Key Highlights

• Morgan Stanley has submitted an application to the OCC for a national trust bank charter designed for cryptocurrency custody services
• The proposed entity, dubbed “Morgan Stanley Digital Trust,” would facilitate digital asset custody, trading activities, swaps, staking services, and transfers
• Citigroup is preparing to roll out institutional bitcoin custody services within the current year, embedding them into existing traditional asset management frameworks
• Citi’s vision includes unified account management where clients handle bitcoin together with securities and cash, featuring cross-margining functionality
• Major financial institutions are building out crypto capabilities in response to rising institutional client interest in digital asset services

Morgan Stanley has submitted a request for a de novo national trust bank charter through the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). The submission, which arrived on February 18, bears the designation “Morgan Stanley Digital Trust, National Association.”

This charter would grant Morgan Stanley authorization to provide digital asset custody services for its client base. The planned subsidiary intends to facilitate buying, selling, swapping, transferring, and staking of cryptocurrencies.

A national trust bank charter empowers financial institutions to conduct fiduciary operations including asset protection and custody services. This represents Morgan Stanley’s inaugural trust charter designed exclusively for cryptocurrency operations.

Morgan Stanley has demonstrated aggressive expansion into digital assets recently. The firm brought aboard equity markets veteran Amy Oldenburg in January to spearhead its cryptocurrency division and submitted applications for spot Bitcoin and Solana ETFs, subsequently filing for a staked Ether ETF as well.

The financial institution, which manages approximately $8 trillion in client assets, is simultaneously deploying spot cryptocurrency trading capabilities through its E*TRADE platform. The bank is also considering lending products and yield-generating opportunities connected to digital currencies.

Current job postings reveal Morgan Stanley is recruiting for positions such as digital assets strategy director and digital assets product lead. The institution is additionally investigating wallet technology implementation throughout its wealth management platform.

Citi Plans Institutional Bitcoin Custody

Citigroup has revealed intentions to introduce institutional bitcoin custody services before year-end. Nisha Surendran, who oversees Citi’s digital asset custody development, shared these details during Thursday’s World Strategy Forum.

Surendran characterized the objective as rendering “bitcoin bankable.” Citi aims to incorporate bitcoin into identical custody, reporting, and taxation systems currently deployed for conventional assets such as stocks and bonds.

Clients would gain the ability to initiate transactions through SWIFT messaging, APIs, or graphical user interfaces. Citi would manage all clearing and settlement procedures behind the scenes.

The financial institution additionally intends to enable clients to maintain bitcoin positions alongside U.S. Treasuries, international bonds, and tokenized money market funds within a unified custody account. This framework would permit cross-margining between cryptocurrency holdings and traditional asset classes.

Citi conducted research among its institutional client base and discovered they prefer not to handle wallets and private keys directly. Instead, they seek bitcoin access through established banking infrastructure.

The Broader Push by Major Banks

Citi maintains connections to over 220 payment and settlement networks worldwide. The bank has introduced Citi Token Services for cash management, a continuously operating blockchain-based network utilized for internal global fund transfers.

JPMorgan has pursued a comparable strategy through its JPM Coin offering. The New York Stock Exchange similarly unveiled intentions for a round-the-clock blockchain-powered trading platform for tokenized equities and ETFs launching later in 2025.

The OCC granted conditional approval to five cryptocurrency-focused national trust bank applications in December, encompassing Ripple, BitGo, Fidelity Digital Assets, and Paxos. Stablecoin infrastructure provider Bridge, acquired by Stripe, along with Crypto.com have subsequently obtained conditional approvals.

Payoneer similarly submitted a national trust bank charter application this month, potentially positioning it to issue stablecoins and deliver cryptocurrency services.

