Crypto World
MYX Oversold for the First Time
MYX Finance has entered a critical phase after weeks of intense selling pressure. The token has suffered a steep decline amid broader bearish crypto market conditions.
Heavy profit-taking and forced exits accelerated the fall. MYX has now become a focal point of concern among traders
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MYX Finance Token Forms History
MYX’s correlation with Bitcoin has shifted sharply since February 8. The coefficient improved from negative 0.42 to positive 0.47. This change indicates that MYX is increasingly tracking Bitcoin’s price movements.
However, this alignment presents risk. Since February 8, Bitcoin has remained in consolidation without meaningful recovery. A stronger positive correlation suggests MYX may continue mirroring Bitcoin’s weakness. Without a BTC breakout, bearish conditions could persist for MYX.
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The Money Flow Index highlights the intensity of recent selling. The indicator shows severe capital outflows as investors rushed to exit positions. Panic selling, combined with leveraged liquidations, intensified downward pressure.
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This wave of capitulation has pushed MYX into oversold territory for the first time in its trading history. Typically, oversold conditions suggest selling may slow as value-focused buyers step in. In many cases, such readings precede short-term relief rallies.
However, context matters. Oversold signals alone do not guarantee immediate recovery. Broader market weakness and fragile sentiment could delay accumulation. If Bitcoin fails to stabilize, MYX may struggle to attract fresh capital despite extreme technical readings.
MYX Price Bounce Back Unlikely
MYX price is down nearly 30% in the past 24 hours. The token trades at $1.50 at the time of writing. This sharp drop compounds a 70% decline recorded since February 8, reinforcing the scale of the correction.
Current technical and macro signals suggest further downside risk. Continued correlation with Bitcoin and persistent outflows could pressure MYX lower. A retest of the $1.22 level appears plausible before oversold conditions trigger meaningful stabilization.
Conversely, investor behavior could shift sooner than expected. If holders halt selling and begin accumulating at discounted levels, momentum may change. Reclaiming the $1.68 support level would mark an early recovery signal. A confirmed bounce could open MYX price’s path toward $2.01 and potentially higher, invalidating the prevailing bearish outlook.
Crypto World
Bitcoin Risks 40% Drop Despite Sentiment Lows
Crypto market sentiment has deteriorated sharply, with Matrixport’s Greed & Fear index falling to extremely depressed levels, suggesting the market may be approaching another inflection point.
Even so, Matrixport suggested that Bitcoin may still see downside ahead.
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Sentiment Signals Possible Inflection Point For Bitcoin
In a recent market update, Matrixport said overall sentiment has dropped to extreme lows, reflecting broad-based pessimism across the digital asset space.
The firm highlighted its proprietary Bitcoin fear and greed gauge, explaining that “durable bottoms” have typically emerged when the 21-day moving average dips below zero and subsequently begins to turn upward. The setup appears to be in place, according to the chart.
“This transition signals that selling pressure is becoming exhausted and that market conditions are beginning to stabilize,” the post read.
The report added that, given the cyclical relationship between sentiment and Bitcoin price action, the latest extreme reading may indicate that the market is nearing another potential turning point.
At the same time, Matrixport warned that prices may continue to decline in the near term.
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“While caution remains warranted, the current environment is increasingly forcing us to sharpen our focus and prepare for the conditions that typically precede a meaningful rebound,” the firm said.
On-Chain Indicators Signal Bear Market Stress
Meanwhile, technical indicators strengthen the picture of a stressed Bitcoin market. An analyst, Woominkyu, noted that the adjusted Spent Output Profit Ratio (aSOPR) has fallen back into the 0.92-0.94 range, a zone that previously coincided with major bear-market stress periods.
“In 2019 and 2023, similar readings occurred during deep corrective phases where coins were being spent at a loss. Each time, this zone represented capitulation pressure and structural reset,” the post read.
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Historically, multiple cycle lows formed around the 0.92 to 0.93 region. The current structure, Woominkyu noted, resembles prior transitions into bear market phases rather than routine mid-cycle pullbacks.
