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Chloe (@ChloeTalk1), a columnist for HTX DeepThink and researcher at HTX Research, analyzes that the current macro framework for the crypto market has shifted from “liquidity trades awaiting rate cuts” to a constraining environment characterized by “higher-for-longer interest rates + sticky inflation + war-related shocks.” According to the latest Reuters survey, most economists have pushed back their expectations for rate cuts to after September, with nearly one-third believing no cuts will occur this year. The primary reason is that the Middle East conflict has driven up energy prices, pushing inflation trajectories higher once again and thereby constraining the Federal Reserve’s policy space. This shift directly undermines the two key narratives previously supporting crypto assets: expectations of liquidity easing and a declining interest-rate path. Elevated oil prices, coupled with consecutive upward revisions to PCE inflation expectations, increase the likelihood that interest rates will remain high—or even extend their elevated period—leading to a higher discount rate and shrinking risk budgets. As a result, marginal capital inflows into the crypto market are diminishing, and high-volatility assets broadly face mounting pressure.
According to CoinDesk, against the backdrop of the ongoing U.S.-Iran geopolitical conflict—now lasting approximately six weeks—the Bitcoin market is clearly bifurcating into two camps: “passive buyers,” represented by Strategy and spot ETFs, continue accumulating BTC, while whales, mining companies, and certain sovereign holders are shifting toward selling. The selling pressure is evident: whale addresses holding 1,000–10,000 BTC have shifted from net buying to substantial net selling, with their year-to-date holdings changing from roughly +200,000 BTC to –188,000 BTC; publicly listed mining firms, under mounting cost pressures, have also concentrated their selling—offloading over 19,000 BTC in a single week. Additionally, sovereign holders such as Bhutan have sold approximately 70% of their Bitcoin reserves since October 2024. Analysis suggests that although market sentiment briefly plunged into the “extreme fear” zone, Bitcoin’s price has remained range-bound between $65,000 and $73,000, indicating that this “floor” is primarily propped up by a narrow base of institutional buying. Currently, the buyer base continues to contract, and the market’s next directional move will hinge on whether institutional inflows can sustain momentum and break through key resistance levels.