On February 17, 2026, Brian Armstrong said in an analyst AMA and a post on X that Wall Street undervalues Coinbase and misreads its strategy. He cited operating data, including 156% year‑over‑year trading volume, market share doubling in 2025, and 12 products each generating over $100 million annually, and noted that five GSIBs have begun collaborating with Coinbase.

XRP's derivatives positioning has turned bearish as funding rates across major exchanges fell below zero, with a low near -0.0748%. Open interest has slid back to zones linked with multi‑year bases. This backdrop may weigh on price in the near term, though crowded shorts have historically preceded sharp rebounds when momentum shifts.

Using a structured prompt, ChatGPT outlined end‑2026 price scenarios for three major altcoins. The model projects XRP could approach $8 from roughly $1.44, Dogecoin may reach the long‑watched $1 mark with an upside path to $1.50, and Solana could rally toward $450 after trading under $100 in February.

The IRS's new Form 1099-DA introduces standardized reporting for digital asset sales, emphasizing gross proceeds for 2025 activity. Many cost basis fields may remain blank, leaving taxpayers to reconstruct acquisition records across wallets and venues. The rollout is reshaping filing behavior and raising concerns about confusion and potential overpayment as people import forms into tax software.

On Feb. 9, S&P Global reported that Ledn's new bitcoin-backed securitized bonds, totaling $188 million, are mainly rated BBB-. The deal, structured and bookrun by Jefferies Financial Group, is collateralized by 4,078.87 BTC valued at about $356.9 million. Bitcoin was trading at $66,329.34 at 4:54 p.m. ET, down nearly 30% over the past month.

On Jan. 30, SOL slipped below a weekly head-and-shoulders neckline at $120, and on Feb. 6 it reached $67 as chart signals pointed to lower levels near $50–$60. Onchain MVRV bands place initial support around $73, while U.S. spot SOL ETFs have recorded frequent inflows, including $2.9 million on Tuesday.

On February 18, 2026, Coin Bureau said the World Uncertainty Index hit a record high as tariff tensions escalate, while ADA compressed near the $0.28 demand zone. Bitcoinsensus projected expansion targets from $3, and a side-chain mainnet expected by March 2026 plus the Midnight token could influence liquidity. Midnight (NIGHT) has a 24 billion supply and $10 million Wednesday volume, versus ADA’s $346 million daily turnover.

In February 2026, Logan Paul's $16.49 million auction of a PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator card via Goldin drew criticism from Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz over its buyback structure, as fractional investors now threaten legal action. Dogecoin traders endured a 12,928% long liquidation imbalance when the price slipped from $0.103 to $0.09862, while XRP network activity weakened, with fees burned plunging from 519 XRP to 126 XRP, a 75% drop in 24 hours. Across these markets, prolonged volatility and bearish sentiment have pressured prices and shaken trader confidence.