Crypto World
Bitcoin Price Slump vs Gold Gains Highlights a Shifting Crypto Market
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) and gold are diverging in 2026, as persistent liquidity dynamics and shifts in risk appetite reshape how each asset behaves. Gold has surged roughly 153% since the start of 2024, while Bitcoin has retraced about 30% over the same period. Analysts attribute the split to a steady expansion of global money supply, a cooling appetite for high-beta tech equities, and a drift of capital from exchanges into self-custody. Taken together, these forces help explain why gold strengthens in a liquidity-driven environment while Bitcoin struggles to keep pace in a bear-market backdrop for risk assets.
Key takeaways
- Gold has outperformed Bitcoin since early 2024, rising about 153% versus a roughly 30% decline for BTC, signaling divergent responses to the same macro backdrop.
- Longer-term BTC trends have tracked money-supply growth (M2), but the strongest rallies historically occurred when liquidity growth aligned with surges in software and SaaS equities, highlighting the role of speculative appetite in crypto cycles.
- Tokenized exposure to hard assets is gaining traction: Binance launched 24/7 gold futures trading on January 5, with cumulative volumes approaching $35 billion and peak daily volume over $4 billion, underscoring demand for crypto-native hedges.
- Exchange liquidity has shifted lower as traders move assets into self-custody, with Binance’s combined BTC, ETH, XRP and major stablecoins portfolio value dipping to around $102 billion — the lowest since April 2025, reflecting a cautious operating environment.
- Historical patterns show that BTC’s price moves amplify or dampen with shifts in speculative sentiment, suggesting that today’s liquidity abundance coexists with a bear phase for risk assets, and a concurrent rise in gold demand as a hedge.
Tickers mentioned: $BTC, $ETH, $XRP
Sentiment: Bearish
Price impact: Negative. Bitcoin’s price trajectory has lagged gold’s gains amid a cautious, risk-off regime and thinning exchange liquidity.
Trading idea (Not Financial Advice): Hold. In a liquidity-driven regime where hard assets and tokenized hedges attract capital, patient positioning and prudent risk controls are advisable.
Market context: The 2026 environment features ample liquidity but mixed risk appetite, with money-supply growth supporting long-term upside while speculative fervor in tech equities drives volatile cycles. Tokenized gold activity on crypto venues reflects a broader search for hedges within digital assets, even as exchange balances shrink and self-custody gains traction.
Why it matters
The widening gap between gold and Bitcoin highlights a foundational question for crypto markets: where does investor value come from when macro liquidity remains supportive but risk sentiment downgrades exposure to high-beta assets? Gold’s performance, closely tied to money-supply expansion, reinforces gold’s status as a traditional hedge, even as investors explore novel ways to gain exposure to hard assets via crypto platforms.
For market participants, the move toward tokenized hedges signals a potential shift in cross-asset strategy. The crypto ecosystem is evolving from a pure beta bet on technology equities to a blended approach that seeks protection in assets with tangible, real-world demand. This may affect how liquidity pools behave in stress episodes and could influence choices around custody, settlement, and the role of exchanges in the overall ecosystem.
From a risk-management perspective, the decline in on-exchange reserves, coupled with continued demand for gold-linked products, suggests traders are recalibrating where and how they store value during periods of volatility. The dynamic also raises questions about regulatory intent and oversight as tokenized hedges gain traction, potentially shaping future liquidity provisions and market structure in crypto markets.
What to watch next
- Monitor January 2026 and subsequent data on gold futures trading on crypto venues, including cumulative volume and daily spikes, to assess whether tokenized gold remains a durable hedge amid ongoing volatility.
- Track Binance’s reserve metrics for BTC, ETH, XRP and other major assets to gauge shifts in exchange liquidity versus self-custody adoption, and what that implies for market depth.
- Follow updates to the broader money-supply indicators (M2) and related macro signals, as changes here are linked to long-horizon crypto trends and the relative performance of hard assets vs. digital assets.
- Watch commentary from macro strategists and market historians about the BTC–gold divergence, including any fresh empirical tests of liquidity-driven models and the role of speculative cycles in crypto markets.
- Observe any forthcoming data on tokenized asset products and exchange-venue innovations that could alter hedging strategies and liquidity channels within the crypto ecosystem.
Sources & verification
- Jurrien Timmer’s analysis on the relationship between gold, Bitcoin, and money-supply growth (as cited via his X post).
- CryptoQuant data on Binance gold futures volumes and the growth of tokenized gold trading activity.
- CryptoQuant data detailing Binance’s reserves for BTC, ETH, XRP and other major assets, including the trend to lower portfolio value.
- Historical references to the relationship between software/SaaS stock performance and BTC rallies in 2017–2018 and 2020–2021, contrasted with 2022 tech declines.
Liquidity, speculation, and the bitcoin-versus-gold dynamic in 2026
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) and gold are presenting divergent profiles as 2026 unfolds. Gold has surged about 153% since the start of 2024, while BTC has slipped roughly 30% over the same period. Analysts attribute the split to a widening global money supply, a cooling appetite for high-growth tech equities, and a drift of capital from exchanges into self-custody. Taken together, these forces help explain why gold strengthens in a liquidity-driven environment while Bitcoin struggles to keep pace in a bear-market backdrop for risk assets.
