Crypto World
Crypto fear index falls to 10 as Strait of Hormuz tensions rise
Crypto fear index fell from 12 to 10 this week as Iran’s Hormuz drills raised oil and energy risk for BTC miners.
Summary
- Crypto fear and greed index dropped from 12 to 10 as Iran’s naval drills briefly closed the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil route.
- Roughly 20–25% of seaborne oil and about 20% of global petroleum consumption move via Hormuz, making closures a direct shock channel to energy prices.
- Higher energy costs can compress BTC mining margins and force some miners to scale back or sell holdings, tightening market liquidity during macro uncertainty.
Cryptocurrency market sentiment declined this week as geopolitical tensions escalated in the Middle East, with Iran conducting military drills that temporarily shut down the Strait of Hormuz, according to market data and reports.
The crypto fear and greed index dropped from 12 points on Monday to 10 points on Tuesday, reflecting subdued market sentiment that coincided with rising tensions between Iran and the United States.
The Strait of Hormuz serves as a critical passage for global oil transport, with approximately 31 percent of all crude oil transported across oceans passing through the waterway. Disruptions to this route typically result in higher oil prices and increased energy costs globally.
Elevated energy costs could impact Bitcoin mining operations, potentially forcing some miners to reduce operations or liquidate cryptocurrency holdings to cover operational expenses, according to market analysts. This represents one mechanism through which geopolitical events affect cryptocurrency valuations and market liquidity.
Iran’s temporary closure of the strait occurred as part of military exercises, though the action came amid heightened tensions with the United States. Iranian and U.S. officials met in Geneva, Switzerland, this week for diplomatic talks, according to reports.
The outcome of those negotiations could determine the trajectory of regional tensions and their impact on global markets. A breakdown in talks could signal escalation, while successful de-escalation might improve market sentiment, analysts noted.
Cryptocurrency trading volumes remained low this week as investors awaited key U.S. economic data releases. The U.S. Federal Reserve was scheduled to release durable goods data mid-week, with Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) data expected Friday. Traders typically await such data to establish directional market positions.
Macro factors have influenced cryptocurrency markets in recent months, with risk-on assets including digital currencies showing sensitivity to geopolitical events and global economic conditions, according to market observers.
CME Group, the world’s largest derivatives exchange, said on Thursday that crypto options and futures contracts will begin trading 24 hours a day, seven days a week on May 29, pending regulatory approval.
“CME Group Cryptocurrency futures and options will trade continuously on CME Globex with at least a two-hour weekly maintenance period over the weekend,” according to the parent of The Chicago Mercantile Exchange’s announcement.
All trading activity on market holidays and weekends will be cleared, settled and posted the following business day, with regulatory reporting also filed on the following day, CME Group said.
The exchange’s average daily volume for crypto futures and options in 2026 is up 46% year on year, according to CME.
The announcement follows a joint statement in September from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) concerning the potential shift to 24/7 capital markets in the United States.
Related: CME CEO Duffy says exchange is exploring issuing its own token
US regulators explore always-on markets, while exchanges expand hours
“Certain markets, including foreign exchange, gold, and crypto assets, already trade continuously. Further expanding trading hours could better align US markets with the evolving reality of a global, always-on economy,” the regulators’ statement said.
In March 2025, Nasdaq, a technology-focused stock exchange, announced it would expand its trading hours to offer 24-hour markets, five days a week.
The exchange expects to roll out the expanded trading hours in the second half of 2026, according to an announcement from Nasdaq president Tal Cohen.
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) said last month that it is developing a platform for trading tokenized stock and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
NYSE’s upcoming platform will feature 24/7 trading hours and will be able to interface with blockchain-based systems, including support for multichain settlement and custody, according to NYSE’s announcement.
The launch of the platform is part of a broader digital strategy and will be a testing ground for potentially integrating tokenized collateral on the NYSE, according to the company.
