NEW YORK, Feb 19, 2026, 12:50 (EST) — Trading during the regular session.
- Bitcoin slipped roughly 1% for the day, hovering around $66,500 following a drop overnight.
- Traders cited lingering uncertainty over interest rates following the Fed minutes, plus another session of outflows from U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs.
- Coming Friday: U.S. PCE inflation data, plus another look at risk sentiment.
Bitcoin slipped roughly 1% to $66,459 on Thursday, holding close to the bottom of its latest band. The cryptocurrency moved between $65,683 and $67,252 as U.S. rate concerns discouraged fresh buying.
This drop is significant; bitcoin lately has been acting less as a hedge and more like any rate-sensitive risk asset. When U.S. rate expectations harden, financial conditions usually tighten, sapping appetite for speculative bets.
This comes as investors are tracking whether big players are still putting money into exchange-traded products for exposure. In U.S. hours, crypto-related stocks and funds can amplify the action—even though the coins themselves trade nonstop.
The Federal Reserve’s January minutes rattled nerves further, as a number of officials left the option of more hikes on the table should inflation prove stubborn. “That nuance widens the policy range and tempers confidence around mid-year easing,” Iliya Kalchev, analyst at Nexo Dispatch, wrote. (Investing)
The dollar climbed once more, lifted by U.S. economic data showing weekly initial jobless claims dipping to 206,000—a sign of ongoing strength. “Without a reason to move, traders are going to be conservative,” said Joseph Trevisani, senior analyst at FXStreet in New York. (Reuters)
Fund flows continued to weigh. U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs posted $133.3 million in net outflows on Feb. 18, according to Farside Investors. BlackRock’s IBIT pulled $84.2 million, while Fidelity’s FBTC saw $49.1 million exit the door. (Farside Investors)
Ether slipped 2.6% to $1,923, trailing bitcoin for the session as the second-biggest cryptocurrency lost ground.
Coinbase slipped 0.1% in U.S. equities. Strategy picked up 0.5%. Among miners, Riot Platforms added 0.8%, Marathon Digital jumped 3.2%. The iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) ETF ticked up 0.4%.
Still, the risk on the downside hasn’t disappeared: bitcoin’s price can lurch sharply when macro headlines shift. Cinthia Murphy at TMX VettaFi summed up this week’s drop as a “wild ride,” warning that those who can’t handle the volatility should consider moving on. (Reuters)
Attention is turning to Friday, when the U.S. personal consumption expenditures (PCE) report lands—this is the inflation measure the Fed watches most closely, and traders are eyeing it for rate signals and risk sentiment cues. “There is some nervousness about the existing geopolitical tensions both with Iran and the U.S.,” Marex analyst Edward Meir said, noting markets have yet another variable to digest. (Reuters)
