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U.S. pre-market trading shows broad gains in crypto-related stocks, with Coinbase leading a 7.41% increase. Other notable rises include ETHZilla up 5.59%, UPXI 2.22%, BitMine 1.57%, and Strategy 1.42%. The gains are reported alongside msx.com's decentralized RWA trading platform, which lists various real-world asset tokens including major U.S. stocks and ETFs.

Espresso is creating a decentralized shared sequencer and confirmation layer to solve issues of Rollup fragmentation and centralized sequencing. Its HotShot consensus mechanism enables fast finality and enhances censorship resistance by settling only confirmed blocks on Ethereum. With cross-chain tools and integrations on over 20 blockchains, Espresso aims to establish itself as foundational infrastructure for the modular Rollup ecosystem.

Binance has been the focus of fresh insolvency rumors following withdrawal delays and reported $40 billion reserve reductions. Despite these claims, on-chain data reveals increasing Bitcoin reserves and a total asset value stabilizing around $132 billion, contradicting fears of a bank run. Binance has responded with transparency efforts, emphasizing over-collateralization and encouraging self-custody to reassure users of its liquidity strength.

Telegram's TON blockchain is uniquely positioned for mass adoption due to its deep integration with the one-billion-user Telegram platform. TON emphasizes consumer-friendly design with intuitive onboarding, social NFTs, and institutional-grade infrastructure, differentiating itself from other Web3 projects. The project is navigating U.S. regulatory complexities while focusing on scaling, usability, and seamless Web2 to Web3 transition.

The tokenized gold market has grown strongly to a market capitalization of over $6 billion despite recent volatility in physical gold prices. Tether Gold (XAUT) leads the sector with $3.5 billion in market cap, significantly expanding its gold holdings and forging a strategic partnership with Gold.com. Paxos's PAX Gold (PAXG) holds the second position, with both tokens dominating the digital gold ecosystem amid fluctuating spot gold prices.

Ark Invest, led by Cathie Wood, bought an additional $6.6 million worth of shares in Bitmine and Bullish on February 13. The purchases were made through three of Ark's ETFs, acquiring over 212,000 shares of Bitmine and more than 74,000 shares of Bullish. This represents the 11th day in a row that Ark has been purchasing Bullish stock, indicating strong bullish sentiment.

A senior executive at Deribit has stated that Bitcoin's long-term bullish trend is interrupted unless the price recovers above $85,000. The current price decline may temporarily depress momentum. However, a dip to around $58,000 is seen as a potential opportunity to trigger renewed buying interest.

Several major investment banks, including JPMorgan and Canaccord, have reduced their price targets for Coinbase after the company posted Q4 earnings below market expectations. The lowered targets reflect concerns over weak crypto market conditions, increased operating costs, and shifts toward lower-fee trading products. Despite the lowered targets, both firms maintain positive ratings, highlighting Coinbase's profitability and market share gains.

William LeGate, Polymarket's market lead, confirmed that the anticipated airdrop snapshot has not yet been conducted. The platform is expanding its fee structure to include sports markets, specifically charging fees for NCAA and Serie A events starting February 18th. This update follows prior news on Polymarket's adjustments to market fees.

Hong Kong plans to issue crypto licenses starting March 2026 despite mainland China's crypto ban, with 36 applications already under review by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. The move reflects a cautious regulatory approach focusing on stablecoin oversight, anti-money laundering, and financial stability. This development occurs amid rising BRICS efforts to reduce US dollar dependency, positioning Hong Kong as a critical hub bridging traditional finance and regulated digital assets.

Robert Mitchnick, Global Head of Digital Assets at BlackRock, denied rumors that the recent sharp Bitcoin market decline was caused by IBIT hedge fund liquidations. He clarified that institutions and sovereign funds are actually buying Bitcoin during price dips, while most liquidations occurred on leveraged perpetual contract platforms. BlackRock's IBIT fund experienced only minimal net redemptions, affirming its robust capital base and long-term investor profile.

Standard Chartered has cut its Bitcoin price target for the end of 2026 from $150,000 to $100,000 and warns of a possible decline to $50,000 before recovery. Weak ETF demand, slipping institutional flows, and bearish technical patterns such as a bear flag and declining Net Unrealized Profit and Loss (NUPL) signal prolonged downside risk. Long-term holders are still net sellers, reinforcing the expectation that Bitcoin may test key support between $48,300 and $53,200 in the near term.

Following Coinbase's Q4 earnings miss amid weak crypto markets, JPMorgan downgraded its price target but remains supportive of the company's long-term strategy of investing through downturns and returning capital through share buybacks. The earnings results highlight ongoing market pressures in the cryptocurrency sector. Analysts continue to monitor Coinbase's execution against its strategic goals despite near-term challenges.

BlackRock has significantly increased its holdings in Bitmine, a major Ethereum-focused digital asset company, as Ethereum's price has fallen nearly 60% from its peak. Despite market weakness causing notable sell-offs by industry pioneers and large declines in Bitmine's share price, major Wall Street firms like Goldman Sachs and BlackRock continue buying the dip. BlackRock remains optimistic about Ethereum’s future, emphasizing its dominance in tokenized asset ecosystems and ongoing leadership in blockchain innovation.

Aave Labs has proposed a $50 million grant to allocate all revenues from Aave-branded products to the Aave DAO treasury. The package includes up to $42.5 million in stablecoins and 75,000 AAVE tokens, raising community concerns about potential voting power concentration. The proposal aims to shift the DAO towards a token-centered model to enhance funding and buyback execution capabilities and is currently in the feedback phase.

BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, increased its investment in Bitmine by 166% in Q4, raising its holdings to $246 million. This substantial buy occurred even as Bitmine's stock price dropped around 70% over the past six months to about $20 per share. The data was revealed through a 13F-HR filing, highlighting BlackRock's significant confidence in Bitmine amid its recent share price weakness.

Apple’s stock fell 5% following reports that the much-anticipated Siri upgrade is delayed due to performance issues. Additionally, increased regulatory pressure emerged as the FTC accused Apple of biased content moderation in its Apple News segment. These factors combined have led to a bearish sentiment on Apple shares, with investors uncertain about the near-term outlook.

Börse Stuttgart Group is combining its cryptocurrency business with Tradias, a Frankfurt-based digital asset trading platform, forming a new entity valued at over €500 million. Tradias alone was valued at approximately €200 million. The merged company will employ around 300 people and be jointly managed by teams from both firms.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong sold around $550 million worth of company stock between early 2025 and January 2026. These transactions were conducted under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan established in August 2024. The sales appear pre-planned, designed to comply with regulatory guidelines for insider trading.