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) faced renewed geopolitical turbulence over the weekend as reports of a joint U.S.-Israel operation targeting Iran intensified market chatter. The move came as traditional markets remained in a holding pattern, leaving crypto traders to assess the implications in a vacuum. On Saturday, BTC slid toward the lower end of a key trading band, briefly testing the $63,000 region as investors weighed the potential fallout from a campaign aimed at Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. The timing coincided with a quiet moment in traditional markets, where futures and other risk assets had not yet resumed full trading, underscoring how crypto can move on its own schedule during periods of geopolitical stress.

Key takeaways

• BTC traded around the mid-$60,000s, probing the $63,000 level as weekend escalation unfolded and U.S. and Israeli actions were reported against Iran.
• Liquidations tied to the move surpassed $250 million within a four-hour window, highlighting heightened risk-off dynamics within crypto despite a pause in broader market activity.
• Trump’s remarks—calling on Iranians to take over their government after describing the objective as targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure—added a political overlay to the headline-led move.
• Crypto markets moved independently of TradFi during the period, with traditional market activity disrupted or delayed, amplifying a crypto-driven narrative around safe-haven + risk-off tension.
• Historical echoes surfaced in trading chatter, referencing prior Iran-related shocks in 2025 that produced outsized volatility across crypto and risk assets, a pattern that some traders cited as context for the current reaction.

Tickers mentioned: $BTC

Sentiment: Neutral

Price impact: Negative. The weekend developments contributed to a near-4% drop and a test of notable support around the $63,000 area.

Trading idea (Not Financial Advice): Hold. Price action remains within a framework of key support and the potential for a renewed test of higher levels will hinge on evolving geopolitical signals and macro cues.

Market context: The episode underscored how geopolitics can drive crypto-specific volatility even when traditional markets are quiet or paused, with liquidity dynamics shaping the immediate response and sentiment.

Why it matters

The unfolding weekend episode reinforces the role of Bitcoin as a potential nonlinear reaction to geopolitical stress. While equities and other traditional assets were not fully pricing in the latest headlines, BTC moved with a decisive tilt, testing an important round-number barrier and illustrating how market participants treat crypto as a distinct risk-on/risk-off instrument during times of international tension. The magnitude of intraday liquidations—reported to exceed $250 million in a short span—highlights the rapid, leveraged dynamics that can accompany sudden shifts in sentiment, even when broader markets remain comparatively subdued.

Beyond the immediate price action, the incident raises questions about liquidity and correlation in the current macro environment. The absence or delay of traditional market participation on the weekend left a vacuum that crypto markets often fill with their own narratives, sometimes amplifying moves beyond what fundamentals would suggest. The juxtaposition of a hawkish geopolitical headline with a crypto market that has recently faced a prolonged drawdown in prior cycles adds texture to the analysis of BTC’s resilience near blocks of support, including around the $60,000 level that traders view as a psychological and technical hinge in this cycle.

The episode also nods to a broader history of Iran-related shocks in the crypto space. A notable note from observers cited a previous Iran-focused episode in 2025 that sparked a surge in volatility across risk assets—an echo that keeps some traders attentive to the potential for follow-through moves as headlines evolve. In this sense, the latest escalation becomes part of a longer-running narrative about how geopolitical risk translates into crypto-specific dynamics, particularly as markets approach monthly or quarterly closes where liquidity and risk sentiment can tighten further.

Against this backdrop, traders remained mindful of the broader inflation and macro data cycle that can compound or cap spikes in volatility. Prior to the weekend move, hot U.S. inflation data had already given Bitcoin bulls a reason to tread carefully, underscoring that price resilience often coexists with a fragile narrative around sustained upside. The combination of a fresh geopolitical shock and sticky inflation metrics paints a complex picture for BTC, where sharp short-term moves coexist with a longer arc of price discovery that is still trying to chart a sustainable path above key support levels.

As the situation evolved, the narrative around Bitcoin’s behavior during geopolitical flare-ups continued to gain traction. Analysts emphasized the importance of monitoring $63,000 as a test point—an inflection that, if held, could set the stage for a cautious rebound or a renewed consolidation. Conversely, a break of that level would invite a fresh wave of risk-off selling and raise the possibility of retesting lower cushions established earlier in the year, particularly given the sensitive macro backdrop and ongoing concerns about liquidity if volatility persists into the February close.

