Crypto vs. metals: The AI-fueled divergence investors can’t ignore

ambcryptoPublished on 2026-01-28Last updated on 2026-01-28

Abstract

The U.S. dollar is weakening due to Federal Reserve policies, pushing capital out of traditional safe havens. Historically, such conditions boost risk assets like Bitcoin, but a divergence is emerging: metals are significantly outperforming crypto. Silver has surged 270% over 13 months, while Bitcoin declined 11%. The BTC/Gold ratio has also fallen to a multi-year low. This signals declining risk appetite, with capital shifting strategically toward metals—driven by the AI boom. AI infrastructure demand is fueling a surge in metals like copper, expected to see a 127% demand increase by 2040. This rotation reflects a long-term, AI-driven investment trend rather than short-term hedging, marking a deeper divergence between crypto and industrial metals.

The U.S. dollar is sliding, and it looks like it’s by design. The Federal Reserve has been pumping liquidity into the system, cutting rates three times in 2025, and selling Treasuries, which is weighing on the dollar.

Investors are clearly noticing. Bond markets are losing their appeal as the DXY drifts to multi-month lows, reflecting signs of a weaker U.S. economy. Combined, these factors are pushing capital out of the haven.

History shows this kind of setup often triggers strong rallies in risk assets. Back in March–September 2025, for instance, the DXY fell nearly 10%, and Bitcoin [BTC] rode that wave up roughly 33% to a $126k peak.

But in this cycle, a clear divergence is emerging.

As the Kobeissi Letter points out, silver prices are now outperforming Bitcoin by one of their widest margins on record. Over roughly 13 months, silver has surged by about +270%, while Bitcoin has declined by 11%.

Other metals are showing a similar pattern. Gold, for instance, is moving stronger relative to Bitcoin, with the BTC/Gold ratio breaking a key support level and sliding to a multi-year low of 17.35/oz.

From a sentiment standpoint, this divergence is a pretty clear signal that investors’ risk appetite is falling, with money flowing away from assets like Bitcoin. The bigger question, though, is what’s really driving this rotation?

Bitcoin under pressure as AI-driven flows shift capital

Analysts see the current rotation out of Bitcoin as strategic, not random.

Driving this shift is the ongoing AI boom. UNCTAD reports that AI-driven data centers became a major investment theme in 2025, with spending up 14%, topping $270 billion, fueled by surging demand for AI infrastructure.

That demand is now pushing metals higher, and analysts say this is just the beginning. A copper supply crunch could be next, as AI-driven copper demand is expected to surge +127%, reaching 2.5 million tonnes by 2040.

Put simply, this helps explain why the current rotation out of Bitcoin into traditional safe havens isn’t just a routine hedge against a falling dollar, tariff wars, or the possibility of another government shutdown.

Instead, it’s a strategic, AI-driven shift in capital flows. Investors are looking long-term, betting that AI infrastructure will drive a major supply-demand imbalance, with copper sitting squarely at the center of this trend.

In this context, Bitcoin’s current squeeze against these metals isn’t merely a reflection of fading short-term risk appetite. Instead, it could mark the beginning of a deeper divergence between crypto and industrial metals.


Final Thoughts

  • While the dollar weakens and metals surge, Bitcoin lags, signaling a deeper divergence and falling risk appetite for crypto.
  • Investors are strategically moving capital out of Bitcoin into metals like copper, silver, and gold, driven by long-term demand from AI infrastructure.

Related Questions

QAccording to the article, what is the primary reason for the current divergence between Bitcoin and metals like silver and gold?

AThe primary reason is a strategic, AI-driven shift in capital flows, where investors are moving money out of Bitcoin and into metals due to long-term demand from AI infrastructure projects.

QWhat specific example does the article provide to illustrate the performance gap between silver and Bitcoin over a 13-month period?

AThe article states that over roughly 13 months, silver surged by about +270%, while Bitcoin declined by 11%.

QHow does the article explain the connection between the AI boom and the demand for metals like copper?

AThe article explains that AI-driven data centers are fueling a surge in demand for metals, with AI-driven copper demand expected to increase by +127% and reach 2.5 million tonnes by 2040, creating a potential supply crunch.

QWhat does the decline in the BTC/Gold ratio to a multi-year low signify, according to the article?

AThe decline in the BTC/Gold ratio to a multi-year low of 17.35/oz signifies that gold is moving stronger relative to Bitcoin, reflecting a shift in investor preference away from crypto and toward traditional safe havens.

QBeyond a weakening dollar, what does the article suggest is the deeper reason for the capital rotation out of Bitcoin?

AThe article suggests the deeper reason is not just a routine hedge against a falling dollar, but a strategic, long-term bet on the supply-demand imbalance driven by AI infrastructure needs, with metals at the center of this trend.

Related Reads

From Gas Limit to 'Keyed Nonces', How to Understand the Next Step in Ethereum Scalability?

