Invest ideasNews
14 Feb 2026, 17:49
Russia's external public debt shoots past $60 billion for the first time in two decades
The Russian Federation’s external public debt has surpassed the $60-billion mark for the first time in two decades, official data showed. While Moscow claims it’s one of the lowest among developed nations, analysts warn to watch for its ratio against the size of the economy. Russia debt reaches level unseen since 2006 Amid a costly war against neighboring Ukraine and Western sanctions, Russia’s sovereign debt to foreign creditors is at its highest point for the past 20 years. Stats released by the Ministry of Finance revealed that, as of February 1, the external debt of the Russian government amounted to $61.9 billion. RIA Novosti noticed that the $60-billion threshold hasn’t been this high since the distant 2006, when the indicator stood at $76.5 billion on January 1. A year later, the national debt dropped to $52 billion, the news agency recalled, and remained below $60 billion until now. It was just $39.7 billion in early 2011, Forbes Russia noted in an article, quoting the data that appeared on the Minfin’s website just before the weekend. The external public debt is owed by the federal government, local authorities and public agencies to other states, foreign banks and international institutions. It excludes private sector obligations. Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) estimated the country’s total external debt at $319.8 billion as of January 1, 2026. Its calculations show that the figure rose by 10.4% since the beginning of 2025. According to the regulator, the $30-billion increase is largely due to positive revaluation of liabilities in the sectors of the Russian economy and the banking system, as a result of the strengthening of the ruble. Quoted by the business daily Kommersant, the monetary authority also highlighted growth in debt financing attracted by Russian firms as another contributing factor. Moscow maintains its debt is among the lowest The media reports referred to a recent statement by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who pointed out in December that the national debt is “one of the lowest among developed countries.” The head of the executive power emphasized that this allows Russia to continue to implement government projects and advance towards development goals. It also helps it to fulfill social obligations to its citizens and cover the needs of the military, Mishustin added. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will enter its fifth year on February 24. Meanwhile, experts interviewed by the official TASS news agency tried to downplay the importance of the debt increase, putting an emphasis on Russia’s debt-to-GDP ratio. “The government’s foreign currency debt has increased slightly, but not by a critical amount,” said Alexander Abramov, head of the Laboratory for Analysis of Institutions and Financial Markets at the Presidential Academy, a Russian public university. Abramov believes this was mainly due to the issuing of yuan bonds by the finance ministry last year, when the department raised a significant amount of Chinese currency. He added: “In my opinion, it is necessary to observe the overall limit of 20% of GDP for government debt.” Anton Tabakh, chief economist at the Expert RA credit rating agency, agreed that the national debt-to-GDP ratio is the more important indicator. He pointed out that the Russian economy has grown significantly over the past two decades, maintaining low levels of debt in ruble and dollar terms, compared to other major economies . In December, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov announced that Russia’s public debt should not exceed 20% of GDP, based on his department’s medium-term forecast. It currently stands at around 15%, he noted at the time. Get 8% CASHBACK when you spend crypto with COCA Visa card. Order your FREE card.
14 Feb 2026, 13:51
Couples recount strain from recent crypto losses
A San Francisco man has lost more than $200,000 to crypto scammers after pooling the entire funds in a crypto investment that turned out to be a scam. The crypto scam was revealed by the man’s wife, who claimed that months after paying off $80,000 in debt, the family’s financial life had plunged into chaos. According to the San Francisco man’s wife, the family’s financial progress has unraveled, a story that left personal finance experts Dave Ramsey and Jade Warshaw completely stunned. The woman claimed that her husband secretly took out nearly $200,000 in high-interest personal loans and poured all the funds into several cryptocurrency investments that eventually vanished. In her testimony, the man’s wife, Ana, claimed they had followed Ramsey’s debt plan since 2022, and it had been working for them. San Francisco man loses funds to crypto scammers In her statement, Ana mentioned that her family had stuck to their plan and been paying off their debts before her husband made this costly mistake. She said they were only left with their mortgage when her husband started talking to his friends about digital assets and how to make profits from investments in the assets. The San Francisco native was said to have made small investments in crypto and saw small returns, which gave him the confidence to go all in. According to the wife, the San Francisco native told her about the smaller investments and returns, but failed to tell her about the bigger move. “He took out a big loan of $200,000,” Ana said. “I was in total panic when he told me that.” She claimed that the man said the money was used to invest in different digital assets , including XRP and the Trump coin , through a platform known as Pionex. Aside from the $200,000, the wife mentioned that the San Francisco man also invested $50,000 belonging to his mother. Ana said she learned of what happened after all the money was already gone. The couple now owes about $200,000. Their monthly payment total is about $5,000, interest rates are about 23%, and the household income is around $10,000 every month. The wife noted that their home is worth around $700,000, with about $400,000 still owed. The woman mentioned that her husband blamed the financial loss on a divine punishment because she failed to involve herself when he was making the decision. In another related event, a family’s finances have gone down the drain after a man mistakenly pressed “sell short” on his crypto investment. According to the woman, her husband borrowed $250,000 against their family home and put everything into crypto investments without her knowledge. When she found out, she asked him to sell immediately, and he promised that he would sell it and return the money to their account within days. Instead, he refused and kept it in the investments. Days later, the wife said the funds were not in their bank account and pressed him for answers. It was then that the husband confessed that he had not sold the crypto and had accidentally pressed the sell short button instead of the sell button, which caused all of his position to be liquidated. Get 8% CASHBACK when you spend crypto with COCA Visa card. Order your FREE card.
