# Bubble Related Articles

HTX News Center provides the latest articles and in-depth analysis on "Bubble", covering market trends, project updates, tech developments, and regulatory policies in the crypto industry.

US Stocks in the 'Largest Bubble in History' Zone? Four Major Valuation Indicators Flash Red Simultaneously

U.S. stock market valuations are flashing multiple warning signs, with key indicators reaching historic highs. The S&P 500's CAPE ratio has hit 39, a level only surpassed during the 2000 dot-com bubble. The "Buffett Indicator" (market cap to GDP) has soared past 230%, an all-time high. Furthermore, market concentration is extreme, with the top 10 stocks comprising over 35% of the index's weight and the "Magnificent 7" alone accounting for over 30%. Wall Street is deeply divided on the implications. The bearish camp, including figures like Jeremy Grantham, warns this is an AI-driven bubble, pointing to massive losses at companies like OpenAI and classic late-cycle signals. They caution that high valuations historically lead to poor future returns and significant corrections. The bullish camp argues that strong earnings justify the premiums. Analysts project 17.6% profit growth for the S&P 500 in 2026. Firms like BlackRock contend the rally is earnings-driven, and historical patterns suggest bull markets can continue. Geopolitical risks, such as the Iran conflict pushing oil above $100, and a hesitant Fed add further uncertainty. The market is at a crossroads: whether AI-driven profits will validate high valuations or if a major correction is imminent.

marsbit9h ago

US Stocks in the 'Largest Bubble in History' Zone? Four Major Valuation Indicators Flash Red Simultaneously

marsbit9h ago

Bank of Korea Interprets the AI Semiconductor Cycle: The Most Dangerous Signal Lies in Financing

The Bank of Korea (BoK) released a report examining the sustainability of the current AI-driven semiconductor supercycle, concluding that the expansion is likely to continue until at least the first half of 2026. The report highlights three key differences from past cycles: unprecedented demand growth (driven by HBM and AI accelerators), severely constrained supply (due to complex HBM production and conservative industry expansion), and a significantly larger and longer supply-demand gap. Five critical factors will determine the cycle's longevity: 1. The profitability of AI investments, as market focus shifts from market share capture to earnings. 2. The ability of major tech firms to secure financing, with internal cash flows already insufficient to cover massive CAPEX, leading to increased corporate debt issuance and risky vendor financing structures reminiscent of the telecom bubble. 3. Uncertain impact of AI model efficiency improvements, which could either reduce per-unit demand or increase total consumption. 4. Expansion speed of major memory manufacturers, with significant new capacity from SK Hynix, Micron, and Samsung only expected from late 2027. 5. Ramping production from Chinese manufacturers, whose DRAM market share is projected to grow rapidly, pressuring prices. The report warns that financing fragility—evidenced by rising CDS spreads, off-balance-sheet SPV financing, and redemption halts in private credit funds—is the most critical risk. While the cycle remains robust through 2026, pressures are expected to build in 2027, with a heightened risk of overcapacity by 2028.

marsbit04/13 08:51

Bank of Korea Interprets the AI Semiconductor Cycle: The Most Dangerous Signal Lies in Financing

marsbit04/13 08:51

The Life-and-Death Game of Large Models: From the 'Six Dragons' to the Dual Giants Going Public — The Bubble, Breakthrough, and Endgame of AI Entrepreneurship