On the ground, observers also noted the role of media framing and social chatter in shaping short-term expectations. A post from political commentators and market analysts alike threaded together the weekend’s headlines with the technical narrative, underscoring how crypto markets continue to operate at the confluence of macro, policy, and technology-driven factors. The result is a market environment where BTC can diverge from traditional assets for stretches, but remains tethered to the same fundamentals that govern risk appetite, funding conditions, and liquidity availability as traders size up the next significant catalyst.

What to watch next

• February monthly close: Watch for whether BTC can defend the $60,000–$63,000 range or if a break below sharpens the downside bias.
• Geopolitical updates: Any new statements or actions from the U.S. or allied governments, and Iran’s official responses, could redraw the risk landscape for crypto markets.
• Liquidity metrics: Monitor liquidity flows and liquidation data from trackers like CoinGlass as markets digest new headlines and potential policy signals.
• Regulatory signals: Any regulatory commentary or policy signals that could affect crypto markets in the wake of geopolitical events.

Sources & verification

• BTC price action near $63,000 and intraday dynamics as reported by market data aggregators (e.g., TradingView) for BTCUSD.
• Public statements from U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the weekend operation and his remarks about Iran.
• Liquidation data tracked by market observatories (CoinGlass) during the four-hour window cited.
• Analysis and context provided by commentators referencing the Kobeissi Letter and its remarks on related Iran-related episodes.
• Historical references to prior Iran-related events affecting crypto and risk assets, including related coverage from Cointelegraph.

Geopolitical shock and Bitcoin’s path

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) moved to absorb fresh geopolitical headlines as a joint U.S.-Israel operation targeted Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. In the immediate aftermath, price action suggested a cautious mood among traders: the asset hovered near the upper mid-range before dipping toward support levels, with the market registering a roughly four-percent decline in intraday trading. Data from market trackers captured a considerable liquidation footprint—more than $250 million in a four-hour window—underscoring how liquidity can ebb and flow in response to headlines even when traditional markets are less active.

The weekend narrative was further shaped by political signals. A video message from U.S. President Donald Trump contained a dual aim: to describe the operation’s objective as targeting nuclear infrastructure while urging Iranians to “take over your government.” The message added a layer of political risk to an already delicate market environment, illustrating how policy chatter can intersect with price dynamics in crypto markets that are increasingly sensitive to headline risk.

In market commentary, observers noted that crypto markets were effectively operating in isolation as TradFi trading hours were unsettled or paused. This was a period where BTC moved independently of equity futures and other traditional benchmarks, a pattern that some analysts attribute to the asset’s ongoing role as a non-sovereign store of value during times of geopolitical strain. Yet even with a certain degree of independence, BTC’s trajectory remained tethered to the broader macro narrative—specifically, how inflation data and risk sentiment evolve in the days ahead and whether the market can defend key technical fortresses near $60,000.

The historical angle remains salient. Some market watchers pointed to a prior Iran-related episode in 2025 that produced a pronounced risk-off response across crypto and traditional assets, illustrating how geopolitical shocks can imprint a multi-month pattern on price action. While this does not define a forecast, it provides context for current traders who monitor the interplay between headlines, liquidity, and the delicate balance between risk-on and risk-off dynamics at a time when the February close looms.

As the near-term narrative unfolds, the market context remains one of cautious navigation. The combination of geopolitical catalysts, inflation dynamics, and the fragility of intraday liquidity means investors are watching not just the immediate price moves but the persistence of support levels that have held in prior tests. The coming days will reveal whether BTC’s reaction to the weekend headlines translates into a broader shift in momentum or a temporary pause as traders reassess risk preferences ahead of the next macro and policy updates.

