- Central banks go on a buying spree: In 2026, global central banks are expected to net purchase approximately 585 tons of gold each quarter, providing long-term support
The expectation of interest rate cuts has completely reversed + the strengthening of the US dollar + profit-taking exits + the failure of safe-haven assets, all of which have led to a sharp decline in gold.
- Continuous net inflow of US spot BTC ETF, institutional funds supporting it, with a net inflow of over $1.4 billion in a single week in March - Whales' addresses increasing their holdings, companies allocating BTC (such as pensions and publicly traded companies), demand structure becoming institutionalized
Pricing Power Transfer: With the launch of the Bitcoin spot ETF, market pricing power has shifted from being dominated by Chinese funds to being led by global macro assets such as BlackRock and Fidelity. Its trend is increasingly correlated with the Federal Reserve's monetary policy and the liquidity of the U.S. stock market.
Industry Builder Perspective: CZ stated that he no longer relies on Meme coins for 'getting rich overnight', but from a builder's perspective, he hopes that Meme coins can continue to develop and focus on creating better tools for users.
The plan is to be implemented in the first quarter of 2026, with the goal of reducing the final confirmation time of transactions from approximately 12 seconds to 150 milliseconds, which will enable Solana to support high-frequency trading, real-time payments, and other new scenarios.
Unlike Bitcoin (driven primarily by macro factors and ETFs as "digital gold"), Solana's story in 2026 is more focused on the realization of value as a "high-speed settlement layer" or "financial internet".
· Regulatory Attitude: The Trump administration implemented a series of policies supporting cryptocurrencies, appointed a crypto-friendly SEC chairman, and expedited the approval process for cryptocurrency ETFs.
From a decade's worth of data, if you seek extreme long-term returns, Bitcoin has significant advantages, but it also comes with extremely high volatility and risk. If you seek steady growth and risk diversification, the Nasdaq index is a core choice that has performed well over the long term.
From a historical perspective, after Japan exits negative interest rates in 2024, the cryptocurrency market experienced a situation of 'short-term pressure and medium-term strength.' In the long run, the price of Bitcoin is more dependent on global macro liquidity and its own supply and demand narrative.
· US Treasuries: The long-term bond yields, which are more sensitive to interest rate policies, have risen significantly (bond prices have fallen), indicating that the market is adjusting its expectations for future funding costs. · Crude Oil: The main reason for the decline is less related to economic outlook, primarily driven by ongoing concerns over industry-specific oversupply dominating market sentiment.
May further boost the market; conversely, if it conveys a 'hawkish' signal (such as implying that the rate cut cycle may slow down), it may trigger volatility.
Recently, the strong interest rate hike expectations of the Bank of Japan have indeed become a core macro factor influencing the cryptocurrency market, particularly the price fluctuations of Bitcoin. Its impact mainly transmits through a key financial operation - 'Yen carry trade'.
· Path: Direct injection of liquidity into the financial system ("water release") → Abundant liquidity seeks high-return assets → Bitcoin and others are seen as benefiting from inflation and dollar depreciation → Generally favorable for Bitcoin. · Next Chairman: Dovish (e.g., Kevin Hassett) · Path: The market anticipates strong expectations of "continuous interest rate cuts" and "looser regulation" → Changes in the valuation logic of risk assets → Creates medium to long-term structural benefits for the cryptocurrency industry.