A routine Bank of America survey shows stronger-than-usual bearish positioning against the dollar. Institutional investors’ net exposure is as low as it was in 2012.
The reasons are increasing concerns about a slowdown in the US labor market and fears that the central bank could cut interest rates sooner or more than expected – or both.
Under normal market conditions, such a pronounced dollar weakness would be a strong tailwind for Bitcoin. Historically, BTC has predominantly developed in the opposite direction to the dollar index: if the dollar falls, risk assets such as Bitcoin rise; if the dollar rises, the Bitcoin price falls. This inversely proportional relationship has been a reliable pattern so far.
But since the beginning of 2025 you can no longer rely on it. The dollar index fell more than nine percent in 2024 and recorded further losses in 2025. At the same time, Bitcoin has lost around 21 percent. The 90-day correlation between BTC and DXY has increased to 0.6 – the highest value since April 2025.
This means that both markets are currently moving in sync – the old correlation has been broken. If the new one holds, a further decline in the dollar index would not be a bullish signal for Bitcoin, but rather a burden. Conversely, a dollar rebound triggered by a short squeeze could pull Bitcoin higher.
The extremely one-sided positioning significantly increases the likelihood of such a scenario. As soon as the dollar unexpectedly rises, short positions come under pressure and have to be covered, reinforcing the upward movement.
Image created with ChatGPT-AI (DALL-E)
Eamonn Sheridan, currency analyst at InvestingLive, warns of an increased risk of abrupt moves in key dollar currency pairs. While weak U.S. economic data could extend the dollar’s downward move, crowded short positioning also increases the potential for sharp countermoves.
At the time of going to press, the dollar index was trading at 97.13 points, up 0.25 percent. Bitcoin traded at $68,150, down around one percent.
Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel made it clear at the American Chamber of Commerce’s New Year’s reception in Frankfurt that Europe should become more independent of the dollar when it comes to payment systems and payment applications.
He made it clear that this also includes the digital euro, both in the retail version for private individuals and retailers, as well as in the programmable wholesale version for companies, in order to make international payments more cost-effective.
From the EU perspective, the USA has inadequate regulatory instruments for digital money. But they have plenty of digital money in the form of dollar stablecoins.
In the EU it is the other way around: it has a fabulous regulatory system with MiCAR. It took years to complete, but in the end all 27 member states agreed on the regulation of digital money. There is only one thing that was forgotten in the rush: digital money. There simply isn’t one, at least not on a euro basis.
The few existing EURO stablecoins have a hopeless maximum share of 0.3% of the global stablecoin market. Dollar stablecoins have over 99% market share, and the tiny remainder goes to exotics like the Hong Kong stablecoin and a few others.
But isn’t there the Digital Euro? Yes, but it won’t come until 2029 at the earliest.
Euro stablecoins and digital euro
Bundesbank President Nagel explainedregulated Euro stablecoins are a sensible addition to the planned digital euro. They would have significant advantages, particularly in international payment transactions, as they enable fast, cost-effective transactions.
This would create new opportunities for businesses and consumers to process international payments without the delays and fees that are common today.
However, the prerequisite is that the Euro stablecoins are fully backed and issued under national or EU central bank supervision. This is the only way to create trust and build stable demand.
Europe acts now or will be left behind
While the US and parts of Asia are already actively expanding their digital payment infrastructures, Europe is falling behind. The Bundesbank President therefore sees an urgent need for action to advance the modernization of the European payment system.
Source: European Central Bank
With the digital euro and its clear regulatory framework for euro stablecoins, the EU could strengthen its position in the global financial system, maintain its economic position and act on an equal footing with the USA and China.
A buddy of James Van Der Beek has hit out at folks criticising the GoFundMe arrange for his household.
The Dawson’s Creek star died earlier this month on the age of 48, along with his spouse Kimberly confirming on 11 February that he’d ‘handed peacefully this morning’.
