US$1.3T wiped out: AI stock collapse signals Bitcoin’s next leg down?

US$1.3T wiped out: AI stock collapse signals Bitcoin’s next leg down?

The cryptocurrency market currently exhibits profound signs of structural weakness as we navigate the middle of 2026. Bitcoin cycles have historically experienced massive drawdowns from their respective peaks. Previous bear markets routinely erased between 60 per cent and 80 per cent of the total market value. This specific cycle reached its absolute peak around the US$126,000 mark in October 2025.

Applying a standard 65 per cent drawdown to that peak places the potential bottom precisely in the US$44,100 range. We must look at the historical precedent to understand this trajectory. The 2017 peak experienced an 85 per cent decline. The 2021 peak suffered a 75 per cent correction. The data clearly points toward diminishing percentage drawdowns with each successive cycle. A 65 per cent drop fits perfectly within this established mathematical pattern and aligns with a much deeper correction than most retail participants currently anticipate.

I view Bitcoin fundamentally as a tech stock plus. The entire tech sector currently operates under the direct influence of the AI narrative. When the AI sector experiences a downturn, the entire tech complex follows suit. Consequently, Bitcoin will inevitably dip severely when the underlying tech leaders falter. We witnessed this exact correlation materialise in early June 2026 when AI memory chip stocks took a massive hit overnight. The sell-off began on June 5 and continued with extreme volatility tracking into the second week of June. This single session erased over US$1.3 trillion in market value from the semiconductor sector alone. The sheer scale of this capital destruction underscores the fragility of the current tech rally and its direct impact on digital asset pricing.

The initial trigger for this massive tech slump originated from Broadcom reporting its Q2 2026 earnings. The company revealed that its AI networking revenue missed analyst expectations. This disappointment occurred despite the revenue growing an impressive 143 per cent year over year.

The market reacted violently to this slight miss because investors had priced in absolute perfection. Major memory manufacturers subsequently experienced severe declines. SK Hynix dropped 7.5 per cent on June 10. Samsung Electronics fell 6.1 per cent on the exact same day. Micron Technology faced the most brutal punishment. The stock experienced extreme volatility and dropped roughly 17 per cent over just two sessions following the initial negative news. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index suffered a major single-session drop in many years. The index fell about 10 per cent in a single day, with analysts citing extreme valuation sensitivity and crowded trades as the primary reasons for the violent correction.

Tech stocks continued their downward slide into June 10 and June 11. Asian chip stocks and various AI memory names fell sharply as fears of a massive tech bubble intensified. We must understand why memory stocks took the heaviest punishment during this sell-off. Despite the extraordinarily high demand for AI High Bandwidth Memory, deep concerns emerged regarding a broader memory chip crisis.

Industry reports highlighted significant inventory buildups for legacy memory products. Investors also engaged in aggressive profit-taking. After an annual rally that pushed many memory stocks to unprecedented heights, market participants simply took the opportunity to lock in their massive gains. The combination of oversupply fears in legacy products and extreme profit taking created a perfect storm for the memory sector. Market participants recognise that legacy memory products face severe margin compression. This realisation forces institutional funds to reduce their exposure to the entire semiconductor complex. The resulting cascade of sell orders accelerates the downward price momentum across all related technology assets.

Some analysts maintain that the underlying demand fundamentals for artificial intelligence remain entirely robust despite this catastrophic sell-off. They point to continued high levels of infrastructure spending by major hyperscalers as evidence that the long-term thesis remains intact. The market cares more about immediate capital flows than long-term promises.

We also face a massive shift in capital allocation as big AI initial public offerings approach the market. SpaceX leads this upcoming wave of massive tech listings. This impending influx of new supply guarantees significant capital rotation from existing technology and crypto assets into these new public market opportunities. The market simply lacks the liquidity to sustain current valuations while simultaneously funding these massive new public debuts. Venture capitalists and retail investors alike will redirect their capital toward these fresh opportunities. This rotation ensures that existing digital assets and mature technology stocks will face persistent selling pressure throughout the remainder of the year. The liquidity drain will fundamentally alter the risk appetite across the entire financial ecosystem.

