Invest ideasNews
22 Feb 2026, 21:47
Bithumb Bitcoin Blunder: $1.3B Error Sparks Probe Into Weak Financial Oversight
South Korea’s financial authorities are facing criticism after failing to spot major flaws in Bithumb’s systems that led to an unprecedented Bitcoin error. Despite repeated inspections by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), a vulnerability remained that allowed a single employee to trigger massive coin transfers without detection. Bithumb Crypto Mishap According to Rep. Kang Min-guk of the People Power Party, the FSC reviewed Bithumb once in 2022 and twice in 2025, while the FSS carried out three inspections during the same period. Despite this, none identified discrepancies between actual holdings and accounting records. On February 6, a promotional event went wrong when users were mistakenly credited with 2,000 BTC each instead of coins worth 2,000 won (worth approximately $1.38). This error caused the system to register a total of 620,000 bitcoins being “distributed” to users, which is far more than the exchange’s actual holdings of about 42,800 BTC. As reported by The Korea Times, the country’s lawmakers said the mistake exposes deeper weaknesses in internal controls, ledger management, and regulatory supervision. Rep. Han Chang-min of the Social Democratic Party questioned whether regulators’ inspections were largely procedural and noted attempts to place responsibility on Bithumb. The FSS has extended its probe through February and is investigating potential violations involving investor protection, anti-money laundering (AML), and system flaws. Bithumb CEO Lee Jae-won acknowledged two smaller prior errors that were recovered, which the FSS will also review. Meanwhile, an emergency team from the authorities and the Digital Asset eXchange Alliance (DAXA) is reviewing asset verification and internal controls at some of the country’s other prominent exchanges, such as Upbit, Coinone, Korbit, and GOPAX. Results are expected to influence both DAXA’s self-regulatory rules and future crypto legislation. Lost and Found The latest setback comes a month after the Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office reported that Bitcoin seized in a criminal case had gone missing, but authorities have now recovered all 40 billion won worth of the lost cryptocurrency. Prosecutors said the 320.8 bitcoins were returned from the hacker’s electronic wallet to the office’s wallet on February 17, apparently voluntarily, after the hacker was unable to cash them out. The coins had originally been confiscated from the daughter of a couple arrested for operating an illegal overseas gambling site worth 390 billion won between 2018 and 2021, who had converted their criminal proceeds into Bitcoin. Officials said the BTC were lost last August when prosecutors accidentally accessed a phishing site while checking the wallet, which exposed the funds. Authorities have been tracking the hacker and monitoring domestic and international exchanges to prevent further losses. The post Bithumb Bitcoin Blunder: $1.3B Error Sparks Probe Into Weak Financial Oversight appeared first on CryptoPotato .
22 Feb 2026, 21:30
Chia Coin price prediction 2026-2032: Is XCH a good investment?
Chia’s price outlook points to a climb toward $5 in 2026. Our Chia price prediction for 2028 expects the maximum XCH price to be $24.00. In 2032, we expect Chia to attain a maximum of $139.92. Launched in March 2021 by Chia Network Inc., the Chia coin (XCH) was created by Bram Cohen, a famous programmer behind BitTorrent. Different from traditional cryptocurrencies, Chia operates on a unique proof-of-space-and-time consensus mechanism, designed to be more energy-efficient than Bitcoin or Ethereum. The Chia blockchain rolled out its first beta version in 2019, reaching full mainnet functionality, including transactions and smart contracts, by mid-2021. It was built using its own smart contract language, Chialisp. It positions itself as an expandable, eco-friendly solution for enterprise-level blockchain applications. Currently, Chia runs on more than 400,000 machines globally, reflecting its strong decentralized infrastructure. It is listed on major crypto exchanges such as Gate.io, KuCoin, OKX, Huobi, and Uniswap (V2), giving it broad accessibility within the crypto market. After reaching an all-time high of $1,934.51 in May 2021, the price of chia has gone down to a record all-time low of $2.51 on Feb 22, 2026. This drop highlights how volatile the XCH market can be. In this article, let’s explore the Chia coin price prediction