The Chinese AI large model startup landscape has undergone a drastic reshuffle in just two years. The initial "AI Six Dragons" quickly narrowed to the "Four Strong," and by early 2026, only Zhipu AI and MiniMax had successfully listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, becoming the first independent large model companies to go public. The industry has shifted from a technology and capital-driven frenzy to a focus on commercial viability and sustainable business models. Zhipu AI and MiniMax, though now publicly traded, face immense pressure with significant losses, high valuations, and challenges in achieving profitability. Zhipu relies heavily on enterprise customization projects, while MiniMax depends on overseas consumer products with limited monetization. In contrast, non-listed companies like DeepSeek and Kimi have thrived by focusing on technical excellence and niche markets. DeepSeek targets global users with cost-efficient operations, and Kimi dominates long-text processing for professional use cases. Meanwhile, former contenders like Baichuan AI and 01.AI have shifted to vertical sectors, struggling against tech giants and thinner margins. The industry is governed by three key realities: only a few players can compete in the general-purpose large model space; public listings bring heightened scrutiny and inevitable valuation corrections; and vertical markets are highly competitive, not a safe retreat. The sector is expected to consolidate within one to two years, with a stable structure emerging—led by major tech firms, a few top independent companies, and specialized vertical players. Listing is not an exit but a rite of passage, separating those that can achieve profitability from those that cannot. The era of speculation is over; survival depends on technology, product strength, and sustainable business models.

marsbit04/03 04:31

The Life-and-Death Game of Large Models: From the 'Six Dragons' to the Dual Giants Going Public — The Bubble, Breakthrough, and Endgame of AI Entrepreneurship

marsbit04/03 04:31

Delphi Labs Founder: Two Weeks Deep in China's AI, Shenzhen Hardware Shocks Me, Software Valuations Scare Me

Delphi Labs co-founder José Maria Macedo spent two weeks in China meeting AI founders, VCs, and public company CEOs. His key takeaways: - **Hardware ecosystem in Shenzhen is impressive**, with systematic reverse-engineering of Western products and rapid iteration cycles. Companies like Bambu Lab are highly profitable and scaling fast. - **Software ecosystem is weaker than expected**. Chinese open-source models are strong, but closed-source models lag behind Western counterparts. GPU access remains constrained, and revenue gaps are significant (e.g., Anthropic’s $6B ARR vs. Chinese model companies at tens of millions). - **Founder profiles are highly accomplished** (top universities, Big Tech experience) but often lack rebellious, original vision. The education and VC systems favor execution over true innovation. - **Valuation bubbles exist** at both early and late stages. Some private AI companies are valued at 400x ARR, far exceeding Western multiples. Humanoid robotics is also overheating, with many pre-revenue companies targeting high-valuation IPOs. - **Information asymmetry favors Chinese founders**, who are highly informed about Western markets and tech trends. Many are building globally first, combining Chinese engineering with Western go-to-market strategies. Macedo believes the real alpha lies in finding non-traditional founders who break the "resume template" optimized by local VCs.

marsbit03/26 03:16

Delphi Labs Founder: Two Weeks Deep in China's AI, Shenzhen Hardware Shocks Me, Software Valuations Scare Me

marsbit03/26 03:16

Gold Has Stabbed Everyone in the Back

The price of gold has experienced a severe decline, dropping over 27% from its all-time high of $5,600 to around $4,100, marking its worst performance since 1983. This contradicts the conventional wisdom that gold acts as a safe-haven asset during crises, such as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has driven oil prices above $100 and closed the Strait of Hormuz. Analysis reveals that gold's behavior over the past three years has resembled that of a risk asset, not a hedge. It moved inversely to inflation and correlated strongly with U.S. stocks, challenging traditional narratives. While central bank purchases provided a foundation, the surge was fueled by speculative institutional investors using leveraged derivatives, where paper gold claims vastly outnumbered physical supply. This created a bubble vulnerable to liquidation. The recent crash was triggered by expectations that persistent inflation and high oil prices would delay Fed rate cuts, strengthening the dollar and reducing gold's appeal. Leveraged positions were forced to unwind, sparking a downward spiral similar to the March 2020 liquidity crisis. The future remains uncertain. If the war continues and stagflation sets in, gold could rebound as in the 1979 oil crisis. Alternatively, further deleveraging may push prices lower. Regardless, the episode underscores that no asset is immune to liquidity demands during panics, and gold's role is now at a critical crossroads.

