Ethereum Classic (ETC) continues to operate as the original, unaltered history of the Ethereum network, adhering strictly to the 'Code is Law' philosophy. As of February 16, 2026, ETC remains the primary destination for miners who utilize GPU hardware, especially those who migrated away from Ethereum after its switch to Proof-of-Stake. The network's hashrate has stabilized, providing sufficient security against 51% attacks, which had been a concern in previous years. ETC's value proposition lies in its scarcity, censorship resistance, and proof-of-work consensus mechanism. Price analysis reveals that ETC often moves in sympathy with Bitcoin rather than Ethereum, acting as a high-beta play on the Proof-of-Work narrative. While the ecosystem lacks the vibrant DeFi landscape of its younger sibling, there is a dedicated community building basic decentralized applications and promoting ETC as a programmable store of value. For investors, ETC represents a hedge against potential centralization risks in Proof-of-Stake networks. The asset is currently trading in a tightening range, suggesting a breakout—either bullish or bearish—is imminent depending on broader market flows.