Crypto World
MicroStrategy Expands Bitcoin Holdings to $50 Billion Despite Market Woes
MicroStrategy, now known as Strategy (NASDAQ: MSTR), expanded its Bitcoin holdings last week amid continued market challenges. The company purchased 2,486 Bitcoin, bringing its holdings to over 717,000 coins. This purchase, valued at nearly $50 billion, reflects Strategy’s unwavering commitment to Bitcoin, despite bearish market conditions.
Last week, Strategy bought 2,486 Bitcoin, spending $168 million. With this latest acquisition, its Bitcoin stash now exceeds 717,000 coins. This purchase came as the company continued using its stock sales to fund the Bitcoin buys, causing shareholder dilution.
Strategy has acquired 2,486 BTC for ~$168.4 million at ~$67,710 per bitcoin. As of 2/16/2026, we hodl 717,131 $BTC acquired for ~$54.52 billion at ~$76,027 per bitcoin. $MSTR $STRC https://t.co/wvxRYZlQ3Y
— Michael Saylor (@saylor) February 17, 2026
The company has sold over $7.8 billion in shares and is set to sell more. In addition to the stock sales, Strategy holds over $20 billion in preferred STRK. The number of outstanding shares now surpasses 312 million, a significant rise from previous years. As the company’s Bitcoin strategy endures, Michael Saylor, the firm’s former CEO, pledged to keep purchasing Bitcoin indefinitely. He also mentioned plans to swap company debt for additional shares in the future.
Technical Indicators Point to Bitcoin’s Potential Decline
Bitcoin’s price continues to struggle, showing a bearish pattern in the charts. Analysts are concerned that Bitcoin may drop further before any potential rebound. The technical setup suggests a bearish pennant pattern, signaling a price drop.
Bitcoin’s price is moving toward a potential crash, with projections hinting at a fall to $60,000. The bearish pattern emerges from a confluence of a vertical line and a symmetrical triangle. If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $80,000 resistance, the negative outlook will remain intact.
In the past, Bitcoin’s behavior has shown vulnerability to market sentiment shifts. Standard Chartered recently adjusted its Bitcoin price forecast, lowering it from $150,000 to $100,000. The bearish sentiment comes as Bitcoin struggles to break above critical resistance levels, keeping the coin under pressure.
Geopolitical Risks Amplify Bitcoin’s Struggles
Bitcoin faces additional pressure from geopolitical concerns, which weigh heavily on its performance. Tensions in the Middle East, including rising conflict risks between the U.S. and Iran, could impact Bitcoin’s price. Despite negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, ongoing military movements create uncertainties for the market.
The ongoing geopolitical uncertainty has contributed to Bitcoin’s volatility, as the coin fails to establish itself as a safe-haven asset. Bitcoin’s price has been closely linked to broader market sentiment, especially during times of conflict. This ongoing instability is likely to exacerbate the challenges faced by Bitcoin in the short term.
As the Middle East crisis develops, it is unclear how Bitcoin will respond. While some might view it as a hedge against traditional markets, Bitcoin has proven to be vulnerable to large-scale geopolitical events. With global events continuing to influence cryptocurrency prices, Bitcoin’s future remains uncertain.
Crypto World
BitMine stock rebound? Tom Lee expects ETH V-shaped recovery
BitMine stock price could be on the verge of a strong bullish breakout in the coming weeks or months if Tom Lee’s Ethereum prediction works out.
Summary
- BitMine stock price formed a falling wedge pattern on the daily chart.
- Tom Lee predicts that the Ethereum price will have a V-shaped recovery.
- Ethereum has some of the best fundamentals in the crypto industry.
BMNR stock was trading at the crucial support level at $20, inside a range it has been stuck at in the past few days. It remains well below the all-time high of $160.
Tom Lee, the company’s Chairman, believes that the stock will rebound once the ongoing Ethereum (ETH) price bearish market ends. In a statement, Lee argued that Ethereum has had eight major drawdowns since 2018. All these drawdowns ended with a V-shaped recovery, and this one will do the same.
At the same time, Lee noted that ETH has some potential demand drivers, including its status as the largest smart contract blockchain, with top companies such as JPMorgan leveraging its technology.
