Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has outlined a new framework for thinking about blockchain security, arguing that the divide between security and user experience is largely artificial. He emphasizes minimizing the gap between what users intend and how systems actually behave, calling for redundancy-based protections in Ethereum wallets and dApps. Buterin also suggests using large language models as an additional, but not exclusive, layer to help interpret and verify user intent.

Bitcoin fell more than 5% below $65,000 in early Asia trading on Monday, as fresh tariff headlines stirred nerves. CoinGecko data shows about $464 million was liquidated in the past 24 hours; traders warn a daily close above $71,000 is needed, with bears watching $42,000–$45,000.

Strategy executive chairman Michael Saylor signaled on social media that another Bitcoin purchase may be coming. On Feb. 17, the company disclosed a roughly $168 million buy, bringing its holdings to 717,131 BTC and pushing toward 750,000. Per CoinGecko, BTC trades near $67,359, below Strategy's $76,000 average cost.

XRP just saw its largest on-chain realized loss since 2022, with weekly losses totaling $1.93 billion. The extreme drawdown coincided with a deep capitulation phase, and the last comparable event in November 2022 preceded a 114% rebound over eight months.

Bitcoin has fallen 29% over the last 30 days, with VanEck's latest Bitcoin ChainCheck report arguing that leveraged positions have been cleared and "mid-cycle" sellers are largely spent. The asset manager also notes a sharp pullback in hash rate and mining profitability, while on-chain activity and transaction counts remain comparatively strong.

Vitalik Buterin pushed back against an X user's suggestion to abandon Ethereum's base chain, outlining a tightly integrated "bolt-on" rebuild that keeps the network live. He described a cypherpunk-focused redesign that grows alongside the current chain, and said a roughly five-year timeline could be shortened with AI-assisted coding and verification.

Franklin Templeton's first Form 10-Q for the Franklin XRP ETF (ticker XRPZ) shows the fund held more than 118 million XRP by the end of 2025, alongside $243.60 million in assets under management. While XRP ETFs collectively control $1.06 billion, representing about 1.17% of XRP's total market cap, recent data indicate that daily net inflows across the five leading issuers have stalled at $0.00 after a volatile two-week stretch.

On Tuesday, MicroStrategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor said in a Fox Business interview that the market has entered a "crypto winter," calling it the fifth major Bitcoin drawdown since he joined the space five years ago. He argued this downturn should be milder and shorter, citing institutional and policy support, while Fox Business noted MicroStrategy's average BTC cost near $76,000 sits above current prices.

According to analyst David Lawant, collapsing premiums on CME Bitcoin futures indicate that institutional demand for leveraged exposure has dropped to levels last seen in October 2023. Traders are now showing less interest in upside leverage than during major stress events such as the April 2025 "Liberation Day" sell-off and the mid-2024 "German/JPY" unwind, signaling a shift from panic to deep market apathy.