Former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called Bitcoin a Ponzi scheme, claiming it has far less value than gold and even Pokémon cards, which he said are more widely recognized.

 

 

 

In a recent Daily Mail article, former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson called Bitcoin a Ponzi scheme with no real value, saying it relied on a “supply of new and credulous investors.” He also shared the story of a friend who lost about $26,000 in a crypto investment scam.

 

Johnson shared a story about a retired man from a village in Oxfordshire who initially handed over £500 (about $661) to someone who promised to double the money through Bitcoin investments. Johnson said the man went on to invest £20,000 (around $26,450) over three and a half years but ultimately received nothing in return.

 

The former prime minister also questioned the credibility of Bitcoin, calling it “a string of numbers stored in a series of computers.” “Who can we turn to if someone decrypts the crypto?” Johnson asked. “There’s no one except Nakamoto, who might be nothing more than Pikachu or Charmander.”

 

Since the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, lacked institutional backing, Johnson questioned Bitcoin’s credibility as a tradable asset. According to Johnson, Pokémon cards, which fascinated children thirty years ago and still do today, are a more tradable asset than Bitcoin.

 

“These curious little Japanese cartoon beasties hold the same fascination for five-year-olds as they did 30 years ago. The kids are obsessed with them. They boast and squabble about them,” Boris said.

 

“Even if you remain pretty impervious to the charm of Pikachu, you can just about see why a decades-old Pikachu card is still a tradeable asset,” he added.

 

 

The Crypto Community Responded

While many social media users have ridiculed Boris’ understanding of cryptocurrency, some have offered clearer explanations of why Bitcoin cannot be called a Ponzi scheme.

 

Michael Saylor, founder of MicroStrategy, also sought to clarify the issue.

 

“Bitcoin is not a Ponzi scheme. A Ponzi requires a central operator promising returns and paying early investors with funds from later ones,” Saylor wrote on X.

 

“Bitcoin has no issuer, no promoter, and no guaranteed return—just an open, decentralized monetary network driven by code and market demand,” he added.

 

 

 

Crypto brokerage company Blockchain.com is expanding into Ghana after recording strong growth one year after entering the Nigerian market.

 

In a recent announcement, Owenize Odia, General Manager for Africa at Blockchain.com, said the company plans to expand into Ghana. 

 

According to the announcement, the move was driven by the company’s strong growth in Nigeria. Just one year after entering the market in early 2025, Blockchain.com reported more than a 700% increase in brokerage transaction volume, with Bitcoin, Tether, and Tron emerging as the most traded crypto assets in the region. 

 

The decision to fully launch into Ghana’s crypto market was also driven by the strong momentum in the country. According to Owenize, Blockchain.com recorded a 140% increase in the number of active users in Ghana and a 90% increase in transaction volumes even before the company officially entered the market. 

 

Crypto Adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa is now the third-fastest-growing region globally for crypto adoption, according to a report by Chainalysis, after Asia-Pacific and Latin America. 

 

According to the report, about $205 billion was received by Sub-Saharan African countries between July 2024 and June 2025 in Sub-Saharan Africa, a 52% increase year over year, with Nigeria leading adoption in the region and accounting for about $92 billion of the total volume received within that period. Cross-border transfers, remittances, and stablecoin transactions accounted for most of these transactions.

 

Image credit: Chainalysis

 

About Blockchain.com

Founded in 2011 by Peter Smith, Benjamin Reeves, and Nicolas Cary, Blockchain.com is one of the oldest cryptocurrency platforms in the world. It offers a suite of crypto services, including non-custodial crypto storage, cryptocurrency trading, blockchain exploration, and the trading of tokenized U.S. stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs).

 

Since its founding, Blockchain.com has achieved several notable milestones, including:

• Creating nearly 94 million wallets for users.
• Serving customers in more than 100 countries.
• Processing over $1 trillion in total transaction volume, including more than $100 million in a single day. 

 

 

An X user with the username "Sillytuna" has reportedly lost $24 million in Aave Ethereum USDC (aEthUSDC) in an attack that involved a combination of violence, sexual assault, weapons, and threats to life.

 

 

"Bruised, held off while I could, but can't do that much with axes over your hands and feet," Sillytuna wrote. The user further stated that he was, at this point, done with crypto. In his words, "And now... definitely out of crypto ****ers."

 

While the matter has already been reported to law enforcement, no official statement has been issued by the authorities. However, the X user has announced a 10% bounty for whoever helps recover the stolen funds.

 

 

 

How the Crypto Community Reacted

Shortly after the news went viral, the crypto community reacted with mixed feelings, with many commiserating with the user over their loss. Some also raised awareness about the deplorable state of security in the United Kingdom. Apparently, the victim is a UK resident.

 

 

Amid the sympathy from the global crypto community, some, however, doubted the authenticity of the victim's story.

 

According to YokaiCapital, an X user, the victim had not posted anything about crypto before. He also alleges that the victim's account appears to have been bought recently.

 

"He will probably shill the coin at some point or say that he will take donations from the coin," YokaiCapital went on to write. 

