Yeliz Akmaca 
Crypto markets closed the week driven less by charts and more by shifting expectations. On one side, social platforms are preparing to bring trading directly into the feed. On the other, institutional money is quietly stepping back in. And for Bitcoin holders, a deeper question is starting to surface: if inflation cools, why keep holding?
The mood feels different. Not loud. More reflective.
X plans in-app trading with Smart Cashtags
According to X Product Manager Nikita Bier, the platform’s upcoming Smart Cashtags feature is expected to launch within “a few weeks.”
Users will be able to buy and sell supported stocks and cryptocurrencies directly from their timeline, without leaving the app.
In a post shared Saturday, Bier said X is rolling out several tools at once, including Smart Cashtags, designed to let people trade financial assets straight from the feed.
This move ties closely to Elon Musk’s long-stated vision of turning X into an “everything app” after acquiring the platform in 2022.
For the crypto community, this isn’t just another feature update.
X — alongside Telegram — already acts as a central communication hub for traders and investors. Embedding execution directly into social flow changes behavior, not just UX. It quietly merges content, sentiment, and action. That matters.
ARK reverses course, adds $15.2M in Coinbase shares
On the institutional front, ARK Invest made a notable return to Coinbase Global.
Led by Cathie Wood, ARK purchased Coinbase shares across three actively managed ETFs, totaling roughly $15.2 million. The buys were spread through ARKK, ARKW, and ARKF.
The timing aligned with a sharp move in Coinbase stock, which closed the session around $164, up roughly 16% on the day.
ARK also increased exposure to Roblox during the same session. It doesn’t feel like a broad risk-on wave. More selective. Tactical. The kind of buying that tends to appear when volatility creates openings.
Not a full reversal — but not passive either.
Pompliano: Bitcoin’s real test begins as inflation cools
Bitcoin entrepreneur Anthony Pompliano argues that investors are now entering a more difficult psychological phase.
With inflation easing, holding Bitcoin becomes less emotionally obvious. Speaking on Fox Business, Pompliano said the core challenge is simple: can people still hold Bitcoin when they’re no longer facing daily inflation pressure?
Do they still believe in the limited-supply narrative?
“If money printing returns, Bitcoin rises,” he noted. But the question now is patience.
Pompliano added that both Bitcoin and gold remain strong long-term assets. Still, the real stress test comes during quieter periods — when urgency fades.
US CPI slowed to 2.4% in January, down from 2.7% in December. On paper, progress. Yet Moody’s chief economist Mark Zandi recently warned that inflation “looks better on paper than it really is.”
At the same time, crypto sentiment has deteriorated sharply.
The Crypto Fear & Greed Index dropped to 9, signaling “Extreme Fear,” a level not seen since June 2022. Macro uncertainty continues to linger.
The Supreme Court set February 20 as decision day on tariff-related issues. Markets currently price a roughly 30% chance of a Fed rate cut by April, with odds rising above 80% by June. A third cut later this year is already being priced near 50%.
So the picture is layered. Social platforms are pulling crypto inward. Institutional capital is picking spots. Bitcoin holders are facing a quieter, more personal test of conviction. Not everything moves on charts. Sometimes it moves in mindset.
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