Bitcoin on the Ropes at $75,000 as AI Token Rally Fizzles: Crypto Markets Today Bitcoin hovered near the $75,000 support level on Wednesday, failing to break above the $78,000 threshold that had previously signaled a potential bull market. Analyst Tom Lee, chairman of Bitmine (BMNR), had warned that BTC needed to hold the $76,000 level by month-end to confirm a new bull market. Instead, the cryptocurrency remained below that critical mark, with prices fluctuating around $73,000 after a sharp decline triggered by U.S. airstrikes on an Iranian military site near the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes reignited geopolitical tensions, leading to a broad sell-off in cryptocurrencies and other risk assets. Nearly $1 billion in leveraged crypto positions were liquidated in 24 hours, with long positions accounting for 93% of the wipeout, and Bitcoin and Ether leading the losses. The broader crypto market faced mixed signals as AI-linked tokens, including RENDER, FET, and NEAR, reversed much of their earlier gains. These assets had surged on Tuesday but fell as much as 3% since midnight UTC, dragging the CoinDesk Computing Select Index down 2.2% and the DeFi Select Index 1.5%. The decline reflected growing caution amid broader market weakness, though some altcoins showed resilience. Hyperliquid’s HYPE token, for instance, surged 5.5% after hitting a record high earlier in the week, while Monero climbed 5% to retest the $400 level. These gains stood out as bright spots in an otherwise cautious altcoin market. Bitcoin’s technical indicators also painted a bearish picture. Crypto futures volume jumped 54% to $201 billion in 24 hours, while liquidations surged 87%, reflecting heightened market activity following an extended U.S. holiday lull.#bitcoin #strait_of_hormuz #bitmine #tom_lee #coin_desk_computing_select_index
Ethereum’s Price Rally Expected Amid Tokenisation Growth and Geopolitical Uncertainty Tom Lee, chair of Bitmine, a digital asset treasury firm heavily invested in Ethereum, has predicted that the cryptocurrency’s price will rise in March despite ongoing uncertainties related to the war in Iran. Lee argued that Ethereum’s value is poised for a rebound as tokenisation efforts gain momentum, with major financial institutions increasingly adopting blockchain-based solutions. Tokenisation, the process of converting ownership rights in assets like real estate, stocks, or bonds into digital tokens on a blockchain, has attracted attention from industry leaders. Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, has praised the technology for its potential to enhance efficiency and reduce corruption. Lee emphasized that the surge in tokenised fund announcements is largely concentrated on Ethereum, suggesting that the platform’s growing role in financial innovation will drive its price upward. Lee’s bullish outlook comes amid a significant downturn for Ethereum, which has dropped over 50% since the October mass liquidation event that triggered a $2 trillion crypto market drawdown. Bitmine, which holds a substantial stake in Ethereum, has also seen its share price decline by 66% since September, trading at $20 per share. Despite these losses, Luke Nolan, a senior research associate at CoinShares, noted that paper losses during market downturns are not equivalent to permanent losses, especially in the absence of forced liquidations or margin calls. Wall Street’s interest in Ethereum has intensified, with BlackRock’s holdings of Bitmine shares increasing by 166% to $246 million in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to SEC filings. This trend reflects broader confidence in the asset class, as financial institutions seek to capitalize on discounted valuations.#ethereum #blackrock #bitmine #tom_lee #larry_fink
Bitcoin and Ethereum Price to Surge in March? Tom Lee Bullish On Rebound Despite WW3 Threat Bitcoin and Ethereum’s prices could rebound in March, according to Fundstrat’s Tom Lee, who has remained optimistic despite escalating Middle East tensions that risk a broader global conflict. Lee told CNBC that historical market behavior during geopolitical shocks suggests investors often benefit from staying invested rather than exiting positions. He argued that while fears of a larger conflict, even World War III, persist, markets historically recover quickly unless such worst-case scenarios materialize. Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Lee acknowledged growing investor concerns about geopolitical tensions escalating into a larger conflict. However, he emphasized that markets have historically shown resilience in such scenarios. “A lot of experts are going to worry that this could encompass a larger conflict,” Lee said, adding that he expects markets broadly—including Bitcoin and Ethereum—to rebound in the coming weeks. He noted that March could be an up month for the stock market, citing early weakness in technology stocks, major AI companies, and cryptocurrencies as signs the market may already be near a bottom. Lee, who chairs the Ethereum treasury Bitmine, reiterated his confidence in Ethereum’s long-term fundamentals. He pointed to growing activity on the Ethereum network, including nearly every major tokenized fund announcement occurring on the platform. “There’s so much being built on Ethereum now,” he said, suggesting that this activity should eventually translate into higher prices. VanEck, another analyst, also signaled optimism about the crypto market bottoming. Speaking on CNBC earlier this week, the executive noted the recent rally in Bitcoin and major crypto-related stocks could indicate the worst of the downturn is passing.#ethereum #tom_lee #fundstrat #cnbc #bitmine