 

However, the victim has denied allegations that he intentionally wanted to trend and claims the stolen funds were long-term holdings.

 

 

How the Attackers Moved the Stolen Funds

Tracking the stolen funds, blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence said that the attackers moved the funds across Layer 2 networks, Bitcoin, and Monero, obviously to evade trail.

 

 

 

Roughly $20 million of the stolen funds were stored in two Ethereum addresses as DAI, a stablecoin on the Ethereum network, while $2.48 million was bridged to USDC on Arbitrum.

 

Arkham reported that the attackers sent $2.47 million to Hyperliquid through 19 separate Wagyu accounts, which were used to convert the funds to Monero (XMR).

 

The attackers also bridged $1.1 million to the Bitcoin blockchain using LiFi, noting that 0.5 BTC was deposited into a mixing service, Arkham added.

 

 

 

Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds have attracted roughly $1.7 billion in net inflows since February 24, ending a prolonged stretch of redemptions and renewing confidence that institutional buyers are stepping back in.

 

The reversal has been sharp. After months of steady outflows, nearly every major U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF is now recording net positive flows for 2026. That matters because ETF flow data has become, more than any other metric, the closest thing to a real-time read on institutional sentiment toward Bitcoin.

 

BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) is doing most of the heavy lifting. On March 4 alone, IBIT absorbed $306.60 million, roughly 66% of that day's total inflows across all spot Bitcoin products. Since February 24, BlackRock has accumulated a net 21,814 BTC through the fund, valued at approximately $1.55 billion at current prices. Year-to-date, IBIT has added around $300 million in capital even as Bitcoin itself fell about 16% over the same period.

 

The timing is notable. Bitcoin has traded around $72,000 this week, bouncing from lows near $60,000 earlier in the year. That low represented a roughly 52% pullback from its all-time high of $122,000 reached last year — a correction that, by historical standards, was relatively contained. Past cycles saw declines of 80% to 90% from peak. The smaller drawdown this cycle has been widely attributed to the stabilizing influence of institutional ownership through regulated vehicles.

 

The inflow pattern itself tells a story. Exchange balances have stayed relatively flat while ETF custodians accumulate, suggesting the capital flowing in isn't being deployed through spot crypto exchanges. These are investors using traditional brokerage accounts and registered vehicles, the pension funds, registered investment advisors, and wealth managers who entered the market only after last year's ETF approvals made it operationally feasible.

 

Three consecutive days of $1.1 billion in net inflows at the end of February set the pace. IBIT alone captured roughly $652 million over that stretch. Fidelity's FBTC and Ark Invest's ARKB recorded positive flows too, though significantly smaller.

 

Whether the inflow trend holds depends partly on what happens at the Federal Reserve. On March 18, the Fed will announce its latest interest rate decision. Markets have been pricing in at least a pause in rate hikes after the central bank eased its tightening stance in late 2025, and any signal of cuts could accelerate flows into risk assets including crypto.

 

There's also the regulatory backdrop. The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, which would formally divide crypto assets into SEC-regulated securities and CFTC-regulated commodities, remains stalled in the Senate after a markup was delayed in January with no rescheduled date. Clarity on that front would likely deepen institutional participation further. Until then, ETF flows remain the clearest signal of where the institutional money is going.

 

Right now, it's going into Bitcoin.

 

Eric Halem, a former Los Angeles Police Department officer, has been found guilty of kidnapping a 17-year-old and stealing $350,000 worth of crypto after invading his home in 2024.

 

Halem, who served with the LAPD for 13 years but retired in 2022, was said to have illegally invaded the home of the teen, named Daniel, alongside three co-conspirators.

 

Upon gaining entrance into the teen's home under the guise of carrying out a search warrant, Halem subdued both the teen and his girlfriend, threatening to shoot him if he didn't hand over a hard drive containing Bitcoin. Apparently, the teen did have a significant amount of crypto.

 

Although Halem has been found guilty by the court, his sentencing is scheduled for March 31. And since he's been tried for kidnapping and robbery, which fall under California's aggravated statutes, Halem risks spending a long time in prison.

 

 

The Rise of Wrench Attacks

A wrench attack, also known as the $5 wrench attack, involves physical threats or violence to force a person to hand over their crypto private keys.

 

There has been an increase in the number of wrench attacks within the last few years. According to a 2025 security report from blockchain security firm CertiK, there were 72 recorded incidents of wrench attacks, a 75% increase from 2024.

 

     

 

Certik also reported a loss of more than $40.9 million from these attacks, with Europe accounting for 40% of these attacks worldwide, and kidnapping being the most common method used by assailants.

 

Jameson Lopp, Co-founder and Chief Security Officer of crypto security firm Casa Inc, has also been documenting these crypto wrench attacks from 2014 to date in a GitHub repository named "physical-bitcoin-attacks."

 

Based on tracked incidents in the GitHub repo, there have been 16 documented crypto-wrench attack cases this year alone, with France recording the most cases, with kidnapping being the most common method used by attackers. 

