The Bitcoin network has experienced a significant downturn in mining difficulty, dropping by approximately 11.16% over the past 24 hours. This decline represents the steepest adjustment since China banned crypto mining in 2021, now sitting at a difficulty of 125.86 trillion. The new difficulty adjustment took effect at block 935,429, with an average block generation time slightly below the targeted 10 minutes, currently at 9.47 minutes. Future projections suggest that this difficulty may rise by about 5.63% to 132.96 trillion during the next adjustment scheduled for February 20.
In Vietnam, plans are underway to implement a taxation framework for cryptocurrency transactions, aligning digital assets with existing tax laws related to securities trading. As indicated in a publicly circulated draft policy by the Ministry of Finance, individuals executing crypto asset transfers through licensed service providers could face a personal income tax of 0.1% based on the transaction value. This framework aims to exempt crypto transfers and trading from value-added tax while imposing a turnover-based tax for investors regardless of residency. Institutional investors would incur a 20% corporate income tax on profits after related costs.
In a significant movement in the Ethereum space, Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, recently sold approximately 2,961 Ether for $6.6 million over a three-day period, following earlier announcements regarding planned withdrawals. The transactions were reported to have been executed at an average price of about $2,228 per Ether, while Ethereum’s trading price was noted to have dipped over 5% to around $2,130.
Separately, Pavel Durov, co-founder of the Telegram messaging platform, expressed strong opposition to proposed online age verification initiatives in Spain, claiming they could lead to increased state censorship and infringements on user privacy. The Spanish government’s proposed measures targeting individuals under 16 were labeled as a potential pathway to heightened surveillance under the guise of protecting minors.
In the world of corporate finance, Strategy, a Bitcoin-buying company, reported a staggering net loss of $12.4 billion for Q4 2025, primarily due to a 22% decline in Bitcoin’s value during that quarter. Bitcoin’s price peaked at $126,000 in early October but fell below $88,500 by the quarter’s end. Although Strategy’s revenues increased slightly year-on-year, its shares dropped 17% following the bitcoin sell-off.
As the trading week concludes, Bitcoin is trading at $69,184, Ether at $2,085, and XRP at $1.41, leading to a total cryptocurrency market capitalization of $2.37 trillion. Among the top performers in the altcoin market, MemeCore (M) surged 43.53%, while MYX Finance (MYX) and Decred (DCR) followed with gains of 32.17% and 31.86%, respectively. Conversely, Monero (XMR) suffered a 29.01% decline, with World Liberty Financial (WLFI) and Pump.fun (PUMP) also experiencing notable losses.
A significant trend this week indicated that the Coinbase Premium Gap declined to its lowest point in over a year, suggesting reduced institutional demand. This phenomenon reflects a price disparity where Bitcoin on Coinbase is lower than on Binance, raising questions about the relative strength of institutional trading activity in light of market conditions.
In other developments, Gloria Zhao, a notable developer in the Bitcoin ecosystem, has resigned from her role as a maintainer after six years, withdrawing her PGP signing key from the Bitcoin GitHub repository. Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest has shifted its strategy from acquiring Coinbase shares to selling, offloading approximately 119,236 shares valued at $17.4 million, marking a notable change in approach as Coinbase faces challenges with its stock performance.
Kyle Samani, co-founder of Multicoin Capital, announced his departure from the firm to explore emerging technologies, expressing optimism about the future of crypto and its transformative potential in the finance sector.
Looking ahead, industry analysts are contemplating potential bullish catalysts for Bitcoin, notably the implications of Michael Saylor’s financial maneuvers within the market. Discussions have also emerged around the viability of liquidating American nickels as a profitable endeavor, further highlighting diverse interests within the cryptocurrency and broader financial landscapes.
