New York, February 18, 2026, 12:20 EST — Regular session
- Bitcoin slipped roughly 0.2%, trading close to $67,000. Ether ticked up around 0.6%.
- Spot bitcoin ETFs trading in the U.S. have posted around $8.5 billion in outflows since Oct. 10, according to Bloomberg.
- Riot drew attention after Starboard pushed for the company to speed up its shift into AI data-center agreements.
Bitcoin slipped 0.2% to $67,062 late Wednesday, moving in a rough band from $66,801 to $68,389 during a bumpy U.S. session.
Bitcoin has tumbled over 40% from its late-October peak, with U.S. investors stepping back. Since Oct. 10, U.S.-listed spot bitcoin ETFs have seen $8.5 billion in outflows, according to Bloomberg News, and open interest in CME bitcoin futures now sits around $8 billion. These spot ETFs, which hold bitcoin and trade on stock exchanges, have lost ground even as futures bets shrink. 1
Investors are on alert for new cues about U.S. interest rates—still a central concern for riskier assets like crypto. Fed Chair Jerome Powell noted that “the upside risks to inflation and the downside risks to employment have probably both diminished a bit,” following the decision to keep rates between 3.5% and 3.75%. 2
Ether edged up 0.6%, settling at $1,974.90. The token holds its spot as the world’s No. 2 cryptocurrency.
Corporate accumulation hasn’t slowed. Strategy Inc—still known to many as MicroStrategy—picked up 2,486 bitcoin from Feb. 9 to Feb. 16, according to Bloomberg and a regulatory filing. The company covered about $78 million of the roughly $170 million tab using at-the-market sales of its “Stretch” preferred shares, and tapped common stock sales for the rest. 3
Shares tied to crypto ticked higher midday. Coinbase Global advanced 1.6%, while Strategy edged up 0.6%. Miner names moved, too: Riot Platforms surged 9.4%, Marathon Digital picked up 2.9%. Hut 8 tacked on 3.1%, Bitdeer was ahead 1.8%.
Riot caught the spotlight after activist investor Starboard Value pressed for faster moves into artificial intelligence and high-performance computing deals. The pitch: miners can shift power resources as bitcoin mining returns fluctuate. “In such a dynamic and rapidly evolving AI/HPC demand environment, Riot must urgently seize this extraordinary opportunity,” Starboard managing member Peter Feld said in a letter to Riot’s CEO and executive chairman, Reuters reported. 4
Sentiment on bitcoin is still shaky following last year’s steep drop. Economist Nouriel Roubini has dubbed bitcoin a “bogus” asset, while Business Insider noted the token has lost roughly 45% since its late October high. 5
All eyes now turn to Wednesday afternoon. The Federal Reserve has the meeting minutes set for release at 2 p.m. ET, and traders are scanning for any hint that might sway rate-cut bets. 6