TLDR

• Mark Karpelès, who previously led Mt. Gox, has floated a Bitcoin hard fork idea aimed at retrieving approximately 80,000 BTC taken during a 2011 security breach, currently valued above $5.2 billion.
• His plan would enable these funds to transfer without accessing the lost private key, through implementing a specialized consensus mechanism for one specific wallet.
• The draft was posted to GitHub as an exploratory discussion rather than an official Bitcoin Improvement Proposal.
• Detractors believe this creates a risky precedent that could undermine Bitcoin’s foundational immutability principle.
• These stolen coins exist separately from the approximately 200,000 BTC currently undergoing distribution to Mt. Gox claimants, with that process scheduled through October 2026.

Mark Karpelès, who formerly ran the defunct Mt. Gox Bitcoin exchange, has unveiled a draft plan advocating for a Bitcoin hard fork. His objective centers on retrieving approximately 79,956 BTC taken during a security breach over 15 years ago.

These digital assets remain locked in one specific wallet, representing more than $5.2 billion based on current market valuations. The funds have remained untouched since their theft in June 2011.

Bitcoin’s existing protocol requires the original private key to authorize any transaction. That critical key was never retrieved.

Karpelès uploaded his proposal to GitHub last Friday. His suggestion involves creating a novel consensus mechanism enabling fund movement to a designated recovery wallet without needing the missing key.

This rule would exclusively target that particular wallet address. Network-wide adoption would trigger activation at a predetermined future block height.

Karpelès showed transparency regarding the proposal’s nature. “I want to be upfront: this is a hard fork,” he stated.

He positioned this submission as a solution to an ongoing impasse. Nobuaki Kobayashi, serving as the Mt. Gox trustee, has refused to pursue blockchain-based recovery without guaranteed community support for such a protocol modification.

Why Critics Are Pushing Back

The suggestion has triggered substantial opposition, primarily focused on Bitcoin’s unchangeable nature. Bitcoin operates on the principle that confirmed transactions cannot be reversed or altered.

Numerous community members contend that modifying ownership protocols for a single address, regardless of theft circumstances, establishes dangerous precedent. Bitcointalk forum participants cautioned this might encourage comparable requests following future security incidents.

The proposal recognizes this concern directly. It notes: “If it can be done once, the argument goes, it can be done again.”

Governance concerns also emerge. Bitcoin lacks established procedures for determining which past thefts warrant protocol rule modifications.

Successful hard fork implementation requires widespread approval from miners, node operators, and trading platforms. Throughout Bitcoin‘s history, achieving consensus on divisive modifications has proven exceptionally challenging.

How This Fits Into Broader Mt. Gox Repayments

The 80,000 BTC held in the compromised wallet exist independently from funds presently distributed to creditors. Current repayments originate from a distinct reserve of roughly 200,000 BTC retrieved following the platform’s 2014 shutdown.

Creditor distributions commenced during mid-2024, with the completion deadline now pushed to October 2026. The stolen coins remain completely beyond trustee jurisdiction.

Mt. Gox declared bankruptcy in Tokyo on February 28, 2014, following the loss of approximately 750,000 customer bitcoins. During its operational prime, the platform processed 70% of worldwide Bitcoin transactions.

Certain creditors have expressed approval for this initiative. One individual identifying as a creditor mentioned receiving roughly 15% of their Bitcoin through bankruptcy proceedings and would endorse a legal mandate to recover the remaining stolen assets.

The proposal currently exists as a preliminary discussion draft without official endorsement or implementation schedule.

Key Takeaways

• The Stat: Ethereum holds $153.41 billion in Stablecoins, controlling nearly 60% of the global supply.
• The Argument: Jeff Housenbold views ETH as vertical infrastructure for fintech, distinct from day-to-day asset pricing.
• The Tension: Price lags infrastructure utility, creating a disconnect between value settled and token valuation.

