Big Squeeze Lingers in China’s Silver Market Despite Price Calm

Posted on February 16, 2026February 16, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Global silver prices have stabilized after an incredible period of volatility, but China’s supply is constrained as investment and industrial demand deplete stockpiles.

A backlog of orders is making it difficult for domestic producers and traders to fulfill, which is driving up short-term prices and severely backwardating the market.

The market’s overwhelming preference for timely delivery of the metal is evident in the front-month contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange, which has reached a record premium.

The depletion of deliverable material and an inventory crisis are the main causes of this significant backwardation, according to Zhang Ting, senior analyst at Sichuan Tianfu Bank Co. Institutions are still motivated to keep controlling the market to make money.

Short sellers on the Shanghai Gold Exchange who wagered that silver prices would decline have been paying deferral fees to long-holders to avoid having to make deliveries, underscoring the lack of metal to close positions.

The 61 percent gain in the first few weeks of the year has been largely erased by the silver market’s historic selloff since the end of January.

The independence of the Federal Reserve as the white metal momentarily surpassed gold as a reserve asset of anxieties over the dollar and escalating geopolitical conflicts, which were fueled by a surge of speculative buying in China and other countries. Extreme movements, like a global supply squeeze in the fall, are nothing new to the relatively illiquid silver market.

Chinese inventories were already exhausted when demand for investments surged. Stockpiles at SHFE and SGE-affiliated warehouses have since decreased to levels not seen in over ten years.

Gold Dips Below $5,000 as China Heads Into Lunar New Year Holiday

Posted on February 16, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Gold fell below $5,000 an ounce as traders booked profits following a gain fueled by modest US inflation data the day before.

Gold dropped as much as 1.5 percent after rising 2.4 percent on Friday when a slight increase in the US consumer price index for January eased fears of a larger jump,

An advantage for precious metals, which don’t pay interest, was that this strengthened the argument for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates.

The market is still rebalancing between bulls and bears, and there aren’t any obvious triggers to break the range, according to Pepperstone Group Ltd. strategist Dilin Wu. wrote in a note. She claimed that several attempts to push higher at $5,100 failed because selling pressure was created by profit-taking at the top.

Liquidity is lower than normal during Asian trading hours because Chinese markets are closed this week for the Lunar New Year holiday. Authorities in Shenzhen, the nation’s retail center, issued a strong warning against “illegal gold-trading activities” in response to the country’s recent surge in demand for precious metals.

These activities ranged from online live streams promoting bullion sales to apps providing leverage to retail investors.

A wave of speculative buying propelled a multiyear rally to its breaking point, sending gold soaring to a record above $5,595 an ounce in late January. Bullion has since recovered about half of its losses in erratic trading after a sudden, two-day meltdown at the beginning of the month that pulled it back nearly to $4,400.

Hebe Chen, an analyst at Melbourne’s Vantage Markets, said that recent price movements reflect “orderly consolidation and light profit-taking” following the push above $5,000 that followed Friday’s US inflation data. In honor of the president, US markets will also be closed on Monday.

Goldman Sachs Drops $153M on XRP: Wall Street’s Big Bet on Ripple

Posted on February 16, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Goldman Sachs revealed substantial exposure to cryptocurrency, disclosing holdings of over $2.36 billion in digital assets in its Q4 2025 13F filing. According to the filing, $11 billion of its reported investment portfolio is in Bitcoin, $10 billion in Ethereum, $153 million in XRP, and $108 million in Solana.

The disclosure puts Goldman among the largest US banks most exposed to crypto-linked assets, worth a small portion of total holdings. A closer examination of the document reveals that Goldman’s exposure to XRP is primarily through XRP exchange-traded funds, which are worth about $152 million.

The total net assets of US Spot XRP ETFs are currently over $1.04 billion. After 56 days of trading, there have only been 4 days of outflows from XRP ETFs. One of the most significant investment banks in the world, Goldman Sachs counsels governments and businesses on capital markets, mergers, and restructuring.

Airbnb Beats Expectations, Forecasts Low Double-Digit Growth for 2026 on Strong Bookings

Posted on February 15, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Airbnb saw its biggest increase in ten months after reporting robust fourth-quarter bookings and releasing an optimistic revenue outlook, citing high travel demand and expanding adoption of its new flexible payment and booking options. The home-rental behemoth stated that its revenue for the quarter ending March 31 would range from $2.59 billion to $2.63 billion.

