News

Catholic steward has two-word blunt response to Trump’s tariffs (2:02)

Supreme Court's ruling on Trump's tariff might seem like a long-due relief. 

But an analyst is warning that the absence of tariff revenues might lead to a different consequence.

Matthew Sigel, Head of digital assets research at VanEck, highlighted on X the Bitcoin rally right after the decision. But he warned further,

"In the absence of tariff revenues, money printing and debasement will accelerate."

Related: Supreme Court's reversal of Trump's tariffs could bring policy 'clarity'

Debasement fears make Bitcoin appeal

Debasement refers to the reduction in a currency’s value, historically by lowering the precious metal content in coins and today by expanding the money supply through printing or monetary stimulus. 

When governments increase supply without matching economic growth, purchasing power declines, effectively diluting existing holders.

Bitcoin is often viewed as a hedge against debasement because its supply is capped at 21 million coins. Unlike fiat currencies, it cannot be printed at will. During periods of aggressive monetary easing or rising inflation, investors may turn to Bitcoin as a store of value, potentially driving demand and price appreciation.

In fact, back in late October 2025, Google searches for “Bitcoin” hit an all-time high. At the same time, searches for “dollar debasement” also spiked. People weren’t just casually browsing. They were worried.

Concerns were building that the U.S. dollar was losing value as the national debt crossed $38 trillion for the first time. That milestone seemed to reignite the debate around money printing, deficits and long-term purchasing power.

Bitcoin responded almost instantly. On Oct. 23, it briefly surged past $110,000 in early trading as investors once again leaned into its “digital gold” narrative, a hedge against economic uncertainty.

But that was months ago.

Today, the mood looks very different. Bitcoin is hovering around $67,000, roughly 64% below that October peak. 

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How did the market react to the Supreme Court ruling?

Pretty well, actually.

For months, markets had been pricing in the potential outcome of the tariffs ruling, adjusting positions and volatility along the way. So when the decision finally landed, it felt more like a breath of fresh air.

The S&P 500 edged up 0.18%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.19% on paper, but that doesn’t tell the full story. It actually climbed 93.81 points, or 0.2%, reversing a 200-point drop earlier in the day that was triggered by weaker-than-expected economic data. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.45%.

Crypto followed the momentum.

According to CoinGecko, Bitcoin (BTC) rose 1.3% over 24 hours to $67,296.96 before cooling slightly to $67,018.17. Ethereum (ETH) climbed 1.4% to $1,954.59 before easing to $1,946.95. XRP added 1.2% to trade around $1.41.

Solana (SOL) stood out, jumping 3.8% to $83.49.

Overall, the total crypto market cap increased 1.4% overnight to $2.38 trillion.

Crypto-linked stocks were also flashing green. Shares of MicroStrategy (NASDAQ: MSTR), Robinhood (NASDAQ: HOOD), and Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN) gained roughly 3% to 4%, according to SoSo Value data.

Related: Cathie Wood just made her biggest stock purchase of 2026

Robert Kiyosaki’s long game from 'Rich Dad Poor Dad' to Bitcoin (3:28)

I’ve been following Robert Kiyosaki for almost a decade now, to understand why he just loaded up on Bitcoin again.

Back when Rich Dad Poor Dad was being passed around like contraband in office cubicles. I remember my best friend at work,  ready to buy a house purely as an “investment” and stopping mid-process because of Kiyosaki’s philosophy.

That one idea that your home is not an asset if it takes money out of your pocket.

A lot of people (including me) grew up believing in owning the house, leasing the car, climbing the salary ladder, trusting the system to reward patience. That’s the traditional playbook. Buy property. Hold dollars. Contribute to a retirement plan. Let the institutions handle the rest.

Kiyosaki challenged that mindset. And that's why his timing any asset matters.

Related: Rich Dad Poor Dad author has a harsh warning to 10 states 'collapsing'

Rich Dad Poor Dad author buys Bitcoin 

The Rich Dad Poor Dad author said this week that he picked up another whole Bitcoin at $67,000, arguing that a coming wave of money printing, what he calls “The Big Print”  will eventually lift hard assets.

“Although Bitcoin is crashing I bought one more whole Bitcoin for $67k,” he wrote. “Because the Big Print will begin when the US debt crashes the dollar…When the 21st millionth Bitcoin is mined…. Bitcoin becomes better than gold.”

Let’s start with the obvious. Bitcoin isn’t crashing. You can call it a correction as the price is down 46% from an all-time high of $126,080.

It’s hovering near $68,000. But the good news is that the broader crypto market cap is sitting above $2 trillion. ETFs are trading. Wall Street is involved. This isn’t a panic tape

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The debt bet

To sum up Kiyosaki’s philosophy (based on years of reading his books, listening to his podcasts, and following his lengthy posts) he believes U.S. debt is fundamentally unsustainable, and that policymakers will ultimately respond the only way they historically have through monetary expansion.

Related: Analysts warn U.S. debt will surge to $64 trillion

Federal debt sits above $34 trillion. Interest costs are climbing. Fiscal deficits remain elevated. And even this week, markets got a reminder of how fluid policy can be, the Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s emergency tariff authority under IEEPA, only for a new 10% global tariff to be announced under a different statute hours later.

His argument is that high-debt systems historically avoid prolonged austerity. When pressure builds, expansion becomes politically easier than contraction.

If that pattern holds again, hard assets tend to benefit.

Why Bitcoin, not just gold?

Kiyosaki has long favored gold and silver. Bitcoin is a newer addition to his playbook.

The appeal is straightforward, its capped supply.

Gold supply grows slowly but still grows. Bitcoin issuance, by contrast, is programmatic and capped at 21 million coins.

Markets have known about it for years. But scarcity narratives tend to matter most when monetary conditions are uncertain.

We’ve seen versions of that before.

During the 2020 pandemic stimulus cycle, Bitcoin rallied from below $4,000 to above $60,000 within a year as global liquidity surged. In 2022, as the Federal Reserve tightened aggressively, Bitcoin retraced sharply, falling to the mid-teens.

Related: New IRS Form 1099-DA may trigger inflated tax payments

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has paved the way for Wall Street to integrate stablecoins into traditional finance.

On February 19, the financial regulator issued guidance allowing broker-dealers to apply a 2% “haircut” to positions in payment stablecoins. A haircut is the percentage of an asset’s value that a financial institution cannot count toward its deployable capital, acting as a customer-protection buffer against market risk.

SEC Stablecoin Pivot Pressures Brokers to Build Crypto Rails

Previously, broker-dealers faced a punitive 100% haircut on stablecoins. If a financial firm held $1 million in digital dollars to facilitate rapid on-chain settlement, it had to lock up that capital.

That requirement effectively made institutional crypto trading economically radioactive for traditional financial institutions.

By dropping the capital penalty to 2%, the SEC has granted compliant stablecoins the same economic treatment as traditional money market funds.

“This is another terrific step in the right direction from our team in the Division of Trading and Markets to remove barriers and unlock access to on-chain markets,” SEC Chair Paul Atkins said.

Interestingly, this pivot is heavily anchored in the newly passed GENIUS Act. This is a federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins in the US. It mandates 1:1 reserve backing and strengthens anti-money laundering (AML) compliance.

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce noted that the new legislation forces stringent reserve requirements for stablecoin issuers.

According to her, these requirements are even stricter than those applied to government money market funds, which justify the reduced capital penalty.

“Stablecoins are essential to transacting on blockchain rails. Using stablecoins will make it feasible for broker-dealers to engage in a broader range of business activities relating to tokenized securities and other crypto assets,” Peirce added.

In light of this, US-regulated entities such as Circle’s USDC could see substantial adoption from firms in the $6 trillion sector.

As a result, industry executives were quick to celebrate the digital asset industry’s shifting fortunes.

