It’s Feb 18, 2026. The Fear & Greed Index is at a bone-chilling 8/100. Most people are looking for the exit. But while retail is panicking, the biggest venture funds in the world are reloading their war chests.
1. The Dragonfly "Mega-Fund" Close
Yesterday, Dragonfly Capital announced the final close of their $650 million Fund IV. This is 30% larger than their last fund. Why does this matter for your portfolio? Because they are specifically targeting "Agentic Payments"—the tech where AI agents (like those powered by $RENDER ) manage their own crypto wallets on $ETH .
2. ETHDenver Day 2: The "Intents" Narrative
Today in Denver, the focus has shifted to "Intents" and "Account Abstraction." This is the tech that makes crypto invisible to the average user. While the price of Ethereum is fighting to hold $2,000, the infrastructure is being laid for the next billion users. I am watching the $1,980 support—if it holds through today’s NY session, the "Denver Bounce" is on.
3. The RWA Anchor: $LINK
As part of this "Institutional Reset," Chainlink ($LINK) continues to be the only bridge for the $650M in new capital to reach real-world assets. If you are looking for a hedge against the "Extreme Fear" volatility, the RWA infrastructure play is historically where the money flows during a recovery.
Who do you trust more?
Drop an emoji in the comments!
💸 The VC Funds: $650M in new capital doesn't lie.
🐻 The Fear Index: 8/100 means there's more pain coming.
🤖 The AI Agents: Betting on RENDER regardless of the price.
🏔️ The Developers: Trusting the tech at ETHDenver.