On February 16, 2026, Binance CEO Richard Teng denied allegations that the exchange fired compliance investigators or breached sanctions tied to more than $1 billion in Iran-linked USDT activity. Fortune reported on February 13 that at least five investigators were dismissed after flagging transactions between March 2024 and August 2025 using USDT on Tron.

Digital asset investment products posted $173 million in net outflows for the week ending February 13, 2026, the fourth straight weekly decline. The US shed $403.2 million while Europe and Canada added $230 million; Bitcoin and Ethereum saw $133.3 million and $85.1 million withdrawn as XRP and Solana attracted $33.4 million and $31 million in inflows.

Digital asset investment products registered outflows of $173 million in the week ending February 13, 2026, marking a fourth straight week of capital withdrawals. Bitcoin and Ethereum products saw the largest redemptions, while Solana and XRP continued to attract institutional inflows despite broader price weakness. Overall ETP trading volumes fell sharply from the previous week, underscoring a risk-off environment.

Mirae Asset Group has agreed to purchase a 92% stake in South Korean crypto exchange Korbit for $93 million in a cash-only deal approved on February 5. The transaction comes as regulators increase scrutiny of local exchanges and banks reassess real-name account partnerships following the recent Bithumb incident.

On 16 February 2026, Harvard Management Company's latest SEC filing showed a 21% reduction in its iShares Bitcoin Trust holdings and the launch of a position in iShares Ethereum Trust. By 31 December 2025, IBIT stood at 5.35 million shares ($265.8 million) and ETHA at 3.87 million shares ($86.82 million); by mid-February 2026 their values were about $198 million and $59.7 million.

Gold traded around $5,008.40, down 0.69% on the day and 0.31% over the week, within a $4,974.27–$5,043.09 range as US and Chinese holidays curbed liquidity. Traders watched $4,900 initial support and resistance near $5,100 ahead of midweek Fed minutes and Friday releases including Advance GDP, Core PCE and flash PMIs.

Bitcoin and broader crypto markets are facing renewed selling pressure as traders await key US macroeconomic data and Federal Reserve minutes in the week of the President's Day holiday. Inflation gauges including January CPI and the upcoming December PCE report, together with GDP figures and multiple Fed speaker appearances, are expected to influence risk appetite. Meanwhile, Bitcoin has slipped back toward $68,300 and total crypto market capitalization has retreated to about $2.41 trillion as volatility returns.

On February 15, 2026, Brian Armstrong said Coinbase's retail users increased native-unit balances in Bitcoin and Ethereum during recent volatility, with most February holdings matching or exceeding December levels. On February 16, 2026, Bitcoin traded near $68,500 and Ethereum hovered around $2,000, as leveraged derivatives activity continued to sway intraday moves.