GateBlog

The European Commission is considering a comprehensive ban on cryptocurrency transactions related to Russia to align with new sanctions plans aimed at strengthening regulation of digital assets. The proposal is still in draft form and must be approved by member states before it can take effect. If passed, European crypto service providers will face stricter compliance requirements.

The Russian State Duma has passed a legal amendment clarifying the procedures for seizing and confiscating digital assets in criminal proceedings, officially recognizing cryptocurrencies as property. This new regulation provides a legal framework for law enforcement agencies to handle digital assets, but practical issues such as valuation and storage still remain. The new law does not prohibit holding or trading digital assets but has strengthened transparency requirements regarding the source of funds.

Currently, Ethereum (ETH) price is facing a critical support level at $1,900. If it breaks below, it will trigger liquidations of up to $408 million in long positions, potentially causing a sharp market decline. Conversely, breaking above $2,100 will trigger liquidations of $1.027 billion in short positions, driving the price upward. Amidst market sentiment fluctuations, the behavior of whales buying against the trend and increasing their positions shows different strategies, but overall sentiment remains in a state of extreme panic.

In February 2026, the Digital Finance Forum held in New York witnessed a transformation in the crypto industry. Galaxy CEO Novogratz pointed out that institutional investors are driving the industry from high-risk speculation to stable returns. RWA (Real World Assets) are rapidly emerging, demonstrating resilience and market expansion potential, replacing traditional speculative hotspots. The Gate platform is actively adapting to this change, developing into a diversified financial ecosystem. The maturity of the crypto industry marks the end of the speculation era and the beginning of an investment era.

On February 11, 2026, the price of Solana (SOL) was $80, with a market capitalization of $45.8 billion. Former Multicoin Capital co-founder Kyle Samani predicts that Solana's technological upgrades will make it the foundation of the internet-native capital markets. Major upgrades include Alpenglow, ACE, MCL, and others, aimed at improving on-chain speed, transaction customization, and liquidity. Through these improvements, Solana is expected to achieve transaction confirmation times close to Nasdaq while optimizing the DeFi market structure.

Bitcoin mining is experiencing a severe crisis, with miners' profitability deteriorating and producing nearly $20,000 in losses per Bitcoin. The decline in hash rate and sharp drop in stock prices have intensified market panic. Leading mining companies are actively shifting towards AI computing services to seek stable cash flow. Unless Bitcoin prices rebound, high-cost miners will continue to be forced out of the market.

ETH5L_USDT is a tokenized derivative launched by Gate Exchange designed to provide a 5x leverage exposure to the daily price of Ethereum. Through complex financial engineering, it encapsulates perpetual contract leverage positions into tokens that can be easily bought and sold in the spot market, offering traders a long-only tool that requires no margin management. However, behind its seemingly straightforward "5x long" approach lies a unique daily rebalancing mechanism, inevitable erosion costs in volatile markets, and a high degree of path dependence.
This article will explore its true design logic, performance boundaries, and market role from multiple dimensions, including product essence, operational mechanism, cost structure, historical performance, and core risks, helping traders fully understand the correct usage and applicable scenarios of this tool.
ETH5L_USDT Product Essence Explanation

Hyperliquid, a decentralized derivatives protocol, achieved a $5.2 billion daily trading volume on February 5, 2026, demonstrating that DEXs have the ability to challenge CEXs. Nearly 90% of this trading volume came from precious metal contracts, reflecting the trend of traditional assets flowing into the crypto market. The HYPE token price also surged due to market attention, becoming a key factor in the derivatives sector. Overall, Hyperliquid represents a new paradigm for DEXs to acquire liquidity, indicating significant changes in the market landscape.

At the beginning of 2026, the crypto market experienced panic and liquidity transformation. Despite the pullback in Bitcoin prices, the spot market saw continuous capital inflows, especially into Bitcoin ETFs. On-chain data shows that whales and long-term holders are accumulating, and the market recovery strength is shifting from short-term speculation to spot demand, indicating greater sustainability. This change marks institutional funds re-entering the market, focusing on high-quality assets, and signals a gradual restoration of market confidence.

February 11, 2026, despite fluctuations in the crypto market, Bitcoin remains steadfast at $66,000. Chainlink co-founder pointed out that there is no systemic risk, and real-world assets (RWA) on the chain are growing rapidly and decoupling from crypto asset prices. Technological advancements and compliance policies provide safeguards for RWA's risk resistance, and in the future, it may surpass the total market value of the crypto market.