for 2026 to 2032, and learn about the factors influencing its current value, as well as how the Chia price forecast looks in both the short term and the long term. Overview Cryptocurrency Chia Coin Token XCH Price $2.597 Market Cap $37.5M Trading Volume $2.07M Circulating Supply 14.41M XCH All-time High $1,934.51, May 03, 2021 All-time Low $2.51 on Feb 22, 2026 24-hour High $2.70 24-hour Low $2.51 Chia Coin technical analysis Metric Value Price Prediction $ 2.41 (-7.01%) Volatility 15.36% (Very High) 50-Day SMA $ 4.14 14-Day RSI 30.05 (Neutral) Sentiment Bearish Fear & Greed Index 8 (Extreme Fear) Green Days 11/30 (37%) 200-Day SMA $ 6.92 Chia price analysis XCH has dropped to $2.59 after printing a new all-time low of $2.51 in the last 24hours. Current XCH resistance is between $2.63 and $2.65, and then $2.70. The immediate Support forms at $2.51, with $2.50 as the next key floor. As of Feb 22, 2026, the Chia is trading around $2.597, down by 2.16% over the last 24 hours, with the day’s range between $2.51 and $2.70. In the last hours, XCH recorded a new all-time low of $2.51, before bouncing up slightly off that level. XCH price analysis 1-day chart: Oversold RSI signals seller exhaustion On the 24-hour chart, Bears remain in control despite oversold signals. Over the last 24hours XCH opened at $2.659, posted a high of $2.659, fell to a low of $2.500, and closed at $2.597, ending the session down 2.16%. XCH/USDT Chart: TradingView Momentum remains weak. The RSI (14) sits at 28.95, keeping XCH in oversold territory. The MACD still reflects bearish conditions, with the MACD line at -0.359 versus the signal line at -0.375, while the histogram reads 0.016, suggesting downside momentum is easing slightly but has not flipped trend. Immediate support sits at $2.51, followed by $2.50. On the upside, buyers need a push above $2.63 and $2.65 to stabilize, while $2.70 remains the near-term ceiling. XCH/USD 4-hour price chart On the 4-hour timeframe, XCH is struggling to build momentum after the drop, with price m6ov5ing near $2.590. The latest candle opened at $2.604, pushed to a high of $2.635, dropped to a low of $2.585, and closed at $2.590, slipping 0.27%. Momentum indicators remain mixed but still lean bearish. The RSI (14) sits at 39.34, showing weak demand below the neutral zone. The MACD is still negative, with the MACD line at -0.057 and the signal line at -0.060, while the histogram is near 0.003, suggesting sellers are losing some control, but buyers have not taken over. Immediate support sits at $2.58 and $2.55, with $2.51 and $2.50 as the deeper downside levels. On the upside, resistance stands at $2.63 and $2.65, followed by $2.70. XCH/USDT Chart: TradingView XCH technical indicators: Levels and action Daily simple moving average (SMA) Period Value Action SMA 3 $3.47 SELL SMA 5 $3.14 SELL SMA 10 $3.03 SELL SMA 21 $3.15 SELL SMA 50 $ 4.14 SELL SMA 100 $ 4.92 SELL SMA 200 $ 6.92 SELL Daily exponential moving average (EMA) Period Value Action EMA 3 $ 3.41 SELL EMA 5 $ 3.78 SELL EMA 10 $ 4.22 SELL EMA 21 $ 4.57 SELL EMA 50 $ 5.21 SELL EMA 100 $ 6.19 SELL EMA 200 $ 7.90 SELL What to expect from the XCH price next? XCH may stay range-bound between $2.58 and $2.65 unless buyers reclaim $2.70 for a stronger rebound. If price breaks below $2.58, it could revisit $2.51–$2.50 quickly. Is Chia Coin a good investment? Based on the current bearish trend, heightened volatility, and strong selling pressure indicated by technical indicators like the RSI and moving averages, Chia Coin (XCH) may not be considered a favourable investment at this time. Investors should exercise caution due to the uncertain market direction and potential for further price declines in the near term. Why is XCH’s price down today? XCH fell mainly because the wider crypto market stayed risk-off, with Bitcoin weakness linked to ongoing spot ETF outflows dragging high-beta altcoins lower. No strong Chia-specific catalyst showed up, so price action remains bearish below $2.64 and $2.78, with $2.50 the key downside level to watch. Will XCH recover? The recovery of Chia XCH depends on reversing the current bearish sentiment and stabilizing market conditions and real-world events. Watch for signs of decreased selling pressure, potential positive catalysts, and a shift in technical indicators indicating oversold conditions in the relative strength index (RSI), which could signal a potential recovery in future price movements. Will XCH reach $25? According to the latest data price of XCH could reach up to $25 soon. Analysts suggest this could happen as early