 

 

Image credit: Binance.com

 

 

Strategy, the world's largest public holder of Bitcoin, has deepened its Bitcoin bet, completing its 101st Bitcoin purchase. 

 

According to a filing made to the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday of this week, Strategy acquired 3,015 bitcoins for $204.1 million last week.

 

Based on information available on the US SEC website, the average purchase price for this transaction was $67,700 per BTC, below the company's average acquisition price of $75,985. With this latest purchase, Strategy now has total Bitcoin holdings of 720,737 BTC.

 

Image credit: sec.gov

Saylor’s Long-Term Bitcoin Strategy

Michael Saylor, often regarded as the Bitcoin bull, has long been one of the strongest advocates of Bitcoin's long-term value. His belief system was first made public in August 2020 when his company, Strategy, purchased 21,454 Bitcoins for about $250 million. 

 

Rather than continue holding traditional assets in its treasury, Strategy announced it would be making Bitcoin a core part of its treasury reserve. 

 

Regarding this 2020 purchase, Saylor himself said: 

 

"This investment reflects our belief that bitcoin, as the world's most widely adopted cryptocurrency, is a dependable store of value and an attractive investment asset with more long-term appreciation potential than holding cash." 

 

Since that day, Strategy has steadily accumulated Bitcoin, even during bearish market seasons. 

 

To understand Strategy's stacking strategy, here is an overview of how it has accumulated Bitcoin over the last six years:

 

2020: Acquired 70,470 BTC (started Aug. 11 with the first purchase of 21,454 BTC; reached total holdings of 70,470 by Dec. 21)

2021: Acquired 53,921 BTC (total holdings reached 124,391 BTC by Dec. 30).

2022: Acquired 8,109 BTC (total holdings reached 132,500 BTC by year-end).

2023: Acquired 56,650 BTC (total holdings reached 189,150 BTC by Dec. 26).

2024: Acquired 257,250 BTC (total holdings reached 446,400 BTC by Dec. 30).

2025: Acquired 226,097 BTC (total holdings reached 672,497 BTC by Dec. 29).

2026: Has acquired 48,240 BTC, with total holdings reaching 720,737 BTC.

 

By steadily acquiring Bitcoin through open-market transactions, Strategy has cemented its position as the world's largest public holder of Bitcoin, making these purchases in a way that does not cause any short-term imbalance in the crypto market.

 

 

How the Market Reacted

Upon the announcement of this news, MicroStrategy's common stock (MSTR) experienced an uptick, jumping from $123 last Monday to $129 on Friday, a 4.7% increase. 

The biggest gain for the MSTR stock, however, occurred on Wednesday, when it rose to $135. This increase suggests renewed investor confidence in Saylor's bitcoin purchase strategy. Even in bearish market conditions, Saylor's vision for Bitcoin remains unchanged.

 

Image credit: investing.com

 

Despite experiencing sharper selling pressure in February, with its price falling 14.8% to 15% from its January closing price of $78,621, Bitcoin experienced a slight uptick in its price, rising from $64,000 last Monday to $65,000 by Friday of last week.

 

 

I came into Bitcoin in mid-2017. Not early, not late, but early enough to catch the euphoria and late enough to feel the consequences. I watched that cycle go vertical, then watched it unwind in slow motion through 2018. I stayed through the 2020–2022 cycle, including the November 2021 peak and the long grind down that followed.

 

So when Bitcoin slipped back toward $70,000 this week, the feeling wasn’t panic..well, maybe some panic. But there certainly was some recognition. The same quiet tension I’ve felt before, when the market shifts from confidence to defense and nobody is quite ready to admit it.

 

This move looks familiar on the surface. Risk assets are under pressure, equities are shaky, and Bitcoin is once again trading like the most volatile expression of risk in the room. But the environment around it feels very different than it did the last two times I lived through this.

 

 

Why $70,000 Matters More Than Most Want To Admit

 

For anyone who lived through 2021, $70K isn’t just a number. November of 2021 marked the prior cycle’s peak near $69,000. For years, that level symbolized excess. More recently, trading above it felt like proof that the market had finally moved on.

 

Once Bitcoin slipped back into that zone, the mood shifted fast. Selling stopped being about opinions and started being about mechanics. Stops were hit. Leverage came out. Liquidations took over. That transition is something I’ve learned to respect. When the market turns mechanical, it usually overshoots.That is obvious on both sides, euphoria and near depression.

 

I saw the same thing in early 2018 and again in 2022. Different triggers, same behavior.

 

 

BTC Still Trades Like A Risk Asset

 

As much as I want Bitcoin to be treated differently, moments like this remind me that it still trades like a high beta risk asset when macro pressure shows up.

 

Equities, especially tech, have been weak. Volatility is up. Liquidity feels tighter. In that environment, Bitcoin rarely resists. It amplifies. Crypto trades 24/7, it’s easy to exit quickly, and it’s deeply intertwined with leverage. When investors want to reduce risk immediately, Bitcoin is often first in line.

 

Once liquidations start cascading, fundamentals stop mattering in the short term. Exchanges sell into weakness, bids step away, and price pushes through levels that felt solid just days earlier.