Exodus CEO JP Richardson called it the most important crypto win of the year. He argued it makes tokenized treasuries, equities, and on-chain settlement “economically viable overnight.”

“This puts pressure on every major broker-dealer to build stablecoin infrastructure or fall behind the ones who do. Because their competitors now can and there’s no longer a capital penalty that makes it uneconomical,” he explained.

Meanwhile, this approval continues the current SEC’s slew of pro-crypto regulations.

Over the past year, the SEC has launched a digital asset task force and initiated “Project Crypto” to modernize its rules. These efforts are designed to make the US the crypto capital of the world.

OpenAI has told investors it now plans to spend about $600 billion on total compute by 2030. That replaces the earlier $1.4 trillion infrastructure figure that CEO Sam Altman had discussed months ago.

The new number comes with a clearer timeline. US media alleges that the lower target follows concern that expansion plans were too aggressive compared with expected revenue.

OpenAI is now projecting more than $280 billion in total revenue by 2030, with consumer and enterprise segments contributing almost equally.

Reportedly, the revised spending plan ties directly to that revenue outlook.

OpenAI resets spending plan

As Cryptopolitan reported during the second half of last year, OpenAI announced many multibillion-dollar infrastructure agreements after partnering with major chipmakers and cloud providers to expand supercomputing capacity.

Meanwhile, Nvidia has confirmed that it is in talks to invest up to $30 billion in OpenAI as part of a funding round. That round could value OpenAI at a $730 billion pre-money valuation. The potential $30 billion investment is separate from the $100 billion infrastructure agreement announced in September between Nvidia and OpenAI.

A person familiar with the matter said the $30 billion is not tied to deployment milestones. The September framework was different. It outlined Nvidia investing over several years as new supercomputing facilities came online. At the time, it was said that Nvidia’s first $10 billion would be deployed once the first gigawatt facility was completed.

The possible $30 billion investment does not follow that same structure. However, the person said Nvidia could still participate in future rounds that align with the September framework. OpenAI reported $13.1 billion in revenue for 2025. That exceeded its $10 billion target. The company burned $8 billion during the year, below its earlier $9 billion spending target. These numbers were shared by sources familiar with internal figures.

Nvidia faces earnings spotlight

OpenAI started in 2015 as a nonprofit research lab. It became mainstream after launching ChatGPT in 2022. ChatGPT now serves more than 900 million weekly active users, up from 800 million in October, according to people with knowledge of the data. The coding tool Codex has passed 1.5 million weekly active users. Codex competes with Anthropic’s Claude Code, which has gained adoption over the past year.

Nvidia is set to release quarterly earnings on Wednesday. Investors are watching closely as concerns grow about returns on artificial intelligence spending. Nvidia is currently the largest company in the world by market capitalization. Its stock surged after ChatGPT launched in late 2022. So far in 2026, shares of Nvidia and other Magnificent Seven companies have stalled.

Markets are also watching upcoming earnings from Salesforce and Intuit. Software stocks have fallen this year. Investors worry that artificial intelligence will disrupt traditional business models.

In November, Nvidia stated in its quarterly report that there was “no assurance that we will enter into definitive agreements with respect to the OpenAI opportunity or other potential investments.”

Sam Altman responded to speculation on X, writing that OpenAI loves working with Nvidia and that he does not “get where all this insanity is coming from.”

Earlier this month, Jensen Huang told Jim Cramer there was “no question” Nvidia would invest in OpenAI’s next funding round.

Claim your free seat in an exclusive crypto trading community - limited to 1,000 members.

Financial markets rarely show near certainty, yet traders now price a 96.5% probability that the Fed rate decision will result in no change. This surge in conviction comes despite a major court ruling that struck down former President Trump’s tariffs. Investors quickly recalibrated their interest rate outlook after digesting the legal development and broader economic signals.

Many expected the tariff ruling to inject uncertainty into Federal Reserve policy discussions. Instead, market expectations moved decisively toward stability. Traders interpreted the court decision as unlikely to create immediate inflationary or growth shocks. As a result, confidence in a steady Fed rate decision strengthened across bond and futures markets.

The Federal Reserve now faces a crucial moment. Inflation has cooled from its peaks, yet economic growth remains resilient. Policymakers must balance price stability with employment strength. With the Fed rate decision approaching, investors appear convinced that holding rates steady serves the current interest rate outlook best.

UPDATE: Odds of the Fed holding rates steady have surged to 96.5% despite court striking down Trump’s tariffs. pic.twitter.com/eX3rfAvHuS

— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) February 21, 2026

Federal Reserve Policy Faces A Changing Trade Landscape

The court’s decision to strike down Trump-era tariffs reshapes the trade environment. Tariffs once raised concerns about imported inflation and supply chain disruptions. Removing them reduces immediate price pressures in certain sectors. However, markets believe the impact will unfold gradually rather than suddenly.

Federal Reserve policy depends heavily on data, not headlines. Officials track employment growth, wage trends, and inflation readings. The latest data suggests moderate economic momentum. That environment supports a steady Fed rate decision rather than a quick pivot.

Market expectations reflect that thinking. Futures markets show overwhelming consensus for no change at the next meeting. Investors see little urgency for cuts or hikes. Stability, for now, remains the dominant theme.

Why Market Expectations Remain So Firm

Bond markets often signal shifts before equities react. Treasury yields have stabilized after recent volatility. That stabilization strengthens the case for a predictable Fed rate decision. Investors appear comfortable with current borrowing costs.

The interest rate outlook hinges on inflation trends. Recent reports show price pressures easing but not collapsing. Core inflation remains above the central bank’s long-term target. Policymakers therefore avoid rushing toward rate cuts.

At the same time, labor markets continue to show resilience. Hiring has slowed slightly but remains solid. Wage growth supports consumer spending. These dynamics reinforce market expectations that Federal Reserve policy will stay steady.

A Pivotal Moment For Monetary Stability

Markets now stand at an inflection point. The court ruling created headlines but did not disrupt financial stability. Instead, traders doubled down on the belief that the Fed rate decision will remain unchanged.

This confidence highlights how deeply market expectations align with current economic data. The interest rate outlook shows gradual moderation rather than dramatic shifts. Federal Reserve policy aims to preserve that balance.

Investors understand that central bankers rarely react impulsively. They respond to sustained trends, not single events. With inflation easing slowly and growth holding steady, a pause makes strategic sense.

The coming weeks will test this near certainty. Yet for now, a 96.5% probability signals remarkable consensus. Financial markets appear united behind a steady path forward.

The post Fed Rate Decision Odds Jump To 96.5% As Court Blocks Trump Tariffs appeared first on Coinfomania.

TLDR:

RWA integration reaches a new level as BlackRock’s $2.4B BUIDL fund goes live on UniswapX for 24/7 trading

Apollo Global Management is authorized to acquire up to 90M MORPHO tokens over 48 months.

MORPHO token surged 17.8% after Apollo’s formal cooperation agreement was publicly announced.

Wall Street’s governance token purchases signal a major shift in institutional DeFi confidence.

RWA momentum reached a new milestone this week as BlackRock and Apollo Global Management moved beyond pilot programs into deep infrastructure integration.

BlackRock connected its tokenized fund to Uniswap’s trading rails, while Apollo signed a formal agreement with Morpho’s lending protocol.

Together, these moves mark a structural shift in how traditional asset managers are engaging with decentralized finance. Wall Street is no longer testing the waters; it is now actively building within them.

BlackRock Plugs BUIDL Into Uniswap’s Trading Infrastructure

BlackRock partnered with Securitize and Uniswap Labs to integrate its BUIDL fund into the UniswapX system. The fund currently holds approximately $2.4 billion in assets under management. Eligible institutional investors can now trade BUIDL against USDC around the clock, seven days a week.

