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Crypto market surges to US$2.38T as Middle East tensions ease: What comes next

Crypto market surges to US$2.38T as Middle East tensions ease: What comes next

The crypto market’s 1.65 per cent climb to US$2.38 trillion over the last 24 hours represents more than a simple bounce. This movement signals a market increasingly attuned to macro liquidity shifts and geopolitical risk premiums. The strong correlation figures, 77 per cent with the S&P 500 and 72 per cent with Gold, confirm that digital assets now move within a broader financial ecosystem. This is not isolation. This is integration.

My perspective has long been that crypto’s maturation would be measured by its sensitivity to traditional macro drivers, and today’s action validates that thesis. The relief rally triggered by easing tensions in the Middle East did not occur in a vacuum. It reflected a rapid recalibration of capital flows away from inflation hedges and toward growth-oriented risk assets.

The primary catalyst remains the sharp retreat in oil prices, which fell 30 per cent from recent highs following direct intervention from US President Donald Trump. His warning that Iran would face consequences twenty times harder if it blocked the Strait of Hormuz altered the risk calculus for energy markets. This shock reduced a key input to inflation, thereby boosting sentiment across equities and crypto simultaneously.

The capital rotation out of oil and into perceived growth assets like digital tokens demonstrates crypto’s evolving role as a liquidity barometer. I view this as evidence that the market is pricing in geopolitical risk with increasing sophistication. This sensitivity cuts both ways. A renewed spike in oil could just as quickly reverse today’s gains, underscoring the fragile nature of relief-driven rallies.

Beyond the macro catalyst, the rally displayed impressive breadth through sector rotation and institutional participation. The Gaming Guild narrative led the charge with its market cap surging 8.7 per cent. This move coincided with a 12.5 per cent weekly rise in the Altcoin Season Index, signalling a rotation into higher-beta assets.

Such behaviour indicates that the speculative appetite is returning, but now coupled with institutional conviction. Spot Bitcoin ETFs saw renewed inflows, highlighted by Strategy’s major US$1.28 billion purchase. This combination of retail speculation and institutional accumulation creates a more durable foundation for price appreciation. This duality represents the market’s healthy evolution, in which the motives of diverse participants converge to create momentum.

The technical landscape provides clear levels to monitor to confirm this rally’s sustainability. The total crypto market cap faces immediate resistance at the 23.6 per cent Fibonacci retracement level of US$2.4 trillion. For Bitcoin, a decisive reclaim of the US$72,000 level remains crucial. Failure to hold above these thresholds could trigger a retest of support near US$2.33 trillion. These technical markers matter because they reflect the collective psychology of market participants. I have always maintained that technical analysis in crypto is not about predicting the future but about understanding the present balance of fear and greed. The current Fear Index reading of 25 suggests sentiment remains cautious despite the price advance, which often precedes further upside if momentum builds.

Regulatory developments present the most significant near-term catalyst. The US Senate’s discussion of a major crypto market bill on March 11 at 2:30 PM ET could provide the clarity needed for the next leg higher. I have consistently argued that regulatory uncertainty remains the largest overhang on crypto valuations in traditional financial jurisdictions.

A positive signal from this discussion could unlock substantial institutional capital currently waiting on the sidelines. Any hint of restrictive language could dampen the relief rally’s momentum. This binary outcome underscores why I emphasise monitoring policy developments alongside technical and macro factors. The market’s reaction tomorrow will reveal whether participants view regulation as a catalyst for growth or a constraint on innovation.

Global market context further illuminates the crypto move. US equity markets finished a volatile session mostly lower, with the S&P 500 falling 0.21 per cent to close at 6,781.48. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 34.29 points to end at 47,706.51, while the Nasdaq Composite managed a marginal gain of 0.01 per cent to close at 22,697.10. This divergence between crypto’s advance and equity’s retreat highlights the unique drivers of digital assets.