 

ETF flows add a new dynamic I didn’t have to think about in 2018 or even 2021. Institutional money can now enter and exit Bitcoin daily. That can support price over time, but during drawdowns it can also accelerate downside when outflows cluster.

 

 

What Past Cycles Taught Us

 

Living through the 2017 peak and the 2018 bear market changed how I think about Bitcoin permanently. Support can fail. Narratives can break. Time can do more damage than price. And something always happens that you least expect.

 

The 2020–2022 cycle reinforced that lesson. After peaking in November 2021, Bitcoin fell roughly 75 percent into the November 2022 lows. That wasn’t just a crash, it was a year of slow erosion that wore people down.

 

Those experiences make it hard for me to assume this cycle can’t get uglier. Bitcoin has always been good at humbling people who think they’ve seen it all.

 

At the same time, I can’t ignore what’s different now.

 

 

Will This Cycle Be Different?

 

In 2017 and 2021, regulation was mostly noise. Institutions were cautious or absent. Spot ETFs didn’t exist. Bitcoin lived largely outside traditional markets

 

That’s no longer true.

 

Efforts like the Clarity Act and broader moves to define digital commodities give Bitcoin something it’s never really had during a downturn, a clearer legal and regulatory framework. That matters more when prices are falling than when they’re rising.

 

Institutions also behave differently than retail traders. They don’t buy because of excitement or belief. They buy because mandates allow them to. That can create steadier demand when prices fall far enough.

 

But they also sell without emotion. When risk models say reduce exposure, they reduce it. No attachment, no narrative. That means drawdowns can still be sharp, but they may resolve differently than in prior cycles.

 

This is the tension I’m trying to navigate in this cycle. Regulation and institutional access could limit the worst outcomes we’ve seen before. They could also change the character of both rallies and declines in ways we haven’t fully experienced yet.

 

 

Is This The Bottom?

 

Honestly, It feels rough out there and I know I wish this was the bottom. Maybe we see some relief before more pain? Or, in true crypto fashion, we rip the band-aid off and go even further down today, but I don’t think it’s safe to assume it’s the bottom of this cycle.

 

Liquidations have already done some eal damage. Sentiment has flipped quickly. Price is sitting near a level that matters historically and psychologically. If ETF flows stabilize, forced selling fades, and equities stop sliding, a bottoming process could start soon.

 

But I’ve been around long enough to know that real bottoms don’t feel relieving. They feel boring. They form through time, failed breakdowns, and long stretches where nothing seems to happen. This is happening fast so...the chop is still going to come. We may some moves up soon, and even more quick crashes, but the long boring bottom of the market has yet to reveal its face.

 

If conditions continue to deteriorate, Bitcoin will grind lower. Slow declines have always been more dangerous than fast crashes. They exhaust conviction. People just get complacent and leave.

 

 

 

What I’m Watching

 

Rather than trying to call the exact low, I’m focused on a few things.

 

Whether ETF flows stabilize over weeks, not days
Whether liquidation events shrink instead of cascade
Whether equities, especially tech, stop dragging crypto lower
Whether Bitcoin can reclaim broken levels and hold them, not just tag them

 

And time, true reversals don't happen fast. Those things just take time. That is true when the market is up and when the market is down.

 

I came into Bitcoin in 2017 thinking it was all about price. Staying through multiple cycles taught me it’s really about structure, psychology, and time.

 

This drop toward $70K feels familiar for a reason. What’s different is the environment around it. Institutions are here. Regulation is evolving. The market is more connected to traditional finance than it’s ever been.

 

I don’t know if that makes the outcome better or just different. What I do know is, that this fourth chapter I’m living through doesn’t feel like a clean repeat of the last one, and that alone is worth paying attention to. I also don't know if I made you feel better about this whole thing or not. Or maybe, I was just trying to make myself feel better in the end.

 

Bitcoin was back on the biggest screens in global sports as the 24 Hours of Daytona marked the unofficial start of the year’s major sponsorship season. From that point forward, weekend after weekend, major sporting events once again became prime real estate for high profile brand exposure.

 

With the Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, Daytona 500, and the Formula 1 season opener approaching in the following weeks, Bitcoin, crypto, exchanges, and NFT companies were once again looking to maximize their advertising dollars by attaching their brands to the world’s most watched events.

 

This cycle had become familiar. It started years earlier with Matt Damon, Tom Brady, a crypto exchange, and a Super Bowl commercial. Since then, at least one crypto project had aimed to make a major splash during big game advertising season every year.

 

Crypto and Racing, A Proven Match

Racing and crypto sponsorships had proven to be a natural fit. It was fast, loud, bright, and made for the big screen, exactly where crypto wanted to be.

 

Three years earlier, PolkaDot took a shot at the IndyCar Championship with Conor Daly driving for Dreyer Rheinbold Racing. Kraken and Pudgy Penguins appeared on the wings of the Williams Formula 1 cars. Ed Carpenter Racing ran a Bitcoin-branded car in the Indy 500.

