Why Bitcoin Is Currently Playing Hide and Seek With AI Stocks

According to the ever-astute Wintermute, it seems that AI stocks are not just making waves; they’re siphoning liquidity from good old crypto, leaving Bitcoin in a state of high drama-think Shakespearean tragedy with a side of volatility. While Bitcoin is stuck in a price discovery limbo, U.S. selling and ETF outflows are nipping at its heels like an overly enthusiastic puppy.

  • Wintermute has issued a clarion call about a mass exodus into AI assets, with U.S. counterparties and ETF redemptions causing Bitcoin to undergo structural selling akin to a stubborn child refusing to leave a playground.
  • With spot volumes as thin as a diet soda and leverage soaring like a hot air balloon on a sunny day, BTC’s recent swings can only be described as “surrender-style.” Apparently, $60,000 is the new psychological safety net for those brave enough to hold on for dear life.
  • If we’re hoping for any real recovery here, we’ll need to see a revival of spot demand, a positive Coinbase premium (which sounds more like a luxury car than an asset), and ETF flows stabilizing while Bitcoin flirts around $68,700. In the meantime, AI-linked tokens are showing about as much momentum as a sloth on a lazy afternoon.

So why has Bitcoin taken a nosedive? Well, liquidity is seeping away into the alluring world of AI trades, leaving our beloved crypto market precariously balancing on what can only be described as thinning ice. Someone pass the flotation devices!

The Macro Rotation and Wintermute’s Warning

Market maker Wintermute pointed out that Bitcoin “briefly fell to $60,000 last Monday, erasing all gains since Trump’s election,” which sounds like a particularly painful history lesson. Spot flows have revealed “significant structural pressure,” which in layman’s terms means, “stuff isn’t looking great.” They also noted that the “Coinbase premium has consistently been in a discount state… since last December,” indicating that U.S. sellers are feeling particularly generous-just not to Bitcoin.

– Wintermute (@wintermute_t) February 10, 2026

According to Wintermute, “over the past few months, AI-related assets have been continuously absorbing available market funds, crowding out the allocation space for other asset classes.” It’s like trying to fit a sofa through a door that’s just too narrow. Unless you’re a magician, it’s not happening.

High-Volatility Price Discovery

Last week’s escapades were reminiscent of a “surrender-style clearing,” with volatility hitting the roof and buying support emerging at $60,000, like a hero in a bad action movie. Wintermute observed that “in an environment where spot trading remains relatively low, leverage has become the dominant factor in price fluctuations.” So, if you thought you could rely on stability, think again; this rollercoaster has no brakes.

A “true structural recovery” now hinges on “a return of spot demand,” a positive Coinbase premium (again, what a luxury!), reversing ETF flows, and stabilizing basis, according to our friends at Wintermute. Until then, Bitcoin will continue its dramatic saga of high volatility and choppy price movements, dictated by institutional fund flows and retail distraction. It’s like watching a soap opera, but with more numbers and fewer commercial breaks.

If you’re interested in diving deeper into structural selling and ETF flows, ChainCatcher has some riveting analysis on Bitcoin slipping below key moving averages, BlackRock’s renewed transfers to Coinbase Prime, and Hyperscale Data’s growing BTC treasury holdings. Grab your popcorn!

Spot Benchmarks and AI-Crypto Pulse

As of this moment, Bitcoin is trading near $68,700, down less than 1% over the last 24 hours, on roughly $46B in volume, while the total market value hovers around $1.37T. Ethereum’s market cap stands at about $242B, with a hefty $28.6B changing hands in the last day. And if you’re wondering about AI-linked crypto, the Artificial Superintelligence Alliance’s FET token is currently sitting pretty at around $0.16, with about $39M in 24-hour volume.

Meanwhile, Render (RENDER) is flirting with $1.31, with a daily turnover of about $35.8M. Akash Network (AKT) is hovering near $0.32, boasting a market cap just under $92M and a 24-hour volume around $2.8M. SingularityNET (AGIX) is lingering near $0.07, on a modest volume of around $41K. It’s like a cryptocurrency party where everyone shows up but no one knows how to dance.

In conclusion, Wintermute’s bottom line is refreshingly blunt: “For crypto assets to outperform again, AI trading needs to cool down first.” Until that rotation reverses, Bitcoin’s next chapter will be written in volatility, not trend. Buckle up; it’s going to be a bumpy ride!

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2026-02-10 15:40