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.

On February 20, analyst CoinsKid shared a liquidity chart indicating that the capital pool supporting recent Bitcoin and XRP advances may be shrinking, potentially dampening short-term momentum. Bitcoin is trading around $67,551.43, with modest daily gains but weekly and monthly losses, while market participants debate whether fading crypto liquidity could rotate into gold or return through institutional and ETF-driven flows.