1. The US annual inflation rate remained at 2.4% in February, in line with expectations, while the core inflation rate remained unchanged at 2.5%.
In February 2026, the U.S. annual inflation rate remained at 2.4%, unchanged from January, in line with expectations, and at its lowest level since May 2025. Energy prices rose 0.5%, and food prices rose 3.1%. On a monthly basis, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.3%, slightly higher than January's 0.2%, in line with expectations. Housing prices rose 0.2%, contributing the most to inflation. Meanwhile, core inflation, excluding food and energy prices, remained at 2.5%, unchanged from January, near its lowest level since 2021. On a monthly basis, the core CPI rose 0.2%, lower than the previous month's 0.3%.
2. US senators seek compromise on stablecoin yields to push forward the Clarity Act.
US senators are seeking a compromise on stablecoin yields to push forward the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, a market structure bill. The banking industry is concerned that offering yields to stablecoin holders could attract capital outflows from bank deposits, while some lawmakers and the crypto industry advocate exploring incentive mechanisms that allow for trading activity, while limiting yields based on position size. Senators Angela Alsobrooks and Thom Tillis are pushing for a compromise aimed at preventing deposit outflows while preserving space for financial innovation.
3. Arthur Hayes: War itself may not be good for Bitcoin, but "printing money is good for Bitcoin."
Arthur Hayes stated that if he only had $1 to invest right now, he wouldn't buy Bitcoin, but would wait for the Federal Reserve to begin easing monetary policy and reprinting money before entering the market. He believes that war itself may not be beneficial to Bitcoin, but "money printing is beneficial to Bitcoin." Hayes also warned that geopolitical tensions could lead to a massive sell-off in the stock and crypto markets, and that Bitcoin could fall below $60,000. However, he maintains a long-term bullish view, predicting that Bitcoin's price will exceed $100,000 in the next few years.
4. Bloomberg: Chen Zhi was extradited back to China in January, and his lawyers have asked the U.S. government to drop the seizure of approximately 127,271 bitcoins.
Chen Zhi, a Cambodian businessman of Chinese descent suspected of operating a transnational "pig butchering" scam network, was extradited to China in January. However, his lawyers recently filed a motion in New York federal court to have approximately 127,271 bitcoins seized by the U.S. government. The lawyers claim the charges are "clearly false" and question the connection between the bitcoins and fraud or money laundering activities. Previously, the U.S. Department of Justice accused Chen Zhi of operating a transnational fraud and gambling network and froze a large portion of his assets.
5. QCP: The market has entered a "stagflation" pricing pattern, with long-term holders significantly accumulating BTC in the $60,000 to $70,000 range.
QCP analysis indicates that BTC has shown resilience after geopolitical shocks, with prices rebounding to around $70,000. Long-term holders have accumulated significant positions in the $60,000 to $70,000 range. On the macro front, the market has entered a "stagflation" pricing pattern. The G7 and IEA plan to coordinate the release of 300 to 400 million barrels of strategic oil reserves, a record-breaking amount, to address oil price volatility. In the options market, implied volatility has fallen back to the mid-50% range, but risk reversal remains negative, reflecting that participants are still pricing in tail risk and lack strong upward momentum.