as 2028 if current sentiment continue potentially reaching $26 Will XCH reach $50? The forecast for 2029 anticipates a peak price of $55, indicating that XCH could potentially surpass the $50 mark during that year, assuming the bullish scenario and positive market conditions persist. Will XCH reach $200? For XCH, to exceed the $200 mark would depend on sustained growth, market dynamics, and broader adoption factors. Does XCH have a good long-term future? The long-term price predictions from 2026 to 2032 indicate a generally positive outlook for Chia Coin, with projected growth in average and maximum prices over the years. This suggests the potential for XCH to establish itself as a valuable asset in the cryptocurrency market, subject to market developments and adoption trends. Recent news/opinion on Chia Coin Chia Network has entered a purchase agreement with NoSSD as it moves toward Proof of Space 2.0 and the Chia 3.0 release, citing NoSSD’s plotting technology and community contributions. The company added that the NoSSD pool will keep operating until Proof of Space 1.0 plots become invalid, after which NoSSD will not update to the new plot format, while Chia plans to finalize CHIP-48 and CHIP-49 and ship updated plotting software with Chia 3.0. Today, we’re excited to announce that we’ve entered into an agreement with NoSSD as we head toward the release of Proof of Space 2.0 and Chia 3.0. — Chia Network (@chia_project) February 3, 2026 Chia coin price prediction February 2026 As for February 2026, the Chia price is forecast to range from $2.50 to $3.26, with an average closing price of around $2.88. XCH price prediction Minimum Price Average Price Maximum Price XCH price prediction February 2026 $2.50 $2.88 $3.26 Chia (XCH) price prediction 2026 Chia price is forecast to reach a lowest level of $2.5 in 2026. The price of chia could reach a highest price level of $5.00 with the average chia forecast price of $3.78. XCH Price Prediction Minimum Price Average Price Maximum Price XCH Price Prediction 2026 $2.5 $3.78 $5.00 Chia Coin price predictions 2027 – 2032 Year Minimum Average Maximum 2027 $2.75 $5.39 $8.42 2028 $8.60 $15.79 $24.00 2029 $18.20 $36.60 $55.00 2030 $26.00 $52.00 $78.00 2031 $29.82 $45.88 $64.23 2032 $50.17 $92.05 $139.92 chia price prediction 2027 As per the forecast and technical analysis on XCH, in 2027, the price is expected to reach a minimum value of $2.75. The XCH price could hit a maximum value of $8.42, with an average price of $5.39. chia price prediction 2028 Based on the forecast and past price trends, in 2028, Chia is projected to trade at a minimum of $8.60. The XCH price could climb to a maximum of $24.00, with an average trading price of $15.79. chia price prediction 2029 According to the forecast and technical outlook, in 2029, the price of Chia is expected to sit around a minimum of $18.20. The XCH price could reach a maximum of $55.00, with an average price of $36.60. chia price prediction 2030 As per the forecast and technical analysis, in 2030, Chia is predicted to reach a minimum value of $26.00. The XCH price could rise to a maximum of $78.00, with an average trading price of $52.00.. Chia price prediction 2031 Based on the forecast and market trend analysis, in 2031, Chia is expected to have a minimum price of $29.82. The XCH price could reach a maximum of $64.23, with an average trading price of $45.88. chia price prediction 2032 As per the forecast and long-term technical outlook, in 2032, Chia is projected to trade at a minimum of $50.17. The XCH price could reach a maximum of $139.92, with an average price of $92.05. Chia Price Prediction 2026-2032 Chia Coin market price prediction: Analysts’ XCH price forecast Firm Name 2026 2027 Changelly $7.05 $10.50 SwapSpace $6.4526 $9.4703 Cryptopolitan’s Chia Coin (XCH) price prediction Per Cryptopolitan’s Chia price is forecast to reach a lowest level of $2.5 in 2026. The price of chia could reach a highest price level of $5.00 with the average chia forecast price of $3.78. Chia Coin historic price sentiment Chia Price History XCH started 2022 strong at $80.71 but declined sharply, dropping to $34.56 by May and $36.42 by August, reflecting bearish sentiment and market volatility. By December 2022, XCH showed a modest recovery to $37.80, hinting at stabilisation and renewed investor confidence. In 2023, XCH started strong, climbing 58.11% to $45.44 in January and maintaining bullish momentum until April at $39.00 before dropping to $34.11 in May amid corrections. After hitting a low of $27.77 in September, XCH rebounded