In a post on X, Fidelity director of global macro Jurrien Timmer highlighted gold as a classic hard-money asset that has tracked money-supply expansion closely, with pullbacks that attract short-term buyers. He noted that Bitcoin’s behavior follows broader liquidity trends over time, yet the strongest rallies tend to align with periods when liquidity growth is paired with rising software and SaaS equities — proxies for speculative appetite. The historical record shows that during 2017–2018 and again in 2020–2021, software stocks climbed roughly 58% and 93% year over year, and Bitcoin benefited from those liquidity-driven surges. Conversely, 2022 saw a sharp decline in software valuations and a deep dip for BTC even with money-supply levels remaining elevated.
These patterns imply that money-supply growth undergirds Bitcoin’s long-term trend, while the direction and speed of price moves are amplified by the degree of speculative fervor in technology equities. Timmer argues that today, liquidity remains ample while investor sentiment toward risk assets has shifted into a bear phase, helping gold and base-money exposure rally while BTC lags.
To illustrate the dynamic with on-chain behavior, data from CryptoQuant shows that Binance’s total portfolio value across BTC, ETH, XRP, and major ERC20 and TRC20 stablecoins has declined to roughly $102 billion — the lowest since April 2025, down from about $140 billion in August 2025. The drop, about $38 billion, is attributed to a combination of lower asset prices and user withdrawals into self-custody during periods of bearish volatility. The effect on liquidity is nuanced: fewer assets sit on exchanges at a moment when traders typically rely on vaults and cold storage to insulate positions. The practical takeaway is that near-term liquidity on centralized venues appears to be thinning, potentially widening bid-ask spreads and complicating quick entry or exit for large players.
Meanwhile, a notable shift in demand within crypto-native venues has materialized around tokenized gold. On January 5, Binance launched 24/7 gold futures trading, a move that CryptoQuant data shows has already amassed a cumulative volume near $35 billion, with more than $4 billion traded on the most active day. Weekly volumes hover around $4.7 billion, underscoring a growing interest in instrumenting traditional hedges inside crypto markets. The development follows a two-day gold correction that rallied the demand for tokenized exposure to hard assets. As the ecosystem experiments with cross-asset hedges, investors are watching whether tokenized gold can serve as a liquidity bridge in periods of market stress.
The net takeaway from these shifts is a portrait of an asset-class tug-of-war: Bitcoin retains exposure to the expansion and contraction of the money spigot, but its price action is increasingly contingent on the risk-on or risk-off temperament of the broader market. With speculative sentiment still meandering in the bear camp, gold’s safe-haven appeal, and the allure of hard-asset exposure within crypto venues, are likely to remain central themes for 2026.
Key points:
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Bitcoin continues to face selling on minor rallies, indicating a negative sentiment.
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Several altcoins have turned down from the overhead resistance levels, indicating the bears are active at higher levels.
Bitcoin (BTC) continues to face selling on rallies, with bears attempting to sink the price below $66,000. However, some analysts believe the downside may be limited.
Analyst Willy Woo said in a post on X that the selling may have exhausted and BTC is likely to enter a period of consolidation. He expects the rebound to be rejected in the mid $70,000 level. Woo anticipates the bearish trend to end in Q4 of this year and the bullish momentum to begin in Q1 or Q2 2027.
Another positive sign in favor of the bulls is that BTC exchange-traded funds have started attracting investors. The BTC ETFs have recorded $1.01 billion in inflows since Tuesday, according to SoSoValue data.
Analysts also expect Ether (ETH) to remain sideways for some time. Swyftx lead analyst Pav Hundal told Cointelegraph on Thursday that ETH may remain “subdued over the next few weeks” and in the medium term may test even “the most experienced investors.”
Could BTC and select major altcoins hold on to their support levels? Let’s analyze the charts of the top 10 cryptocurrencies to find out.
Bitcoin price prediction
BTC’s relief rally is facing selling at the 20-day exponential moving average (EMA) ($68,895), indicating a negative sentiment.
The BTC/USDT pair has formed a symmetrical triangle, which usually acts as a continuation pattern. If the Bitcoin price continues lower and breaks below the support line, it puts the $60,000 level at risk of breaking down. If that happens, the pair may plunge to the next major support at $52,500.
The first sign of strength will be a close above the resistance line. The pair may then rally to the breakdown level of $74,508. This is a crucial level for the bears to defend, as a close above $74,508 suggests that the price may have bottomed out at $60,000.
Ether price prediction
Buyers pushed ETH above the $2,111 resistance on Wednesday but could not sustain the breakout.
The Ether price has turned down sharply from the $2,111 resistance, indicating that the bears are vigorously defending the level. That suggests the ETH/USDT pair may extend its stay inside the $1,750 to $2,111 range for a while.
The next trending move is expected to begin on a close above $2,111 or below $1,750. If the $1,750 level cracks, the next stop is likely to be $1,537. Alternatively, a close above $2,111 might thrust the pair toward the 50-day simple moving average (SMA) ($2,494).
