| Open‑Source Intelligence for Crypto | | | Crypto Signals Daily | | | | |
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Crypto markets steady amid institutional inflows, regulatory tussles, and ETF milestones |
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February 18, 2026 |
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▶ Play Audio Brief
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Today’s Setup
Institutional buying and regulatory clashes set directional tone for crypto markets
Institutional flows: Abu Dhabi funds surpass $1B in BlackRock Bitcoin ETF shares while Strategy and BitMine add significant BTC and ETH holdings. Regulatory battles: CFTC asserts exclusive federal jurisdiction over prediction markets amid state pushback and legal disputes. Stablecoin infrastructure: Stripe's Bridge stablecoin platform obtains conditional national bank trust charter to expand digital asset services.
Watch: Bitcoin price faces pressure near $68K-$70.5K resistance amid growing sell-side activity, with risk of retreat to $65K.
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Top Stories
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Abu Dhabi funds hold over $1B in BlackRock Bitcoin ETF shares by end of 2025
Mubadala and Al Warda investment firms in Abu Dhabi increased their holdings in BlackRock's Bitcoin ETF to more than 20 million shares valued at over $1 billion as of Q4 2025, reflecting rising institutional exposure.
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CFTC asserts federal authority on prediction markets amid state legal challenges
CFTC Chair Michael Selig defended exclusive federal jurisdiction over prediction markets, initiating legal disputes against states obstructing them; ETF firms and lobby groups also seek regulatory clarity for prediction market-style ETFs.
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Strategy and BitMine boost BTC and ETH holdings amid market weakness
Top crypto treasury firms Strategy and BitMine expanded their bitcoin and ether stacks, including Strategy’s $168 million recent BTC purchase and BitMine’s $90 million ETH addition as sentiment improves.
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Stripe-owned Bridge stablecoin platform wins conditional national bank trust charter
Bridge, owned by payment giant Stripe, secured conditional approval for a national trust banking charter from the OCC to expand stablecoin and digital asset services, pending final approval.
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Bitcoin price capped near $70.5K as whale and retail selling pressures grow
Despite easing panic, Bitcoin faces persistent selling around $68,000 to $70,500, with rising inflows to Binance and exchange movements by whales signaling downside risk toward $65,000.
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