This macro tech weakness directly explains the current on-chain reality for Bitcoin. For the initial time in this specific cycle, more Bitcoin sits at an unrealised loss than in profit. The network currently holds roughly 10.5 million coins underwater against just 9.8 million coins in the green. This underwater crossover represents a critical technical inflexion point. Bitcoin currently tests its 200-week moving average near the US$61,300 level.

Every time this specific underwater crossover appeared in the past, the price landed deep in a bear market near a major cycle low. The community completely disagrees on the interpretation of this data. Some participants desperately believe a bottom forms right here. Others recognise the historical pattern and prepare for significantly more pain ahead. I look at all these converging data points and see a very clear picture.

The evidence overwhelmingly points away from a simple bottom formation. The market structure indicates we have much more downside to explore before reaching a true generational buying opportunity. We must respect the historical data and prepare for a prolonged period of capital destruction.

Source:
 

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”.

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Why US$60K is the most important number in crypto right now

Why US$60K is the most important number in crypto right now

Bitcoin gained 2.62 per cent to reach US$63,048.16 over a 24-hour period. This price action closely tracks a 2.51 per cent rise in the total crypto market capitalisation. The entire digital asset market simply rebounds from multi-week lows. The Fear and Greed Index currently sits at an extreme fear reading of 15.

This metric confirms that broad market sentiment dictates the price action rather than any catalyst specific to Bitcoin. The broader market still remains down over 12 per cent for the week. We witness a relief rally operating within a larger downtrend. Participants must watch for sustained growth in market capitalisation above US$2.2 trillion to confirm a genuine shift away from bearish momentum. We must look past these temporary fluctuations and focus on the underlying network fundamentals.

Derivatives activity provides the mechanical explanation for this sudden upward push. Bitcoin open interest rose five per cent in the last 24 hours. This metric indicates fresh capital entering leveraged positions. Concurrently, liquidations totaled US$108.03 million. This figure represents a 19.41 per cent increase from the prior day. These numbers point directly to a squeeze of highly leveraged short positions during the upward move.

The price rise was significantly amplified by forced buying as the market liquidated these shorts. Traders should monitor the average funding rate for a flip from negative to positive. Such a shift would signal growing bullish leverage and confirm the strength of this derivatives-fueled bounce. I always treat these leveraged squeezes as speculative gambling where the odds temporarily favour the bulls. The underlying trend requires much more than a short squeeze to reverse.

Institutional flow data presents a more fragile picture of the current market structure. ETF assets under management experienced slight outflows. The total dropped from US$105.32 billion last week to US$102.05 billion currently. This capital withdrawal contradicts the retail frenzy we see in the derivatives market. The immediate technical path hinges entirely on holding the US$62,000 support level. A successful defence of this floor could propel the price toward the US$65,000 resistance zone.

The market needs a daily close above US$64,500 to signal stronger bullish conviction. Without this conviction, the asset risks falling back into the US$60,000 to US$64,000 consolidation range. The trend appears to be stabilising right now, but it remains highly vulnerable amid a multi-week decline. I monitor these ETF flows closely because they reveal the true appetite of traditional finance amid macroeconomic uncertainty. Smart money moves cautiously before major economic announcements, and this behaviour perfectly illustrates that approach.

We cannot analyse these crypto movements in a vacuum because traditional macroeconomic forces dictate global liquidity. The tape repriced everything on Friday when the May jobs report came in hot and wages firmed. This data landed on a market already nervous about inflation.