XRP price prediction
XRP (XRP) remains stuck between the 20-day EMA ($1.44) and the support line of the descending channel pattern.
Sellers will attempt to sink the XRP price below the support line, but are likely to encounter solid resistance from the bulls. If the price bounces off the support line with strength, the bulls will again try to push the XRP/USDT pair above the 20-day EMA. If they succeed, the pair may rally to the 50-day SMA ($1.67) and then to the downtrend line.
Contrarily, a break and close below the support line puts the Feb. 6 low of $1.11 at risk of breaking down. The pair may then tumble to the psychological support at $1.
BNB price prediction
Sellers are attempting to halt BNB’s (BNB) recovery at the 20-day EMA ($638), but the bulls have kept up the pressure.
That shows a greater potential for a possible breakout above the 20-day EMA in the near term. The BNB/USDT pair may rally to $669 and subsequently to the breakdown level of $730.
This bullish view will be negated in the near term if the price turns down sharply from the 20-day EMA and breaks below the $570 support. That signals the resumption of the downtrend toward the psychological support at $500.
Solana price prediction
Solana (SOL) rose above the 20-day EMA ($86) on Wednesday, but the bears halted the recovery at the $95 level.
Sellers have pulled the price below the 20-day EMA, opening the gates for a drop to the $75 level. If the price rebounds off the $75 level with strength, it suggests that the bulls are trying to form a higher low. The SOL/USDT pair may then consolidate between $75 and $95 for a few days.
Contrary to this assumption, a close below the $75 level suggests that the bears remain in control. The Solana price may then plummet to the Feb. 6 low of $67.
Dogecoin price prediction
Dogecoin (DOGE) broke above the 20-day EMA ($0.10) on Wednesday, but the bulls could not sustain the higher levels.
Sellers will attempt to pull the Dogecoin price below the $0.09 support. If they can pull it off, the DOGE/USDT pair may retest the Feb. 6 low of $0.08. A strong rebound off the $0.08 level signals a possible range formation. The pair may swing between $0.08 and $0.12 for some time.
The bulls will be back in the driver’s seat after they thrust the price above the $0.12 resistance. That opens the doors for a rally to $0.16.
Bitcoin Cash price prediction
Buyers pushed Bitcoin Cash (BCH) above the $500 level on Wednesday and Thursday, but the long wick on the candlesticks shows selling at higher levels.
Sellers will attempt to sink the Bitcoin Cash price to the solid support at $443, which is a critical support to watch out for. If the price closes below $443, the BCH/USDT pair will complete a bearish head-and-shoulders pattern. That may start a new downtrend toward $380.
Buyers will have to swiftly push the price above the moving averages to prevent the downside. If they do that, the pair may march toward $580.
Related: Bitcoin to $30K? Analysts debate when and at what price BTC will bottom
Hyperliquid price prediction
Hyperliquid (HYPE) has been trading inside a large range of $20.82 to $36.77 for the past few days.
The flattening moving averages and the relative strength index (RSI) near the midpoint do not give a clear advantage either to the bulls or the bears. If the price sustains above the 20-day EMA ($29.07), the HYPE/USDT pair may rise to $32.50 and later to the stiff overhead resistance of $36.77.
On the downside, the bears will have to tug the Hyperliquid price below the $25.62 support to gain the upper hand. That clears the path for a drop to the solid support at $20.82. A break above $36.77 or below $20.82 is likely to start the next trending move.
Cardano price prediction
Cardano (ADA) cleared the 20-day EMA ($0.28) hurdle on Wednesday, but the bulls could not pierce the 50-day SMA ($0.31).
A positive sign in favor of the bulls is that they are attempting to arrest the pullback at the 20-day EMA. If the price turns up from the 20-day EMA, buyers will make another attempt to overcome the barrier at the downtrend line. If they succeed, the ADA/USDT pair may rally toward $0.44. Such a move suggests a short-term trend change.
Instead, if the Cardano price breaks and closes below the 20-day EMA, it indicates that the bears are active at higher levels. That may keep the pair inside the descending channel for some more time.
Chainlink price prediction
Chainlink (LINK) broke above the 20-day EMA ($9) on Wednesday, but the bulls are struggling to sustain the higher levels.
Sellers will attempt to pull the Chainlink price to the solid support at $8. Buyers are expected to defend the $8 level with all their might, as a close below it might sink the LINK/USDT pair to the Feb. 6 low of $7.15.
This negative view will be invalidated in the near term if the price turns up and closes above the 20-day EMA. The bulls will then attempt to propel the pair to the $10.94 to $11.61 overhead resistance zone.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.
Pi ecosystem tokens prioritize utility and user acquisition over speculative fundraising, debuting from Testnet to Mainnet rollout.
Summary
- Pi ecosystem tokens are community-created assets on the Pi blockchain, already live on Testnet and nearing Mainnet deployment.
- Tokens must support working products, with launch programs using them for user acquisition and in‑app utility instead of capital raising.
- Pi’s model aims to hold projects accountable, letting weak apps phase out while Web3 tools reduce the cost of building user engagement.
