Vitalik Buterin set 2026 as a target to reclaim computing self-sovereignty, detailing moves to privacy tools and trials of running language models on a personal laptop. The article argues local-only hosting cannot meet training and persistent inference needs at scale, and instead points to decentralized compute networks as a way to combine independence with elastic capacity.

As of February 19, the United Arab Emirates has mined $453.8 million worth of Bitcoin and is holding these coins with an unrealized gross profit of about $344 million under a no-selling strategy, according to Arkham Intelligence. In contrast, Bhutan, which once accumulated over 13,000 BTC through secret mining, has recently been selling its holdings, including a $22.4 million transfer in the past week. Other nations such as El Salvador and Ethiopia are also scaling state-linked Bitcoin mining and infrastructure efforts.

Solana’s SOL climbed back above the $80 mark as on-chain engagement and transaction throughput reached fresh highs, with participants highlighting rising user and application activity. The price move followed a stretch of volatile trading, and traders cautioned that sustained demand and network stability will be key to confirming this recovery.

Mizuho analysts reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and a $26 price target on Gemini Space Station, even as the stock trades near all-time lows around $5.90. They argued that recent executive departures and market turmoil are largely priced in, while cost cuts, a 25% workforce reduction and exiting the UK, EU and Australia could support margin improvement over time. Their valuation framework also includes a $43 bull case and an $8 bear case, both above the current share price.

On February 19, 2026, HYPE traded around $31–$32, about 47% below its 2025 peak near $59. Arthur Hayes set a $150 target for July 2026 and placed a $100,000 outperformance wager against altcoins above $1 billion in market cap. Hyperliquid's model directs 50% of fees to token buybacks, with 2025 notional volume around $2.6 trillion.

On February 18, Grayscale Investments and Canary Capital launched the first U.S.-listed staking ETFs tied to SUI on NYSE Arca and Nasdaq, giving regulated exposure to the token and on-chain rewards. Despite this development, SUI traded below $0.95 and has shed about 40% over the past month, with weak derivatives activity, falling DeFi TVL and an upcoming March 1 token unlock adding pressure around key technical support.

On-chain data from Arkham indicates UAE-linked Bitcoin miners have produced about $453.6 million worth of BTC and kept most of it on-chain. Arkham also reports no significant wallet outflows over the past four months. The MIREV revenue gauge on TradingView remains above capitulation levels, suggesting miners are not facing acute stress.

Russia is preparing to restrict access to overseas crypto exchange websites from September 1 unless platforms comply with new domestic requirements. The plan channels users toward locally licensed venues operating under experimental legal regimes, alongside accelerated efforts to launch state-backed exchanges in Moscow and St. Petersburg with stricter KYC and capital standards.