hodler

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.

22 Feb 2026, 13:00

Tether To Terminate Offshore Yuan (CNH₮) Operations – Here’s Why

Stablecoin operator Tether has announced its decision to discontinue support for its offshore Chinese Yuan token CNH₮. The USDT operator has attributed this development to a lack of market demand, among other points. Tether To Terminate CNH₮ Redemption In One Year In a recent blog post , Tether shared a strategic update on its CNH₮, communicating a management decision to withdraw the stablecoin product from its offerings. This decision is based on multiple factors centered around demand and operational efficiency. A statement from the announcement read: Community interest and adoption are central to every product decision we make. When evaluating whether to maintain or introduce a Tether token, we assess market demand, operational sustainability, and broader ecosystem conditions that influence long-term usability. Our priority is to allocate resources where they can most effectively enhance security, reliability, and innovation across the digital asset landscape. Tether explains that the CNH₮ recorded low interest, adoption, and community demand compared to their products, thereby failing to produce an acceptable return on technical and operational efforts. As of this moment, all new issuance of CNH₮ has been halted. Meanwhile, CNH₮ users will have the next year to process any redemptions before the stablecoin is permanently phased out. The stablecoin operator will issue another reminder ahead of the redemption deadline. Following this development, Tether reiterates its commitment to stablecoin global growth and adoption. The statement read: Tether will continue to focus its efforts on stablecoins and infrastructure that demonstrate strong, organic adoption and long-term relevance. This includes advancing core stablecoin liquidity, expanding tokenization infrastructure, and supporting new financial tools that better serve global users and builders. Tether remains the operator of the world’s largest stablecoin, USDT, which presently boasts a total market cap of $183.7 billion. In January, the stablecoin company launched USAT, designed specifically for American users. Nigeria Leads Demand For Stablecoins In other news, a recent survey by BVNK has revealed that Africa’s largest economies are leading the demand for stablecoins. This survey, done in collaboration with Coinbase, YouGov, and Artemis, involved 4658 adults across 15 countries. The results revealed that 80% of Nigerian and South African respondents presently hold stablecoin, while 75% aim to increase holdings as citizens seek a haven from their local fragile currencies. At press time, the total stablecoin market cap is valued at $310 billion, with high expectations of future market expansion following the approval of the GENIUS Act last July.

22 Feb 2026, 11:02

XRP Is By Far the Most Used Asset on the XRPL. Here’s the Proof

XRP continues to dominate the XRP Ledger in terms of transaction volume. According to a detailed analysis covering October 1, 2019, to April 30, 2020, XRP accounted for 125 billion units over seven months, averaging 586 million XRP per day. This makes it the most used currency on the ledger by a significant margin. Crypto researcher SMQKE (@SMQKEDQG) shared this data in response to claims that institutions could use the XRP Ledger without XRP, relying instead on stablecoins or other assets. The data clearly supports XRP’s central role . The ledger records show that payment activity overwhelmingly favors XRP, not alternative tokens. Yes, XRP is “by far the most used currency on the ledger in terms of payment volume.” Of course it’s documented. https://t.co/bcUil7E3zn pic.twitter.com/wNVD44judU — SMQKE (@SMQKEDQG) February 20, 2026 Concentration Among Top Accounts The data shows that the distribution of XRP transactions was also concentrated. The top 10 senders processed 53% of the total volume, while the top 10 receivers captured 50%. Ripple accounted for 7% of activity, or 9 billion XRP, mainly from monthly 1 billion XRP escrow releases . Most escrowed funds were unused, but still added to Ripple’s transaction share. Exchanges played a major role in XRP flows. Binance led activity by sending 15.2 billion XRP and receiving 14.5 billion during the observation period. Other major exchanges, including Bithumb, Coinbase, Bittrex, and Bitso, also appear as key participants in XRP transfers. XRP Compared to Other Tokens XRP dominates the ledger compared with fiat tokens. USD, EUR, and CNY appear with much smaller volumes: 328M USD, 8M EUR, and 19M CNY. On-ledger exchange rates averaged 5.4 XRP/USD, 5.5 XRP/EUR, and 0.7 XRP/CNY, matching off-ledger values, but transaction volumes remain minimal compared to XRP’s activity. The ledger’s data indicates that XRP remains the primary medium of exchange, with other currencies used mostly as secondary or niche instruments. This activity shows the token’s liquidity, accessibility, and utility within the ecosystem. We are on X, follow us to connect with us :- @TimesTabloid1 — TimesTabloid (@TimesTabloid1) June 15, 2025 Institutional Use and Network Function SMQKE’s point reinforces that XRP is not optional for the ledger’s core payments activity. While some suggest institutions could rely on other assets , the actual flows demonstrate heavy XRP usage. Payments, settlement, and account liquidity all rely predominantly on XRP. The ledger’s transparency enables clear tracking, which reveals that XRP facilitates the majority of value transfer. Ripple has revealed that XRP is at the core of its plans , and this data backs that stance. XRP’s activity on the ledger demonstrates both scale and concentration. High-volume accounts, major exchanges, and regular escrow-related flows all contribute to its dominance. The ledger shows a structured and consistent pattern of XRP usage that other tokens do not match. Disclaimer : This content is meant to inform and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author’s personal opinions and do not represent Times Tabloid’s opinion. Readers are advised to conduct thorough research before making any investment decisions. Any action taken by the reader is strictly at their own risk. Times Tabloid is not responsible for any financial losses. Follow us on X , Facebook , Telegram , and Google News The post XRP Is By Far the Most Used Asset on the XRPL. Here’s the Proof appeared first on Times Tabloid .