Decred defies Bitcoin slump as shrinking supply lifts DCR price

• Decred price rose to $28 as bulls defied Bitcoin’s bearish slide that engulfed most altcoins.
• Short-term bullish targets include $40 and $69, while losses could extend to $17 or lower.
• Analysts are pointing to supply metrics as key.

Decred (DCR) bulls are digging in as price hovers above the critical $25 support level, having jumped to intraday highs of $28 on February 24, 2026.

The uptick saw DCR defy the broader crypto market outlook that saw Bitcoin plunge to under $63,000 during the Asian trading hours.

This resilience coincides with a decrease in daily volume and aligns with a sharp decline in the coin’s liquid supply.

While intraday gains could disappear amid profit-taking, can upward pressure allow the hybrid proof-of-work/proof-of-stake cryptocurrency to retest $40?

DCR supply dynamics

As Bitcoin remains under pressure, Decred has continued to trade in positive territory, with buyers targeting a sixth consecutive daily advance.

On-chain data suggests the rebound from lows near $22 on February 19 has been supported by staking activity, which has reduced the token’s effective circulating supply.

More than 16.2 million DCR coins have been mined, but around 27% of the circulating supply is currently liquid.

The remainder is locked, indicating a shrinking available supply that may be supporting recent price strength.

Built a thing: https://t.co/bGAet0YTTA – how tight is DCR’s liquid supply actually? >72% locked, only ~27% available to market, and shrinking

Work in progress

Thanks to @jz_bz & @exitusdcr for initial feedback & help! pic.twitter.com/Pie0xeRMLq

— Tivra (@WasPraxis) February 21, 2026

The significant reduction in exchange balances translates to reduced sell pressure, a trend that reflects holder confidence despite volatility.

Staking rewards incentivise retention over liquidation, and as Decred’s scarcity narrative strengthens, prices could follow.

Decred price outlook

Currently, the daily chart shows the DCR price steady, with buyers up 14% and 53% in the past week and month, respectively.

The altcoin’s technical picture thus hints at bullish control.

Alongside the ascending triangle pattern breakout, bulls are looking at the rising RSI that hovers at 67 and suggests room for more gains before overbought conditions prevail.

Meanwhile, the daily MACD shows a bullish crossover, and the histogram is expanding the green bars.

DCR price is also above the 50-day simple moving average and 200-day moving average, with the chart outlining a recent bullish crossover.

If volume picks up amid further gains, the near-term targets could be an initial tick up to $30.

A potential relief rally fueled by macro tailwinds could send prices to $40 and allow for upside action toward 2025 highs of $69.

But as downside risks linger, a dip below $25 could bring support levels around the 50 and 200-day MAs into play.