TLDR

• Nebius Group (NBIS) plummeted 13.1% Friday, hitting an intraday low of $88.40 and settling at $91.19
• Fourth-quarter earnings showed a loss of $0.69 per share versus the anticipated -$0.42; sales reached $227.7M against a $246M projection
• Capital spending for the quarter totaled approximately $2.06B, sparking investor worries about liquidity
• Sector-wide weakness intensified as CoreWeave’s (CRWV) lackluster results triggered a broader neocloud retreat
• Wall Street analysts continue favoring the stock with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and $143.22 mean target

Nebius Group (NBIS) experienced significant turbulence Friday, surrendering 13.1% to finish at $91.19 after touching $88.40 earlier in the trading session. The previous session had seen shares close at $104.88.

Nebius Group N.V., NBIS

Volume metrics painted a picture of heightened investor activity. Approximately 22.8 million shares traded hands — representing a 68% surge compared to the typical daily volume of 13.6 million.

The sharp decline followed NBIS’s February 12th fourth-quarter earnings release that fell short of analyst projections across key metrics.

The neocloud provider reported a per-share loss of $0.69, substantially wider than the Street’s forecast of a $0.42 deficit — representing a $0.27 shortfall. Top-line performance also underwhelmed, with revenue reaching $227.7 million versus the $246 million consensus.

While the earnings disappointment initially triggered selling, the investment spending figures ultimately amplified concerns.

The company disclosed capital expenditures totaling roughly $2.06 billion during Q4. Management’s outlook for sustained multi-billion dollar annual investments has prompted investor scrutiny regarding financing strategies and short-term liquidity management.

Sector Pressure From CoreWeave

The NBIS decline wasn’t an isolated incident. Competing neocloud provider CoreWeave (NASDAQ: CRWV) plunged up to 21.9% the same session following its own earnings disappointment.

Both enterprises compete in an identical market segment — acquiring GPU infrastructure and leasing AI computing resources to hyperscalers and emerging artificial intelligence companies. Market sentiment tends to correlate between these players.

This dynamic has emerged as a recurring theme. These equities attract intense scrutiny, remain opaque to mainstream investors, and demonstrate acute sensitivity to adverse developments within the AI infrastructure ecosystem.

NBIS exhibits a beta coefficient of 3.90, underscoring its pronounced volatility relative to broader market movements.

Analyst Views Still Mostly Positive

Notwithstanding Friday’s retreat, Street sentiment remains constructive. Among 11 analysts tracking the name, two rate it Strong Buy, seven assign Buy ratings, one maintains Hold, and one recommends Sell.

The consensus price objective stands at $143.22 — substantially above Friday’s closing level. Morgan Stanley launched coverage in January with an Equal Weight stance and $126 target. Freedom Capital elevated its recommendation to Strong Buy this month.

Skepticism exists in certain quarters. Both Wall Street Zen and Weiss Ratings have recently downgraded shares to Sell.

CICC Research initiated coverage last November with an Outperform recommendation and $143 price objective.

Technical indicators show the 50-day moving average at $95.00, while the 200-day moving average rests at $95.95. The company’s market capitalization approximates $22.96 billion.

Street forecasts project 2026 revenue at $3.35 billion, implying year-over-year expansion of 531%.

Strategic cloud collaborations with Meta and Microsoft underpin analyst confidence in the long-term revenue trajectory.

For the ongoing fiscal period, consensus estimates anticipate a $1.10 per-share loss.

Institutional ownership accounts for 21.90% of outstanding shares, with multiple funds gradually increasing their allocations in recent reporting periods.

Quick Summary

• ARK Invest acquired approximately $19.4M in CoreWeave stock following a 19% decline after the company’s Q4 earnings report
• The fund’s most significant transaction was a $23.2M acquisition of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions shares
• Teradyne holdings were reduced by $12.9M, extending ARK’s pattern of trimming this position
• ARK decreased its Rocket Lab stake despite the company exceeding earnings forecasts, with shares declining roughly 5%
• Additional moves included divesting Roku holdings and establishing a position in Generate Biomedicines

On Friday, February 27, Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest executed multiple strategic portfolio adjustments. The trading activity encompassed fresh investments and position reductions spanning technology, defense, and biotechnology sectors.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions emerged as the day’s most substantial acquisition. ARK accumulated 252,169 shares valued at $23.2 million. The company specializes in unmanned aerial systems and autonomous defense technologies, aligning with ARK’s investment thesis centered on robotics and automation.

