Robinhood Markets released its operating data for February 2026. As of the end of February, the platform had 27.4 million users with money accounts, an increase of approximately 140,000 from January and approximately 1.74 million year-over-year; total assets on the platform were $314 billion, a 3% decrease month-over-month and a 68% increase year-over-year. In terms of trading, stock trading volume in February was $194.4 billion, a 14% decrease month-over-month and a 36% increase year-over-year; options trading volume was 180.3 million contracts, a 10% decrease month-over-month and a 9% increase year-over-year. Cryptocurrency trading volume was $25 billion, a 9% increase month-over-month and a 74% increase year-over-year. Of this, Robinhood App cryptocurrency trading volume was $9.4 billion, an 8% increase month-over-month, and Bitstamp trading volume was $15.6 billion, a 10% increase month-over-month. Furthermore, Robinhood's net deposits in February were $5.6 billion, with cumulative net deposits over the past 12 months reaching $67.8 billion. Margin financing balance reached $17.2 billion, a significant year-on-year increase of 98%. Overall data shows that although stock trading activity has declined somewhat, crypto trading volume continues to grow rapidly.

The Kobeissi Letter, in an article published on the X platform, stated that the ratio of US gold reserves to government debt is at a historical low. Currently, gold reserves account for only 3% of US federal debt, one of the lowest levels on record. Despite the US holding 8,133.5 metric tons of gold, the world's largest reserve, and gold prices rising to historical highs, this ratio remains low. In comparison, the ratio was approximately 18% in 1980, six times higher than it is now. To reach the 1980 reserve level, gold prices would need to rise by 400%, reaching $26,000 per ounce. In the 1940s, gold reserves accounted for over 50% of federal debt. To match that level, gold prices would need to rise by 1340%, reaching approximately $75,000 per ounce. The gold reserve data highlights the growth of US debt.

South Korea's Foreign Minister has engaged in discussions with Australia's Foreign Minister concerning the bilateral relationship between the two countries and energy security cooperation in light of the recent Middle East situation. According to Jin10, the talks also covered the current international landscape. The discussions underscore the importance of collaboration between South Korea and Australia in addressing energy security challenges and navigating the complexities of global geopolitical dynamics.

India's NIFTY 50 index has shifted to an upward trend, showing a 0.35% increase. According to Jin10, this movement reflects a positive change in market sentiment. The NIFTY 50, a benchmark stock market index representing the weighted average of 50 of the largest Indian companies listed on the National Stock Exchange, is often seen as an indicator of the overall performance of the Indian stock market. This rise suggests a potential boost in investor confidence and market stability.

India's Nifty 50 index experienced a slight increase of 0.16%, reaching 23,187.75 in early Monday trading. According to NS3.AI, this rise occurred as Brent crude prices remained above $100 per barrel, with the Strait of Hormuz still closed to commercial tanker traffic. Brent May futures were trading at $101, having previously reached $103.27 in pre-market activity following three weeks of conflict. The report highlighted that approximately 1,000 tankers were stranded, leading to a reduction in global oil supply by about 8 million barrels per day this month. Additionally, foreign institutional investors continued their selling streak, offloading ₹10,716.64 crore of Indian equities on March 13, following a significant sell-off on Friday.

Retail investors have significantly increased their activity in oil trading, with trailing one-month retail purchases in pure-play oil ETFs reaching a record $211 million on Thursday. This figure surpasses the previous peak of $200 million in May 2020 and is three times higher than the 2022 high of $70 million. The Kobeissi Letter posted on X that retail purchases in the United States Oil Fund ETF, known as $USO, amounted to $32 million, marking the third-largest daily purchase on record. The all-time high for daily purchases remains at $42 million, set on March 6th. Currently, retail purchases of oil ETFs are occurring at ten times the average level observed over the past five years, indicating a strong interest in the market's volatility.

Indonesia's Finance Minister has stated that there are currently no plans to issue an emergency decree to increase the fiscal deficit limit beyond 3%. According to Jin10, the minister emphasized the government's commitment to maintaining fiscal discipline and ensuring economic stability. This announcement comes amid ongoing discussions about fiscal policies and economic strategies in the region. The minister's statement aims to reassure investors and stakeholders about Indonesia's fiscal management approach.