 

In Formula 1, Red Bull secured season-long sponsorships with SUI and Bybit. McLaren landed a season-long deal with OKX and later minted NFTs on Tezos. The overlap between motorsport audiences and crypto culture continued to deepen.

 

BitcoinMAX and Meyer Shank Racing at Daytona

That weekend, Meyer Shank Racing set out to potentially make history by bringing Bitcoin to victory lane at the birthplace of speed. The team ran the Bitcoin MAX sponsored Acura LMDh Prototype in one of the most demanding races in the world.

 

Bitcoin Max was a community-driven, decentralized digital currency project. The partnership centered on the global launch of OnlyBulls, a finance super app, and the establishment of BitcoinMAX, a Swiss-based Bitcoin trust launching in January 2026. BitcoinMAX was designed to democratize the digital economy and allow people to participate in the Bitcoin economy through a secure, regulated trust.

 

The task was never going to be easy. The Daytona 24 Hours was notoriously one of the toughest tests of man and machine. It was twice around the clock on one of the world’s fastest tracks, against the best drivers on the planet.

 

Long Odds and a Stacked Field

Bitcoin supporters entered the weekend as long odds contenders, despite Meyer Shank Racing having taken victory in the race in 2022 and 2023 with Acura. The team was also looking to rebound after finishing second the previous year behind Porsche.

 

Porsche, however, had pulled factory support from endurance racing that season, leaving Penske and JDC Miller Motorsports to compete as privateers using modified versions of the previous year’s car. Acura’s continued factory backing of Meyer Shank Racing offered a potential advantage, though not against a strong Cadillac effort that entered the season with momentum as they prepared to run a Formula 1 team.

 

The field was stacked. Cadillac arrived hungry to start fast. Aston Martin debuted the highly anticipated Valkyrie prototype. BMW remained a factory threat. Victory was never guaranteed.

 

An Elite Driver Lineup

Meyer Shank Racing assembled one of the strongest driver lineups in the field. Tom Blomqvist, a veteran endurance champion. Colin Braun, a young endurance ace who had consistently delivered results since arriving on the scene. Scott Dixon, a former IndyCar champion. A.J. Allmendinger, the “Dinger,” a road course specialist with major wins across NASCAR, IndyCar, and prototype racing.

 

If that group could cross the line first after 24 hours, they would become the first team to bring a Bitcoin-sponsored car to victory lane, a surprising milestone that had not happened since Bitcoin’s creation.

 

Chaos, Fog, and a Fight to the Finish

Qualifying went the way of Porsche and Cadillac, leaving the Bitcoin MAX Acura starting fifth for the 24-hour race.

 

Midway through the night, heavy fog rolled over Daytona, forcing a yellow flag period that lasted a record six and a half hours. When the sun rose and the fog finally lifted, the Bitcoin Acura was still firmly in contention for the overall win.

 

At the restart, the car ran fourth and even held the lead with more than three hours remaining. In the end, the pace of Felipe Nasr in the Penske Porsche proved just too strong. Meyer Shank Racing eventually slipped back to a sixth-place finish after pitting early in hopes that a late caution might shuffle the order. That caution never came.

 

Once again, a Bitcoin-sponsored car narrowly missed victory lane.

 

Beyond The Checkered Flag

The good news was that Bitcoin MAX secured a full-season sponsorship with Meyer Shank Racing. The goal remained clear, to finally bring Bitcoin to victory on the biggest stage in motorsports.

 

The opportunity would come again. And when it did, Bitcoin would once more be right where it wanted to be, fast, loud, and on the world’s biggest screens.

 

As a relatively new reporter in the financial space here in Cincinnati, I’m still learning the ropes of these massive markets every day. I’ve pored over charts, read analyst reports, and talked to people who live and breathe this work. The facts right now are clear: gold is on fire, while Bitcoin, often called “digital gold,” is lagging or even pulling back. Gold has surged past $5,000 per ounce amid global tensions and renewed safe-haven buying, while Bitcoin is hovering around $87,000 to $88,000 after dipping from recent highs near $98,000. It is tempting to think gold has won this round outright. But when I look deeper at the data and think about where we are headed, I cannot shake the feeling that Bitcoin is still the head of the future.

 

Let me break down the current picture using real data and major players, then explain why, as someone still green in this industry, I am leaning toward the digital side over the long term.

 

The Numbers Don’t Lie: Gold’s Dominance in Early 2026

Gold’s dominance in early 2026 has been unmistakable. As of January 26, 2026, spot gold is trading roughly between $5,067 and $5,100 per ounce, up about 1.6 percent on the day and nearly 85 percent from a year ago. It recently pushed past $5,100 as investors rushed into safe assets driven by geopolitical flashpoints, a weaker U.S. dollar, and continued central bank accumulation. Analysts at firms such as J.P. Morgan are projecting average prices near $5,055 by the fourth quarter of 2026, with more aggressive scenarios reaching $5,400 or even $6,000 if uncertainty remains elevated.