Notably, the integration bypasses traditional AMM liquidity pools entirely. Instead, it uses UniswapX’s off-chain order routing system, which settles transactions on-chain.

Orders flow through a Request-for-Quote framework to whitelisted market makers, including Wintermute and Flowdesk, acting as solvers.

Sentora’s newsletter captured the weight of the moment, noting that “the era of testing is over,” and that Wall Street is now “actively utilizing decentralized protocols to trade and lend” tokenized assets.

RWA momentum continued as two of the world’s largest traditional asset managers, BlackRock and Apollo Global Management, moved to deep infrastructure integration.

We break it down in our latest newsletterhttps://t.co/ZLRaKbNfEM

— Sentora (@SentoraHQ) February 21, 2026

Securitize handles compliance by pre-qualifying all participating wallets. This structure keeps institutional capital separate from non-KYC retail pools.

Beyond the technical setup, BlackRock also purchased an undisclosed amount of UNI governance tokens, marking its first direct financial engagement with a DeFi protocol’s governance structure.

Apollo Enters Decentralized Credit Through Morpho Agreement

Apollo Global Management, which oversees $940 billion in traditional assets, signed a formal cooperation agreement with Morpho.

The deal centers on building and scaling on-chain lending markets using Morpho’s infrastructure. Apollo and its affiliates are authorized to acquire up to 90 million MORPHO tokens over the next 48 months.

Sentora  framed the broader trend clearly, stating that these institutions are “natively plugging tokenized assets into Uniswap’s liquidity rails and Morpho’s lending markets.”

The MORPHO token rallied 17.8% in the week following the announcement, according to CoinGecko data. Apollo’s acquisition strategy combines open-market purchases with over-the-counter transactions, with strict ownership caps and transfer restrictions built into the agreement.

Morpho’s architecture suits institutional needs because it allows permissionless market creation. Apollo can launch isolated lending pairs and custom vaults without waiting for a DAO governance vote.

This flexibility lets large managers set their own collateral ratios and interest rate parameters within a controlled environment.

Wall Street’s Growing Appetite for DeFi Governance Tokens

The RWA narrative is evolving beyond asset tokenization into active protocol ownership. Both BlackRock and Apollo are now acquiring governance tokens, a practice that traditional institutions previously avoided due to regulatory concerns.

As Sentora analyst Gabriel Halm put it, these firms view governance tokens as “essential infrastructure stakes,  analogous to holding equity in a clearinghouse or a traditional exchange network.”

This shift also reflects a broader efficiency argument. Traditional markets carry T+1 or T+2 settlement delays and fragmented liquidity.

Halm noted that by “plugging tokenized Treasuries into decentralized routing and building structured credit on permissionless rails, institutions are actively upgrading their operational efficiency.”

These advantages are increasingly difficult for institutional managers to overlook as competition for yield tightens.

Meanwhile, the broader DeFi market shows mixed conditions. TVL and token supply remain flat, and leveraged ETH restaking strategies have moved into negative carry territory.

The debt-weighted average cost of borrowing ETH now sits at 3.40%, exceeding yields across all major liquid staking and restaking protocols tracked as of February 20, 2026.

The post RWA Goes Mainstream: BlackRock and Apollo Plug Billions Into Uniswap and Morpho Protocols appeared first on Blockonomi.

Japan-based SBI Holdings, Inc. has announced the official release of a blockchain-based security token bond that rewards investors in XRP.

The development, which has sparked excitement across the XRP community, marks another milestone in XRP’s growing adoption and integration with traditional finance.

On Friday, Feb. 20, SBI Holdings released an official report that revealed that the company is issuing Security Token (ST) Bonds for individual investors with the total value worth about $64.6 million.

According to the company, the bonds are digitally registered and managed on blockchain infrastructure, allowing for electronic issuance, administration and redemption.

Bondholders to receive XRP rewards

Per the announcement, the bond was designed in a way that allows eligible investors to receive XRP benefits tied to their subscription amounts.

While the payments will be strictly issued in XRP, they will be distributed following respective interest payment dates, including in 2027, 2028 and at final maturity in 2029.

Furthermore, the bonds carry an indicative interest rate range of 1.85% to 2.45% per annum, with the final rate to be determined before issuance. Interest payments are set to occur twice annually, while the bonds have a three-year term, maturing in March 2029.

card

Nonetheless, the official statement revealed by the firm shows that the bonds are issued using the “ibet for Fin” blockchain platform developed by BOOSTRY Co., Ltd.

This move further establishes SBI’s relentless push into tokenized securities and on-chain financial products.

While the bonds will be issued in Japan, the issuance will be handled through SBI Securities, with Mizuho Bank serving as bond administrator.

A long-running governance dispute inside the Aave ecosystem has escalated after a core engineering firm announced it will step aside.

Key Takeaways:

Core developer BGD will not renew its contract, deepening a governance dispute between Aave DAO and Aave Labs.

The conflict centers on plans to push users from Aave v3 to the upcoming v4 upgrade.

The announcement rattled the market, with the Aave token dropping over 6%.

Bored Ghosts Developing (BGD), a software company contracted by Aave DAO to build and maintain key components of the lending protocol, said Friday it will not renew its agreement when the current term expires in April.

In a post on Aave’s governance forum, the team blamed Aave Labs, the company founded by protocol creator Stani Kulechov, for pushing a strategic shift tied to the upcoming Aave v4 upgrade.

Aave Developer Refuses to Support V3 Amid Push Toward V4

BGD said it could not continue work on Aave v3 while efforts were underway to steer users toward the new version.

“We believe even proposing this on the main revenue-maker & fully functional engine of Aave is borderline outrageous,” the group wrote.

The market reacted quickly. The Aave token fell more than 6% following the announcement.

Kulechov acknowledged the departure, writing on social media that the team had played a critical role in the protocol’s development.

BGD co-founder Ernesto Boado previously served as chief technology officer at Aave Labs.

“Aave V3 would not be what it is today without their contributions,” Kulechov said. Delegate Marc Zeller called the move “devastating,” noting that much of the platform’s revenue depends on BGD’s code.

BGD Labs are rage quitting Aave DAO after 4 years.

They built Aave v3, governance infra, Umbrella, and most core systems.

Why they're leaving:

– Aave Labs pivoted from independent company to central contributor pushing v4
– Aave Labs controls the brand, comms, and has voting… pic.twitter.com/MqRR105eEK

— Ignas | DeFi (@DefiIgnas) February 20, 2026

Aave, with more than $26 billion in user deposits, is the largest decentralized finance lending protocol.

It is governed by tokenholders through a DAO structure, but tensions have been building for months over the role of Aave Labs and control of the brand.

Delegates recently sought to transfer brand assets, including naming rights, social media accounts and the aave.com website, from Labs to the DAO, though the proposal narrowly failed.

Labs later offered to redirect revenue from Aave-branded services to the DAO but tied the plan to recognizing Aave v4 as the project’s future technical foundation.

That clause alarmed BGD, which described Aave v3 as the ecosystem’s “crown jewel” and warned that altering lending parameters could pressure users to migrate prematurely.

Aave Labs Says V3 Will Remain Supported With No Immediate Migration

Aave Labs said there is no immediate timeline for migration and that v3 will remain supported. Kulechov added the company can assume maintenance duties if needed, and that the protocol will continue operating normally.

BGD’s contract ends April 1. The firm has offered a short-term transition arrangement to help the DAO find a replacement, marking the first tangible break in what was once viewed as one of DeFi’s most stable governance models.

Meanwhile, the US Securities and Exchange Commission formally concluded its multi-year investigation into the Aave Protocol without recommending any enforcement action.

