As Bitcoin struggles to carry $67,000, choices markets are flashing warning indicators as merchants aggressively bid up draw back safety to hedge in opposition to a possible capitulation occasion.
By early morning, UTC, BTC had climbed 1% over 24 hours to commerce close to $67,000, recovering from an uneasy dip under the $66,000 deal with.
The setup stays precarious. Whilst worth motion steadies, the typical U.S. ETF investor is nursing a stinging 20% paper loss, with a price foundation close to $84,000. This fragility comes after a brutal 47% drawdown from the October 2025 highs.
Key Takeaways:
- BTC steadies close to $67K, however choices skew stays bearish.
- Common ETF investor sits on a 20% unrealized loss.
- Personal credit score stress (Blue Owl) provides macro headwinds.
Whereas current stories point out Abu Dhabi authorities funds purchased $1 billion in BTC, whereas BlackRock doubled down on mining infrastructure, signaling continued institutional urge for food, the broader retail market stays skittish. Buyers are haunted by the prospect of an entire washout.
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Are We Going through Capitulation?
Jake Ostrovskis of buying and selling agency Wintermute notes that merchants at the moment are “paying for insurance coverage,” shopping for places to cap draw back danger whereas limiting their upside participation. This defensiveness aligns with harsh statistical realities.
The leverage washout has been extreme, with Bitcoin not too long ago hitting -2.88 normal deviations under its 200-day transferring common—an anomaly unseen in a decade in line with VanEck evaluation.
Contagion fears are actively resurfacing. Crypto lender Blockfills froze withdrawals after a $75 million lending loss, echoing the collapses of 2022.
Concurrently, conventional markets are flashing purple: personal credit score large Blue Owl fell 6% after curbing redemptions. With Fed minutes not too long ago warning of macro headwinds, risk-off habits is dominating the narrative.
Regardless of the gloom, large divergence exists in equities. Bitcoin miners CleanSpark and MARA rallied 6%, outperforming the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 which slid 0.6%.
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What Occurs Subsequent for BTC Value?
From a technical standpoint, Bitcoin is fiercely defending the $66,000-$68,000 zone. If this degree fails, the bearish triangle sample suggests a slide towards $60,000 and even $55k, in line with CryptoQuant.

Nevertheless, alternate situations exist. Arthur Hayes factors to treasury liquidity as a possible savior for danger belongings.
Moreover, long-term confidence hasn’t evaporated; Trump insiders not too long ago confirmed a $1 million goal, suggesting whales might view this dip as a generational accumulation zone.
JUST IN:
Eric Trump says Bitcoin will attain $1 million.
"I've by no means been extra bullish on Bitcoin in my life." pic.twitter.com/niJH5ILfh9— Watcher.Guru (@WatcherGuru) February 18, 2026
For now, bulls will likely be hoping for a swift run again to $84k to provide the ETF prospects confidence.
The submit Bitcoin Holds Close to $67K as Merchants Pay Up for Crash Safety in Choices Markets appeared first on Cryptonews.
Eric Trump says Bitcoin will attain $1 million.