Pi (PI) Network has announced the incorporation of ecosystem tokens on its Mainnet, with co-founder Chengdiao Fan detailing the initiative’s structure and objectives in a video presentation, according to reports from cryptocurrency news outlets.
The new assets are tokens created by community members and issued on the Pi blockchain, Fan stated. The tokens have been released on the Testnet, with their Mainnet launch currently in final stages, according to the announcement.
Fan addressed the design framework for the new tokens, stating that a misalignment exists between token design and innovation in the broader cryptocurrency market. “Tokens on most other crypto networks function primarily as tools to raise capital. Yet, despite this approach, most projects frequently fail to provide real utility and innovation,” Fan said in the video, characterizing the issue as a structural problem.
The co-founder described Pi Network’s approach as focused on integrating cryptocurrency tokens for products and innovations, with an emphasis on utility as a driver for long-term stability and success for blockchain projects.
According to Fan, the tokens are designed to enable projects to acquire users for their products through Pi launch programs. “Projects issue tokens to fulfill the need to acquire users for their products and integrate these tokens for utility-based use cases inside their products,” Fan explained.
Users will receive access to the tokens through the launch programs and will be able to utilize them within products, according to the announcement. Fan noted that developing user-engaging programs within a startup ecosystem typically represents a lengthy and expensive process, but stated that costs can be reduced through Web3 tools from Pi Network, including the ecosystem tokens.
The framework allows users to hold products accountable for their services, Fan said, adding that this structure ensures value for users as underperforming products would naturally phase out over time.
“Pi ecosystem tokens are not about copying existing token models. In fact, we have deliberately sought to avoid the traditional approach. Because many of the problems in Web3 stem from how tokens have been traditionally designed. And this design will also evolve as it gets iterated in practice,” Fan stated.
The announcement comes as Pi Network continues to develop its ecosystem amid ongoing discussions within its online community regarding project development timelines.
Pi trades near $0.17, roughly -91% below its $2.99 all‑time high, after slipping about -8% over the past week despite a modest -0.6% 24h move and ~$15m in daily volume; with Mainnet upgrades, migration, and validator rewards ramping into early March, price action into March 1 will likely hinge on whether this bullish-flag structure resolves higher toward the $0.20–$0.21 resistance zone or fades back toward the $0.15 support area as traders reassess the upgrade timeline and on-chain positioning.
TruStage pilots TSDA runs through H1 2026, leveraging GENIUS Act-driven stablecoin growth and $2t cap forecasts.
Summary
- TSDA is a dollar-pegged stablecoin with 1:1 cash reserves for U.S. credit unions.
- Pilot runs through H1 2026, focusing on loans, P2P, cross-border and inter-union settlement use cases.
- GENIUS Act and forecasts of a $2t stablecoin market by 2028 frame TSDA’s regulatory and macro backdrop.
TruStage has announced a pilot program for a dollar-pegged stablecoin targeting US credit unions, representing one of the sector’s largest coordinated efforts to test blockchain-based payments infrastructure, according to the company.
The TruStage Stablecoin, designated as TSDA, will be issued through a partnership with Block Time Financial. A TruStage affiliate will serve as issuer and manage one-to-one cash reserves backing the token, while Block Time will provide operational support, including security protocols and digital account capabilities, the company stated.
The pilot program is scheduled to run through the first half of 2026, with TruStage recruiting credit unions to participate. The company said TSDA is designed for loan funding and settlement, peer-to-peer transfers, cross-border payments and inter-credit union disbursements.
TruStage, founded in 1935, works with approximately 93 percent of US credit unions, offering insurance, retirement and investment products tailored to the sector. Company executives said interest in stablecoin solutions has accelerated following passage of the GENIUS Act, which established federal standards for stablecoin issuers.
Lawmakers continue debating broader crypto market structure legislation, with some banking and credit union groups raising concerns that yield-bearing stablecoins could draw deposits away from traditional accounts, according to industry reports.
Analysts at Standard Chartered have projected total stablecoin market capitalization could reach $2 trillion by 2028, potentially increasing demand for US Treasury securities that often back dollar-linked tokens.
OCC’s GENIUS Act rule drafts 100%‑reserved payment stablecoin regime, tightening oversight.
Summary
- Draft rule covers full payment stablecoin lifecycle: issuance, reserves, supervision, and wind-down procedures.
- Only authorized GENIUS-compliant issuers may serve U.S. users, with 1:1 reserve, capital, liquidity, audit, and custody standards.
- OCC and NCUA gain direct authority over bank, credit union, and some foreign issuers, while BSA/OFAC rules follow in separate Treasury action.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency released draft regulations Wednesday outlining how payment stablecoins would be issued, backed, and supervised under federal oversight, according to the agency’s notice of proposed rulemaking.
The OCC opened a 60-day public comment period to operationalize the GENIUS Act for stablecoin issuance, seeking feedback on the full lifecycle of a payment stablecoin from launch and reserve management to supervision and potential wind-down procedures.
The proposal implements the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act, known as the GENIUS Act, which became effective in July and established the first federal stablecoin framework in the United States. The statute permits only authorized payment stablecoin issuers to issue payment stablecoins domestically and prohibits digital asset service providers from offering non-compliant stablecoins to U.S. users.