If the metric fails to recover above 1.0 in the near term, it could increase the probability that Bitcoin is entering a broader bearish phase rather than undergoing a simple correction.
True market bottoms, the analyst argued, tend to form only after deeper compression in aSOPR, peak loss realization, and full exhaustion of selling pressure. While the market appears to be entering a stress zone, it may not yet reflect full capitulation.
“aSOPR is signaling structural deterioration. This looks less like a dip and more like a regime shift. The real bottom may still require deeper compression before a durable reversal forms,” the analyst added.
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This view aligns with broader bearish projections suggesting Bitcoin could revisit levels below $40,000 before forming a durable bottom.
BeInCrypto Markets data shows Bitcoin is currently trading around $68,000. A drop below $40,000 would imply a decline of more than 40% from current levels, highlighting the scale of downside risk some analysts believe remains on the table.
For now, sentiment indicators hint at a potential turning point, but on-chain data suggests structural weakness may still need to run its course before a recovery can begin.
Crypto World
Should Crypto Markets Worry About the SaaSpocalypse?
The term “SaaSpocalypse” is trending across financial markets, tech media, and investor circles. It refers to a sudden loss of confidence in software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies after the launch of advanced AI agents capable of automating tasks traditionally handled by enterprise software.
The term became popular after Anthropic released its Claude Cowork AI platform in late January. Following its launch, nearly $300 billion in global software market value was erased. Stocks of major SaaS firms—including Salesforce, Workday, Atlassian, and ServiceNow—fell sharply as investors questioned whether AI agents could replace large parts of their business.
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AI Agents Trigger Market Panic
The core fear driving the SaaSpocalypse is simple: AI agents can now perform entire workflows autonomously.
Tools like Claude Cowork can review contracts, analyze sales data, generate reports, and execute multi-step tasks across multiple applications.
Instead of employees using five separate SaaS tools, a single AI agent can complete the same work.
This directly threatens the SaaS pricing model, which typically charges companies per user or “seat.” If AI reduces the need for human users, companies may need fewer licenses. Investors reacted quickly to this risk.
The S&P 500 Software and Services Index fell nearly 19% in early February, marking its worst losing streak in years.
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At the same time, capital rotated toward AI infrastructure providers such as Nvidia, Microsoft, and Amazon, which supply the compute power behind AI agents.
Why the SaaSpocalypse Matters Beyond Software
The SaaSpocalypse reflects a deeper shift in how software creates value. Instead of selling tools that humans operate, companies are beginning to sell outcomes delivered by AI.
Analysts now describe this as a transition from software-as-a-service to “AI-as-a-service.” This shift challenges decades-old business models and forces software companies to rethink pricing, licensing, and product strategy.
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However, this is not necessarily the end of SaaS. Many enterprises will still rely on established platforms for security, compliance, and data management.
Instead, the disruption will likely reshape the industry, forcing software companies to integrate AI deeply into their products.
How the SaaSpocalypse Could Impact Crypto Markets
The SaaSpocalypse is already affecting crypto markets indirectly. Both crypto and SaaS are considered high-growth, risk-sensitive sectors.
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When investors sell software stocks, they often reduce exposure to crypto as well. In early February 2026, Bitcoin fell sharply as software stocks also posted heavy losses.
More importantly, capital is shifting toward AI. Venture capital invested over $200 billion into AI startups in 2025—far more than crypto received.
This means fewer resources may flow into new crypto projects, slowing innovation in some areas.
At the same time, crypto could benefit in specific niches such as decentralized computing and AI infrastructure.
But overall, the SaaSpocalypse signals a major capital rotation. AI is becoming the dominant investment theme, and crypto markets will need to compete for investor attention in this new environment.
Crypto World
Strategy Doubles Down as Portfolio Hits Unrealized Loss
Nevertheless, the company continues to be in the red on its BTC position.
