Crypto News Today: Digital Assets Lag as Gold Hits Records, U.S. Stocks Rally

The cryptocurrency market is displaying mixed signals as major asset classes move in different directions. While digital currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum are posting modest gains, precious metals and U.S. equities are commanding investor attention with stronger performance. The latest crypto news today highlights a market where risk appetite is diversifying away from pure digital assets, creating both challenges and opportunities for the sector.

Precious Metals Rally While Cryptocurrencies Struggle to Keep Pace

Gold and silver are stealing the spotlight from cryptocurrency markets, with both metals reaching fresh record highs. Gold surged approximately 2% to break through $4,475 per ounce, while silver advanced 1.6% to touch below $70 per ounce for the first time. Meanwhile, major U.S. indices are also advancing, with the Nasdaq and S&P 500 each up roughly 0.6%, demonstrating broad strength across traditional risk assets.

Bitcoin has experienced pullback pressure in this environment, retreating from highs above $90,000 to trade near $70.90K with a 24-hour gain of approximately 3.89%. Ethereum posted a 4.84% daily increase, Solana advanced 5.72%, and XRP gained 3.60% over the same period. Despite posting positive returns, these major cryptocurrencies have underperformed compared to the momentum in precious metals and equity markets, reflecting a temporary shift in investor allocation preferences.

AI Mining Stocks Surge Amid Infrastructure Boom

While traditional cryptocurrency prices remain subdued, digital asset-related equity securities are showing considerably more strength. Bitcoin miners that have diversified into artificial intelligence infrastructure and high-performance computing represent the day’s most dynamic performers. The sector received additional tailwinds when Alphabet announced a $4.75 billion acquisition of AI infrastructure specialist Intersect, aiming to accelerate data center capacity deployment and energy development.

Mining-focused equities led the advance, with Hut 8 surging 17.5%, while companies like IREN, Cipher Mining, and Bitfarms posted 5%-10% gains. In the broader digital asset sector, Circle, Coinbase, Bullish, and Galaxy Digital each advanced between 2%-4%, with Strategy (the Bitcoin treasury bellwether) up just 0.3%. These equity valuations suggest that investors see meaningful opportunity in companies bridging cryptocurrency operations with artificial intelligence infrastructure development.

Analyst View: When Will Crypto Break Free From Commodities’ Shadow?

Market observers at ByteTree, led by analyst Charlie Morris and Shehriyar Ali, have weighed in on the current dynamics. Their assessment indicates that cryptocurrency assets may struggle to generate significant upside momentum until the precious metals bull market moderates. “Bitcoin and crypto are unlikely to shine until this bull market in precious metals comes to a pause,” they noted in their latest market report.

The analysis points to an interesting long-term perspective: while Bitcoin has outperformed precious metals over the past several years, silver’s recent parabolic rally has now narrowed the performance gap significantly. Over the past eight years, silver has nearly matched Bitcoin’s cumulative returns, according to Bloomberg data compiled by ByteTree. This convergence suggests that traditional safe-haven assets and digital alternatives are becoming increasingly competitive for investor capital, creating a cyclical dynamic in risk asset flows.

Prediction Markets Attract Major Venture Capital Interest

Beyond the immediate market dynamics, the digital asset ecosystem is welcoming new capital sources. A newly formed venture capital firm, 5c© Capital, is launching with explicit focus on companies operating within the prediction markets vertical. The fund has secured backing from executives at leading prediction market platforms Polymarket and Kalshi, alongside more than 20 early-stage investors including a Millennium Management portfolio manager.

The initiative targets raising up to $35 million to support approximately 20 early-stage startups over a two-year period. Rather than funding prediction market exchanges themselves, 5c© Capital will concentrate on infrastructure providers and service companies—including data tools, liquidity provision systems, and compliance frameworks. This strategy reflects confidence in the broader prediction markets ecosystem, which has demonstrated rapid user growth, rising trading volumes, and increasing participation from major cryptocurrency platforms and retail trading venues. The venture financing activity underscores growing institutional confidence that prediction markets represent a significant emerging sector within digital assets and decentralized finance.