Quick Read
- The crypto market rallied on February 15, 2026, driven by positive US inflation data and expectations of Fed rate cuts.
- Dogecoin surged by up to 30% in 24 hours, significantly outperforming Bitcoin and Ethereum.
- Bitcoin briefly reached $70,000, though its gains were tempered by $360 million in weekly outflows from US ETFs.
- Corporate entities accumulated over 780 million DOGE recently, contributing to its strong performance.
- The Crypto Fear and Greed Index rebounded, historically signaling the start of bull runs.
YEREVAN (Azat TV) – The cryptocurrency market is experiencing a significant rally today, February 15, 2026, with Bitcoin (BTC) briefly touching the $70,000 mark. However, the most notable movement comes from Dogecoin (DOGE), which has surged by as much as 30% in the last 24 hours, significantly outperforming Bitcoin and Ethereum (ETH) amidst a broader resurgence across altcoins.
The renewed market optimism is largely attributed to a recent encouraging US consumer inflation report, which has fueled expectations of more aggressive interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve this year. This macro-economic shift, combined with increasing futures open interest and a rebound in investor sentiment, is driving capital back into digital assets.
Broader Crypto Market Rally Ignited by Economic Data
The current crypto market rally, which saw the total market capitalization of all coins soar past $2.4 trillion, was primarily ignited by last Friday’s macro report on US consumer inflation. The report indicated that the headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) dropped to 2.4% in January, down from 3% just a few months prior, signaling a steady progression towards the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, according to crypto.news.
Further bolstering confidence, another report highlighted robust strides in the labor market, with the unemployment rate falling to 4.3% and the economy adding over 130,000 jobs during the month. These positive economic indicators suggest that the Federal Reserve may implement more interest rate cuts than the single cut officials had hinted at for the year, making riskier assets like cryptocurrencies more attractive to investors.
Adding to the bullish sentiment, data compiled by CoinGlass shows that futures open interest has risen by nearly 2% to $100 billion, indicating that investors are increasing leverage in their positions. Moreover, the Crypto Fear and Greed Index has rebounded from an ‘extreme fear’ zone reading of 8 to its current 13, historically a precursor to crypto bull runs, as noted by crypto.news.
Dogecoin’s Unexpected Ascendance Against Market Leaders
While Bitcoin’s move above $70,000 is significant, Dogecoin has undeniably stolen the show. The meme-inspired cryptocurrency saw its value climb by approximately 20-30% in the last 24 hours, pushing its market capitalization close to $19 billion and securing its position among the top cryptocurrencies, according to reports from Stocktwits and DL News.
Dogecoin’s surge has dramatically outpaced Bitcoin’s modest 2% gain and Ethereum’s roughly 1-4% increase during the same period. Retail sentiment on platforms like Stocktwits has shifted from ‘neutral’ to ‘extremely bullish’ for DOGE, while Bitcoin and Ethereum saw sentiment remain ‘neutral’ or even ‘bearish.’ Market watchers described Dogecoin’s move as a breakout above recent resistance levels, with some suggesting momentum could continue if buying pressure persists.
Several factors are contributing to Dogecoin’s distinct performance. Speculation is mounting around news that X (formerly Twitter) is preparing to integrate crypto trading onto its platform. X’s head of product announced on Saturday that a new feature in the coming weeks would enable users to “trade stocks and crypto directly from timeline,” a development that historically has boosted Dogecoin, given X owner Elon Musk’s frequent endorsements of the coin, DL News reported. Furthermore, Glassnode data cited by Stocktwits revealed significant corporate accumulation, with Digital Asset Treasuries (DATs) like CleanCore Solutions and Bit Origin collectively purchasing over 780 million DOGE during recent market drawdowns, indicating strategic buying.
Bitcoin’s $70,000 Milestone Amid Mixed Signals
Bitcoin’s rally saw its price jump to around $70,000-$70,151.31, marking a 2.04% increase in the last 24 hours. This move contributed to the overall market cap surge and reflected renewed investor confidence in the wake of the positive inflation data. However, Bitcoin’s gains on Saturday were described as ‘short-lived,’ with the asset dipping after briefly reaching highs of $70,434 before trading closer to $69,798, according to DL News.
Adding a layer of caution, the largest cryptocurrency has seen net outflows from US Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) over the past week. Data from Farside Investors indicates that investors cashed out a total of $360 million from these popular trading products, managed by firms like BlackRock, Fidelity, and Grayscale. This outflow activity has offset any dribbles of inflows earlier in the week, suggesting some investors are taking profits or remaining wary.
Concerns about Bitcoin’s stability persist, following a crash last week that saw the asset fall to nearly $60,000 amid large-scale liquidations. Experts from British bank Standard Chartered have forecasted a potential crash to $50,000 before stabilization, while blockchain analysts CryptoQuant suggested $55,000 per coin as a realistic bottom. These warnings follow investor derisking over last week’s nomination of Kevin Warsh, an inflation hawk, as Trump’s Federal Reserve chair, which could imply a slower pace of interest rate cuts, DL News reported.
Altcoins Join the Broader Crypto Resurgence
Beyond Dogecoin and Bitcoin, a wide array of altcoins are also experiencing significant gains, contributing to the broader market rally. Pepe Coin (PEPE) saw an impressive jump of over 30% in the last 24 hours, making it one of the top performers. Other notable gainers include Zcash (ZEC), Dogecoin, and Bonk, all rising by over 10% in the same period, as detailed by crypto.news.
Many of these tokens, including Shiba Inu, Jupiter, Morpho, and Pippin, have soared by over 50% from their lowest levels this year, indicating a strong rebound across various segments of the altcoin market. Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency, also saw gains, trading at around $2,077-$2,100, up roughly 1.3-4% over the past 24 hours. However, similar to Bitcoin, Ethereum ETFs also experienced net outflows, totaling $161 million over the week, suggesting a cautious approach by some institutional investors. Solana (SOL) also posted a nearly 4.9% gain, reflecting the widespread positive momentum.
The current crypto market rally, while broad and driven by positive macroeconomic signals, underscores a nuanced dynamic where retail-driven sentiment and specific catalysts can propel certain assets, like Dogecoin, to significantly outperform even established market leaders whose gains are tempered by cautious institutional flows.