Crypto Market Update – February 20, 2026

Welcome to your daily crypto market briefing from GhostTerminal! Today, we focus on some popular altcoins—XRP, XLM, HBAR, FLR, and XDC—while also providing context on Bitcoin and Ethereum. Let’s dive into the numbers and trends shaping the market.

Altcoin Highlights

• XRP (Ripple): Trading at $1.42 with a 24-hour gain of +0.37%. Ripple continues to benefit from steady adoption in cross-border payments, helping XRP maintain gentle upward momentum.
• XLM (Stellar): Priced at $0.161, up +0.51% in the last 24 hours. Stellar’s focus on enabling fast and affordable international transactions keeps investor interest steady, supporting a mild price increase.
• HBAR (Hedera Hashgraph): At $0.0983, down slightly by -0.045%. Despite a minor dip, Hedera’s unique blockchain technology and growing enterprise partnerships suggest potential for recovery soon.
• FLR (Flare Networks): Valued at $0.00936 with a modest 24-hour rise of +0.29%. Flare’s integration with Ethereum and XRP ecosystems is gradually attracting attention, hinting at steady future growth.
• XDC (XDC Network): Currently $0.0351, down -2.77%. XDC’s decline may reflect short-term profit-taking, but its focus on enterprise blockchain solutions provides a solid foundation for price stabilization.

Short-Term Outlook for Altcoins

Over the next 48 hours, XRP and XLM are likely to continue their slow but steady upward trends, supported by ongoing use cases in payments and partnerships. HBAR and FLR may experience slight fluctuations but are expected to hold their ground due to strong tech fundamentals. XDC could see some volatility but may stabilize as enterprise adoption news surfaces.

Bitcoin and Ethereum Overview

Bitcoin (BTC) is trading at $67,751, up +1.37% in 24 hours. Despite reports of a challenging start to 2026, Bitcoin’s recent positive momentum reflects renewed investor confidence and resilience as the flagship cryptocurrency.

Ethereum (ETH) sits at $1,954, down -0.76% over the past day. While slightly down, Ethereum remains a backbone of decentralized finance (DeFi) and smart contracts, with upcoming network upgrades expected to boost long-term value.

Market Context & Key News

• Bitcoin logs worst first 50-day start to a year on record – Despite this, recent positive price action shows resilience.
• Metaplanet CEO rebuts critics over bitcoin strategy and transparency – Confidence in Bitcoin projects remains strong.
• White House favors some stablecoin rewards, tells banks it’s time to move – Regulatory clarity may boost market confidence.

TL;DR

Altcoins XRP and XLM continue steady growth thanks to real-world payment uses, while HBAR and FLR hold firm on solid tech foundations. XDC faces short-term pressure but has promising enterprise potential. Bitcoin shows resilience after a tough year start, and Ethereum’s slight dip doesn’t overshadow its critical role in DeFi. Regulatory moves hint at a more supportive environment for crypto growth ahead.