14 Feb 2026, 12:32
Inflation dips to 2.4% in January, but services inflation remains a stubborn problem
Prices in the United States climbed more slowly than predicted in January, providing Americans with a brief respite after years of high prices, but a top Federal Reserve official warn s th e fight against inflation is far from over. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said on February 13 that consumer prices climbed 2.4% in the 12 months through January 2026. That is down from 2.7% in December and came in below what most economists had predicted, around 2.5%. When you strip out food and energy, two categories that tend to swing wildly, prices were up 2.5% from a year ago. On a monthly basis, overall prices gained 0.2%, while that core measure rose 0.3%. Both figures either matched or came in under forecasts. Services inflation remains a stubborn problem The numbers come at a time when the broader economy is holding up. Employers added a healthy number of jobs in January, and the unemployment rate remained near 4.3%, steady, but not indicating any major trouble in the job market. Housing costs remained one of the bigger forces pushing inflation higher, while food prices were up 2.9% over the past year. In an interview with Yahoo Finance, Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee discussed the study on the same day it was released. He adde d th ere were some encouraging indicators, notably in goods pricing, which did not appear to be adversely affected by tariffs. However, he was keen to stress that inflation in services is a whole other issue. “Services inflation is not tamed in the CPI,” Goolsbee stated, describing it as a “danger sign.” He added that once service costs increase, they tend to stay high, and unlike products, they are not subject to the same trade constraints that tariffs bring. He noted that he will be keenly monitoring future Producer Price Index data on services for further information . Fe d in no rush to cut rates When it comes to interest rates, Goolsbee did not promise any near-term cuts. He said the Fed needs to see real, sustained improvement in inflation before it moves. “If we could get some more improvement on the inflation side, I think rates can still go down a fair bit more,” he said. However, he made clear that one encouraging report is not enough. He pointed out that inflation has been running above the Fed’s 2% goal for more than four and a half years, and the central bank needs solid evidence of progress before loosening policy further. He also said he is not certain how restrictive current rates actually are, and that there may be room to bring them down toward a level that neither speeds up nor slows down the economy too much. Goolsbee’s moderate attitude mirrors the Fed’s overall perspective. Goolsbee’s first opposing vote since arriving in 2023 came in December 2025, when he and Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid both voted against reducing interest rates (along with one other dissenter favoring a larger cut). Six other officials at the discussion urged against going too quickly. In January 2026, he went even further, saying that external pressure on the Fed’s independence may make inflation more difficult to manage. The markets mirrored this anxiety. According to CME FedWatch data from mid-February, traders expect a rate hold for the March 18, 2026, meeting (78% to 94%). Few saw a near-term drop, but long-term betting on incremental reductions remained if inflation continued to fall. As of February 14, 2026: 90.8% chance the Fed holds rates at the March 18, 2026 meeting, with 9.2% odds of a 25 bps cut. Source: CME FedWatch Tool January’s report offers some reason for optimism, but not enough for the Fed to change course just yet. Upcoming data on producer prices and employment will go a long way in shaping what happens in the months ahead. Get 8% CASHBACK when you spend crypto with COCA Visa card. Order your FREE card.
