Cryptocurrency prices fell on February 16, 2026, following a weaker-than-expected US jobs report. Bitcoin traded around $67,500, down 2% for the day, while the total market capitalization dropped to $2.39 trillion. Analysts noted ongoing correlation with broader risk assets amid economic caution.
On Monday, February 16, 2026, crypto markets opened lower, extending a pullback after a brief rebound the previous week. Bitcoin (BTC) hovered near $67,500, marking a 2% decline over the past 24 hours and 1.7% for the week, despite an intraday spike to $70,000. Since early February's low of $60,000, BTC has largely stayed within a $68,000 to $70,000 range, with trading volumes steady at about $40 billion in the last day.
Ethereum (ETH) saw steeper losses, dropping 3% daily and 3.5% weekly. The overall crypto market capitalization slipped 2% to $2.39 trillion, affecting most top-10 tokens. TRON (TRX) bucked the trend with modest gains, while Dogecoin (DOGE) tumbled 7.5% in 24 hours, though it remained up nearly 7% for the week.
Among the top-100 assets, Cosmos (ATOM) led with a 2.4% rise, followed by Bittensor (TAO) at 1%. On the downside, Rain (RAIN) fell over 8%, and Dogecoin ranked as the second-largest loser among major tokens. Liquidations totaled $232 million in the past day, with $159 million from long positions; Bitcoin accounted for $105 million and Ethereum $90 million.
US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) faced weekly outflows of nearly $360 million, leaving net assets at $87 billion as of February 13. Spot Ethereum ETFs recorded $161.2 million in outflows, with assets at $11.7 billion.
The downturn aligned with revised US labor data released on February 13 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, showing employers added just 181,000 jobs in 2025—well below the prior estimate of 584,000 and 2024's 1.46 million. Keyrock analysts observed that Bitcoin remains closely tied to risk assets, stating, “Bitcoin continues to trade as a high-beta extension of tech, struggling to decouple during growth-led drawdowns.” The Crypto Fear & Greed Index stayed in “extreme fear” territory for much of the past month.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in a CNBC interview on February 13, urged Congress to pass the CLARITY Act for federal digital asset rules, describing it as a source of “great comfort” for markets while warning of potential fading bipartisan support later in the year.
