Morning Crypto Report: Cardano Ecosystem Onboards USDC, SBI Ripple Asia and AWAJ Clarify XRP Ledger Strategic Roadmap, Bitcoin Turns 5 Years Old as $1 Trillion Asset

Friday’s crypto market opens with three defining shifts for XRP, ADA and BTC: technical activity confirms USDC is landing on Cardano, a high-level institutional alliance in Japan formalizes the XRP Ledger’s enterprise roadmap and Bitcoin celebrates exactly five years as a trillion-dollar asset.

TL;DR

• USDCx minting detected on Cardano chain, registry commits link the asset directly to Input Output (IOG).
• SBI Ripple Asia and AWAJ launch a “venture studio” framework to scale financial services on XRPL.
• Bitcoin marks half a decade in the “Trillion-Dollar Club,” quoted near $67,800 after a full cycle of maturation.

USDC appears on Cardano ahead of February launch

The multiyear wait for native stablecoin liquidity on Cardano is nearing its endgame. On-chain data from Cexplorer confirms that USDCx — a native representation of Circle’s stablecoin — is already being minted on the ADA network. The initial minting occurred on Feb. 18, fitting perfectly within the projected February rollout window.

The technical footprint leaves little room for speculation:

• Asset ID: asset1e7eewpjw8ua3f2gpfx7y34ww9vjl63hayn80kl
• Current Stats: Seven mint events recorded with a supply already exceeding 32 million units.

Crucially, a commit in the Cardano token registry to add the asset was identified by a contributor listing Input Output (IOG) as their employer. While Circle and IOG have yet to issue a formal “press-the-button” announcement, the backend is clearly live. 

This move is a fundamental game-changer for Cardano; by moving away from bridge-dependent wrapped assets to native issuance, the network radically reduces security risks and positions its DeFi protocols to compete directly with Solana, Ethereum L2s and XRPL for institutional capital.

SBI Ripple Asia and AWAJ detail XRP Ledger partnership

While Western headlines often focus on price action, the East is doubling down on infrastructure. On Feb. 20, 2026, SBI Ripple Asia and Asia Web3 Alliance Japan (AWAJ) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to transform the XRP Ledger from a settlement tool into a foundational layer for Japan’s regulated financial sector.

Operating under a “venture studio” model, the partnership provides a rigorous filter for startups:

• Compliance alignment: Harmonizing blockchain solutions with Japanese financial regulations.
• System architecture: Designing the “plumbing” to connect XRPL with existing legacy banking software.
• Scalability verification: Hands-on technical stress-testing of business models.

SBI Ripple Asia is not just acting as an investor but as a technical mentor, leveraging a decade of experience in cross-border payments. For the XRP ecosystem, this signals a transition into the “Execution Layer” phase, where the utility of the Ledger — rather than retail speculation — drives long-term network demand.

Bitcoin celebrates $1 trillion five-year anniversary

Exactly five years ago, the world stopped calling Bitcoin an “internet toy.” In February 2021, BTC’s market capitalization crossed $1 trillion for the first time at a price of $58,000. Today, Bitcoin trades around $67,800, as per TradingView.

While a 17% nominal increase over five years might seem modest to some, that figure masks a massive transformation. In that half-decade, the asset surged to $69,420, collapsed to $15,600 and went on a run to above $126,000. 

The takeaway from this anniversary is endurance. Bitcoin has maintained its trillion-dollar status despite aggressive global monetary tightening, the arrival of spot ETFs and intense regulatory scrutiny. With a current market cap of approximately $1.35 trillion, the narrative has shifted from “Will it survive?” to “How does it fit into the global reserve?”

Crypto market outlook: XRP, ADA, BTC updates

What unites today’s morning stories on the crypto market is that in 2026 the infrastructure is finally at the forefront again, not just price action. 

Key levels to watch:

• Cardano (ADA): The primary trigger is the official USDC liquidity program. Watch for a “supply shock” in DeFi protocols. Near-term resistance sits at $0.30, with support at $0.25.
• XRP: Japanese institutional news provides a strong fundamental floor. For the market to react further, we need to see measurable transaction volume from the SBI-AWAJ pilots. $1.40 remains a key zone of interest.
• Bitcoin (BTC): The $66,300 mark is the line in the sand for the current structure. As long as BTC holds this level amid the early-2026 sell-off, the bias toward $71,000-$74,000 remains “on the menu.”

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