The actor had stated in 2024 he had been identified with most cancers, and after his dying Van Der Beek’s representatives advised People that a few of his buddies had helped him put a fee down on his household dwelling which he’d been renting for a number of years.
Following the actor’s dying a GoFundMe was arrange, which at time of writing has amassed over $2.6 million in donations, however there have been some criticisms of it.
His buddy and fellow actor Mehcad Brooks hit out on the criticism, telling folks they’d ‘no concept what the f**okay you are speaking about’.
James Van Der Beek died earlier this month on the age of 48 (Emma McIntyre/Getty Photos)
On the social media website Threads somebody stated Van Der Beek’s household getting GoFundMe donations ‘does not sit proper’ with them.
They wrote: “Certain, I get it. However hundreds of individuals all over the world face this actual state of affairs day by day and take care of the wrestle. They do not get $2.5 million. It is simply bizarre. He needed to have had life insurance coverage… and residual checks..”
Brooks referred to as himself a detailed buddy of the late Dawson’s Creek star and advised the individual they did not know ‘what the f**okay you are speaking about.
“I’m one of many Van Der Beek’s closest buddies, and the headlines are pretend as f**okay,” he wrote in his reply.
“You haven’t any concept what the f**okay you are speaking about. You haven’t any concept the ache they went by. It is okay to close the f**okay up when you may’t know what the f**okay you are speaking about.
“It is okay to not attempt to search consideration off of different folks’s struggling or the generosity in response to it. As a result of James touched them for many years.
Mehcad Brooks hit out at someone who stated all the cash being donated to Van Der Beek’s household ‘does not sit proper’ with them (Paras Griffin/Getty Photos)
“It is okay so that you can keep quiet within the face of blind stupidity, meanness and lack of empathy. However possibly you are not okay.”
So he is made his place on the matter abundantly clear.
The actor’s brother Jared additionally lately posted a tribute, the place he stated the ‘bodily bond was damaged’ between them.
He stated: “I now know why folks name it heartbreak once you lose somebody near you. There’s a feeling of devastation and ache that runs so deep within the coronary heart, I didn’t know it could harm so badly.
“He was my individual, the one I went to for any and all issues. I’ve seemed as much as him since I used to be born. He has by no means didn’t be there for me every time I wanted him.”
Ray J’s supervisor has spoken out after the rapper appeared to have one thing trying like ‘blood’ popping out of his eye throughout a efficiency.
The rapper has made it clear his well being is in a really poor state as he is spoken a number of occasions about how he ‘does not have lengthy left to reside’ and thinks he is ‘f**ked up’ in the case of his well being.
At a latest efficiency the place he was carrying sun shades the gang noticed what appeared like a trickle of pink coming from considered one of his eyes, although the precise substance was unverified, whereas he additionally appeared to have some type of monitor taped to his chest.
Forward of the present Ray J had posted to social media: “I’m placing my life on the road for this present!!”
Now his supervisor Melinda Santiago has advised People the artists working for her needed to work ‘whether or not they’re bleeding or not’.
Ray J has mentioned he is not in good well being (Aaron J. Thornton/WireImage)
“Everyone knows that Ray J has been underneath the climate, however all my artists that work with me gotta do their job whether or not they’re bleeding or not,” she advised them.
The rapper posted an image of himself and his supervisor with the caption ‘WHATEVER MELINDA SAYS GOES’ accompanied by an emoji of a drop of blood.
Santiago was masking her face within the image whereas Ray J appeared fairly joyful, so whether or not he was truly bleeding from the eyes or this was a publicity stunt to drum up consideration following his latest hospitalisation stays to be seen.
It isn’t unsure that Ray J, actual identify William Ray Norwood Jr, was hospitalised final month in Las Vegas with a extreme case of pneumonia, with it not being the primary time that has occurred.
The rapper mentioned afterwards that he ‘simply nearly died’ and his well being was ‘not OK’, later saying ‘2027 is certainly a wrap for me’.
In latest movies the place he spoke about his well being, Ray J mentioned he’d completed himself severe injury with alcohol and Adderall.
