Crypto

Derivatives show tentative optimism, with cleaned-up leverage, positive funding rates and rising institutional basis, even though traders are still paying a premium for short-term downside protection.

Bitcoin's mining difficulty decreased by 11.16% to approximately 125.86 trillion at the most recent retarget boundary around block 935,424. That marks the largest negative adjustment since the 2021 China mining ban, the sixth consecutive downward retarget, and the tenth largest negative adjustment in Bitcoin's history. However, difficulty adjustments are lagging indicators, as they reflect what […] The post Bitcoin difficulty just printed a historic -11.16% — if the next epoch stays red, miners are in trouble appeared first on CryptoSlate.

A federal judge sentenced PGI founder Ramil Palafox to 20 years in prison for running a Bitcoin Ponzi scheme that raised over $200 million from customers between 2019 and 2021. A US federal judge in Virginia sentenced the chief executive of Praetorian Group International to 20 years in prison for running a $200 million cryptocurrency investment scheme that defrauded tens of thousands of investors. According to the Department of Justice, 61-year-old Ramil Ventura Palafox, a dual US and Philippine citizen, was convicted of wire fraud and money laundering for what prosecutors described as a Ponzi scheme that falsely promised daily returns of up to 3% from Bitcoin trading.  The US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia said investors poured over $201 million into PGI between December 2019 and October 2021, including at least 8,198 Bitcoin (BTC) valued at about $171.5 million at the time. According to prosecutors, victims suffered losses of at least $62.7 million.  Read more

Anthropic’s funding round lands as AI company rivalry turns increasingly public and personal among top founders.

Instead of investing in bitcoin and foreign currency trading, as promised, Palafox used new investor funds to pay old ones and siphoned millions for personal use.

Where will XRP find a bottom and how high it would go in a subsequent bull market?

The loss was uncovered during an audit launched after a separate 320 Bitcoin custody failure, raising fresh concerns over digital asset management by authorities. South Korean authorities are investigating after 22 Bitcoin seized in a 2021 case disappeared from a cold wallet at a Seoul police station, according to local media reports. The 22 Bitcoin (BTC), worth about $1.5 million at current prices, were held by the Gangnam Police Station and discovered missing during a nationwide audit of digital asset custody practices, the Seoul Economic Times reported Friday. Authorities reportedly said the 22 Bitcoin had been transferred externally, though the cold wallet storing the tokens was not stolen. Read more

Coinbase Posts $667M Q4 Loss Amid Crypto Market Downturn The post Coinbase Reports $667M Q4 Loss as Crypto Market Downturn Hits Revenues appeared first on Cryptonews.

Binance is at the center of renewed speculation as the specter of insolvency has once again cast a long shadow over the crypto sector. Over the past weeks, rumors have emerged that the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange is facing a liquidity crunch, and these rumors have spread across social media platforms, underscoring the fragility of […] The post Traders may be walking into a Binance “bank-run” trap as $2B outflow claims go viral appeared first on CryptoSlate.

A bitcoin price drop to $58,000 could reignite buying momentum.

[PRESS RELEASE – Valletta, Malta, February 13th, 2026] Qzino, a Web3-based crypto casino platform, has officially launched, introducing an ecosystem that integrates profit-sharing mechanisms, token-based rewards, and a broad gaming offering. The platform provides access to more than 10,000 games, including proprietary Qzino Originals, and incorporates token utility into its operational model. Positioned as an […]

Boerse Stuttgart will merge its crypto arm with Tradias, creating a regulated European crypto unit providing services in trading, custody, staking and tokenized assets. Boerse Stuttgart Group, operator of one of Europe’s largest stock exchanges, said it will merge its cryptocurrency business with Frankfurt-based digital asset trading firm Tradias in a strategic move to expand its presence in institutional crypto markets. The transaction will consolidate about 300 employees under a joint management team from both companies, according to a Friday announcement. The combined unit aims to cover multiple digital asset services, including brokerage, trading, custody, staking and tokenized assets. It will serve banks, brokers and other financial institutions across Europe, providing fully regulated crypto infrastructure, the announcement said. Read more

JPMorgan said weak crypto markets pressured fourth-quarter results, but backs Coinbase’s strategy of investing through the cycle and returning capital via buybacks.

Bitcoin slipped 3% the last time this whale made a substantial deposit, is another decline on its way?

Some community members questioned the size of the $50 million package and warned that the proposed AAVE token grant could concentrate voting power. Aave Labs has asked tokenholders to approve a funding package worth about $50 million in exchange for redirecting all revenue from Aave-branded products to the Aave DAO treasury. The proposal includes up to $42.5 million in stablecoins — $25 million as a primary grant and $17.5 million tied to product milestones. It also includes 75,000 Aave (AAVE) tokens, worth about $8 million at the time of writing. The stablecoin grants, if approved, will be streamed over time, and milestone payments will be released upon product launches.  In return, Aave Labs would route 100% of product-level revenue to the DAO. That includes fees generated by aave.com, the planned Aave App and Aave Card, Aave Pro, Aave Kit and Aave Horizon. The framework also asks tokenholders to ratify Aave V4 as the protocol’s long-term technical foundation and outlines plans to create a foundation to hol...

US spot Bitcoin ETFs are on track for a fourth consecutive week of losses as Standard Chartered cut its 2026 Bitcoin target to $100,000. US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) saw heightened selling on Thursday, with outflows accelerating the same day Standard Chartered lowered its 2026 Bitcoin forecast. Spot Bitcoin (BTC) ETFs recorded $410.4 million in outflows, extending weekly losses to $375.1 million, according to SoSoValue data. Unless Friday brings substantial inflows, the funds are on track for a fourth consecutive week of losses, with assets under management (AUM) nearing $80 billion, down from a peak of almost $170 billion in October 2025. Read more

Crypto's role in payments for AI, regulatory changes and the digital asset market dominated conversations on the ground.

The Bitcoin network's structural growth has entered a contraction phase.

BlackRock Boosts Bitmine Stake to Over 9 Million Shares The post BlackRock Increases Bitmine Stake to Over 9 Million Shares: What’s Next? appeared first on Cryptonews.

This Friday, we examine Ethereum, Ripple, Cardano, Binance Coin, and Hyperliquid in greater detail. Ethereum (ETH) Ethereum closed the week up 2%, but the trend remains bearish, with $1,800 acting as a key support level for this downtrend. If buyers hope for a reversal in the future, then ETH needs to bounce and hold above […]