Market Performance
| Asset / Index | Value ($) | Daily Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC) | 68,310.0 | -0.94% |
| Ethereum (ETH) | 1,974.90 | -1.12% |
| Bitcoin Spot ETF | – | No Flow |
| Ethereum Spot ETF | – | No Flow |
| Nasdaq (NAS100) | 24,527.4 | -0.61% |
| S&P 500 (SPX) | 6,836.18 | +0.05% |
| Russell 2000 (RUT) | 2,623.0 | -0.69% |
| U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) | 96.880 | +0.11% |
| VIX Volatility Index | 21.20 | +2.91% |
| U.S. 10-Year Yield | 4.05206 | -1.23% |
| Brent Crude Oil (BRENT) | 68.344 | -0.69% |
| LBMA Gold (XAU) | 4,909.44 | -1.67% |
| LBMA Silver (XAG) | 74.355 | -2.70% |
“Prepared at UTC 07.35 am”
Today’s Key Events
- President Trump Attends Policy Meeting
- Second Round of Talks Between the US and Iran to Take Place in Geneva
- Chinese, Hong Kong, and South Korean Markets Closed (Year of the Horse Celebrations)
- FOMC Members Barr and Daly to Speak
- US Retail and Housing Sales
- Germany CPI to be Released
- UK Unemployment Data to be Monitored
- ETHDenver 2026 Event Begins
- HIVE Blockchain Technology Earnings Report
Iran Launches Drill in Strait of Hormuz
- The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy launched a military drill called “Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz” in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz. It is noteworthy that the drill was organized following the US’s increase in its military presence in the region in recent weeks.
- The Iranian side stated that the exercise tested its capacity for a rapid, decisive, and comprehensive response to potential threats from the sea.
- The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic chokepoint through which a significant portion of global oil trade passes, making it critically important for global markets. Iran has previously stated that it could close the strait in the event of a potential war.
US-Iran Talks in Geneva
US and Iranian delegations are meeting today in Geneva for a second round of negotiations. It was reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi contacted International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi prior to the talks and discussed his proposals for indirect talks with US Special Representative Steve Witkoff. Jared Kushner is expected to be part of the US delegation, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed cautious optimism about the possibility of an agreement. President Donald Trump stated that military options remain on the table if Iran does not accept an agreement limiting its nuclear program. The talks are taking place amid military activity and exercises in the region.
Supreme Court Tariff Day
The U.S. Supreme Court has set February 20 as the next decision date in the case regarding the tariffs imposed by Donald Trump. The court will also hold sessions on February 24 and 25. The tariff case is among 12 cases heard in October and November that are still pending. According to federal government data, the disputed tariffs are costing importers more than $16 billion per month. The Court is reviewing the “Liberation Day” tariffs announced on April 2, ranging from 10% to 50%, as well as additional tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. These tariffs were introduced primarily to combat fentanyl smuggling.
Expectations of a Fixed Interest Rate at the Fed
According to CME FedWatch data, markets are pricing in a 92.2 percent chance that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged in March. The probability of a 25 basis point cut at the March meeting stands at 7.8 percent. The probability of a cumulative 25 basis point cut by April is calculated at 25.3%, while this probability rises to 52.6% by June. The data points to a cautious outlook in the short term but a more dovish outlook towards the summer months.
Signal from Japan in April
Seiji Adachi, a member of the Bank of Japan’s policy board, stated in March that an interest rate hike could come early. Adachi said that comprehensive data to be released in April would be more appropriate for confirming the improvement in core inflation. This statement reinforced expectations that the board, led by Governor Kazuo Ueda, could tighten policy again in the spring. Speculation is mounting in the markets about Japan’s exit from its loose monetary policy.
$700 Million Lawsuit in Cyprus
The Cyprus Supreme Court has allowed police to open a bank safe deposit box as part of a $700 million crypto fraud investigation. An objection to the search warrant by an Israeli couple was rejected. The investigation is reportedly linked to a cross-border crypto investment fraud network led by France. Authorities stated that the funds were transferred through shell companies and crypto accounts in different countries.
WLFI Moved to Binance
According to on-chain data, the Trump family’s crypto project, World Liberty Finance, deposited approximately 235 million WLFI tokens, worth around $24 million, to Binance. No official statement was made regarding the purpose of the transfer. There is speculation in the market that this move could be a potential liquidity or sale preparation. Large-scale token transfers can often create short-term price volatility.
Zashi Rebrands
The Zashi app will be rebranded as Zodl with the new update. The company stated that there will be no changes to the user experience and that existing accounts will be preserved. Users will not need to download a new app or change their seed phrases. It is stated that the brand change is for strategic positioning purposes.
Sky Buybacks Grow
Sky Protocol’s buyback program increased from approximately $370,000 to $100 million in 2025. This increase indicates an expansion of approximately 261 times on an annual basis. Approximately $100 million worth of SKY tokens were bought back under the program. It was also reported that the circulating supply declined from the third quarter to the fourth quarter.
Nexo Returns to the US
Crypto lending platform Nexo announced its official return to the US market as of 2026. The company aims to offer investment and lending products in compliance with US regulations. It was reported that the digital asset infrastructure is provided by Bakkt. The new service package will focus on portfolio management and liquidity solutions.
Alchemy Chain Testnet Begins
Crypto payment provider Alchemy Pay plans to launch the test network for its L1 mainnet, Alchemy Chain, on February 23. Built on the Solana virtual machine architecture, the network will support both fiat and crypto payments. The project aims to provide payment infrastructure for large-scale commercial applications. The testnet process will be critical for performance and security evaluation prior to the mainnet launch.
According to SolanaFloor data, Solana accounts for approximately 49.7% of x402 micropayment transactions. This rate has seen a significant decline from over 88% at the beginning of the month. Polygon, in particular, is noted to have increased its share in the competition. Weekly transaction volume has also declined by more than 90% from peak levels.
Lighter Increases Liquidity
The decentralized perpetual contract platform Lighter announced that it has updated its LLP infrastructure. With the new model, independent liquidity strategies will be implemented for different market types. Risk, liquidation, and automatic leverage reduction will be managed based on strategy. The goal is to provide deeper and more sustainable liquidity to newly launched markets.