He mentioned: “I feel I assumed I had extra weight. I assumed I used to be massive so I may deal with all of the alcohol, I may deal with all of the Adderall, I may deal with all of the medicine – however I could not. It curved my time right here.”
The rapper mentioned at his worst he was ingesting ‘4 or 5 bottles a day’ and taking 10 doses of Adderall.
He mentioned he is perhaps alright if he sticks to ‘the correct path’ however he is mentioned his coronary heart was ‘solely beating 25 p.c’.
America’s Subsequent High Mannequin has change into the newest 00s actuality present to face a reckoning after a tell-all documentary uncovered a few of its most controversial moments.
Between the controversial ‘blackface’ photoshoot and considered one of cycle two’s contestants coming ahead about her being filmed being sexually assaulted while on the present, a few of the craziest on-screen moments from the collection have been completely reframed by the documentary.
Arguably one of many wildest tales in regards to the present nevertheless is one that isn’t lined within the Netflix documentary, with a winner of the present having revealed that she had her $100,000 prize cash revoked as a result of she was revealed to have been intercourse trafficked.
Angelea Peston was on a number of seasons of America’s Subsequent High Mannequin, having first appeared in cycle 12 and 14, returning for an ‘All Stars’ 17th season.
Angelea is now an on-air journalist (Instagram)
Viewers of the collection most likely wouldn’t realise this nevertheless, because the episode merely acknowledged that the manufacturing group ‘discovered info from Angelea that disqualifies her from the competitors’.
What was not proven nevertheless was her being introduced the winner of the present previous to Lisa D’Amato being named the winner.
Talking to Bustle in 2024, Angelea spoke in regards to the expertise of discovering out she had received the present and the accompanying $100,000 contract, saying: “I screamed. I simply couldn’t consider it was me.
“I virtually ran off the set. I used to be like ‘Are you critical?!,’ breaking the fourth wall and searching within the digital camera.
“I hugged the opposite women, however on the identical time I used to be like, ‘Bye, y’all! Peace out! Y’all can go! I simply received, and my life is about to start out!’”
It later leaked that the explanation she was disqualified was she had instructed manufacturing she had briefly labored as an escort years earlier than the present.
She misplaced the $100,000 contract at a time the place she was ‘residing in poverty’ (Instagram)
While this is able to be a weird purpose to disqualify somebody in any case, the interview with Bustle revealed that she was shockingly trafficked.
After showing in cycle 12 and 14 she described struggling to seek out work, with High Mannequin typically being one thing that modelling brokers seemed down on.
She described how she was residing in a poor neighbourhood in New York when a person in a luxurious automotive pulled up subsequent to her, convincing her to go on a date with him.
She was later provided the prospect to go on dates with males in change for cash and luxurious objects, together with her being promised by the person within the automotive who she known as T that she wouldn’t have to have intercourse with them.
She later discovered that this was really anticipated of her and described a number of events through which she was assaulted if she tried to depart T or stated she wasn’t having intercourse together with her dates.
Throughout this time shut mates of Angelea’s had contacted a cycle 14 winner, Krista White, who had contacted producers on the present and Tyra Banks herself to attempt to get assist with the state of affairs.
Tyra Banks spoke out in defence of the present within the new documentary, saying ‘Hindsight is 20/20’ (Netflix)
Although they by no means heard again and she or he ultimately escaped T after over a month, when she was being vetted for cycle 17 she was requested if she ‘ever did something unlawful’ to earn money and even requested her ‘if she was being pimped’.
She denied this as she stated she was at ‘all-time low’ from her time with T, however stated: “To my understanding, [a producer] knew what occurred, however she wasn’t going to say something to anybody else… it was our little secret.”
Weeks after the finale was filmed she was contacted by producers who stated they’d ‘heard a hearsay’ and inspired her to be sincere, which is when she got here ahead about her previous.
Shortly after she was instructed that creator Tyra Banks and government producer Ken Mok had determined her title will likely be revoked and she or he wouldn’t be getting the $100,000 winner’s contract.
