The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has moved to defend its 
authority over prediction markets, filing a friend-of-the-court brief as 
state-level legal challenges against the sector intensify. CFTC defends 
control of US prediction markets In a video posted on…

“We’ll see you in court”: CFTC fires back as states target prediction markets

Bitcoin continues to struggle to reclaim the $70,000 level, with persistent 
selling pressure keeping the market in a defensive posture. Price action has 
repeatedly failed to establish sustained momentum above this psychological 
threshold, reflecting cautious sentiment among both institutional and retail 
participants. While volatility has moderated compared with the sharp declines 
seen earlier in the cycle, the broader structure still suggests a market 
searching for direction rather than entering a clear recovery phase. Related 
Reading: Ethereum Whale Losses Mirror Past Bottoms: Accumulation Continues 
Despite Pressure Recent on-chain data from a CryptoQuant analyst offers 
additional context by examining whale positioning. Wallets holding between 
1,000 and 10,000 BTC currently control approximately 4.483 million BTC as of 
February 16, 2026. Within this cohort, long-term holder whales — those holding 
coins for more than 155 days — dominate with roughly 3.196 million BTC, or 
about 71.3% of the total. Short-term whales, defined by holding periods under 
155 days, account for around 1.287 million BTC, representing 28.7%. Although 
newer whales have modestly increased balances in recent months, structural 
control remains firmly with long-term holders. This imbalance suggests that 
while newer capital faces ongoing pressure, more established investors 
continue to anchor the market. Whether this dynamic supports stabilization or 
precedes further volatility remains an open question. Whale Cost Basis Signals 
Redistribution Rather Than Capitulation The analyst emphasizes that the most 
decisive signal comes from comparing realized price — the on-chain average 
acquisition cost — across different whale cohorts. Short-term holder (STH) 
whales currently show a realized price near $88,494, while long-term holder 
(LTH) whales maintain a significantly lower cost basis around $41,626. With 
Bitcoin trading close to $68,795, the contrast is pronounced. Newer whales are 
sitting on roughly a 22% unrealized loss, whereas long-term whales retain an 
estimated 65% profit margin. This asymmetry highlights a familiar market 
dynamic: recent capital is under pressure, while structurally entrenched 
holders still operate from a position of strength. When price declines 
accelerate, short-term whales historically tend to capitulate first, locking 
in losses. Recent realized profit data suggest this process has already 
intensified since Bitcoin’s October all-time high, with deeper negative spikes 
appearing as the correction progressed. Historically, similar configurations 
observed in 2019 and 2022 corresponded with redistribution phases rather than 
systemic collapse. Supply gradually shifted from lower-conviction participants 
toward stronger holders. The key threshold remains the LTH realized price near 
$41.6K. As long as Bitcoin trades above that level, structural capitulation is 
not confirmed. Instead, the current phase appears to reflect conviction 
transfer rather than widespread market destruction. Related Reading: Hyperunit 
Whale Dumps $500M In Ethereum As Massive Crypto Bet Turns Sour Bitcoin Holds 
Key Support As Downtrend Structure Remains Intact Bitcoin price action on the 
3-day timeframe continues to reflect a structurally weak market following the 
sharp rejection from the late-2025 highs near $125,000. Since then, BTC has 
printed a sequence of lower highs and lower lows, confirming a clear 
intermediate downtrend. The recent drop toward the $65,000–$70,000 zone 
highlights persistent selling pressure, particularly after repeated failures 
to reclaim higher moving averages. From a technical perspective, price is 
currently trading below the 50-, 100-, and 200-period moving averages, all of 
which are beginning to slope downward. This alignment typically signals 
bearish momentum and suggests rallies may continue to face resistance. The 
200-period average near the mid-$90,000 region now represents a major 
structural barrier rather than support. Related Reading: Liquidity Or 
Liability? History’s Hard Lessons For The XRP Momentum Play Volume dynamics 
reinforce this interpretation. Selling spikes accompanying recent declines 
appear stronger than buying activity during rebounds, indicating distribution 
rather than accumulation in the short term. However, the stabilization near 
the $65,000–$70,000 range suggests a potential consolidation phase rather than 
immediate continuation lower. Key support sits around the recent local low 
near $60,000. A sustained breakdown below that level could trigger another 
volatility expansion, while recovery above $80,000 would be required to 
neutralize the current bearish structure and shift sentiment toward 
stabilization. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com

Is Bitcoin Supply Moving To Strong Hands? Whale Data Suggest Structural Shift

Thiel&#8217;s exit from ETHZilla signals potential instability in Ethereum-focused 
ventures, impacting investor confidence and market dynamics.
The post Peter Thiel sells entire stake in Ethereum treasury ETHZilla through 
Founders Fund appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Peter Thiel sells entire stake in Ethereum treasury ETHZilla through Founders Fund

Stablecoin platform Bridge has received a conditional banking charter from the 
United States Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. “Once fully approved, 
the charter will enable Bridge to operate stablecoin products and services 
under direct federal oversight,” Bridge said…

Stablecoin platform Bridge wins conditional approval for national trust bank charter

XRP price has dropped nearly 25% over the past month. It risks extending its 
downtrend over the coming weeks as bearish technicals continue to cast a 
shadow upon any potential recovery. According to data from crypto.news, XRP 
(XRP) price has…

Cryptocurrency price in SEK