The world’s largest corporate holder of bitcoin has used the current market slump as an opportunity to increase its BTC portfolio at prices of under $70,000.
In its latest purchase, announced minutes ago, Strategy’s co-founder, Michael Saylor, said the firm accumulated 2,486 BTC for almost $170 million at an average price of $67,710 per unit. This puts the NASDAQ-listed company’s total bitcoin fortune at 717,131 BTC, bought at an average price of $76,027.
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 cryptocurrency market’s decline in the past several weeks has turned Strategy’s holdings into a losing position, even though the firm has repeatedly reassured that it has no plans to dispose of any of its BTC.
At a bitcoin price of $68,000 as of press time, Strategy’s holdings are now worth less than $49 billion. In other words, the firm stands in an unrealized loss of over $5 billion for the first time since the 2023 bear-market closure.
The company’s stock price experienced heightened broader market volatility over the past few weeks, falling from $140 to $120 last week before stabilizing at around $134.
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Crypto World
Stripe-owned Bridge Bank Gains OCC Conditional National Charter Approval
Bridge, the stablecoin platform owned by payments giant Stripe, has won conditional approval from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to organize as a federally chartered national trust bank. The OCC decision, announced on February 12, would enable Bridge to operate stablecoin products under direct federal oversight once final clearance is granted and custody digital assets, issue stablecoins, and manage reserves within a nationwide banking framework. Bridge described the milestone as a step toward scaling stablecoins with robust governance, noting that the GENIUS Act—signed into law in July 2025—creates a regulatory backdrop in which banks can participate more confidently. The move coincides with Stripe’s 2025 acquisition of Bridge for about $1.1 billion to bolster stablecoin payments.
Key takeaways
- Bridge has earned conditional approval to organize as a federally chartered national trust bank, placing its stablecoin and custody activities under federal oversight once final clearance is granted.
- The charter would empower Bridge to custody digital assets, issue stablecoins, and manage stablecoin reserves within a regulated banking framework.
- Bridge’s move is part of a broader OCC push to license crypto firms as national trust banks, with BitGo, Fidelity Digital Assets, Paxos, Circle, and Ripple cited in related actions.
- The GENIUS Act’s implications are now central to the conversation, with Bridge describing its compliance framework as “GENIUS ready” as regulators clarify stablecoins, yield, and oversight.
- The American Bankers Association has urged caution, arguing that GENIUS rules remain unclear and that national charters could be used to bypass existing regulatory oversight, prompting a careful pace in approvals.
- Policy discussions in the White House and in Congress continue to weigh stablecoin yield and the broader digital-asset market structure, potentially shaping how chartered institutions interact with tokenized assets and investor protections.
Market context: The OCC’s latest action comes as the broader push for regulated stablecoin rails gains momentum and lawmakers pursue a comprehensive digital asset framework in the Senate. With the GENIUS Act guiding how federal charters apply to crypto services, the market is watching closely for clarity on yield, custody, and interoperability across regulated banks and crypto platforms. The development signals a potential shift toward more formalized on-ramps for institutions seeking stablecoin-based payments and settlements.
Why it matters
For users and developers, a federally chartered national trust bank could offer stronger consumer protections, clearer governance, and the potential for more scalable, regulated stablecoin services. A formal federal framework may reduce counterparty risk and improve liquidity for on-chain payments that depend on stablecoins for settlement and cross-border remittances, creating a more predictable environment for builders and merchants integrating digital assets into payments rails.
For issuers and platforms, obtaining a national charter could streamline governance, custody, and treasury operations, enabling broader product offerings at scale. Yet regulatory clarity remains a work in progress, particularly as GENIUS Act rules are implemented and interpreted, leaving room for ongoing debate over how stablecoins fit within the broader financial system and how yield incentives align with investor protections.
From a market perspective, regulated rails could attract traditional finance participants into the crypto ecosystem, potentially boosting liquidity and interoperability while concentrating influence among a handful of chartered institutions. The balance between robust oversight and fostering innovation will shape how quickly these rails expand and how risk is managed across custody providers, issuers, and banks working on crypto-native products.