The draft regulations establish reserve asset standards requiring redemption at par, along with liquidity and risk controls, audits, supervisory examinations, and custody rules. The proposal outlines application pathways for new issuers, introduces capital and operational requirements, and updates portions of the OCC’s capital adequacy and enforcement framework.
The agency stated it would have regulatory or enforcement authority over certain permitted payment stablecoin issuers, including subsidiaries of national banks and federal savings associations, federally qualified issuers, and some state-qualified issuers. The draft extends oversight to foreign payment stablecoin issuers seeking access to American users.
Bank Secrecy Act and sanctions requirements will be addressed separately in coordination with the Treasury Department, according to the notice.
Banking groups have raised concerns about potential deposit outflows to third-party yield products tied to stablecoins. OCC Chief Jonathan Gould stated that any material outflow would be visible and would not occur overnight, according to the agency. Gould noted that the requirement for 100% reserves to support one-to-one redemptions exceeds typical bank capital ratios. In an extreme scenario, the Federal Reserve could serve as an indirect backstop by supporting reserve assets stablecoins hold, including U.S. Treasuries and cash equivalents, according to the proposal.
Disclosure: The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to the author and do not represent the views and opinions of crypto.news’ editorial.
Is artificial intelligence going to steal my job? When skeptics first encountered early versions of ChatGPT along with generative photo and video tools, many dismissed the idea that AI could ever replace human workers. Today, the more relevant question is not whether AI will enter the workplace, but whether organizations are prepared for intelligent systems that increasingly operate alongside employees as active participants in daily operations. Today’s work environment emphasizes AI’s role across social platforms, productivity tools, and enterprise software, and the first wave of company-wide AI systems is already being deployed.
Summary
- AI is shifting from assistant to actor: The real change isn’t job replacement, but AI agents moving from suggesting tasks to executing them inside daily workflows.
- Collaboration beats substitution: Research shows AI-enabled teams outperform AI-equipped ones — productivity gains come from integration, not delegation.
- Entry roles evolve, not vanish: Routine tasks will be automated, but human value shifts toward oversight, judgment, and coordination alongside autonomous systems.
With that said, AI is not coming for your job, at least not permanently. Instead of replacing employees at entry-level positions, AI will become a colleague at work, acting as an assistant. In a worst-case scenario, entry-level to mid-level employees might experience temporary job displacement due to AI, with a 2025 Goldman Sachs report stating that unemployment would increase by half a percentage point. The bottom line, however, is that your job isn’t going anywhere yet.
An introduction to your newest coworker
To break this down, your new colleague is an AI agent, similar to any employee; they’re trained to master the job role, they make mistakes, ask for feedback, and require you to communicate to accelerate the potential of your team.
The autonomous digital worker can execute tasks based on the data and context it’s given, but this assistant isn’t made for every professional field. As the workplace enters its next technological transformational era, analysts continue to see a broad override in AI agents taking over human roles as a distant reality, yet professionals are not dismissing them completely.
Assimilating to the new era of AI collaboration
If AI were to be widely adopted across certain industries, AI could displace 6-7 percent of the United States workforce. For the time being, however, AI will be rolled out on an assistant level, without completely overriding the responsibilities of entry to mid-level positions.
In addition, economists predict that agents will increase productivity across the professional landscape through a transitional movement in AI company culture that’s going from AI-equipped employees to AI-enabled ones. Research conducted by the Digital Data Design at Harvard found that the most innovative solutions came from AI-enabled teams as opposed to AI-equipped teams. Meaning that your AI agent isn’t just there to give you your next chunk of information, but instead, it’s actively aiding collaborative efforts with team members across the organization.
Collaboration is reaching new heights, and myth is starting to become reality. According to The Guardian, specific AI systems are breaking the corporate ladder, hiring fewer people in creative fields, specifically at companies that have highly integrated AI into their day-to-day work. The hardest roles hit were junior roles. In other cases, data scientists are distressed by the sophistication of AI programmes, as some continue to find ways to disable oversight systems. The “AI takeover” can be a threat, but for now, it’s dependent on region and industry.
Jobs are not simply going to disappear. It means employees will be evaluated on how effective they will be alongside these new systems and how well they integrate them into their daily workflows. As for the next decade, it’s unclear whether the corporate world will introduce a new type of AI agent, one that may need a whole new introduction in itself to an organization. As these technologies continue to develop and become more advanced, employees will need to find new ways to train themselves to fit the AI agent’s standards.
Understanding where everyone’s roles land
The transition from human entry-level workers to AI agents does not mean removing the first rungs of the corporate ladder. Instead, low-level, routine tasks that junior and associate employees have traditionally handled will increasingly be managed in partnership with automated systems. Hiring for these roles will not disappear, but the nature of the work will change. Studies by McKinsey indicate that AI has already automated 44 percent of working hours in the United States and that by 2030, AI-driven automation could generate up to 2.8 trillion dollars in economic value.