More data show that Ethereum’s demand remains strong as exchange supply continues to fall. It has dropped to the lowest level in years, while the staking queue has reached a record high. Ethereum is also the biggest network for stablecoin processing, handling trillions in transactions a quarter.
These factors explain why BitMine has continued to accumulate Ethereum this year. The company now holds over 4.3 million tokens worth over $8.4 billion. It has bought over 157k coins in the last 30 days and is generating yield by staking the coins. It is also generating yield by investing its cash balances.
The company is also aiming to invest in more startups, a move that may generate substantial returns in the future. For example, it invested $200 million in Beast Industries, a company owned by Mr. Beast.
BitMine stock price technical analysis

The daily timeframe chart shows that the BMNR stock price has formed a giant falling wedge pattern. This pattern consists of two descending, converging trendlines, with a bullish breakout occurring when the two lines near their convergence.
The Relative Strength Index has moved from the oversold level of 25 to 37 and is pointing upward.
Therefore, the most likely scenario is that the BitMine stock price rebounds to the key resistance level at $34, its highest level in January, about 72% above the current level.
Crypto World
Pepe price reclaims structure as bullish engulfing candles signal reversal
Pepe price has reclaimed key high-timeframe support after a deviation lower, with a strong bullish engulfing candle breaking bearish structure and signaling a potential bottoming process.
Summary
- Deviation below support was invalidated, suggesting a liquidity sweep
- Bullish engulfing candle broke the lower-high structure, shifting momentum
- Reclaiming the value area low opens upside rotation toward the resistance
Pepe (PEPE) price action is showing early signs of structural recovery after a sharp deviation below a major high-timeframe support level. What initially appeared to be a breakdown has now been invalidated, as price quickly reclaimed the lost level with a decisive bullish engulfing candle.
This type of price behavior often signals exhaustion in selling pressure rather than the start of a sustained bearish continuation. Deviation-and-reclaim patterns are important inflection points in technical analysis, particularly when they occur at high-timeframe support.
In Pepe’s case, the reclaim has also disrupted the prevailing bearish market structure, raising the probability that a local or even macro bottom could be forming.
Pepe price key technical points
- Deviation below high-timeframe support has been reclaimed, invalidating the breakdown
- Bullish engulfing candle broke the sequence of lower highs, signaling a structure shift
- Value area low reclaim is required, to open upside continuation toward resistance

PEPE’s recent move below high-timeframe support can be classified as a deviation, where price briefly trades below a key level to trigger stop-losses and capture liquidity before reversing sharply higher. This behavior is commonly seen near market bottoms, as weak hands are flushed out before stronger participants step in.
Rather than finding acceptance below support, PEPE quickly reclaimed the level, indicating that sellers were unable to sustain control. The speed of the reclaim is significant, as prolonged trading below support would have suggested genuine bearish continuation.
From a market structure perspective, deviations followed by strong reclaims tend to weaken the bearish thesis and increase the probability of a rotational move higher.
Bullish engulfing breaks bearish structure
The reclaim of support was confirmed by a strong bullish engulfing candle, which engulfed multiple prior bearish candles. This type of candlestick formation often reflects aggressive buying interest and marks a shift in short-term momentum.
More importantly, this bullish engulfing candle broke the sequence of lower highs, which had defined PEPE’s bearish structure. Once lower highs are invalidated, the market transitions from a bearish trend into either balance or early bullish structure.
This structural shift does not guarantee immediate upside continuation, but it does suggest that the dominant bearish control has weakened substantially.
Holding above the high-timeframe support is critical
While the initial reclaim is constructive, confirmation will depend on PEPE’s ability to remain above high-timeframe support in the sessions ahead. Sustained acceptance above this level would indicate that demand is strong enough to absorb the remaining supply.
If price slips back below this support and fails to reclaim it, the deviation would lose its significance and downside risk would re-emerge. For now, however, the ability to hold above support keeps the bullish scenario intact.
Value area low reclaim opens upside path
The next key technical milestone for PEPE is the value area low (VAL). This level represents the lower boundary of fair value within the broader trading range. A reclaim and hold above the VAL on a closing basis would confirm acceptance back into value and increase the probability of continuation higher.
