“I own very little Bitcoin, but I’m watching it closely,” Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon revealed while speaking at the World Liberty Forum in Florida on 18 February 2026. I’m an observer of Bitcoin. While Solomon maintained that he owns minimal personal Bitcoin holdings, Goldman Sachs has been cautious in its institutional cryptocurrency strategy. But the bank’s expanding presence in the cryptocurrency sector has been evident. Recently, the bank relaunched its cryptocurrency trading desk and has been ac ...

Comedian Joe Rogan says U.S. politicians profit from insider knowledge when trading stocks. Rogan in February 2023 mentioned former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her husband, Paul Pelosi, on his podcast "The Joe Rogan Experience" to highlight the advantage lawmakers may have when investing. He was discussing the stock trading activities of politicians with political commentators Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti. Don't Miss: The AI Marketing Platform Backed by Insiders from Google, Meta, and Amazon — Inve ...

Cryptocurrency Market Overview - Leading cryptocurrencies experienced weakness, with Bitcoin fluctuating between the high $65,000s and low $68,000s, while Ethereum remained under $2,000 with low volatility [2][3] - The global cryptocurrency market capitalization decreased by 1.91% to $2.32 trillion [4] - Over $220 million was liquidated from the market in the last 24 hours, primarily from long positions [2] Market Sentiment and Trends - Bitcoin's open interest rose by 1.31%, indicating a potential buildup of short positions and reflecting bearish sentiment in the market [3] - The Crypto Fear & Greed Index indicated an "Extreme Fear" sentiment prevailing among investors [3] Stock Market Performance - Stocks rallied sharply, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average increasing by 129.47 points (0.26%) to close at 49,662.66, and the S&P 500 rising by 0.56% to 6,881.31 [5] - Defense-related stocks saw significant gains following reports of the Trump administration moving closer to a military operation against Iran, with SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF and Global X Defense Tech ETF closing up 1.76% and 2.56%, respectively [5][6] Precious Metals Market - Precious metals remained range-bound, with spot gold trading down 0.33% at $4,961 per ounce and spot silver down 0.74% at $76.61 per ounce [6] Analyst Predictions for Bitcoin - Analysts are divided on Bitcoin's future, with some forecasting further declines to at least $51,000, while others anticipate a significant upward movement following a period of low volatility [7] - One analyst expressed intentions to buy heavily if prices dip, while planning to take profits if Bitcoin tests the $80,000-$85,000 range [8]

Group 1 - Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, previously a cryptocurrency skeptic, disclosed owning a small amount of Bitcoin, describing it as "very little, but some" [1] - Solomon emphasized that traditional finance and cryptocurrency should not be viewed as rivals, stating that tokens will be "super important" in the future [2][4] - Under Solomon's leadership, Goldman Sachs has increased its involvement in cryptocurrency by launching trading desks and custody services for institutional clients [2][4] Group 2 - The attitude of Wall Street towards digital currencies has shifted, particularly under the second Trump administration, which has adopted a light-touch approach to crypto regulation [6] - Bitcoin operates without the involvement of banks or governments, allowing for anonymous transactions, which has contributed to its popularity among users seeking privacy [7] - Bitcoin is generated by "miners" who verify transactions through complex mathematical puzzles, receiving Bitcoin as a reward for their efforts [8]

Group 1: Pool Corp - Pool Corp is a robust company with a significant portion of its revenue, 62%, coming from pool maintenance, indicating a strong business model beyond new construction [2] - The company is currently 50% off its all-time high, presenting a buying opportunity despite challenges in the housing market [3] Group 2: Occidental Petroleum - Occidental Petroleum is positioned well due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and Venezuela, which are expected to support energy prices over the next two years [3] - The company has diversified operations beyond crude oil, including gas and chemicals, which provides resilience against market fluctuations [3] Group 3: Intuit - Intuit has seen a significant decline, down 50% from its all-time high, but is considered oversold and strategically positioned with partnerships in AI [3] - The company offers a suite of products, including QuickBooks and TurboTax, which are expected to benefit from AI integration [3] Group 4: Duke Energy - Duke Energy is forecasted to meet increasing power demands, with a projected 1.5% growth in gigawatts needed from new data centers [3] - The company has the highest integrated capital expenditure spending in the US regulated energy sector, positioning it well for future growth [3] Group 5: MicroStrategy - MicroStrategy is currently viewed as a sell, being 77% off its all-time high, with concerns about Bitcoin's potential decline through mid-2027 due to yield curve dynamics [3][4] - The company is associated with Bitcoin and blockchain but faces challenges in proving its value as a long-term asset during economic downturns [4][5] Group 6: Bitcoin as Digital Gold - Bitcoin's performance has diverged from gold, raising questions about its status as "digital gold" and its reliability during recessions [4][5] - The regulatory environment surrounding cryptocurrency remains unclear, which adds to the speculative nature of Bitcoin investments [5][6]

