Gate Insights and Crypto Market Analysis

Protect Progress plans to spend $1.5 million on efforts to oppose Rep. Al Green in Texas. The cryptocurrency industry remains a significant investor in political campaigns in the U.S. Christian Menefee supports blockchain innovation and could benefit from pro-crypto funding. The pro-crypto polit

David Schwartz, Ripple’s Emeritus Chief Technology Officer, ignited a fresh crypto civil war on February 12, 2026, by declaring Bitcoin a “technological dead end” that now relies entirely on adoption and network effects rather than innovation. His remarks came during a heated exchange over XRP Ledger decentralization, where Schwartz pointed to Bitcoin’s 2010 and 2013 coordinated rollbacks as proof that no blockchain is truly immune to governance intervention. Hours later, XRP community influ

Cryptocurrency finance company ETHZilla launches Eurus Aero Token I, supported by two leased commercial jet engines to a leading American airline. Each token is priced at $100, with a minimum purchase of 10 tokens, aiming to hold until 2028. ETHZilla purchased these two engines in January for $12.2 million, funded by the sale of part of its ETH reserves.

Coinbase outlined its strategic direction for 2026 in its shareholder letter, focusing on an all-in-one trading platform, stablecoin payments, and "bringing the world on-chain." However, the Base network recently experienced widespread transaction delays due to configuration changes, reflecting insufficient infrastructure stability. Despite Base's market advantages, user experience remains affected. The fix involved only rolling back rather than reconstructing, raising doubts among investors about the credibility of future commitments.

The Northern District of Ohio Prosecutor's Office warned on Thursday to be cautious of love scams during Valentine's Day, as crypto fraud and organized crime networks target the peak sales season. Authorities urge the public to stay vigilant, as scammers exploit online relationships to steal money, often building trust over weeks or months before luring victims into crypto payments and fake investment schemes. San Jose widow Margaret Loke lost nearly $1 million in the scam.

Stablecoins tightened their grip on crypto casinos and prediction markets in 2025, with dollar-pegged tokens like USDT and USDC emerging as the default chips for online wagering. This year is poised to play out in much the same fashion. Stablecoins Projected to Command Majority of Crypto

Hyperliquid Strategies confirms quarterly losses of $318 million, of which $262 million is attributed to unrealized losses on the HYPE token. The sharp decline in token valuation directly impacts the balance sheet, and market volatility has intensified losses. Although there have been no large-scale liquidations, the valuation impact reveals how token concentration can amplify downside risk.

In the turbulent segment of Web3, trends are replacing each other every month, a few times a year. This highlights the role of evergreen concepts, which remain relevant since the inception of Bitcoin and early altcoins. Hardware cryptocurrency wallets are textbook examples of such concepts.

World Liberty Financial will host its inaugural World Liberty Forum at Mar-a-Lago on February 18, 2026, assembling 300 global leaders including Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and CFTC Chairman Michael Selig. The gathering comes as the Trump family’s crypto venture has generated \$1.4 billion in 16 months—more than Trump’s real estate empire produced in eight years—through WLFI token sales, a \$500 million UAE stake acquisition, and a rapidly growing USD

According to Forbes, Barron Trump has earned over $80 million from cryptocurrency investments, with an estimated net worth of around $150 million, and he is not even 20 years old. His wealth mainly comes from token sales and holdings in World Liberty Financial (WLFI). Forbes estimates these figures based on financial disclosures and market data, but the specific numbers are unconfirmed due to the difficulty in verifying cryptocurrency holdings.

Polygon (POL) has surged over 6%, now trading at $0.095, amidst a bearish crypto market. Its trading volume has increased by 21%. While bullish momentum appears, the market sentiment remains cautious, with technical indicators suggesting both potential upsides and risks of correction.

The NY Fed has linked tariffs imposed on imports to inflation. Crypto prices are down, possibly in speculation of the upcoming inflation report. The US is working on deals to balance the tariffs effect. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or NY Fed, has published a report establishing a

The amount of cryptocurrency inflow suspected to be linked to human trafficking networks is projected to increase by 85% in 2025, but crypto analytics firm Chainalysis states that blockchain transparency could help disrupt these networks' operations. Chainalysis reported on Thursday that the total transaction volume flowing to suspected trafficking networks (primarily located in Southeast Asia) "reached hundreds of millions of dollars in identified services."

Chainalysis has released a detailed assessment showing a notable uptick in crypto flows tied to suspected human trafficking networks, with an 85% rise in 2025 and transaction volumes reaching hundreds of millions of dollars across identified services. The report highlights networks largely rooted in

Chinese listed companies distribute historic dividends before the Lunar New Year, totaling 348.8 billion RMB (approximately 50.5 billion USD), setting a new company record. Compared to previous years, this dividend distribution has increased by over 20%. The timing is just before China's peak consumption season, traditionally a period when excess liquidity leads investors to chase yields, and funds may shift to other investments. Historical data shows that similar liquidity events are accompanied by increased Bitcoin trading volume and rising risk appetite.

Key Takeaways BitMine Immersion Technologies is currently facing around $6.6 billion in unrealized ETH losses amid the broader crypto market