On Feb. 6, Bithumb mistakenly credited about 695 users with at least 2,000 BTC each instead of a planned 2,000 won cash reward, creating roughly 620,000 BTC in internal ledger balances and causing a brief 17% Bitcoin price drop on the exchange. Trading and withdrawals for affected accounts were halted within 35 minutes, and most of the misallocated BTC was later recovered, highlighting operational control risks and prompting South Korean regulators to push for stricter oversight.

On 14 February 2026, Bitcoin continued to trade below $70,000 while on-chain data from Santiment pointed to conditions often associated with late-stage market corrections. Large holders reportedly accumulated over 18,000 BTC in four days, MVRV ratios moved deep into negative territory, trading volume dropped 61%, and funding rates turned neutral to negative, suggesting a potential setup for heightened volatility rather than a simple continuation of the downtrend.

On February 13, 2026, Michael Saylor urged Go bitcoin and said the money won't fix itself. Reports indicate Strategy holds 714,644 BTC at an average cost of $76,056, and recent filings show 1,142 BTC were bought this month around $78,815 each, roughly $90 million. At about $68,000 per BTC, the position reflects an estimated unrealized loss near $6 billion and a reported book value above $54 billion.

Throughout 2025 and into early 2026, Bitcoin holders have been re-evaluating why they own BTC as global and U.S. inflation data soften. While some investors question its role as an inflation hedge, firms like Strategy and figures such as Michael Saylor continue to accumulate Bitcoin for the long term amid high market fear and sharp price declines.

Anthony Pompliano said easing inflation is challenging Bitcoin's long-term thesis centered on finite supply and monetary expansion. The Consumer Price Index slowed to 2.4% in January from 2.7%, and Bitcoin traded near $68,850, down about 28% over the past month amid an "Extreme Fear" sentiment reading of 9.

Bitcoin climbed roughly 4% over the past 24 hours, with price now nearing resistance at $72,736 while support remains around $67,850. The daily structure stays below short- and medium-term EMAs, and momentum shows RSI rebounding from oversold as MACD stays negative, signaling a tentative relief phase rather than a clear reversal.

United States Rep. Byron Donalds reported buying between $1,001 and $15,000 worth of Bitcoin on January 8, 2026, with the trade disclosed on February 12 while the asset was trading below $70,000. The filing also lists partial sales of several traditional stocks in late January, adding to prior criticism over his trading activity in office. A watchdog group had previously alleged he and his spouse failed to timely report over 100 stock transactions worth up to about $1.6 million in 2022 and 2023, keeping his investment history under ongoing review.

On 14 February 2026, El Salvador's Bitcoin holdings of 7,560 BTC were valued at about $508.47 million, down roughly $300 million from recent peak levels following a sharp market pullback. The mark-to-market loss has intensified scrutiny of President Nayib Bukele's Bitcoin strategy as the country continues accumulating BTC while managing debt obligations and an IMF agreement.