 

This surge is being driven by familiar forces. Demand for safe havens has intensified amid global risks, including tensions involving Venezuela, Iran, and broader macroeconomic stress. Central banks continue to purchase gold at a strong pace, and expectations for lower interest rates are making non-yielding assets like gold more attractive relative to bonds and cash.

 

Major mining companies are capitalizing on these conditions. Newmont Corp., the world’s largest gold producer, is benefiting from its diversified operations and has seen its shares rise alongside record prices. Barrick Gold continues to deliver strong output from its core assets, while Agnico Eagle is expanding in politically stable jurisdictions. The emphasis these companies place on operational efficiency and ESG-conscious production has helped attract institutional capital, reinforcing gold’s reputation as a reliable hedge in uncertain times.

 

Bitcoin’s Rough Patch: Stagnation Amid the Rally

Bitcoin, meanwhile, is struggling to keep pace. It is trading in the $87,000 to $88,000 range, down from highs near $98,000 earlier this month and well below its 2025 peak. Year-to-date performance has been flat to negative at times, and the Bitcoin-to-gold ratio has fallen to roughly 17 to 18, meaning one Bitcoin now buys significantly fewer ounces of gold than it did previously. Recent outflows from crypto-focused ETFs have added pressure, and Bitcoin has failed to capture the same fear-driven momentum that is powering gold’s rally.

 

Several factors are weighing on sentiment. Regulatory uncertainty and ongoing energy concerns remain unresolved, while broader macro resets are pushing investors toward traditional safe havens first. At the same time, profit-taking by early Bitcoin holders has contributed to selling pressure during rallies.

 

On the mining side, companies such as Marathon Digital and Riot Platforms are facing margin pressure from higher energy costs and the effects of the most recent halving. Some firms, including CleanSpark, are attempting to adapt by shifting portions of their operations toward AI-related infrastructure. Institutional backing through products like BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETFs has helped establish a price floor, but so far it has not been enough to spark a sustained breakout.

 

Ty’s Take: Gold Feels Safe Now, But Bitcoin Is the Future I’m Betting On

I will be upfront: I am new to covering this beat, and the data clearly shows that gold has been the winner so far in 2026. Its thousands of years of history as a store of value, its lower volatility, and its tangible demand during periods of turmoil make it feel especially solid when headlines are filled with uncertainty. From my desk in Cincinnati, where many investors favor steady and familiar assets, gold’s rally makes complete sense. Mining stocks such as Newmont and Barrick look like attractive options for those seeking exposure without extreme swings.

 

But here is where my gut...and what I have learned through deeper research, come into play. Bitcoin is not failing; it is moving through a cyclical pullback while gold does what it has always done best during risk-off environments. Bitcoin’s fixed supply of 21 million coins, expanding adoption, and potential as borderless, programmable money position it as an evolution in how value is stored and transferred. Gold has history on its side, but Bitcoin brings innovation, including growing institutional participation, the possibility of clearer regulation under current leadership, and continued improvements in efficiency and infrastructure. Forecasts for Bitcoin range from relatively conservative targets of $120,000 to $170,000 by year end, with much higher outcomes possible if momentum returns.

 

As someone still learning this industry, I see gold winning the short-term fear trade, while Bitcoin leads the longer-term shift toward digital assets. For investors building wealth over the next decade, allocating to both can make sense: gold for near-term stability through miners or ETFs, and a heavier tilt toward Bitcoin or its broader ecosystem for long-term growth. The facts show gold shining today, but the future, in my view, remains digital.

 

The walls between Wall Street and the "Wild West" of digital assets just got a little thinner.

 

Charles Schwab, the stalwart of retail investing, has officially signaled its intent to join the spot crypto trading fray.

 

CEO Rick Wurster confirmed on Yahoo Finance’s Opening Bid podcast that Schwab plans to roll out spot Bitcoin and Ethereum trading within the next 12 months. The rollout will debut on their high-octane Thinkorswim platform before migrating to the standard Schwab.com and mobile interfaces.

 

The Strategy: Blue Chips Only

While platforms like Robinhood or Coinbase often lean into the viral chaos of "meme coins," Schwab is taking a predictably measured approach. Wurster made it clear that the firm isn't interested in the speculative frenzy of the latest Shiba Inu derivative.

 

"Those are areas we will leave to the side," Wurster stated, emphasizing that Schwab’s focus remains on "everyday investors" looking to integrate crypto into a diversified, long-term portfolio.

 

A Shifting Regulatory Tide

Schwab isn't acting in a vacuum. The move comes as the regulatory environment in Washington undergoes a massive vibe shift. Since the Trump administration took office, the SEC has pivoted from its previously aggressive "regulation by enforcement" stance.

 

With the swearing-in of the pro-crypto Paul Atkins as SEC Chair—replacing the crypto-skeptic Gary Gensler—lawsuits against major exchanges have been dropped, and restrictive accounting rules for banks holding crypto have been scrapped. Morgan Stanley is reportedly following a similar blueprint, with eyes on adding spot trading to E*Trade by 2026.

