Overall Crypto Market Rises 0.8% Amid Extreme Fear 8 and Trump Tariffs

Crypto Market Update Feb 21: MORPHO and ZRO Lead Gains, AAVE Slides 8%

Key Highlights:

• Fear & Greed Index remains at an extreme fear level of 8.

• MORPHO and ZRO lead gainers; AAVE tops losers

• Trump Imposes 10% Global Tariff

Overall Crypto Market Update, 21 February 2026:  The cryptocurrency rose modestly to $2.4 trillion, with Bitcoin and Ethereum posting small gains. Extreme fear persists despite selective altcoin rallies and major global policy developments.

Major Crypto Market Events Today

Source: Forex Factory

Crypto Market Last 24 Hours Update: Prices, Volume & Trends

The global cryptocurrency market today reached a capitalization of $2.4 trillion, noted a 0.8% upward trend in the last 24-Hour whereas Total trading volume recorded at $114.9 billion.

Bitcoin’s (BTC) dominance over the industry remains intense with 56.5%, while Ethereum (ETH) carries 9.86%. The largest gainers in the industry over the past day are Polkadot and XRP Ledger Ecosystem.

Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) Price Analysis:

(Note: BTC and ETH are often viewed as less volatile historically, but still risky. The data recorded from CoinMarketCap)

• Bitcoin (BTC) price today reached $67861.75, surged 0.9% in the last 24 hours, with a trading volume of $46.86 billion and a market cap of $1.35 trillion.

• Ethereum (ETH) price today is at $1964.12, soars 0.35% in 24 hours with a trading volume of $21.23 billion and a market cap of $237 billion.

Top Trending Crypto Coins Price in 24 Hours:

(Trending data is based on a combination of 24-hour price movement, trading volume, and CoinMarketCap.com trending metrics.)

• Bitcoin price (BTC): $67,859.07, up 0.98% in the last 24 hours, trading volume (TV): $46.88B.

• Ethereum price (ETH): $1,964.48, gains 0.43% in the last 24 hours, TV: $21.24B.

• XRP price (XRP): $1.42, rises 0.69% in the last 24 hours, TV: $2.6B.

• Solana price (SOL): $84.56, climbs 2.06% in the last 24 hours, TV: $3.75B.

• Cardano price (ADA): $0.2824, jumps 3.11% in the last 24 hours, TV: $504.9M.

Top 3 Crypto Gainers in 24 hours:
(Ranked by 24-hour percentage gain)

• Morpho price today (MORPHO): $1.59, jumped 13.82%, trading activity $51.64M.

• LayerZero price today (ZRO): $1.70, climbed 13.63%, trading activity $104.83M.

• Injective price today (INJ): $3.45, gained 7.03%, trading activity $95.15M.

Top 3 Crypto Losers in 24 hours

(Ranked by 24-hour percentage loss)

• Aave price (AAVE): $114.87, down 8.65%, with trading activity around $475.47 million.

• Chiliz price (CHZ): $0.03594, lower by 6.96%, with trading volume near $80.15 million.

• Midnight price (NIGHT): $0.06061, slipped 3.55%, with trading activity close to $18.59 million.

Stablecoins and Defi Update:

• Stablecoins reflects 0.2% positive change over the past 24 hours, with a market capitalization of $309.99 billion and trading volume of $96 billion.

• The Overall (Defi) Decentralized Finance market escalated 1.7% over the last 24 hours, recording a market cap of $50 billion and trading volume (TV) at $3.8 billion. Defi dominance globally marked 2.1%.

Bitcoin Fear and Greed Index Today

Source: Alternative Me

The Crypto Fear & Greed Index stands at 8, signaling extreme fear. Yesterday was 7, last week 9, and last month 20. Persistent macro uncertainty, weak prices, and low liquidity drive panic selling. Sustained sub-10 readings reflect capitulation and heightened downside risk. 

Latest Crypto Market News Today, February 21

(Note: All of these updates affect traders, as they impact liquidity, sentiment, and potential returns, and thus must be monitored closely.)

1. Russia Opens Door to Foreign Crypto Exchanges: Russia’s central bank says foreign crypto exchanges can operate locally by registering subsidiaries, while digital currencies will be tradable but banned for payments domestically.

2. Crypto Faces Pressure as Policy Advances: MicroStrategy says it can survive Bitcoin falling to $8,000. Altcoin selling hits five-year high. Ethereum Foundation shares 2026 plan, while CFTC chief signals new crypto law soon.

3. WLFI Exits Maldives Token Project: The $300 million Maldives resort token program by World Liberty Financial will provide a means of exit to the investors through offering fixed income to the investors.

4. Trump Imposes 10% Global Tariff: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that he signed a policy in the White House imposing a 10% global baseline tariff, effective almost immediately.

5. Coinbase Adds ROBO to Listing Roadmap: Coinbase exchange has added Robo Token (ROBO) to its listing roadmap. Trading will begin after technical requirements are fully met.

6. US Core PCE Inflation Rises in December: U.S. core PCE rose 3.0% year-over-year and 0.4% monthly in December 2025. Headline PCE hit 2.9%, while income and spending increased 0.3% and 0.4%.

Comparative Insight

The cryptocurrency strengthened on February 21, rising to $2.4T with a 0.8% gain, compared to $2.38T and a 0.3% rise on February 20 crypto update. Trading volume also increased sharply from $87.5B to $114.9B, indicating improved activity. Sentiment slightly improved from Fear Index 7 to 8, but remained in extreme fear territory.

All in all, February 21 had better momentum and liquidity, and February 20 had a weaker sentiment and mixed altcoin pressure, even though there were isolated rallies.

What This Means for Cryptocurrency Users

Moving prices with a small percentage increase and a high degree of fear indicate that uncertainty prevails. Policy changes, macroeconomic statistics, and regulatory indications can enhance volatility. Before short-term positioning, traders ought to be keen on liquidity, trends in dominance,  and risk exposure.

Risk Context: This commentary is not about long-term conditions and is merely informational. It does not point in the direction of the price or show an action to be taken on the investment.

CoinGabbar’s Opinion

The 24-hour update shows limited upside with strong underlying fear, making the market moderately risky. Although there are opportunities that are selective in trending altcoins, volatility and macro uncertainty are high. It seems that conservative positioning and strict risk management are more useful than risky investment approaches.

Disclaimer: It is informational and does not represent financial or investment advice. The markets of cryptocurrencies are very unstable and dangerous. You should never make investment decisions without doing your own research and having a qualified financial advisor. Not every region is able to provide some of the discussed services or assets.