Pre-market trading stabilizes as bitcoin reclaims $66,000, Saylor eyes 100th BTC purchase
President Trump’s proposed tariffs and U.S. tensions with Iran have weighed on broader risk sentiment.
Updated Feb 23, 2026, 10:53 a.m. Published Feb 23, 2026, 10:52 a.m.
What to know:
- Strategy, MARA, Coinbase and Bullish trade about 2% lower, trimming earlier declines.
- Bitcoin rebounds from $64,400 to above $66,000, even as the Fear and Greed Index hits 6 and remains in extreme fear for a seventh straight day.
- Broader risk sentiment steadies, QQQ slips just 0.3% and IGV falls 1% near $80, while gold tops $5,100, silver nears $87 and the DXY holds just below 98.
Pre-market trading is showing signs of stabilization, with bitcoin rebounding above $66,000 after briefly falling to $64,400 on Sunday.
The move higher comes amid continued uncertainty surrounding President Trump’s proposed tariffs and U.S. tensions with Iran, factors that have weighed on broader risk sentiment.
Strategy (MSTR), the largest publicly traded holder of bitcoin, is down 2% in pre-market trading as it prepares to announce its 100th bitcoin purchase since embarking on its BTC treasury strategy in 2020.
Other crypto related equities have also pared earlier losses, with MARA Holdings (MARA), Coinbase (COIN), and Bullish (BLSH) are each down about 2%, trimming prior steeper declines. AI focused miners such as IREN (IREN) and Cipher Mining (CIFR) are faring slightly better, off roughly 1%.
The sharp Sunday drop pushed the Fear and Greed Index down to 6, marking fresh lows and extending a seven day stretch of extreme fear. Despite that, bitcoin’s recovery suggests dip buying interest is emerging at lower levels.
The broader selloff appears relatively contained within tech. Invesco QQQ (QQQ) is down just 0.3%, while the iShares Expanded Tech Software Sector ETF, (IGV), is lower by 1% near $80, underscoring the ongoing correlation between bitcoin and software stocks.
Precious metals are the clear beneficiaries of the risk aversion. Gold has climbed above $5,100 per ounce and silver is approaching $87. Meanwhile, the DXY index is hovering just below 98, reflecting a firm US dollar, weighing on risk appetite.
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Overnight crypto rout reverses, bitcoin rebounds to $66,300
Bitcoin fell to $64,270 shortly after midnight UTC before rebounding to $66,300, as thin liquidity amplified moves tied to U.S. tariff plans and geopolitical tensions.
What to know:
- Bitcoin slid to $64,270 from $67,700 shortly after midnight UTC before recovering to $66,300, mirroring a dip and partial rebound in S&P 500 futures.
- Gold rose to its highest since Jan. 30 as President Donald Trump outlined new 15% global tariffs and U.S.-Iran tensions boosted demand for haven investments.
- SOL and SUI fell 7%-8% in thin liquidity, contributing to $270 million in altcoin liquidations, though several tokens pared losses during European hours.