Wall Street anticipated $2.54 billion. According to analysts’ projections, the company’s revenue growth for the entire year was expected to accelerate to “at least low double digits” from the 10 percent it experienced in 2025. The stock had dropped roughly 15% so far this year.

The advice comes after positive reports from US airlines last month, which showed that travel demand is stable in spite of the country’s harsh winter weather and increased geopolitical tensions. That would be encouraging for Airbnb, which is drawing both new hosts and visitors to its platform in anticipation of this year’s major athletic events, such as the World Cup and the currently-running Winter Olympic Games.

According to Airbnb, its Reserve Now, Pay Later option, launched in the US last year, has been received by visitors and contributed to an increase in bookings during the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, the key indicator of “nights and seats booked” increased 9.8 percent to 121.9 million, significantly exceeding forecasts.

By 2026, the company wants to offer the deferred payment option to more visitors worldwide.

Additionally, it claimed that more lenient cancellation policies reduced customer service interactions and increased reservations during the holiday season. The majority of reservations were made in Airbnb’s new overseas markets.

Ethereum Breaks Back Above $2,000 – Whale Indecision Clouds the Rally

Posted on February 15, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Ethereum is still under pressure following a recent drop that stopped the recovery’s momentum. ETH is not showing any signs of long-term growth, although it has recovered the $2,000 mark and is currently trading at $2,085.

Ethereum faces not only resistance levels but also indecision among key holders. In any cryptocurrency market, two of the most significant cohorts are whales and long-term holders. In Ethereum’s case, both groups are sending mixed signals.

Prolonged sideways price action results from this misalignment. Between February 9 and February 12, addresses with between 100,000 and 1 million ETH sold about 1.3 million ETH.

The value of that sale is approximately $2.07 billion. Nevertheless, within the next 48 hours, the same group bought 1.25% of ETH.

Long-term holders had been steadily accumulating ETH since late December 2025.

That trend shifted at the beginning of February. They started a modest distribution and reduced their purchasing activity.

Although the selling pressure hasn’t been very strong, it suggests that investors’ confidence is growing. Bullish momentum remains limited by cautious long-term holders and mixed whale activity.

Ethereum may struggle to rise above key resistance levels without consistent accumulation from these groups. The currency has successfully surpassed the $2,000 mark and is now trading at $2,087. The next major resistance level is $2,241. For the market to advance to that point, dominant holder groups need to have a clearly bullish outlook. The most probable scenario remains consolidation.

Ripple’s RLUSD Ignites on Binance via XRPL – Timing Perfect as DC Closes In on Crypto Clarity

Posted on February 15, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Binance has finished integrating the XRP Ledger (XRPL) for RLUSD. RLUSD deposits are now active, and trading on certain pairs—such as RLUSD/USDT and RLUSD/XRP—carries no fees. The total market capitalization of the RLUSD has surpassed approximately $1.52 billion.

A significant split for a stablecoin that many traders still primarily associate with the EVM ecosystem is that roughly $1.2 billion of that supply is on Ethereum, while 22% is currently on XRPL.

Binance’s integration essentially validates XRPL as a first-tier venue for stablecoin settlement, according to the analyst, who frames this as part of Ripple’s larger push to make RLUSD a cross-chain liquidity tool. Although cautious, the regulatory side is noticeably more upbeat than it has been in recent years.

The host characterized the Clarity Act as a significant legislative effort to define the structure of the cryptocurrency market rather than leaving it up to regulators, and Democratic Senator Mark Warner has indicated support for its advancement.

According to Paul Atkins, a former SEC official, “crypto policy rules require legislation to be permanent.” This is why the analyst cautions against “compromising too much,” especially when it comes to stablecoin yield. Meanwhile, Tim Scott, the chair of the Senate Banking Committee, criticized the previous administration’s “regulation by enforcement,” claiming that it confused the sector.

Gold Climbs Above $5,000 After Cooling Inflation Lifts Fed Easing Outlook

Posted on February 14, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Traders increased their bets on Federal Reserve rate cuts following a low inflation reading, and some investors took advantage of Thursday’s steep selloff to purchase gold at a lower price. At the beginning of the year, US inflation was relatively low, which reduced worries about a larger increase and increased expectations that the Fed would lower interest rates.

