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News | Crypto Converter | Crypto Calculators |
Bitcoin reclaims $69K on soft CPI, but $50K warnings grow louder |
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Key points: |
Bitcoin briefly surged toward $69,000 after cooler US CPI data, even as ETF outflows hit $410 million and rate cut odds remained under 10%. Standard Chartered cut its 2026 BTC target to $100,000 and warned of a potential drop to $50,000 amid weak institutional flows.
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News - Bitcoin climbed as high as $69,190 on Bitstamp following softer-than-expected January CPI data. Core inflation came in at 2.5% while headline CPI printed at 2.4%, slightly below forecasts. |
Despite the relief rally, expectations for a March rate cut remain limited, with CME data showing less than a 10% probability of a 0.25% reduction. While crypto reacted positively, US equities traded modestly lower and the dollar index attempted a rebound after an initial dip. |
However, ETF flows told a different story. US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $410.4 million in outflows, marking six negative days out of the past 10. BlackRock's IBIT led with $157.6 million in withdrawals. Assets under management (AUM) have fallen toward $80 billion from their October 2025 peak near $170 billion. |
Institutional conviction wavers - Derivatives data shows mixed signals. Open interest dropped to $15.5 billion, suggesting leverage cleanup. Funding rates flipped positive and the three-month annualized basis rose above 3%, indicating tentative institutional optimism. |
Yet traders continue paying premiums for short-term downside protection. Liquidations totaled $256 million in 24 hours, with Bitcoin accounting for $112 million. |
Standard Chartered lowered its 2026 Bitcoin forecast from $150,000 to $100,000, warning prices could fall to $50,000 before recovering. CryptoQuant also placed realized price support near $55,000, noting that market cycle indicators remain in a bear phase. |
Whale activity and capitulation signals - On-chain stress has intensified. Realized losses surged to $2.3 billion, ranking among the largest loss events in Bitcoin's history. Short-term holders appear to be driving much of the selling. |
Meanwhile, a large wallet transferred thousands of BTC to Binance over recent weeks, including a 5,000 BTC deposit on February 11. The string of transfers continued with another 2,800 BTC sent on the latest recorded day. Large exchange inflows are often interpreted as potential sell signals. |
With Bitcoin trading between $62,000 and $71,000 since early February, analysts expect volatility and sideways action to remain the base case as institutional positioning stays uneven and macro risk repricing continues. |
CFTC expands advisory panel with crypto heavyweights amid US market structure debate |
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Key points: |
The CFTC added 35 members to its Innovation Advisory Committee, including CEOs from Ripple, Coinbase, Robinhood, Uniswap Labs, and major exchanges. The expansion comes as lawmakers continue debating the CLARITY Act and the future regulatory split between the CFTC and SEC.
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News - The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission has formally expanded its Innovation Advisory Committee to 35 members, bringing a significant portion of the crypto industry into its regulatory orbit. |
The committee includes Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, Uniswap CEO Hayden Adams, Robinhood CEO Vladimir Tenev, and executives from CME Group, Nasdaq, Kraken, Gemini, and others. |
CFTC Chair Mike Selig said the panel will help ensure the agency develops clearer rules as financial markets evolve with blockchain and artificial intelligence. The committee replaces the previous Technology Advisory Committee and is tasked with advising on the commercial and practical realities of emerging financial products. |
The move comes as Congress continues to debate the CLARITY Act, which seeks to define when digital assets fall under securities or commodities oversight. While lawmakers broadly agree on the CFTC's role in regulating digital commodities, disagreement persists over stablecoin treatment and yield provisions. |
Industry influence grows as policy lines blur - The unusually concentrated presence of crypto executives signals deeper industry participation in shaping regulatory frameworks. The CFTC has also begun coordinating more closely with the SEC as jurisdictional lines are clarified. |
Armstrong's inclusion is notable, as it follows his recent withdrawal of support for the CLARITY Act over concerns tied to stablecoin rewards, DeFi restrictions, and regulatory balance. |
What this means for Ripple and XRP - Garlinghouse's appointment carries symbolic weight for Ripple, which spent years navigating US legal uncertainty. Engagement at the advisory level may support broader regulatory normalization. |
XRP currently trades around $1.35, with $1.27 as key support and $1.51 needed to reopen upside toward the $1.76 to $1.80 zone. Exchange data shows roughly 100 million XRP moved to exchanges over the past 10 days, a measured pace compared to November 2025's sharper distribution event. |
Coinbase misses Q4 estimates as $667M loss sparks target cuts |
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Key points: |
Coinbase reported a $667 million Q4 net loss as revenue fell to $1.78 billion, missing Wall Street expectations. Analysts trimmed price targets, though some maintained bullish ratings amid diversification efforts and market share gains.