Core Viewpoint - Wall Street is increasingly adopting cryptocurrencies, with major financial institutions like Bank of America advising clients to allocate a portion of their portfolios to digital assets [1] Group 1: Bank of America's Involvement - Bank of America has increased its stake in Bitmine Immersion Technologies, owning 3,162,085 shares valued at $85.8 million as of Q4 2025, representing a 1,668% increase from its previous holding of 178,808 shares [2] - The bank is recommending a 1%-4% allocation of client portfolios to digital assets, indicating a strategic shift towards embracing cryptocurrencies [1] Group 2: Bitmine Immersion Technologies - Bitmine Immersion transitioned from Bitcoin mining to establishing an Ethereum treasury, with Tom Lee from Fundstrat appointed as chairman [3] - The company aims to acquire 5% of the total ETH supply, currently holding 4,371,497 ETH, which is 3.62% of the total supply, making it the largest corporate ETH treasury [4][5] - Despite its ambitions, Bitmine is facing challenges as the market experiences a crypto winter, with ETH losing 35% of its value in the last three months and BMNR stock down 37% in the same period [5]

Core Viewpoint - Coinbase reported a surprise loss for Q4 2025, with a significant decline in consumer transaction revenue, raising concerns among investors about its business model and market position [1][2]. Financial Performance - Coinbase posted a loss of $666.7 million, or $2.49 per share, for the quarter ending December 31, 2025, contrasting with analyst expectations for a profit [2]. - Transaction revenue fell to $982.7 million from $1.56 billion a year earlier, marking a more than 45% drop in consumer transaction revenue [3]. - The "subscription and services" segment saw a 13.5% increase, reaching $727.4 million, indicating a shift towards more recurring revenue streams [3]. Market Context - There was a net outflow of approximately $3.6 billion from U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs in November and December 2025, with an additional $1.7 billion leaving in January 2026, reflecting a broader pullback from crypto investments [2]. - Major financial institutions are increasingly engaging with crypto, as evidenced by BlackRock's steps toward a U.S. Ethereum staking ETF and partnerships between traditional banks and crypto firms [9][10]. Regulatory Environment - The potential enactment of the Clarity Act could provide clearer federal oversight for digital asset markets, which may alleviate regulatory concerns in the sector [8]. - Coinbase's CEO highlighted that regulatory clarity is emerging, which could benefit the company and the broader crypto market [6]. Institutional Engagement - Coinbase's CEO noted that some large financial players are beginning to collaborate with the company, indicating a shift in institutional attitudes towards crypto [5]. - Partnerships with banks like Citi and PNC are aimed at modernizing payment solutions and offering Bitcoin trading to institutional clients [10].

CIMG Inc. Reports Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Results [Accessibility Statement] Skip NavigationHONG KONG, Feb. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CIMG Inc. ("CIMG" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: IMG), a business group specializing in digital health and sales development, which utilizes technologies and marketing networks to enhance its business partners' sales growth and commercial value, today reports its financial results for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2025, as reported in the Company's audited consolidated fin ...

Group 1 - Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong stated that the company is "misunderstood" on Wall Street, with traditional finance players divided between embracing and resisting cryptocurrency [1][2] - Armstrong compared the skepticism towards cryptocurrency to how taxi companies viewed ridesharing models, suggesting that traditional finance professionals see crypto as a threat to their established careers [1][2] - He emphasized that Coinbase is not yet a consensus view among traditional analysts and encouraged focusing on the company's actions and track record rather than analyst models [2] Group 2 - Coinbase's fourth-quarter revenue for 2025 was reported at $1.78 billion, which missed analyst estimates, while the EPS was strong at $0.66, beating forecasts [3] - The full-year revenue for Coinbase reached $7.2 billion, marking a 9% increase from the previous year [3] - The stock has a consensus price target of $314.94 from 29 analysts, with an average price target of $194, indicating a potential upside of about 17.23% [3] Group 3 - Armstrong accused banks of stifling competition and called for lawmakers to create a "level playing field" through legislation [4] - Coinbase shares experienced a decline of 0.32% in after-hours trading, following a 1.03% increase during the regular trading session, closing at $166.02 [4] - The stock maintains a weaker price trend in the short, medium, and long term, with an average Value ranking according to Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings [4]

Group 1 - BitGo has experienced a significant decline since its IPO in January, indicating potential volatility in its stock performance [1] - Despite the downturn, analysts maintain a positive outlook on BitGo, suggesting confidence in the company's long-term prospects [1] Group 2 - The crypto wallet industry continues to attract attention, with firms like BitGo positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for secure digital asset management [1] - Analysts highlight the importance of innovation and security in the crypto wallet sector, which could drive future growth for companies like BitGo [1]