Crypto Markets Find Relief as Bitcoin Re‑claims the $68,000 Mark
February 25, 2026 – The global crypto market showed a modest rebound on Wednesday, led by a broad‑based rally that pushed Bitcoin and Ethereum back above key psychological thresholds.
Market Overview
- Total market cap: Roughly $2.42 trillion, a rise of about 6 % from the previous day.
- Bitcoin (BTC): Clawed back from the low‑$62 k range on Tuesday to trade near $68.2 k at the time of writing, delivering a 6.2 % gain for the day and nudging weekly performance into positive territory.
- Ethereum (ETH): Outpaced its larger rival, soaring more than 10 % to re‑enter the $2,060 level, and posting a 4.6 % weekly increase.
- Other top‑10 assets: All posted gains, with Solana (SOL) delivering the strongest daily jump at over 12 %.
The rally was underpinned by fresh inflows into spot Bitcoin exchange‑traded funds (ETFs), which recorded net additions of roughly $257 million on Tuesday, lifting total assets under management to about $81.3 billion. Spot Ethereum ETFs also attracted new capital, adding $9.2 million.
On‑Chain Health Check
Despite the price bounce, on‑chain metrics suggest that market stress has not fully dissipated. Glassnode analysts highlighted that Bitcoin’s 90‑day Simple Moving Average of the Realized Profit/Loss Ratio (RPL) slipped below the critical 1.0 level, indicating a regime where realized losses exceed gains. Historically, periods where the ratio stays under 1 tend to persist for six months or longer before reverting, a pattern that often coincides with a renewed influx of liquidity.
The Crypto Fear & Greed Index edged higher to 11 from 8, signaling a slight easing of fear but still lingering in the “extreme fear” zone.
Top Performers & Losers
| Rank | Asset | Daily Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Filecoin (FIL) | +22 % |
| 2 | Polkadot (DOT) | +22 % |
| 3 | Uniswap (UNI) | +17 % |
| — | MemeCore (M) | –2.8 % |
| — | Midnight (NIGHT) | –0.5 % |
Overall, the top‑100 crypto assets by market cap moved higher, with gains broadly distributed across the sector.
Liquidations Snapshot
Data from CoinGlass reveal that roughly 97,300 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours, incurring total losses of $316.2 million. Short positions bore the brunt of the damage, accounting for about $259 million of the total. Specific cryptocurrency liquidations were modest:
- Bitcoin: $8.6 million
- Ethereum: $6.1 million
- Solana: $1.6 million
Macro backdrop
U.S. Treasury yields ticked upward following President Trump’s State of the Union address, where policy proposals ranging from a government‑backed retirement plan to restrictions on institutional home buying were discussed. The bond market’s response is being closely watched by crypto participants, given the historical correlation between risk‑off sentiment and digital‑asset price pressure.
Upcoming U.S. economic releases—weekly initial jobless claims (Thursday) and the Producer Price Index (Friday)—are expected to provide further direction for risk appetite. Geopolitical tensions, particularly the evolving U.S.–Iran relationship, remain a wildcard for market sentiment.
Analysis
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ETF inflows as a catalyst: The sizable net inflow into spot Bitcoin ETFs suggests renewed institutional interest, which helped lift the price past the $68 k barrier. While the inflow volume is modest relative to the total asset base, it may act as a stabilising force amid volatile price action.
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Liquidity still constrained: The sub‑1 RPL ratio points to a market where realized losses dominate, implying that many participants are still positioned on the downside. A reversal of this metric could serve as an early indicator of broader liquidity returning to the market.
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Broad participation but uneven gains: While all top‑10 assets posted gains, the standout performance of Filecoin, Polkadot and Uniswap reflects a rotation into altcoin speculation, possibly fueled by profit‑taking in Bitcoin and a search for higher‑yielding opportunities.
- Risk management remains critical: With nearly $320 million wiped out in liquidations—most of it from short sellers—traders should remain cautious. The modest BTC and ETH liquidation figures suggest that price swings are still relatively contained, but the underlying fear index signals that sentiment could shift quickly.
Key Takeaways
- Bitcoin’s recovery above $68 k marks the first breach of a major psychological level since late February, supported by fresh ETF inflows.
- Ethereum’s 10 % rally highlights continued demand for the network’s ecosystem, outpacing Bitcoin’s price move.
- On‑chain stress persists, as indicated by the Realized Profit/Loss Ratio falling below 1, a historical sign of prolonged market weakness.
- Altcoin rally is broad, with Filecoin, Polkadot and Uniswap leading daily gains, while overall market breadth remains healthy.
- Liquidity remains thin, with substantial short‑position liquidations and a fear index still entrenched in “extreme fear.”
- Macro and geopolitical factors—U.S. Treasury yields, upcoming economic data, and U.S.–Iran tensions—will likely influence the next price trajectory.
Investors and participants should monitor on‑chain health metrics, ETF flow trends, and macro data releases to gauge whether the current relief is a short‑term bounce or the start of a more sustained recovery.
Source: https://thedefiant.io/news/markets/crypto-markets-rally-feb-25-2026
