Cointelegraph.com

Found 8821 news

  • How SocialFi, memecoins and AI pushed Base to the top of the L2 ladder
    Cointelegraph.com - 13:26 Feb 23, 2026
    How SocialFi, memecoins and AI pushed Base to the top of the L2 ladderBase rode SocialFi, memecoins and AI agents to the top of Ethereum’s layer-2 ladder before turning inward to rebuild its core stack. Base will transition to a unified, internally maintained stack, expected to be its biggest architectural shift since launch. After debuting in 2023 as a rollup built on Optimism’s OP Stack, Coinbase’s Ethereum layer 2 is now consolidating its software into an in-house distribution, which can unlock faster upgrades and greater autonomy over its technical roadmap. It has been three years since Base launched its testnet. The network has experienced SocialFi explosions and ridden its own memecoin wave. It even went through a phase that both fascinated and unnerved Crypto Twitter as AI agents began transacting on its chain. Read more
  • Bitmine paper loss nears $8.8B as Ether slump tests cyclical thesis
    Cointelegraph.com - 13:10 Feb 23, 2026
    Bitmine paper loss nears $8.8B as Ether slump tests cyclical thesisThe mounting unrealized losses of Bitmine shareholders and Ether’s 60% decline are signaling a critical inflection point that may define Ether’s medium-term momentum, analysts said. Corporate Ether treasuries are coming under increasing pressure as the crypto downturn deepens, with analysts warning the market is approaching a make-or-break phase for Ether’s investment case. Bitmine Immersion Technologies, one of the biggest corporate holders of Ether (ETH), is sitting on a large unrealized loss as ETH trades well below the company’s average acquisition price, according to third-party tracker Bitminetracker. Some estimates put Bitmine’s paper losses in the $8.8 billion range after Ether’s slide over recent months. ETH’s price has fallen 60% during the past six months, dropping well below Bitmine’s average cost basis of $3,843 per token, Bitminetracker data shows. Read more
  • Crypto funds lose $288M as ETPs extend outflow run to five weeks
    Cointelegraph.com - 11:54 Feb 23, 2026
    Crypto funds lose $288M as ETPs extend outflow run to five weeksCrypto investment products posted outflows for a fifth straight week, marking the longest exit streak since the launch of spot Bitcoin ETFs in 2024. Crypto investment products recorded $288 million in outflows last week, extending their losing streak to five consecutive weeks — the longest stretch of exits since the launch of US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in 2024. The latest withdrawals bring cumulative outflows to $4 billion, according to CoinShares’ Monday report. Despite the sustained downturn, total outflows remain below the $6 billion recorded over the same period last year, said James Butterfill, head of research at CoinShares. Trading activity in crypto ETPs fell to $17 billion last week, the lowest since July 2025, reflecting growing investor apathy, Butterfill said. Read more
  • Bitcoin treasuries log rare selling streak as BTC trades near $66K
    Cointelegraph.com - 11:38 Feb 23, 2026
    Bitcoin treasuries log rare selling streak as BTC trades near $66KContinued selling from treasury companies and US Bitcoin ETFs threatens a deeper retracement for BTC, but some analysts see it as a sign of a healthy flush in speculative leverage. Corporate Bitcoin treasury companies posted a rare three-week selling streak, a shift analysts say could deepen Bitcoin’s pullback if fresh demand doesn’t emerge. Bitcoin (BTC) treasury companies logged three consecutive weeks of selling, according to Capriole Investments’ Bitcoin Treasuries buy and sell indicator shared by educational platform Coin Bureau. The metric tracks net buying and selling by public companies that hold Bitcoin on their balance sheets. It marked the first three-week selling streak in the short history of BTC treasury companies. Continued corporate selling threatens to push Bitcoin’s price toward a new ”bear market low,” said Nic Puckrin, co-founder and lead market analyst at Coin Bureau. Read more
    Tags: Bitcoin
  • Vitalik Buterin floats TX 'simulations' to enhance crypto security
    Cointelegraph.com - 01:30 Feb 23, 2026
    Vitalik Buterin floats TX 'simulations' to enhance crypto securityCrypto users would specify what onchain action they want and then click “OK” or “Cancel” after seeing a transaction simulation of that action. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has suggested using “transaction simulations” and other similar features to improve the user experience and security of Ethereum wallets and smart contracts.  In a post to X on Sunday, Buterin argued that security and user experience are not separate fields, as both revolve around user intent — ensuring protocols are doing what users intend them to do. Buterin said an intent security approach could involve designing systems that double-check user actions, and could apply to Ethereum wallets and smart contracts, but also apply more broadly, such as operating systems and hardware.  Read more
