From Feb. 9 to 13, U.S. data releases—including December Retail Sales on Monday, the January Jobs Report Wednesday, and January CPI Friday—may shape crypto sentiment after last week's $700 billion slide. Over the weekend, total market cap hovered near $2.45 trillion as Bitcoin rebounded to $71,000 and Ether touched $2,100.

South Korea's Financial Supervisory Service announced on Monday an annual policy plan to intensify oversight of cryptocurrency trading and introduce harsher sanctions on financial institutions for IT-related incidents. The measures, which follow a mistaken transfer of 620,000 BTC by Bithumb to hundreds of users, target activities such as price manipulation, rapid price-pumping schemes and the spread of false information. The watchdog is also setting up a task force to prepare rules under the Digital Asset Basic Act, including disclosure standards and licensing guidance for digital asset service providers and stablecoin issuers.

Economist Lyn Alden argues that the Federal Reserve is shifting away from aggressive interventions toward a steadier balance sheet expansion linked to nominal GDP or total bank asset growth. She believes this gradual approach will still debase the currency over time while supporting asset prices in a more controlled way, as investors track money supply trends, rate-cut odds and leadership changes including Kevin Warsh's nomination to succeed Jerome Powell before his term ends in May 2025.

Japan's Nikkei 225 jumped 3.4% to a record 57,000 after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's landslide win and a proposed $135 billion stimulus, according to the report. Gold pushed past $5,000 per ounce, while Bitcoin briefly hit $72,000 before holding above $70,000. A Trump post dated February 8, 2026 added to upbeat sentiment.

The Federal Reserve received 44 public responses on its proposal to create limited "payment accounts" for fintechs, with the comment window opening in December and closing on Friday. Crypto firms largely supported the framework, while banking associations urged caution over risk oversight and access to the central bank's payments infrastructure.

As of February 9 2026, worldwide Google searches for "crypto" have slipped to 30 out of 100 while total market capitalization has fallen 43% from $4.2 trillion to about $2.4 trillion. Bitcoin has dropped below $64,000, trading volumes are sharply lower and key sentiment gauges indicate extreme fear, though US search interest has partially rebounded since January.

In a February 8 newsletter, Lyn Alden said the Federal Reserve is likely to expand liquidity in a measured way by growing its balance sheet broadly in line with bank assets or nominal GDP. She expects this backdrop to favor scarce, high-quality assets while cautioning against overheated segments, and she does not foresee large-scale stimulus in the near term.

Following an extended period of selling, XRP has recorded a bounce-related trading volume of nearly $991 million across major exchanges, hinting at a tentative return of risk appetite. Ethereum has reclaimed levels above the $2,000 psychological mark, while Shiba Inu is trading in one of its most oversold technical conditions in recent periods, suggesting that downside momentum may be easing.