Meanwhile, Asia-Pacific markets are poised for a stronger open, with equity futures for Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Sydney pointing to modest gains. In Australia, the latest Westpac Card Tracker data shows moderating momentum in domestic spending at 0.7 per cent quarter over quarter, compared to stronger international transactions at 5.1 per cent quarter over quarter. Europe faced a sharp sell-off earlier in the week, driven by the energy crisis and weak German industrial orders, which fell 11.1 per cent in January. This global patchwork of performance reinforces my view that crypto increasingly serves as a barometer for cross-border capital flows rather than any single regional economy.

Looking ahead, several data points will shape the market’s trajectory. The US Consumer Price Index for February is due at 8:30 AM ET, with economists anticipating a headline rise of 2.4 per cent year over year. This inflation reading could influence expectations for Federal Reserve policy and, by extension, liquidity conditions for risk assets.

Additionally, the EIA Petroleum Status Report will provide further clarity on crude oil inventories following reports of potential emergency reserve releases. On the corporate front, Oracle Corp shares jumped eight per cent in after-market trading Tuesday following a revenue beat, which may support tech sentiment today. I consider these traditional market signals essential for interpreting crypto’s next moves because the lines between digital and traditional finance continue to blur.

My conclusion remains cautiously optimistic. Today’s rally was a classic relief move, fuelled by receding geopolitical fears and amplified by sector rotation and institutional flows. The fact that sentiment remains in Fear territory with an index reading of 25 suggests the bounce has room to run if catalysts align. I never confuse short-term momentum with long-term conviction.

The near-term trajectory could pivot on tomorrow’s Senate discussion. Will it provide the regulatory clarity needed for the next leg up? Or will it reinforce the uncertainty that has capped crypto’s integration into traditional portfolios? I believe the answer will determine whether this relief rally evolves into a sustained trend or fades as quickly as it appeared. 

 

Source: https://e27.co/crypto-market-surges-to-us2-38t-as-middle-east-tensions-ease-what-comes-next-20260311/

Anndy Lian is an early blockchain adopter and experienced serial entrepreneur who is known for his work in the government sector. He is a best selling book author- “NFT: From Zero to Hero” and “Blockchain Revolution 2030”.

Currently, he is appointed as the Chief Digital Advisor at Mongolia Productivity Organization, championing national digitization. Prior to his current appointments, he was the Chairman of BigONE Exchange, a global top 30 ranked crypto spot exchange and was also the Advisory Board Member for Hyundai DAC, the blockchain arm of South Korea’s largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group. Lian played a pivotal role as the Blockchain Advisor for Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region.

An avid supporter of incubating start-ups, Anndy has also been a private investor for the past eight years. With a growth investment mindset, Anndy strategically demonstrates this in the companies he chooses to be involved with. He believes that what he is doing through blockchain technology currently will revolutionise and redefine traditional businesses. He also believes that the blockchain industry has to be “redecentralised”.

www.anndy.com
j j j

Bitcoin short squeeze wipes out US$400M in 24 hours: What comes next

Bitcoin short squeeze wipes out US$400M in 24 hours: What comes next

Bitcoin’s sharp rebound did more than reclaim lost ground. It triggered a broad crypto short squeeze that wiped out roughly US$400 million of bearish futures bets in a single day. This move reflects a market driven less by fresh fundamentals and more by crowded positioning, negative funding, and thin liquidity that amplified a relatively modest spot bid. The rally itself was a technical bounce driven by extreme fear and heavy short positioning, rather than a clear new macro catalyst. That distinction matters because it shapes how we interpret the next leg of price action.

The scale of the liquidation event underscores the fragility that had built up. One report estimates that over US$400 million in crypto shorts were liquidated in 24 hours, out of about US$463 million in total liquidations. Bitcoin led the charge, bouncing from the low US$60,000s to near US$69,000. Ethereum gained around 12 per cent while Solana advanced nearly 14 per cent in the same window. The broader market added about six per cent to seven per cent in a day. That liquidation tally included roughly US$200 million in Bitcoin shorts, US$153 million in Ethereum, and around US$22 million in Solana shorts across major derivatives venues. This forced buying from short sellers covering positions created a powerful feedback loop that pushed prices higher with remarkable speed.