significantly to $37.80 in December, reflecting renewed investor interest and potential recovery. XCH started 2024 at $29.42 but steadily declined to $23.26 by May and further to $19.54 in July, reflecting bearish trends and market challenges. By December 2024, XCH hovered around $20-$21, showing sustained selling pressure and ongoing downward momentum. In January 2025, XCH’s decline intensified, dropping the price sharply to $20. By February, XCH hit its lowest price on record at $8.61, reflecting extreme selling pressure and weak investor sentiment. From March to May, the chia price began a slow recovery, fluctuating between $10 and $11 as market conditions gradually stabilized. As of 2025, the XCH traded at $11.52, up over 34% from its February low, signalling a potential trend reversal and renewed interest in the chia market. XCH started 2026 under fresh selling pressure, and by February 22, 2026, it recorded a new all-time low of $2.51, reflecting extreme bearish sentiment and heavy downside volatility.
22 Feb 2026, 19:36
One in Six BTC on Centralized Exchanges Despite FTX Collapse
Nearly 3 million Bitcoin (BTC), worth approximately $200 billion and representing 15% of the circulating supply, currently sits on centralized exchange platforms. The concentration of assets on trading venues reveals that, despite the shock of the FTX collapse in 2022 and years of industry messaging around self-custody, about one out of every six BTC in existence remains stored with third-party intermediaries. Binance Dominates Data shared by crypto analyst Darkfost shows that centralized exchange reserves have climbed alongside the expansion of trading services. Platforms now offer yield generation, collateralized derivative products, and lending solutions, all of which require maintaining significant Bitcoin reserves to meet user liquidity needs. The result is that approximately 3 million BTC now sits on exchanges, with the distribution heavily skewed toward market leaders. According to the on-chain observer, Binance holds the largest share, controlling around 30% of all Bitcoin stored on centralized platforms. Bitfinex follows with almost 20% of reserves, while Robinhood and South Korea’s Upbit each account for about 8.2%. Kraken, OKX, and Gemini round out the top tier with holdings between 5% and 7%, respectively. The concentration becomes even more pronounced when examining absolute figures. Per data from CoinGlass, Coinbase Pro currently holds approximately 792,000 BTC, making it the single largest exchange holder despite its smaller percentage of the CEX-specific ranking. Binance follows with nearly 662,000 BTC, while Bitfinex holds roughly 430,000 BTC. “The liquidity depth, fast order execution, and access to additional services such as lending and staking contribute to maintaining a significant share of Bitcoin’s circulating supply within these centralized infrastructures,” Darkfost noted in their analysis. This observation matches up with trading volume data showing continued activity concentration, with a CryptoQuant report from earlier in the year showing that Binance captured over 40% of spot and Bitcoin perpetual volumes across major global exchanges in 2025. The platform also processed $25.4 trillion in Bitcoin perpetual futures alone. Market Structure Shifts Despite Persistent Exchange Holdings The $200 billion held on exchanges represents a complex market dynamic because, while total exchange reserves are substantial, the past month has seen mixed movements across platforms. CoinGlass data shows overall exchange balances increased by some 16,990 BTC over the past 30 days, but individual platform trends diverged significantly. For example, Binance added more than 22,000 BTC during that period, while OKX and Bithumb recorded outflows exceeding 2,700 BTC and 3,600 BTC, respectively. Gemini saw the largest 30-day decline, with balances dropping by almost 13,900 BTC. These movements are happening against a backdrop of evolving exchange business models and regulatory positioning. Kraken confidentially filed for an IPO with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in November 2025, following an $800 million funding round that valued the exchange at $20 billion. Meanwhile, Robinhood, which holds approximately 8.2% of exchange BTC reserves, recently launched the public testnet for Robinhood Chain in February 2026, an Ethereum Layer 2 network built on Arbitrum designed to accelerate development of tokenized assets. The post One in Six BTC on Centralized Exchanges Despite FTX Collapse appeared first on CryptoPotato .
