📈 Crypto Market News – February 17, 2026
- Market Overview: Post-Holiday Momentum
Following the Presidents' Day holiday in the US yesterday, markets have reopened with renewed vigor. The global crypto market cap has climbed to $3.72 Trillion.
Flows: Institutional desks are back online, and volume has surged by 35% compared to the quiet Monday session. The "Risk-On" sentiment is palpable across all asset classes.
- Bitcoin (BTC) Secure at $103k
Bitcoin continues its price discovery journey, currently trading at $103,400.
Technical: The $100,000 level has successfully transitioned from a psychological barrier to a major support floor. Analysts note that long-term holders are refusing to sell, forcing new buyers to bid up the price to acquire coins.
- Ethereum (ETH) Smashes $4,000
The big news of the day is Ethereum. ETH has decisively broken through the $4,000 resistance, currently trading at $4,080.
Catalyst: A massive wave of short liquidations occurred overnight as bears betting on a "double top" at $4k were forced to cover. The path to its all-time high ($4,800+) now looks clear technically.
- Layer 2 Tokens Rally
With Ethereum breaking out, its Beta plays (Layer 2 tokens) are flying.
Top Movers: Optimism (OP) and Arbitrum (ARB) are up double digits today.
Narrative: Traders are rotating profits from ETH into these smaller caps, anticipating that the "Wealth Effect" will trickle down to the ecosystem tokens.
- Stablecoin Supply Expansion
Circle (issuer of USDC) has announced a significant expansion of its reserves.
Data: Over $2 Billion in new USDC has been minted in the last 48 hours.
Signal: This is one of the most bullish indicators for the market, representing fresh capital waiting to be deployed into digital assets during US trading hours.
