Over the past decade, bitcoin mining thrived on predicting price surges after halvings. However, a new report by Wintermute indicates this reliance has ended as bitcoin matures into an institutional asset, disrupting previous profitability cycles.
Diminishing Returns in the Post-Institutional
US spot Bitcoin ETFs posted their first five-day inflow streak of 2026, tallying roughly $767.32 million for the week and signaling renewed investor appetite for physical-exposure products amid a volatile macro backdrop. Net inflows on Friday reached $180.33 million, extending a trend that began
Bitcoin has declined greatly after reaching a new all-time high of $126,000 in 2025. Since then, the price has been reacting to negative economic developments and trading mostly between $60,000 and $74,000 during the past 2 months.
Current market action shows BTC holding near $70,000 as
Bitcoin extended gains above $73,000 on Friday, stabilizing near a long-standing floor around $70,000 as macro data and geopolitical tensions shape risk appetite. The move followed a US GDP release showing the economy grew just 0.7% in the fourth quarter of 2025, keeping recession fears on the
Bitcoin miners are facing a tougher profit environment as the current market cycle yields thinner returns and higher capital pressures. Market-maker Wintermute outlines a path forward that centers on strategic treasury management and new revenue streams, such as hosting AI workloads, rather than
Charlie Lee warns that Satoshi Nakamoto's estimated 1.1 million BTC could be at risk from future quantum computing attacks. He highlights vulnerabilities in early Bitcoin wallets and urges the crypto community to adopt long-term security measures.
Key Insights
Bittensor surged above $230 after a 13 percent daily gain as Bitcoin approached $72,000, triggering a coordinated rally across AI-focused crypto assets.
AI tokens including Render, FET and Internet Computer recorded double-digit gains as traders increased exposure to