Is Bitcoin a Democracy? Adam Back Clarifies the Protocol’s Non-Democratic DNA
Adam Back rejects "democracy" interpretations of the Bitcoin whitepaper as the BIP-110 debate tests the power of node validation over miner majority rule.
Adam Back rejects "democracy" interpretations of the Bitcoin whitepaper as the BIP-110 debate tests the power of node validation over miner majority rule.
BitcoinWorld Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) Announces ETH Holdings Reach 4.371 Million Tokens, and Total Crypto and Total Cash Holdings of $9.6 Billion Bitmine has 3,040,483 staked ETH, representing $6.1 billion at $1,998 per ETH; MAVAN staking solution on track to launch Q1 2026 Bitmine now owns 3.62% of the ETH token supply, over 72% of the way to the ‘Alchemy of 5%’ in just 7 months Bitmine recently closed on initial $200 million investment into Beast Industries Bitmine Crypto + Total Cash Holdings + “Moonshots” total $9.6 billion, including 4.371 million ETH tokens, total cash of $670 million, and other crypto holdings Bitmine leads crypto treasury peers by both the velocity of raising crypto NAV per share and by the high trading liquidity of BMNR stock Bitmine is the 158th most traded stock in the US, trading $0.9 billion per day (5-day avg) Bitmine remains supported by a premier group of institutional investors including ARK’s Cathie Wood, MOZAYYX, Founders Fund, Bill Miller III, Pantera, Kraken, DCG, Galaxy Digital and personal investor Thomas “Tom” Lee to support Bitmine’s goal of acquiring 5% of ETH LAS VEGAS, Feb. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — (NYSE AMERICAN: BMNR) Bitmine Immersion Technologies, Inc. (“Bitmine” or the “Company”) a Bitcoin and Ethereum Network company with a focus on the accumulation of crypto for long term investment, today announced Bitmine crypto + total cash + “moonshots” holdings totaling $9.6 billion. As of February 16th, 2026 at 5:00pm ET, the Company’s crypto holdings are comprised of 4,371,497 ETH at $1,998 per ETH (NASDAQ: COIN), 193 Bitcoin (BTC), $200 million stake in Beast Industries, $17 million stake in Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) (“moonshots”) and total cash of $670 million. Bitmine’s ETH holdings are 3.62% of the ETH supply (of 120.7 million ETH). “After spending the past week at Consensus Hong Kong, one of the largest global gatherings in crypto, we came away with a growing conviction that 2026 will be a defining year for Ethereum. We see strengthening product-market fit emerging on the back of three long-duration secular drivers: (i) Wall Street via tokenization/privacy on Ethereum; (ii) AI and AI-agents using Ethereum for both collecting payments as well as verification and (iii) creators leaning towards ‘proof of human’ and other standards running on Ethereum L2 (Worldchain, etc). There were many panel discussions and presentations around these 3 topics, and it is evident that Ethereum is well positioned to garner significant share, given its neutrality and 100% uptime and reliability,” said Thomas “Tom” Lee, Chairman of Bitmine. Mr. Lee’s latest Chairman’s message is his keynote given at Consensus HK, and he speaks about these 3 future growth drivers for ETH usage as well as the drivers for Bitmine growth initiatives. The link to his message is here . “Investor sentiment and enthusiasm, by contrast, are rock bottom, reminding us of the forlornness and dejection seen at the November 2022 lows and depths of 2018 crypto winter. During 2018 and 2022, there were many high profile failures of large players (FTX, 3 arrows in 2022) while 2025-2026 has not seen such large-scale debacles. Rather, it seems like crypto has remained weak since the ‘price shock’ and massive deleveraging seen on October 10th. For us at Bitmine, we cannot control the price of Ethereum, and the company is acquiring ETH regardless of price trend, as the long-term outlook for Ethereum remains outstanding. Hence, we continue to buy ETH even as crypto moves through this ‘mini-winter,'” said Lee. “In the past week, we acquired 45,759 ETH,” continued Lee. “Bitmine has been steadily buying Ethereum, as we view this pullback as attractive, given the strengthening fundamentals. In our view, the price of ETH is not reflective of the high utility of ETH and its role as the future of finance.” As of February 16, 2026, Bitmine total staked ETH stands at 3,040,483 ($6.1 billion at $1,998 per