The action ends nearly four years of regulatory uncertainty surrounding one of decentralized finance’s most widely used lending platforms.

The post Aave’s “Civil War” Claims First Casualty as Key Developer Walks Away appeared first on Cryptonews.

The ProShares GENIUS Money Market ETF (IQMM) shattered all records by logging $17 billion in first-day trading volume. The ETF invests in very short-term US government debt, making it extremely low risk and similar to holding cash.

This ETF is designed so institutions, including stablecoin issuers, can use it as a safe place to store money while earning a small yield. However, market structure experts warn the staggering sum reflects a massive, behind-the-scenes corporate treasury migration rather than a sudden wave of retail investor mania.

IQMM’s Historic Launch Redraws How Stablecoin Issuers Hold Dollar Reserves

Bloomberg Senior ETF Analyst Eric Balchunas noted that BlackRock’s highly successful Bitcoin fund, IBIT, only pulled then the unprecedented $1 billion in day-one volume. IBIT is the largest Bitcoin fund with over $50 billion in assets.

However, Balchunas stated that IQMM’s launch is “multitudes beyond the all-time record for an ETF.”

“I was wrong about this ETF, I just figured it would be niche at best as people would use $BIL or $SHV as money market substitutes,” he wrote on the social media platform X.

According to him, the fund appears to be a textbook example of a “bring your own assets” strategy, in which an institutional client pre-arranges the transfer of existing off-balance-sheet capital into a newly regulated wrapper.

Initially, industry experts assumed ProShares had secured a lucrative deal with a major stablecoin issuer, such as Boston-based Circle.

“Would assume ProShares cut a deal with one of the major US-based stablecoin issuers. Looking at assets, believe that would only leave Circle,” Nate Geraci, president of NovaDius Wealth Management, claimed.

This is because IQMM is not a standard cash-equivalent fund as it is a purpose-built regulatory compliance vehicle. It was designed specifically to meet the strict legal reserve requirements established by the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act.

Signed into law last year, the legislation mandates that domestic stablecoin issuers maintain one-to-one backing with highly liquid assets. It also strictly caps eligible US Treasury maturities at 93 days to prevent forced selling during periods of market stress.

However, Balchunas later clarified the true, decidedly less glamorous source of the record-breaking inflow.

“The call is coming from inside the house, literally, ProShares own funds are all now using IQMM now for their cash positions. Big time BYOA and not as exciting but arguably smart vs paying another fund co,” he added.

Still, crypto research firm 10X Research said the IQMM’s record launch proves that stablecoin reserves could rapidly migrate into transparent structures.

According to the firm, ProShares’ IQMM represents an unprecedented bridge between traditional financial markets and the digital asset economy.

The fund allows stablecoin issuers to park their dollar reserves in a highly liquid, transparent, and heavily regulated ETF wrapper, rather than shouldering the operational burden of managing complex, private portfolios.

“This is massive because it institutionalizes stablecoin backing, reduces opacity risk, and could channel hundreds of billions of dollars in digital dollar reserves directly into Treasury markets under the GENIUS framework,” the firm added.

By institutionalizing stablecoin backing, the traditional US financial system has effectively pulled crypto’s monetary base onshore.

The post Why WLFI Price is Rising Today: Trump-Backed RWA Deal and Apex Integration Fuel Demand appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

While the broader crypto market has been rotating capital selectively this week, Trump-linked World Liberty Financial (WLFI) is quietly building momentum, climbing over 3% today and extending its weekly surge to around 12% as institutional headlines and on-chain movements converge. Here’s a closer look at the catalysts fueling the recent WLFI price rally.

RWA Expansion Anchors WLFI’s Next Growth Chapter

World Liberty Financial confirmed a strategic partnership with Securitize and DAR Global to launch institutional-grade real-world asset offerings. The first asset tied to this initiative is Trump International Hotel & Resort, Maldives, marking a direct connection between blockchain infrastructure and a branded physical property.

JUST IN – The Next Generation of RWAs We are officially partnering with @Securitize and @dar_global to bring institutional-grade RWA offerings. (Availability limited to supported jurisdictions)The first asset on the list? Trump International Hotel & Resort, Maldives. … pic.twitter.com/lSuN652g6U

— WLFI (@worldlibertyfi) February 18, 2026

For the broader market, this matters. Tokenized real-world assets are increasingly being positioned as the bridge between traditional finance and decentralized infrastructure. By anchoring its first RWA initiative to a Trump-branded property, Trump-linked WLFI is embedding political branding into a financial product narrative, a combination that drives both retail curiosity and institutional evaluation.

 This development reinforces the argument that the WLFI crypto ecosystem is not limited to speculative token activity but is positioning itself within compliant asset tokenization frameworks.

Apex Group Integration Expands Stablecoin Utility

Beyond the RWA announcement, WLFI’s collaboration with Apex Group to pilot the USD1 stablecoin as a settlement rail for tokenized funds has strengthened the infrastructure thesis behind the WLFI token. Stablecoin settlement layers are often overlooked because they operate in the background. Yet institutional adoption depends on backend reliability. 

LATEST: Global financial services provider Apex Group is partnering with World Liberty Financial to pilot using WLFI's USD1 stablecoin as a payment rail for its tokenized fund ecosystem. pic.twitter.com/7tYZWae0Pj

— CoinMarketCap (@CoinMarketCap) February 19, 2026

By integrating USD1 into structured fund settlement workflows, WLFI crypto transitions from concept to operational functionality. Markets typically reward that shift. The combination of tokenized real-world assets and settlement infrastructure signals vertical integration ,something investors increasingly look for when assessing long-term protocol viability.

WLFI Price Structure Turns Constructive as Bulls Reclaim Ground

WLFI price had been in a downward trend for several weeks, consistently forming lower highs while defending horizontal demand between approximately $0.10 and $0.11. The recent bounce originated directly from that demand zone, reclaiming short-term moving averages and pressing against the upper boundary of the descending channel. Alongside the rise, volume rise during this push suggests buyers are attempting to reclaim structural control rather than merely executing a relief bounce.

Immediate resistance now sits near the $0.125–$0.13 region. A sustained break and acceptance above that level could open upside toward the $0.15-$0.16, the trendline hurdle, where prior distribution occurred. Failure to maintain support above $0.11 would shift structure back into consolidation.

Whale Wallet Activity Signals Strategic Positioning

Adding to the momentum, multiple large WLFI transfers were recorded from a tracked wallet, including over 133 million WLFI moved to a proxy-linked address and an additional 26.6 million WLFI to another wallet. Large token transfers during periods of positive news tend to attract trader attention. While internal restructuring cannot be immediately classified as accumulation, the sequencing of institutional announcements and high-value token movement often contributes to bullish interpretation.

Final Thoughts

WLFI price is approaching a structural inflection point as institutional headlines and on-chain activity converge with technical compression. A sustained move above the $0.13 resistance zone would likely expose the $0.15–$0.16 liquidity pocket, where prior supply emerged. However, failure to hold above the $0.11 demand band could return the WLFI token to consolidation mode. Momentum currently favors buyers, but continuation will depend on volume expansion and sustained narrative follow-through rather than isolated news catalysts.

Wu said that Uniswap Labs announced the launch of 7 new 'Skills' that allow AI Agents to perform operations on Uniswap. Through the open-source uniswap-ai repository, developers can gain structured access to core protocol operations, providing a starting point for on-chain agent workflows. According to the official terminal operation demonstration, users can introduce this feature through commands. The 7 core skills specifically include: v4-security-foundations, configurator, deployer, viem-integration, swap-integration, liquidity-planner, and swap-planner.