The second-largest acquisition involved CoreWeave, a provider of AI-focused cloud infrastructure. ARK secured 198,980 shares totaling approximately $19.4 million, distributed between its ARKK and ARKW exchange-traded funds.

CoreWeave, Inc. Class A Common Stock, CRWV

ARK’s CoreWeave purchase occurred during a session where the stock declined 19%. The downturn followed fourth-quarter earnings that demonstrated robust revenue growth but revealed expanding losses and capital expenditures that exceeded market expectations.

By purchasing shares during the selloff, ARK appears to interpret the market reaction as temporary volatility rather than fundamental business deterioration. CoreWeave operates in the AI computing infrastructure space, which has experienced substantial demand expansion.

CoreWeave maintains a Moderate Buy rating among Wall Street analysts. With eleven Buy ratings and eight Hold ratings, the consensus price target of $114.18 suggests potential upside of approximately 43.5% from current trading levels.

ARK Scales Back Teradyne and Rocket Lab Holdings

Regarding portfolio reductions, ARK divested 38,773 Teradyne shares valued at $12.9 million across several ETFs. Teradyne manufactures semiconductor testing systems and industrial automation equipment. This transaction continues ARK’s recent pattern of decreasing its Teradyne exposure.

ARK also liquidated 46,921 shares of Rocket Lab valued at approximately $3.4 million. The space technology company had recently announced quarterly performance that surpassed both earnings and revenue projections, yet shares declined roughly 5% on Friday.

Rocket Lab disclosed robust launch operations and an expanding order backlog. Nevertheless, the inaugural launch of its larger Neutron rocket was delayed until late 2026, potentially contributing to investor disappointment.

Additional Portfolio Adjustments in Biotech and Technology

ARK disposed of 46,389 shares of Roku valued at $4.3 million from its ARKK fund. The rationale for this divestment was not publicly disclosed.

Within the biotechnology sector, ARK acquired 459,525 shares of Generate Biomedicines valued at $7.4 million via its ARKG fund. Simultaneously, the fund sold 39,423 shares of Ionis Pharmaceuticals for $3.2 million.

ARK liquidated 10,590 Deere & Co shares for $6.6 million and reduced its Guardant Health position by 27,334 shares valued at $2.7 million.

Minor transactions included a reduction of 205,211 PagerDuty shares for $1.5 million and an acquisition of 14,097 Brera Holdings shares valued at approximately $15,600.

The CoreWeave and Kratos acquisitions represented ARK’s two most significant individual transactions on February 27, with combined value exceeding $42 million.

TLDR

• SOL has declined 72% from its record high of $295 and is currently valued at approximately $78
• The token’s spot ETF products have experienced only $11.3M in total outflows, significantly less than Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs that recorded four straight months of withdrawals
• Solana dominated decentralized exchange activity with $108 billion in 30-day volume, surpassing Ethereum’s $63.7 billion
• Technical analysts highlight critical support zones at $50, $22, and $10 derived from Parallel Channel formations
• Military strikes involving Israel and Iran sparked widespread cryptocurrency liquidations, driving Bitcoin near $60,000 and weighing heavily on alternative tokens including SOL

The Solana network’s native token SOL is presently valued at $78, representing a 72% decline from its peak valuation of $295. This downturn coincides with a comprehensive cryptocurrency market correction intensified by escalating geopolitical instability on February 28, 2026.

Saturday morning witnessed Israeli forces conducting military operations against Iranian targets. Intelligence from AP sources confirms American involvement in the coordinated assault. Bitcoin experienced a sharp 5% correction within minutes, approaching the $60,000 threshold, with the resulting market panic cascading into alternative cryptocurrencies like SOL.

