X. Saylor stated: “Our plan is to equitize our convertible debt over the next 3–6 years.” This approach would transform debt obligations into equity stakes.
The conversion strategy aligns with Saylor’s long-term bullish outlook on bitcoin. Converting debt to equity reduces fixed obligations and interest expenses. It also provides flexibility as the company continues building its bitcoin position.
The timeline Saylor outlined suggests a gradual transition rather than immediate conversion. This measured approach allows the company to optimize conversion timing based on market conditions.
The strategy potentially reduces dilution risk for existing shareholders while maintaining operational flexibility. The combination of debt coverage capacity and conversion plans reflects Strategy’s evolving corporate structure.
Billionaire investor and Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio says the global order established after World War II is breaking down. He argued that the world is entering what he calls “Stage 6” of the “Big Cycle.”
His warning has triggered renewed debate about geopolitical instability and its impact on cryptocurrency markets.
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Ray Dalio Says We’re in “Stage 6” as World Order Breaks Down
Dalio frames the current moment through what he calls the “Big Cycle.” This is a pattern in which dominant empires rise, peak, and eventually decline. According to this model, the world is now in “Stage 6.”
“In my parlance, we are in the Stage 6 part of the Big Cycle in which there is great disorder arising from being in a period in which there are no rules, might is right, and there is a clash of great powers,” the post read.
Unlike domestic political systems, Dalio argues, international relations lack effective enforcement mechanisms such as binding laws or neutral arbitration. As a result, global affairs are ultimately governed by power rather than rules. When a dominant country weakens and a rival gains strength, tensions typically increase.
He identifies five types of conflict that tend to escalate in such periods: trade and economic wars, technology wars, capital wars involving sanctions and financial restrictions, geopolitical struggles over alliances and territory, and finally, military wars.
Most major conflicts, he argues, begin with economic and financial pressure long before bullets are fired. Dalio draws comparisons to the 1930s, when a global debt crisis, protectionist policies, political extremism, and rising nationalism preceded World War II.
He notes that before large-scale military conflict erupted, countries engaged in tariff battles, asset freezes, embargoes, and financial restrictions, tactics that resemble measures used today.
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In his view, the most significant flashpoint in the current cycle is the strategic rivalry between the United States and China, particularly over Taiwan.
“The choice that opposing countries face—either fighting or backing down—is very hard to make. Both are costly—fighting in terms of lives and money, and backing down in terms of the loss of status, since it shows weakness, which leads to reduced support. When two competing entities each have the power to destroy the other, both must have extremely high trust that they won’t be unacceptably harmed or killed by the other. Managing the prisoner’s dilemma well, however, is extremely rare,” Dalio wrote.
However, warnings like this are not new. Dalio has issued similar cautions for years. This suggests his recent remarks are part of a consistent long-term thesis rather than a sudden shift.
Still, it’s worth noting that rather than making a direct prediction about military conflict, Dalio argues that the structural conditions historically associated with major power transitions are now in place.
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Broader Implications for the Crypto Market
Dalio’s warning raises questions about how digital assets might perform. In periods marked by sanctions, asset freezes, and restrictions on cross-border finance, cryptocurrencies can attract attention as alternative settlement rails that operate outside traditional banking infrastructure.
Bitcoin, in particular, is often viewed as resistant to censorship and capital controls. These characteristics could become more relevant if financial fragmentation accelerates. At the same time, cryptocurrencies remain sensitive to global liquidity conditions.
Historically, geopolitical stress and policy tightening have triggered broad risk-off reactions across markets. This, in turn, may weigh on equities and high-beta assets alike.
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If rising tensions lead to tighter financial conditions or reduced investor appetite for risk, crypto markets could experience heightened volatility in the short term.
“For stocks, this likely means higher volatility, lower valuations, and sharper swings as geopolitical risks rise. For crypto, weakening trust in traditional money could drive long-term interest, but short-term stress may still trigger severe price swings,” analyst Ted Pillows stated.
Another key factor is that heightened geopolitical tensions may push investors toward traditional safe-haven assets. Gold has historically benefited during periods of uncertainty, as capital seeks stability and long-standing stores of value.