What to watch next
- Final OCC approval for Bridge’s national trust bank charter and any accompanying compliance conditions.
- Regulatory clarifications around the GENIUS Act, including timelines for implementing rules affecting stablecoins and tokenized assets.
- Updates on other charter applications (Circle, Ripple, BitGo, Fidelity, Paxos) and their progress through the OCC process.
- Any Congressional or White House developments on the digital asset market structure framework and stablecoin yield policy.
- Stripe’s follow-on steps to integrate Bridge’s charter with its broader payments ecosystem and stablecoin issuance plans.
Sources & verification
- Bridge announces conditional OCC approval to organize a federally chartered national trust bank (Bridge blog post).
- OCC CAAS filing details Bridge’s application and approval on February 12 for a national bank charter.
- Stripe’s 2025 acquisition of Bridge for approximately $1.1 billion to support stablecoin payments.
- American Bankers Association letter urging OCC to slow crypto trust charter approvals and seek GENIUS Act clarity.
- White House discussions with crypto and banking industry representatives on stablecoin yield and the market-structure framework.
Bridge advances toward a federally chartered stablecoin backbone under GENIUS Act
Bridge’s path to a federally chartered national trust bank represents a notable milestone in the evolving architecture of crypto rails in the United States. The OCC’s conditional blessing—arrived at a moment when several crypto firms are pursuing national trust bank charters—signals a shift from state-level trust status to a federally supervised framework. Bridge’s core business—custody of digital assets, stablecoin issuance, and reserve management—appears poised to move under the OCC’s direct oversight, subject to final approval conditions that would iron out governance, risk controls, and capital requirements. Bridge did not merely seek a license; it framed the move as an alignment with a broader regulatory philosophy spawned by GENIUS Act provisions, which aim to give regulated banks and crypto platforms clearer boundaries and predictable accountability in a rapidly changing landscape.
In a public post outlining the significance of the milestone, Bridge highlighted its commitment to a “GENIUS-ready” posture. The firm argued that a national trust bank charter would provide customers with a robust regulatory backbone, enabling them to build and scale stablecoin-enabled services with greater confidence. Bridge’s stance gains resonance in an ecosystem where stablecoins have become a fundamental component of daily settlement, cross-border payments, and DeFi liquidity flows. The company’s assertion that federal oversight can coexist with innovation reflects a broader assumption in the sector: when properly structured, regulated rails reduce systemic risk and lay the groundwork for responsible growth.
Context matters: Bridge’s bid comes amid a wave of OCC activity aimed at formalizing crypto banking services. Earlier in the year, regulators conditionally approved BitGo, Fidelity Digital Assets, and Paxos to convert state-level trust charters into national ones, while Circle and Ripple were also cited as pursuing national bank charters. The development underscores a shared regulatory objective—provide credible, centralized supervision for digital-asset activities that involve custody, settlement, and stablecoin issuance—without stifling technological progress. The OCC’s caution around GENIUS rule clarity, voiced by the American Bankers Association, reflects a healthy insistence on transparent standards before broad approvals, ensuring that national charters do not create loopholes that circumvent existing oversight or risk controls.
Bridge’s news sits within a larger policy milieu shaped by ongoing Senate deliberations on a comprehensive digital asset market structure framework. In parallel, White House officials have continued to meet with representatives from the crypto and banking sectors to discuss stablecoin yields and related conflicts of interest, highlighting the administration’s interest in aligning economic incentives with consumer protections. As policymakers weigh the balance between innovation and risk management, the question remains: will GENIUS Act guidance crystallize quickly enough to catalyze a new class of federally regulated crypto rails, or will regulatory ambiguity slow the pace of charter grants? The answer will influence how institutions, investors, and developers navigate the next wave of stablecoin adoption and institutional custody solutions.
