A Feb. 24 research note argues Bitcoin's familiar four-year bust cycles may be fading, citing lower realized volatility and a larger market. By Jan. 30, 2026, spot ETFs held nearly 1.3 million BTC (~6.4%) and public companies held over 1 million BTC (>5%), suggesting a steadier market structure. The study says this could reduce the odds of deep drawdowns.

Ethereum's derivatives flow on Binance is showing early signs of a changing market structure, with the Taker Buy Sell Ratio moving away from persistent sell-side dominance while ETH price remains in a corrective phase. CryptoQuant contributor Darkfost notes that the monthly ratio, previously below 1 with readings such as 0.95 and a weekly 0.92, has recovered toward 0.99 and recently posted daily spikes above 1.12. At the time of reporting, ETH was trading around $2,028, as traders watch whether a sustained move in the ratio above 1 could confirm a shift toward buyer control in the futures market.

In February 2024, Bitcoin spot trading volumes across major exchanges have dropped to their lowest levels of the year as traders cut risk and wait for clearer macro or technical signals. According to CryptoQuant contributor Darkfost, platforms such as Binance, Gate.io and Bybit have seen monthly spot activity roughly halved since Bitcoin’s October peak, reflecting a cautious market and thinner liquidity. At the same time, CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju notes that the Coinbase Premium Index has turned positive again, indicating reduced US-led selling pressure even as Bitcoin trades around $68,153.

On Feb. 24, trader Cheds Trading posted a weekly DOGE/USD chart on X and said DOGE "looks headed for 6 cents .06 range." The screenshot shows price at $0.09135, below EMA 8 $0.10823, SMA 200 $0.13578, EMA 34 $0.15734 and SMA 50 $0.17912, with Bollinger Bands basis $0.13861 and lower at $0.07328.

On Feb. 21, on-chain metrics flagged a sharp surge in XRP deposits to Binance led by large holders. According to CryptoQuant contributor Darkfost, more than 31 million XRP flowed in, dominated by the 100k–1M and >1M cohorts, increasing near-term sell-side risk while Bitcoin remains rangebound. XRP briefly fell to $1.33 before trading around $1.3947.

In the latest weekly Commitment of Traders report, technical analyst Tom McClellan highlights that non-commercial traders in Bitcoin futures have swung decisively toward net long exposure, a shift he describes as happening "with some urgency." He argues that, given the limited presence of traditional commercial hedgers in Bitcoin, these large speculators effectively act as the smart-money group, and that prior extreme readings in this cohort have aligned with significant market outcomes. McClellan stresses, however, that these COT extremes represent a market condition rather than a precise trading signal, even as Bitcoin changes hands around $65,663.

On Feb. 18, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse avoided giving a direct answer on whether the company plans to buy a bank, instead reiterating Ripple's focus on serving institutional clients and collaborating with existing financial players. He highlighted the growth of Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin, its New York trust license and conditional OCC charter, and argued that clearer US legislation has already boosted demand for stablecoins and XRP Ledger-based payments.

Macro analyst Lyn Alden told Coin Stories host Nathalie Brunell that bitcoin should not expect a dramatic policy rescue, arguing the next policy shift will look like a gradual balance-sheet expansion rather than a "nuclear" print. Brunell cited Jerome Powell's "slow" approach around $40 billion in T-bill purchases, while bitcoin last traded near $67,556.

During the current Bitcoin correction, on-chain metrics show a sharp increase in whale-dominated BTC inflows to Binance, while derivatives open interest has been retreating across major exchanges. CryptoQuant contributor Darkfost highlights a jump in Binance’s whale inflow ratio from 0.4 to 0.62 between Feb. 2 and Feb. 15 and notes that open interest has fallen almost every month since the cycle top, with BTC trading around $67,823 at press time. These shifts suggest a broader de-risking phase spanning both spot and futures markets, as large holders and leveraged traders reduce exposure or are forced out by volatility.