bitcoinsdead
⸺ Obituary · February 16, 2026

Crypto Is A Victim Of Its Own Success

The Atlantic, James Surowiecki
The traditional “fundamental” case for bitcoin has been that because its supply is permanently capped at 21 million coins, it can serve as a hedge against inflation in traditional currencies such as the dollar. But the geopolitical turmoil, economic uncertainty, and drop in the value of the dollar relative to other major currencies in recent months have undermined this case. If bitcoin truly served as a hedge, then its value should have risen sharply. Instead, its value plummeted. That’s because bitcoin is not a hedge: It’s a speculative asset, which is valuable solely because people think it is valuable.
Price at death
$68,843
Today
$73,358
Resurrection
×1.1

On 2026-02-16, James Surowiecki (Journalist) declared Bitcoin dead via The Atlantic. Bitcoin was trading at ~$68,843 at the time. The call joins the growing canon of premature obituaries.

The declaration was catalogued on February 16, 2026, when one Bitcoin traded for approximately $68,843. Since then, Bitcoin has appreciated by 7% relative to the price on the day The Atlantic pronounced it finished.

⸺ Also in this category ⸺

More from the mainstream media

Coinbase
Buy Bitcoin in 60 seconds. US-regulated.
Open account
Kraken
Lowest fees. Used by institutions.
Start trading
Ledger
Self-custody. Your keys, your coins.
Get hardware wallet
⸺ The Obituary Dispatch ⸺

Every time Bitcoin dies, you hear about it first.

One short email whenever a journalist, economist, or central bank publishes a new Bitcoin obituary. Includes the price at time of death.

Free. No spam. Unsubscribe any time.