Bridge’s forthcoming steps—whether that entails final OCC certification, the refinement of risk-management policies, or integration with Stripe’s wider payments infrastructure—will be closely watched by market participants seeking predictable regulatory footing for stablecoins and on-chain settlement. For many in the industry, the news signals a disciplined shift toward formalized governance and oversight that could unlock new levels of scale and reliability in digital-asset services. Yet the path remains contingent on regulatory clarifications, the pace of approvals for other charter applicants, and the evolution of how stablecoins are treated within the broader financial system. As the year unfolds, the OCC’s decisions and legislative updates will likely shape the contours of crypto banking for the foreseeable future.
Crypto World
HBAR price risks a downward spiral as Hedera’s ecosystem woes persist
HBAR price has rebounded in the past few days, moving from the year-to-date low of $0.0725 to the psychological level at $0.100.
Summary
- The HBAR price has crashed by 67% from its 2025 high.
- The network’s ecosystem growth has stalled.
- Technical analysis suggests that the Hedera price has further downside in the near term.
Hedera (HBAR) remains well below last year’s high of $0.3025 and the November 2024 high of $0.4012.
The recent rebound followed Hedera’s addition of FedEx to its governance council. It joined other top companies like Tata Communications, Google, Mondelez, ServiceNow, and IBM. All these companies have historically pledged to use Hedera’s technology in their decentralized products.
The risk, however, is that third-party data indicate that Hedera’s ecosystem is much smaller than those of newer crypto projects such as Monad, Plasma, Hyperliquid, and Provenance.
Hedera’s decentralized finance ecosystem has a total value locked of just $58 million, with most projects showing no activity. This is despite Hedera being capable of handling over 1,000 transactions per second and having much lower fees than other chains.
Hedera also has a negligible market share in the stablecoin industry, with its total supply down to $68 million from last year’s peak of over $300 million. The stablecoin supply across all chains has jumped to over $300 billion.
Hedera has no market share in the booming Real-World Asset tokenization industry, which has accumulated over $24 billion in assets under management. Ethereum has the largest market share, with over $17 billion in assets, and is followed by other popular chains such as BNB, Solana, and XRP Ledger.
These metrics likely explain why the Canary HBAR ETF has struggled to attract assets. It has had no inflows since February 9, while its total assets have dropped to $51.3 million. Hedera’s futures open interest has also continued to fall over the past few months.
HBAR price technical analysis

The weekly timeframe chart shows that the HBAR price has been in a strong downward trend in the past few months, moving from a high of $0.3026 in July to the current $0.1.
The coin remains below all moving averages and is stuck at the Ultimate Support level of the Murrey Math Lines tool. It is also below the Supertrend and the Ichimoku cloud indicators.
Therefore, the most likely Hedera price forecast is bearish, with the next key target being the year-to-date low of $0.0725. A drop below that level will point to more downside, potentially to the all-time low of $0.036.
Crypto World
Berkshire Hathaway trims Apple stake, buys NYTimes stock in Buffett’s last moves as CEO
Warren Buffett speaks during the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 4, 2024.
CNBC
Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway trimmed more of its Apple stake and began a new position in The New York Times in the fourth quarter, according to a new securities filing.
The Omaha-based conglomerate disclosed that it pared its position in the iPhone maker by 4.3% to $61.96 billion, per data from InsiderScore. Even with the cut, Apple remains by far Berkshire’s largest equity holding.
Berkshire revealed that it trimmed its stake in Apple and started a stake in fellow “Magnificent Seven” name Alphabet in the third quarter. The conglomerate had also cut its equity holding of Apple in the second quarter of last year after slashing its stake by two-thirds in 2024.
While Apple posted its third consecutive winning year in 2025, rising around 9%, it still underperformed the S&P 500, which gained more than 16% last year. The stock has been lagging even more this year, falling about 3%. In fact, it experienced its worst day since April 2025 just last week.
Apple shares, year-to-date
It’s unclear whether the moves were done by Buffett or investment managers Todd Combs and Ted Weschler. Buffett has viewed Apple as more of a consumer products company rather than a pure technology play, and the moves may reflect Buffett making the portfolio more easily manageable for his successor.