Once value is reclaimed, price often rotates toward the point of control (POC), which acts as the next major resistance and balance point within the range. This would represent a natural upside target if bullish momentum continues to build.
Range rotation scenario builds
With bearish structure broken and support reclaimed, PEPE is transitioning from a trend phase into a potential range-rotation environment. This means price may move higher in stages, rather than trending impulsively.
Such rotations are common after deviations and often lead to sustained recovery moves if volume and follow-through remain supportive.
What to expect in the coming price action
From a technical, price-action, and market-structure perspective, PEPE is showing early signs of a bullish shift. The deviation below support, followed by a strong bullish engulfing candle, significantly reduces near-term downside continuation risk.
In the coming sessions, traders should monitor whether the price can reclaim and hold above the value area low. Acceptance above this level would open the door for a rotational move toward the point of control and higher resistance within the range.
While volatility may remain elevated, the evidence currently favors stabilization and further upside exploration, rather than renewed breakdown, as long as PEPE holds above reclaimed support.
Crypto World
Stripe’s stablecoin firm Bridge wins initial approval to form national bank trust charter
Bridge, a stablecoin infrastructure firm owned by Stripe, said Tuesday it has received conditional approval from the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to form a national trust bank.
The charter would let Bridge National Trust Bank issue stablecoins, custody digital assets and manage reserves under direct federal oversight. It’s the latest step in Stripe’s broader push into blockchain-based payments since it acquired Bridge for $1.1 billion in 2024.
“This approval positions Bridge to help enterprises, fintechs, crypto businesses and financial institutions build with digital dollars inside a clear federal framework,” the company said in the press release.
Bridge says its systems already meet the compliance standards outlined in the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, the law passed last year that’s aimed at regulating stablecoin issuers. Federal banking regulators, including the OCC, Federal Reserve and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., haven’t yet instituted the specific regulations mandated by the GENIUS Act, but they’re moving through that process now.
Bridge is part of a growing group of firms seeking to build stablecoin products inside a federal framework. In December, Circle, Ripple, Paxos, Fidelity Digital Assets and BitGo all received similar conditional approvals from the OCC, and Erebor Bank was granted a conditional national bank charter in October. Bridge applied for its charter in October, and the OCC’s records show it signed off last week.
The company currently powers stablecoin issuance for products like Phantom’s CASH and MetaMask’s mUSD via Stripe’s Open Issuance platform.
The OCC has not announced a timeline for final approval.
Crypto World
Tether’s tokenized gold (XAUT) to be sued for dividend payments
Elemental Royalty Corporation (ELE) is now offering shareholders something no other public gold company has before: the option to receive dividends in blockchain-based tokens backed by gold.
In a move announced Tuesday, the Canada-based royalty company said it will distribute shareholder returns using stablecoin issuer Tether’s tokenized gold, Tether Gold (XAUT).
Shareholders choosing this route will receive their dividends in XAUT rather than fiat money, providing exposure directly tied to the price of gold with the added flexibility of digital settlement.
This marks the first time a publicly listed gold company has made such an offer, according to the press release. The move comes after Tether bought one-third of Elemental last year.
Gold-backed tokens has emerged as a fast-growing asset class. The total market for tokenized gold has surpassed $5 billion, with XAUT currently leading the sector in both volume and supply. Much of this growth has been driven by retail investors seeking exposure to gold without relying on traditional custodians or intermediaries.
Read more: Tether’s gold stash tops $23 billion as buying outpaces nation states, Jefferies says
Crypto World
Monad (MON) price slips after profit-taking as traders eye $0.030 resistance
- Monad price moved within the $0.020 and $0.23 range on Tuesday.
- The layer 1 project eyes traction as $100 million in private credit becomes verifiable on-chain.
- MON price could retest resistance at $0.030.
Monad’s native token, MON, was trading near $0.021 after falling about 7% over the past 24 hours.
Data from CoinMarketCap showed the decline followed renewed profit-taking after prices revisited the $0.025 level.
Continued weakness in Bitcoin and other major altcoins could add further pressure on MON in the near term.