Positioning had become dangerously one-sided in the weeks leading up to the rebound. Persistent outflows from Bitcoin products and fresh inflows into short Bitcoin vehicles showed investors had leaned bearish via derivatives and ETPs. Derivatives data revealed negative funding rates and liquidity skewed toward upside liquidations. One study highlighted roughly US$3.5 billion of shorts vulnerable if Bitcoin revisited US$70,000, versus about US$1 billion of longs at risk near US$63,000. That imbalance created an upside liquidity magnet for the price. Analysts characterised the rally as a technical bounce driven by extreme fear, heavy short positioning, and thin liquidity, rather than a clear new macro or fundamental catalyst. This dynamic rewards those who monitor funding rates and open interest as leading indicators of potential volatility.

The crypto move did not occur in isolation. Traditional markets provided a supportive backdrop. NVIDIA shares rose in extended trading after forecasting first-quarter revenue of US$76.4 billion to US$79.6 billion, significantly exceeding the US$72.8 billion analyst consensus. In the previous session, the S&P 500 reclaimed the 6,900 level, closing at 6,946.13 with a gain of 0.81 per cent. The Nasdaq Composite surged 1.26 per cent to end at 23,152.08. The US 10-year Treasury yield edged up slightly to 4.05 per cent. Markets remain focused on a 98 per cent probability that the Federal Reserve will hold interest rates steady at its March 18 meeting. Spot gold rose to US$5,186.22 per ounce, continuing its bullish trend amidst geopolitical tensions and trade uncertainty. Crude oil traded near US$65.68 a barrel as traders balanced high US inventories against potential sanctions on Iran. These cross-asset moves helped stabilise risk sentiment just as crypto derivatives were primed for a squeeze.

Regional developments added further nuance. The SET Index in Thailand rose 1.72 per cent following an unexpected 25-basis-point rate cut by the Bank of Thailand to 1.0 per cent. The South Korean won eased to approximately 1,446 per dollar as investors grew cautious ahead of the Bank of Korea’s policy meeting on February 26, where rates are expected to hold steady at 2.50 per cent. Corporate results are also filtered through. Karoon Energy reported 2025 sales revenue of US$628.6 million, noting headwinds from lower oil prices despite solid production. Integrated Research saw its shares fall 6.25 per cent following a challenging first-half fiscal report. These regional and corporate signals remind us that crypto does not trade in a vacuum. Global capital flows and risk appetite shift in tandem across asset classes and geographies.

After the squeeze, Bitcoin futures open interest slipped from over 240,000 BTC to around 235,000 BTC while funding remained slightly negative. This suggests leverage was reduced, but the market has not fully flipped to aggressive longs. Option flows also matter. Around 115,000 BTC options, notionally worth several billion dollars, are set to expire at the end of the month. Positioning around max pain levels will likely influence short-term price paths. Key technical levels many traders watch are resistance zones near US$70,000 to US$72,000 and support in the low US$60,000s, where prior selling exhausted and buyers stepped in. These levels frame the battlefield for the next move.

For informed observers, this means we are in a positioning reset phase. If shorts rebuild near resistance, another squeeze remains possible. If longs crowd in and funding flips strongly positive, the next move could be a sharp pullback instead. The market now trades in a broad range with significant options and derivatives overhang. Volatility can stay elevated as participants navigate this delicate balance. I watch funding rates, open interest trends, and price behaviour around the US$70,000 to US$72,000 band as critical signals. The upcoming options expiry adds another layer of complexity that could amplify moves in either direction.

Those who focus on positioning data rather than headlines will be better equipped to navigate what comes next. In a market where technicals and leverage often overshadow fundamentals, disciplined analysis of derivatives flows remains the most reliable compass.

