Bitcoin has moved sideways for over two weeks and has spent more than six weeks consolidating between $85k and $90k, after briefly pushing above $97k before reversing. According to CoinMarketCap, the Fear and Greed Index has dropped into extreme fear, while soft spot demand and ETF outflows leave momentum weak and put focus on whether $65k can hold into late March.

On 21 February 2026, developers and researchers reiterated that quantum computing is a distant threat to Bitcoin and Ethereum, not a current crisis. Bitcoin has slid about 46% from its October 2025 peak of $126,100 to roughly $67,000, while Ether is down around 58% to near $1,950; observers attribute recent moves to macro liquidity and capital shifts toward AI, rather than quantum fears.

Bitcoin remains under $70,000, and a fresh analysis warns the market may not be forming a durable base. The study highlights three overlapping pressures: fading equity momentum, a structurally lower-volatility and higher-correlation regime shaped by ETF flows, and a Federal Reserve stance that is steady but not supportive. Together, these factors keep downside risks elevated.

Macro analyst Lyn Alden said on a podcast published Thursday that an eventual peak in AI stock valuations could redirect capital into Bitcoin, which is still well below its October all-time high. She argued Bitcoin requires only a small influx of new demand to move higher, with long-term holders providing a price floor even as short-term traders exit.

Peter Schiff, chairman of Schiff Gold, tweeted yesterday that Bitcoin may slide toward $20,000 if its long-term $50k support gives way. On February 12, he said the cryptocurrency's "initial support" was around $10k. At press time, Bitcoin was near $68k after a failed move above $70k.

According to Santiment, wallets holding 10 to 10,000 BTC have trimmed their share of the circulating supply by 0.8% since October, pushing it to the lowest level since May 2025. Meanwhile, 0 to 0.01 BTC addresses added 2.5%, reaching the highest since June 2024, as mid-tier balances split: 0.01–1 BTC up 1.05% and 1–10 BTC down 0.49%. Bitcoin trades near $67,400, up 0.7% on the week.

Bitcoin has fallen 29% over the last 30 days, with VanEck's latest Bitcoin ChainCheck report arguing that leveraged positions have been cleared and "mid-cycle" sellers are largely spent. The asset manager also notes a sharp pullback in hash rate and mining profitability, while on-chain activity and transaction counts remain comparatively strong.

Bitcoin has moved between $65,900 and $70,500 over the past week, and a 4.3% push to $69,600 would liquidate more than $600 million in short futures. Derivatives funding remains soft after a Feb. 6 washout, while improving hashrate and the BIP-360 proposal may ease security concerns and support a run toward $70,000.