In February 2026, the world's largest decentralized prediction market Polymarket delivered an astonishing performance: monthly trading volume exceeded $7.66 billion, maintaining positive growth for five consecutive months. But for this track, which is shifting from "edge experimentation" to "mainstream infrastructure," a more significant milestone than historical data is an upcoming gameplay innovation set to launch in early March — "Attention Markets."
This is not Polymarket's first attempt to redefine "prediction." But as the trading focus extends from "who will be elected" to "who is being discussed hotly," and data sources seep from news headlines into TikTok and Instagram, a quiet transfer of pricing power regarding attention itself is underway. This article will analyze from Gate's perspective.

Bitcoin plummeted to $59,930 in early February 2026, causing market sentiment to panic. Kaiko Research pointed out that the current $60,000 level might be a "midpoint" in the bear market. The report's analysis shows that the Bitcoin market is experiencing deleveraging and shrinking trading volume, with investors divided on whether $60,000 is the bottom. Kaiko remains cautious, believing there may still be further downside. Despite the sluggish spot market, the Gate platform continues to innovate actively, maintaining an optimistic outlook on Bitcoin's fundamentals for the future.

Three days, $311 million, nearly wiping out three weeks of total outflows. The spot Bitcoin ETF fund flow has just completed a textbook-style V-shaped reversal. However, while institutions are heavily subscribing through the ETF channel, Bitcoin's price has quietly fallen below the $67,000 mark, hitting a two-week low.
This is not the familiar market script of "inflows leading to rallies." The rare mismatch between funds and price—whether it's a sign of liquidity transmission mechanism dulling or smart money precisely accumulating under pessimistic sentiment—raises questions. The Goldman Sachs Q4 rebalancing report's reductions in IBIT, and initial allocations to XRP and SOL, also reveal new asset allocation logic among traditional financial institutions.
This article will analyze the deep narrative behind the $311 million inflow from three perspectives: capital flow, institutional behavior, and the transfer of pricing power.

Bloomberg analysis indicates that the average purchase cost for Ethereum ETF investors is $3,500, while the current market price is approximately $1,950, representing a 45% unrealized loss. Despite cost pressures affecting institutional allocations, they continue to adopt core-satellite strategies to allocate Ethereum. Meanwhile, market sentiment shows divergence, with staking yields being a key factor for institutional investment. As the crypto market develops, institutional investors' decision-making is becoming more diversified, with increasing emphasis on cost and risk management.

At the "Consensus Conference 2026," cryptocurrency analyst Tom Lee pointed out that the current market correction is a buying opportunity, emphasizing that the market confidence crisis does not mean a systemic collapse. He believes that the effects of precious metals and de-leveraging are gradually dissipating, which will create a rebound opportunity for the crypto market. He also recommends that investors adopt a long-term, phased allocation strategy to cope with short-term volatility.

After acquiring 1,142 Bitcoins for approximately $90 million, Strategy Company now holds a total of 714,644 coins. Despite a $17.4 billion loss due to the decline in Bitcoin prices, CEO Selle remains firm in his commitment to continue purchasing Bitcoin and believes the company's financial position is solid. At the same time, he emphasizes that Bitcoin's volatility is a unique characteristic, and long-term investors should focus on its performance over a four-year cycle. The current Bitcoin price is $66,909.6, and the market remains optimistic about its future.

Tether enhances the cross-chain interoperability of its stablecoin USDT through an investment in LayerZero Labs. This strategic investment not only supports Tether's core technology but also aims to address the fragmentation of blockchain liquidity. LayerZero applies its technology to financial infrastructure, attracting attention from Wall Street and driving the future development of the entire crypto ecosystem.

On February 10, 2026, Tether burned 3.5 billion USDT on the Ethereum chain, accounting for approximately 1.87% of the total circulating supply. The market reaction to this burn was relatively calm, possibly because investors viewed it as a routine operation. The significant reduction in liquidity could exert potential pressure on digital asset prices, while also reflecting Tether's efforts in implementing monetary policy and transparency management.

Goldman Sachs disclosed that by Q4 2025, its crypto asset allocation reached $2.36 billion, primarily holding Bitcoin and Ethereum through ETFs. Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley and BlackRock have also increased their support for crypto assets, marking a shift in traditional financial institutions' attitudes toward digital assets. This trend demonstrates that institutional investors are gradually embracing the potential of the crypto market.

The "2026 Big Vision" report released by Silicon Valley venture capital firm a16z predicts that AI will evolve from digital assistants into autonomous intelligent agents, driving a new economic paradigm alongside blockchain. In 2025, funding in the blockchain sector will reach $49.75 billion, with AI and crypto integration accounting for 7.1%. The report emphasizes that new infrastructure needs, identity verification standards, and financial networks will emerge, marking a turning point where "bit" fully takes over "atom," reshaping global value and computing power flows.