 

Ty’s Take: The View from the New Guy

As someone who is relatively new to the financial industry, watching this unfold feels like seeing a massive cruise ship finally decide to change course. For years, the "old guard" of finance treated crypto like a radioactive hobby. Now, they're laying out the red carpet.

 

My honest opinion? This is the "Adults in the Room" moment for crypto.

 

I think Schwab’s decision to avoid meme coins is a brilliant move for their brand. It tells their clients: "We aren't here to help you gamble; we're here to help you invest." For a guy like me, seeing these legacy institutions provide a regulated, familiar bridge to Bitcoin makes the space feel less like a casino and more like a legitimate asset class.

 

However, there’s a catch. Part of me wonders if Schwab is a little late to the party. By the time they launch, many retail investors may have already set up shop elsewhere. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my short time here, it’s that you never bet against the convenience of having all your money—stocks, bonds, and now crypto—under one roof.

 

The "crypto winter" is officially over, and the thaw is being led by the very people who once told us to stay away. It’s an exciting time to be entering the industry, even if it means I have a lot more homework to do on blockchain tech.

 

Bitcoin mining stocks are back in focus, and this time the rally is not just about the price of Bitcoin. A wave of corporate announcements from major industry players is giving investors a new narrative to work with, one centered on data centers, artificial intelligence, and long term infrastructure plays.

 

Two companies in particular, Riot Platforms and Galaxy Digital, helped spark renewed interest across the sector after unveiling ambitious plans tied to Texas based operations. The moves highlight how crypto miners are quietly reshaping themselves as broader digital infrastructure companies.

 

Mining Stocks Ride a New Momentum Wave

 

Mining equities tend to act like leveraged bets on Bitcoin, and recent price action has followed that familiar script. As Bitcoin pushed higher and held key levels, stocks tied to the mining ecosystem responded quickly. Names like Riot Platforms, Marathon Digital, CleanSpark, Hive Digital, and Bitfarms all saw renewed buying interest.

 

But this rally looks different from past cycles. Instead of focusing purely on hash rate growth or fleet upgrades, investors are paying closer attention to balance sheets, power access, and how miners are positioning themselves beyond block rewards. The sector is increasingly being viewed through the same lens as energy infrastructure and data center operators.

 

Riot’s AMD Deal Signals a Strategic Shift

Riot Platforms (Nasdaq: RIOT) delivered one of the more consequential announcements. The company revealed a long term lease agreement with AMD that will bring a significant data center tenant to Riot’s Rockdale, Texas site.

 

Under the deal, Riot will provide 25 megawatts of capacity to AMD under an initial 10 year contract worth at least $311 million with further extension options that could boost spending to $1 billion. Potentially scaling into the hundreds of megawatts if demand grows.

 

For Riot, the deal is about more than headline revenue. It is a signal to the market that its infrastructure has value beyond Bitcoin mining. The company owns large tracts of land, controls substantial power capacity, and now has proof that major technology firms are willing to commit capital to those assets.

 

Investors reacted accordingly. Riot shares moved higher, up more than 14% on Friday trading, following the announcement as markets began to reassess the company not just as a miner, but as a data center landlord with optionality tied to AI and high performance computing.

 

Galaxy Digital’s Texas Vision Goes Bigger

Galaxy Digital Holdings (Nasdaq: GLXY) is taking a similar path, but on a much larger scale. The company is pushing ahead with plans to transform its Helios site in Texas into one of the largest AI and high performance computing campuses in North America.

 

Originally built with Bitcoin mining in mind, the Helios campus is being reimagined as a multi gigawatt data center hub. Galaxy has lined up major financing, private investment, and long term leasing commitments from AI focused cloud providers to make the vision real.

 

If fully built out, the site could support several gigawatts of capacity and generate recurring revenue that dwarfs traditional mining income. For Galaxy, this represents a pivot away from the boom and bust nature of crypto markets toward something closer to a regulated infrastructure business.

 

The market response has been mixed but attentive. While Galaxy shares remain volatile, investors appear increasingly willing to assign value to the long term cash flow potential of the Helios project, Galaxy shares were up over 6% on the day to $34, following a 13% rally on Thursday. The stock is now up about 57% year-to-date.

 

A Broader Shift Across the Mining Sector

Taken together, the Riot and Galaxy announcements point to a broader transformation underway in crypto mining. Rising competition, higher network difficulty, and the effects of Bitcoin’s halving cycle are pushing miners to look for steadier revenue streams.

 

Access to cheap power and large scale land holdings are turning out to be valuable assets beyond mining. AI workloads, cloud computing, and enterprise data services are all competing for the same infrastructure that miners already operate.

 

For public market investors, this creates a new way to think about mining stocks. They are no longer just proxies for Bitcoin price action. In some cases, they are becoming hybrid plays on energy, data centers, and next generation computing.

 

Mining stocks in general are up significantly compared to other crypto-related public companies on Friday. IREN is up 12.8%, Cypher 8%, and MARA 6%, for example, while RIOT, leading the pack, is approaching a multi-year high.

 

The recent rally in mining stocks suggests markets are starting to price in these shifts. Bitcoin’s price still matters, but it is no longer the only story. Corporate strategy, infrastructure quality, and long term contracts are beginning to carry more weight.