Magazine: Will Robinhood’s tokenized stocks REALLY take over the world? Pros and cons
Fifty days into 2026, bitcoin is off to its worst start to a financial year on record, according to Checkonchain data. The asset is down 23% year to date, having fallen 10% in January and a further 15% in February.
Bitcoin has never previously recorded back-to-back declines in January and February, according to Coinglass data. While there have been double digit drops in January in years such as 2015, 2016 and 2018, each of those was followed by a positive February. If losses hold, bitcoin is also on track for its weakest consecutive monthly performance since 2022.
Checkonchain data shows that in a typical down year, the average index reading is 0.84, 50 days in, a benchmark that traders often use to gauge cyclical drawdowns. While bitcoin is currently at 0.77, underscoring the scale of the drawdown.
The weakness follows a 17% decline in 2025, a post election year. Historically, post election years have tended to outperform election years and have outperformed up years on aggregate, making the recent underperformance stand out further.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said he now sees a 90% chance that the long-debated Clarity Act will pass by the end of April, signaling growing confidence inside the crypto industry that U.S. lawmakers may finally deliver long-sought regulatory certainty.
Speaking on Fox Business, Garlinghouse said momentum has accelerated following renewed engagement from lawmakers and the White House. He described recent meetings in Washington that included leaders from both crypto and traditional banking, suggesting political appetite to move legislation forward has strengthened after months of delays.
The Clarity Act is designed to define which digital assets fall under securities laws and which would be overseen by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The bill has faced friction over stablecoin reward provisions and whether crypto platforms should be allowed to offer yield-like incentives to customers. The White House has reportedly set a March 1 target to push negotiations forward.
Garlinghouse framed the bill as imperfect but necessary. Ripple, he noted, secured a federal court ruling that XRP is not a security, giving the company clarity that much of the industry still lacks.
“The industry can’t live in limbo,” he said, arguing that regulatory uncertainty has weighed on innovation and market sentiment.
His comments come amid a broader crypto pullback and renewed volatility across digital assets. While bitcoin and other tokens have struggled in recent weeks, Garlinghouse said Ripple continues to see growing interest from corporate treasurers and financial institutions exploring stablecoins, liquidity management, and cross-border payments.
Ripple has spent nearly $3 billion on acquisitions since 2023, expanding into custody, prime brokerage, and treasury management. Garlinghouse said the company will pause on major deals in the near term to focus on integration.
Beyond crypto-native firms, he noted that traditional financial players increasingly want clearer rules to compete on equal footing. That shift, he suggested, reflects the dramatic change in attitudes toward digital assets over the past few years.
If the Clarity Act advances, it could mark one of the most significant legislative milestones for the U.S. crypto sector to date.
Polymarket bettors are giving the bill an 82% chance of passing by the end of the year.
TLDR:
- White House draft language shifted the stablecoin meeting from broad bans toward narrow rules on rewards.
- Banks now cite competition risks over deposit flight as their main concern in stablecoin policy talks.
- Regulators would gain authority to fine firms $500,000 daily for illegal yield on idle balances.
- Trade groups aim to reach compromise on stablecoin rewards before an end-of-month deadline.
Bitcoin and stablecoin policy talks in Washington entered a new phase as the White House assumed direct control of discussions. The latest stablecoin meeting brought together fewer participants but sharper policy direction.
Officials circulated draft language that reframed disputes over rewards and yield. The talks now center on narrow limits instead of broad industry bans.
Stablecoin meeting steered by White House draft language
The stablecoin meeting included representatives from Coinbase, Ripple, and Andreessen Horowitz. Trade groups such as Blockchain Association and Crypto Council for Innovation also attended.
No individual banks sent executives to the room. Instead, banking voices came through American Bankers Association, Bank Policy Institute, and Independent Community Bankers of America.
According to reporting by Eleanor Terrett, the White House set the agenda rather than letting industry groups lead. White House Crypto Council Executive Director Patrick J. Witt presented draft text that guided the entire discussion.