ETH). “Bitmine has staked more ETH than other entities in the world. At scale (when Bitmine’s ETH is fully staked by MAVAN and its staking partners), the ETH staking rewards is $252 million annually (using 2.89% 7-day BMNR yield),” stated Lee. “Annualized staking revenues are now $176 million. And this 3.0 million ETH is about 69% of the 4.37 million ETH held by Bitmine. The CESR (Composite Ethereum Staking Rate, administered by Quatrefoil ) is 2.84%, while Bitmine’s own staking operations generated a 7-day yield of 2.89% (annualized). We continue to make progress on our staking solution known as The Made in America VAlidator Network (MAVAN). This will be the ‘best-in-class’ solution offering secure staking infrastructure and will be deployed in early calendar 2026. Bitmine is currently working with 3 staking providers as the Company moves towards unveiling MAVAN in 2026,” continued Lee. Bitmine crypto holding reigns as the #1 Ethereum treasury and #2 global treasury, behind Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ: MSTR), which owns 714,644 BTC valued at $49 billion. Bitmine remains the largest ETH treasury in the world. Bitmine is one of the most widely traded stocks in the US. According to data from Fundstrat, the stock has traded average daily dollar volume of $0.9 billion (5-day average, as of February 13, 2026), ranking #158 in the US, behind KKR (rank #157) and ahead of CBRE (rank #159) among 5,704 US-listed stocks ( statista.com and Fundstrat research). The GENIUS Act and Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“the SEC”) Project Crypto are as transformational to financial services in 2025 as US action on August 15, 1971 ending Bretton Woods and the USD on the gold standard 54 years ago. This 1971 event was the catalyst for the modernization of Wall Street, creating the iconic Wall Street titans and financial and payment rails of today. These proved to be better investments than gold. The Chairman’s message can be found here: https://www.Bitminetech.io/chairmans-message The Fiscal Full Year 2025 Earnings presentation and corporate presentation can be found here: https://Bitminetech.io/investor-relations/ To stay informed, please sign up at: https://Bitminetech.io/contact-us/ About Bitmine Bitmine (NYSE AMERICAN: BMNR) is the leading Ethereum Treasury company in the world, implementing an innovative digital asset strategy for institutional investors and public market participants. Guided by its philosophy of “the alchemy of 5%,” the Company is committed to ETH as its primary treasury reserve asset, leveraging native protocol-level activities including staking and decentralized finance mechanisms. The Company will launch MAVAN (Made-in America VAlidator Network), a dedicated staking infrastructure for Bitmine assets, in Q1 of 2026. For additional details, follow on X: https://x.com/bitmnr https://x.com/fundstrat https://x.com/bmnrintern Forward Looking Statements This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements.” The statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. This document specifically contains forward-looking statements regarding progress and achievement of the Company’s goals regarding ETH acquisition and staking, the long-term value of Ethereum, continued growth and advancement of the Company’s Ethereum treasury strategy and the applicable benefits to the Company. In evaluating these forward-looking statements, you should consider various factors, including Bitmine’s ability to keep pace with new technology and changing market needs; Bitmine’s ability to finance its current business, Ethereum treasury operations and proposed future business; the competitive environment of Bitmine’s business; and the future value of Bitcoin and Ethereum. Actual future performance outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond Bitmine’s control, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of Bitmine’s Form 10-K filed with the SEC on November 21, 2025, as well as all other SEC filings, as amended or updated from time to time. Copies of Bitmine’s filings with the SEC are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov . Bitmine undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law. This post Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) Announces ETH Holdings Reach 4.371 Million Tokens, and Total Crypto and Total Cash Holdings of $9.6 Billion first appeared on BitcoinWorld .
