Economist Peter Schiff has reiterated a sharply bearish view on Bitcoin, arguing that a break below the key $50,000 support zone could open the way for a decline toward $20,000. His comments came on February 19, 2026, as Bitcoin traded around $68,210 following a pullback from levels above $70,000. Schiff maintains that heightened leverage, institutional exposure, and market capitalization could amplify downside pressure if this support fails.

Google data shows that searches for "Bitcoin is Dead" have surged to a record reading of 100 on a relative scale, alongside multi‑year highs for phrases about Bitcoin going to zero. While Bitcoin trades around $68k following a 47% decline since October 2025, some analysts view this spike in pessimistic search interest as a sign of a possible long‑term market bottom, though they do not expect an immediate reversal.

On February 21, 2026 at 15:30, Bitcoin traded near $68,000 as total crypto market capitalization stood around $2.33–$2.41 trillion, up ~1% in 24 hours. According to this report, extreme fear persists (Index 14), and a push above $69,000 could trigger over $800 million in short liquidations amid tariff changes taking effect on February 24.

Bitfinex stated on Feb. 20, 2026 via X that existing quantum computers are far from capable of compromising Bitcoin's cryptography and that the associated risk is still theoretical. The exchange argued that millions of stable qubits and large-scale Shor's algorithm would be needed, giving developers time to migrate to new wallet designs, lattice-based signatures and proposals like BIP 360, with any real threat only expected to emerge around the mid-2030s to 2040s.

Santiment reported on Friday that retail calls for Bitcoin to reach $150K–$200K, and even $50K–$100K, are drying up, framing the pullback in hype as a healthy sign as sentiment returns to neutral. Bitcoin fell to near $60,000 on Feb. 6 and was around $67,847 at publication, while the Crypto Fear & Greed Index registered a score of 8 in "Extreme Fear" on Saturday.

Robert Kiyosaki, author of "Rich Dad Poor Dad," disclosed that he recently bought 1 Bitcoin for about $67,000 and outlined two reasons for this move. He links the purchase to expectations of massive U.S. dollar printing amid debt concerns and to Bitcoin's capped 21 million supply. He also reiterated a 2013 prediction of a major stock market crash, which he now believes is imminent.

On 21 February 2026, macro strategist Lyn Alden explained on the Coin Stories podcast why Bitcoin's cycle is subdued. She said capital has flowed into AI equities like Nvidia, leaving BTC near $67,849 versus its October 2025 high of $126,100, and cautioned against a rapid rebound. Alden sees potential $10,000–$20,000 downside before a durable bottom.

On Friday, cryptocurrency markets remained steady as US President Donald Trump announced a new universal 10% tariff on imports following a Supreme Court ruling against his earlier emergency powers strategy. Bitcoin hovered near $67,800 and Ether traded around $1,960, while the broader digital asset market capitalization stayed close to $2.33 trillion with traders showing caution rather than panic. Over the past year, the number of Bitcoin addresses holding at least $1 million fell about 16%, even as the policy environment in Washington became more crypto-friendly.