In recent months, precious metals have surged to record highs, while cryptocurrencies struggled to recover following October’s tariff-driven market downturn. This divergence highlights that, despite Bitcoin’s “digital gold” narrative, many investors still treat gold as the primary hedge during acute geopolitical stress.
If tensions deepen, capital flows could continue favoring established defensive assets over more volatile alternatives. For crypto markets, that dynamic suggests a complex outlook: while long-term narratives around monetary debasement and financial fragmentation may strengthen, near-term price action could remain vulnerable to shifts in global risk sentiment.
Apollo Global Management is moving to deepen its involvement in decentralized finance through a long-term collaboration with the Morpho Association.
Summary
- Apollo Global Management will acquire up to 90 million MORPHO tokens over 48 months.
- The partnership follows institutional integrations with Bitwise, which launched a USDC yield vault, and Flare, which enabled XRP-linked lending.
- The deal strengthens Morpho’s on-chain lending infrastructure and gives Apollo long-term governance influence.
The partnership was announced on Feb. 13, with the Morpho Association confirming that it had signed an agreement with Apollo affiliates.
Over the next 48 months, Apollo and its related entities will have the option to acquire up to 90 million Morpho (MORPHO) tokens.
Agreement outlines token purchase plan
These tokens may be obtained through a mix of open-market purchases, over-the-counter transactions, and other negotiated arrangements. To promote market stability, the agreement includes ownership caps as well as specific transfer and trading restrictions.
These safeguards were built into the structure of the deal to limit sudden supply increases and reduce the likelihood of sharp price swings.
If the full allocation is purchased, Apollo’s holdings would represent about 9% of Morpho’s total governance token supply.. At recent prices ranging between $1.19 and $1.37 per token in mid-February, the full cap would be valued at approximately $107 million to $115 million.
Galaxy Digital UK Limited acted as the exclusive financial adviser to Morpho during the negotiations. Morpho said the cooperation will support the development of lending markets, credit infrastructure, and curator-managed vaults across its protocol.
Agreement outlines token purchase plan
The Apollo deal follows several high-profile institutional partnerships that have helped Morpho strengthen its position in decentralized lending.
In late January 2026, Bitwise Asset Management introduced its first on-chain vault on Morpho, offering USDC deposits with yields of up to 6%. The launch marked Bitwise’s first move into non-custodial DeFi yield strategies.
Shortly after, in early February 2026, Morpho expanded its platform by integrating with the Flare blockchain. This integration made it possible for users to lend and borrow XRP-linked assets, such as FXRP. The rollout included vaults backed by FXRP, FLR, and USDT0, all accessible through the Mystic app.
Coinbase made major strides in 2025 when it integrated Morpho’s infrastructure to support its crypto-backed lending services. The integration supported over $960 million in active loans, $1.7 billion in collateral, primarily backed by Ethereum and Bitcoin, and over $450 million in USDC earning yield.
Morpho has been also able to reach a wider audience by offering lending, borrowing, and yield products to both individual and institutional customers through other partnerships with Bitget, Société Générale Forge, Gemini, and Crypto.com.
Ongoing protocol improvements have enabled this expansion. Morpho Vaults 1.1, which was released in 2025, improved risk management. In the meantime, the development of Morpho V2 is one of the main objectives for 2026. Future iterations will include fixed-rate and fixed-term loans with decentralized risk controls.
Market observers see the Apollo deal as evidence of growing institutional confidence in on-chain credit markets. Partnerships such as these are becoming more common as traditional asset managers look for more direct access to blockchain-based financial infrastructure.
Stani Kulechov, the founder of decentralized lending platform Aave, said DeFi could benefit from $50 trillion worth of “abundance assets” such as solar through tokenization by 2050, opening a new class of onchain collateral.
Data from RWA.xyz shows that nearly $25 billion worth of real-world assets have been tokenized onchain, but they are mostly in the form of US Treasury bonds, stocks, commodities, private credit and real estate.
In a post to X on Sunday, Kulechov said he expects these scarce assets to continue growing but that the “biggest impact from tokenization can be achieved by tokenizing abundance assets.”
“Capital is hungry for new collateral, and the world is ready for a transformation that onchain lending can capture and accelerate,” the Aave Labs boss said, while adding that solar could account for $15-$30 trillion of the $50 trillion “abundance asset” market by 2050.