These early systems represent the first generation of AI agents. They are fast, highly efficient, and increasingly capable of matching the requirements of many professional roles. For years, big technology companies have steadily integrated AI into every part of their platforms, and that trend has now reached a point where assistance is beginning to turn into action. When AI moves from suggesting what should be done to actually helping carry it out, the real challenge for organizations is not displacement, but how effectively people and intelligent systems learn to work together.
TLDR:
- Over 1.17 million US job cuts were announced in the past year, the highest total recorded since the COVID-19 pandemic era.
- The US government led all sectors with 317,000 cuts, followed by UPS at 78,000 and Amazon with 30,000 job reductions.
- Companies openly state that AI tools allow smaller teams to handle the same workload, replacing $150K–$200K salary roles.
- Analysts warn of a ghost economy where corporate output grows but household income and consumer participation steadily decline.
US job cuts have reached alarming levels not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 1.17 million job cuts were announced across the country in the past year.
Around 600,000 of those cuts came in the first two months of 2026 alone. Companies across multiple sectors openly cite artificial intelligence as a driving force.
This trend is unfolding against the weakest white-collar hiring market since 2008, raising concerns about broader economic stability.
Major Companies Lead a Wave of Workforce Reductions
The scale of recent layoffs spans both public and private sectors. The US government alone accounted for 317,000 cuts, the largest single contributor to the total. UPS followed with 78,000 job reductions, while Amazon announced cuts of 30,000 workers.
Other major corporations have also trimmed their workforces considerably. Intel cut 25,000 jobs, and Citigroup reduced staff by 20,000. Nissan matched that figure, while Microsoft announced 15,000 cuts.
Market analyst account Bull Theory posted about the situation on social media platform X. The post noted that Verizon cut 13,000 jobs, Accenture removed 11,000, and Salesforce and Block each reduced headcount by 4,000. The figures paint a broad picture of workforce contraction across industries.
Companies are now openly stating that smaller teams can perform the same volume of work. This shift reflects how AI tools are replacing roles previously held by high-earning professionals. The pattern suggests a structural change rather than a temporary economic adjustment.
The Ghost Economy Risk and Long-Term Consumer Demand
The concern goes beyond job numbers alone. Higher-income workers earning between $150,000 and $200,000 annually drive a large portion of US consumer spending. When software replaces those roles, corporate margins rise but household income falls.
There is also a secondary effect worth noting. The same companies cutting staff sell products and services to that same income group.
If AI-driven layoffs reduce household income at scale, demand across retail, fintech, travel, and enterprise services weakens over time.
Bull Theory’s post warned of what it called a “ghost economy,” where output grows but broad participation in that growth declines.
Short-term profitability may improve, yet the customer base supporting those profits gradually shrinks. This creates a tension between rising productivity and weakening consumer demand.
Housing, autos, travel, subscriptions, and credit quality all become sensitive under these conditions. The labor market must absorb this transition before demand weakens at the economic core.
Without that absorption, the gap between corporate earnings and household financial health will continue to widen.
The seizures and freezing over three months were conducted by the District of Columbia’s Scam Center Strike Force, established by US Attorney Jeanine Pirro in November.
Officials with the US Department of Justice reported “freezing, seizing, and forfeiting” more than $578 million worth of digital assets tied to criminal groups as part of a task force’s efforts targeting “Southeast Asian cryptocurrency-related fraud and scams.”
In a Thursday notice, the Justice Department said the frozen and seized crypto had been “stolen by Chinese transnational criminal organizations” using websites and social media platforms to target US residents. The actions were taken by the District of Columbia’s Scam Center Strike Force, established by former Fox News host, now US Attorney Jeanine Pirro in November.
“Seizures of cryptocurrency is one important part of the Scam Center Strike Force’s work,” said Pirro. “Through the legal process, my Office will seek to forfeit these funds and return them to victims to the maximum extent possible.”
Pirro’s comments signaled that many of the funds would not be used to bolster the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and digital asset stockpile established via executive order by US President Donald Trump in March 2025. According to data from BitcoinTreasuries.NET, US authorities may hold as much as 328,372 Bitcoin (BTC) through various criminal seizures, but the White House had not publicly commented on the stockpile’s size as of Friday.
Related: South Korea’s tax office leaks wallet seed and loses $4.8M in seized tokens
Crypto scams surged in 2025
According to blockchain analytics platform Chainalysis, the number of incidents involving impersonation scams tied to crypto rose by about 1,400% year over year in 2025. Many of the scams included pig butchering and investment schemes, with the average amount stolen through impersonation scams increasing by 600% over the same period.
Some of the parties involved have gone to prison in the US. Earlier this month, a judge sentenced an individual to 20 years in prison for orchestrating a scam to steal more than $73 million from victims, many of whom were based in the US.
Magazine: Clarity Act risks repeat of Europe’s mistakes, crypto lawyer warns
Blockchain infrastructure company Alchemy has launched a system that allows autonomous AI agents to buy compute credits and access its blockchain data services using onchain wallets and USDC on Base.
According to the company’s announcement, the initial release allows AI agents to directly query blockchain networks, check nonfungible token (NFT) ownership, view wallet balances across multiple chains and access live token price data, with additional networks and services planned.