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News - Coinbase posted a fourth-quarter net loss of $667 million, ending an eight-quarter streak of profitability. Revenue declined 21.5% year over year to $1.78 billion, below analyst estimates that ranged between $1.83 billion and $1.85 billion. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $0.66, missing forecasts. |
Transaction revenue dropped nearly 37% from a year earlier to $982.7 million, falling below the $1 billion mark. Lower crypto prices and weaker trading activity weighed on volumes across the quarter, with Bitcoin sliding sharply during the period. |
Despite the miss, shares rose modestly in after-hours trading to around $145 after closing at $141.10, though the stock remains down roughly 40% year-to-date. |
Wall Street lowers targets, keeps long-term thesis - JPMorgan maintained an overweight rating but cut its price target to $252 from $290, citing softer volumes, lower take rates, and higher operating expenses. Canaccord reduced its target to $300 from $400 while reiterating a buy rating. |
Analysts highlighted growth in subscription and services revenue, which rose more than 13% year over year to $727.4 million. Management emphasized diversification beyond spot trading, including custody, derivatives, and infrastructure offerings. |
Q1 signals mixed outlook - Through February 10, Coinbase generated approximately $420 million in transaction revenue for Q1. The company guided subscription and services revenue between $550 million and $630 million for the quarter. |
Executives reiterated that crypto markets are cyclical, noting that structural adoption trends continue beneath short-term volatility. |
Crypto payments to suspected trafficking networks jump 85% in 2025: Chainalysis |
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Key points: |
Crypto flows to services linked to suspected human trafficking rose 85% year over year in 2025, reaching hundreds of millions of dollars. Stablecoins dominate escort and prostitution networks, while Monero use is rising among CSAM vendors.
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News - Cryptocurrency inflows to services tied to suspected human trafficking surged 85% in 2025, according to a new report from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis. The firm said total transaction volume reached hundreds of millions of dollars across identified services, largely concentrated in Southeast Asia. |
The report tracked payments linked to Telegram-based international escort networks, labor recruitment tied to scam compounds, prostitution networks, and vendors of child sexual abuse material. |
Chainalysis emphasized that the dollar figures represent only a lower-bound estimate and do not capture the full scale of harm. |
Stablecoins lead, Bitcoin share slips - Payment patterns vary across categories. International escort services and prostitution networks now operate almost exclusively using stablecoins. These payments are often funneled through Chinese-language money laundering networks that rapidly convert USD-pegged assets into local currencies. |
Recruitment payments tied to labor trafficking typically range between $1,000 and $10,000. Nearly 62% of prostitution network transactions fall within that same band, while 48.8% of transfers linked to Telegram-based escort networks exceed $10,000. |
CSAM transactions are generally smaller, with roughly half under $100. One identified CSAM site generated over $530,000 since July 2022 using more than 5,800 crypto addresses. |
While Bitcoin remains widely used, Monero adoption is increasing as vendors seek to obscure transaction details. Instant exchangers without KYC requirements also play a role in laundering proceeds. |
Blockchain transparency offers investigative leverage - Despite the rise in crypto usage, Chainalysis argues blockchain transparency creates new opportunities for law enforcement. Transaction patterns, exchange chokepoints, and wallet clustering can help detect and disrupt networks in ways not possible with cash. |
The report noted that while trafficking-linked services are often based in Southeast Asia, inflows originate globally, including from the US, UK, Brazil, Spain, and Australia. |
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More stories from the crypto ecosystem |
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Crypto scams uncovered |
A "pig butchering" launderer just got the maximum: The U.S. DOJ said Daren Li was sentenced to 20 years in prison for laundering more than $73 million tied to a global crypto investment scam that used fake trading platforms and relationship-building tactics to trick victims. Scam proceeds hit a record in 2025, driven by impersonation and AI tactics: Chainalysis reported an estimated $17 billion was stolen in crypto scams and fraud in 2025, highlighting a rise in impersonation-style scams and AI-enabled deception. The DOJ called it its largest-ever seizure tied to crypto confidence scams: U.S. authorities filed a civil forfeiture action targeting more than $225.3 million they say was linked to cryptocurrency "confidence scams" and associated money laundering networks.