She added: “It was already traumatic going via the sex-work stuff, and now so as to add insult to damage, they had been punishing me for the remainder of my life.”
In a press release to Bustle on the time Ken Mok stated: “There’s actually nothing I can add to Angelea’s story as this occurred 10 years in the past and it has already been reported on extensively.
“On a private be aware, I assumed Angelea was an exquisite addition to ANTM. She was proficient and charismatic. … I want her nothing however the very best in her future.”
LADbible group have contacted representatives for Ken Mok, Tyra Banks, and Paramount for remark.
Shia LaBeouf has been arrested in New Orleans after reportedly getting right into a combat after a Mardi Gras multi-day binge.
LaBeouf was accused by bartenders working within the metropolis of ‘terrorising New Orleans’, reportedly strolling spherical bars shirtless and behaving surprisingly.
First reported by TMZ, Selection has now confirmed the actor’s arrest following a combat which noticed paramedics referred to as. Courtroom information point out that he’s dealing with two expenses of straightforward battery.
The Hollywood Reporter reported earlier in the present day that LaBeouf had been ‘terrorising’ town, with movies and tweets confirming his weird behaviour at Mardi Gras celebrations.
They acknowledged that the celeb, who had beforehand spoke about how he was sober for years, had been out consuming since Thursday.
The next video confirmed him threatening to combat patrons exterior a New Orleans bar over the weekend, with claims stating that he was ‘lower off’ by a neighborhood bar.
That is believed to be separate to the incident for which he was arrested because it doesn’t present truly combating anybody.
Footage acquired by TMZ present the Transformers actor being tended to by paramedics after the reported scrap which noticed him arrested.
Robert Skuse, the doorman of a bar in New Orleans, claimed within the THR report that LaBeouf confirmed up on Sunday along with his shirt off, inebriated, and mentioned that he was ‘considerably belligerent’.
The actor was requested to go away the bar after making an attempt to be a ‘celeb bartender’.
One nameless bartender mentioned he was ‘terrorising town’, while attendees of the celebrations took to social media to slam LaBeouf.
Posting to X, one attendee mentioned: “can somebody please do a narrative about how shia labeouf is actually terrorizing new orleans throughout mardi gras as a result of we had a run in with him final night time and somebody actually must get that man some assist holy sh*t.”
Standard Chartered Bank has lowered its cryptocurrency price forecasts for 2026, most significantly for XRP. The token is now only expected to be worth $2.8 instead of $8 at the end of the year.
Analysts at the major British bank are also warning of continued pressure on the entire market and are talking about one of the most difficult months in years.
The revaluation was triggered by the exceptionally strong sell-off in the crypto sector. February is valid in the Standard Chartered Analyse as the weakest month in almost four years. Bitcoin temporarily fell to around $60,000, losing almost 30 percent month-on-month.
XRP slipped to $1.08, its lowest price in 15 months. The bank points to a “challenging market environment” characterized by declining liquidity, low risk appetite and weak capital flows. These factors would have required a reassessment of the medium-term price targets.
ETF outflows put additional strain on XRP
The significant decline in capital inflows into the XRP ETFs is particularly difficult for Standard Chartered. While they had a TVL of around $1.6 billion at the beginning of January, it shrank to around one billion by mid-February.
That’s a decrease of around 40 percent. The analysts see this as a clear signal that institutional investors are currently in “wait and see” mode. This development weakens the fundamental basis for XRP and justifies the significantly reduced price expectations.
Reassessing the crypto industry
The downgrade doesn’t just affect XRP. Standard Chartered also lowered forecasts for Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana.
The bank now expects only 100,000 instead of 150,000 for Bitcoin, 4,000 instead of 7,000 for Ethereum and 135 instead of 250 dollars for Solana, based on the end of the year.
The bank justifies its drastic corrections with a structurally weaker market environment, which could encourage further declines in the short term.
Clarity Act could help — if it finally came along
In particular, the Clarity Act being discussed in the USA could support XRP in the long term, as the law would finally create clear crypto regulation.
