Fed Governor Notes Fading Crypto Euphoria; Chinese Exchanges Tighten Rules; Senators Query UAE Stake in WLFI

Federal Reserve Meeting Minutes: Progress Toward 2% Inflation Target May Be Slower

ChainCatcher message, according to Jinshi reports, the Federal Reserve meeting minutes show that most participants warned that the process of moving inflation toward the 2% target could be slower and more uneven than generally expected, and the risk of inflation remaining above the target was assessed as significant.

European Central Bank President considers early resignation, digital euro prospects draw attention

ChainCatcher News, The Financial Times of the UK, citing sources, reports that European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde is considering resigning early before the end of her term so that French President Macron and German Chancellor Merz can reach an agreement on her successor. The timing may coincide with the French presidential election in April 2027. A European Central Bank spokesperson later responded that Lagarde is "fully focused on her duties and has not made any decisions regarding the end of her term."

BTC drops 0.60% in 15 minutes: Federal Reserve policy uncertainty and exchange selling pressure resonate to exert downward force

On February 18, 2026, from 11:00 to 11:15 (UTC), BTC dropped 0.60% within just 15 minutes, with the price fluctuating around $67,800. As the overall market sentiment turned more cautious, short-term volatility intensified, trading activity increased, and market attention continued to heat up. The main driver of this movement was macroeconomic pressure. The Federal Reserve's recent interest rate policies have fueled risk aversion in global financial markets, putting collective pressure on risk assets, and the crypto market also weakened accordingly. At the same time, the EU's latest compliance framework was introduced, and increased regulatory expectations added to market uncertainty.

The European Central Bank plans to launch the digital euro by mid-2029, with a pilot program scheduled for 2027.

ChainCatcher reports that, according to market sources, the European Central Bank plans to issue a digital euro by mid-2029, with a pilot program scheduled for 2027.

European Central Bank official: Digital euro network will be ready for use by private payment systems before 2029

PANews February 18 News, according to Jintiao, European Central Bank Executive Board Member Cippoloni stated that the digital euro network will be ready for use by private payment systems before 2029.

Arthur Hayes warns of a credit crisis caused by AI, Bitcoin could hit a new high

Arthur Hayes warns that the recent divergence between Bitcoin and Nasdaq 100 tech stocks signals a potential AI-driven credit crisis, prompting central banks to resume large-scale money printing. He argues Bitcoin acts as a liquidity indicator and predicts consumer debt defaults if 20% of US knowledge workers lose jobs, resulting in significant credit losses. Hayes anticipates regional banks will face immediate pressure, leading to a credit freeze and a Fed response that could push Bitcoin to new highs. His company may also invest in altcoins Zcash and Hyperliquid when the Fed changes its policy.