Kulechov said solar debt financiers could tokenize a $100 million solar project while borrowing $70 million to redeploy into new projects, while onchain depositors would have “access to enormously scalable, low-risk yield that is well diversified.”
“An investor might buy tokenized solar, hold for three years, sell at a profit, and immediately redeploy into new development,” Kulechov added, arguing that such a model could significantly increase capital efficiency.
“Traditional infrastructure capital locks up for decades. Tokenized assets allow continuous trading, meaning the same dollar can finance multiple projects over time.”
Kulechov said the same idea extends to batteries for energy storage, robotics for labor, vertical farming and lab-grown food for nutrition, semiconductors for computation and 3D printing for materials.
Abundance assets could offer better returns
Kulechov said these abundance assets could offer higher returns than scarce assets, which he said are heading down “a road toward low, thin margins and diminished profitability.”
“Abundance-backed products offer better returns, better risk characteristics, and better values alignment. They win in the market because they are superior products.”
Aave is the largest DeFi protocol by total value locked, at $27 billion for borrowing and lending, DeFiLlama data shows.
The Tether-issued USDt (USDT) stablecoin, Ether (ETH) and wrapped Ether (wETH) are the most lent and borrowed assets on the platform.
AAVE down 15.2% in 2026
Aave’s native token Aave (AAVE) has not managed to stave off the recent crypto market slump, falling another 1.6% over the last 24 hours, CoinGecko data shows.
Related: Aave winds down Avara, phases out Family wallet in DeFi refocus
AAVE has fallen 15.2% so far in 2026 to $125.98 and is now 81% off its $661.70 all-time high set in May 2021.
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Binance is forcefully rejecting allegations that its internal investigators uncovered more than $1 billion in Iran-linked transactions and were subsequently dismissed.
The pushback escalates tensions between the world’s largest crypto exchange and sections of the financial press.
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Binance Rejects Allegations and Defends Compliance Record
The controversy stems from a February 13 investigative report by Fortune, which alleged that compliance investigators identified over $1 billion in transactions tied to Iranian entities between March 2024 and August 2025.
The transfers reportedly involved Tether (USDT) on the Tron blockchain, an ecosystem frequently scrutinized by regulators for sanctions-related activity.
According to the report, at least five members of Binance’s compliance investigations team were dismissed after raising concerns internally.
Several of the affected staff were described as senior investigators with law enforcement backgrounds. Additional compliance personnel were also said to have departed in recent months, though the precise reasons for their exits were not publicly confirmed.
Binance Says “The Record Must Be Clear”
In a public statement, Binance Co-CEO Richard Teng directly refuted the allegations.
“The record must be clear. No sanctions violations were found, no investigators were fired for raising concerns, and Binance continues to meet its regulatory commitments. We’ve asked for corrections to recent reporting,” Teng wrote.
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In a formal letter addressed to Fortune, Binance Communications stated that the article contained “gross material inaccuracies and misleading implications.” The company articulated that:
- No personnel were terminated for reporting sanctions concerns.
- No personnel decisions or terminations are related to the reporting of alleged sanctions violations.
Binance further asserted that a full internal review, conducted alongside external legal counsel, found no evidence of sanctions breaches related to the referenced activity.
The letter emphasized that the exchange operates under whistleblower protections and strict employment laws across multiple jurisdictions.
Binance also pushed back against suggestions it had reneged on regulatory commitments stemming from its 2023 settlement with US authorities.
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The exchange has committed to fully cooperate with monitorship requirements. Reportedly, they have also “significantly strengthened” their sanctions screening, monitoring, and compliance infrastructure since the resolution.
Heightened Sensitivity Post-Settlement
The allegations are particularly sensitive given Binance’s 2023 $4.3 billion settlement over anti-money laundering and sanctions violations. Since then, the exchange has operated under enhanced compliance obligations and increased regulatory scrutiny.
However,beyond the dispute itself, the incident highlights broader concerns about stablecoins and sanctions evasion.
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Blockchain analytics firms, including TRM Labs, Chainalysis, and Elliptic, have previously reported growing use of USDT by Iranian-linked actors to move funds outside traditional banking channels.
US authorities, including the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), have sanctioned other exchanges over similar Iran-linked activity involving USDT on Tron.