The language acknowledged bank objections raised in a prior document on yield and interest limits. It also clarified that any future restrictions on rewards would remain narrowly defined.
Stablecoin rewards debate narrows to specific activities
Participants said earning yield on idle stablecoin balances now appears excluded from negotiations. The remaining debate focuses on whether rewards tied to certain activities can continue.
A crypto-side attendee said banks now frame their concerns around competition rather than deposit flight. Earlier discussions had emphasized risks to bank deposits from payment stablecoins.
Bank representatives continue to push for a formal study on deposit outflows. The proposal would examine how stablecoin payment growth could affect traditional banking balances.
Draft language also introduced anti-evasion enforcement measures. These provisions would grant the Securities and Exchange Commission, the United States Department of the Treasury, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission authority to police violations.
Civil monetary penalties would reach $500,000 per violation per day. Officials framed this as a deterrent against indirect yield payments.
Bank trade groups will now brief their members and test whether compromise remains possible. The focus rests on limited rewards rather than full prohibition.
Sources close to the talks said the timeline has tightened. Negotiators now view an end-of-month target as achievable as discussions continue over the coming days.
“In 2026 and thereafter, Non-Custodial Wallets Will Be Critical to Your Strategy.”
Think of two users:
User A stores all of their cryptocurrency on the exchange and third-party services.
User B has complete control of their private keys, can automate DeFi strategies, and connects directly to Web3-native solutions.
This elucidates the reason why non-custodial crypto wallets are becoming so important to the infrastructure market –
“Retail as well as large-scale crypto users are demanding it because of its expected benefits.”
They are no longer a fringe technology; they are now becoming part of the foundational structure—as significant as your identity access management, treasury systems, and security keys.
According to industry research studies, the non-custodial wallet industry will be approximately $1.5-2.5 billion by the year 2026, and the anticipated growth rate over the next decade is expected to be very high as well, often exceeding 20-25% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), varying by report methodology.
Various recent studies show that the bulk of all cryptocurrency wallets being used today are self-custodial, indicating a growing trend toward individual control over assets and financial transactions as a whole.
Source: https://coinlaw.io/self-custody-wallet-statistics/
For enterprise leaders currently planning to roll out their own Web3 crypto wallet, the extreme diversity of self-custodial wallet options — from hardware air-gapped wallets to smart contract-based wallets — presents an important question:
- What trends and tactics should your enterprise’s wallet strategy look at moving forward?
Now that we have defined an overall strategic environment, let’s look at the wallets that you came to evaluate.
A Look at Today’s Peak Value Non-Custodial Crypto Wallets
Here, we will analyze the top self-custodial wallets of 2026, not just simply by looking at a list of ‘features,’ but instead from an enterprise perspective: how relevant is each wallet’s use case for you? What security models do they utilize? How do they compare in the overall ecosystem, and how can developing similar wallets give you a competitive advantage?
1. Arculus Wallet
The Arculus wallet offers a unique solution for securing digital assets.
The Arculus card, using NFC technology, connects to the user’s smartphone through an app. The private keys are stored offline on the card.
As a result, consumers are able to use the wallet daily without handling private keys or seed phrases frequently (though a one-time recovery phrase is generated at setup).
To use crypto in day-to-day use, the users will be required to first unlock the app using biometrics, enter their 6-digit PIN when prompted, and then tap their NFC-enabled Arculus card against the back of their phone.
For enterprise teams, launching an Arculus-like wallet will provide the following merits:
- When a user’s interaction with their wallet is limited to their hardware card or application, the user’s exposure to their written seed phrases (physically/electronically stored) or chances of losing possession of the seed phrase during routine usage (such as for migrating devices or support issues) are greatly reduced.
- It helps facilitate an authentication consumer experience that feels similar to existing payment processes with a physical card plus phone journey.
- A physical NFC-enabled card that functions as a hardware wallet helps maintain mobile accessibility.