22 Feb 2026, 16:54
Coinbase vs. BlackRock vs. Strategy: Who Really Holds the Most Bitcoin (BTC)?
Bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, remains the largest single holder of the cryptocurrency, controlling approximately 1.1 million BTC. This adds up to roughly 5.5% of the total supply. At current market prices, this stake is worth around $75 billion, dwarfing the holdings of even the largest corporate and institutional players. Despite years of speculation about potential movement from these early-mined addresses, Nakamoto’s BTC have largely remained untouched since the asset’s inception. Bitcoin’s Top Holders Revealed Following Nakamoto in the rankings is the US-based exchange Coinbase, which holds 993,069 BTC on-chain, equivalent to 5% of the total supply. These funds represent a combination of client deposits and corporate reserves, including liquidity kept on hand to satisfy withdrawals. Its rival, Binance, controls 661,000 BTC under custody, which accounts for 3.15% of the total supply. The institutional sector is also staking its claim. Arkham Intelligence data revealed that BlackRock is the largest institutional holder, with 761,801 BTC. This stash is worth around $52 billion. ETF issuers and other asset managers such as Fidelity and Grayscale also maintain significant positions, though some of their holdings are routed through omnibus custodial accounts, which makes direct attribution slightly less transparent. For example, Fidelity Custody appears to hold 448,000 BTC. Meanwhile, some of Strategy’s corporate holdings, which total 715,000 BTC, are reflected on-chain under Fidelity due to their custodial method. Besides Strategy, other publicly traded entities, including mining firm MARA and Japanese firm Metaplanet, have also acquired meaningful stakes. Additionally, private companies round out the largest holders. Popular stablecoin issuer Tether has 96,369 BTC and SpaceX holds 8,300 BTC as of August 2025. Nations Stockpiling Bitcoin While entities like BlackRock and Coinbase hold vast amounts, governments like the United States, which leads the list with 328,000 BTC, aren’t far behind. Most of this came from asset seizures, including coins recovered from the Bitfinex hack, the Silk Road marketplace, and its hacker James Zhong. More recently, the US government also acquired 127,000 BTC from the LuBian Hacker address. Next up is the United Kingdom with 61,245 BTC, largely seized by the UK Metropolitan Police from Jian Wen and Zhimin Qian in 2018. China’s authorities have also confiscated 194,775 BTC from the PlusToken Ponzi scheme in 2020, though it is unclear if the Chinese government still holds these coins or has sold them. Ukraine has also seen significant Bitcoin involvement. Since the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the country received $22.8 million in BTC donations. More than 700,000 Ukrainian public officials have declared owning Bitcoin, with some holding up to 18,000 BTC, totaling almost 46,351 BTC. Germany seized 50,000 BTC from a movie piracy website called Movie2k in January 2024, but these coins were fully sold by July 2024. The post Coinbase vs. BlackRock vs. Strategy: Who Really Holds the Most Bitcoin (BTC)? appeared first on CryptoPotato .