If an agent exhausts its prepaid compute credits, Alchemy issues a payment request that can be automatically settled in USDC (USDC) on Base, allowing the agent to continue operating without human intervention.
The company said agents can fund accounts with as little as $1 in USDC, and once credited, continue making API calls until the balance is depleted and another automated payment is required.
The system uses Coinbase’s x402 payment standard to convert an HTTP “402 Payment Required” response into an automatic billing trigger. The x402 is an open standard that allows web services to request onchain payments directly through HTTP responses, enabling machine-to-machine transactions without manual invoicing.
Nikil Viswanathan, CEO of Alchemy, told Cointelegraph that the system is aimed at developers building autonomous decentralized finance (DeFi) agents, portfolio management bots and other multi-step onchain workflows.
He said that several major crypto applications, including Robinhood Crypto, Uniswap, OpenSea, Aave and 0x, already rely on Alchemy to power transactions, adding:
Now AI agents can access that same infrastructure autonomously, without a human ever touching it. This is the moment the agentic economy gets its own set of keys.
Related: The sports IP industry can’t defend itself against AI without blockchain
Crypto companies and developers accelerate agent adoption
AI agents, software systems that can make decisions and execute tasks autonomously based on predefined goals and real-time data, have drawn growing attention over the past year. Nearly a quarter (23%) of organizations surveyed by McKinsey in November said they were expanding their use of agent-based systems.
On Feb. 6, AI platform AI.com, founded by Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek, said it plans to launch an autonomous AI agent for retail users capable of executing stock trades, automating workflows and handling routine digital tasks.
A few days later, Coinbase introduced “Agentic Wallets,” crypto wallet infrastructure designed to let AI agents autonomously spend, earn and trade digital assets, including executing onchain transactions such as managing DeFi positions, rebalancing portfolios and paying for services.
Meanwhile, Monad’s developer community announced the results of its Moltiverse Hackathon this week, naming 16 winners across a range of “agent + token” projects.
The winners included a programmable venture capital agent that evaluates and invests automatically, AI-driven multiplayer battle arenas, an AI dating network where agents “represent their humans,” and trading card games governed by software rather than human players.
Magazine: Crypto loves Clawdbot/Moltbot, Uber ratings for AI agents: AI Eye
After months of sliding digital asset prices, public companies that embraced Bitcoin (BTC) as a treasury strategy are facing renewed scrutiny. Activist investors are now challenging those balance-sheet bets, echoing broader concerns about the volatility and long-term viability of the corporate Bitcoin model.
Stablecoins, meanwhile, continue to anchor the market. Circle posted a stronger-than-expected fourth quarter, even as early signs of a so-called “crypto winter” began to surface.
However, not every payments player is sharing in that momentum. PayPal’s push into digital assets, including the launch of its PayPal USD stablecoin, has yet to reverse its stock decline, with reports suggesting the company is drawing takeover interest.
This week’s Crypto Biz examines the pressure building around Bitcoin treasuries, the staying power of the stablecoin business and the challenges facing legacy payment giants navigating crypto’s next phase.
Empery Digital faces shareholder revolt over Bitcoin treasury
A nearly 10% shareholder of Empery Digital is calling for sweeping changes, including the sale of the company’s roughly 4,000 Bitcoin holdings and the resignation of its CEO and board.
In a letter to management, investor Tice P. Brown argued that the Bitcoin-heavy treasury strategy has failed to maximize shareholder value and demanded capital be returned to investors instead.
Empery pushed back against the claims, defending its strategy. The dispute highlights the growing tension between activist investors and public companies that have adopted Bitcoin as a core balance-sheet asset.
Empery, which transitioned its legacy business into a Bitcoin treasury last year, has amassed 4,081 BTC, making it one of the top 25 largest public holders of the digital asset.
Circle’s earnings, USDC growth fuels stock rally
Stablecoin issuer Circle delivered a stronger-than-expected fourth quarter, even as broader crypto market conditions weakened, underscoring continued momentum in the dollar-backed stablecoin market.
Fourth-quarter revenue reached $770 million, up 77% from a year earlier. Net income totaled $133.4 million, or 43 cents per share. Both were ahead of analyst expectations. The more telling figure, however, was USDC’s (USDC) expansion. Supply rose 72% to $75.3 billion by year-end, reflecting sustained demand for onchain dollar liquidity.
For the entire year, Circle reported $2.7 billion in revenue and a net loss of $70 million that was largely due to stock-based compensation tied to its initial public offering.
Shares jumped more than 20% following the earnings release, as investors responded to the revenue growth and expanding stablecoin base.
PayPal draws takeover interest after steep stock decline
PayPal is reportedly attracting early-stage takeover interest after a prolonged slide in its share price, as competitors weigh opportunities to consolidate parts of the digital payments market.
According to Bloomberg, some potential buyers are evaluating a full acquisition, while others may pursue specific business segments. Discussions remain preliminary, and no formal offer has been announced. Bitcoin-friendly payments company Stripe later emerged as one of the interested parties.
The development comes as PayPal continues restructuring efforts and expands further into digital assets, including its proprietary stablecoin.