 
 

Anndy Lian is an early blockchain adopter and experienced serial entrepreneur who is known for his work in the government sector. He is a best selling book author- “NFT: From Zero to Hero” and “Blockchain Revolution 2030”.

Currently, he is appointed as the Chief Digital Advisor at Mongolia Productivity Organization, championing national digitization. Prior to his current appointments, he was the Chairman of BigONE Exchange, a global top 30 ranked crypto spot exchange and was also the Advisory Board Member for Hyundai DAC, the blockchain arm of South Korea’s largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group. Lian played a pivotal role as the Blockchain Advisor for Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region.

An avid supporter of incubating start-ups, Anndy has also been a private investor for the past eight years. With a growth investment mindset, Anndy strategically demonstrates this in the companies he chooses to be involved with. He believes that what he is doing through blockchain technology currently will revolutionise and redefine traditional businesses. He also believes that the blockchain industry has to be “redecentralised”.

www.anndy.com
j j j

Gold hits US$5K and crypto bleeds: What comes next?

Gold hits US$5K and crypto bleeds: What comes next?

As global markets opened for trading on Monday, January 26, investors found themselves navigating a landscape shaped by escalating geopolitical friction, shifting monetary expectations, and a historic surge in gold prices that eclipsed the psychological US$5,000 per ounce threshold. The confluence of these forces has created a volatile yet revealing moment in financial history. This moment reflects not only immediate market reactions but also deeper structural anxieties about the stability of traditional financial systems, the role of safe-haven assets, and the fragile confidence underpinning both equities and digital assets.

Gold’s ascent to over US$5,000 an ounce marks more than just a new record. It signals a profound loss of faith in fiat stability and institutional safeguards. This rally did not emerge in isolation. It unfolded against a backdrop of weakening US dollar sentiment, driven by fears of Japanese intervention in currency markets and renewed speculation about potential US tariffs targeting Greenland. A move that, while seemingly niche, underscores the broader trend of economic nationalism and strategic resource competition. In such an environment, capital naturally seeks refuge.

Gold, with its millennia-long reputation as a store of value, becomes the default destination when trust in policy predictability erodes. The strength of gold-related equities in Hong Kong, which helped propel the Hang Seng Index to its fourth consecutive gain, further illustrates how this flight to safety is translating into real portfolio allocations across Asia.

Meanwhile, US stock futures pointed lower at the open, reflecting investor caution ahead of a critical earnings week. The tech sector, long the engine of market returns, now stands at a crossroads. Microsoft, Meta, Tesla, and Apple are all scheduled to report results, and their performance will likely dictate whether the Nasdaq can sustain its narrow 0.28 per cent gain from Friday, January 23, when it closed at 23,501.24. That modest advance stood in stark contrast to the broader market malaise. The S&P 500 barely held onto a 0.03 per cent rise to finish at 6,915.61, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 285.30 points, or 0.58 per cent, to 49,098.71, dragged down by a nearly 4 per cent drop in Goldman Sachs. These divergences suggest growing selectivity among investors, who are increasingly unwilling to reward broad market exposure without clear earnings justification, especially in a climate where macro risks loom large.

In Asia, policymakers are responding with strategic moves aimed at reinforcing regional financial autonomy. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s decision to double the size of its RMB Business Facility to RMB200 billion (US$28 billion) is a deliberate step toward deepening offshore renminbi liquidity and reducing reliance on the US dollar in trade and settlement. This aligns with China’s long-term goal of internationalising its currency, particularly as geopolitical tensions incentivise alternative financial architectures. Meanwhile, Singapore’s central bank is expected to hold its monetary policy steady, reflecting a more cautious stance in a region where inflation dynamics remain manageable but external shocks could quickly alter the calculus.

The cryptocurrency market, however, tells a different story, one of fragility and systemic vulnerability. Over the past 24 hours, the total crypto market cap fell by 1.9 per cent, extending a seven-day decline of 6.94 per cent. Despite retaining a modest 0.63 per cent gain for the month, the recent slide reveals how quickly sentiment can turn when trust is breached.

