On 21 February 2026, Russian authorities reported that more than 5,500 crypto miners had registered with the Federal Tax Service after mining was legalized on 1 November 2024. From 2025, cryptocurrency is taxed as property, with income from mining subject to personal and corporate profit tax while remaining exempt from VAT. Individuals may mine without registration only below a 6,000 kWh monthly electricity threshold, and draft 2026 rules could introduce fines up to 2.5 million rubles and prison terms of up to five years for large-scale unregistered operations.

Bitcoin is trading in a tight range where liquidity is being cleared on both sides, leaving price direction uncertain. Market observers note that after nearly three months of subdued activity, a key demand gauge has moved back above zero to around +1,200 BTC, suggesting selling pressure is easing and long-term accumulation may be returning.

In the first 50 days of 2026, Bitcoin fell 23% from about $88,700 to near $68,000, while market capitalization slid 24% from roughly $1.76 trillion to $1.34 trillion. ETF products saw $2.9 billion in outflows as leverage unwound. Binance's Open Interest dropped from roughly $16 billion to near $ 6 billion, amplifying cross-exchange volatility.

On February 20, 2026, MARA Holdings said it completed the cash purchase of a 64% controlling stake in Exaion, a French computing infrastructure firm owned by EDF, for $168 million. First announced in August 2025, the deal received final approval from French regulators, and includes an option to lift ownership to 75% by 2027 for an additional $127 million.

Search interest for the phrase "Bitcoin Is Dead" on Google has recently climbed to notably high levels as BTC fell from $90,000 to $60,000 by February 6. One analyst claims these queries have reached a new all-time high since the FTX collapse, while other data suggests the peak was in December 2025. Bitcoin has reportedly been declared dead between 467 and 477 times over the years, yet each wave of pessimism has historically been followed by renewed strength in price and network activity.

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.