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17 Feb 2026, 21:25
Iran has partially closed the Strait of Hormuz
Iran has partially closed the Strait of Hormuz, and state media said the action was taken under “security precautions” while the Revolutionary Guard carried out military drills inside the waterway. The Strait sits between Oman and Iran, and it is the most critical oil route on Earth. This is the first time Iran has shut parts of the Strait of Hormuz since U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Tehran with military action in January. The waterway links crude producers in the Middle East to buyers across Asia, Europe, and the United States. In 2025, about 13 million barrels per day passed through it, which is roughly 31% of global seaborne crude flows, based on data from Kpler. Even a partial restriction of Hormuz raises risk premiums. Shipping insurance costs will surge, and global oil markets will spike too, making life hard for average people all around the world. Iran conducts drills as nuclear talks continue At the same time, the United States and Iran held talks in Geneva over Tehran’s nuclear program. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke after the meeting. Abbas said both sides reached an understanding of the “guiding principles.” He also said progress does not mean a final agreement is close and that more work is still needed. The International Energy Agency released its monthly oil report on Monday. The agency said world oil demand will grow more slowly than expected this year. It also warned that the global market still faces a sizeable surplus despite supply outages in January. The IEA projected that global supply will exceed demand by 3.73 million barrels per day in 2026. That equals almost 4% of world demand. It is larger than other forecasts. The IEA said, “Escalating geopolitical tensions, snowstorms and extreme temperatures in North America, and Kazakh supply disruptions sparked the reversal to a bullish market.” At the same time, the agency stated that “economic uncertainties and higher oil prices” are weighing on consumption. World oil demand is now expected to rise by 850,000 barrels per day this year. That figure is 80,000 barrels per day lower than last month’s estimate. It is also below the projection from OPEC. Supply has grown faster than demand. OPEC+, which includes Russia and other allies, began increasing output in April 2025 after years of cuts. Producers such as the United States, Guyana, and Brazil also lifted production. OPEC+ paused output hikes for the first quarter of 2026. Eight members will meet on March 1 to decide whether to resume increases in April. In January, global oil supply fell by 1.2 million barrels per day to 106.6 million barrels per day due to outages in Kazakhstan and other areas. The IEA lowered its 2026 supply growth forecast to 2.4 million barrels per day from 2.5 million. OPEC+ pumped 43.3 million barrels per day in January, down 160,000 from December. That level remains well above the IEA estimate for demand for OPEC+ crude, which stands at 39.7 million barrels per day in the first quarter and 39.6 million in the second. Data published by OPEC on Wednesday showed a much smaller surplus in the second quarter and a supply deficit in 2026 overall if output stays at January levels, based on Reuters calculations. If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter .
17 Feb 2026, 20:02
Bitmine doubles down on Ethereum as treasury data signals quiet institutional accumulation
Bitmine has increased its Ethereum holdings to 4.37 million ETH, tightening supply concentration as ETH trades near recent lows.