However, some analysts see potential for a rebound as Monad positions itself as a platform for institutional-grade decentralised finance.
Recent developments include a network milestone that enables $100 million in private credit to be fully verifiable on-chain, as well as leadership changes at the Monad Foundation, which have renewed interest in the project’s longer-term prospects.
Monad’s growth amid Valos $100 million private credit launch
Monad’s public mainnet went live in November 2025, with the team unveiling a token sale on Coinbase.
In the few months since, the L1 project has seen nearly $480 million in stablecoin market cap, and DeFiLlama shows total value locked (TVL) currently sits at over $250 million.
Growth along these metrics suggests the native MON token could benefit as adoption ramps up.
On Tuesday, Valos announced the launch of a $100 million private‑credit vault on Accountable’s Yield App.
Notably, the private credit is now fully verifiable on‑chain via Monad. On-chain private credit effectively bridges traditional finance and DeFi, adding to adoption potential.
In parallel, the Monad Foundation has strengthened its institutional‑facing leadership by appointing three senior executives.
Urvit Goel joins from the Optimism Foundation as VP of go-to market, Joanita Titan assumes the role of head of institutional growth from FalconX, and Sagar Sarbhai, formerly of BVNK, is the new head of institutions for Asia‑Pacific.
The hires target institutional investors of the L1, which in turn could support higher demand for MON within an expanding ecosystem.
Monad price forecast
At the time of writing, MON trades in the $0.020-$0.023 range, with daily trading volume down 30% to suggest seller dominance is waning.

From a short‑term perspective, protocol adoption and shifts in macro conditions could help bulls hold $0.020 as they target a breakout to $0.030.
This outlook has been helped by the bounce from all-time lows of $0.016 in early February.
If momentum flips bullish, the all-time high near $0.05 will be a fresh short-term target.
On the downside, negative sentiment around new layer 1 tokens could scuttle bulls’ ambitions.
That outlook has hindered ZetaChain, Berachain, and Aster in recent weeks. Monad’s token could thus revisit lows of $0.016-$0.010 as support levels.
Crypto World
Centrifuge and Pharos partner to expand onchain distribution infrastructure for institutional assets
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
Centrifuge and Pharos team up to enable tokenized U.S. Treasuries and AAA-rated credit products via shared onchain infrastructure.
Summary
- Centrifuge and Pharos partner to enable onchain distribution of institutional assets like tokenized Treasuries.
- The collaboration targets tokenized JTRSY and AAA-rated credit products, improving institutional asset accessibility.
- Partnership aims to make tokenized U.S. dollar assets actively usable onchain, overcoming fragmentation and custody limits.
Centrifuge and Pharos have announced a partnership focused on enabling institutional assets to be distributed and operated onchain through a shared infrastructure framework.
The deal targets assets, such as tokenized U.S. Treasuries (JTRSY) and AAA-rated structured credit products (JAAA).
The collaboration aims to solve the issue of distribution, which is one of the challenges faced by institutional onchain finance. A major concern is that many institutional assets remain difficult to access, fragmented across platforms, or passive once issued, despite the progress made by tokenization over the years. This partnership focuses on enabling institutional assets to move beyond issuance and remain usable within live onchain financial systems.
Across many markets outside the U.S. and Western Europe, access to U.S. dollar-denominated credit and treasury products continues to face regulatory, onboarding, custody, and operational constraints. Even when these products are tokenized, distribution is often indirect and fragmented, limiting their ability to reach new participants or be actively deployed once onchain.
The deal will see Pharos serving as a liquidity and distribution layer for assets issued through Pharos, providing the needed infrastructure and ecosystem connectivity to facilitate broader capital entry and a deeper onchain liquidity pathway.
Commenting on the matter, Bhaji Illuminati, CEO of Centrifuge Labs, said that the partnership will focus on building the distribution and infrastructure layer that allows institutional assets to function within real onchain financial environments.
According to Wish Wu, CEO of Pharos, the collaboration will focus on creating an environment where institutional assets can move onchain and remain active within open, composable financial systems.
The partnership is an early step toward what proponents describe as operational on-chain finance, in which institutional assets are not only represented on blockchain networks but are also supported by infrastructure intended to enable distribution, execution, and longer-term participation.
