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Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN), tweeted on Sunday that retail traders are holding strong, continuing to acquire Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) despite the prevailing market fluctuations.
According to our data, retail users on Coinbase have shown remarkable resilience in these market conditions:
– They’ve been purchasing during price declines – we’ve observed an increase in native units for retail users across BTC and ETH
– They possess diamond hands – the vast majority of customers maintained native unit…— Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) February 15, 2026
Although institutional giants now account for the majority of the platform’s trading volume, individual investors are actively buying during dips instead of capitulating.
Key Takeaways
- Strong Accumulation: Retail users are disregarding bearish indicators to accumulate BTC and ETH during price declines.
- Volume Divergence: Retail trading has decreased to merely 6.62% of Coinbase’s overall volume, down from historical peaks exceeding 80%.
- Institutional Era: With $120 billion in recent quarterly institutional volume, the market dynamics have fundamentally shifted away from retail-driven surges.
Why Is the Market Monitoring Retail Flows?
Armstrong’s remarks come at a pivotal moment. Traditionally, retail capitulation indicates a market bottom, but current data implies that users are maintaining their positions.
By confirming that verified users, now estimated at 120 million, are net purchasers, Armstrong is challenging the narrative of a retail exodus.
However, the market mechanics have evolved. Historical trends of retail inflows often aligned with seasonal liquidity events, but today’s resilience indicates a structural change in holder behavior.
Users are not merely trading; they are accumulating established assets. This is significant because while institutions provide volume flexibility, persistent retail capital often establishes the support level for major assets.
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The data illustrates a clear transformation of Coinbase from a retail-focused application to an institutional powerhouse. According to usage statistics, retail volume reached approximately $43 billion in Q2 2025.
While this amount is considerable, it constitutes only 6.62% of the platform’s total quarterly volume of $425 billion. In contrast, Q1 2018 saw retail commanding over 80% of the activity.
Despite the declining volume share, the revenue narrative remains strong. In a letter to shareholders, Coinbase reported total revenue of $6.6 billion for 2024, supported by a user base where the average account holds over $5,000 in crypto assets.
Institutional volume significantly outpaced retail figures, recording $120 billion in recent quarters (a 71% share).
Armstrong’s focus on retail purchasing “during the dips” highlights a distinction: institutions trade the spread, while retail acquires the asset.
Market structure is making great progress, and I believe we’re going to reach a win-win-win outcome.
A win for the crypto industry.
A win for the banks.
And, most importantly, a win for the American consumer. pic.twitter.com/t0WM3XUZX4— Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) February 18, 2026
What Does This Signal for Price Action?
The narrowing gap between retail sentiment and price direction is an important metric to observe. If retail continues to bid on dips while institutions hedge, the Bitcoin floor may be higher than what technical charts indicate.
BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes considers declining fiat liquidity as the main factor behind the recent erratic movements. The absence of retail panic selling alleviates a significant source of downward pressure.
This dynamic also strengthens the bullish case for Coinbase stock. Institutional investors like Ark Invest closely monitor these retention metrics to assess revenue sustainability.
Ultimately, all attention will be on Coinbase’s forthcoming earnings report; if the retail volume percentage increases from 6%, volatility could swiftly return to the altcoin markets.
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The post Brian Armstrong Shares Fresh Coinbase Retail Metrics – What the Data Shows appeared first on Cryptonews.