14 Feb 2026, 11:28
BRICS unveils precious metals exchange plans in push for US alternative systems
Members of the BRICS format are planning to establish a new exchange for precious metals, a high-ranking Russian diplomat revealed. The news comes against the backdrop of increased volatility in the markets for assets such as gold and silver following recent spikes in their prices. BRICS is building a trading platform for precious metals Member states of the BRICS group of developing economies are now working to create a dedicated exchange for precious metals, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told Russian state media. Speaking to TASS, Ryabkov noted that besides a common investment platform, BRICS wants to have a “platform designed to work in special economic zones,” which virtually all participating countries have. According to excerpts from his interview with Russia’s official news agency published Saturday, the diplomat further stated: “There is also a recent, but very important, initiative to create an exchange of precious metals, along with a grain exchange.” The Russian Federation is the source of a number of initiatives that were pitched and adopted when Moscow chaired the organization in 2024, the report reminded. These include proposals for payment platforms, mechanisms for settlements in national currencies, reinsurance facilities for trade within the grouping and with its partners. The establishment of a grain exchange and a new investment platform, discussed recently by Ryabkov’s superior, Sergey Lavrov, were also among Moscow’s suggestions. “There are all reasons and prerequisites for something tangible to emerge,” the deputy minister insisted, commenting on these projects, without providing more details. The idea of an exchange for precious metals comes to the fore after the prices of these assets registered a remarkable growth over the course of the past year. Gold surpassed $5,600 in January, and the all-time high was followed by heightened market volatility, with the price per ounce falling towards $4,600 in early February. It exceeded $5,000 again later this month, according to data compiled by Trading Economics. After sliding by more than 3% this past Thursday, it rebounded again on Friday to a little over $5,000. BRICS to offer alternative to whatever America can shut down Recognizing the weight of the pressure that the United States can exert, BRICS intends to create an alternative to everything that Washington can shut down “at the push of a button,” Ryabkov stressed. “I think no one is underestimating the risks associated with American policy, both sanctions and tariffs. But this doesn’t mean everyone is ready to succumb to pressure,” the Russian official said, stressing: “BRICS was created precisely to offer an alternative to everything that can be shut down at the push of a button, as we have already seen.” “We are seeking and finding solutions to the problems this increasingly toxic international environment is creating,” he added, noting that this includes efforts within BRICS and in collaboration with countries willing to work with the organization. The Russian representative put an emphasis on deploying “digital methods and systems” in that regard as well as on the use of national currencies for transactions. Last month, the Central Bank of India, a founding member of BRICS, proposed linking digital currencies issued by its nations to simplify cross-border trade and reduce dependence on the U.S. dollar. However, in November 2025, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov admitted that his country’s push for a system for international settlements in the group is hampered by partners sticking to the Greenback. Trade growth within BRICS overtakes global average Sergey Ryabkov also highlighted some of the results of the BRICS integration, pointing out that trade between its members is growing faster than global trade and elaborating: “Statistics show that trade growth among BRICS countries significantly exceeds both the overall growth rate of global trade and the trade growth between BRICS members and other partners.” The Russian diplomat is convinced “this is simply an indication that BRICS – without being some kind of ‘magic wand’ – can truly help address challenges.” “We need to expand this potential, and there is the political will to do so,” Russia’s deputy foreign minister emphasized. BRICS was originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, and China in 2009, with South Africa joining the following year. The intergovernmental body has since accepted Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates as full members. Earn 8% CASHBACK in USDC when you pay with COCA. Order your FREE card.