The Rationale Behind This Trend:
Self-custodial wallets like Arculus aim to minimize how often users must interact with their recovery phrase and front-load their access using hardware, digital PIN numbers, and biometric means.
Why This Is Important for You:
Reimagining how users store their keys and recover them can potentially lead to new user experience innovation opportunities; your goal should not be to replicate other wallet solutions; rather, you should focus on solving the challenges that users face with current wallets.
2. Bitget Wallet
The Bitget Wallet is a multi-chain wallet with a built-in DEX aggregator that offers customers access to NFT marketplaces, too, where they can buy, sell, and trade. This non-custodial crypto wallet provides multiple DeFi integrations with support for 130+ chains (Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, etc.) – hence encouraging direct user participation in the broader ecosystem.
Bitget Wallet is designed with integrative value for users, providing an aggregated view of assets and activity across EVM networks, non-EVMs’ Layer-1, and Layer-2 chains.
DEX integrations reduce time lost switching between applications.
MARK
Native NFT marketplace support is valuable for targeting users pursuing content ownership, loyalty rewards, and digital goods strategies.
Critical Insight For Web3 Wallet Businesses
Based on projections of future digital wallet usage, white label crypto wallets that combine the functions of “secure storage” and “active finance”—trading, staking, liquidity participation, and governance—will be the most successful in helping you capture long-term adoption.
3. Ready Wallet (formerly Argent)
Ready is typically characterized as an Ethereum-focused smart contract wallet, with the goal of improving user experience by incorporating concepts like social recovery, programmable security, and DeFi-compatible functionality.
Specific features that align with this are
- The use of social recovery methodologies leads to lower total cost of support due to being more streamlined than traditional recovery methods that only rely on seed phrases.
- Programmable security through policy-based controls (e.g., daily transfer limits, whitelisted addresses, and other guardrails) provides a clear, consistent, and adaptable level of protection for wallet operations.
- Native capabilities for staking on L2 systems and connection to DeFi protocol features cement the idea that the wallet is intended to serve as a facilitator of financial actions.
Enterprise Lens
Crypto wallet development with account abstraction and configurable defense will become a critical enabler of automated financial flows within Web3-based applications.
4. Keplr Wallet
Keplr is one of the major wallets used by those actively engaged with the Cosmos ecosystem. It is a self-custodial hub for IBC-connected chains.
In addition to participating in staking and governance on their native protocol, consumers can move value in a multitude of ways between other Cosmos chains as well as across the entire Cosmos ecosystem.
Web3 leaders need to take notice of what this can mean for your audience if you engineer a Keplr-grade wallet:
- A way to engage on a large scale in governance (both as validators and via delegations in DAO votes) rather than relying on ad hoc participation.
- When linking to other blockchain networks, IBC-enabled assets allow for a higher level of liquidity movement & redirection.
- This will be possible using a method that does not require customers to retain custody of their relevant assets on any one blockchain within the Cosmos universe.
A Signal To Watch
As cryptocurrency wallet development initiatives continue to create more tools and data services over diverse Cosmos blockchains, wallets that promote interactivity & interoperability among users will spur the ongoing development of both DeFi & app-specific chains.
5. Trezor Wallet
Hardware wallets are becoming an integral part of many institutions’ high-security operations, and Trezor wallets (Trezor Safe 3, Trezor Safe 5, Trezor Safe 7) are considered to be one of the best non-custodial hardware wallets available for the safe storage of numerous types of digital assets.
Trezor offers high-security, isolated keys that can be stored offline and are ideal for longer-term or treasury-type holdings.
- The ability to integrate with a desktop suite and 3rd party applications helps facilitate policy enforcement & audit workflows.
- Offline signing adds a strong security shield for high-value or high-risk transactions.
A Thought to Carry Forward
Security professionals often refer to hardware security modules, cold wallets, and air-gapped signing technology when it comes to developing treasury-based wallet systems.