17 Feb 2026, 19:55
Russian authorities may restrict access to foreign crypto exchanges
The Russian government may start blocking access to foreign cryptocurrency exchanges as soon as it regulates crypto trading in its jurisdiction in a few months’ time, according to industry watchers. The warning comes amid restrictions on messaging apps, video-sharing sites, and social media networks based abroad, which recently affected popular platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, and YouTube. Meanwhile, the appetite of Russian financial firms for crypto profits has been growing, and they are already indicating their intentions to divert some of the massive flow of fees that’s currently leaving the country toward their own platforms, once the Russian crypto framework is in place. Moscow may ban major coin trading venues in 2026 Russia is gearing up to begin adopting legislative changes that should properly regulate various crypto-related activities in the country by July 1, including investment and exchange, replacing a temporary solution that currently governs official operations with digital assets in its economy. Regulators in Moscow gradually softened their stance on the matter in a pivotal 2025 , with the Bank of Russia initially proposing an “experimental legal regime” for crypto transactions last spring and then legalizing the offering of crypto derivatives to “highly qualified investors” at the end of May. In late December, the monetary authority announced a brand-new regulatory concept that suggests recognizing cryptocurrencies and stablecoins as “monetary assets” and expanding investor access to include even ordinary Russians, albeit under some limitations. Analysts interviewed by leading Russian business news outlet RBC believe access to well-established global exchanges such as Bybit or OKX, for example, may be restricted when Moscow starts issuing licenses to domestic platforms. According to Nikita Zuborev, senior analyst at the crypto exchange aggregator Bestchange.ru, that’s a likely development. He believes that as soon as Russia launches its own service providers, it will start to fight off major competitors. He elaborated: “We expect Roskomnadzor to begin blocking websites of crypto exchanges not registered in Russia as early as this summer.” The measures to be employed are likely to be the same as those currently targeting YouTube. Russia’s telecom and media watchdog recently deleted its domain , and that of Meta’s messenger WhatsApp, from its DNS servers, effectively cutting off access to them for Russian residents. Zuborev warned that if foreign platforms are not allowed to obtain Russian licenses or at least permitted to operate as agents for domestic exchanges and brokers, a large portion of the existing market will move to the shadow economy, fragment, and become almost impossible to regulate. Russia may follow in the footsteps of ally Belarus What’s even more likely is a “Belarusian” scenario, thinks Dmitry Machikhin, lawyer and founder of BitOK, a provider of AML and KYT solutions for crypto businesses. Belarus allows only companies registered as residents of its High-Tech Park ( HTP ) hub to process cryptocurrency transactions. In 2024, Minsk prohibited its citizens from buying and selling coins on foreign platforms. He doubted, however, that it would be possible to enforce a similar ban, giving Binance as an example. At least a million Russians are still clients of the world’s largest digital-asset exchange, he pointed out, even after it officially pulled out of the country’s market. Ignat Likhunov, founder of the law firm Cartesius, which specializes in providing legal advice in the crypto space, highlighted the lack of real levers to exert influence over foreign exchanges, which are not in a rush to comply with any requirements. The authorities will probably restrict access to such platforms and to exchanges supporting sanctions against Russia and its citizens for various, including economic, reasons, he added. Non-compliance with domestic data protection law could serve as grounds for blocking, too, as most of these trading services store the personal information of Russian citizens on servers located in Europe or the United States. One thing is sure, Russia will try to put its hands on at least some of the commissions that foreign exchanges currently charge on its citizens and businesses, which amount to an estimated $15 billion. Established financial players like the Moscow Exchange, which will be able to provide crypto services using their existing licenses under the upcoming rules, have already indicated they intend to do so. Recently quoted by the business daily Vedomosti, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of MOEX , Sergey Shvetsov, said Russia’s largest stock market plans to attract crypto turnover as soon as the law allows it. The finance ministry in Moscow revealed last week that the total volume of Russian crypto transactions is already reaching 50 billion rubles (over $647 million) daily, as reported by Cryptopolitan. The smartest crypto minds already read our newsletter. Want in? Join them .
