2026-02-15 21:00 UTC | ⛏️ 936797 ₿ $68,405 | 🥇 $4,997 Based on verified reporting, here are the most significant current news stories: 1. Bitcoin plummets 47% from peak amid leverage unwinding -- Bitcoin fell to mid-$60,000s in early February after a 47.5% peak-to-trough decline, driven by $3-4 billion in liquidations and a 20% reduction in futures open interest; the coin now trades 2.88 standard deviations below its 200-day moving average—a 10-year extreme. This matters because institutional infrastructure remains operational through BlackRock/iShares ETFs and regulatory frameworks are clarifying, suggesting the selloff reflects deleveraging rather than infrastructure failure. 2. Trump announces largest deregulation in US history -- The Trump administration revoked the Obama-era "Endangerment Finding" on February 12, eliminating over $1.3 trillion in regulations across vehicle manufacturing, energy, and industrial policy. The move is significant because it signals Trump's regulatory posture will extend beyond tariffs into wholesale dismantling of climate and environmental rules, reshaping business incentives across multiple sectors. 3. OpenAI signs $10B Cerebras computing deal -- OpenAI agreed to purchase up to 750 megawatts of computing power over three years from Cerebras Systems in a multibillion-dollar contract. This matters because it signals OpenAI's aggressive diversification away from Nvidia and Microsoft Azure to reduce infrastructure bottlenecks as AI model scaling faces mounting energy constraints. 4. Russia-Ukraine infrastructure warfare intensifies -- Russian drone strikes hit civilian minibus transporting mineworkers in Dnipro, killing at least 15 people; Ukraine simultaneously scheduled emergency power outages following strikes on thermal power stations. This escalation matters because both sides are escalating attacks on civilian energy infrastructure—a major concern flagged by CFR conflict risk assessments for 2026 geopolitical threats. 5. China's AI firms prepare new low-cost model wave -- Chinese firms including DeepSeek, Alibaba, ByteDance, and Zhipu AI are preparing upgraded model releases following last year's low-cost breakthrough that reshaped global pricing assumptions. This is strategically significant because open-source approaches and competitive cost pressure are forcing even previously closed-source US firms to open model portions, accelerating commoditization of frontier AI capabilities.