Crypto Fear and Greed Index Drops to 5, Signaling Extreme Fear

The Crypto Fear and Greed Index fell to 5 on Feb. 23, 2026, placing the market in extreme fear territory, Cointelegraph reports. The sentiment gauge analyzes volatility, market momentum, trading volume and social media trends. CoinoMedia cites ongoing price corrections, uncertainty in global financial markets, regulatory concerns and negative social media discussions as factors weighing on sentiment, noting that extreme fear has sometimes appeared near market bottoms but does not guarantee a reversal.