Disclosure: This content is provided by a third party. Neither crypto.news nor the author of this article endorses any product mentioned on this page. Users should conduct their own research before taking any action related to the company.
Crypto World
5 memecoins crypto experts are watching to grow in 2026
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
Based Eggman (GGs) tops investor watchlists as the 2026 bull market shifts toward utility-driven memecoins with real traction.
Summary
- Experts say 2026 crypto gains may favor practical, pre-viral projects over hype, with utility memecoins gaining attention.
- Analysts highlight Based Eggman’s presale model, utility focus, and planned exchange listing as key factors driving 2026 interest.
- Market watchers note CEX listings can boost token access and prices, positioning early presale buyers ahead of potential demand.
Every cryptocurrency investor has a strong question after witnessing the fabled, transformative profits from early investments in Dogecoin and Shiba Inu: Can someone get rich with memecoins?
The answer is unquestionably yes, but there is one important requirement. In the 2026 bull market, following the current viral trends won’t make someone wealthy. Rather, the focus will be on identifying the upcoming projects that have the potential to become viral, are practical, and have a strategy for their success.
Hype-driven currencies are no longer of interest to those who are well-versed in cryptocurrency. Rather, they are searching for a novel type of “utility meme.” The most significant item on their watchlists is Based Eggman (GGs). At the top of this list of the top five memecoins that are set to soar is the presale project that experts believe has the best chance of succeeding.
The top 5 memecoins to watch in 2026, per experts
1. The engineered presale giant, Based Eggman (GGs)
Based Eggman is not a luck-seeking memecoin. At every stage of its use, this planned ecosystem will provide value. Experts are closely monitoring it because it addresses issues with earlier memecoins, including their lack of usefulness, inadequate liquidity at launch, and lack of incentives for long-term investment.
The advantage of the presale and the upcoming listing catalyst
Right now, the most important option is the Based Eggman Presale. Investing now will put someone ahead of a significant event that will take place in the second quarter of 2026: a listing on a centralised exchange (CEX). An announcement will be made during Presale Stage 4, and the team is in advanced negotiations with Tier-2 exchanges.
In the past, a token’s price has been most reliably affected by a CEX listing. Because millions of new users can access it all at once, it frequently causes a 5x to 20x spike. Purchasing during the presale entitles you to a discount before the market goes crazy.
Constructed to last: Use and stake immediately
Unlike other memecoins that don’t function at all when they launch, Based Eggman operates right away:
- During the third stage of the presale, the “HODL Furnace” staking mechanism goes live. Early backers benefit from receiving large sums of money up front, which encourages them to stick around and contribute to the development of a vibrant community prior to the official launch.
- Real-World Usefulness of Base: Based on Coinbase’s Layer-2, Base offers fast performance and cheap fees. The gaming and social layer are powered by the GGs token (CA: 0x7f23e5fc401bdfcdc9ad3970ff52f65de73ba8ed). Petrol prices, in-game purchases, leaderboards, and broadcasting all use it. There are only 389 million of them, which is insufficient to meet the actual demand from traders and gamers.
- Professional Execution: The launch of a new, user-friendly website on February 12 shows that the initiative is serious about being ready for the mainstream.
Based Eggman is a good illustration of a successful memecoin for 2026, according to experts. It has long-term use that will sustain it after the initial pump, as well as a presale with a clear, high-probability exit catalyst (CEX listing).

2. The Pepe Dollar (PEPD): A stablecoin hybrid test
PEPD presale is attempting to accomplish a very difficult goal: make a dollar-tied asset both stable and well-liked, similar to the Pepe meme. Experts are keeping an eye on it to see if it can retain its value despite fluctuations in the price of bitcoin. It could create a new form of “spendable meme” currency if it succeeds. But there’s always a chance that the peg will shatter and people will lose faith in it.
3. Maxi Doge: Direct tribute as a game
As a direct descendant of the Dogecoin story, Maxi Doge aims to replicate the fervour and community of the original. It could bring the committed DOGE soldiers together under a new banner with a lower market cap. However, experts predict that Dogecoin will struggle to differentiate itself and provide something unique beyond its moniker. This implies that the general perception of Dogecoin will have a significant impact on its success.