While price action reflects bearish sentiment, Solana’s fundamental network metrics demonstrate continued robustness. The blockchain recorded $108 billion in decentralized exchange volume throughout the previous 30-day period, outpacing Ethereum’s $63.7 billion and Base’s $31.48 billion by significant margins.

During the past 24-hour cycle, Solana applications produced $3.1 million in protocol revenue compared to Ethereum’s $2.95 million. The network maintained 2.17 million active wallet addresses, substantially exceeding Ethereum’s 682,236 active participants.

Solana’s real-world asset tokenization ecosystem has achieved a new milestone valuation of $1.71 billion, marking a 45% increase over the past month.

SOL ETF Flows Hold Steady

Exchange-traded fund products for SOL debuted in late October 2025, attracting more than $100 million in average daily net inflows throughout their initial five-week period. Weekly capital inflows have subsequently moderated to the $20–$25 million range as token valuations contracted.

Total accumulated outflows throughout the four-month price correction measure merely $11.3 million across a two-week span. Comparatively, Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF products documented four consecutive months of net negative flows during this identical timeframe.

Solana is presently trading substantially beneath the $188 valuation observed during its ETF product introduction.

Key Support Levels to Watch

Market analyst Ali Martinez has identified a Parallel Channel formation developing on SOL’s weekly timeframe chart. This technical pattern suggests potential support zones positioned at $50.22, $22.47, and $9.98.

Analyst Crypto Scient has pinpointed two supplementary areas of interest. The initial zone corresponds to the 0.75 Fibonacci retracement level spanning $60 to $70. The secondary area represents a weekly demand fair value gap situated between $22 and $29.

UTXO analytics from Glassnode indicate that over 6% of circulating SOL supply last transacted within the current valuation range. The subsequent significant supply concentration, exceeding 3%, exists between $20 and $30.

SOL continues trading beneath the weekly resistance threshold of $120. The $51 to $80 range on weekly charts has undergone testing and corresponds with the retracement zone under analyst scrutiny.

As of February 28, 2026, SOL maintained a $78 valuation as cryptocurrency markets absorbed developments from the Israel-Iran military engagement.

Key Takeaways

• Federal authorities ordered a complete halt to Anthropic’s AI technology across all government agencies, citing national security supply-chain concerns.
• Within hours of Anthropic’s dismissal, OpenAI secured a Pentagon agreement to integrate its AI systems into classified military infrastructure.
• The $200 million Pentagon arrangement with Anthropic fell apart when the company declined to permit its technology for autonomous weaponry or widespread domestic monitoring.
• While OpenAI claims its agreement contains identical usage limitations that Anthropic demanded, skeptics wonder if the company will maintain those boundaries.
• Anthropic plans legal action against the supply-chain risk classification, arguing the decision lacks legal foundation.

On Friday, the United States government severed its partnership with Anthropic and classified the AI firm as a supply-chain security threat. Shortly afterward, competing company OpenAI revealed a fresh agreement to integrate its artificial intelligence technology into the Pentagon’s secure networks.

President Donald Trump mandated that all federal departments cease operations with Anthropic’s technology effective immediately. Organizations currently utilizing the company’s Claude AI systems have six months to complete their migration to alternative solutions.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared via X that Anthropic represents a “Supply-Chain Risk to National Security.” This classification typically applies to entities from hostile nations such as China.

The decision carries implications beyond government contracts. Organizations partnering with the Pentagon may face requirements to demonstrate they’ve eliminated Claude from their operations entirely. Major corporations including Nvidia, Amazon, and Google count themselves among Anthropic’s investors and collaborators.

Anthropic had achieved a milestone as the initial AI laboratory to integrate its models within the Pentagon’s secure computing environment. The July agreement carried a potential value reaching $200 million.

Negotiations collapsed when Anthropic declined to ensure its artificial intelligence would remain accessible for all legally permissible military applications. The company established firm boundaries against autonomous weaponry and large-scale domestic monitoring programs.

Pentagon officials indicated Anthropic should rely on military adherence to existing legal frameworks. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei stated Thursday that his organization “cannot in good conscience” accept such terms.