Two major security incidents acted as catalysts. In South Korea, prosecutors confirmed a phishing attack led to staggering losses of seized Bitcoin, while in the US, 40 million dollars worth of crypto was stolen from government-controlled addresses. These were not random hacks. They targeted institutions entrusted with custody of digital assets, raising urgent questions about the adequacy of current safeguards. When even state-held crypto proves vulnerable, retail and institutional participants alike reassess their exposure.

This erosion of confidence triggered a cascade of forced selling. In just 24 hours, 145 million dollars in Bitcoin long positions were liquidated, a staggering 4,829 per cent increase from baseline levels, with longs accounting for 98 per cent of all liquidations. Simultaneously, open interest in Bitcoin derivatives rose by 14 per cent, indicating that traders had piled into leveraged bets just before the downturn. The result was a classic deleveraging spiral.

As prices dipped below key technical supports, margin calls triggered automated sell-offs, which pushed prices lower, triggering more liquidations. Funding rates have turned slightly negative at minus 0.001 per cent, suggesting that short-term sentiment has shifted bearish, though not yet into panic territory. Still, the speed and scale of the unwind reveal how thin the line remains between orderly correction and disorderly collapse in highly leveraged crypto markets.

From my view, these developments underscore a pivotal tension in today’s financial ecosystem. There is a growing divergence between traditional safe-haven behaviour and the still-unproven resilience of digital alternatives. Gold’s record high reflects centuries of accumulated trust, while crypto’s sharp pullback exposes its continued dependence on speculative leverage and institutional credibility, both of which remain works in progress. The thefts from government-held wallets are particularly damning because they strike at the very premise that regulated custody can mitigate risk. If even federal agencies cannot secure digital assets, what hope do exchanges or self-custody solutions offer to the average investor?

Moreover, the timing could not be more consequential. With the US Senate set to discuss a new crypto bill this week, regulators now face immense pressure to respond, not just with rhetoric, but with concrete frameworks that address custody standards, transparency, and systemic risk. A reactive crackdown could deepen the selloff, while a measured, innovation-friendly approach might restore some confidence. But given the current mood, shaped by both geopolitical uncertainty and market fragility, any misstep could accelerate capital flight from digital assets toward time-tested stores of value.

Today may be remembered not just for gold’s historic milestone, but as a stress test for the entire architecture of modern finance. Traditional markets are grappling with slowing momentum and earnings uncertainty. Asian economies are quietly building parallel financial rails. The crypto sector is confronting its Achilles’ heel, the gap between technological promise and operational reality. For investors, the path forward demands discernment. Blind faith in either legacy systems or decentralised ideals is no longer tenable. Instead, survival and profit will belong to those who can navigate this hybrid landscape with eyes wide open, recognising that true resilience lies not in ideology, but in adaptability.

 

Source: https://e27.co/gold-hits-us5k-and-crypto-bleeds-what-comes-next-20260126/

Anndy Lian is an early blockchain adopter and experienced serial entrepreneur who is known for his work in the government sector. He is a best selling book author- “NFT: From Zero to Hero” and “Blockchain Revolution 2030”.

Currently, he is appointed as the Chief Digital Advisor at Mongolia Productivity Organization, championing national digitization. Prior to his current appointments, he was the Chairman of BigONE Exchange, a global top 30 ranked crypto spot exchange and was also the Advisory Board Member for Hyundai DAC, the blockchain arm of South Korea’s largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group. Lian played a pivotal role as the Blockchain Advisor for Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an intergovernmental organization committed to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region.

An avid supporter of incubating start-ups, Anndy has also been a private investor for the past eight years. With a growth investment mindset, Anndy strategically demonstrates this in the companies he chooses to be involved with. He believes that what he is doing through blockchain technology currently will revolutionise and redefine traditional businesses. He also believes that the blockchain industry has to be “redecentralised”.

www.anndy.com
j j j