BTC Slides Past $61,000 Mark Following Expected Inflation Print

A liquidation-driven selloff dragged bitcoin down to its weakest level since early June before stronger-than-expected earnings from Micron and SK Hynix’s planned U.S. listing helped steady sentiment in the AI-linked trade that has been closely tied to crypto’s recent direction.

Apple raises prices across Mac and iPad lineup
Apple has increased prices across its Mac and iPad products, citing surging memory and storage chip costs, while keeping iPhone prices unchanged for now, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Mac prices are up roughly 15%–20%, while iPads have increased about 15%–25%. The move follows CEO Tim Cook’s warning that rising component costs would likely force price adjustments across parts of the lineup.

Apple said it had “reached a point” where price increases were necessary, adding it had “never seen component prices rise this much, this quickly.” iPhone pricing remains unchanged, though further hikes are still possible.

Bitcoin holds above $61K after inflation data meets forecasts
The latest U.S. core PCE inflation reading came in exactly as expected, helping avoid any surprise shift in Fed expectations.

Core PCE rose 0.3% month-on-month and 3.4% year-on-year, while headline inflation was slightly softer than forecasts. The data reinforced persistent inflation but did not trigger a more hawkish repricing.

Supported by stronger U.S. GDP and income data, bitcoin held above $61,000, while gold stayed below the $4,000 mark.

Gnosis X account compromised in phishing incident
Gnosis’ official X account was hacked and used to post a fake rewards link aimed at tricking users into connecting wallets.

The team and Gnosis Pay quickly warned users not to engage, confirmed the breach, and notified X while working to regain access.

The incident reflects a common crypto phishing tactic involving compromised accounts and fraudulent incentive campaigns.

Markets watch inflation as dollar stays firm
Markets focused on core PCE expectations of 3.4% year-on-year and 0.3% month-on-month.

Sticky inflation has kept rate expectations elevated, weighing on risk assets like bitcoin, which hovered near $60,000. Precious metals also weakened.

The U.S. dollar index remained above 101, with stronger-than-expected data likely to further support the dollar and pressure risk assets.

Bitcoin ETF outflows weigh on sentiment
Bitcoin briefly fell below $60,000 as spot ETF outflows reached $469 million in a single day, marking one of the largest redemptions since launch.

Ongoing withdrawals have reduced cumulative inflows to $52.8 billion, near mid-2025 levels and below recent peaks, signaling weakening institutional demand.

Two-year Treasury yield nears breakout zone
The U.S. two-year yield is testing a key resistance level that has capped its decline since the 2023 peak.

A breakout would point to higher yields, tighter financial conditions, and additional pressure on risk assets including bitcoin and equities.

Oil reverses earlier geopolitical gains
Brent crude slipped below $72, erasing gains tied to earlier geopolitical tensions as supply conditions normalized. WTI traded near $69.

Lower oil prices may eventually ease inflation pressure and soften the Fed’s stance, though the impact is expected to filter through gradually.

Aave surges on bullish long-term outlook
Aave climbed about 15% after Standard Chartered issued a bullish long-term forecast with a $3,500 price target for 2030.

The outlook is based on expected growth in decentralized lending and broader DeFi expansion, though it relies on untested initiatives and recovery from past setbacks.

Bitcoin rebounds after overnight drop
Bitcoin slid to around $59,000 overnight before recovering above $61,000 as AI chip stocks bounced on strong earnings from Micron.

The move triggered nearly $1 billion in liquidations across crypto markets, mostly from leveraged long positions.

Macro headwinds—including Fed policy expectations, ETF outflows, and thin liquidity—continue to dominate sentiment, while large liquidation clusters below $58,000 remain a key downside risk. The upcoming PCE report remains the key near-term catalyst.