 

If the trend continues, the next phase of the crypto mining industry may look less like a speculative arms race and more like a battle to become essential digital infrastructure providers. For now, investors appear willing to give the sector another look, especially when miners start acting a little more like data center companies and a little less like pure crypto bets.

 

Stay Connected

You can stay up to date on all News, Events, and Marketing of Rare Network, including Rare Evo: America’s Premier Blockchain Conference, happening  July 28th-31st, 2026 at The ARIA Resort & Casino, by following our socials on X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

X Is Turning Crypto Chatter Into Real-Time Price Signals with Smart Cashtags

 

 

X is getting ready to roll out something called Smart Cashtags, and while the feature sounds minor on the surface, it could change how people follow crypto markets day to day.

Cashtags are already familiar to anyone who spends time on crypto Twitter. Add a dollar sign in front of a ticker like $BTC or $ETH and the platform turns it into a clickable reference tied to ongoing conversations. It has always been useful for tracking sentiment, but not particularly helpful if you actually want to know what the market is doing in that moment.

Smart Cashtags are meant to fix that.

Instead of just linking to a stream of posts, the upgraded version will surface live prices, basic performance data, and charts directly in the feed. The idea is simple: if people are talking about a token, you should be able to see what it is doing without leaving the timeline.

For a platform where crypto narratives often move faster than prices themselves, that shift matters.

 

Turning the Feed Into a Market Snapshot

Crypto trading already lives on X. News breaks there. Narratives form there. Panic and euphoria show up there first. What has been missing is the data itself.

Smart Cashtags bring that data closer to the conversation.

The feature was announced by Nikita Bier, who is Head of Product at X, saying it will convert posts into live market data entry points.

When someone mentions a token using a cashtag, the platform will recognize the asset and display up to date pricing alongside the post. Tapping the tag is expected to open more context, recent price moves, charts, and related discussion, all in one place.

It reduces the constant app hopping that most traders know too well. Instead of checking a charting app, then jumping back to X to see what people are saying, everything shows up together.

Over time, that could subtly change how people consume market information. The feed becomes less of a rumor mill and more of a lightweight market view.

 

Why Crypto Traders Will Care

Crypto is unusually sensitive to social momentum. A token can start trending hours before volume shows up. A single viral post can spark a rally or accelerate a selloff.

Putting price data directly next to those conversations tightens that feedback loop.

A trader scrolling their timeline might see a surge in posts about a token at the same moment the price is breaking out. The same dynamic works in reverse during downturns. That kind of visibility favors speed and awareness, especially for retail traders who do not live inside professional trading dashboards.

It also lowers the barrier to entry. You do not need to know where to look or which tools to use. The information comes to you as part of the conversation.

That accessibility cuts both ways. More visibility can mean better context, but it can also amplify emotional reactions during volatile moments.

 

Not Just a Visual Upgrade

Smart Cashtags are not just about showing a price number.

One of the quieter improvements is accuracy. Crypto tickers can be messy. Different tokens share similar symbols, and some symbols overlap with stocks or other assets. Smart Cashtags are expected to better identify and map posts to the correct asset, reducing confusion and mislabeling.

That matters more as crypto bleeds into traditional finance, with tokenized assets, ETFs, and crossover tickers becoming more common.

This is also not X’s first step into market data. Earlier versions of cashtags already offered limited chart previews through external integrations. Those features felt bolted on. Smart Cashtags move the data front and center, making it part of the native experience instead of a side panel.

Embedding live prices into social feeds is not risk free.

If data is delayed or inaccurate, misinformation spreads faster. When price movements and social reactions are displayed together, markets can become more reflexive. Trends may accelerate, and herd behavior could become more pronounced, especially in smaller or thinner markets.

There is also the question of incentives. Once price data lives inside the feed, it opens the door to monetization, premium analytics, or trading integrations. None of that has been formally announced, but the direction is hard to ignore.

 

A Bigger Picture Play

Smart Cashtags fit neatly into X’s broader ambitions. The platform has been inching toward financial services, payments, and creator driven monetization for some time. Turning the feed into a place where financial data lives alongside conversation feels like a natural extension, and ultimately leads toward X becoming the everything app.

For crypto specifically, it reinforces X’s position as the main arena where narratives meet price action. It is not a trading terminal, but it does not need to be. Influence often matters more than precision.

 

The Bottom Line

Smart Cashtags may look like a small product update, but they point to something bigger.

By putting live crypto prices directly into the timeline, X is collapsing the distance between sentiment and market reality. For traders, builders, and casual observers alike, that could change how quickly ideas turn into action.

 

Whether it leads to better informed decisions or faster hype cycles will depend on how it is used. Either way, crypto conversations on X are about to feel a lot closer to the market itself.

 

Stay Connected

You can stay up to date on all News, Events, and Marketing of Rare Network, including Rare Evo: America’s Premier Blockchain Conference, happening  July 28th-31st, 2026 at The ARIA Resort & Casino, by following our socials on X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.