After the release, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell, and swap traders estimated a third cut by December, with odds of about 50%. That contributed to a 2–5% increase in bullion prices. Non-yielding gold benefits from lower rates.

According to Ewa Manthey, a commodity strategist at ING Bank, “despite today’s move suggesting the correction may have overshot, with bargain-hunting and position-adjustments now providing support,” the overall environment remains one of elevated volatility following this week’s sharp liquidation across precious metals.

The rally reached a breaking point in late January when gold surged to a record above $5,595 drop at the end of the month brought it back below $5,000 an ounce due to a wave of speculative buying. Despite unpredictable price swings, gold is predicted to close higher this week.

The Lunar New Year holiday the following week will cause Chinese markets to close. The rally’s overall strength has been bolstered by the nation’s frantic demand for precious metals in recent months. As the Chinese market participants who contributed to the volatility, particularly in silver, are on vacation, Commerzbank analysts predict that precious metals will continue to consolidate for a while.

Bullish Signal? Goldman Sachs Confirms $153 Million Bet on Ripple’s XRP

Posted on February 14, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

The Big Silver Squeeze Ahead: Why 2026 Could Mirror 1980’s Historic Mega Rally

Posted on February 14, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Fundamental action suggests that a larger Silver rally, similar to the 1979–1980 event, might be coming. A significant gap between paper contracts and physical inventory has worsened the COMEX default, especially in the silver market.

The “default” scenario is based on a large difference between the amount of metal promised in future contracts and the actual metal in exchange vaults. Some analysts say silver prices could “reset,” possibly rising toward or above $200 per ounce, if the exchange cannot meet physical delivery demands.

COMEX is said to have between 103 and 120 million ounces of “registered” silver (metal ready for delivery) in stock. Open interest stands at about 429 million ounces.

The “Run” on the Bank indicates that the exchange could run out of silver if even 25% of contract holders demanded physical delivery instead of cash. Recent activity shows that in January 2026 alone, an unusual 40 million ounces were ordered for delivery.

The Bull Case (Robert Kiyosaki and Clive Thompson): Kiyosaki expected silver to hit $200 in 2026, citing a weakening fiat system and industrial demand from solar and AI. Clive Thompson warns that by March 2026, COMEX might run out of deliverable silver. Since gold is the ultimate “anti-dollar” hedge, a silver default could also impact gold, influence credit markets, and the broader financial system, as suggested by Bill Holter’s Systemic Risk Case.

The Skeptical Case (CPM Group): Traditional analysts often say that exchange rules prevent a full collapse by allowing Force Majeure or cash-only settlements, making a true “default” impossible

First Venezuelan Oil Cargo to Israel in Years Signals Export Shift

Posted on February 13, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Traders are sending Venezuelan oil to Israel as the Latin American nation’s exports become more accessible after its president, Nicolas Maduro, was captured.

According to people with knowledge of the deal, who asked not to be named because the information is confidential, the oil is being transported to Bazan Group, the leading crude processor in the Mediterranean.

Once Maduro was captured at the beginning of the year, the Trump administration tapped traders to handle the initial sales and declared it would take over Venezuela’s oil sales indefinitely.

Miguel Pérez Pirela, Venezuela’s minister of information, stated that the nation sells its crude oil through commodities traders and does not control the buyer or the location of the sale; in this instance, it did not sell barrels to Israel directly.

Israel doesn’t disclose the source of its crude oil, and tankers have occasionally vanished, so he called the report that Venezuela was sending oil to Israel “FAKE!” in a post on X. According to Kpler data, when the cargo arrives, it will be the first shipment of its kind since Israel took roughly 470,000 barrels in mid-2020.

Oil Refineries Ltd., another name for Bazan, chose not to respond. Regarding the source of Israel’s crude, the energy ministry declined to comment. The agreement is the most recent indication of how Venezuela’s oil flows are being redirected following the overthrow of President Maduro.

A large portion of the nation’s production was sold in China up until that point. Cargoes have been sold to buyers in the US, Spain, India, and now Israel during the past month.