4. Bitcoin hyper presale: The unpredictable variable
As its name implies, people are aware that Bitcoin Hyper plans to create a Bitcoin scaling platform utilizing Solana blockchain technology. In the memecoin market, experts use it to determine how much risk and profit people are willing to take. Because it lacks a developed ecology, it typically attracts more day traders and those seeking volatility than long-term holders.
5. The new storyteller, Pippin
Pippin is a community-driven memecoin, most commonly associated with the Solana blockchain ecosystem and Pump.Fun. Like many meme tokens, it is primarily culture-driven rather than utility-driven — meaning its value is heavily influenced by:
- Social media momentum
- Meme virality
- Community engagement
- Speculative trading cycles
It does not typically position itself as a deep-tech or utility token.
Pippin memecoin is a new project that aims to create its own narrative and sense of community. One of these new stories has the potential to grow to the size of Dogecoin, so experts are closely monitoring them. Because it depends on whether the project gains traction and cultural significance, the investment is highly risky.

The final figure for Memecoin’s value in 2026 is
Strategic Launch + Defined Catalyst + Sustainable Utility is the new formula for profitable memecoins in 2026. Although all of the coins on this list show promise, Based Eggman is currently the only one that meets all three criteria.
It has the long-lasting demand of a genuine gaming and social ecosystem, the guaranteed high-impact event of a CEX IPO, and the organised, low-risk entry of a presale. One of the best ways to respond to the question, “Can memecoins make me rich?” is through the Based Eggman presale, which allows someone to enter the market ahead of the competition. The experts are monitoring everything, and the smart money is moving swiftly.
Disclosure: This content is provided by a third party. Neither crypto.news nor the author of this article endorses any product mentioned on this page. Users should conduct their own research before taking any action related to the company.
Crypto World
Why Is the US Stock Market Down Today?
The US stock market opened lower on February 17, 2026. It is the first session after Presidents’ Day, with the S&P 500 trading around 6,840 at press time. The Index is down approximately 0.65% (around 44 points) from Friday’s high, but up almost 0.58% since today’s open. This hints at buyers stepping in across sectors.
Persistent “SaaSpocalypse” fears that AI will disrupt traditional software and tech models continue to pressure the market. This makes Information Technology the weakest sector, down 1.5% intraday. Synopsys, Inc. (SNPS) leads the top laggards, falling 1.6% amid broader AI anxiety.
Top US Stock Market News:
• Empire State Manufacturing Index: The New York Fed’s survey showed modest regional expansion in February at +7.1. It is slightly below January’s +7.7 but above forecasts. This leading gauge for US factory activity offers some reassurance against slowdown fears.
• Canadian CPI Cools: January headline inflation eased to 2.3% YoY (from 2.4%), driven by lower gasoline prices. The softer print strengthens the disinflation narrative and could preview similar trends in US data, supporting Fed rate-cut hopes.
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• US-Iran Indirect Talks Resume: Discussions in Geneva today focused on nuclear issues and de-escalation. Progress could help stabilize oil markets and reduce volatility in the energy and global trade sectors.
S&P 500 Tests Key Level As AI Disruption Fears Weigh on Wall Street
Wall Street remains cautious on February 17, 2026, with the US stock market trading mixed but overall subdued amid persistent SaaSpocalypse fears. The S&P 500 opened weaker, briefly dipping below its 100-day EMA before reclaiming it.
The index stabilized around 6,834–6,841 mid-session, down 0.65% intraday from its February 13 high.
The trend suggests the market might recover mildly, but the key to a broader recovery lies above the highs set on February 13 (Friday).
This echoes the late-November 2025 scenario. The index lost the 100-day EMA on November 28 but reclaimed it quickly the next session, triggering a strong rally. The S&P 500 gained approximately 7.38% from late November into late January.
The 100-day EMA has acted as strong support since then. Key support now sits around this zone, at around 6,819. A close below could invite broader weakness toward 6,762 and 6,705. A decisive push above 6,889 (above Friday’s high) could target the psychological 7,000 level.
However, stagflation-like concerns (sticky inflation, growth slowdown) and AI disruption anxiety limit upside conviction.