According to reports from Caixin, along with the joint announcement by the People's Bank of China and eight other departments (regarding further prevention and handling of risks related to virtual currencies, referred to as "Document No. 42"), the regulatory framework for the issuance of RWA (Real World Assets) from domestic assets to overseas is taking shape. The overall tone of Document No. 42 is that domestic issuance is strictly prohibited and overseas issuance is strictly regulated. According to sources familiar with the regulations, Hong Kong is one of the overseas issuance locations for RWA, and RWAs based on assets in Hong Kong are not within the regulatory scope of Document No. 42 and are not under the jurisdiction of domestic regulatory authorities. Currently, there are no RWAs based on domestic securities or funds as underlying assets in overseas locations like Hong Kong. If there were, they would fall under the responsibility of the China Securities Regulatory Commission's Institutional Department. Additionally, "it was originally not allowed at all". Now, "it is not stated that it is not allowed at all", but there is strict regulation on the outbound RWA of domestic assets. There is no implication of 'encouragement' in this; it must not be interpreted as 'promoting development'.

Tether ends CNH₮ minting and starts a two-phase exit after reviewing usage and demand.

Redemptions remain available for one year as the token exits across supported chains.

The firm reallocates resources to products with stronger adoption and durable utility.

Tether has announced a strategic transition for CNH₮, its offshore Chinese yuan-pegged stablecoin, and said it will phase out the token through a structured two-phase process. The company has already stopped issuing new CNH₮ and said it plans to discontinue redemption support one year after the announcement date. Tether linked the move to market demand, operational sustainability, ecosystem conditions, and community adoption.

Review Process Tied to Community Adoption

Tether said it regularly evaluates its stablecoin offerings to keep them aligned with real-world usage and long-term sustainability. It also said product decisions must match the needs of the communities that use its tokens. 

Tether pulls plug on CNH₮ !

Tether will discontinue support and new issuance of its offshore yuan-pegged stablecoin CNH₮, citing limited demand and market conditions, while allowing redemptions for one year.#Tether #Stablecoin $USDT #CryptoTale pic.twitter.com/EoBPs1kIO1

— CryptoTale (@cryptotalemedia) February 21, 2026

In its blog post, Tether described how it decides whether to maintain or introduce a token. Tether said, “Community interest and adoption are central to every product decision we make.” 

“When evaluating whether to maintain or introduce a Tether token, we assess market demand, operational sustainability, and broader ecosystem conditions that influence long-term usability.” Tether added that its priority is to allocate resources to strengthen “security, reliability, and innovation” across digital assets.

Decision to Discontinue CNH₮

Tether said it reached its decision after review and then set out a planned wind-down. “After careful consideration, Tether has decided to discontinue support for CNH₮.” It also said the transition will follow a process used in earlier product sunsets. 

The company said the transition will proceed in two phases. First, it has ceased all new issuances of CNH₮, so it will not mint additional tokens going forward. It framed the step as a way to reallocate resources toward products with stronger adoption and longer-term relevance. 

Tether also tied the decision to CNH₮ usage levels and to the standards it applies across its stablecoin portfolio. It said the token’s demand did not support continued operational focus at those standards.

Redemption Timeline and Holder Guidance

Next, Tether said it plans to discontinue redemption support for CNH₮ one year after the announcement date. It told holders across supported blockchain networks to redeem their CNH₮ as soon as possible, and to meet the deadline it will set. 

Until that date, Tether said it will continue to facilitate redemptions in line with its Terms of Service. It also said it will publish a separate reminder notice before the final redemption deadline so holders can track the timeline. 

Related: Tether Moves Toward Top 10 Position in US Treasury Bill Market

Tether said shifting market dynamics and limited community demand contributed to the move. It said the wind-down allows it to streamline its lineup and focus work where it can deliver more value, including core stablecoin liquidity, tokenization infrastructure, and tools for global users and builders. How will this shift shape demand for region-linked stablecoins? 

The transition shows Tether’s approach to product management through its data-based methods, which respond to market needs by converting tokens that fail to maintain user interest and reallocating resources to more valuable assets and infrastructure.

Tether uses three factors to decide which products to support: market conditions, customer demand, and community engagement to maintain its focus on stablecoins and value-adding solutions. The strategy creates a sustainable business model that meets customers’ current needs while adjusting to ongoing changes in the market and customer patterns.

The post Tether Halts CNH₮ Minting as Two-Phase Wind-Down Starts appeared first on Cryptotale.

The post Tether Halts CNH₮ Minting as Two-Phase Wind-Down Starts appeared first on Cryptotale.

The post IoTeX Bridge Hacked for $8.8M via Private Key Exploit, IOTX Price Dips appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

IoTeX’s cross-chain bridge was hit by a private key exploit on February 21, draining over $8 million in crypto assets and sending the IOTX token tumbling. The attack, which unfolded between 7 and 9 AM UTC, gave the hacker control over IoTeX’s TokenSafe and MinterPool contracts.

On-chain analyst Specter was among the first to flag the breach, reporting that the attacker drained $4.3 million in tokens including USDC, USDT, IOTX, PAYG, WBTC, and BUSD. The stolen assets were quickly swapped to ETH, with approximately 45 ETH bridged to the Bitcoin network.

But that was only part of the damage.

Attacker Minted Millions in CIOTX and CCS Tokens

Beyond the initial drain, the hacker exploited the compromised contracts to mint $4 million in CIOTX tokens and $4.5 million in CCS, pushing total estimated losses toward $9 million.

Blockchain security firm PeckShield confirmed the exploit on X, writing: “The IoTeX Bridge has been hacked for over $8M worth of crypto due to a compromised private key. The hacker has swapped the stolen funds to $ETH and has started bridging them to BTC via THORChain.”

#PeckShieldAlert The IoTeX[.]io Bridge @iotex_io has been hacked for over $8M worth of crypto due to a compromised private key. The hacker has swapped the stolen funds to $ETH and has started bridging them to #BTC via #Thorchain. pic.twitter.com/uNWHzahk4F

— PeckShieldAlert (@PeckShieldAlert) February 21, 2026

Three attacker addresses have been publicly identified so far.

IoTeX Says Actual Losses Are Lower

IoTeX confirmed the breach by 10:30 AM UTC and pushed back on the circulating estimates. The team stated that “initial estimates indicate the potential loss is significantly lower than circulating rumors suggest.”

The company added that it has “already coordinated with major exchanges and security partners, which are actively assisting in tracing and freezing the hacker’s assets.”

We are aware of recent reports regarding suspicious activity involving an IoTeX token safe. Our team is fully engaged, working around the clock to assess and contain the situation. Initial estimates indicate the potential loss is significantly lower than circulating rumors…

— IoTeX (@iotex_io) February 21, 2026

IOTX Price Reacts to the Exploit

IOTX is currently trading near $0.0049, down 9.2% over the last 24 hours, with daily volume surging over 507%.

This incident follows a rough stretch for cross-chain bridges in 2026. Just three weeks ago, CrossCurve lost $3 million in a separate bridge exploit, and January alone saw nearly $400 million in total crypto thefts industry-wide.

IoTeX says the situation is “under control” and has promised continued updates. Analysts are now watching whether the frozen funds can be recovered before the attacker moves them further.

Hayden Adams, founder of the decentralized exchange Uniswap, has warned users about fraudulent ads impersonating the platform, highlighting a case in which a victim reportedly lost everything.

It comes after January saw the highest amount of money stolen in crypto scams in 11 months.

“Scam ads keep returning despite years of reporting,” Adams said in an X post on Friday. “There were scam Uniswap apps while we waited months for App Store approval,” he said.

Scammers are increasingly buying ads on popular search engines targeting keywords like “Uniswap,” so when crypto users search for it, the top result looks official.

Unsuspecting users may then connect their wallets and approve a transaction, allowing scammers to drain their entire funds.