In addition to the cut in its Apple holding, Berkshire disclosed a relatively small $351.7 million stake in The New York Times. The position is ranked 29th out of its 41 total positions.
Berkshire Hathaway’s Top 10 Holdings, as of the end of Q4
| TICKER | NAME | VALUE ($ BILLION) | CHANGE IN NO. OF SHARES (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAPL | Apple | 61.96 | -4.3 |
| AXP | American Express | 56.09 | N/A |
| BAC | Bank of America | 28.45 | -8.9 |
| KO | Coca-Cola | 27.96 | N/A |
| CVX | Chevron | 19.84 | 6.6 |
| MCO | Moody’s | 12.6 | N/A |
| OXY | Occidental Petroleum | 10.89 | N/A |
| CB | Chubb | 10.69 | 9.3 |
| KHC | Kraft Heinz | 7.9 | N/A |
| GOOGL | Alphabet | 5.59 | N/A |
Source: InsiderScore
The fourth quarter marked the last quarterly period with Buffett at the helm of Berkshire, as Greg Abel – who had been serving as vice chairman of non-insurance operations at the company – took the reins as CEO at the start of the new year.
Prior to Buffett’s departure, structural changes were announced at the company, including one involving Combs. After resigning in December, the former Berkshire investment manager and Geico CEO joined JPMorgan Chase as head of its new Security and Resiliency Initiative in January.

Buffett first announced at Berkshire’s annual meeting last May that he was going to ask Berkshire’s board to have Abel replace him. Though Buffett is no longer the chief executive, he remains chairman of the board.
Crypto World
Crypto market wavers, Fed official predicts more rate cuts
The crypto market wavered today, February 17, as traders watched several potential catalysts, including Federal Reserve statements and the happenings in the Middle East.
Summary
- The crypto market wavered after Austan Goolsbee said that he supported more interest rate cuts.
- He believes that more cuts will be necessary if inflation continues falling.
- The statement came a day before the Fed published the minutes of its last monetary policy meeting.
Crypto market on edge after a dovish statement by Austan Goolsbee
Bitcoin (BTC) price was little changed at $67,000, while Ethereum (ETH) was trading at $1,980. The market capitalization of all coins dropped by 0.15% in the last 24 hours to over $2.34 trillion.
Similarly, the Crypto Fear and Greed Index was hovering at the extreme fear zone of 13, while the Altcoin Season Index was trading at 31.
The crypto market wavered after Austin Goolsbee, the head of the Chicago Fed, noted that there was room for several interest rate cuts this year if inflation continues to fall toward the 2% target. He said:
“I do think that if this proves to be transitory, and we can show that we’re on path back to 2% inflation, I still think there’s several more rate cuts that can happen in 2026, but we’ve got to see it.”
The statement came a few days after the Bureau of Labor Statistics published encouraging consumer inflation dropped to 2.4% in January from the previous 2.7%, while the core CPI remained unchanged at 2.5%. Inflation has been trending downward from 3%, and the downtrend may continue in the coming months.
The recent dot plot signaled that the Fed will deliver one interest rate cut this year. On the other hand, Polymarket traders anticipate that the bank will cut rates three times.
The crypto market would benefit from more interest rate cuts, as we saw during the Covid pandemic, when Bitcoin and most altcoins jumped to record highs as central banks slashed rates.
Hedge funds are betting against the dollar
Goolsbee’s statement came as a report showed the hedge funds were increasingly bearish on the US dollar. The survey by Bank of America showed that the currency’s positioning among fund managers fell to the lowest level in over a decade. In theory, a weaker dollar benefits the crypto market because most coins are quoted in U.S. dollars.
Looking ahead, the next major catalyst for Bitcoin and other altcoins will come on Wednesday, when the Federal Reserve releases minutes from its last monetary policy meeting. These minutes will provide more information about the last meeting and hints on what to expect in the next meetings.
