The crypto market rebounded sharply on February 26, with total market capitalization climbing more than 5% to $2.36 trillion. Bitcoin traded near $68,275, while the price table in the source showed BTC at $68,382, up 5.18% on the day. Ethereum moved back above $2,000, reaching $2,069 for a 9.29% gain. The move followed a week of heavy selling and quickly changed the tone across the market.
Spot Bitcoin ETF demand returned
The first driver was renewed institutional buying. Over the past 24 hours, spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $257 million in inflows, the biggest one-day addition since January. Large ETF purchases can tighten available BTC supply in the market, helping push the price from around $62,000 back toward the $70,000 area.
The article tied much of the rebound to this return of large capital. Bitcoin led the recovery, and that leadership set the pace for the rest of the market.
Short liquidations accelerated the rebound
Derivatives activity added another layer to the rally. Many traders had positioned for more downside, but once prices turned higher, short sellers were forced to buy back coins to limit losses. That chain reaction led to more than $400 million in short liquidations.
Forced buying often increases momentum in a short window. As prices rise, liquidations can cluster, and that can make a rebound move much faster than a normal spot-led advance.
Circle earnings improved confidence in crypto businesses
Another factor came from Circle, the company behind USDC. Circle reported $770 million in revenue for the final part of 2025, well above expectations cited in the source. For investors, that result suggested the business side of crypto remains healthy, which helped support appetite for digital assets.
The news did not directly change token supply or demand on-chain, but it did strengthen confidence in the sector’s operating fundamentals. That mattered on a day when sentiment was already turning.
Altcoins outperformed as traders watched a large options expiry
The rally spread beyond BTC and ETH. Polkadot (DOT) jumped 20.00% to $1.58, making it one of the strongest large-cap tokens in the session. The source also said Solana, XRP, and Cardano each rose more than 11%, showing that buying interest had broadened across the market.
Attention now shifts to a large Bitcoin options expiry scheduled for Friday, with about $10.5 billion in contracts set to mature. Such expiries often bring sharp price swings. The source noted that holding above $70,000 could support additional upside, while profit-taking could pull Bitcoin back toward $65,000.