The last Consumer Price Index print stayed uncomfortably high in annual terms. Producer Price Index readings remain warm, and the current tariff regime continues feeding into prices. A strong labour market and sticky inflation lead to only one conclusion. The Federal Reserve possesses no room to cut rates and has a real reason to maintain a hard stance. The market performed the mathematics in real time. Market participants pulled forward rate-hike expectations, the 10-year yield jumped toward 4.71 per cent, and the US$ broke higher. Gold and equities subsequently took the hit. This environment highlights the inherent flaws in centralised monetary policy. Policymakers react to past data instead of anticipating future realities, creating endless cycles of boom and bust.

This inflation reckoning arrives right before the first Federal Open Market Committee meeting for the new leadership. Markets trade the May data through the lens of Kevin Warsh. He serves as the 17th Chair of the Federal Reserve and took the oath on May 22. Jerome Powell remains a voting Governor. Warsh will preside over his first meeting from June 16 to 17.

The market already decided what it expects from this transition. With a hot labour market, sticky inflation, and tariffs still in the system, a new Chair who built his reputation as an inflation hawk has every incentive to come out hard. He needs to establish credibility from day one. This logic drives the current repricing of rate hikes. A hot Consumer Price Index print hands Warsh the cover to sound hawkish and keeps the USD bid. A soft reading provides the only thing that can take the edge off this move. We will see exactly what kind of leader he truly is very soon.

This macroeconomic tightening also accelerates the push toward decentralised alternatives. As central banks tighten their grip to fight inflation, they simultaneously accelerate the development of Central Bank Digital Currencies. I view these retail digital currencies as ultimate surveillance tools and mechanisms of control. They represent the exact opposite of the financial freedom that Bitcoin provides. When traditional institutions restrict liquidity and monitor every transaction, the value proposition of a permissionless network becomes undeniable. The current inflationary environment forces policymakers into a corner. They must choose between crushing the economy with high rates or allowing inflation to erode the currency.

This dilemma drives visionary individuals and institutions toward assets that operate outside their direct control. The resilience of the Bitcoin network during these periods of extreme monetary tightening proves its viability as a sovereign store of value. People increasingly recognise that true ownership requires absolute independence from government interference and centralised banking systems.

The underlying architecture of Bitcoin demonstrates remarkable structural integrity despite this overwhelming macroeconomic pressure. The psychological floor of this market reveals itself in the order book dynamics. Bid density increases significantly by 42 per cent as the price approaches the US$60,000 threshold. This metric correlates perfectly with the Glassnode Production Cost Metric and the Miner Shutdown Price. Staying above US$60,000 is the mission now.

 

Source: https://e27.co/why-us60k-is-the-most-important-number-in-crypto-right-now-20260608/

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”.

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The crypto liquidation spiral threatening another extended leg down to US$2.0T

The crypto liquidation spiral threatening another extended leg down to US$2.0T

A massive liquidation cascade served as the primary driver of this sell-off, which effectively erased over US$370 million in leveraged Bitcoin positions. The sheer scale of these forced liquidations created a self-reinforcing downward spiral that amplified what might have otherwise been a routine risk-off market movement.

The average funding rate consequently flipped negative to -0.00051929, a clear sign that traders are actively paying premiums to sustain short positions. High system leverage effectively acted as fuel for the fire, converting a moderate market pullback into a brutal plunge as over-leveraged long positions rapidly unwound.

This localised crypto turmoil is unfolding against a much broader backdrop of international market instability and escalating geopolitical friction. A strong 93 per cent correlation with the S&P 500 confirms that digital assets are heavily tied to broader macroeconomic shifts rather than trading in isolation. Wall Street recently saw its own historic momentum grind to a sudden halt when the S&P 500 posted its first losing session in nine days.

The index had surged nearly 20 per cent over the preceding nine weeks, an exceptional run that market commentators noted was strong enough to make even the most optimistic investors blush. This defensive pivot across global markets stems from rising oil prices and climbing Treasury yields, both of which are reacting directly to a severe military escalation between the United States and Iran.

