TLDR
- Bitcoin dropped below $65,000 Monday, erasing weekend gains as crypto markets fell 4%
- Trump imposed a 15% global tariff after the Supreme Court ruled his previous tariffs exceeded his authority
- Fed liquidity injections of ~$14.6B could temporarily boost appetite for speculative assets
- Key economic data this week includes Consumer Confidence, jobless claims, and PPI
- The White House set a March 1 deadline on the CLARITY Act crypto market structure bill
The crypto market started the week in the red. Bitcoin fell from $67,600 to just below $65,000 in a matter of hours on Monday morning, wiping out all weekend gains.
Key Events This Week:
1. Markets React to Trump's 15% Global Tariff – Monday
2. February Consumer Confidence data – Tuesday
3. Nvidia, $NVDA, Reports Earnings – Wednesday
4. Initial Jobless Claims data – Thursday
5. January PPI Inflation data – Friday
6. Total of 11 Fed…
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) February 22, 2026
Total crypto market capitalization dropped 4% to around $2.31 trillion. Ether hit its lowest price since February 6, falling to $1,860.
Altcoins took heavier losses. Solana, Cardano, Hyperliquid, and Chainlink all recorded bigger percentage drops than Bitcoin.
🚨 NEXT WEEK’S SCHEDULE IS INSANE!
MONDAY → U.S. PCE DATA
TUESDAY → FED LIQUIDITY INJECTION ($8B)
WEDNESDAY → INITIAL JOBLESS CLAIMS
THURSDAY → FED BALANCE SHEET
FRIDAY → TRUMP ECONOMY ANNOUNCEMENTTHE MOST VOLATILE WEEK OF 2026 STARTS TOMORROW!! pic.twitter.com/Vz8L4PzjhG
— 0xNobler (@CryptoNobler) February 22, 2026
The sell-off was triggered in part by fresh trade tariffs from President Donald Trump. The Supreme Court ruled Friday that his sweeping tariffs exceeded his authority, after which Trump imposed a 15% global tariff.
Geopolitical tensions added to the pressure. The Kobeissi Letter noted that US-Iran tensions remain elevated, keeping oil markets unsettled.
Key Economic Events to Watch
Tuesday brings February’s Consumer Confidence data. Sentiment hit its lowest level since 2014 in January, driven mainly by concerns about employment.
Thursday’s initial jobless claims report will give markets a read on labor market health. Recent data showed claims fell to 206,000 in mid-February, pointing to a still-strong jobs market.
Friday brings the January Producer Price Index, a measure of wholesale inflation. Analysts don’t expect it to shift the Fed’s current wait-and-see stance.
Wednesday’s Nvidia earnings could move the broader AI and tech sector. Weak chip demand figures would likely hit sentiment across tech stocks and crypto.
The Federal Reserve is also set to inject roughly $14.6 billion into financial markets this week. Some analysts see this as a short-term boost for risk assets like Bitcoin, though others caution it is not the same as full quantitative easing.
PCE inflation data released recently came in at 2.9% year-on-year, above expectations. That reading reduced the likelihood of near-term interest rate cuts, putting further pressure on risk assets.
CLARITY Act Deadline Set for March 1
On the regulatory front, the White House has set a March 1 deadline for negotiators to resolve a key sticking point in the CLARITY Act, the federal crypto market structure bill.
The Senate Banking Committee has completed its portion of the legislation. Progress on the wider bill has stalled over disagreements about whether crypto issuers should be allowed to offer yield or reward schemes.
Digital-asset and banking groups met Thursday to try to break the deadlock. Officials are hoping the hard deadline pushes both sides toward a workable compromise.
Bitcoin is currently trading at support at the bottom of its established range-bound channel, down more than 5% on the week.
