On-chain analytics platform Parsec confirmed in an X post on a Thursday that it will shut down after operating for five years, with CEO Will Sheehan citing a misalignment with the industry's evolving focus. The firm, backed by Uniswap, Polychain Capital and Galaxy Digital, had concentrated on DeFi and NFTs, segments that have seen lower leverage and weaker sales volumes compared with prior peaks.

Bitcoin developer Matt Carallo told the Unchained podcast on Thursday that quantum-computing fears are not behind Bitcoin's latest slide, arguing Ether would be outperforming if they were. He noted Ether is down 58% since early October and around $1,957, while Bitcoin has fallen 46% from its October high of $126,100 to about $67,162.

The Ethereum Foundation has outlined its protocol priorities for 2026, focusing on faster transactions, post-quantum security, higher gas limits and better cross-chain interoperability. It plans to keep raising the gas limit toward and beyond 100 million and is preparing the Glamsterdam network upgrade in the first half of 2026. The foundation also described 2025 as one of its most productive years, marked by the Pectra and Fusaka upgrades and a community-driven gas limit increase from 30 million to 60 million.

US Senator Bernie Moreno told CNBC at Mar-a-Lago that the US CLARITY Act could pass Congress by April. According to Polymarket, odds of 2026 passage spiked to 90% on Wednesday before easing to 72%. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, who withdrew support in January over stablecoin and SEC provisions, now says there is a path forward.

At Cointelegraph's LONGITUDE conference in Hong Kong on Feb. 12, industry leaders focused on Bitcoin's exposure to quantum computing, looming US regulation and the path to trillion-dollar crypto infrastructure. Tron founder Justin Sun urged the sector to get ready for artificial general intelligence, while investors and executives debated how to price quantum risk into Bitcoin and how far the US CLARITY Act could reshape the regulatory landscape.

Venture capitalist Nic Carter warned on the Bits and Bips podcast that major institutions could replace Bitcoin developers if quantum computing risks aren't addressed quickly. He pointed to BlackRock's 761,801 BTC holdings and said a "corporate takeover" is plausible. Bitcoin traded at $70,281, down 26.25% over 30 days, per CoinMarketCap.

Roundhill Investments filed with the SEC on Friday to register six ETFs that use event contracts linked to the 2028 US presidential election. On Saturday, ETF analyst Eric Balchunas said the lineup could be groundbreaking if approved, while the filing cautioned that funds tied to losing outcomes could see near‑total capital loss and face regulatory uncertainty.

During a Thursday Fox Business interview, Anthony Pompliano said cooling inflation is challenging why Bitcoin holders stay invested and argued deflation may mask U.S. dollar devaluation before a rebound in risk assets. Market sentiment has fallen to multi‑year lows, and Bitcoin has slid over the past month as investors reassess its role.

Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley told CNBC on Friday that Bitcoin's slide below $70,000 places it in a bear market and is offering institutions a fresh opportunity to buy at levels they thought they had missed. He noted Bitcoin was recently down 22.60% over 30 days and trading near $69,635, while Bitwise saw over $100 million in institutional inflows on Monday as the asset traded around $77,000. Horsley added that Bitcoin is currently moving in tandem with other liquid macro assets as investors sell broadly across markets.