Metaplanet CEO Simon Gerovich has publicly rejected accusations from anonymous online critics that the firm concealed losses and key details related to its leveraged Bitcoin trades. He argued that all major BTC purchases, options strategies and BTC-backed borrowings in 2025 were disclosed in a timely manner, and pointed to strong revenue growth from Bitcoin-related activities despite large accounting losses.

South Korean lawmakers criticized the Financial Services Commission after Bithumb mistakenly credited 620,000 BTC during a Feb. 6 promotion, triggering brief sell pressure. The FSC opened a probe on Feb. 10 and, initially due by Feb. 13, extended it toward the end of February; Bithumb said most assets were recovered, with 125 BTC ($8.6 million) still unrecovered.

Bitcoin is trading near $67,400 while defending the $66,000–$65,729 support zone amid rising geopolitical risk. According to Polymarket, bettors assign a 61% chance of a U.S. strike on Iran this month, and CryptoQuant data shows Short-Term Holder SOPR below 1.0. A daily close beneath support could refocus attention on $60,000.

On 19 February 2026, U.S.-listed Bitcoin exchange-traded funds saw about $165.8 million in net outflows, led by sizable redemptions from a major IBIT vehicle. Ethereum products registered roughly $130.1 million in withdrawals, while Solana and XRP ETFs posted smaller but positive net inflows of around $6.0 million and $4.05 million, signaling a cautious rotation into select alternative assets.

On 20 February 2026, the Ethereum Foundation outlined a shift to two network upgrades per year, beginning in 2026. The plan prioritizes scaling, improved user experience, and stronger L1 security, with a gas limit target of 100M+ and named upgrades Glamsterdam in H1 and Hegotá in H2.

On 20 February 2026, Deutsche Bank said it is expanding Ripple-based infrastructure across cross-border payments, foreign exchange and digital asset custody. The bank targets near-instant settlement and lower costs, with internal projections pointing to up to 30% operational savings; the rollout focuses on enterprise messaging and routing rather than direct XRP usage.

On February 19, 2026, Chainalysis outlined how on‑chain cryptocurrency flows linked to darknet markets and fentanyl precursor suppliers can anticipate overdose trends by three to six months. The firm reported that darknet market inflows neared $2.6 billion in 2025, while mid‑2023 saw a sharp drop in payments to fentanyl precursor suppliers that aligned with declining opioid deaths in the U.S. and Canada. Larger crypto transfers above $500 also showed a strong relationship with stimulant‑related hospitalizations in Canada, underscoring blockchain’s dual role as both a facilitator of illicit activity and a tool for public health forecasting and law enforcement.

According to CryptoQuant, Ethereum derivatives have seen sharp deleveraging, with aggregate open interest sliding from $33.3 billion to about $11 billion, a 66% decline. CoinGlass also tracked roughly $189 million in 24‑hour liquidations as price moved toward $1,900, while exchange balances reached a multi‑year low of 16.1 million ETH.