Crypto World
Germany’s Bundesbank Chief Backs Euro Stablecoins as Europe Pursues Payment Sovereignty
TLDR:
- Bundesbank President Nagel endorsed euro stablecoins as low-cost tools for cross-border payments across Europe.
- The digital euro will become the first pan-European retail payment solution built on solely European infrastructure.
- A wholesale CBDC is in development to enable programmable central bank money payments for financial institutions.
- Nagel warned Europe can no longer rely on transatlantic cooperation and rules-based order as it once did.
Germany’s Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel has publicly endorsed euro-denominated stablecoins as a viable tool for cross-border payments.
Speaking at the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany on February 16, 2026, in Frankfurt, Nagel outlined a broader vision for European financial sovereignty.
His remarks covered payment system independence, regulatory reform, and capital market integration. The endorsement marks a notable shift in tone from a senior European central banker on private digital assets.
Nagel Makes the Case for Euro-Denominated Stablecoins
Euro stablecoins, according to Nagel, can facilitate cross-border payments for individuals and firms at lower cost. This positions them as practical instruments rather than speculative assets.
The focus is specifically on euro-denominated instruments that reinforce European monetary control. By framing stablecoins within a sovereignty narrative, Nagel separates them from broader crypto market concerns.
The endorsement did not come in isolation. Nagel stated that the Eurosystem is actively working toward a retail central bank digital currency.
He described it as “the first pan-European retail digital payment solution, based solely on European infrastructures.” Euro stablecoins, in his view, serve a complementary role alongside this public infrastructure.
Work on a wholesale CBDC is also advancing in parallel. Nagel noted that “a wholesale CBDC would allow financial institutions to make programmable payments in central bank money.”
Together, the retail CBDC, wholesale CBDC, and euro stablecoins form a layered European digital payments ecosystem. Each instrument serves a distinct purpose within that framework.
The core argument is that Europe must reduce its dependence on foreign-controlled payment networks. Currently, major digital payment solutions used across the EU rely heavily on US-based providers.
Euro stablecoins offer a market-driven complement to public infrastructure in closing that gap. Nagel’s endorsement lends institutional credibility to that path forward.
Broader European Reforms Back the Digital Payments Push
The stablecoin endorsement fits within a wider agenda to strengthen the international role of the euro. Nagel outlined three reform priorities: regulatory simplification, the Savings and Investments Union, and euro payment sovereignty.
He described this as “an ambitious programme” that he regards as “essential to successfully overcoming the current challenges.” Each priority connects to the others in building a more resilient European economy.
Regulatory complexity remains a known obstacle to growth and investment across Europe. Nagel referenced reports by Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi calling for streamlined EU rules.
He stressed that “it is not their mere existence that causes problems” but rather “their extraordinary complexity and rigidity.” An ECB High-Level Task Force on simplifying financial regulation is active, with Nagel serving as a member.
Capital market fragmentation across member states continues to limit private investment. Nagel pointed out that “a high degree of economic fragmentation still remains” despite over 30 years of the single market.
The Savings and Investments Union was presented as the key mechanism to address this gap. High European savings, he argued, “could be better channelled into fostering innovation, productivity and competitiveness.”
Transatlantic trade remains substantial, with the EU and US together representing 44% of global GDP. However, Europe is clearly preparing for a world where that partnership carries more uncertainty.
Nagel was direct in saying, “we cannot rely on transatlantic cooperation and the rules-based international order to the same extent as before.”
His support for euro stablecoins reflects that broader repositioning of European financial policy toward greater independence.
Crypto World
Bitcoin Miners Withdraw 36K BTC as Bullish Signals Grow
More than 36,000 BTC left exchanges this month as miners shifted holdings to cold storage, hinting at bullish expectations ahead.
Bitcoin miners have moved more than 36,000 BTC from exchanges since the beginning of February.
The volume stands out when measured against earlier months and points to a change in how they are managing their holdings.