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Nasdaq Composite trades deeper in the red, highlighting tech’s drag. Tech’s 33% S&P 500 weight amplifies the impact on the broader index.
VIX, the Volatility Index, eased 1.08% to 20.97 (from higher early-session levels), signaling reduced volatility as the day progressed, though still elevated relative to recent lows and reflecting caution.
The US 10-year Treasury yield is 4.05% (down modestly today, near 2.5-month lows).
It reflects flight-to-safety flows and softer inflation expectations; supportive for bonds but pressuring growth stocks and crypto amid delayed rate-cut bets.
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Sector Rotation in Focus: Defensives Shine While Tech Drags
The US stock market’s mixed tone on February 17, 2026, reveals pronounced sector rotation. Technology (XLK) is the standout laggard, down approximately 1.24% from February 13 highs (currently trading -0.37% on the day).
XLK is the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund, managed by State Street Global Advisors, one of the flagship sector ETFs that slices the S&P 500 into its 11 GICS sectors for targeted exposure.
It tracks major tech names (Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple) and software/semiconductor companies. This makes XLK sensitive to growth sentiment and AI-related developments.
The XLK chart shows a developing head-and-shoulders pattern, a bearish structure. The neckline holds steady near 133; a decisive break below could confirm the pattern and trigger a 10% downside move (measured from head to neckline), potentially pushing toward 129 or even 120 in a deeper correction if broader market conditions or AI concerns worsen.
Utilities (XLU) continues to show relative strength after rallying 2.5% on Friday. While it’s down 0.40% today in line with broader weakness, the sector remains the strongest performer on a weekly basis.
This flow, from growth/tech into defensives and value, explains why the S&P 500 can trade flat-to-lower despite green pockets: tech’s 33% index weight magnifies XLK weakness, overshadowing gains elsewhere.
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The bearish setup invalidates on a reclaim of 141–144; a move above 150 would fully negate the threat.
Synopsys (SNPS) Drops 4.4% As AI Anxiety Hammers Software Stocks
Synopsys (SNPS) is one of the standout US stock market laggards. It is trading at approximately 419 after dropping 4.43% intraday, at press time.
As a leading EDA software and semiconductor IP provider, SNPS is closely tied to the software infrastructure subsector. This leaves it vulnerable to ongoing concerns that AI may reshape chip-design workflows.
In the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK), SNPS carries a modest weight of 0.72%. This limits its direct ETF impact but serves as a strong proxy for software weakness (e.g., ORCL -3.85%, CRWD -5.12%, FTNT -4.11%).
The daily chart shows SNPS trading inside a bear flag pattern following a 24% correction that began January 12, 2026, with the February 4 rebound/consolidation keeping price contained within the flag. It attempted a breakdown today, but buyers defended so far.
A confirmed break below 416 could activate the pattern, projecting downside toward 322 (over 20% from current levels). Intermediate support levels sit at 402 and 371.
The bearish setup invalidates on a reclaim of 451. This reinforces rotation away from software/growth names into defensives, adding to Nasdaq’s relative pressure.
Crypto World
Bitcoin is down, but could bear market be nearing its end?
Bitcoin slid more than 2% to $67,000 on Tuesday, reflecting broader risk aversion across markets as Wall Street reopened after the Presidents’ Day holiday.
Summary
- Tech and crypto remain under pressure, while defensives are mixed, with selective strength emerging in activist-driven and travel names.
- Bitcoin has fallen about 29% over the past month, sparking debate over whether the downturn is nearing a bottom or has further to run.
- “I believe that bitcoin has already capitulated with that big move from 100k-> 60k,” one analyst says.
Crypto weakness coincided with renewed pressure on technology and software shares, where investors continued to grapple with the potential for AI-driven disruption. The Nasdaq-100 underperformed, slipping 0.3%, while the iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF dropped more than 2.7% in midday New York trading. The software-focused fund has now declined in 11 of the past 15 sessions, pushing its year-to-date losses to nearly 25%.
Broader equity indices were largely flat, masking sharp divergences beneath the surface. Financial stocks rebounded after weeks of weakness, while consumer staples lagged.
