Dubai, UAE, Feb. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pepeto announced today that its presale has surpassed $7.369 million with stages closing faster than any round before it. Staking deposits climb at 211% APY ahead of the approaching Binance listing. Three product demos are live at the Pepeto official website. SolidProof and Coinsult completed dual audits. An original Pepe cofounder is building this. The crypto news cycle keeps debating if XRP can reach $100, a target requiring $6 trillion in market cap. Meanwhi ...

Core Insights - US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have experienced a fifth consecutive week of net withdrawals, marking the longest negative streak since early 2025 as institutional demand has softened alongside a broader pullback in digital assets [1][8] Group 1: Withdrawal Trends - The 12 Bitcoin funds collectively lost approximately $316 million during the week ending February 20, with trading activity compressed into four sessions due to the Presidents' Day holiday, and the first three days all closing negative [3][4] - The current outflow streak began the week of January 20, resulting in a total withdrawal of around $3.8 billion from the Bitcoin ETF complex, with the heaviest withdrawals occurring in late January [5][8] - Recent weekly losses have ranged between approximately $316 million and $360 million, indicating a cooling of institutional demand despite stable Bitcoin prices [6][8] Group 2: Market Dynamics - Despite the withdrawals, the cumulative net inflows since the launch of Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024 still total about $54 billion, with aggregate net assets near $85.3 billion [6] - Bitcoin has traded around $68,600, down more than 20% year to date, and below a key on-chain level identified by analysts as separating expansion from consolidation phases [6] - Ether funds have also shown a similar pattern, losing about $123 million during the week and extending their own five-week streak of withdrawals, while newer products tied to Solana attracted approximately $14.3 million in inflows [7][8] Group 3: Investor Sentiment - The divergence in fund performance suggests that capital is rotating within crypto investment products rather than leaving the sector entirely, with investors repositioning across assets as sentiment remains cautious rather than panicked [7][8]

The stock market may have hit record highs in 2025, but for many Americans, it doesn’t feel like prosperity. A new Q4 2025 Quarterly Market Perceptions Study from the Allianz Center for the Future of Retirement shows a clear disconnect between Wall Street and Main Street. Even as markets climb, households are pulling back on long-term savings and bracing for turbulence ahead. Related: U.S. state retirement fund boosts MicroStrategy stake despite stock downgrade Retirement savings take a hit More than ...

Core Insights - Harvard University has made significant investments in cryptocurrency, purchasing approximately $87 million in BlackRock's iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) while selling 21% of its holdings in the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) for around $72 million [1][2] Investment Activity - The recent transactions indicate a continued commitment to crypto investments despite a prolonged downturn in the sector [2] - Harvard's total investment in crypto ETFs exceeds $350 million, which is more than its investments in major tech stocks like Alphabet and Microsoft, although it represents less than 1% of its $57 billion endowment [3] Market Context - The prices of Bitcoin and Ethereum have significantly decreased, with Bitcoin down approximately 47% from its all-time high of about $67,000 and Ethereum down roughly 58% to around $1,975 [4] - At its peak, Harvard's investment in Bitcoin was nearly half a billion dollars, which has been reduced as the value of Bitcoin has declined and the university has decreased its stake in the Bitcoin ETF [4] Broader Trends - Other elite universities, including Dartmouth, Brown, and Emory, have also disclosed investments in Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, indicating a trend among prestigious institutions to engage in cryptocurrency investments [5]

Core Viewpoint - Cathie Wood's ARK Invest has significantly increased its holdings in Robinhood Markets, viewing the recent stock decline as a buying opportunity rather than a warning sign [1][5]. Group 1: Investment Activity - ARK Invest purchased approximately $50 million worth of Robinhood shares in early February 2026, with the largest single-day purchase of $23.8 million occurring on February 11 [2][3]. - The February purchases included $21.7 million on February 2 and $5.2 million on February 3, bringing the total allocation for the month to around $50.7 million [3]. - The February 11 purchase represented 10.63% of ARKK's position in Robinhood added in a single day, making Robinhood one of the top 10 holdings across ARK funds [4]. Group 2: Company Performance - Robinhood reported diluted earnings per share of $0.66 for the fourth quarter of 2025, exceeding analyst expectations, while total net revenue increased by 27% year-over-year to $1.28 billion [6]. - Transaction-based revenue rose by 15% to $776 million, although the crypto segment experienced a significant decline [6]. - Crypto transaction revenue fell by 38% to $221 million, indicating a slowdown in digital asset trading activity, with total crypto notional volumes at $82 billion, reflecting a 52% year-over-year decline [7].

