Robinhood head of crypto Johann Kerbrat said in an interview that many users view the ongoing market pullback as a chance to "buy the dip" and are trading a broader range of assets beyond Bitcoin and Ether. He noted strong traction for staking since Robinhood introduced the feature in December and increased interest in DeFi use cases, even as overall sentiment remains in "Extreme Fear" and U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs log several weeks of net outflows.

According to Chainalysis, cryptocurrency payments to suppliers of fentanyl precursor chemicals started to decline in mid-2023, several months before official data showed a fall in overdose deaths. The report argues that on-chain flows can signal disruptions in illicit synthetic opioid supply three to six months ahead of public health statistics. It also notes an 85% year-over-year surge in 2025 crypto transactions tied to suspected human trafficking services, reaching hundreds of millions of dollars, with much of the activity centered in Southeast Asia.

US spot Bitcoin ETFs have seen about $3.8 billion in outflows over the last five weeks, with net redemptions continuing through Feb. 20. Ether products recorded nearly $123 million in withdrawals across five consecutive weeks, while Solana funds drew roughly $14 million in inflows and XRP saw smaller additions. The pattern points to investor rotation from BTC and ETH toward select altcoins.

On February 21, 2026, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a 10% global tariff on imports from all countries, according to market reports. Several hours later, the administration increased this new universal rate to 15%, placing it on top of existing standard tariffs and moving forward without congressional or Supreme Court approval. The measure was described as taking effect immediately and aimed at generating substantial federal revenue.

According to Bank of America, institutional investors offloaded $8.3 billion of U.S. equities last week, marking the second-largest weekly sale on record. Retail buyers purchased $1.0 billion and hedge funds added $1.2 billion, while equity ETFs drew $2.2 billion and single-name outflows totaled $8.3 billion; outflows occurred in 13 of the past 15 weeks, reaching $52.0 billion.

United States President Donald Trump announced on Friday a 10% global tariff under alternative trade statutes and on Saturday raised that rate to 15% with immediate effect. While critics argue these laws cap both the duration and scope of his tariff powers, major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin around $68,000 and Ether showed little reaction.

The cryptocurrency market has reversed most gains achieved after the 2024 U.S. election, now roughly 40% below its October 2025 peak. Total3 rose more than 91% to $1.16 trillion by December 2024 before slipping toward about $713 billion, while Bitcoin and Ether also saw drawdowns of over 50% and about 60%, respectively.

On February 21, 2026, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center highlighted a surge in ATM "jackpotting" attacks in the US. The agency says more than 1,900 incidents have been recorded since 2020, with over 700 cases in 2025 alone causing losses exceeding $20,000,000. Criminals allegedly use generic keys and malware to override bank authorization and trigger ATMs to dispense cash, prompting the FBI to urge financial institutions to strengthen physical and software security.