New York, Feb 15, 2026, 12:10 EST — The session’s over; markets shut down.
- Bitcoin slipped over the weekend, unable to keep its grip on the $70,000 level.
- Trading in spot bitcoin ETFs and crypto-related stocks is on hold until after Monday, with the U.S. market holiday pushing activity back.
- Fresh Fed cues and new inflation numbers are both on traders’ radar this week.
Sunday saw bitcoin dip 0.9% to $69,029, after swinging between a session peak of $70,908 and a low of $68,805. Ether tumbled further, dropping 3.4% to $2,006.
The calendar’s important here: U.S. financial markets are dark for the weekend, and Monday’s a holiday—Washington’s Birthday, or Presidents Day. That means U.S.-listed crypto products won’t see a full trading session again until Tuesday.
Bitcoin’s been moving in step with risk assets lately—tracking shifts in rate expectations and the general buzz for leverage. Friday’s U.S. inflation numbers? Phil Orlando, chief market strategist over at Federated Hermes, described them as “better than expected,” saying that should give the rate-cut crowd something to hang onto. Reuters
U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs — the kind that actually hold bitcoin — have seen volatile flows lately. Net inflows hit $15.1 million on Feb. 13, per Farside Investors, but that came right after an eye-catching $410.2 million was pulled on the previous day.
U.S. consumer prices edged up just 0.2% in January, lighter than forecast, according to a Reuters tally. On a yearly basis, CPI climbed 2.4%. “For the Fed, this probably doesn’t change much in the near term,” said Edward Jones senior economist James McCann, offering a word of caution to traders betting aggressively on quicker rate cuts. Reuters
Wall Street ended Friday with mixed results, Treasury yields slipped, and traders parsed the latest inflation numbers for clues on potential rate cuts. The dollar barely budged.
The downside risk remains in play. Ned Davis Research strategists warned clients that bitcoin might sink to $31,000 if markets tip into another “crypto winter.” They pointed out, though: “Notice the winters/major bears are getting slightly less severe over time in terms of percent decline and we think that will continue.” Business Insider
Plenty ahead for this holiday-shortened week. On Wednesday, Feb. 18, investors will comb through the Federal Reserve’s meeting minutes. Then on Friday, Feb. 20, the U.S. core PCE inflation data lands—the Fed’s favored inflation measure—along with the initial read on fourth-quarter GDP.
Bitcoin traders are watching for a straightforward signal: what happens with U.S. spot bitcoin ETF flows as trading kicks back in on Tuesday, Feb. 17. The key question—will that weekend wobble settle out, or does fresh liquidity set off a more decisive move?