Core Insights - The recent sharp decline in the crypto market has significantly impacted the valuations of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies, yet financial advisors have managed to remain insulated from this volatility due to their cautious approach to crypto allocation [1][2]. Group 1: Market Trends - Advisors primarily utilize ETFs for crypto allocations, with a notable increase in trading volume during the recent market crash; for instance, BlackRock's spot bitcoin ETF, IBIT, recorded nearly 300 million shares traded, amounting to over $10 billion in notional value [2]. - Despite Bitcoin's value stabilizing around $70,000 after a drop from a peak of approximately $100,000, the market sentiment remains bearish regarding a recovery, with Bitcoin perpetual futures indicating ongoing warning signs [2]. Group 2: Advisor Allocation Insights - According to FUSE Research, only 25% of surveyed financial advisors allocate to crypto, with Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) and wirehouses showing higher allocations compared to Independent Broker-Dealers (IBDs); an additional 15% of advisors plan to incorporate crypto within the next two years [3]. - Analysis of 13-F filings reveals that only 4% of practicing RIAs hold any crypto ETFs, and among those allocating to crypto ETFs, the majority have less than 1% of Assets Under Management (AUM) invested in them, with a few firms exceeding 5% [4]. Group 3: Risk Management and Client Profiles - Studies suggest that crypto allocations exceeding 2% in traditional portfolios can lead to significant concentration of risk, which aligns with the current allocation trends among advisors [5]. - The small number of firms with crypto allocations above 5% tend to be smaller RIAs with a high concentration of high-net-worth clients, indicating that these clients possess the financial capacity and risk tolerance to make substantial investments in crypto [6].

Market Overview - The cryptocurrency market has experienced a $2 trillion wipeout, yet venture capitalists continue to invest, with $258 million poured into crypto companies in the first week of February [1] - Key sectors attracting investment include decentralized finance and payments, with four and three deals respectively [1] Investment Trends - Venture capitalists are shifting focus towards later-stage projects that have institutional partnerships and clear go-to-market strategies, aiming to identify promising projects before they achieve mainstream success [2] Major Funding Rounds - **Anchorage Digital**: Secured $100 million in strategic funding led by Tether, positioning itself as a comprehensive service provider for institutional clients in digital asset finance [3][4] - **TRM Labs**: Raised $70 million in a Series C round led by Blockchain Capital, achieving a valuation of $1 billion. The company provides analytics software for tracing transactions and preventing fraud in digital asset networks [5][6] - **Jupiter**: Completed a $35 million funding round from ParaFi Capital, utilizing its stablecoin JupUSD for the transaction [7]

Core Viewpoint - The stock of Strategy, a major holder of Bitcoin, experienced a significant decline following disappointing earnings results, reflecting broader market concerns impacting crypto investors [1] Group 1: Company Performance - Strategy's shares fell nearly 5% in after-hours trading after a 17% drop during the day, indicating a strong negative reaction to the earnings miss [1] - The company's performance is closely tied to Bitcoin prices, which recently hit their lowest level since November 2024 [1] Group 2: Market Context - Broader stock market jitters contributed to the decline in Strategy's stock, highlighting the interconnectedness of traditional and cryptocurrency markets [1]

🇮🇳 UPDATE: Crypto investment awareness in India stands at just 15%, even as adoption remains among the world’s highest. https://t.co/i9t6kyYXSZ ...

Core Insights - Indian crypto investors are shifting from speculative trading to a more strategic approach, focusing on fundamentals and long-term potential of assets like Bitcoin [1][3] - The behavior of investors has evolved, with an increase in systematic investment plans (SIPs) and thoughtful market orders, contrasting sharply with the frenzied trading seen in 2021 [2][3] Market Trends - Bitcoin's price has decreased to $75,000 from a peak of over $126,000 in October, with altcoins experiencing even larger losses [4] - Despite the price drop, trading volumes on exchanges have increased from approximately $269 million in December to around $309 million in January, indicating a balance between profit-taking by short-term traders and accumulation by long-term investors [5] Regulatory Environment - India maintains a cautious regulatory stance on digital assets, treating them as taxable Virtual Digital Assets (VDA) rather than legal tender, with a 30% tax on crypto gains and a 1% transaction tax [6] - New regulations require strict KYC compliance and accurate reporting of user transactions by exchanges, aimed at enhancing compliance and preventing money laundering [7] - The Union Budget 2026 proposes to strengthen compliance for crypto platforms to curb tax evasion in virtual digital assets [7][8]