Fed Interest Rate Expectations
According to Nick Timiraos, the Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates unchanged this week. Officials have shifted into monitoring mode following three consecutive interest rate cuts last year. The resumption of interest rate cuts will depend on labor market or inflation data. There is disagreement among officials regarding the timing.
American Bitcoin BTC Purchase
American Bitcoin Corp, a mining company backed by the Trump family, purchased an additional 416 BTC. This brings the company’s total Bitcoin holdings to 5,843 BTC. According to BitcoinTreasuries data, the company ranks 18th in terms of Bitcoin ownership. The purchase was announced on the X platform.
Japan Stablecoin Reserves
The Japanese Financial Services Agency has begun gathering public opinion on bonds that can be used as stablecoin reserve assets. The deadline for submissions is February 27, 2026. The draft proposal stipulates that only foreign bonds with high credit ratings will be accepted. The regulation aims to implement the 2025 Payment Services Act revision.
Tether’s New Stablecoin and Increase in Treasury Reserves
- Tether has officially launched its new stablecoin, USA₮, which is subject to US federal regulations and backed by the US dollar. USA₮ was developed in line with the federal stablecoin framework created under the GENIUS Act. The token was issued by Anchorage Digital Bank, the first federally authorized stablecoin issuer in the U.S. USA₮ will initially be listed on Bybit, Crypto.com, Kraken, OKX, and Moonpay platforms. USD₮ will continue its global operations.
- Tether earned approximately $15.00 billion in profit in 2025. The company’s U.S. Treasury Bill holdings have surpassed those of major economies such as South Korea. Tether also holds large amounts of Bitcoin and gold reserves. CEO Paolo Ardoino stated that the GENIUS Act marks the transition of stablecoins into the mainstream financial system.
- Tether increased its gold reserves by approximately 27 tons in the fourth quarter of 2025. This brought the reserve level to a level comparable to some central banks. The circulating supply of USDT stands at $187 billion. The circulating value of gold-backed XAUT was announced as $2.7 billion.
Ethereum Foundation Funding Details
The Ethereum Foundation Ecosystem Support Program announced the projects to be funded in the fourth quarter of 2025. Approximately $7,386,000 in funding was allocated during this period. The funds were directed towards community events, zero-knowledge technologies, developer tools, and protocol security. The program aims to support ecosystem growth.
Ethereum Staking Record
The amount of ETH queued to join the Ethereum PoS network has reached 3,330,385. This level represents a new record worth approximately $9.67 billion. The estimated activation delay is calculated to be 57 days and 20 hours. The amount of ETH in the exit queue was reported to be only 832.
Hong Kong-UAE Cooperation
The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission and the UAE Capital Markets Authority signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement aims to strengthen cross-border regulatory cooperation in digital assets. This memorandum is the Hong Kong SFC’s first international regulatory agreement in the field of digital assets. Information sharing and mutual consultation mechanisms will be established.
UK Artificial Intelligence Review
The UK Financial Conduct Authority has launched a review of the impact of advanced artificial intelligence on financial markets. The review covers the impact on consumers, retail financial markets, and regulators. The FCA aims to assess the risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence. The scope of the study will be expanded in the coming period.
India-EU Trade Agreement
Indian Prime Minister Modi announced the completion of a historic free trade agreement with the EU. The agreement concludes a negotiation process that lasted approximately 20 years. In fiscal year 2025, India-EU trade volume reached $136.50 billion. The agreement is expected to enter into force within a year.
Solana Financial Infrastructure
Backpack CEO Armani Ferrante stated that the Solana ecosystem is focusing more on financial infrastructure. He said the network is geared toward high-volume on-chain transactions and market structure. He emphasized that institutional interest remains strong. It was reported that Solana’s long-term role is to be a neutral exchange layer.
Capital B BTC Plan
French company Capital B has updated its $356 million financing plan to increase BTC purchases. The plan is being carried out in partnership with TOBAM. The capital increase will be carried out through an ATM model. The goal is to grow the company’s Bitcoin holdings.
Japan XRP Classification
The Japanese Financial Services Agency plans to reclassify XRP as a financial product. The regulation is expected to come into effect in the second quarter of 2026. XRP will be covered by the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. This step will bring stricter investor protection.
Hang Seng Gold ETF
Hang Seng Investment announced it will issue tokenized fund shares for its gold ETF. The tokenization process will be carried out by HSBC Bank. The Ethereum blockchain will be used initially. Fund shares can be bought and sold through appropriate distribution partners.
Arizona Crypto Tax
The Arizona State Legislature is advancing a proposal to eliminate the property tax applied to crypto assets. SB 1044 and SCR 1003 passed the Senate Finance Committee. If approved, the constitutional amendment will be put to a voter referendum. The proposal has been referred to the Senate Rules Committee.
Ethena Risk Committee
Ethena Labs Research has proposed reducing the number of risk committee members from 5 to 3. The vote will be conducted by $ENA token holders. The change aims to clarify the distribution of responsibilities. If approved, Ethena Labs Research will remain in an advisory role.