*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id="request-WEB:0576fd39-c048-47bc-b6ab-f55aa5df51f0-46" data-testid="conversation-turn-4" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn="assistant"> The S&P 500 is down 0.5%, the Nasdaq Composite is off 0.7%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average has dropped 188 points, or 0.4%, as Wall Street opens the week in the red after another losing stretch. Bitcoin is holding steady around $67,213, hovering near $67K even as equities struggle.
BitcoinWorld Amazon Fire TV’s Revolutionary New Interface Finally Launches in the U.S., Promising a Seamless Streaming Experience October 13, 2024 — San Francisco, CA. Amazon has initiated the highly anticipated rollout of a completely redesigned user interface for its Fire TV streaming platform in the United States. This major overhaul, the first in several years, directly addresses the modern viewer’s struggle with content overload across countless streaming services. Consequently, the update transforms Fire TV from a simple app launcher into an intelligent discovery hub, fundamentally changing how users find and watch their favorite shows and movies. Amazon Fire TV’s Redesign: A Direct Response to Streaming Fragmentation The streaming landscape has evolved dramatically since Fire TV’s last major update. With the proliferation of services like Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and countless others, users now face a significant discovery problem. They must remember which platform hosts which show, a frustrating process that disrupts the viewing experience. Amazon’s new Fire TV interface directly tackles this issue by centralizing content. The platform now aggregates suggestions and live feeds from all connected services into a unified, simplified dashboard. This strategic shift mirrors broader industry trends where hardware platforms are becoming essential curation tools in a fragmented market. The Core Design Philosophy: Clarity Over Clutter First previewed at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, the new design language prioritizes visual calm and intuitive navigation. Amazon’s design team implemented several key changes to reduce cognitive load. The interface now features soft, rounded corners on all UI elements and employs subtle, varied gradients for depth. Furthermore, consistent typography and increased spacing between content tiles create a less crowded, more breathable layout. This thoughtful approach helps users focus on content choices rather than navigating a busy screen. Key Features and Functional Upgrades The update introduces practical enhancements that significantly expand user customization and access. Previously, the home screen limited users to just six pinned applications. The new design, however, utilizes smaller, refined app icons to allow for up to 20 pinned apps. This expansion comfortably accommodates the full suite of major streaming players, including Prime Video, Hulu, YouTube, and Peacock, alongside niche services. Navigation receives a substantial simplification. A streamlined top bar replaces complex menus with intuitive icon-based categories: Movies , TV , Live TV , Sports , and News . A prominent search function sits permanently to the left of the Home tab. Within each category, Fire TV employs smart algorithms to surface content. It prominently displays rows like “Continue Watching” and a personalized “For You” section, which draws from a user’s subscription history and viewing habits to suggest titles across all linked services. Live TV Integration: The Live TV tab acts as a unified guide, pulling live channels from free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) services, cable integrations, and even over-the-air antenna feeds into one seamless grid. Organized Access: Less frequently used features, such as Games, the Appstore, and Music, now reside under a discreet “hamburger” menu on the left. This includes “My Stuff,” a universal watchlist that tracks content across all platforms. The AI-Powered Future: Alexa+ Integration A cornerstone of the new experience is the deep integration of Amazon’s advanced AI assistant, Alexa+. This moves beyond simple voice commands for play and pause. Users can now engage in natural language conversations about on-screen content. For example, selecting a movie tile and asking, “Tell me more about that one,” prompts the AI to provide a summary, cast details, and reviews. Moreover, users can ask nuanced, contextual questions like, “Find me more movies that have a similar visual style,” or “Show me thrillers from the 1990s.” Alexa+ can also field general knowledge queries, effectively turning the Fire TV into a conversational smart display. Access to Alexa+ is included as a perk for Amazon Prime subscribers, while other users can