17 Feb 2026, 18:40
BlackRock IBIT Stuns Markets as Two Abu Dhabi Funds Reveal Over $1 Billion Bitcoin ETF Holdings
BitcoinWorld BlackRock IBIT Stuns Markets as Two Abu Dhabi Funds Reveal Over $1 Billion Bitcoin ETF Holdings In a landmark disclosure that stunned global financial markets, two prominent Abu Dhabi investment vehicles revealed they collectively held over $1 billion in BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF, IBIT, as of December 31, 2024. This massive allocation signals a profound shift in institutional cryptocurrency adoption, particularly from sovereign wealth entities in the Middle East. The revelation, first reported by The Block on January 15, 2025, provides concrete evidence of deepening capital flows from traditional finance into regulated digital asset products. Consequently, this move by Abu Dhabi’s elite investors reshapes the narrative around Bitcoin’s legitimacy as a strategic reserve asset. BlackRock IBIT Attracts Monumental Abu Dhabi Investment According to recent regulatory filings, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, Mubadala Investment Company, reported holding 12.7 million shares of the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT). This position was valued at approximately $631 million at year-end. Simultaneously, Al Warada Investments, a key subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC), disclosed an ownership stake of 8.22 million shares , worth around $408 million. Together, these positions represent one of the largest publicly known institutional bets on a spot Bitcoin ETF since its historic approval by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in January 2024. This investment did not occur in a vacuum. Instead, it follows a year of significant regulatory maturation and product development within the digital asset space. The approval of multiple spot Bitcoin ETFs in the United States created a secure, familiar conduit for large-scale institutional capital. For context, BlackRock’s IBIT has consistently ranked among the top ETFs globally by inflows since its launch, often rivaling established products tracking gold or broad market indices. The Abu Dhabi funds’ entry, therefore, represents a strategic endorsement of this new asset class through its most credible and liquid available vehicle. Strategic Motivations Behind the Bitcoin ETF Move Analysts point to several compelling reasons for this strategic allocation. Primarily, sovereign wealth funds like Mubadala have a mandate to diversify their portfolios across uncorrelated assets to ensure long-term wealth preservation. Historically, these funds have allocated to alternative investments like private equity, infrastructure, and real estate. Bitcoin, with its distinct monetary properties and historically low correlation to traditional stocks and bonds, now fits into this diversification framework, especially when accessed through a regulated, custodial ETF structure. Furthermore, the geopolitical and macroeconomic landscape of 2024 provided a strong tailwind. Persistent inflation concerns, currency devaluation risks, and shifting global trade dynamics have increased the appeal of decentralized, hard-capped assets. For oil-rich nations like the United Arab Emirates, investing in Bitcoin can be seen as a hedge against the long-term energy transition and a way to future-proof national wealth. The choice of BlackRock’s IBIT is particularly significant, as it leverages the asset manager’s unparalleled scale, reputation, and risk management infrastructure. Expert Analysis on Institutional Adoption Trends Financial experts emphasize the signaling effect of this investment. “When sovereign wealth funds of this caliber make a move, it’s never just a trade; it’s a statement,” noted Dr. Lena Schmidt, a senior fellow at the Global Financial Innovation Institute. “The Abu Dhabi funds’ allocation to IBIT validates the entire ETF wrapper and provides a blueprint for other conservative institutional investors. It moves Bitcoin from the speculative fringe to the strategic portfolio core.” Data supports this trend. The following table illustrates the growth trajectory of institutional holdings in spot Bitcoin ETFs since their launch: Quarter 2024 Total Institutional AUM (Est.) Key New Entrants Q1 $5-10 Billion Hedge Funds, Family Offices Q2 $15-25 Billion Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) Q3 $30-45 Billion Pension Fund Probes, Insurance Companies Q4 $60+ Billion Sovereign Wealth Funds (e.g., Abu Dhabi) This sequential adoption highlights a clear pattern of decreasing risk aversion and increasing comfort with the asset class. The entry of sovereign capital marks the final stage of this institutional onboarding process, potentially unlocking trillions in further capital from similar state-backed entities worldwide. Impact on Global Cryptocurrency Markets and Regulation The disclosure has immediate and long-term implications for global markets. In the short term, it provides a powerful bullish signal, reinforcing Bitcoin’s store-of-value narrative. More importantly, it influences regulatory discussions worldwide. Jurisdictions still deliberating on cryptocurrency frameworks may view this investment as a case study in prudent, regulated exposure. The funds chose a U.S.-regulated, SEC-reporting product, which advocates will argue supports the need for clear, not restrictive, regulatory environments to capture financial innovation. For the broader ETF landscape, the investment underscores the success of the first-mover advantage. BlackRock’s brand, combined with its massive distribution network, made IBIT the preferred vehicle for such a sensitive, large-scale allocation. This dynamic could accelerate consolidation among the dozen spot Bitcoin ETFs, with flows concentrating further in the products with the strongest institutional trust and liquidity. Key impacts include: Market Validation: Legitimizes Bitcoin ETFs for the most conservative capital pools. Price Stability: Long-term, buy-and-hold institutional capital reduces market volatility. Regulatory Momentum: Pressures other global financial hubs to approve similar products. Strategic Diversification: Sets a precedent for other sovereign funds to allocate 1-5% of portfolios to digital assets. Conclusion The revelation that two Abu Dhabi funds held over $1 billion in BlackRock’s IBIT Bitcoin ETF marks a definitive milestone in financial history. It