On March 16, investors are closely watching the Australian dollar as the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is expected to implement another anticipated rate hike. According to Jin10, the market anticipates a 70% probability of a 25 basis point increase, although ING's Asia team suggests it might be premature, indicating potential downside risks for the Australian dollar tomorrow. Analysts at Maybank have not ruled out the possibility of a rate hike, citing the RBA Governor's firm stance on inflation as justification. "We currently believe the RBA still has room for two more rate hikes (including this one) as it remains committed to curbing price pressures," they noted. The Australian dollar's medium-term support factors persist, including policy divergence between the RBA and the Federal Reserve, and demand for commodities given Australia's status as a liquefied natural gas producer.

The Kobeissi Letter posted on X. The U.S. manufacturing sector continues its recovery, as indicated by the ISM Manufacturing PMI, which fell by 0.2 points in February to 52.4, marking the second consecutive month of expansion. Despite this growth, new orders decreased by 1.3 points to 55.8, the second-highest level since February 2022. The employment index saw a rise of 0.7 points to 48.8, yet it remained in contraction for the 13th consecutive month. In contrast, the prices paid index surged by 11.5 points to 70.5, reaching its highest level since June 2022. This increase has sparked concerns about a potential resurgence of inflation. The rise in input costs occurred prior to new tensions in the Middle East, which have significantly restricted oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, causing crude oil prices to climb sharply. If energy prices continue to stay high, manufacturers might be compelled to transfer these costs to retailers and consumers. While the manufacturing recovery persists, the threat of inflation appears to be reemerging.

The Australian Senate's Economic Legislation Committee has recommended the passage of the "Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025," which aims to bring crypto asset platforms under the existing financial regulatory framework and require relevant companies to apply for an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL). The committee stated in its report that the bill will strengthen the regulatory framework for Australia's digital asset industry and provide a higher level of consumer protection, while maintaining technological neutrality and aligning with international regulatory systems as much as possible in its rule design. According to the bill, companies operating digital asset trading platforms or providing token custody services will be considered financial service providers and will need to obtain a financial license and comply with relevant compliance requirements. The bill was introduced by the Australian Treasury in November 2025 and passed its third reading in the House of Representatives on February 4, 2026. It is currently under consideration in the Senate. The committee noted that most industry bodies support a clearer regulatory framework, but some argue that the bill's definitions of concepts such as "digital tokens" and "effective control" are too broad and may affect some infrastructure or non-custodial service providers. If the bill is ultimately passed, relevant companies will be given a six-month transition period to complete their license applications. (The Block)

Don't underestimate the significance of this independent trend in the crypto market. If BTC continues to diverge sharply from the decline in US stocks in the future, the entire narrative of the crypto market could change.

Artificial Intelligence, 315 Exposes AI Poisoning: A Business That Started in Putian and Spread to Silicon Valley. Golden Finance, 315 exposed a business based on GEO.

2024 年，稳定币全年交易量达到 27.6 万亿美元。同一年，它在全球支付流量中的占比，和 2023 年一样，和 2022 年一样，还是 1%。绝对值在爆炸，相对份额纹丝不动。

Aave will add a feature called Aave Shield after a user lost about $50 million in a token swap due to extremely low liquidity. The trader received only about $36,000 worth of tokens after confirming the trade despite several warnings.

DeFi, the Risk Layer of DeFi: Jinse Finance - Credit needs a more robust risk infrastructure.

The US Digital Asset Market Structure Clarity Act, commonly known as the CLARITY Act, is facing mounting pressure in Congress as disagreements over stablecoin rules and decentralized finance protections threaten to derail the legislation ahead of a key April deadline.

In this cycle, the open interest in BTC options has remained at the level of $400-500 billion for a long time. A large amount of funds express their direction through options, making the option structure an important driver of BTC's short-term price path and having a deeper impact on price fluctuations.

A meme coin tied to US President Donald Trump surged sharply after rumors leaked that there will be a second edition of an exclusive gala for its most loyal investors, although it was later revealed that the president might not ever actually attend the event.

China’s Internet Finance Association warned that the OpenClaw AI agent platform has major security risks due to weak default settings and exposed systems. Authorities urged users and organisations to strengthen security controls and avoid unsafe deployments.

Across has taken a pioneering step in the crypto space: privatizing the DAO, which will offer ACX token holders two options: equity redemption and token buyback. The price of ACX tokens surged by over 75% in response.