opt for a separate subscription. This integration represents a significant step toward ambient, context-aware computing in the living room, a key battleground for tech giants. Rollout Schedule and Device Compatibility The update is launching in a phased manner. Initially, it is available in the U.S. on the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus , the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) , and the premium Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series . Amazon plans to expand the rollout this spring to more countries and a wider device ecosystem. This includes the latest Fire TV 4K streaming players and Amazon’s own Fire TV 2-Series, 4-Series, and Omni QLED Series televisions. The update will also come to Fire TV editions manufactured by partners like TCL, Hisense, Insignia, and Panasonic. Notably, the new interface is also featured on the innovative Amazon Ember Artline TVs, which display artwork when idle. Industry Context and Competitive Implications This redesign arrives during a period of intense competition in the streaming hardware and platform space. Roku continues to refine its OS, Google has rebranded and updated its Chromecast with Google TV, and Apple TV maintains a premium position. Amazon’s strategy with this Fire TV update is clear: leverage its ecosystem strength. By combining hardware, content aggregation, and advanced AI, Amazon aims to create the most sticky and indispensable home screen for streaming. The focus on discovery, rather than just storage, could become a key differentiator as subscription growth slows and user retention becomes paramount. Experts note that the success of such interfaces hinges on the neutrality and intelligence of their recommendation algorithms. Platforms must fairly promote content from all partners, not just their own, to maintain user trust. Amazon’s ability to balance its Prime Video service with suggestions from competitors like Netflix will be closely watched as a benchmark for ecosystem fairness. Conclusion The launch of Amazon Fire TV’s new interface in the U.S. marks a pivotal evolution for the platform. By addressing the core pain points of modern streaming—discovery overload and app fragmentation—with a cleaner design and smarter AI, Amazon is positioning Fire TV as a central nervous system for the connected living room. The expanded customization, unified live TV guide, and conversational Alexa+ integration collectively deliver a more seamless and intelligent user experience. As this update rolls out globally in the coming months, it will set a new standard for what users expect from their streaming device’s home screen, making the Amazon Fire TV interface a critical case study in the future of home entertainment navigation. FAQs Q1: Which Fire TV devices are getting the new interface first? The update is initially rolling out in the U.S. to the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen), and the Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series. A wider rollout to more devices and countries is planned for Spring 2024. Q2: How many apps can I now pin to the home screen? The new interface increases the limit from 6 to 20 pinned apps, using smaller icon sizes to fit more services on the screen. Q3: Do I need a Prime subscription to use the new Alexa+ features? Access to the advanced Alexa+ AI assistant is included as a benefit for Amazon Prime subscribers. Users without a Prime membership can purchase access to Alexa+ separately. Q4: How does the new interface help find content across different streaming services? It aggregates content into centralized tabs (Movies, TV, etc.) and uses a personalized “For You” row that suggests titles from all your connected subscriptions, eliminating the need to jump between individual apps to browse. Q5: What happened to the old menu structure and settings? Less frequently used options like Settings, the Appstore, Games, and Music have been moved to a streamlined “hamburger” menu on the left side of the screen, decluttering the main navigation. This post Amazon Fire TV’s Revolutionary New Interface Finally Launches in the U.S., Promising a Seamless Streaming Experience first appeared on BitcoinWorld .
Compass Point and Canaccord call BitGo a potential acquisition target and defend the stock despite its weak debut, citing growth in institutional crypto infrastructure.
Crypto exchange Kraken will fund the Trump Accounts for all babies born in Wyoming in 2026. The company will make a contribution per baby enrolled in the program, with the funds being invested in low-risk initiatives to maximize returns, made available when the individual turns 18. Kraken Will Sponsor All Wyoming Trump Accounts in 2026
Ethereum treasury firm Bitmine has bought more ETH, setting a new internal high in its holdings.