represents the convergence of traditional sovereign wealth management with the digital asset economy through a fully regulated, transparent instrument. This move provides unparalleled validation for the spot Bitcoin ETF structure and signals that institutional adoption has moved from early experimentation to strategic implementation. As a result, the investment landscape for cryptocurrencies has been permanently altered, setting a new benchmark for how global institutions approach portfolio diversification in the digital age. The focus now shifts to which major sovereign fund will follow Abu Dhabi’s lead in embracing BlackRock IBIT and similar vehicles. FAQs Q1: Which Abu Dhabi funds invested in BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF? A1: The two funds are Mubadala Investment Company (Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund) and Al Warada Investments, a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC). Q2: How much did the Abu Dhabi funds invest in IBIT? A2: Combined, they held over $1 billion. Mubadala held about $631 million in shares, and Al Warada held approximately $408 million as of December 31, 2024. Q3: Why is this investment significant for the cryptocurrency market? A3: It signifies acceptance by ultra-conservative, long-term sovereign wealth capital. This validates Bitcoin as a strategic institutional asset and encourages other large funds to consider similar allocations. Q4: Why did they choose BlackRock’s IBIT over other Bitcoin ETFs? A4: BlackRock is the world’s largest asset manager with an unmatched reputation for risk management and institutional service. Its IBIT ETF offers deep liquidity, robust custody solutions, and a trusted brand name crucial for large sovereign investors. Q5: What does this mean for future cryptocurrency regulation? A5: It demonstrates that major institutions prefer regulated products like U.S.-approved ETFs. This will likely encourage regulators in other countries to develop clear frameworks to attract such capital, promoting safer and more mainstream adoption. This post BlackRock IBIT Stuns Markets as Two Abu Dhabi Funds Reveal Over $1 Billion Bitcoin ETF Holdings first appeared on BitcoinWorld .
17 Feb 2026, 18:35
French President Macron meets with Indian Prime Minister Modi to establish a new strategic alliance between the nations
The President of France, Emannuel Macron, met with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi today to deepen strategic and economic ties between the two nations. This meeting is part of a wider shift in geopolitical alignments amid global economic uncertainty. The President of France traveled to India this week to meet with the country’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The goal of this visit by French President Macron is to strengthen cooperation with India by creating new strategic and economic agreements. It is also part of an effort by India to attract more foreign capital to its blossoming economy. Today’s meeting between the two leaders was held in Mumbai and resulted in the announcement of widespread bilateral cooperation across a multitude of sectors. Over a dozen new agreements are reported to have been signed between the two nations, including expanded cooperation across defense, trade, technology, energy, critical minerals, scientific research, and more. The two leaders have agreed to meet on an annual basis to discuss and improve this newfound strategic partnership, ushering in a promising new era of diplomacy between the nations. This shift comes amid growing geopolitical tensions, particularly between the United States, China, and Europe, leading countries like France to diversify their economic partnerships. Strategic realignment in a changing world order This new economic alignment between India and France has widespread implications that could prove greatly beneficial to both countries in the long term. The largest order of operations was on a military alliance, as both nations renewed their defense cooperation agreement. This resulted in the announcement of accelerated cooperation in emerging defense technologies and the expansion of defense industrial collaboration. This also marks a turning point for India, which has been largely dependent on Russia for its military capabilities. The new defense deal with France is a huge step towards Indian military independence from Russia, as it allows them to greatly expand defense production at home through French investment. India recently purchased $40 billion USD worth of military equipment from France, reportedly including over 100 advanced fighter jets. India and France also amended a key tax agreement to greatly reduce barriers to cross-border investment and business operations between the two nations. This will allow a newfound capacity to foster French-Indian business innovation. Additional agreements between the two nations included the expansion of institutional partnerships in science and technology, aerospace manufacturing, critical metals and minerals, and clean energy. Emmanuel Macron will continue his three-day diplomatic visit to India by attending the 2026 AI Impact Summit in New Delhi later this week. The emergence of India as a strategic partner for Western nations France’s new economic alliance with India is part of a larger, recent effort by Western nations to strategically align with the country. India has emerged as one of the fastest-growing major economies in the world, and their success is expected to continue in the new year. India’s Economic Survey 2026 , which was released ahead of the country’s Union Budget 2026, projected GDP growth of 7.4% for the country’s 2026 financial year. These factors, along with favorable tax incentives for manufacturing, a robust, skilled young workforce, and cheap labor costs, make India an attractive target for long-term investment by Western countries. There is also a larger effort by the West to diversify investment away from China to mitigate supply chain risks. India has emerged as a much more favorable and reliable candidate for economic partnerships, as the country’s politics align more in favor of those of Western nations. As China continues to solidify itself as a global superpower, increased investment in India by the U.S. and Europe reduces reliance on their Chinese adversary and can create balance in the region. Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free .