  • SEC allows broker-dealers to take 2% 'haircut' on stablecoins
    Cointelegraph.com - 21:42 Feb 22, 2026
    SEC allows broker-dealers to take 2% 'haircut' on stablecoinsStaff said the US regulator would "not object" to broker-dealers counting stablecoin holdings toward their net capital requirements. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) staff last week clarified that broker-dealers can apply a 2% “haircut” to their stablecoin holdings without objection from the SEC. Previously, broker-dealers were uncertain whether to apply a 100% haircut to their dollar-pegged stablecoins, meaning that they did not count the tokens toward their net capital under existing regulations. The clarification came in the form of a posting by the staff of the SEC’s Division of Trading and Markets as a “Frequently Asked Questions Relating to Crypto Asset Activities and Distributed Ledger Technology.” Read more
  • Crypto infrastructure company BitGo named issuer for FYUSD stablecoin
    Cointelegraph.com - 20:38 Feb 22, 2026
    Crypto infrastructure company BitGo named issuer for FYUSD stablecoinThe GENIUS Act-compliant stablecoin is geared toward institutional investors in Asia features a programmable layer for agentic AI commerce. Digital asset company New Frontier Labs has partnered with BitGo Bank & Trust National Association, the entity that crypto infrastructure company BitGo will use to issue and provide custodial services for the FYUSD stablecoin, a dollar-pegged token for Insitutional investors in the Asia region. BitGo’s announcement said FYUSD is compliant with the GENIUS Act stablecoin regulatory framework. The regulations include 1:1 backing with cash deposits held by a custodian or short-term US government debt instruments, anti-money laundering (AML) requirements and know-your-customer (KYC) checks. The company also developed “Fypher,” a suite of stablecoin infrastructure tools that provides a “programmable settlement” layer for the FYUSD token that allows it to be used by autonomous AI agents for commercial transactions. Read more
  • Curve Finance founder says disagreement within a DAO is a healthy sign
    Cointelegraph.com - 19:01 Feb 22, 2026
    Curve Finance founder says disagreement within a DAO is a healthy signDecentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) govern some of the biggest decentralized finance protocols, including Curve Finance and Aave. Disagreements within a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) are a sign of a healthy DAO, according to Dr. Michael Egorov, founder of the decentralized finance (DeFi) platform Curve Finance. DAOs are a decentralized organizational structure that relies on smart contracts to automate functions and member voting to govern onchain protocols. Egorov said that both a 2024 governance proposal involving the Curve DAO and the recent dispute involving the Aave DAO illustrate the importance of disagreements to the structure’s vitality. He told Cointelegraph: Read more
  • Bitcoin price may rebound to $85K as CME 'smart money' slashes shorts
    Cointelegraph.com - 17:05 Feb 22, 2026
    Bitcoin price may rebound to $85K as CME 'smart money' slashes shortsFutures traders slashed bearish Bitcoin bets last month, a shift that preceded a 70% rally in 2025 and a 190% increase in the BTC price in 2023. Bitcoin (BTC) bottomed after CME futures speculators turned net bullish in April 2025. A similar positioning shift is resurfacing in 2026, raising the odds of a BTC price recovery in the coming weeks. Key takeaways: Smart money reduced its bearish bets on Bitcoin in the past month. Read more
    Tags: Bitcoin
  • Bitcoin historical price metric sees $122K 'average return' over 10 months
    Cointelegraph.com - 13:58 Feb 22, 2026
    Bitcoin historical price metric sees $122K 'average return' over 10 monthsBitcoin past performance gave 88% odds of higher prices by early 2027, the latest in a series of new bullish BTC price predictions. Bitcoin (BTC) at $122,000 in ten months could be an “average return” if history repeats itself. Key points: An “informal” Bitcoin price metric gives 88% odds of BTC/USD trading higher by early 2027. Read more
    Tags: Bitcoin
  • Crypto capital rotates from tokens to stocks as new launches struggle: DWF
    Cointelegraph.com - 12:56 Feb 22, 2026
