Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Bitcoin Slips Below $66K As Absent Spot Demand Benefits Bears

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Bitcoin (BTC) has now retraced for 3 straight days, slipping beneath $66,000 through the New York session on Wednesday. The decline got here after a failed push above $70,000, as weak shopping for curiosity allowed sellers to take care of management.

Onchain knowledge counsel that the pullback is probably pushed by spot-led promoting on Binance, whereas the dearth of a Coinbase premium through the US market session indicators muted participation from US buyers.

Key takeaways:

  • The Coinbase premium index indicators muted US investor participation at present value ranges.

  • Cumulative quantity delta (CVD) continues to development decrease, reflecting a persistent web promoting stress.

  • Knowledge reveals that the 30-day new cash movement has flipped damaging to about –$2.8 billion.

Coinbase premium and futures knowledge present bears stay dominant

The Coinbase premium index measures the distinction between BTC costs on Coinbase and different exchanges like Binance. A optimistic premium displays robust US spot demand.

The indicator continued to exhibit a damaging premium this week, suggesting restricted engagement from US buyers. 

Coinbase, Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin Price, Markets, United States, Cryptocurrency Exchange, Derivatives, Price Analysis, Market Analysis, Bitcoin Adoption
Bitcoin Coinbase Premium Index. Supply: CryptoQuant

In the meantime, Bitcoin’s cumulative quantity delta (CVD) has prolonged to –$5.7 billion on Binance. The regular collection of decrease highs in CVD signifies continued market promoting stress reasonably than accumulation.

Given Binance’s dominant market volumes, the damaging delta means that spot-driven promote orders could also be main the transfer decrease.

The bid–ask ratio remained damaging, displaying that promote orders persistently outweighed bids through the restoration makes an attempt. Though the ratio has turned barely optimistic (round 0.14), it appears extra like a short-term response than actual spot shopping for help.

Coinbase, Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin Price, Markets, United States, Cryptocurrency Exchange, Derivatives, Price Analysis, Market Analysis, Bitcoin Adoption
Bitcoin value, cumulative quantity delta, open curiosity. Supply: Hyblock Capital

Aggregated open curiosity has additionally trended downward, slipping to $17.6 billion from $20 billion on Monday. This implies that leverage is step by step being unwound, with longs closing positions as a substitute of constructing contemporary publicity. 

Related: Spot Bitcoin ETFs add $167M, nearly erase last week’s outflows

CryptoQuant data further reinforces the dearth of spot demand beneath $70,000. The 30-day cumulative new cash movement has turned damaging, close to -$2.8 billion, whereas latest day by day readings stay subdued round -$239 million. 

Not like prior uptrends the place value pullbacks attracted robust capital inflows, present value drops are failing to generate significant inflows.

Coinbase, Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin Price, Markets, United States, Cryptocurrency Exchange, Derivatives, Price Analysis, Market Analysis, Bitcoin Adoption
Bitcoin’s new investor movement. Supply: CryptoQuant

The “younger provide” share (0–1 month), which tracks not too long ago moved cash, has additionally cooled towards the decrease finish of its latest vary close to 13%, reflecting lowered speculative participation from merchants. 

Sturdy rallies are often accompanied by rising younger provide, rising capital inflows and rising open curiosity, all of that are at present absent.

Related: Rare Bitcoin signal flashes: Will a 220% BTC price rally follow?