Get Your Enterprise’s Crypto Wallet Launch Checklist Now
6. Phantom Wallet
Phantom is one of the premier decentralized wallets for the Solana ecosystem. It provides people with a non-custodial wallet experience with all of the key features for staking. interacting with DeFi directly within the wallet and managing NFTs while prioritizing UX.
This wallet product is compatible with hardware wallet integrations, adding extra security for end-users.
Why should you care?
- Solana wallets serve as transaction engines that empower high volume, low fees, and fast settlement.
- Enterprise use cases include gaming and loyalty programs, payroll experiments, and cross-chain financial services.
An Industry Cue
Solana-centric crypto wallet development as a whole is increasing in volume and velocity across multiple verticals; thus, the trend is towards active wallet activity instead of passive storage.
7. Leap Wallet
Leap Wallet supports both the Cosmos network and the EVM environment, enabling users to bridge the gap between these two through a single interface.
The Core Message
Wallets that reduce their operational footprint across Cosmos + EVM or other multi-technology stacks will position themselves for success when catering to corporate clients willing to adopt seamless workflows.
Decoding 2026’s Self-Custodial Wallet Success Codes – X-Factors Enterprises Can Use
| Wallet | Core Trend | Build Inspiration For You | Security Innovation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arculus | NFC mobile payments | Card+phone UX like traditional finance | NFC card + biometrics + 6-digit PIN |
| Bitget | Multi-chain DeFi hub | DEX aggregator eliminates app switching | Unified risk control across 130+ chains |
| Ready | Account abstraction | Social recovery cuts support costs | Programmable security through policy-based controls |
| Keplr | Cosmos interoperability | IBC enables governance at scale | Security-hardened IBC cross-chain liquidity hub |
| Trezor | Institutional cold storage | Air-gapped treasury operations | Offline hardware isolation |
| Phantom | High TPS transaction engine | Solana gaming/loyalty enablement | Hardware wallet compatibility |
| Leap | Multi-stack unification | Single UI for Cosmos+EVM workflows | Fail-safe cross-ecosystem bridging |
Conclusion: The wallet is not the ultimate objective; it’s just the base level
If your organization is creating a non-custodial wallet & you are currently or will be looking for the ideal technical or product partner to help you achieve your vision for your project, make sure they help you navigate the security, compliance & UX trade-offs first.
Whether you want to create crypto wallets like the ones discussed above or want to create an AI smart crypto wallet with features like cross-chain composability, physical key storage, reg-ready governance core, or customized functionalities, Antier’s properly designed tech stack will help you craft a top-tier solution. That would grow into a durable component of your Web3 infrastructure, not just an application included in your product portfolio.
Schedule a tactical meeting to architect a self-custodial wallet product with the potential to be in a league of its own.
Frequently Asked Questions
01. Why are non-custodial wallets becoming critical for cryptocurrency users?
Non-custodial wallets are essential because they provide users with complete control over their private keys, enabling automation of DeFi strategies and direct connections to Web3-native solutions, which are increasingly demanded by both retail and large-scale crypto users.
02. What is the projected market size for non-custodial wallets by 2026?
The non-custodial wallet industry is expected to reach approximately $1.5-2.5 billion by 2026, with a high anticipated growth rate often exceeding 20-25% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).
03. What factors should enterprises consider when developing their own Web3 crypto wallet strategy?
Enterprises should evaluate the diversity of self-custodial wallet options, the relevance of each wallet’s use case, the security models they utilize, and how developing similar wallets can provide a competitive advantage in the overall ecosystem.
TLDR:
- xStocks surpass $25B in total transaction volume, reinforcing global market leadership.
- Over $3.5B in onchain activity involves 80,000 unique holders across blockchains.
- Eight of the top eleven tokenized equities by holders now use xStocks.
- xStocks support cross-chain, permissionless trading on Solana, Ethereum, and TON.
Bitcoin and crypto markets are seeing growing integration with traditional finance as xStocks reaches a major milestone. Kraken’s tokenized equities platform has surpassed $25 billion in total transaction volume across centralized and decentralized exchanges.