A consequence of a “long chain of bad decisions”

An X user named “Ika” said in an X article, titled “I lost everything, what’s next?” that his crypto wallet, valued in the mid-six-figure range, was drained despite his extreme care. “Disciplined for two years. Half-searching for a web3 job, half-hoping to make it fast enough not to need one,” he said.

“I believe that getting drained isn't bad luck. It's the final consequence of a long chain of bad decisions,” Ika said.

Source: Ika

The lengthy post on X came shortly after he posted a screenshot of a top Google search result with an inauthentic Uniswap link. 

It isn’t the first time that Uniswap has experienced this issue. In October 2024, Cointelegraph reported that scammers recognized the website’s lack of domain authority and created a version of the site that looks exactly like the real one, except that it featured a “connect” button where “get started” should have been and a “bridge” button where “read the docs” should have been.

More recently, the value of cryptocurrency stolen through exploits and scams reached $370.3 million last month, the highest monthly figure in 11 months and a nearly fourfold rise from January 2025. 

Crypto security company CertiK said that of the 40 exploit and scam incidents over January, the majority of the total value stolen came from one victim that lost around $284 million due to a social engineering scam.

Magazine:  Is China hoarding gold so yuan becomes global reserve instead of USD?

BlackRock plans to stake up to 95% of ETH in ETHB, sharing 82% of rewards with investors for steady yield.

The ETF lets institutions earn from Ethereum without handling complex staking themselves.

ETHB launch reflects a major U.S. policy shift, now allowing staking rewards in exchange-traded products.

BlackRock is gearing up to launch a groundbreaking Ethereum staking ETF, signaling a new era for institutional crypto investors. The iShares Staked Ethereum Trust, trading under the ticker ETHB, could transform ETH from a passive holding into a yield-generating asset. 

According to Arkham, the ETF plans to stake up to 95% of its Ethereum while sharing 82% of the rewards with investors. This initiative follows BlackRock’s successful spot Ethereum ETF, ETHA, which has already accumulated over $6 billion in assets.

The fund got its first funding from a “Seed Capital Investor,” who bought 4,000 shares at just $0.25 each. BlackRock has officially filed with the SEC, but there’s still no set launch date. Experts expect the ETF to start sometime in the first half of 2026. 

Besides getting regulatory approval, this move also reflects a big shift in U.S. rules, now allowing staking rewards to be included in ETFs—something that wasn’t possible before.

Staking Structure and Revenue Model

BlackRock intends to stake between 70% and 95% of the Ether held in ETHB. To meet redemption demands, the fund will maintain a “Liquidity Sleeve” of 5% to 30% in unstaked ETH. This setup ensures investors can access liquidity even while the majority of assets generate staking rewards. 

Additionally, the fund will share 82% of staking rewards with investors, while BlackRock and Coinbase, as the prime execution agent, retain 18%. The trust carries a sponsor fee of 0.25% on top of staking revenue cuts.

Investors can monitor ETHB’s real-time performance and holdings through Arkham’s Intel Platform. BlackRock already ranks as the fourth-largest entity on Arkham, with over $57 billion in on-chain holdings as of February 2026. 

However, traders should note that T+1 settlement in traditional finance delays on-chain evidence of ETH purchases by one business day. Monitoring BlackRock’s entity page reveals these significant capital movements as they settle on the blockchain.

Despite Ethereum trading below $2,000 during the ongoing “crypto winter,” institutional participation in DeFi continues to rise. The ETHB ETF represents a convergence of traditional finance with decentralized finance infrastructure. 

Moreover, it opens opportunities for institutions seeking yield on long-term ETH holdings without navigating complex staking processes. Consequently, ETHB could redefine Ethereum’s utility for large-scale investors.

The post BlackRock Prepares ETH Staking ETF Amid Institutional Push appears on Crypto Front News. Visit our website to read more interesting articles about cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, and digital assets.

BNP Paribas Asset Management issued tokenized fund shares on Ethereum.

Access remains permissioned, with wallets and keys managed by BNP Paribas Securities Services.

Pilot tests public blockchain fund operations within regulated governance controls.

BNP Paribas Asset Management has issued a tokenized share class of a French-domiciled money market fund on Ethereum. The issuance took place recently through an internal pilot led by BNP Paribas. The project explores how public blockchain infrastructure can support regulated fund operations using controlled access.

How the Tokenized Fund Was Structured

According to the announcement, BNP Paribas Asset Management acted as the fund issuer. Meanwhile, BNP Paribas Securities Services served as transfer agent and fund dealer. The tokenization and blockchain connectivity relied on BNP Paribas CIB’s AssetFoundryTM platform.

Notably, the tokenized shares were issued directly on the public Ethereum network. However, access remains restricted through a permissioned model. Only eligible and authorized participants can hold or transfer the tokens, in line with regulatory requirements.

Additionally, BNP Paribas Securities Services operated the wallet infrastructure and held private keys. This setup applied only within the limited intra-group pilot. The bank said the structure allowed end-to-end testing while maintaining governance controls.

Why Public Blockchain Was Used This Time

This initiative follows an earlier tokenized money market fund issued in Luxembourg on a private blockchain. However, this second project used a public blockchain with a different operational design. Both pilots reflect BNP Paribas’ approach to testing multiple tokenization models.

According to Edouard Legrand, Chief Digital and Data Officer at BNP Paribas Asset Management, the project builds operational knowledge. He said the issuance supports efforts to improve efficiency and security within regulated frameworks. Julien Clausse, Head of AssetFoundryTM at BNP Paribas CIB, added that the pilot helps assess governance implications.

Money Market Funds as Tokenization Test Beds

Money market funds play a central role in institutional liquidity management. Therefore, BNP Paribas used this structure to examine blockchain-based issuance and transfer processes. The bank stated the experiment remains a one-off internal test.

According to Paul Daly, Head of Distribution Product Solutions at BNP Paribas Securities Services, the setup streamlines fund operations. The pilot allows the group to evaluate public blockchain integration while preserving investor protections.

The post BNP Paribas Tests Tokenized Money Market Fund on Ethereum appears on Crypto Front News. Visit our website to read more interesting articles about cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, and digital assets.

Bitcoin is compressing below $69K–$70K short liquidity cluster.

Breach of liquidity zone could trigger upward momentum toward $70K.

Sellers’ stacked positions may fuel a potential breakout surge.

Bitcoin is pressing just below a concentrated short liquidity zone between $69,000 and $70,000. Analyst Bitcoinsensus notes this cluster could act as a magnet, with liquidations fueling a potential breakout. If momentum builds, Bitcoin may surge toward $70K, as vulnerable seller positions are absorbed and buying pressure intensifies.

Bitcoin Eyes $70K as Liquidity Concentration Builds Above

Bitcoin is showing bullish momentum as it grinds just below a key liquidity cluster, according to analyst Bitcoinsensus. The 3-day liquidation heatmap highlights concentrated short positions between $69,000 and $70,000, creating a potential magnet for price action. Traders are monitoring whether Bitcoin can capture this liquidity to trigger upward momentum toward $70K.

$BTC LIQUIDITY MAGNET ABOVE

3-day liquidation heatmap shows heavy short liquidity stacked near $69K–$70K

Price is grinding upward, compressing below the cluster#Bitcoin #Crypto pic.twitter.com/vsHnk9mEDA

— Bitcoinsensus (@Bitcoinsensus) February 20, 2026

Price action indicates that sellers have stacked positions vulnerable to liquidation. As Bitcoin compresses below this zone, a breakout attempt may become more likely. Analysts suggest that this setup often precedes sharp upward movements, driven by the clearing of shorts and increasing buying pressure.

Liquidity Cluster Could Fuel Bitcoin Breakout Toward $70K

The concentrated short liquidity between $69,000 and $70,000 acts as both resistance and a potential catalyst. If Bitcoin breaches this zone, liquidations could accelerate the rally. Historical patterns show that liquidity magnets often amplify price surges once the market absorbs selling pressure.