OpenAI Secures Pentagon Partnership

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed the Pentagon arrangement late Friday through X. He indicated the contract incorporates identical restrictions regarding mass surveillance and autonomous weapons systems that Anthropic had sought.

Altman further stated OpenAI requested the administration extend comparable contract conditions to all artificial intelligence providers. Elon Musk’s xAI had previously received military authorization for deployment in classified environments.

OpenAI President Greg Brockman and his spouse contributed $25 million to a Trump-aligned political action committee during the previous year. They continue financial support for Trump’s artificial intelligence initiatives in forthcoming electoral contests.

Anthropic Prepares Legal Response

Anthropic expressed being “deeply saddened” by the classification and intends to pursue judicial remedies. The organization characterized the determination as “legally unsound” and warned it establishes a troubling precedent for American technology companies engaging in government negotiations.

The General Services Administration announced Anthropic’s removal from its catalog of approved products available to government entities.

Certain observers expressed criticism toward OpenAI’s actions. Democratic figure Christopher Hale announced on X his cancellation of ChatGPT membership in favor of switching to Claude Pro Max.

Anthropic emerged in 2021 when researchers departed OpenAI due to apprehensions about diminishing safety priorities. Both organizations have secured funding in the tens of billions recently and are evaluating potential public stock offerings.

The controversy also referenced a particular event. Following Claude’s deployment during a Venezuela operation in January, an Anthropic staff member contacted a Palantir associate seeking clarification on the technology’s application. Pentagon leadership interpreted this communication as inappropriate interference.

Anthropic maintained the conversation represented standard technical coordination between collaborative partners.

TLDR

• BTC plummeted almost 5% toward $63,000 following coordinated US-Israeli military operations against Iranian targets
• The cryptocurrency reached its weakest level since the February 5 market crash when BTC momentarily fell under $60,000
• Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz announced a nationwide state of emergency throughout the country
• BTC’s continuous trading schedule positions it as an immediate outlet for risk aversion when traditional markets remain closed
• Market participants dumped bitcoin as it represented one of the only major liquid assets accessible during weekend hours

The world’s leading cryptocurrency experienced a dramatic decline on Saturday, February 28, 2026, plunging toward $63,000 following military strikes executed by the United States and Israel against Iran.

The digital asset shed nearly 5% of its value within mere minutes, representing a significant blow to the cryptocurrency market.

The selloff pushed bitcoin to levels not witnessed since February 5, when the digital currency momentarily traded beneath the $60,000 threshold.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced a comprehensive state of emergency covering the entire nation immediately following the commencement of the military operations.

According to The Wall Street Journal, a U.S. official verified American involvement in the coordinated attacks.

Reuters reported that Israeli officials characterized the military action as a “preemptive strike,” citing statements from the nation’s defense leadership.

Why Bitcoin Sold Off First

Unlike traditional equity and bond markets that close for weekends, Bitcoin operates continuously without interruption, 24 hours daily, seven days weekly.

This constant availability positions it as among the few substantial, liquid assets accessible for traders to offload during heightened risk periods outside conventional market operating hours.

This behavior represents a recurring phenomenon. BTC frequently experiences rapid selloffs during geopolitical crises, often rebounding once conventional markets resume trading.

“Bitcoin just dropped off a cliff,” one market observer shared on X, further predicting that “Monday will be a bloodbath in the market.”

Geopolitical Context

The military operations arrive after several weeks of escalating U.S. military presence and unsuccessful nuclear discussions with Iranian leadership.

Market analysts had previously been examining potential implications of Iranian conflict for bitcoin, precious metals, and equity markets.

The military action heightens the possibility of expanded regional warfare in one of the globe’s most economically critical regions.

In recent months, bitcoin’s price movement has diverged from gold, challenging its narrative as a safe-haven or “digital gold” investment vehicle.

As of Saturday morning hours, bitcoin was changing hands near $63,000, with additional market volatility anticipated when conventional financial markets resume operations Monday.