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. (Bloomberg)
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%. (Reuters)
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. (Bloomberg)
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. (Reuters)
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. (Business Insider)
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. (Federalreserve)