The standoff remains a battle of narratives, with anonymous-source allegations meeting categorical corporate denials.
With no new enforcement action announced, the question shifts from whether violations occurred to how transparency, compliance, and investigative reporting intersect in an industry still fighting to rebuild trust.
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![Heathrow has said passenger numbers were 60% lower in November than before the coronavirus pandemic and there were “high cancellations” among business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas for Christmas as Omicron spreads. The UK’s largest airport said the government’s travel restrictions had dealt a fresh blow to travel confidence and predicted it was likely to take several years for passenger numbers to return to pre-pandemic levels. This week ministers said passengers arriving in the UK would have to take a pre-departure Covid test, as well as a post-flight test, because of fears about the spread of the new variant. “[The] high level of cancellations by business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas because of pre-departure testing shows the potential harm to the economy of travel restrictions,” the airport said in an update. Heathrow said the drop in traveller confidence owing to the new travel restrictions had negated the benefit of reopening the all-important corridor to North America for business and holiday travel last month. Eleven African countries have been added to the government’s red list, requiring travellers to quarantine before reuniting with families. “By allowing Brits to isolate at home, ministers can make sure they are reunited with their loved ones this Christmas,” said John Holland-Kaye, the chief executive of Heathrow. “It would send a strong signal that restrictions on travel will be removed as soon as safely possible to give passengers the confidence to book for 2022, opening up thousands of new jobs for local people at Heathrow. Let’s reunite families for Christmas.” Heathrow said that if the government could safely signal that restrictions would be lifted soon, then employers at Heathrow would have the confidence to hire thousands of staff in anticipation of a boost in business next summer. The airport is expecting a slow start to 2022, finishing next year with about 45 million passengers – just over half of pre-pandemic levels. This week Tui, Europe’s largest package holiday operator, said it expected bookings for next summer to bounce back to 2019 levels. However, Heathrow said on Friday not to expect the aviation industry to recover for several years. “We do not expect that international travel will recover to 2019 levels until at least all travel restrictions (including testing) are removed from all the markets that we serve, at both ends of the route, and there is no risk of new restrictions, such as quarantine, being imposed,” the airport said.](https://wordupnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/shutterstock_1100012546-scaled-400x240.jpg)
![Heathrow has said passenger numbers were 60% lower in November than before the coronavirus pandemic and there were “high cancellations” among business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas for Christmas as Omicron spreads. The UK’s largest airport said the government’s travel restrictions had dealt a fresh blow to travel confidence and predicted it was likely to take several years for passenger numbers to return to pre-pandemic levels. This week ministers said passengers arriving in the UK would have to take a pre-departure Covid test, as well as a post-flight test, because of fears about the spread of the new variant. “[The] high level of cancellations by business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas because of pre-departure testing shows the potential harm to the economy of travel restrictions,” the airport said in an update. Heathrow said the drop in traveller confidence owing to the new travel restrictions had negated the benefit of reopening the all-important corridor to North America for business and holiday travel last month. Eleven African countries have been added to the government’s red list, requiring travellers to quarantine before reuniting with families. “By allowing Brits to isolate at home, ministers can make sure they are reunited with their loved ones this Christmas,” said John Holland-Kaye, the chief executive of Heathrow. “It would send a strong signal that restrictions on travel will be removed as soon as safely possible to give passengers the confidence to book for 2022, opening up thousands of new jobs for local people at Heathrow. Let’s reunite families for Christmas.” Heathrow said that if the government could safely signal that restrictions would be lifted soon, then employers at Heathrow would have the confidence to hire thousands of staff in anticipation of a boost in business next summer. The airport is expecting a slow start to 2022, finishing next year with about 45 million passengers – just over half of pre-pandemic levels. This week Tui, Europe’s largest package holiday operator, said it expected bookings for next summer to bounce back to 2019 levels. However, Heathrow said on Friday not to expect the aviation industry to recover for several years. “We do not expect that international travel will recover to 2019 levels until at least all travel restrictions (including testing) are removed from all the markets that we serve, at both ends of the route, and there is no risk of new restrictions, such as quarantine, being imposed,” the airport said.](https://wordupnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/shutterstock_1100012546-scaled-80x80.jpg)
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