Currently, market participants are watching for confirmation signals, including volume spikes and candlestick breaks above the $69,000–$70,000 zone. A sustained push through these levels may unlock further upside toward $70K. Analyst observations indicate that smart money often accumulates near such liquidity clusters before significant breakouts.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. CoinCryptoNewz is not responsible for any losses incurred. Readers should do their own research before making financial decisions.

<p>The post Bitcoin Eyes $70K as Liquidity Cluster Sparks Potential Breakout first appeared on Coin Crypto Newz.</p>

According to DeBank data, the WLFI multi-signature contract: 0x5b...7dbb deposited 890 million WLFI (worth approximately 104 million USD) as collateral to Dolomite at 5:33 UTC+8 today, and subsequently lent out 20 million USD1. It is noteworthy that this WLFI multi-signature contract: 0x5b...7dbb appears to be engaging in cyclical stablecoin interest generation, having cumulatively deposited 890 million WLFI, 97.553 million USDC, and 17,700 WETH as collateral and lent out 110 million USD1; subsequently, 109.9 million USD1 continued to be used along with 1,497.9 WETH as collateral and lent out 88.282 million USDC.

BlockBeats news, on February 21, Sonic Labs released the 2026 ecosystem update (Part One), announcing that CEO Mitchell Demeter and business head Evan Owens have resigned, and management is currently being temporarily undertaken by the board while seeking a new CEO. Sonic stated that the development fund has formed a long-term operational reserve, alleviating pressure from risk investment unlocks, with fund allocations covering S tokens, stablecoins, and government bonds among other assets.

At the strategic level, Sonic Strategy holds approximately 127 million S (multi-signature custody and prohibited from sale) and has ended its collaboration with CMCC Resonance Fund. On the product side, the AI smart contract generation platform Spawn is currently undergoing internal testing; FeeM has allocated over 2.6 million S to developers, and in the future may adjust the 90% rebate to a tiered structure; at the same time, it has terminated the Meme Season and Sonic & Sodas incentive programs, focusing on long-term ecological construction and token economic integration going forward.

Foresight News reported that according to Onchain Lens monitoring, the Pump.fun associated address starting with 77DsB has sold 3.376 billion PUMP again and received approximately 7.23 million USDC. The address currently has about 373.5 million PUMP left, worth approximately 788,000 dollars.

Mars Finance news reports that according to Onchainschool's monitoring, multiple wallets are selling AAVE tokens. Six different wallets sold AAVE worth 1.3 million US dollars yesterday. Analysis indicates that these wallets do not seem to be directly related to each other: some wallets had previously purchased AAVE tokens, some wallets withdrew from DeFi platforms, and some wallets received tokens from team wallet addresses.

BlockBeats news, on February 21, according to Onchain Lens monitoring, whale '0xaCB' deposited 5 million USDC into HyperLiquid and increased its GOLD short position (4x leverage) while opening a new SILVER short position (3x leverage). Current positions:

· 2,978.17 pieces of GOLD (worth 15.21 million USD)

· 97,085.91 pieces of SILVER (worth 8.22 million USD)

BlockBeats news, on February 21, according to Lookonchain monitoring, the whale AHdUMw spent 10.26 million USDC two hours ago to buy 121,368 SOL at an average price of 84.57 dollars.

The post MVRV 30-D Turned Positive: Is Injective Price 20% Jump Just a Start? appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

The Injective price isn’t moving quietly anymore. It just ripped 20% intraday, and no, this isn’t one of those random pumps out of nowhere. There’s capital behind it. Real capital.

Pineapple Financial (NYSE: PAPL) has accelerated its INJ buying spree, announcing another $2 million acquisition on February 19, 2026, under its ongoing market cash purchase program. That pushes its treasury play deeper into the Injective ecosystem and signals this isn’t a one-off headline grab.

The firm now holds 7.02 million INJ tokens, according to its DAT dashboard. Oh, and it’s sitting on $20.79 million in capital reserves for continued accumulation. Conviction? They say it hasn’t changed.

Pineapple Expands Injective-First Treasury Strategy

Let’s not sugarcoat it but public equity treasury strategies buying crypto isn’t exactly new. But Pineapple positioning itself around Injective specifically? That’s deliberate.

This isn’t just passive exposure. It’s active open-market buying. The company is building around INJ crypto as a strategic asset, and its reserves suggest it’s not done yet.

Meanwhile, supply dynamics are tightening. Onchain data highlights that the exchange balances have dropped. Supply outside exchanges climbed to 98.63 million INJ from this week’s low of 97.90 million. That’s accumulation behavior. Whether you’re watching the Injective price chart or on-chain dashboards, the direction is clear: coins are leaving exchanges.

Injective Price Reacts to Buybacks and Burn

Now here’s the main delight. This week saw INJ community BuyBack that completely, burning approximately 54,999 INJ permanently. Deflationary mechanics plus treasury accumulation? That’s not a bad combination if you’re building a bullish narrative.

Adding to that a newly approved proposal, IIP-620, introducing a technical blockchain upgrade. Dynamic gas fees will now be capped within a logically aligned range relative to minimum gas price,which in simple terms, fewer wild fee spikes during congestion.

A new proposal with a technical blockchain upgrade has just been approved in the Injective ecosystem. Now the dynamic gas fee will not be able to increase beyond a logically allowed level aligned with the minimum gas price.Fees are becoming more stable and predictable, limiting… pic.twitter.com/Oap9H4jhdk

— Injective Core (@Injective_Core) February 20, 2026

More predictability. Less chaos. Markets noticed. When writing, the INJ/USD pair is currently trading at $3.86, giving the network a $386 million market cap. And yes, that 20% intraday surge followed weeks of steady bullish developments.

Falling Wedge Signals Injective Price Breakout?

Technically speaking, there’s a 24-month compressed falling wedge pattern reacting bullishly this week. If the upper boundary breaks, short-term targets point toward $8.00. That’s the immediate level being watched for Q1 2026.

Stretch that scenario further and some are eyeing $20 longer term, though let’s be real, that won’t happen overnight.

On-chain metrics? Mixed, but improving.

30-day traders are back in profit based on MVRV 30-D. Longer-term 365-day holders are still underwater. The MVRV Z-score sits negative at 0.799, but it’s curving upward. Recovery mode, not euphoria.

So where does this leave the Injective price prediction narrative?

Somewhere between disciplined accumulation and a potential technical breakout. If the wedge gives way and treasury buying continues, the $8 test could come sooner than skeptics expect. For now, the Injective price is doing what bulls have been waiting months to see, it’s finally reacting and follow through depends on further accumulation demand.

This week, the SHIB team announced the launch of the much-awaited SOU (Shib Owes You), a good faith effort by the Shiba Inu ecosystem to assist impacted users of last September's Shibarium hack.

However, this initiative is drawing questions after K9 Finance alleged an omission from the Shib Owes You (SOU) NFT claim.

KNINE claims to be the largest impacted community in the Shibarium hack and cited Shiba Inu developer Kaal Dhairya's statement in a 2025 end-of-year message, hinting at a desire to make all affected users whole.

The @shibtoken team has chosen not to include $KNINE in their Shib Owes You (SOU) NFT claim, despite KNINE being the largest impacted community in the hack of their Shibarium infrastructure Please read the terms of their SOU NFT here: https://t.co/YQo8zUFzyaIn Kaal's specific… pic.twitter.com/Oj9BFYaKWL

— K9 Finance DAO (@K9finance) February 20, 2026

The reason for K9 Finance exclusion has not been revealed at press time, however, K9 urges users affected by the Shibarium hack to contact the SHIB team.