    Crypto capital rotates from tokens to stocks as new launches struggle: DWFMore than 80% of 2025 token launches trade below listing price while IPO funding and M&A in the crypto sector surge, suggesting that investors prefer equity exposure. Investor capital increasingly flows from tokens into publicly listed crypto companies as new token launches struggle, according to research and commentary from market maker DWF Labs. Drawing on Memento Research data covering hundreds of token launches across major centralized and decentralized exchanges, the firm said more than 80% of projects have fallen below their token generation event (TGE) price. Typical drawdowns range between 50% and 70% within roughly 90 days of listing, suggesting public buyers often face immediate losses after launch. DWF Labs managing partner Andrei Grachev told Cointelegraph that the figures reflect a consistent post-listing pattern rather than short-term market volatility. He said most tokens reach a price peak within the first month and then trend downward as selling pressure builds. Read more
    Tags: Crypto
  • AI agent OpenClaw confirms ban on Bitcoin, crypto discussions in Discord
    Cointelegraph.com - 11:00 Feb 22, 2026
    AI agent OpenClaw confirms ban on Bitcoin, crypto discussions in DiscordOpenClaw creator Peter Steinberger confirmed that users can be removed for mentioning Bitcoin and crypto on Discord. The developer behind the fast-growing open-source AI agent framework OpenClaw has confirmed that any mention of Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies on its Discord server can lead to removal. In a Saturday post on X, a user revealed that they were blocked from OpenClaw’s Discord simply for referencing Bitcoin block height as a timing mechanism in a multi-agent benchmark. In response, OpenClaw creator Peter Steinberger confirmed the action, writing that members had accepted “strict server rules” upon joining and that the community maintains a “no crypto mention whatsoever” policy. Read more
  • Bitcoin miner Bitdeer dumps entire BTC reserves, holdings drop to zero
    Cointelegraph.com - 08:14 Feb 22, 2026
    Bitcoin miner Bitdeer dumps entire BTC reserves, holdings drop to zeroBitcoin miner Bitdeer liquidated 943 BTC from reserves and sold newly mined coins, cutting corporate holdings to zero. Bitcoin mining firm Bitdeer has sold all of its corporate Bitcoin holdings, reducing its treasury balance to zero, according to the company’s latest operational update. In its latest weekly report, Bitdeer disclosed that its “pure holdings,” excluding customer deposits, have fallen to 0 Bitcoin (BTC). The report shows the company produced 189.8 BTC during the period and sold the full amount, alongside an additional 943.1 BTC, which was liquidated from its existing treasury reserves. In its earlier update on Feb. 13, the miner still held 943.1 BTC, selling 179.9 BTC out of 183.4 BTC mined that week, leaving its treasury intact despite routine sales of newly mined coins. Read more
  • Crypto investors' interest moves ‘pretty wide’ beyond majors as dip drags: Exec
    Cointelegraph.com - 05:54 Feb 22, 2026
    Crypto investors' interest moves ‘pretty wide’ beyond majors as dip drags: ExecRobinhood’s head of crypto, Johann Kerbrat, pointed out that crypto investors are looking for more ways to explore crypto beyond just holding tokens amid market uncertainty. Crypto investors are increasingly exploring beyond the top three cryptocurrencies as the market downturn continues, according to Robinhood's head of crypto, Johann Kerbrat. “I think what we see from our customers is that they actually see it as an opportunity,” Kerbrat told Cointelegraph during an exclusive interview, adding that they are seeing it as “an opportunity to buy the dip.” “So we actually see a lot of customers continuing to trade crypto and diversifying, not just on the top two or three assets, but actually going pretty wide,” he said, referring to the largest two cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH). Read more
  • 50% of Bitcoin's past 24 months ended in gains: Economist
    Cointelegraph.com - 03:24 Feb 22, 2026
    50% of Bitcoin's past 24 months ended in gains: EconomistEconomist Timothy Peterson expects Bitcoin to trade above its current level by December, though some analysts are pushing back on that view. Half of the months over the past two years have delivered positive returns for Bitcoin, which may be a strong sign that it will be higher than its current price in December, an economist said. “50% of the past 24 months have been positive. This implies a 88% chance that Bitcoin will be higher 10 months from now,” economist Timothy Peterson said in an X post on Saturday. In 2025, Bitcoin (BTC) posted gains in January, April, May, June, July, and September, while the other six months ended lower, according to CoinGlass. Peterson explained that he uses the metric to count the number of positive months in any 24-month period to identify possible inflection points. Read more
  • Trump raises global tariff rate to 15%, but crypto markets are unfazed
