Bitcoin Pulls Back From $74,000 as Middle East Risks Intensify, BlackRock ETH Staking ETF Sees $15.5M Debut Volume

Bitcoin climbed to $74,000 for the second time in ten days after US PCE data for January, but the move was swiftly rejected and the price dropped by more than $2,000 while Middle East tensions escalated. Over the week, BTC still gained about 6%, with Ethereum up nearly 10% and BlackRock’s new staked ETH ETF recording $15.5 million in first-day trading volume. Other notable developments included Ripple’s $750 million share buyback targeting a $50 billion valuation and a sharp rebound in the TRUMP memecoin price.