Cryptocurrency prices rallied on February 14, 2026, with Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana posting gains amid a partial US government shutdown. The total market capitalization rose nearly 5% to $2.38 trillion, even as trading volumes declined. This rebound followed cooler US inflation data and inflows into spot ETFs.
The cryptocurrency market experienced a notable uptick on February 14, 2026, despite ongoing political uncertainty from a partial US government shutdown. According to CoinMarketCap data, the overall market capitalization increased by almost 5%, reaching $2.38 trillion. All top ten cryptocurrencies recorded daily gains, though trading volumes decreased across major assets.
Bitcoin (BTC) rose 1.12% over the past 24 hours to $69,777, but it remained under pressure on a monthly basis. Its trading volume fell 17% to $37.2 billion, suggesting limited momentum. Ethereum (ETH) traded at $2,083, up 1.19% daily, yet down more than 37% over the month. ETH's volume dropped 19% to $18.83 billion.
XRP gained 4.11% to $1.47, with analysts noting potential for a breakout above $1.5 driven by inflows into its spot ETFs. It showed a modest weekly increase but a sharp monthly decline. Solana (SOL) climbed 4.72% to $88.04, with a small weekly gain but over 40% loss monthly.
This recovery came after the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that annual inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), fell to 2.4% in January from 2.7% in December. Lower inflation eased expectations for sustained high interest rates from the Federal Reserve, encouraging investment in riskier assets like cryptocurrencies.
Spot ETFs contributed to the momentum, with net inflows of $15.2 million for Bitcoin and $10.26 million for Ethereum, per SoSoValue data, reversing the previous day's outflows. Additionally, $167 million in liquidations occurred over 24 hours, including $124.43 million in short positions, affecting 86,890 traders. The largest single liquidation was $4.19 million on the ETH/USDT pair via Bitget, according to Coinglass.
The partial government shutdown stemmed from lawmakers' failure to agree on a budget, marking the second funding lapse for the Department of Homeland Security in recent weeks. It impacts agencies including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Coast Guard, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Congress adjourned without a resolution and is set to reconvene on February 23, unless called back sooner.