    Cointelegraph.com - 21:45 Feb 21, 2026
    Trump raises global tariff rate to 15%, but crypto markets are unfazedUS President Donald Trump is now using alternative legal routes to levy tariffs, but critics say his authority to impose them is still limited. United States President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he is raising the 10% global tariff rate announced on Friday to 15%, which will take effect immediately.  Trump reiterated his criticism of the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down his authority to levy tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). In a Saturday Truth Social post, he said: On Friday, Trump announced a 10% global tariff rate to be added on top of already existing tariffs that remained valid after the court ruling, under alternative legal statutes outlined in the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 and the Trade Act of 1974.  Read more
    Tags: Trump
  • Crypto market retraces almost all 2024-2025 US election pump gains
    Cointelegraph.com - 20:40 Feb 21, 2026
    Crypto market retraces almost all 2024-2025 US election pump gainsThe crypto market experienced a historic market crash in October that derailed the uptrend and caused investor sentiment to plummet. The crypto market has retracted most of the gains made during the 2024-2025 pump that kicked off after the 2024 elections in the United States, and has lost about 40% of its value from the peak recorded in October 2025. The Total3 Market Cap, a metric tracking the market capitalization of the entire crypto market, excluding Ether (ETH) and Bitcoin (BTC), surged by over 91% immediately following the outcome of the US Presidential election on November 5, reaching a high of $1.16 trillion by December 2024. For context, the Total3 Market Cap was about $600 billion directly before the 2024 US election pump. Read more
    Tags: Crypto
  • US lawmakers critical of Trump tariffs, say it will derail economy
    Cointelegraph.com - 18:22 Feb 21, 2026
    US lawmakers critical of Trump tariffs, say it will derail economyThe tariffs are just taxes on American businesses and consumers, while providing no benefit to the economy, critics of Trump's policies say. The tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump and the 10% global tariff announced by Trump on Friday have drawn critical reactions from US lawmakers, Washington, DC-based think tanks and attorneys.  US Senator Rand Paul said that the Trump tariffs are a tax increase on “working families and small businesses,” characterizing them as a net negative on the economy. “Those tariffs weren’t about security — they were a tax on families and small businesses to bankroll a reckless trade war,” US Congressperson Ro Khanna said.  Read more
    Tags: Trump
  • IoTeX confirms ‘suspicious activity’ involving token safe, says losses contained
    Cointelegraph.com - 13:11 Feb 21, 2026
    IoTeX confirms ‘suspicious activity’ involving token safe, says losses containedIoTeX said it is assessing suspicious activity tied to a token safe, coordinating with exchanges to trace funds after analysts linked the incident to a possible private key compromise. Decentralized identity protocol IoTeX has confirmed that it is investigating unusual activity tied to one of its token safes after onchain analysts flagged a possible security incident. In a Saturday post on X, the project said its team was “fully engaged, working around the clock to assess and contain the situation.” IoTeX added that early estimates indicate the potential loss is lower than circulating rumors and that it has coordinated with major exchanges and security partners to trace and freeze funds linked to the attacker. “The situation is under control. We will continue to monitor closely and provide timely updates to the community,” the project said. Read more
    Tags: IoTeX
  • What’s next for crypto in Europe after Christine Lagarde steps down?
    Cointelegraph.com - 13:00 Feb 21, 2026
    What’s next for crypto in Europe after Christine Lagarde steps down?ECB president Christine Lagarde is a crypto skeptic, but her likely successors are no more enthusiastic about cryptocurrencies. European Central Bank (ECB) president Christine Lagarde is stepping down sometime before the French presidential election next year. Under her leadership, the ECB has consulted on the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) legislation that defined the crypto landscape in the European Union. The preeminent European bank also began work on the digital euro — the next iteration of the Eurozone’s currency. But there is still work to be done on crypto policy in Europe. MiCA does not, in its current form, regulate decentralized finance (DeFi), and policymakers at the ECB are still deliberating over the digital euro’s final details. Read more

8821 items