New York, Feb 17, 2026, 12:29 EST — Regular session
Bitcoin fell Tuesday, hovering close to $67,400 as traders reduced exposure and awaited fresh U.S. economic data for cues. The largest cryptocurrency shed about 0.8% on the session after ranging from $66,702 up to $69,111. Ether slipped 0.2%, changing hands near $1,971.
Cryptocurrencies slipped alongside a broader pullback, with traders weighing up how much the artificial intelligence boom might cost—and how quickly it unfolds. “There’s a lot of validity in that AI will result in less demand for certain types of workers,” said Peter Tuz, president of Chase Investment Counsel. (Reuters)
Money kept leaving listed crypto products for the fourth week in a row, with $173 million pulled last week, CoinShares data shows. Bitcoin and ether funds took the biggest hits. XRP and Solana went the other direction, drawing some new money. Short-bitcoin products also lost assets—a pattern CoinShares describes as “often seen near market lows.” (Coinshares)
Rate expectations are still in play. Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee noted the central bank might roll out “several more” rate cuts this year—if inflation heads convincingly toward 2%. “But we’ve got to see it,” he said, pointing to the importance of upcoming data. Investors will parse the Fed’s Jan. 27-28 meeting minutes on Wednesday and then shift to the personal consumption expenditures price index, the central bank’s favored inflation metric, which lands Friday. (Reuters)
Crypto-related shares showed little consensus early this afternoon. Coinbase Global picked up 1.6%. Strategy slid 3.2%. Bitcoin miners weren’t spared: Riot Platforms fell 5.3%, Marathon Digital tumbled 6.1%. U.S.-listed spot bitcoin ETFs lost ground alongside the coin—BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust dropped 2.3%, and Grayscale’s GBTC slipped the same amount.
Strategists point to a market searching for support, rather than reacting to a single headline. “Bitcoin remains a speculative asset,” MUFG’s Lee Hardman wrote in a Feb. 17 note. Earlier in the year, bitcoin slid to $60,033 before clawing its way back toward $70,000. Hardman also highlighted stress for miners, with bitcoin trading below an estimated mining cost of about $87,000. (MUFG Research)
Traders are watching the $70,000 level—it’s become their shorthand for sentiment. Push through, and momentum players jump in. Slip back, and things stay messy, with prices swayed by headlines.
The risk is obvious. Any hawkish tilt in the Fed minutes—or stronger inflation data—might send yields and the dollar higher, putting pressure on leveraged crypto bets. If fund outflows keep up, the squeeze could get worse.
Some days, Bitcoin acts just like a high-beta tech play. When stocks get jumpy, liquidity in Bitcoin can dry up quickly—so minor moves can snowball into sharp swings.
The spotlight now turns to the Fed minutes coming Wednesday, Feb. 18, with U.S. GDP data due Friday. Depending on how those numbers land, bitcoin could push for another move toward $70,000, or just as easily slide back into the mid-$60,000s. (Reuters)