17 Feb 2026, 17:58
SBF renews claim that FTX was solvent despite $8B liquidity gap
Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) renewed his claim that FTX was solvent at the time of its collapse. In the latest post, he cited a sworn declaration from the exchange’s former head of data science. This comes in with SBF’s pursuit of a new trial from prison. In a post on X made via proxy, SBF brought Dan Chapsky’s memo to the notice. He mentioned that no one was more qualified to assess the company’s financial position. However, Chapsky had been hired by bankruptcy lawyers to calculate whether the exchange was solvent. FTX had $8B liquidity gap but was ‘still solvent’ According to the post, Chapsky’s declaration mentions that FTX’s international arm faced an $8 billion liquidity shortfall on Nov. 11, 2022. Despite this, the platform remained solvent because its assets exceeded customer deposits. He added his opinion on the given the nature and value of the assets in FTX’s possession on November 11. The declaration further added that international customers could have been repaid within months, not years. If the exchange did not get into omnibus bankruptcy proceedings and abruptly shut down. Bankman-Fried said this view was validated by findings from the bankruptcy court’s independent examiner. FTX was always solvent. No one in the world is more qualified to comment on this than Dan Chapsky. Dan was Head of Data Science at FTX. When the bankruptcy lawyers wanted to know if FTX was solvent, Dan was who they hired to calculate the answer. In a new sworn declaration,… pic.twitter.com/hKZVp7nEsE — SBF (@SBF_FTX) February 17, 2026 Earlier, SBF had claimed that fresh evidence shows that Biden’s DOJ threatened several witnesses into silence or led them to change their testimony. He asked for his conviction to be thrown out. He added that Judge Lewis Kaplan should recuse himself from this motion. He stated that companies were forced offshore under Biden, while under the Trump administration, they’re welcome back in America. He pointed out that under Democrats, companies that needed licenses were refused. Meanwhile, under the new administration, that has changed, and the DOJ is no longer indicting entire industries. SBF bets on new evidence SBF is serving a 25-year prison sentence for fraud tied to FTX’s collapse, and now he is bidding for a new trial. In this case, he even filed a motion in Manhattan federal court Pro Se. This suggests that he is representing himself. The request for a new trial was filed by his mother, Barbara Fried. She had argued that new witness testimony could undermine the prosecution’s case. The filing highlighted the absence of testimony from former FTX executive Ryan Salame. He fought his own legal battle and was later convicted on federal charges. Salame had claimed he reached an agreement to cooperate with prosecutors that would shield his wife. But she was later charged with allegedly taking illegal campaign contributions in her congressional campaign. SBF’s new bid argues that new evidence and witness accounts could challenge the narrative presented at trial. However, appellate judges have previously shown skepticism about that line of argument. The November hearing saw members of the appeals panel question whether solvency was central to the case. FTX’s fallen token FTT posted some gains amid the fresh claims. FTT price is up by more than 13% in the last 7 days, but it is still down by 99% from its all time high of $85 recorded on September 9 2021. FTT is trading at an average price of $0.373 at the press time. The smartest crypto minds already read our newsletter. Want in? Join them .