K9 Finance's exclusion follows its decision to sunset all its Shibarium products later this February, but this has not yet been confirmed as a reason for its exclusion from the SOU system.

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In late January, K9 Finance announced that its DAO had approved an orderly and permanent sunset of all products deployed on Shibarium, effective Feb. 25, 2026, following the September bridge exploit.

As part of these efforts, K9 sent a reminder this week to users to withdraw all their assets from Bonecrusher before the sunset date of Feb. 25, 2026.

Warning issued

Shiba Inu SOU has gone live as part of efforts to restore users impacted by the Shibarium hack incident last September. The initiative will support impacted Shibarium users with payouts, donations and occasional rewards.

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SOU is a cryptographic proof that users own a claim, recorded permanently on the Ethereum blockchain.

As the Shiba Inu SOU takes off, Lucie, a Shiba Inu team member, issues a crucial scam warning about fake SOU portals.

Lucie added that these scams intend to drain user wallets, warning users to only use the official portal.

Solana’s price action suggests a local top may have formed.

Key support levels at $79.53, $75.52, and $72.04 are crucial.

How Solana reacts to these zones will determine its near-term direction.

Solana’s price action suggests a potential local top, with key Fibonacci support levels now in focus. Analyst More Crypto Online highlights crucial zones at $79.53, $75.52, and $72.04. How Solana interacts with these levels will determine whether an upside breakout or further consolidation is in store.

Solana Price Action: Is a Local Top in Place?

Solana’s price action appears to have reached a local top, according to analyst More Crypto Online. The 30-minute chart highlights intricate wave structures, with multiple Fibonacci levels now in focus. 

These levels will help determine Solana’s next market move. Attention has shifted to key support areas, which will play a pivotal role in determining if Solana can break out to higher levels or if consolidation will follow.

Key Support Levels to Watch for Solana

Analyst More Crypto Online emphasizes that the key support levels to watch include $79.53 (100%), $75.52 (61.8%), and $72.04 (78.6%). How Solana reacts to these Fibonacci zones will provide insights into its near-term trajectory.

A bounce from these levels could signal an upside breakout, while failure to hold them might suggest further price consolidation. The coming days will reveal whether Solana can maintain its upward momentum.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. CoinCryptoNewz is not responsible for any losses incurred. Readers should do their own research before making financial decisions.

<p>The post Solana Price Action: Key Support Zones to Determine Next Move first appeared on Coin Crypto Newz.</p>

AVAX’s price resilience above $8.75 suggests a potential rebound toward $10.

Key resistance levels to watch for AVAX include $9.35, $9.65, and $9.95.

Defending the $8.75 support level is crucial for maintaining bullish momentum.

Avalanche (AVAX) is showing strong resilience above the crucial $8.75 support level, with a potential recovery toward $10 in play. If AVAX can maintain momentum above this key level, breaking through resistance at $9.35, $9.65, and $9.95 could pave the way for significant upside in the coming days.

Avalanche (AVAX) Shows Resilience Above Key Support

Avalanche (AVAX) is showing strong resilience above the critical $8.75 support level. According to analyst Ali Charts, as long as AVAX remains above this level, the possibility of a recovery toward $10 remains intact. 

As long as Avalanche $AVAX holds above $8.75, a rebound toward $10 remains in play. pic.twitter.com/UrmCUtFU6K

— Ali Charts (@alicharts) February 20, 2026

The hourly chart highlights this key price floor as crucial to the asset’s near-term outlook. Maintaining above $8.75 would allow AVAX to build momentum, potentially pushing the price higher.

Key Resistance Levels for AVAX on the Path to $10

As AVAX trades within a defined range, analyst Ali Charts points to several resistance levels to watch on the path toward $10. The key resistance zones are $9.35, $9.65, and $9.95. 

These incremental levels need to be broken for a sustained upward move. The $8.75 support level remains critical, and defending this zone will be essential for continuing the bullish setup. A sustained position above this support could trigger the expected rebound toward double-digit territory.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. CoinCryptoNewz is not responsible for any losses incurred. Readers should do their own research before making financial decisions.

<p>The post Avalanche (AVAX) Holds Key Support, Eyes Recovery Toward $10 first appeared on Coin Crypto Newz.</p>

The 61.8% and 78.6% Fibonacci retracement levels represent a golden zone for traders to enter the market, making $357 an attractive target.

Leading dog-themed meme token Shiba Inu has continued to fail every attempt to recover as selling pressure continues to increase amid the prolonged crypto market volatility.

Over the past weeks, Shiba Inu has consistently flashed bearish signals amid the stalled demand highlighted by the steady netflow increases recorded recently.

Shiba Inu netflow surges

As of Feb. 21, data from on-chain analytics platform CryptoQuant shows that the Shiba Inu exchange netflow has surged by over 6%, hitting a massive 138,022,600,000 SHIB.

This notable increase in the SHIB netflow is a strong indication of heightening selling pressure as netflows are used to represent the difference between tokens purchased and sold across all supported exchanges.

The massive surge in the SHIB exchange netflow over the last 24 hours means that the amount of SHIB returned to exchanges for selling purposes during the period is massively larger than the amount of tokens scooped out of the exchanges for purchase by over 138 billion tokens.

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With this bearish signal, it appears that investors have continued to lose interest and optimism for SHIB amid the prolonged price downturn. Hence, they are becoming unwilling to hold the asset for longer.

What's next for SHIB?

The bearish Shiba Inu on-chain movement has continued to weaken investors' confidence on the future price prospects of the asset, triggering fear and doubts among retail and institutional traders.

Amid the steady price downturn, Shiba Inu has continued to hover around $0.0000065, dashing the hopes of removing a zero anytime soon.

It remains uncertain how long SHIB will remain on the downside, but traders are optimistic about a major recovery after the bear phase finally wraps up.

Foresight News report, Circle's official information shows that in the week ending February 19 local time, approximately 5.3 billion USDC were issued, about 4.6 billion were redeemed, and the circulating supply increased by approximately 700 million. As of February 19 local time, the circulating supply of USDC is approximately 73.7 billion, with reserve assets valued at about 74 billion dollars.

BlockBeats news, on February 21, according to Coinbob's popular address monitoring, as HYPE rebounded from a low of $27 in the past two days, it has returned above $30 today. The largest on-chain HYPE bullish whale, 'Hyperliquid early contributor Loracle', has begun to continuously reduce and take profits from HYPE long positions. Currently, their HYPE holdings have decreased to $46.2 million, with an average price of $24.55, floating profit of about $8.6 million, and they are still making small reductions as of the time of writing.

The 5x leverage HYPE long position was established on January 12, with an average price of $22 at the time. After gradually rolling the positions, the floating profit peak reached $16 million. Today marks the first profit-taking operation since the position was established.

Mars Finance news, on February 21, the latest Kitco News weekly gold survey shows that Wall Street's bullish sentiment on gold has once again taken the lead, while retail investors have maintained a moderately bullish mainstream attitude for the third consecutive week. Rich Checkan, president and COO of Asset Strategies International, stated that there have been no fundamental changes in the gold market sufficient to support the previous pullback, and it is clear that this is just a short-term correction. This is healthy, and the upward price trend should soon resume. Darin Newsom, a senior market analyst at Barchart.com, mentioned that with the Supreme Court rejecting Trump's tariff policy, he may be in a bad mood this weekend, which increases the likelihood of military action. Adrian Day, president of Adrian Day Asset Management, stated that it looks likely we have reached the low point after the sell-off at the end of January, and gold is clearly recovering. No one wants to sell before the weekend due to concerns that the U.S. may take action against Iran, so if the situation does not escalate, gold may see a slight pullback on Monday, but the short-term recovery trend is already very clear. (Jin Shi)