MarketWhisper

Bitcoin has recently been fluctuating around $66,000. The United States will release five important economic reports this week, including manufacturing and services PMI, ADP private sector employment data, unemployment claims, and non-farm payrolls (NFP). These data could reshape market expectations for Federal Reserve interest rates and consequently influence Bitcoin's price movement. Strong data may suppress Bitcoin prices, while weak data could drive it higher.

NYDIG Research Director Greg Cipolaro believes that artificial intelligence (AI) can be regarded as a general-purpose technology, and its impact on Bitcoin depends on its effects on the labor market and monetary policy. If AI triggers turbulence in the labor market, it could prompt central banks to adopt easing policies, which would be positive for Bitcoin; conversely, if AI drives growth and pushes up real interest rates, it could exert pressure on Bitcoin. The widespread application of AI may also change employment markets and investment patterns, challenging traditional economic structures.

Recently, the US-Iran conflict has driven XRP market volatility, with approximately 472 million XRP flowing into exchanges, reflecting that holders may be adjusting their strategies to increase liquidity, but this does not necessarily indicate an intention to sell. The market is influenced by geopolitical factors, and investors are generally shifting towards traditional safe-haven assets, leading to an overall decline in the cryptocurrency market. The next few days will be crucial for observing the trend of the XRP market.

Over the next seven days, over $572 million worth of crypto tokens will be unlocked. Hyperliquid's HYPE token will account for $317 million of this, having the greatest market impact. RedStone and Ethena will also have unlocks, but with less influence. The overall market may face selling pressure and increased volatility amid a poor macro environment.

Over the past four months, US spot Bitcoin ETFs have recorded a net outflow of $6.39 billion, marking the longest losing streak in history; Ethereum ETFs have also seen outflows of $2.76 billion during the same period, totaling over $9 billion, indicating a significant decline in institutional demand for crypto assets. This phenomenon is related to geopolitical and inflation concerns, and market rebounds will depend on sustained capital inflows.

Meta recently obtained a patent aimed at reconstructing the digital presence of deceased users through AI, allowing continued interaction on social platforms, sparking ethical and psychological debates similar to those in "Black Mirror." Critics worry this could lead to the commercialization of digital corpses, psychological stress, and fraud risks. Experts call for respecting the resting place of the deceased rather than extending false existence through technology. Meta states that applying for a patent does not mean the technology will be implemented, and it is only for protecting innovation.

After the United States and Israel launched military actions, Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei was confirmed dead, triggering tensions in the Middle East and Iran's retaliatory actions. The crypto market was affected, with over $652 million liquidated within 24 hours. Bitcoin rebounded after the panic, indicating the market's sensitivity to geopolitical changes. The potential blockade of the Hormuz Strait could impact oil prices and inflation, raising long-term concerns about crypto assets.

The Russian Central Bank warns of a rapid increase in cryptocurrency scams, with 84% of fraudsters using cryptocurrencies for fundraising in the 2025 report. Last year, 7,087 financial scam schemes were identified, with 80% operating online. The central bank has taken action to block related websites and strengthen regulation, and plans to restrict overseas crypto exchanges, emphasizing the need to choose legitimate companies for investment.

Affected by the Iranian airstrike, Asian stock markets declined across the board, with Brent crude oil soaring by as much as 13%. Bitcoin only fell by 2.2% amid market volatility, demonstrating strong resilience, but its future trend remains influenced by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and inflation pressures. Major indices and airline stocks plummeted, while the energy sector relatively rose.

PeckShield report shows that cryptocurrency losses in February 2026 dropped to $26.5 million, the lowest monthly level. The main reasons include the absence of major attacks, market volatility affecting strategies, and strengthened security measures. The largest loss events that month were YieldBlox and IoTeX, accounting for over 70% of the total losses. Experts expect future losses to continue decreasing, but phishing attacks still require vigilance.

Minnesota Bill HF3642 bans Bitcoin ATM after 70 fraud complaints ($540K) targeting seniors. FBI reports $247M in Bitcoin ATM fraud nationally in 2024, with over-60s suffering 86% of losses. Kentucky chooses regulation over ban.

Bitcoin recently dropped to $63,000 due to the impact of US-Iran military conflicts, but rebounded to $67,000 following diplomatic signals. Market uncertainty remains regarding the Middle East situation and upcoming US economic data, making the rebound fragile. Strong economic data could suppress Bitcoin's upward momentum. On the technical side, Bitcoin is forming a bear pennant pattern, with key support at $63,000. Analysts point out that non-farm payroll data has a significant influence on Bitcoin's trend, and the market should observe cautiously.

Magic Eden announces the gradual shutdown of its Ethereum and Bitcoin NFT businesses, focusing on the online casino Dicey. CEO Jack Lu stated that an imbalance between costs and benefits prompted the transformation, and two months of closed beta testing for Dicey have demonstrated early demand. In the future, resources will be concentrated on businesses with greater profit potential, while the Solana NFT marketplace and the "NFT Bundle" product will still be maintained.

As the US futures market is closed for the weekend, tokenized gold (such as PAXG, XAUt) has become the main channel for public pricing, attracting institutions to track market trends. Under the influence of the Middle East crisis, the market capitalization of tokenized gold increased from approximately $1.6 billion to $4.4 billion, with the number of holders nearly tripling. However, liquidity issues and varying regulatory frameworks still limit its large-scale adoption.

Slovak developer Martin Habovštiak used non-BIP-110 technical methods to successfully embed a 66KB TIFF image into the Bitcoin blockchain, challenging the validity of BIP-110. Although BIP-110 aims to restrict data embedding, Habovštiak's demonstration shows that restrictions may actually lead to larger transaction sizes and has sparked intense community debate over embedding techniques.

Ripple plans to unlock a total of 1 billion XRP in three phases. Despite the large release, market reaction has been muted, and XRP price has only risen slightly. The unlocking is part of its supply management plan, with Ripple still holding approximately 32% of the total supply. Although XRP performed poorly in February, recent ETF capital inflows indicate that institutional interest remains. Analysts predict that XRP could experience a significant rally, with a target price between $15 and $18, and believe that the current trend resembles the false breakout pattern seen before previous bull markets.

Decentralized perpetual contract exchange Hyperliquid's token $HYPE has recently analyzed the liquidation situation of short positions. Approximately $28.9 million in shorts are concentrated above the $35 level. If this level is successfully broken, it could trigger a "short squeeze" effect, pushing the price up to $38. Additionally, the technical indicator MACD shows a bullish crossover, indicating a short-term strengthening trend. However, market conditions remain uncertain, and caution should be exercised by monitoring support levels and trading volume changes.

Due to the Middle East conflict, crypto exchanges like Hyperliquid have become hedging tools, driving the trading of traditional assets and cryptocurrencies. During market closures, traders can use these platforms for instant hedging, accelerating the development of 24-hour markets and demonstrating their indispensability under geopolitical influences.

The social media platform X announced that it will allow crypto promotions with a "Paid Partnership" label, but it remains heavily regulated in regions such as the European Union, the UK, and Australia. Influencers are responsible for compliance and ensuring that users in restricted areas cannot see such content. This policy adjustment provides a new commercialization pathway for crypto KOLs and is accompanied by new financial service arrangements.