Ethereum’s scalability efforts are shifting toward a user-centric approach—focusing not only on higher TPS, but on translating technical upgrades into lower costs, smoother operations, and better wallet experiences. Two recent developments highlight this direction: - **Raising the Gas Limit to 200 million**: Following the Fusaka upgrade that increased it to 60 million, a consensus has formed around a potential future increase to 200 million. This would boost Ethereum’s execution capacity, but it is planned alongside other upgrades—such as ePBS, Block-Level Access Lists (BAL), and EIP-8037—to manage state growth and keep node operation viable for average participants. - **Keyed Nonces (EIP-8250)**: This proposal aims to improve how transactions are queued. Instead of a single linear nonce per account, it introduces multiple independent nonce domains. This prevents different types of transactions—such as private payments, session keys, or batch operations—from blocking each other. Vitalik Buterin views this as a foundational step toward better privacy support and more flexible state scalability. Together, these upgrades are part of a broader move to push complexity from wallets, DApps, and relays back into the protocol layer. For everyday users, this means future Ethereum interactions could become less congested, more intuitive, and safer—especially as core improvements in account abstraction, cross-L2 interoperability, and node decentralization continue to progress. Ultimately, Ethereum is evolving to handle not just more transactions, but more varied and complex on-chain use cases while preserving its decentralized foundation.

marsbit13m ago

From Gas Limit to 'Keyed Nonces', How to Understand the Next Step in Ethereum Scalability?

marsbit13m ago

Leaving OpenAI, How Much Has Their Net Worth Increased?

Former OpenAI employees have collectively accrued near-trillion dollar valuations through ventures and investments, charting AI's future. The article highlights two main paths: founding high-value companies like Anthropic and Perplexity, or applying insider insights as investors. Leopold Aschenbrenner exemplifies the investor path. After being fired from OpenAI, he leveraged firsthand knowledge of AI's massive energy demands to make hugely successful public market bets on nuclear and fuel cell companies, practicing "cross-industry cognitive arbitrage." Other alumni, like the Zero Shot VC fund founders, use their technical foresight for early-stage investing. Their key advantage lies not just in picking winners, but in knowing which technical approaches are likely dead ends—a "veto list" derived from internal OpenAI experience. Angel investing within the network, as seen with Mira Murati and Sam Altman, operates on deep, pre-existing understanding of a founder's capabilities, reducing due diligence to near zero. This creates an ecosystem bound by a shared belief in AGI's imminent arrival, differing from networks like the "PayPal Mafia" which were built on shared past struggles. The shift of these builders to investors signals a profound conviction: their situational awareness of the AI landscape is now so clear that deploying capital based on that judgment is more efficient than building themselves. They are allocating bets on the future they helped shape from the inside.

marsbit24m ago

Leaving OpenAI, How Much Has Their Net Worth Increased?

marsbit24m ago

Countdown to the AI Bull Market? Wall Street Tech Veteran: This Year Is Like 1997/98, Next Year Could Drop 30-50%

"AI Bull Market Countdown? Wall Street Veteran: This Year Feels Like 1997/98, Next Year Could Drop 30-50%" In an interview, veteran tech analyst Dan Niles draws parallels between the current AI boom and the 1997-98 period of the internet boom, suggesting the bull run isn't over yet. The core new driver is identified as "Agentic AI," which performs multi-step tasks and consumes vastly more computing power than conversational AI. This shift is expected to boost demand for cloud infrastructure and benefit CPU makers like Intel and AMD, potentially pressuring GPU leader Nvidia. However, Niles warns of significant short-term overbought conditions in semiconductors. His central warning is for a potential major market correction of 30-50% starting in early 2027. Drivers include a slowdown from high growth comparables, the outsized capital demands of companies like OpenAI, and a wave of massive tech IPOs sucking liquidity from the market. A J.P. Morgan survey of 56 global investors aligns with this view, finding that 54% expect a >30% U.S. stock correction by 2027. Among mega-cap tech, Niles favors Google due to its full-stack AI capabilities and cash flow, expresses concern about Meta's user growth, and sees potential for Apple's AI Siri and foldable iPhone. Niles advises investors to be nimble, hold significant cash, and closely monitor the conflicting signals from equities, oil prices, and bond yields, which he believes cannot all be correct simultaneously.

marsbit57m ago

Countdown to the AI Bull Market? Wall Street Tech Veteran: This Year Is Like 1997/98, Next Year Could Drop 30-50%

marsbit57m ago

Trading

Spot
Futures

Hot Articles

How to Buy T

Welcome to HTX.com! We've made purchasing Threshold Network Token (T) simple and convenient. Follow our step-by-step guide to embark on your crypto journey.Step 1: Create Your HTX AccountUse your email or phone number to sign up for a free account on HTX. Experience a hassle-free registration journey and unlock all features.Get My AccountStep 2: Go to Buy Crypto and Choose Your Payment MethodCredit/Debit Card: Use your Visa or Mastercard to buy Threshold Network Token (T) instantly.Balance: Use funds from your HTX account balance to trade seamlessly.Third Parties: We've added popular payment methods such as Google Pay and Apple Pay to enhance convenience.P2P: Trade directly with other users on HTX.Over-the-Counter (OTC): We offer tailor-made services and competitive exchange rates for traders.Step 3: Store Your Threshold Network Token (T)After purchasing your Threshold Network Token (T), store it in your HTX account. Alternatively, you can send it elsewhere via blockchain transfer or use it to trade other cryptocurrencies.Step 4: Trade Threshold Network Token (T)Easily trade Threshold Network Token (T) on HTX's spot market. Simply access your account, select your trading pair, execute your trades, and monitor in real-time. We offer a user-friendly experience for both beginners and seasoned traders.

11.3k Total ViewsPublished 2024.03.29Updated 2025.03.21

How to Buy T

Discussions

Welcome to the HTX Community. Here, you can stay informed about the latest platform developments and gain access to professional market insights. Users' opinions on the price of T (T) are presented below.

活动图片