The price of Bitcoin dropped below the $66,000 level this Thursday, February 12, 2026, dragged down by a sharp correction in the American stock indices. According to reports from analyst Stephen Alpher, this movement deepens the crypto bear market that has significantly reduced trading volumes across all major global platforms and decentralized exchanges.The leading digital currency is currently trading around $65,700, recording a loss of 1.5% over the past 24 hours, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq tumbles by 1.6%. This negative correlation with the technology sector highlights the fragility of the current financial environment, where investors flee from risk assets amidst growing global economic uncertainty.
Impact on sector stocks and capitulation of institutional investors
Trading platforms, such as Coinbase and Robinhood, are leading the losses on Wall Street with declines exceeding 8% during today’s intense trading session. Thus, the prolongation of the crypto bear market directly impacts commission revenues, forcing institutions like Standard Chartered to drastically slash their price forecasts for the coming year.
Geoff Kendrick, a renowned analyst at the banking entity, has warned about the possibility of Bitcoin dipping as low as $50,000 in the short term. Therefore, the absence of a sustained bounce following the falls seen last week has left bulls in a phase of emotional and financial capitulation.
On the other hand, the Fear & Greed Index has collapsed to a level of 5, reflecting a state of extreme fear that exceeds even the 2022 records. This widespread lack of confidence manifests in a perfect correlation with traditional stock indices when the latter head lower, frustrating any attempt at an independent recovery for digital assets.
What future lies ahead for digital assets after the Standard Chartered adjustment?
Likewise, other large-cap cryptocurrencies, such as Ether and Solana, have suffered significant cuts, with the former sitting just above the $1,900 barrier. Nevertheless, market scrutiny now focuses on Coinbase’s quarterly results, which could confirm a drastic reduction in the operational activity of retail users and small investors.
Therefore, the resilience of the sector is being tested by macroeconomic factors that are beyond the control of developers and governance communities. However, the industry is watching closely to see if this adjustment of current valuations will allow for the establishment of a solid floor that once again attracts interest from large international hedge funds.
Looking ahead, the stabilization of Wall Street will be an indispensable requirement for digital assets to regain their narrative as a store of value or technological growth. Consequently, volatility is expected to remain high during the next sessions, keeping market participants in a state of constant alert in the face of possible new massive liquidations.
Finally, the behavior of stocks linked to mining and custody, such as Hut 8 and MicroStrategy, will serve as an additional barometer to measure the overall ecosystem’s health. It is anticipated that investors will seek on-chain stabilization signals before committing fresh capital in an environment that still presents risks of further downward correction in the near term.
