Morgan Stanley Backs CIFR, WULF As Data Center Plays

Morgan Stanley initiated coverage of three publicly traded bitcoin miners on Monday, assigning Overweight ratings to Cipher Mining (CIFR) and TeraWulf (WULF) while giving Marathon Digital (MARA) an Underweight rating.

The move reflects the bank’s view that certain miners are better valued as infrastructure plays rather than pure crypto or bitcoin bets.

Analyst Stephen Byrd and his team set price targets of $38 for Cipher and $37 for TeraWulf. Shares of CIFR rose roughly 134% to $16.50 on Monday, while WULF climbed 13% to $16.20. 

Marathon shares increased slightly to $8.28, below its $8 target.

Morgan Stanley’s thesis focuses on the transformation of bitcoin mining…

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Ripple and Hyperliquid: A New Era For Professional Crypto Investing

Ripple Prime recently announced it is adding support for Hyperliquid. This is much more than a technical update. It is a major signal that professional trading tools, known as decentralized finance (DeFi), are moving from the fringes of the financial world into the mainstream.

For everyday investors, this news matters because of it’s implication for the future of crypto investments. Large institutions are no longer looking at DeFi as an experiment. Instead, they are treating it as a core part of their cash and liquidity management.

Efficiency Over Access

In the past, the biggest hurdle for big banks and hedge funds was not a lack of access to crypto. They could always trade it if they…

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Retail Is Selling Bitcoin, But Who’s Buying At $70,000?

Bitcoin’s (CRYPTO: BTC) investor base is undergoing a steady transition as early retail holders distribute supply to institutions, wealth managers, and traditional finance clients.

The Surprising Decline Of Retail Investors

According to Bitwise’s Ishmael Asad, early retail investors played a critical role in turning Bitcoin from a niche cypherpunk idea into a global asset.

While individuals still control a large share of supply, their dominance has been declining as exchange-traded products and corporate buyers enter the market.

Asad noted it was always unrealistic to expect early Bitcoin whales to hold indefinitely.

After years of outsized gains, many are now taking profits and…

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Analyst Calls Bitcoin Bear Case ‘Weak’, Keeps $150K Target

Bernstein analysts reiterated a bullish long-term outlook for bitcoin, calling the current bitcoin price downturn the “weakest bear case” in the asset’s history and maintaining a $150,000 price target by the end of 2026.

The research and brokerage firm argued that the recent drawdown reflects a crisis of confidence rather than structural damage to bitcoin’s network or investment thesis.

“What we are experiencing is the weakest bitcoin bear case in its history,” the analysts wrote, adding that none of the typical catalysts behind past crypto winters have emerged.

Bernstein said previous bear markets were driven by major failures, hidden leverage, or systemic…

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Bitcoin To Hit $150,000 In 2026 Since ‘Nothing Blew Up,’ Bernstein Argues

Bernstein reiterated its $150,000 Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) price target for 2026, calling the current downturn the “weakest bear case” in the asset’s history and arguing the 50% crash reflects a confidence crisis rather than structural damage.

The Weakest Bear Case Ever

Bernstein analysts led by Gautam Chhugani said this downturn is unlike previous Bitcoin crashes because nothing actually failed according to the Block.

“Nothing blew up, no skeletons will unravel,” they wrote. “When all stars are aligned, the Bitcoin community manufactures a self-imposed crisis of confidence.”

What makes this different: A pro-Bitcoin U.S. president is in office, Bitcoin ETFs are trading…

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This Bitcoin Miner Just Sold Millions In BTC To Cover Debts

Cango (CANG) said it sold 4,451 Bitcoin over the weekend for net proceeds of about $305 million as the company moves to strengthen its balance sheet and support a shift into artificial intelligence infrastructure.

The Dallas-based Bitcoin miner announced Monday that the transaction was settled directly in Tether’s USDT stablecoin. 

The company said the full amount of the proceeds was used to partially repay a Bitcoin-collateralized loan.

Cango said the sale followed a review of market conditions and was approved by its board of directors. The company framed the move as a balance-sheet adjustment aimed at reducing leverage rather than a retreat from its mining…

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Strategy Buys 1,142 Bitcoin At An Average Price Of $78,815 – Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR)

Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) on Monday announced it had bought 1,142 Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) at $78,815 average price for $90 million between February 2 and February 8.

The Latest Bitcoin Purchase

Strategy’s acquisition was funded by selling 616,715 shares of Class A common stock that generated $89.5 million in net proceeds. 

As of February 8, the company held 714,644 BTC with an aggregate purchase cost of $54.35 billion at a $76,056 average cost basis.

Michael Saylor hinted at the purchase in his regular Sunday X post, writing “Orange Dots Matter”.

The buying continues despite a $12.4 billion loss reported in the Q4 earnings.

CEO Phong Le told CNBC that Strategy has “been through Bitcoin…

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Strategy (MSTR) Adds 1,142 Bitcoin For $90 Million

Strategy bought another 1,142 bitcoin for about $90 million, extending its long-running accumulation campaign even as the company’s massive treasury remains underwater on paper.

The purchase was disclosed Monday in an 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Strategy said it acquired the coins between Feb. 2 and Feb. 8 at an average price of $78,815 per bitcoin.

The latest buy lifts Strategy’s total holdings to 714,644 BTC. The stack is valued near $49 billion at current market prices. Strategy has spent roughly $54.4 billion to build the position, including fees and expenses. 

The average purchase price across its holdings stands at $76,056 per…

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Bitcoin Drops From $90,000 To $70,000 In 2 Weeks, But ‘Much Of The Bad News Already Priced In’

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) has logged its steepest two-week drawdown since June 2022, but Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan says “much of the bad news is already priced in”.

The 6 Crash Factors

Hogan identified six factors driving the crash:

Signs of Exhaustion

On-chain data reveals long-term holders stopped selling aggressively and some are buying.

Open interest on Bitcoin derivatives exchanges fell to 2024 levels. Rate cut expectations are increasing.

Moreover, Sentiment is hovering near historic lows, matching levels that marked crypto bottoms in 2018 and 2022, suggesting the market has already priced in much of the bad news.

Could It Fall Further?

Yes. Previous drawdowns were…

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