14 Feb 2026, 10:58
Bitcoin holders rethink portfolio strategy as inflation cools
As inflation rates around the world continue to soften, Bitcoin holders and crypto investors are increasingly questioning the reasons they own the world’s largest cryptocurrency. According to Anthony Pompliano, a well‑known BTC entrepreneur, investors are being “tested” as U.S. inflation data cools, forcing a reassessment of why Bitcoin is held in the first place, whether as an inflation hedge, a growth asset, or a store of value. Throughout 2025 and into early 2026, numerous inflation reports showed U.S. consumer prices rising more slowly than expected. For example, data in late 2025 showed inflation holding around 2.7% year‑over‑year, below forecasts, which at times helped buoy Bitcoin prices as investors eyed potential monetary easing from the Federal Reserve. However, just because inflation is easing does not mean Bitcoin’s path forward is simple. Softer inflation can reduce Bitcoin’s traditional appeal as a hedge against rising consumer prices. Corporate confidence and the long-term store of value debate Strategy, the largest corporate Bitcoin holder , recently reaffirmed its commitment to the asset even amid volatility. Michael Saylor, American entrepreneur and former CEO of Strategy, has publicly stated the company will continue to hold and acquire Bitcoin regardless of near‑term price movements. The underlying worth of Bitcoin should be understood as fixed supply, Pompliano said , and if governments continue printing money, the cryptocurrency’s price will ultimately rise. “Bitcoin and gold are great long-term assets,” he continued. A new report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated the Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell to 2.4% in January from 2.7% in December . But inflation “looks better on paper than in reality,” Moody’s chief economist Mark Zandi told CNBC. Since BTC has a limited supply of 21 million coins, it is often considered an inflation hedge. When central banks increase the money supply and fiat currencies lose value, investors typically look for alternative assets, including Bitcoin, to preserve purchasing power. Fear and volatility shake the market, but opportunities remain Market sentiment has fallen precipitously. When analysts reviewed the most recent Crypto Fear & Greed Index data , the index reached 9, a level not seen since June 2022, indicating the most extreme fear. BTC is at about $68,850, down more than 28% in the past 30 days, CoinMarketCap data shows. Short-term deflationary pressures, Pompliano noted, may generate volatility before Bitcoin can resume its upward trajectory. He noted that demands for lower interest rates and additional money printing may weaken the U.S. dollar, even though the effects are initially concealed. “The currency is going to be devalued at a time where deflation covers up the impact — I call it a monetary slingshot,” he noted. He expects the Federal Reserve to keep expanding the monetary supply, as the country seeks to quell economic pressures, saying further dollar debasement would boost BTC’s appeal in the long term. The U.S. Dollar Index is down 2.32% over the past 30 days and is currently trading at 96.88, according to TradingView. Earn 8% CASHBACK in USDC when you pay with COCA. Order your FREE card.
14 Feb 2026, 08:33
XRP Enters the Fed’s Crypto Playbook: A Game-Changing Risk Framework Shake-Up
Federal Reserve Signals Crypto Shift as XRP Joins Proposed New Risk Class A new proposal from the Federal Reserve (Fed) could mark a turning point in how global banks measure and manage crypto risk, with XRP emerging as one of the notable assets in focus. A recent Federal Reserve staff paper , cited by market analyst Diana, suggests introducing a dedicated crypto asset class in the industry’s core risk framework, a move that could reshape how banks handle digital assets. Today, with no formal category, cryptocurrencies like XRP, Bitcoin, and Ethereum are forced into ill-fitting buckets such as commodities or FX, models that fail to reflect their distinct market behavior. The proposal focuses on the framework tied to the International Swaps and Derivatives Association’s Standard Initial Margin Model (ISDA SIMM), the benchmark major institutions use to set derivatives margin. By carving out a standalone crypto risk class, the Federal Reserve signals that digital assets have evolved into a distinct financial segment, with unique volatility, liquidity, and correlation dynamics. Under the suggested approach, the new crypto category would be split into two subgroups: Pegged assets – primarily stablecoins designed to maintain a fixed value relative to a fiat currency or other reference asset. Floating assets – cryptocurrencies with market-driven prices, including BTC, ETH, and XRP. XRP Could Shape Bank Risk Models as Regulators Explore Crypto Integration For XRP, being designated as a calibration instrument is both symbolic and functional. Its price and volatility data would help banks model how crypto assets perform under stress, directly shaping how crypto risk exposure is measured. Therefore, adopting this framework could sharpen risk assessment and pricing for crypto-linked derivatives while giving banks a clear, standardized approach to digital asset exposure. That clarity could reduce reliance on rough proxies and pave the way for greater institutional participation. Well, a staff proposal isn’t a binding rule, it’s a starting point for analysis and industry dialogue, not an immediate policy shift. But it sends a strong signal that regulators and major financial institutions now view crypto as significant enough to factor into global risk frameworks. For the crypto market, that acknowledgment alone marks real progress toward closer integration with traditional finance. Conclusion The Federal Reserve’s proposal to establish a dedicated crypto risk class signals recognition of digital assets as a mature financial segment. By using XRP, Bitcoin, and Ethereum for calibration, the Fed aims to standardize risk assessment in derivatives trading, potentially boosting institutional adoption, market transparency, and crypto’s integration into traditional finance.
