Last updated on March 8th, 2026 at 06:29 pm
Crypto market sentiment has plunged to extreme lows in February 2026, creating what analysts at Matrixport describe as a potential “durable bottom” as selling pressure reaches exhaustion. In a research note released Tuesday, the financial services firm highlighted that its proprietary Bitcoin (BTC) Greed and Fear Index has crossed a critical threshold where historical price reversals typically occur.
📊Today’s #Matrixport Daily Chart – February 17, 2026 ⬇️
Bitcoin Sentiment Hits Extreme Lows ⁰— Durable Bottom Are Emerging?
#Matrixport #Bitcoin #BTC #CryptoMarkets #MarketSentiment #FearAndGreed #RiskManagement #Volatility #CryptoResearch pic.twitter.com/WxJg3xrHSf
— Matrixport Official (@Matrixport_EN) February 17, 2026
Analysis by the company reveals that the 21-day moving average of its sentiment indicator has fallen below zero and is now starting to turn back up. According to Matrixport, such changes have traditionally indicated that market conditions are becoming more stable after phases of aggressive liquidation.
Despite the general negativity in the crypto market, analysts at Matrixport believe that this extreme fear has traditionally indicated a favourable entry point for long-term investors.
Metaplanet Inc. has substantially progressed its aggressive Bitcoin buying initiative, initiated in 2024. The company currently owns 35,102 BTC, surpassing its goal of 30,000 in 2025, making it Japan’s largest public Bitcoin holder.
Financed by a cumulative capital raise of JPY 517.2 billion, Metaplanet is now the fourth-largest public Bitcoin holder in the world, behind MARA Holdings, Twenty One Capital, and a few others. This achievement, made in the midst of a rising tide of corporate interest in Bitcoin treasuries, accounts for about 0.16% of the total Bitcoin in circulation.
Sentiment hits four-year lows
The general market jitters are evident in various industry metrics, with some of them reaching levels not seen since the 2022 market crash. Alternative.me’s Fear and Greed Index currently sits at a reading of 10, categorised as “extreme fear.” This follows a difficult first quarter where Bitcoin has struggled to maintain momentum after falling below key support levels earlier in the month.
“Sentiment has fallen to extremely depressed levels, reflecting broad pessimism across the market,”
Matrixport stated in its report.
The firm noted that previous instances of such low sentiment occurred in June 2024 and November 2025, both of which preceded significant market shifts. While analysts cautioned that prices could still experience short-term volatility, the cyclical relationship between sentiment and price suggests the market is nearing a major inflection point.
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