The milestone reflects strong adoption, with over 80,000 onchain holders and $3.5 billion in recorded onchain activity. This growth signals that tokenized equities are moving beyond experimental infrastructure toward real, scalable markets.
xStocks Sets Benchmark for Tokenized Equity Adoption
According to a blog post, xStocks now holds the largest market share in tokenized equities globally.
Eight of the top eleven tokenized equities by unique holders are xStocks, while 68% of the top twenty-five stocks also use the framework. The platform integrates across multiple blockchains, including Solana, Ethereum, and TON, with additional networks planned.
Users can access, trade, and transfer assets seamlessly through exchanges, wallets, and DeFi protocols.
Each xStock remains fully backed 1:1 by the underlying stock or ETF. Custodians hold assets in bankruptcy-remote structures, ensuring ownership security.
This model supports transparent trading and sustained liquidity across venues. The ecosystem now reports nearly $225 million in aggregate onchain assets under management.
Integration extends to both centralized exchanges like Bybit and Gate.io and decentralized platforms. This enables thousands of retail investors, professional traders, and institutions to participate globally.
xStocks are structured for cross-chain mobility and always-on markets, reinforcing interoperability standards. The framework’s expansion continues with new assets listed monthly and growing alliance participation.
Transaction volume highlights the platform’s rapid adoption. Within under eight months, xStocks surpassed $25 billion across minting, redemption, and secondary market activity.
Onchain adoption accounts for over $3.5 billion, emphasizing broad engagement across wallets and DeFi applications. Market participants now treat tokenized equities as live markets, not experimental infrastructure.
Driving Global Capital Market Interoperability
xStocks Alliance promotes open and permissionless tokenized equity standards. Members can move assets across platforms and chains without friction, fostering deeper liquidity.
The alliance’s approach encourages repeated engagement, network effects, and resilient market structures. Cross-chain integration positions xStocks as a foundation for the next generation of digital capital markets.
Adoption trends demonstrate growing confidence in fully collateralized tokenized models. Retail and institutional participation continues to expand, as more platforms integrate xStocks.
Interoperable assets reduce fragmentation and increase real-world utility. The milestone illustrates the evolving intersection between traditional U.S. capital markets and blockchain technology.
The platform’s onchain ecosystem now includes over 80,000 unique holders. Active trading across multiple blockchains highlights global demand.
xStocks combine regulatory transparency with crypto-native infrastructure. The milestone signals maturation of tokenized equities as scalable market solutions.
AAVE is holding the $120 demand zone as real-world asset deposits on Aave cross $1 billion, indicating rising institutional demand.
Summary
- Aave price is hovering near the mid of its weekly range, up 10% but still down over the past month.
- Real-world asset deposits on Aave Horizon have surpassed $1B.
- $135 remains the key resistance level for a confirmed bullish shift.
Aave (AAVE) was trading at $123 at press time, up 0.6% in the past 24 hours. The token sits near the middle of its weekly range between $110.29 and $131.29.
It has gained 10% over the past week, though it is still down 21% in the last 30 days. The larger trend has been corrective since December highs near $200.
Spot activity cooled slightly. Trading volume reached $280 million in the last 24 hours, down 21% in the last day. In derivatives markets, CoinGlass data shows futures volume down 31% to $274 million, while open interest rose 2.53% to $203 million.
Rising open interest alongside softer volume suggests traders are building positions carefully rather than chasing momentum.
RWA deposits double as institutional interest grows
On Feb. 19, Aave revealed that deposits of real-world assets on its Horizon market surpassed $1 billion. According to posts from Aave and founder Stani Kulechov, deposits have doubled since January. This makes Aave the first lending protocol to cross the $1 billion mark in tokenized real-world assets.
Aave is the first lending protocol with over $1 billion in RWAs deposited. pic.twitter.com/H9d4Nh0Aol
— Aave (@aave) February 19, 2026
Real-world assets include tokenized bonds and treasury-like products. Their rise shows that more institutional players are entering decentralized finance. For Aave, more RWA deposits can mean more borrowing and higher fees.