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Top 3 coins of the day |
Toncoin (TON) |
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Key points: |
TON climbed toward $1.43 after rebounding from the $1.30–$1.32 support region, though it continued trading beneath the descending Madrid Ribbon. The Elliott Wave Oscillator remained below the zero line, with red histogram bars narrowing, signaling that bearish momentum softened but had not flipped positive.
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What you should know: |
Toncoin recovered from early February weakness and pushed back into the mid-$1.40 area, marking its firmest daily bounce in several sessions. Despite the rebound, the broader structure stayed cautious. Price continued trading under the downward-sloping Madrid Ribbon, leaving layered resistance overhead between roughly $1.45 and $1.65. |
Momentum conditions improved slightly but did not confirm a reversal. The Elliott Wave Oscillator remained negative, although contracting red bars suggested selling pressure eased. Volume expanded moderately during the bounce, indicating participation without signaling a full breakout. On the narrative side, the move appeared largely technical. |
Immediate support sits near $1.30, while a sustained push above $1.45 is required to meaningfully shift short-term positioning. |
Cosmos (ATOM) |
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Key points: |
ATOM reclaimed the $2.00 handle after rebounding from $1.95, gradually moving back toward the Bollinger Band midpoint at $2.03. The CMF remained in negative territory at -0.07, reflecting lingering outflows even as price attempted to stabilize.
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What you should know: |
After sliding toward $1.95, ATOM managed to rebuild momentum and climb back into the low-$2.00 zone. The rebound brought price closer to the Bollinger Band basis line at $2.03, though it had yet to secure a decisive close above it. The upper band near $2.27 continues to serve as the next volatility ceiling, while the lower band around $1.79 frames broader downside risk. |
Despite the price improvement, underlying flows stayed restrained. The CMF reading of -0.07 showed that capital inflows had not meaningfully turned positive. Volume levels suggested steady participation rather than a breakout-driven surge. |
For now, $2.00 acts as immediate support, while a firm move above $2.03 would strengthen short-term positioning and open the path toward the upper band at $2.27. |
MYX Finance (MYX) |
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Key points: |
MYX attempted a rebound toward $3.03 after plunging sharply from above $5.00, but price action remained trapped beneath the Madrid Ribbon's upper band. The Squeeze Momentum Indicator stayed in negative territory, with the latest red bars widening slightly, hinting at renewed downside pressure.
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What you should know: |
MYX printed a steep selloff that dragged price from the mid-$5.00 region to a low near $2.89 before buyers stepped in around $3.00. Despite the bounce, the broader structure stayed fragile. Price continued trading below the compressed red layers of the Madrid Ribbon, while the green ribbon cluster overhead now acts as dynamic resistance. |
Volume expanded noticeably during the breakdown, confirming strong participation on the move lower. The Squeeze Momentum histogram remained below zero, and its most recent red bars grew marginally larger, signaling that bearish momentum has not fully faded. |
From a narrative perspective, the move appeared more reflective of internal volatility within a thin market environment. |
Immediate support sits near $2.90, while recovery traction improves only if price reclaims the $3.50 zone with sustained volume. |
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