Image created with ChatGPT-AI (DALL E)
Ripple chief lawyer Stuart Alderoty recently described discussions in the White House as “productive”.
After his trip to Korea, Schiener spoke of support from the “Blue House” and interest from large companies and financial institutions, but did not mention any specific commitments.
The IOTA Foundation refers to meetings around the World Crypto Forum, discussions about TWIN and a KRW stablecoin use case.
After his trip to Korea, Dominik Schiener, co-founder of IOTA, reported on In a February 16 post on X wrote Rail:
“I had a fantastic and productive trip in Korea. There was a very positive energy there – with strong support from the Blue House as well as large companies and financial institutions committed to building on crypto. IOTA’s pitch, with our clear focus on building a global trading infrastructure with TWIN, is a key difference from all other projects.”
He does not mention any specific partnerships or commitments. However, the tone of the post suggests that Schiener is expecting updates from Korea in the next few weeks and months. With the “Blue House” Schiener alludes to Cheong Wa Dae, the symbol of the South Korean presidency in Seoul. Whether this involves formal contacts or more like discussion groups close to the president remains to be seen.
Schiener had previously described Korea as a key market. In the further statement he wrote:
“We are helping cryptocurrencies overcome the speculative bubble and establish themselves in the real world. We are deeply committed to Korea and will advance the country’s connectivity in the blockchain space to spark a new wave of crypto adoption. You can expect much more news in the coming months. I am very much looking forward to returning to Korea soon.”
The reference to the Blue House was quickly picked up in the community. One IOTA ambassador called it “basically Korea’s White House” and argued the next wave would come from politics, trade routes and institutions rather than retail hype. IOTA is positioned accordingly.
The Blue House is basically Korea’s White House$IOTA is backed by governments and Institutions
Schiener also linked a post from the IOTA Foundation that highlighted its Korea activities. As CNF reported yesterday, the IOTA Foundation was at the “World Crypto Forum” from October 10th to 11th. I was there in February and spoke to Korean institutions about TWIN: “We networked with leading Korean institutions and showed how TWIN can unlock real adoption on IOTA,” says the X post.
According to the foundation, a panel also addressed the question of how a KRW stablecoin could be “made usable via the IOTA network”. In addition, a private lunch was organized off stage with “Tier 1” Korean financial institutions, without naming names, in Yeouido, the financial district of Seoul and a central hub for investment and banking.
Germany’s Bundesbank boss sees stablecoins and CBDCs as an opportunity for Europe’s digital sovereignty
Nagel warns of the growing dominance of the US dollar in digital payment transactions
The President of the German Bundesbank, Joachim Nagel, took an unusually clear position in favor of digital currencies at the New Year’s reception of the American Chamber of Commerce in Frankfurt. In his speech, he emphasized that both euro-denominated stablecoins and a digital euro are crucial building blocks for securing Europe’s monetary sovereignty in the digital age. The background to his statements is the rapidly growing dominance of US dollar stablecoins, which now clearly dominate the global market and thus also increase geopolitical dependencies.
Nagel pointed out that the US has already created a structured framework for stablecoins with new regulatory initiatives such as the GENIUS Act. Europe, on the other hand, is still in the implementation phase of MiCA. Without its own digital alternatives, the EU is threatened with “digital dollarization,” which could also impair its ability to manage monetary policy in the long term.
Wholesale CBDC as infrastructure for the financial sector
Nagel was particularly clear on the topic of wholesale CBDC, i.e. a digital central bank currency for financial institutions. He sees this as a technological advance that can make the processing of securities transactions more efficient, safer and more cost-effective. Programmable payments, immediate settlement and lower operational risks are key advantages that Europe urgently needs in international competition. The Bundesbank is already testing various prototypes that could be integrated into the European market infrastructure in the future.