Revenue has grown sharply. In 2025, Aave DAO’s revenue surged to $142 million, exceeding the sum of the last three years prior. With more funds in its treasury, the DAO can invest in development, improve risk controls, and support token holders.
There is also a proposal called “Aave Will Win.” It would send all revenue from Aave-branded products to the DAO treasury. In exchange, Aave Labs would receive funding to build Aave V4 and hand over intellectual property to the community. If approved, the structure could tighten alignment between builders and token holders.
In addition, Grayscale Investments has filed to convert its Aave Trust into an exchange-traded fund listed on NYSE Arca. If approved, the move could expand access to traditional investors.
Aave also handled more than $450 million in liquidations between Jan. 31 and Feb. 5 without creating bad debt. That performance supported confidence in the protocol’s risk controls during volatile market conditions.
Aave price technical analysis
On the daily chart, AAVE is attempting to stabilize above the $115 to $120 demand zone. A recent dip toward $105 was quickly bought, forming a long lower wick. Price then reclaimed $115, which suggests buyers absorbed supply in that area.
The broader structure is still bearish. Lower highs and lower lows remain intact. A confirmed reversal would require a daily close above the $135 to $140 zone, which marks the most recent lower high.
Bollinger Bands show price moving back toward the middle band near $119 to $120 after touching the lower band around $103 to $105. The bands are starting to tighten, often a sign that volatility may expand soon.
The relative strength index dropped to near 30 during the recent selloff, but has recovered to around 45. Momentum has improved, but RSI has not crossed above 50. That level would signal stronger buyer control.
If AAVE holds above $120 and breaks $135, the next targets sit near $150 to $175. If $120 fails, price could revisit $105, with $95 to $100 as the next support area.
Bitcoin mining difficulty has climbed to 144.4 trillion (T), up 15%, the largest percentage increase since 2021, when the China mining ban led to a major disruption, which followed a 22% upward adjustment as the network stabilized.
Difficulty adjustments measure how hard it is to mine a new block on the network. It recalibrates every 2,016 blocks, roughly every two weeks, to ensure blocks continue to be produced about every 10 minutes, regardless of changes in the hashrate.
The adjustment follows a 12% decline in difficulty after a drop in the bitcoin hashrate, which is the total computational power securing the network. Mining activity suffered its sharpest setback since late 2021 after a severe winter storm in the United States forced several major operators to scale back operations.
In October, when bitcoin reached an all-time high of around $126,500, the hashrate also peaked at 1.1 zettahash per second (ZH/s). As prices fell to as low as $60,000 in February, the hashrate dropped to 826 exahash per second (EH/s). Since then, the hashrate has recovered to 1 ZH/s while the price has rebounded to around $67,000.
At the same time, hashprice, the estimated daily revenue miners earn per unit of hashrate, remains at multi-year lows ($23.9 PH/s), squeezing profitability.
Despite this profitability pressure, large-scale operators with access to low-cost energy continue to mine aggressively. The United Arab Emirates, for example, is sitting on roughly $344 million in unrealized profit from its mining operations.
Well-capitalized entities that can mine efficiently are helping keep the hashrate elevated and resilient, even amid subdued bitcoin prices.
On-chain analytics firm Parsec is closing down after five years, as crypto trader flows and on-chain activity no longer resemble what they once did.
“Parsec is shutting down,” the company said in an X post on Thursday, while its CEO, Will Sheehan, said the “market zigged while we zagged a few too many times.”
Sheehan added that Parsec’s primary focus on decentralized finance and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) fell out of step with where the industry has now headed.
“Post FTX DeFi spot lending leverage never really came back in the same way, it changed, morphed into something we understood less,” he said, adding that on-chain activity changed in a way he never understood.
