The post Morning Crypto Report: XRP Defends 200-Week Support, Altcoin Sell-Off Hits Five-Year Highs, Arthur Hayes Shares Two Scenarios for Bitcoin Amid ‘AI Financial Crisis’ appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.This Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, XRP tests its 200-week moving average, altcoins register a five-year cumulative sell extreme and Arthur Hayes maps two Bitcoin paths as AI-driven credit stress builds. Bitcoin is still in the $60,000-$69,000 range after a reset from October 2025 highs, while XRP defends a structural level that has historically defined cycle pivots. Meanwhile, CryptoQuant data shows $209 billion in cumulative net selling across altcoins over 13 months. TL;DR Morning Crypto Report: XRP Defends 200-Week Support, Altcoin Sell-Off Hits Five-Year Highs, Arthur Hayes Shares Two Scenarios for Bitcoin Amid ‘AI Financial Crisis’ Saylor: ‘We Are in Crypto Winter’ XRP is holding its 200-week moving average near the $1.40-$1.50 zone. Altcoins show -$209 billion cumulative buy/sell difference since January 2025. Arthur Hayes outlines “deflation-first, QE-later” roadmap for Bitcoin. XRP holds 200-week support The weekly chart by TradingView remains, probably, the main point of view for XRP. Where it differs from other time frames is the illustration of how the price of XRP is compressing directly above the 200-week moving average, currently around the $1.42 region. Price action is stabilizing near $1.47 after repeated tests of this band, a level that historically separates structural bull phases from prolonged bear markets. The 200-week MA is not a short-term trading indicator. It is a long-cycle equilibrium reference. In prior cycles, weekly closes below this metric often triggered multi-month weakness, while sustained defenses marked accumulation zones. XRP/USD Weekly Chart by TradingView Momentum indicators show fading strength. RSI has rolled over from prior peaks and now sits in the midrange, indicating neither oversold capitulation nor bullish expansion. The broader structure reflects distribution since the October 2025 peak. XRP is not collapsing yet. The price of the coin is compressing at a level institutions monitor. In an environment where altcoin liquidity is deteriorating, holding a 200-week…
