CoinMarketCap reported on Feb. 19, 2026, that derivatives accounted for about 81% of global crypto trading volume over the past 30 days, with Binance leading all exchanges by surpassing $2 trillion in combined spot and derivatives activity.
The update highlights the continued dominance of derivatives in cryptocurrency markets and underscores Binance’s position as a primary venue for price discovery and liquidity. According to CoinMarketCap’s January 2026 exchange activity update, “derivatives accounted for about 81% of total crypto trading volume over the last 30 days, with activity concentrated among a handful of major venues. It also stated Binance held the top position, exceeding $2 trillion in combined spot and derivatives volume—underscoring Binance’s role as the primary hub for price discovery and liquidity.”
CoinMarketCap’s Academy recap of 2025 derivatives activity, citing CoinGlass, reported that global crypto derivatives trading reached approximately $85.7 trillion for the year. Within that total, Binance processed $25.09 trillion in derivatives transactions—about 29.3% of worldwide activity—highlighting how frequently large, leveraged flows route through Binance when markets are most active according to CoinMarketCap’s Academy.
Despite recent market turbulence and negative sentiment, CryptoQuant data showed that Binance held 659,000 Bitcoin (BTC) as of late January 2026—nearly unchanged from its end-of-2025 holdings at 657,000 BTC and up seven percent from its yearly low. This snapshot was taken before Binance’s announcement regarding the conversion of its SAFU fund into BTC and does not reflect any related purchases according to CryptoQuant.
Founded in 2013, CoinMarketCap describes itself as a leading source for crypto data, insights, and community with a mission to “accelerate the crypto revolution” by organizing crypto intelligence and making it accessible. The company notes its data is widely cited by major media outlets and used for research and reportsaccording to its official website.