Euro stablecoins as a supplement to the digital euro
Nagel made it clear that privately issued, strictly regulated euro-denominated stablecoins should not be seen as competition, but rather as a complement to the digital euro. They could bring significant efficiency gains, particularly in cross-border payment transactions. This opens up new opportunities for companies and consumers to process international transactions faster and cheaper. What is crucial, however, is that these stablecoins are fully backed by secure reserves and are under European supervision.
Europe is under pressure to act
The Bundesbank President’s speech is a signal that the tone in the European debate is noticeably tightening. While the US and parts of Asia are already pushing ahead with their digital currency projects, Europe is at risk of falling behind. Nagel’s appeal can therefore be understood as a request not to postpone the modernization of European payment transactions any longer. With MiCA, the digital euro and a clear regulatory framework for euro-based stablecoins, the EU could strengthen its position in the global financial system while securing its economic independence.
Shia LaBeouf has been accused of ‘terrorising’ a metropolis after movies have emerged of him supposedly on a days lengthy Mardi Gras binge.
LaBeouf is a controversial actor and has claimed to have been sober for years.
The movie star has additionally beforehand blamed his abusive behaviour in direction of ex-Girlfriend FKA Twigs on his relationship with alcohol.
Now LaBeouf has been filmed outdoors a bar in New Orleans along with his shirt off making an attempt to begin a battle, in addition to staff of bars within the metropolis talking to The Hollywood Reporter claiming that he has been on a binge since Thursday of final week.
Robert Skuse, the doorman of Ms Mae’s bar in New Orleans, has spoken to the outlet and claimed that he confirmed up on Sunday along with his shirt off, inebriated, and was ‘considerably belligerent’.
He was requested to go away the bar after making an attempt to be a ‘movie star bartender’.
Others reported him being ‘chill’ nonetheless (X)
One other bartender said that he was ‘terrorising the town’, while a 3rd stated that the actor requested 3 times if he may use his bank card and was pointed to the ‘greater than 50’ money solely indicators.
The folks of New Orleans have additionally been posting about his days lengthy binge, with one tweet saying: “can somebody please do a narrative about how shia labeouf is actually terrorizing new orleans throughout mardi gras as a result of we had a run in with him final evening and somebody actually must get that man some assist holy sh*t.”
One video claimed he had been reduce off from a bar and confirmed him shirtless on the street yelling at folks and squaring as much as others stood outdoors.
LaBeouf has not publicly commented on the claims, with reps not instantly responding to requests for remark, nonetheless posted an image of himself with Mardi Gras beads on his X.
Mardi Gras formally happens immediately with ‘Fats Tuesday’, nonetheless celebrations normally happen within the days main as much as it.
The thought behind the pageant is to do away with all of your fatty meals and empty out your cabinets forward of Ash Wednesday, the start of fourty-days of Lent within the lead-up to Easter.
New Orleans has a few of the greatest Mardi Gras celebrations on the planet, and the most important in america.
LaBeouf has spoken prior to now about his struggles with alcoholism, blaming not solely his abusive behaviour in direction of FKA twigs on Alcohol however an abusive racist rant geared toward cops in 2017.
He went to rehab for his points and has claimed to be sober for years.
FKA twigs sued LaBeouf in 2020, claiming he was bodily, mentally and emotionally abusive.
The pair dated for years, along with her accusing him of abuse (Melodie Jeng/GC Photos)
In July of 2025 the pair reached a settlement, with their attorneys confirming the main points would stay non-public.
When the singer first went public along with her claims in 2020 the Transformers actor stated: “I’ve been abusive to myself and everybody round me for years.
“I’ve a historical past of wounding the folks closest to me. I’m ashamed of that historical past and am sorry to these I harm.
“I’ve no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, solely rationalizations… I’m not cured of my PTSD and alcoholism, however I’m dedicated to doing what I have to do to recuperate, and I’ll perpetually be sorry to the people who I could have harmed alongside the best way.”
On the time he claimed to be a ‘sober member of a 12-step programme’.
LADbible group have contacted representatives for Shia LaBeouf for remark.
The Blue House is basically Korea’s White House