$500M stablecoin mortgage deal bridges DeFi and housing
Mortgage lender Better and Framework Ventures are launching a $500 million initiative that channels stablecoin liquidity into US mortgage lending, potentially bringing real-world housing finance deeper into decentralized markets.
Under the structure, Better will continue underwriting and issuing home loans, while funding is sourced through a stablecoin ecosystem. The arrangement connects blockchain-based liquidity with traditional real estate finance, an area long discussed but rarely deployed at a meaningful scale.
The deal signals continued momentum behind tokenized real-world assets, even as broader crypto markets remain volatile.
Crypto Biz is your weekly pulse on the business behind blockchain and crypto, delivered directly to your inbox every Thursday.
DeepSeek AI predicts great things this year for HODLers of XRP, Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Despite months of persistent downside pressure across the crypto market, DeepSeek has a notably optimistic stance on the market leaders, projecting that all three could reach fresh all-time highs within the next ten months.
So, just how credible are DeepSeek’s predictions?
XRP ($XRP): DeepSeek AI Sees a Tidy 6x Move by Christmas
In a recent update, Ripple reaffirmed that XRP ($XRP) plays a central role in its long-term strategy to position the XRP Ledger (XRPL) as a globally adopted, enterprise ready payments network.
Thanks to elite infrastructure, rapid settlement speeds and low transaction fees, XRPL is likely to benefit from two fast-growing sectors: stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets.
With XRP currently trading near $1.37, DeepSeek predicts a 2026 rally to $8, representing a sixfold increase from current levels.
XRP’s relative strength index (RSI) sits at a neutral 40, while price action has aligned with the 30-day moving average, suggesting the lengthy consolidation phase may almost over.
Further upside catalysts could include rising institutional interest following the launch of U.S.-listed XRP ETFs, Ripple’s expanding portfolio of international partnerships, and clearer regulatory conditions should the CLARITY bill pass in the U.S. this year.
Bitcoin (BTC): DeepSeek Targets $266,000 for Bitcoin
Bitcoin ($BTC), the first and largest crypto by market capitalization, hit a record high of $126,080 on October 6 before entering an extended correction.
Even with recent turbulence, DeepSeek’s suggests Bitcoin can maintain its long-term growth trajectory and hit a new high watermark around $266,000.
Often described as digital gold, Bitcoin cappeals to both institutional and retail investors seeking diverse protection against inflation and broader macroeconomic risk.
Bitcoin currently accounts for around $1.3 trillion of the $2.4 trillion crypto market. Since its ATH, BTC has declined by approximately 48% and now trades near $66,000, following two sharp selloffs triggered by geopolitical concerns involving potential U.S. military action linked to Iran and Greenland.
DeepSeek thinks accelerating institutional adoption and reduced post-halving supply as major forces that could push Bitcoin toward multiple new highs this year.
Furthermore, if U.S. policymakers deliver on promises for a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, Bitcoin’s upside potential would be unpredictable .
Ethereum (ETH): DeepSeek AI Eyes a Potential Run to $10,000
Ethereum ($ETH) remains the leading smart contract blockchain and the foundational layer for much of DeFi.
With a market capitalization of r$235 billion and over $53 billion locked across DeFi protocols, Ethereum serves as the primary settlement layer for on-chain commerce.
Its strong security track record, dominance in stablecoins, and early traction in real-world asset tokenization position Ethereum as a prime candidate for increased institutional deployment.
That largely depends on U.S. lawmakers approving the CLARITY bill, which would provide the certainty institutions need to deploy capital on Ethereum.
ETH is currently trading around $2,000, with major resistance expected near $5,000 after reaching an all-time high of $4,946.05 last August.
If DeepSeek’s bullish thesis unfolds, a decisive break above $5,000 could see ETH hitting $7,500 by Christmas.
Maxi Doge: Early-Stage Meme Coin Aims for Exponential Upside
DeepSeek’s outlook suggests XRP, Bitcoin and Ethereum could be relatively “safe” plays in the coming months, however, their already large market capitalizations limit just how much growth HODLers can enjoy.
That’s not the case with the new meme coin Maxi Doge ($MAXI). The project has raised $4.6 million in its ongoing presale as investors rush to gain exposure to what some are calling the next Dogecoin/
Maxi Doge is Dogecoin’s loud, degenerate gym-bro alpha cousin. But he’s jealous, and he’s coming after Dogecoin through a viral marketing campaign that channels the irreverent spirit of the 2021 meme coin boom.
MAXI is an ERC-20 token on Ethereum’s proof-of-stake network, giving it a smaller environmental footprint than Dogecoin’s proof-of-work model.
Early presale participants can currently stake MAXI for yields of up to 67% APY, with returns gradually declining as the staking pool grows.
The token is $0.0002806 in the current presale phase, with automatic price increases scheduled at each funding milestone. Investors can purchase through wallets including MetaMask and Best Wallet.
Stay updated through Maxi Doge’s official X and Telegram pages.
Visit the Official Website Here.
The post China’s DeepSeek AI Predicts the Price of XRP, Bitcoin and Ethereum appeared first on Cryptonews.
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