Key Moments
- Bitcoin slipped nearly 1% to $67,788.0 and was on track for a fifth straight month of steep declines.
- The token was down almost 14% in February and had dropped as much as 50% from its October record high before a limited rebound.
- MARA Holdings (NASDAQ:MARA) jumped as much as 17% in aftermarket trading after unveiling an AI data center deal despite a $1.7 billion Q4 loss.
Bitcoin Selloff Resumes as Risk Sentiment Stays Weak
Bitcoin came under pressure on Friday, reversing part of its intraweek rebound as demand for risk-sensitive assets remained subdued. The world’s largest cryptocurrency moved lower alongside broader digital asset markets and was poised to extend a months-long downturn.
By 00:48 ET (05:48 GMT), Bitcoin was down nearly 1% at $67,788.0. The move lower undermined an earlier recovery from this week’s lows and reinforced a negative trend that has persisted for several months.
Persistent Monthly Losses and Macro Headwinds
Bitcoin was trading nearly 14% lower for February, with selling pressure showing little sign of abating through the month. The token was also on course for its fifth consecutive month of substantial declines.
Market participants continued to grapple with several macro and policy concerns. Elevated global geopolitical tensions, uncertainty surrounding major economies, and worries over potential disruptions linked to U.S. trade tariffs kept investors cautious toward speculative assets such as cryptocurrencies.
Earlier in the month, Bitcoin had slumped as much as 50% from its October record high. Although prices managed to rebound modestly from those troughs, the recovery remained limited in scope.
Corporate Buying Fails to Break Losing Streak
Bitcoin has been locked in a sustained downtrend since October, despite continued accumulation by major corporate holder Strategy. This buying activity has not been sufficient to reverse or materially offset the broader decline.
Strategy was also reported to have moderated the pace of its Bitcoin purchases in recent months. The pullback came amid growing unease that further weakness in Bitcoin prices could force the company to sell part of its holdings to service debt obligations.
MARA Holdings Surges on AI Pivot Despite Heavy Losses
MARA Holdings, formerly known as Marathon Digital (NASDAQ:MARA), saw its shares rally sharply in Thursday’s after-hours session after the Bitcoin miner announced a strategic shift into artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The company revealed an agreement with Starwood Capital to repurpose some of its Bitcoin mining sites into AI data centers. Following the announcement, MARA shares climbed as much as 17% in aftermarket trading.
The AI-focused initiative helped overshadow weak quarterly results. MARA posted a fourth-quarter loss of $1.7 billion as sustained declines in Bitcoin prices rendered its mining activities deeply unprofitable. Revenue also came in below expectations.
The combination of ongoing Bitcoin price softness and mounting enthusiasm around AI technology has pushed MARA to begin redirecting its computing capacity from crypto mining toward operating AI data centers in recent months.
Altcoin Rebound Fades as February Losses Deepen
Digital assets beyond Bitcoin also turned lower on Friday, giving back gains from a brief rebound earlier in the week. The broader crypto complex was on track for sharp losses in February.
| Token | Price / Move (where stated) | February Performance | Notable Drivers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin | $67,788.0 (down nearly 1%) | Down nearly 14% | Risk-off sentiment, macro and geopolitical concerns |
| Ether | $2,038.21 (down 1.2%) | Set to lose nearly 17% | Sales by founder Vitalik Buterin adding to risk-off tone |
| XRP | Not specified (down 2.3%) | Headed for a 15% loss | Broad market weakness |
| BNB | Steady on Friday | Nursing a nearly 20% slide | Ongoing monthly pressure |
| Solana | Not specified | Down about 17% | Broad crypto selloff |
| Cardano | Trading flat | Not quantified | Stagnant price action |
| Dogecoin | Not specified | Down 5.4% | Meme coin weakness |
| $TRUMP | Not specified | Down 20% | Meme coin weakness |
Ether, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, declined 1.2% to $2,038.21 and was on track for a nearly 17% loss in February. Ether faced additional pressure after its founder, Vitalik Buterin, sold more of his holdings, which added to risk-off signals across the market.
Among other major tokens, XRP fell 2.3% and was heading toward a 15% monthly decline. BNB was little changed on Friday but was still contending with a nearly 20% drop for the month. Solana was down about 17% in February, while Cardano was trading broadly unchanged.
In the meme coin segment, Dogecoin and $TRUMP recorded February declines of 5.4% and 20%, respectively, underscoring the widespread retracement across speculative corners of the crypto market.
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