Bitcoin Falls Under $68,000 Ahead of Fed, Economic Data

Key Moments

Bitcoin Extends Declines Despite Fresh Corporate Buying

Bitcoin moved lower on Wednesday, continuing its recent slide as investors steered away from speculative assets such as cryptocurrencies ahead of key U.S. economic releases and Federal Reserve communications.

The world’s largest cryptocurrency saw limited support from fresh buying by major corporate holder Strategy Inc (NASDAQ:MSTR), and dip-buying interest remained muted after Bitcoin had previously dropped nearly 50% from an October record high.

By 01:19 ET (06:19 GMT), Bitcoin was down nearly 1% at $67,746.6.

BITCOIN IS AT THE CRUX: $67K.

Reclaim $73K the trend repair begins.
Lose $60K liquidity vacuum opens below.

Next real demand zone:
$48K–$49K (0.618 retrace)

This isn’t volatility.
It’s the market choosing a direction. pic.twitter.com/FQfrBNYrTe

— Merlijn The Trader (@MerlijnTrader) February 18, 2026

Strategy Inc Adds to Bitcoin Hoard

Strategy reported on Tuesday that it had acquired 2,486 Bitcoin over the past week for a total of $168.4 million, bringing its aggregate holdings to 717,131 coins. The latest purchase was made at an average price of $67,710 per Bitcoin, slightly below the prevailing market level at the time.

This transaction marked Strategy’s third Bitcoin purchase in February. The firm financed the newest acquisition through additional stock issuance.

Earlier this week, Strategy stated that it could withstand a drop in Bitcoin’s price to as low as $8,000 and still be able to meet its debt obligations.

Those remarks, which followed a prolonged downturn in Bitcoin prices, drew criticism from some quarters over the potential dilution of existing shareholders’ equity, particularly if the company continues to issue new shares to fund further Bitcoin purchases.

The firm has emerged as a focal point for Bitcoin market participants amid concerns that a persistent decline in Bitcoin’s price could eventually compel Strategy to liquidate part of its sizable holdings in order to service its debt.

Macro Uncertainty Keeps Crypto Market in a Tight Range

Across the broader digital asset space, prices traded within narrow ranges on Wednesday, with many altcoins still nursing substantial losses from recent sessions as sentiment toward the asset class remained fragile.

Caution intensified as traders waited for a series of important U.S. economic indicators and policy clues. The minutes from the Fed’s January meeting were scheduled for release later in the day.

Industrial production figures and trade data were slated for Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, while PCE price index data – the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge – was expected on Friday. Both the PCE figures and the Fed minutes were set to be scrutinized for additional guidance on the future path of interest rates.

Crypto markets are highly sensitive to expectations around U.S. monetary policy, reflecting their speculative profile and dependence on easier financial conditions. U.S. President Donald Trump’s nomination of Kevin Warsh as the next Fed Chair had sparked steep declines in the sector in early-February, as Warsh was perceived as a less dovish choice.

Altcoins Mixed as Traders Reassess Risk

Among major tokens, Ether, the second-largest cryptocurrency, climbed 1.1% to $2,003.20 on Wednesday, while XRP inched up 0.2% to $1.4814.

BNB, Solana, and Cardano each slipped more than 1%, underperforming the broader market.

Meme Coins Show Pockets of Strength

In the meme coin segment, Dogecoin advanced 1.2%, while $TRUMP gained 4.2%, standing out as relative outperformers within an otherwise cautious crypto market backdrop.