NFT sales reached about $5.63 billion in 2025, a 37% drawdown from the $8.9 billion recorded in 2024. Average sale prices also declined year over year, falling to $96 from $124, according to CryptoSlam data.
“Quite the ride,” Parsec says
Parsec, which had received investment from major industry players such as Uniswap, Polychain Capital, and Galaxy Digital, launched in early January 2021, just months before Bitcoin (BTC) surged from around $36,000 to $60,000 by April.
The company added in its X post that it is “eternally grateful to those that traversed the ups and downs on-chain.”
“It was quite the ride,” Parsec said.
Alex Svanevik, the CEO of on-chain analytics platform Nansen, said that Parsec “had a great run.”
Crypto industry may be heading for consolidation
It comes just weeks after crypto start-up Entropy announced it is closing down and returning funds to investors, citing scaling issues and a struggle to find product-market fit.
Bullish CEO Tom Farley predicted during an interview with CNBC on Feb. 8 that the industry will see a significant consolidation in the coming months with more projects snapped up by larger companies, which may lead to a much less fragmented sector overall.
Related: Bitcoin ETFs still sit on $53B in net inflows despite recent outflows: Bloomberg
Bitcoin’s price has declined 46% from its October all-time high of $126,100 to $67,246, according to CoinMarketCap.
Google searches for “Bitcoin going to zero” have surged to their highest level since the post‑FTX panic in November 2022, according to Google Trends data for the past five years.
Magazine: Bitcoin may take 7 years to upgrade to post-quantum: BIP-360 co-author
The path to making America the “crypto capital of the world” appeared to clear significantly on Wednesday as industry leaders and lawmakers announced a truce in the legislative battle over market structure.
Summary
- CLARITY Act, which stalled in early 2026 after Coinbase withdrew support, is now projected to pass by April following intensive “behind-the-scenes” negotiations.
- Senator Moreno emphasized that stablecoin rewards will force traditional banks to pay higher interest to everyday Americans, democratizing the financial system.
- Addressing technical fears, Armstrong confirmed that Coinbase is already preparing for post-quantum cryptography to ensure the long-term safety of digital assets.
CLARITY Act headed for the President’s desk
Appearing together at the World Liberty Forum, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and Senator Bernie Moreno expressed newfound confidence that the CLARITY Act will pass by April 2026.
The optimism follows a rocky January where Coinbase famously “rug-pulled” its support for the bill over provisions that would have banned interest-bearing stablecoins. Armstrong clarified that his opposition wasn’t a “block,” but a call to return to the table.
“There is now a path forward where we can get a win-win-win outcome,” Armstrong said, noting that the smartest banks are now “leaning in” rather than fighting the inevitable.
Stablecoins as a tool for dollar dominance
Senator Moreno, a former crypto entrepreneur himself, argued that the bill’s focus on stablecoin rewards is essential for national security.
By allowing these assets to compete with traditional bank deposits, Moreno claimed the U.S. could effectively “dollarize the world” and reduce treasury borrowing costs by hundreds of billions of dollars.
“Unless you own a bank, you probably shouldn’t care,” Moreno told the audience, framing the debate as a choice between protecting outdated banking models or empowering consumers with faster, high-yield digital cash.
Addressing the “quantum threat”
The conversation also pivoted to technical risks, specifically the concern that quantum computing could “break” the blockchain.
Armstrong was quick to dismiss the threat as a “solvable engineering challenge,” revealing that Coinbase is already coordinating with major networks like Ethereum and Bitcoin to upgrade to post-quantum cryptographic standards.
The duo also cheered recent news from CFTC Chairman Mike Selig, who this week reaffirmed federal jurisdiction over prediction markets. Armstrong, whose “Everything Exchange” now includes these markets, praised the move as a vital check against state-level efforts to classify the sector as illegal gambling.
With the White House and the “Crypto Czar” David Sacks reportedly meeting daily with stakeholders, the “April milestone” has become the primary target for a industry eager to trade regulatory “word salad” for a clear, national standard.
UK government finances better than expected in January
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