Cryptocurrency News, Friday, February 13, 2026 – Main Topic of the Day: Counterparty and Operational Risk Amid Withdrawal Pause at BlockFills

Current Cryptocurrency News for Friday, February 13, 2026: Bitcoin and Ethereum in Focus, Rising Infrastructure Risks, and the Impact of Regulation and Institutional Investors on the Global Crypto Market. Analysis of Liquidity and Volatility, Top 10 Cryptocurrencies.

Recent weeks have been characterized by deleveraging: participants have been reducing leverage in derivatives, tightening limits, and returning to liquidity control. On the macro front, the cryptocurrency market is sensitive to expectations regarding financial conditions, so shifts in sentiment on global platforms quickly reflect in digital assets. The result is increased intraday amplitude and the spreading of volatility from Bitcoin to altcoins. For long-term investors, this cryptocurrency news is primarily important as an indicator of the quality of settlements, market depth, and liquidity availability during stress periods.

• Liquidity. Thin order books increase the likelihood of sharp impulses, especially outside of the U.S. session.
• Leverage. With accelerating volatility, liquidations amplify movements and worsen price quality.
• Segmentation. The most liquid instruments concentrate around Bitcoin and Ethereum; some altcoins "fall" deeper.

Key Topic of the Day

Infrastructure risk is once again "reassessed upwards." BlockFills has announced a temporary pause on fund deposits and withdrawals, explaining the decision by market and financial conditions. At the same time, the possibility of opening and closing positions in spot and derivatives remains. The timeline for normalizing transfers at the time of preparation is unspecified.

Simultaneously, a case involving erroneous asset allocation on one of the Asian exchanges demonstrated that an "accounting error" can quickly become a stress event for trust: even if the blockchain level remains intact, the internal settlement and risk-checking contour becomes a critical point. The takeaway for investors is straightforward: risk shifts from charts to the operational plane, and the value of "reliable counterparties" increases.

1. Reliability premium is increasing: the market distinguishes not only tokens but also the quality of platforms, custodians, and stablecoins.
2. Risk of chain reaction intensifies: restrictions on withdrawals heighten the likelihood of forced selling for margin needs.
3. Communication becomes an asset: transparency of operational status and clear rules reduce the likelihood of panic.

Regulatory News

Cryptocurrency regulation is moving from broad frameworks to checkable procedures. In the U.S., discussions are underway for a clearer market structure for tokens and agency coordination, including working on taxonomy and frameworks that will allow certain operations to occur "on-chain" while fulfilling obligations. In the EU, the implementation of MiCA strengthens requirements for the competency of personnel and internal policies of crypto service providers—this increases the market entry barrier but reduces the risk of mis-selling and enhances comparability of standards across the region.

In Asia, supervisory discussions are increasingly focusing on the resilience of exchange infrastructure and internal controls, especially following high-profile operational incidents. For the global market, this means that cryptocurrency regulation will increasingly evaluate not "promises," but control procedures, event logs, and quality of response to emergencies.

• U.S.: Movement towards a clearer market framework for digital assets and a compatible taxonomy for tokens.
• EU: Standardization of competency and compliance requirements within the logic of MiCA.
• Asia: Increased focus on systemic risks of exchanges and the quality of internal controls.

Institutional Investments

A noticeable regime shift is taking place in the institutional segment: after several weeks of strong outflows from digital asset investment products, the pace of capital withdrawal has slowed. This does not equate to a trend reversal—rather, it signals a transition from panic-driven contraction to more selective rebalancing. During this phase, block purchases occur less frequently, while demand for hedging and instruments with clearer legal frameworks increases. For investments in cryptocurrencies, this implies a heightened premium for transparency of infrastructure.

Typical responses from major players include:

1. Reducing net leverage and transferring some risks into options and structured hedges.
2. Tightening limits on counterparties, margin, and collateral conditions.
3. Concentrating volumes in the most liquid pairs around Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Technological Updates

The technological layer of blockchain is crucial as a foundation of trust: when markets are nervous, the resilience of node software and predictability of network operations become a competitive advantage. This week saw the release of Bitcoin Core 29.3, featuring a set of fixes and stability improvements—markets value such "routine" releases during stress periods.

Within the Ethereum ecosystem, focus remains on scaling and reducing friction for L2 solutions: the security of integrations and unified data standards are vital. For some altcoins, the technological criterion increasingly manifests in "operational maturity": the resilience of validator software and the network's ability to withstand spikes in demand when load and fees rise simultaneously.

• Bitcoin: Stability of client software as an element of network trust.
• Ethereum: Quality of scaling and security of ecosystem links.
• Altcoins: Emphasis on fault tolerance and operational maturity.

Analytics and Forecasts

The baseline scenario for the coming weeks relies on three factors: (1) the pace of liquidity normalization among intermediaries, (2) dynamics of forced liquidations in derivatives, and (3) how quickly regulators translate statements into enforceable rules. After waves of liquidations, the market typically goes through two phases: first, a "cleaning" of leverage, followed by selective purchasing of higher-quality assets. This supports heavyweights and reinforces discrepancies in dynamics among altcoins, especially between infrastructure blockchain projects and speculative coins.

Three operational scenarios for portfolio management are as follows:

• Stabilization: amplitude decreases, infrastructure normalizes.
• Repeat stress: new restrictions on intermediaries and pressure on credit products.
• Selective growth: demand shifts towards projects with sustainable blockchain use and clear risks, as well as the most liquid underlying assets.

Risks and Recommendations

The primary risk on Friday is the combination of market volatility with infrastructure limitations. This creates an environment where the "right asset" may not compensate for the "inadequate platform." Therefore, investment recommendations in cryptocurrencies today primarily focus on risk contours and operational discipline. If cryptocurrency investments account for a significant portion of the portfolio, prioritizing scenario planning for unforeseen delays and withdrawal limitations becomes essential.

1. Diversify infrastructure: separate storage, trading, and lending across different providers.
2. Reduce leverage: in stress phases, the likelihood of margin surprises and liquidations increases.
3. Check withdrawal modes: limits, timelines, compliance checks, and "plan B" in case of delays.
4. Assess stablecoin risk: reserves, legal structure, and transparency of reporting.

• Signals of deterioration: increased reports of withdrawal freezes, settlement failures, widening spreads.
• Signals of improvement: recovery of intermediaries and return of market depth.

Top 10 Most Popular Cryptocurrencies

Below is a guide to the largest and most liquid assets in the cryptocurrency market (prices excluded). The list is convenient for navigating investors worldwide: it helps relate the roles of assets—from basic networks to stablecoins and "cultural" coins—and understand how cryptocurrency news can affect market segments differently.