Hedera (HBAR) is getting talked about again, but the picture is mixed. On one side, BitGo’s CEO is pushing the idea that crypto could become the “native currency” for AI systems, and Hedera is being mentioned more often in verification and infrastructure use cases.
HBAR still isn’t getting much help from DeFi or stablecoin activity on the network, and that’s one reason the price has struggled to move with real strength.
It’s also pressing against the $0.10 level again, but futures traders are still playing it safe, which tells us confidence hasn’t fully returned yet.
So even with the ETF news, Hedera hasn’t broken out of this cautious phase. The HBAR price is trading near $0.1005.
🚨 $HBAR just got listed in a T. Rowe Price Crypto ETF – major TradFi signal 🚨
— ❤️HBAR 🐋❤️ (@trexia69) February 17, 2026
T. Rowe Price (manages $1.5T+ in assets) has added $HBAR to one of their cryptocurrency ETFs. This is huge for Hedera.
What it actually means (simple breakdown):
– The ETF is a basket of crypto… https://t.co/OXyeWOsibz pic.twitter.com/WFZdxafhmG
What you'll learn 👉
T. Rowe Price ETF Listing Puts HBAR Back on the Radar
A new catalyst came from a community post by @trexia69, who pointed out that HBAR has been added to a T. Rowe Price crypto ETF.
That matters because T. Rowe Price is one of the largest traditional asset managers in the world, overseeing more than $1.5 trillion. When a firm like that adds a token into an ETF basket, it opens the door for regular brokerage investors to get exposure without touching exchanges or wallets.
It also means the fund may need to hold real Hedera (HBAR) to track the product, which creates a more direct pipeline between institutional markets and the token itself.
This doesn’t instantly flip the chart, but it does change who can access HBAR and how capital can enter over time.
The Big Question: Can Hedera Become a “Blue-Chip” Crypto?
Hedera has always had an enterprise-heavy identity. Its governing council includes major names, and the network has positioned itself as infrastructure for real-world applications like tokenized assets and data integrity.
The challenge is that markets don’t price in governance slides or council logos alone. Traders still want to see strong on-chain demand, deeper DeFi activity, and consistent growth in stablecoin usage.
That’s why the Hedera price has struggled to escape bearish cycles even with solid long-term narratives.
If institutions begin treating HBAR like a serious allocation instead of a speculative altcoin, the conversation changes. But that shift depends on flows, not just headlines.
Read Also: XRP Long-Term Chart Proves the Uptrend Is Still Alive: $18 Could Be the Next Big Price Target
What HBAR Price Levels Matter From Here
HBAR is sitting right at a key point near $0.10, which has acted as a psychological ceiling for months. Holding above this level is the first step if this move is going to stick.
If buyers can push it cleanly through the next resistance zone around $0.12, the chart opens up toward $0.15, which is where the last major breakdown started.
A stronger institutional bid, especially if ETF demand grows, could bring $0.18–$0.20 back into view, putting the HBAR price in a much healthier recovery structure.
On the downside, if this breakout fails and sentiment stays weak, the price could slip back toward $0.085, with the deeper support zone sitting closer to $0.07.
For now, HBAR is at a point where if TradFi exposure starts turning into real inflows, Hedera may finally begin trading more like a blue-chip network instead of a forgotten altcoin.
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