Morning Crypto Report: Mr. XRP Yoshitaka Kitao Predicts 2026 On-Chain Revolution, Bitcoin in ‘Not Digital Gold’ Period: CryptoQuant CEO, Ethereum Foundation to Stake 70,000 ETH

TL;DR

• SBI Yoshitaka Kitao marks 2026 as the year TradFi finally swallows DeFi, urging Japan to headline the on-chain revolution.
• Ethereum Foundation turns validator with 70,000 ETH staking plan, while Buterin dumps $21 million for charity and to fund the stack.
• Bitcoin sheds its “gold” skin to become a high-octane risk asset for now, says CryptoQuant CEO Ki-Young Ju.

Pro-XRP CEO Yoshitaka Kitao shares 2026 prediction

In his latest essay, “The Fusion of Traditional Finance and Decentralized Finance”, SBI Holdings CEO Yoshitaka Kitao set a definitive timeline, setting 2026 as the threshold for a global structural shift. 

Speaking shortly after the Japanese emperor’s birthday, Kitao claimed that the era of visible front-end products is yielding to a battle for the “settlement layer.” He cited BlackRock’s BUIDL fund’s success and Visa’s USDC integration as evidence that the core of financial infrastructure is moving on-chain without altering the consumer experience.

He warned that if Japan fails to foster a competitive regulatory environment, following the lead of the “GENIUS Act” of the U.S., the nation risks a talent exodus during this decade-defining transition.

Previously, to clarify his firm’s strong commitment to the sector, Kitao addressed social media speculation about SBI’s holdings. Instead of holding $10 billion in “volatile XRP tokens,” he emphasized that SBI’s strategy is based on a 9% equity stake in Ripple Labs.

Ethereum Foundation to stake 70,000 ETH while sales by Buterin continue

While the market searches for a bottom, the Ethereum Foundation (EF) has officially launched a strategy to formalize its treasury by announcing a plan to stake 70,000 ETH. The initiative began with an initial deposit of 2,016 ETH and is designed to make the foundation’s research and grant programs self-sustaining through staking rewards. 

However, the move’s optics are complicated by ongoing sell-side pressure from the ecosystem’s most prominent figure, as on-chain data shows that Vitalik Buterin has sold 10,723 ETH equal to about $21.7 million since early February, at an average price of $2,027 per ETH. 

These sales, routed through decentralized exchanges like CowSwap to fund “secure, verifiable, full-stack” development, have coincided with a sharp, 38% decline in ETH’s price over the last 30 days. 

With a current price of $1,825, Ethereum is facing significant technical challenges as the “Day Trader Vitalik” narrative continues to negatively impact sentiment, despite the foundation’s long-term commitment to network security through staking.

CryptoQuant CEO: Bitcoin is “not digital gold,” for now

Adding to the macroeconomic uncertainty, CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju warned that Bitcoin has entered a “not digital gold” period. The evidence is undeniable: the 90-day Pearson correlation between Bitcoin and gold has flipped into negative territory, approaching -0.5.

While gold prices are trending upward toward new highs above the 5,000 index region, Bitcoin is trading independently and aligning more with liquidity-sensitive risk assets. 

This divergence signals the end of the “safe haven” narrative for the current macroeconomic environment. Capital is treating gold defensively while reclassifying Bitcoin as a high-beta liquidity sponge. 

Bitcoin is no longer absorbing safe-haven flows; rather, it is becoming a barometer for global risk appetite.

Crypto market outlook: XRP, BTC and ETH

Reactions to these events will likely determine whether the support levels hold through March:

1. Thursday: Initial jobless claims.
2. Friday: Fed balance sheet, January PPI and Chicago PMI.
3. Friday: XRP Australia 2026 Conference.

Levels to watch:

• Bitcoin (BTC): Near $63,083 (-2.43%) with immediate support at $60,000 — a visible liquidity floor on the daily structure. Near-term resistance stands at $68,776. Reclaiming the $68,000s would stabilize the structure. Losing $60,000 could lead to another local sweep lower.
• Ethereum (ETH): Near $1,819 (-1.99%) with the $1,800 zone as immediate support. The first reclamation level is $2,016. Failure to defend $1,800 will keep the corrective leg active. Pushing back above $2,000 would ease short-term pressure.
• XRP: At $1.3327 (-1.54%) and is holding within the $1.30-$1.43 band. The local downside reference sits at $1.1135. Near-term reclamation levels are $1.6068 and $1.7259. However, the immediate focus remains on whether $1.30 will hold.

If BTC stabilizes above $60,000 and ETH holds at $1,800 through the tariff reaction, short-term relief may develop. A break below these support levels would confirm a continued downward trend into early March.