22 Feb 2026, 16:47
Uniswap Founder Warns Of Scam Ads As Crypto Theft Surges
Hayden Adams, founder of the decentralized exchange Uniswap, has issued a fresh warning to users about fraudulent advertisements impersonating the platform, after reports emerged of a victim losing an entire cryptocurrency portfolio. In a post on X, Adams said, “Scam ads keep returning despite years of reporting,” adding that “There were scam Uniswap apps while we waited months for App Store approval,” underscoring persistent challenges in combating online impersonation. According to Adams, scammers are purchasing advertisements tied to keywords such as “Uniswap,” ensuring fake links appear prominently when users search for the decentralized exchange on popular search engines. These deceptive links are designed to resemble official pages, encouraging unsuspecting users to connect their wallets and approve transactions, which ultimately enables attackers to drain digital assets completely. A Costly Lesson Shared Publicly The renewed warning follows a widely shared account from an X user known as “Ika,” who detailed how a crypto wallet valued in the mid-six-figure range was emptied despite what he described as disciplined security practices. In a post titled “I lost everything, what’s next?” Ika reflected, “Disciplined for two years. Half-searching for a web3 job, half-hoping to make it fast enough not to need one,” describing the emotional and financial blow. “I believe that getting drained isn’t bad luck. It’s the final consequence of a long chain of bad decisions,” Ika added, suggesting that incremental security oversights can culminate in devastating losses. Shortly before publishing his lengthy account, Ika shared a screenshot appearing to show a top Google search result linking to an inauthentic Uniswap website, highlighting how convincingly fraudulent sites can mimic legitimate services. Wider Trend Of Rising Crypto Losses The incident comes during a period of elevated crypto-related theft, with January recording the highest amount stolen in scams and exploits in 11 months. Security firm CertiK reported that cryptocurrency losses reached $370.3 million last month, representing a nearly fourfold increase compared with January 2025, and marking a sharp escalation in illicit activity. Of the 40 reported exploit and scam incidents during the month, the majority of the total value lost stemmed from a single victim who reportedly forfeited around $284 million in a social engineering attack. The combination of convincing phishing campaigns, paid search manipulation, and user complacency continues to create vulnerabilities within the decentralized finance ecosystem, even as platforms and community leaders repeatedly flag the dangers. Adams’ latest comments reflect mounting frustration among crypto founders who must simultaneously innovate and defend their brands against increasingly sophisticated fraud operations exploiting user trust and search engine visibility.
22 Feb 2026, 16:25
Solana Monthly Chart Flashes Repeat Sell Signal Near $300
Solana faced new skepticism on its monthly chart as analysts pointed to heavy overhead supply and repeat cycle signals. Two separate posts framed the setup around whether demand can hold through the current pullback without repeating past drawdowns SOL monthly chart shows supply zone under $300, while price slides into a major gap area Greenytrades argued that Solana could struggle to reclaim and hold levels above $300. He tied that view to SOL’s token inflation, which can create steady sell pressure, and he said demand has looked mostly cyclical. In his framing, SOL would need “permanent buyers,” not just bull cycle flows, to sustain prices above $300. Solana SOLUSD Monthly Chart. Source: TradingView / greenytrades on X On the monthly SOLUSD chart (Binance), price trades near the mid $80s after a long decline from the 2024–2025 highs. The chart also highlights a wide gray supply band below the prior peak zone, where candles previously rejected and turned lower. Because that band sits well under $300, it marks a visible overhead area that sellers defended before the latest downtrend accelerated. Meanwhile, price now approaches a lower gray region labeled as a monthly fair value gap, with an additional “3M FVG” zone beneath it. That placement matters because gaps like these often act as magnets during retracements, and they can also become decision areas once price trades inside them. Therefore, this chart read centers on whether SOL stabilizes in that gap region or continues to bleed into the deeper zone below. Ali Charts flags repeat sell signals on SOL monthly chart as price revisits prior cycle structure Ali Charts questioned whether this cycle is different for Solana. His post points to a familiar pattern on the monthly SOL chart, where prior cycle peaks triggered sell signals before a deep drawdown. In the earlier cycle, the chart marked a sell near the top, followed by a prolonged decline that erased most of the prior gains. That history frames the current setup, where a new sell marker appears near the recent highs. Solana SOL Monthly Chart. Source: Ali Charts on X On the chart, the recent structure mirrors the earlier cycle rhythm. First, price pushed into a high zone and printed a sell signal. Next, candles rolled over and began a sustained pullback. Because the prior cycle followed the same sequence, the comparison focuses on structure rather than timing. Therefore, the question centers on whether this pullback remains a standard cycle reset or develops into a deeper trend shift. The visual also shows a long base that formed after the prior collapse, followed by a strong recovery phase. That sequence matters because the current structure now sits at a similar point in the cycle path. As a result, Ali Charts frames the setup as a repeat test of cycle behavior. The chart does not confirm outcomes. Instead, it highlights that the same signals and structure have appeared again, which puts the focus on how price behaves as this phase unfolds.
