TLDR
- Bitcoin trades at $65,764, placing it 48% below its October 2025 all-time high.
- Analyst Michaël van de Poppe claims future investors may regret ignoring Bitcoin near $60,000.
- Google searches for “Bitcoin is dead” and similar phrases reach their highest levels since 2010.
- The Crypto Fear and Greed Index drops to 5/100, indicating extreme fear in the market.
- Investor Marco Bühler views the current fear level as a potential long-term buying zone.
The market faced fresh pressure today as Bitcoin traded lower, and analysts issued sharp warnings and bold claims about current sentiment, and traders reviewed growing fear signals across multiple channels. The shift in tone gained speed as experts tracked search data, and the debate over future price movement grew louder. The discussion continued as analysts assessed whether current levels could form a long-term base.
Extreme Fear Drives Market Reactions Around Bitcoin
Michaël van de Poppe stated that current prices may appear attractive later, and he pointed to rising fear data, and he argued that market stress often creates opportunity. He highlighted weak momentum as Bitcoin traded at $65,764, and he stressed that the asset sat far below its 2025 peak. He suggested that sentiment carried more weight than charts.
In history; we'll look back at this period and say:
'God, I wish I bought more #Bitcoin during that period.'
— Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) February 21, 2026
Search data reached new highs for phrases claiming Bitcoin would fail, and he said these spikes often formed early markers, and he added that emotional extremes shaped many past reversals. He explained that fear trends matched levels last seen in 2010, and he shared a screenshot showing global interest in similar terms. He stated that panic often expands near key market lows.
Marco Bühler commented on the fear index drop, and he said the recent reading near 5 showed strong pressure, and he viewed the zone as one buyers often revisit. He noted that the index rarely reached such levels, and he acknowledged that prices could still fall further. He argued that these setups sometimes turn into long-term pivots.
The index showed deep stress across the sector, and market viewers monitored the shift, and they compared the trend with earlier cycles. The reading tracked extreme fear on multiple platforms, and analysts watched if follow-through would appear, and they reviewed whether panic selling would ease.
Sentiment remained mixed across traders, and order books reflected broader caution, and analysts recorded slower inflows into major platforms. The tone across trading rooms stayed tense, and several desks flagged reduced activity, and they noted that volatility stayed elevated.
Analysts Debate Downside Risk and Market Scenarios for Bitcoin
Peter Schiff repeated his warning, and he argued that a drop under $50,000 could accelerate selling, and he said past cycles supported his view. He claimed that steep rallies often ended with sharp declines, and he described this structure as common. He stressed that volatility remained central to the asset.
Schiff suggested that Bitcoin could revisit lower zones, and he mentioned levels near $20,000, and he said pressure could build if support broke. He also insisted that past rallies never removed downside risk, and he told traders that history offered many cautionary examples, and he emphasized that the asset still carried wide swings.
He did not cite chart indicators, and he relied on long-term behavior, and he said patterns repeated through every cycle. He pointed to earlier corrections across major rallies, and he argued that these movements persisted over time, and he said the asset followed similar paths.
Market participants compared both arguments, and some tracked sentiment shifts, and they observed how traders reacted to fear signals. Several desks monitored liquidity patterns, and they checked for rapid outflows, and they watched if price levels would stabilize.
Bitcoin traded at $65,764 during the latest session, and the asset stayed 48% under its 2025 high. The market continued to weigh both perspectives.