Miner Activity in February
A CryptoQuant report indicates that roughly 36,000 BTC were transferred from trading platforms within a short period this month. Out of that total, more than 12,000 BTC was withdrawn from Binance, while the remaining 24,000 BTC was distributed across several other exchanges. This shows that the activity occurred broadly across the market, instead of being linked to a single exchange or one isolated transaction.
This type of activity is generally associated with long-term storage because miners typically move BTC to cold wallets instead of leaving their holdings on exchanges. Such transfers can also mean confidence in future price growth, as lower exchange balances reduce the amount of BTC readily available for sale on the spot market.
CryptoQuant also noted that daily withdrawals accelerated during the period. On one day alone, more than 6,000 BTC was moved off exchanges, marking the highest single-day total since last November. Compared to January, February’s withdrawal levels are much higher, contributing to the view that miners are actively repositioning.
At the same time, miners are not the only group showing sustained faith in the OG cryptocurrency’s upside. Data shows that long-term holders accumulated 380,104 BTC over the past 30 days, indicating continued demand from that segment of the market.
Market Outlook
The opening weeks of February have delivered a blow to BTC, with its price falling near the $60,000 at one point. Data from CoinGecko shows that over the past 24 hours, the cryptocurrency went from slightly over $67,000 to just under $70,000, while posting a decline of more than 28% over the past month.
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However, analysts at VanEck describe the 2026 downtrend as an “orderly deleveraging” instead of a sudden collapse. Head of Digital Asset Research Mathew Sigel previously explained that this is because futures open interest has dropped by about 20%, suggesting leveraged positions are being reduced in a controlled manner rather than through panic-driven liquidations.
February’s performance has also been shaped by institutional outflows, macroeconomic pressure, and tax-related factors. Spot Bitcoin ETF outflows are now exceeding inflows, suggesting profit-taking or a shift to defensive assets like gold. The Federal Reserve has also maintained rates near 3.75% amid 2.4% inflation, while the newly introduced Internal Revenue Service 1099-DA form adds compliance pressure for investors.
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Crypto World
Ethereum address poisoning strikes again
An Ethereum user lost $600,000 on Tuesday morning to a common crypto scam known as ‘address poisoning.’
Highlighting the loss, SpecterAnalyst, a self-described “onchain investigator,” warned users to “always verify the entire wallet address.”
The costly mishap comes just one week after another user lost over $350,000 to the same scam, despite first sending a test transaction to the attacker’s address.
Read more: Crypto trader loses $50M USDT to address poisoning scam
Address poisoning is an attack vector in which scammers send spam transactions to genuine users, after they make a transfer.
The incoming transactions come from similar-looking addresses in the hopes that the user will confuse them for the intended address in future transfers. Fake versions of common token tickers may be transferred in these spam transactions, or small amounts of genuine assets.
The strategy requires generating a new, look-alike address with identical beginning and end characters, which the user accidentally copies and pastes into future transfers.
Popular block explorers often abbreviate the middle portion of addresses to save space.
Read more: Refund of $70M ‘address poisoning’ scam ongoing, over 50% returned
Barabazs.eth, of the Ethereum Foundation and Ump.eth, proposes a partial solution to this issue. The tool allows for visually truncated addresses, while the full text remains searchable for users to double-check before transfers.
However, using an address book is far safer than copying addresses from a block explorer.
After Ethereum’s Fusaka upgrade lowered transaction costs, address poisoning has surged. The volume of freshly created addresses has risen sharply following the protocol upgrade in December last year, according to research from Andrey Sergeenkov.
Test failed successfully
In the wake of today’s loss, SpecterAnalyst also drew attention to a significant loss from last week.
This time, the user even sent a test transaction to the scammer’s spoofed address, but “the test fund was not properly confirmed before sending the main amount.”
The simple error led to a loss of over $350,000.
SpecterAnalyst suggests that, for this user, testing became “a routine step rather than serving its actual purpose of confirming the correct destination address.”
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