Travel Tickers
Travel-linked shares stood out as a pocket of strength. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings surged 11% after Elliott Investment Management disclosed a stake exceeding 10% and signaled plans to push for strategic changes following the cruise operator’s prolonged underperformance.
Peers rallied in sympathy, with Carnival Corp. rising about 4% and Royal Caribbean Group gaining 3%.
In travel and leisure, Airbnb Inc. added 3.7%, extending momentum from last week’s earnings report. Southwest Airlines Co. jumped more than 6% following a wave of analyst upgrades from Susquehanna and UBS.
But what about Bitcoin?
The top cryptocurrency has fallen about 29% over the past month, sparking debate over whether the downturn is nearing a bottom or has further to run.
Trader Altcoin Sherpa pointed to past cycles for comparison, noting that both the 2017–2018 and 2021–2022 bear markets saw steep 75–85% drawdowns and took roughly a year from all-time high to final bottom. Each cycle ended with a sharp capitulation event — including the 2018 plunge from $6,000 to $3,000 and the 2022 crash tied to FTX — followed by several months of accumulation.
However, Sherpa argues the current cycle may differ. The 2024–2025 rally was slower and more consolidation-heavy than prior vertical surges, and structural factors such as spot ETFs, reduced speculative excess, stronger support in the $50,000–$70,000 range, and already-flushed altcoin froth could shorten the bear market timeline, potentially avoiding a full 365-day decline.
“I believe that bitcoin has already capitulated with that big move from 100k-> 60k,” Sherpa says. “I believe we are now in the ACCUMULATION phase of the cycle. Accumulation can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months.”
See the full post via the link below.
Crypto World
Binance Whale Inflows Surge as Bitcoin Tests Critical Support
Key Insights:
- Binance whale inflow ratio surged, showing growing dominance of large BTC transactions.
- Bitcoin’s 22% YTD decline has pushed sentiment into extreme fear territory.
- Falling stablecoin liquidity makes whale moves more influential on price action.
Market Weakness Deepens Across Crypto
The larger crypto market is still under intense pressure with Binance registering a massive increase in whale activity. Bitcoin is trading around $68,000, dropping over 22% in the year, the lowest first-quarter performance since 2018.
The month of January ended with a sharp loss of 10% and February has been unable to provide relief yet. This decline is reflected in investor sentiment, where the Crypto Fear & Greed Index is solidly in the extreme fear zone. The range of $60,000 to $65,000 has been cited by analysts as one of the key support zones that might dictate the direction in the near future.
Whale Inflows on Binance Spike Suddenly
Despite bearish price action, on-chain data points to a notable shift in large-holder behavior. According to CryptoQuant, Binance’s whale inflow ratio jumped from 0.40 to 0.62 between February 2 and February 15, indicating that a large portion of exchange inflows is currently taken over by large holders.
A single large holder, known as the Hyperunit whale, allegedly transferred close to 10,000 BTC to Binance as the volatility increased. A number of other high-value transfers occurred in their turn, indicating that institutional-scale players are actively repositioning as prices get weaker.
🐳 Whale Inflow ratio surges on Binance amid market correction.
This correction is testing all types of investors, from retail participants to whales and even institutions.
According to the whale inflow ratio, we are seeing a clear surge in whale activity on Binance,… pic.twitter.com/TVJiUAWy1O
— Darkfost (@Darkfost_Coc) February 17, 2026
In the past, increasing numbers of whales may cause sell-side pressure. They can, however, reflect tactical actions in times when deep liquidity on the major exchanges becomes crucial.
Liquidity Tightens as Capital Pulls Back
Binance has seen declining stablecoin liquidity. The exchange has registered three consecutive months of negative netflows of stablecoins, with almost $3 billion leaving the platform this month. Since November, the total stablecoin reserves have been decreasing by nearly $9 billion.
This tightening of liquidity increases the effect of the whale movement since big transfers can more readily influence the short-term price action.
Selling Pressure or Strategic Accumulation?
The statistics provide a varied picture. The low liquidity and risk-off flows suggest caution, but the rise in whale activity implies that the large players are finding opportunities at these levels. It remains unclear whether this signals distribution, hedging, or silent accumulation.
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