Solana holds near a critical inflection point as analysts debate whether the recent pullback marks a temporary pause or a deeper reset. The token trades around $85 after a modest daily gain , yet the broader structure remains under scrutiny. Wave (2) Pullback Tests Key Fibonacci Levels According to moretradingonl, the broader structure remains intact despite choppy micro price action. The analyst still classifies the decline as wave (2). Significantly, price reacted firmly near the 50% retracement around $83.60. That level now acts as immediate support. Additionally, the 61.8% retracement near $81.88 and the 78.6% level around $79.50 provide deeper cushions if volatility expands. Bulls must now clear the 38.2% retracement at $85.35. Consequently, reclaiming the prior wave (1) high between $89 and $90 would confirm renewed strength. A decisive move above that zone could open the path toward $97 and possibly $100.89. However, failure to hold $83 would likely extend consolidation. Macro Structure Remains Below $120 Ceiling Crypto_Scient maintains a cautious macro stance. The weekly chart shows Solana trading below the former $120 support, which now acts as resistance. Hence, rallies remain corrective until that ceiling breaks. The analyst identifies two major downside zones. First, the 0.75 Fibonacci pocket between $60 and $70 aligns with prior accumulation. Moreover, that range overlaps with historical demand. Second, the weekly demand imbalance that fueled the rally from $25 to $200 stands as a deeper support base. Everything between these zones appears transitional noise. Additionally, the market cap remains above $48 billion, supported by steady network participation. However, macro pressure persists while price trades under $120. Long-Term Conviction Versus Short-Term Pressure James takes a broader perspective. He argues that if Solana eventually approaches $1000, current prices below $90 may look like strategic accumulation. Nevertheless, the weekly chart shows clear resistance at $90, $105, and $120. Source: X Consequently, bulls must defend the $67–$70 region to preserve higher-timeframe structure. A clean bounce there could form a durable base. Besides, a recovery above $100 would improve sentiment and attract sidelined capital.
South Korea reopens crypto to corporations with strict caps and asset limits. This is part of a broader strategy that includes stablecoin legislation and potential spot crypto ETFs.
The meme coin pippin (PIPPIN) is deep in red territory today (February 17) after posting substantial gains over the past few weeks. The question now is whether this will be a temporary correction or the beginning of a major collapse. What Comes Next? The asset’s price has retraced by nearly 20% on a daily scale and now trades at around $0.59 (per CoinGecko’s data). PIPPIN’s market capitalization has tumbled below $600 million, putting it at risk of losing its prestigious spot among the 100 largest cryptocurrencies. Several analysts have recently warned that the meme coin could be a high-stakes gamble, advising traders to stay away from it. Earlier this week, X user Ted said he doesn’t know a single person who holds PIPPIN and wondered what might have driven the rally. He thinks the whole thing is “a CEX cabal play,” similar to Mantra (OM). In crypto slang, “cabal” refers to a small, coordinated group of insiders who are believed to manipulate a token’s price with their actions. Recall that just a year ago, OM was worth almost $9, whereas its market cap briefly exceeded $8 billion. Since then, the asset has crashed by staggering 99%. Crypto Rug Muncher shared a similar thesis. The X user argued that the only people still active in the PIPPIN ecosystem are “the cabal members who crimed it to $700 million MC in the first place.” “This isn’t a project holding the active interest of the space; it’s organized manipulation designed to bait in naive retail for exit liquidity. The project is a hollow, abandoned shell with no fundamentals, and as soon as the insiders manipulating this get bored, it’s headed straight back to shitcoin hell where it belongs,” they added. Crypto GVR and ALTSTEIN TRADE also gave their two cents. The former spotted the price reversal that occurred in the past hours to forecast that a major collapse to $0.10 may be coming next. The latter argued that PIPPIN’s “top is in,” predicting that all the gains will be lost and that the valuation will tumble below $0.10. Something for the Bulls Despite the grim forecasts from the aforementioned analysts, the meme coin’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) suggests a short-term rebound could be on the horizon. The technical analysis tool tracks the speed and magnitude of recent price changes and helps traders spot potential turning points. It runs on a scale from 0 to 100, and ratios below 30 indicate that PIPPIN is oversold and might be on the verge of a resurgence. On the contrary, readings above 70 are considered precursors of a correction. Currently, the RSI stands just north of the bullish zone. PIPPIN RSI, Source: RSI Hunter The post Pippin (PIPPIN) Dips 20% Daily: Brutal Collapse on the Way? appeared first on CryptoPotato .