The sudden return of energy-shock fears has promptly revived stubborn inflation worries, forcing bond markets to price in a 77 per cent probability that the Federal Reserve will hold its benchmark interest rate unchanged in December, within a range of 3.5 per cent to 3.75 per cent.

Also Read:

The tech record vs crypto crash: Why the liquidity roadmap just split in two

The tech record vs crypto crash: Why the liquidity roadmap just split in two

The geopolitical situation in the Persian Gulf deteriorated rapidly following a series of highly volatile military exchanges. Iran launched targeted missile and drone attacks directed at Kuwait and Bahrain, with one drone directly striking the passenger terminal at Kuwait International Airport and causing one confirmed fatality. In immediate retaliation, the United States military conducted airstrikes against an Iranian military ground control station situated on Qeshm Island in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The confrontation escalated further when American forces deployed a Hellfire missile to target and disable the engine room of an oil tanker that was actively bound for Iran’s Kharg Island. Donald Trump publicly suggested that a diplomatic resolution could still come together fairly quickly, although he simultaneously acknowledged that the current maritime blockade of Iran could easily drag past Labor Day.

This intensifying friction has prompted prominent financial figures to evaluate broader systemic risks, with Goldman Sachs Chief Executive Officer David Solomon noting that markets are currently exhibiting far more greed than fear, supported by ample liquidity that continues to feed massive capital raises like the upcoming SpaceX initial public offering and the recent Alphabet capital raise.

Despite this abundant liquidity, traditional financial markets are showing clear signs of exhaustion alongside digital assets. Commodities closed sharply lower across the board, led by a 5.3 per cent drop in palladium, a 3.1 per cent decline in silver, a 2.9 per cent fall in copper, and a 1.1 per cent slide in gold. Bitcoin faced prolonged selling pressure, dropping an additional 1.7 per cent to hover around US$65,500, bringing its total losses over a three-session span to 11 per cent.

Meanwhile, structural milestones continue to reshape traditional finance, as the Vanguard ETF tracking the S&P 500 officially became the first fund of its kind to amass US$1 trillion in total assets. This massive accumulation of traditional capital contrasts sharply with the recent defensive posture of digital asset investors, who are grappling with structural and institutional headwinds.

Beyond the immediate liquidation crisis, digital assets face significant structural hurdles posed by both regulatory developments and shifting corporate landscapes. Reports indicating that major payment networks like Stripe, Visa, and Mastercard are actively developing their own native stablecoin platforms have triggered widespread anxiety regarding intense competition for industry incumbents.

Also Read:

Crypto and equities slide as geopolitical and macro pressures mount

Crypto and equities slide as geopolitical and macro pressures mount

This looming corporate threat severely affected sentiment, causing Circle’s tokenised stock to plunge by more than 10 per cent on June 3. This corporate pressure coincides with a notable cooling of Wall Street enthusiasm for digital assets, evidenced by 12 consecutive days of net outflows from United States spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds. Institutional caution is growing as market participants realise that impending regulatory shifts and mainstream corporate entries will inevitably create clear winners and losers, threatening established crypto business models.

The near-term trajectory for digital assets remains highly dependent on critical upcoming economic indicators and key technical thresholds. Global markets are focusing intensely on the impending release of United States employment data scheduled for June 6, as a surprisingly robust jobs report would likely validate a hawkish Federal Reserve stance and place additional pressure on speculative risk assets.

From a purely technical perspective, the total cryptocurrency market capitalisation is currently undergoing a vital test of its core support structure at the yearly low of US$2.17 trillion. Maintaining a position above this critical threshold could lay the groundwork for a temporary stabilisation or a short-term relief rally. A decisive daily close below US$2.17 trillion on accelerating volume would effectively validate the current bearish momentum, potentially exposing the market to an extended decline toward the psychologically important US$2.0 trillion zone.

Given the potent mix of forced spot selling, institutional retreat, and geopolitical escalation, the path of least resistance appears tilted toward continued downside risk until macroeconomic conditions stabilise.

Source:
 

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”.

j j j