The White House has reportedly set a March 1 target to finalize negotiations on a U.S. crypto market structure bill known as the Clarity Act, aiming to move the proposal forward by the end of the month. A draft discussed with major crypto firms and banking associations would prohibit yield on idle stablecoin balances, empower the SEC, Treasury, and CFTC to enforce the rules with penalties up to $500,000 per violation per day, and keep a bank-requested deposit outflow study on the table.

Wells Fargo analysts estimate that up to $150 billion in U.S. tax refunds during the 2026 filing season could boost liquidity and support renewed risk-taking in assets like Bitcoin. Over the past four weeks, domestic liquidity reportedly dropped by about $105 billion as Bitcoin fell roughly 28%, but projections point to peak refund-driven cash flows around early April, aligning with historical patterns of stronger retail trading.

Standard Chartered has lowered its 2026 XRP price projection from $8 to $2.80 after a broad cryptocurrency selloff and mounting ETF outflows. The bank also cut year-end targets for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, while XRP ETFs saw assets retreat about 40% from a $1.6 billion peak in early January 2026. Market participants are now watching US legislative efforts such as the Clarity Act, which some expect could influence digital asset regulation and sentiment.

According to TRM Labs, Monero’s on‑chain activity stayed above pre‑2022 baselines through 2024 and 2025 even after Binance and Coinbase ended support. The report also noted that 48% of new darknet markets in 2025 accepted only XMR, while most completed ransomware payments still settled in Bitcoin because of liquidity and accessibility advantages.

MicroStrategy chairman Michael Saylor claims the company could still fully cover its roughly $6 billion in net debt even if Bitcoin plunged 88% to $8,000. Management also outlined a plan to convert its existing convertible notes into equity over the next three to six years while continuing to buy Bitcoin despite more than $5 billion in unrealized losses.

Asian regulators and financial institutions rolled out new digital asset measures this week, with Malaysia piloting ringgit-pegged stablecoins, tokenized deposits and real-world assets under its central bank. Thailand, South Korea and Russia advanced rules on derivatives, market surveillance and the legal status of cryptocurrencies, while Japan, Kyrgyzstan and China expanded blockchain use in settlement, taxation and green power certification.

Tether Investments has committed new capital to LayerZero Labs after the USDt0 stablecoin processed over $70 billion in cross-chain transfers within less than 12 months. The collaboration centers on LayerZero's interoperability framework and Tether's Wallet Development Kit, aiming to enhance stablecoin mobility and support AI-driven wallet and payment solutions across multiple blockchains.

On February 9, Polymarket filed a federal lawsuit in the District of Massachusetts seeking to block the state from applying gambling laws to its sports prediction contracts. The complaint names Attorney General Andrea Campbell and the gaming commission, arguing CFTC oversight preempts state action and citing a recent Massachusetts ruling against Kalshi as evidence of imminent harm.

Binance has converted $300 million in stablecoins into 4,225 BTC as part of an ongoing rebalance of its Secure Asset Fund for Users, taking the reserve's Bitcoin holdings to 10,455 BTC. The exchange plans to shift up to $1 billion of SAFU into BTC over a 30-day window, with automatic top-ups if the fund's value falls below $800 million. In parallel, USD1's supply has reached $5 billion, most of it reportedly held on Binance, while a WLFI airdrop campaign offers $40 million in rewards to USD1 holders until February 20.