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Bitcoin (BTC) fell 1.4% over the past 24 hours to trade at $66,414 on Thursday, February 19, 2026, as liquidations continued to mount across the market. Liquidations totaled $201 million in the last 24 hours, with BTC liquidations accounting for $58.98.
BTC’s 24-hour open interest rose 1.84% alongside the decline in price, a combination that points to bearish momentum. The flagship cryptocurrency is also revisiting levels last seen in April 2025, ahead of its October peak, when BTC later set a new all-time high of $126,000.
CryptoQuant’s on-chain analyst cited a “massive exodus of retailers” from the crypto market, driven by heightened economic uncertainty. The uncertainty is linked to fluctuating trade policies and geopolitical tensions between the US and Europe over Greenland. The analyst also pointed to liquidity being directed toward the Treasury General Account (TGA) rather than more speculative assets such as Bitcoin.
The market has also seen whale liquidations and ETF outflows. BlackRock recorded more than $350 million in outflows last month.
Market sentiment remains extremely negative. The crypto fear-and-greed index is at “extreme fear” (11/100). The Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 40.5, indicating BTC is moving deeper into oversold territory.
Retail interest appears to be collapsing as well: Google searches for Bitcoin reportedly fell to zero, reaching a new high of 100, surpassing the previous peak of 72 recorded during the 2022 bear season.
Despite the selloff, CryptoQuant said retail capitulation at this scale has historically been associated with late-stage corrections, though it does not necessarily imply an immediate reversal. The firm added that prior extreme negative readings have been followed by “violent recoveries” to new highs.
Several crypto figures highlighted potential upside. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and Eric Trump expressed bullish views at the World Liberty Forum (WLF) in Palm Beach. Former BitMEX CEO Arthur Hayes and MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor also conveyed similar perspectives.
MicroStrategy reportedly purchased 2,486 Bitcoin two days ago, bringing its holdings to 717,131 BTC.
JPMorgan Chase expanded its pro-crypto services, citing institutional client pressure. In regulatory matters, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was described as aiming to be accommodating while developing regulations for the crypto industry.
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