比推03/23 14:13

Gold Has Stabbed Everyone in the Back

比推03/23 14:13

An Expensive Fantasy: The Evaporation of Wealth in Metaverse Real Estate

An investor recounts losing a $1.2 million fortune in the metaverse real estate crash, with their portfolio now valued at just $6,400. They purchased 11 virtual properties across platforms like Decentraland, The Sandbox, and Meta’s Horizon Worlds, driven by hype and promises of a digital frontier. Despite early enthusiasm, low user engagement, corporate pullouts (like Gucci), and platform shutdowns led to catastrophic value declines. The investor reflects on the culture of “diamond hands” (holding assets despite massive losses) and irrational optimism, while also noting losses from NFT investments like a Bored Ape. Meta’s $84 billion loss on its metaverse division underscores the speculative bubble’s collapse. The narrative concludes with a shift to AI-based virtual land investment, repeating the cycle of high-risk speculation.

比推03/20 06:41

An Expensive Fantasy: The Evaporation of Wealth in Metaverse Real Estate

比推03/20 06:41

How to Mass-Produce AI Projects to Encrypt VC Money?

This article investigates how crypto venture capital (VC) firms are shifting investments toward AI-related projects, despite lacking access to top-tier AI startups. As traditional AI ventures prefer established investors, crypto VCs are funding less credible “Crypto” projects that often have minimal AI functionality or product-market fit. The author analyzes five recently funded projects: - **Derivio**: Originally a DEX, now rebranded as an “AI-native trading platform” with no actual AI features. - **Superpower**: An AI agent revenue protocol with a non-functional website and unclear product. - **Finrob**: A crypto research tool using free AI models; failed login attempts prevent testing. - **PlutonAI**: A DeFAI platform for automated trading, but inaccessible and potentially obsolete. - **Unicity**: A more serious infrastructure project for AI agents, yet unproven and undelivered. While a few legitimate AI projects exist (e.g., RoboForce), most are superficial attempts to capitalize on AI hype. Crypto VCs fund these projects primarily for liquidity and narrative appeal, prioritizing the “AI” label over substance, hoping to profit from the trend despite minimal real-world utility.

比推03/19 13:29

How to Mass-Produce AI Projects to Encrypt VC Money?

比推03/19 13:29

Oaktree Capital's Marks: Investors Underestimate the Impact of AI

Oaktree Capital's Howard Marks warns that investors are significantly underestimating the profound and unpredictable impact of artificial intelligence. He argues that AI's transformative power is accompanied by inherent unpredictability—what it will do, what it won't do, and the extent of human job displacement—making traditional investment strategies based on future predictions insufficient. Citing Block's recent layoff of 4,000 employees as an example, Marks highlights the market's failure to grasp the depth of AI's disruption. He expresses caution about the cyclical nature of technology-driven market exuberance, noting that new innovations often hide risks until it's too late. Regarding investment strategy, Marks strongly advocates for equity over debt financing in AI companies. He believes that if investors are taking on fundamental business model risks posed by AI, they should participate as owners to capture the potential rewards, rather than as fixed-income investors.

marsbit03/18 02:00

Oaktree Capital's Marks: Investors Underestimate the Impact of AI

marsbit03/18 02:00

Stratechery Overturns the AI Bubble Theory: What Should We Use AI For?

Stratechery's Ben Thompson revises his stance on the AI bubble debate, arguing that current AI investment reflects structural growth driven by fundamental technological shifts, not speculation. He identifies three key transitions in LLM development: ChatGPT’s debut (making AI broadly usable but unreliable), OpenAI’s o1 (introducing reasoning and reliability), and the recent emergence of true Agent systems (e.g., Anthropic’s Opus 4.5 and OpenAI’s GPT-5.2-Codex). The critical innovation is the "agent harness"—a control layer that autonomously schedules models, uses tools, and verifies outcomes, reducing human intervention. This transforms AI from an assistive tool into an actionable infrastructure, enabling complex task execution. Agentic systems drive surging demand for compute, as they require repeated model calls and higher usage frequency. Thompson emphasizes that AI demand now depends not on user numbers, but on per-user agent utilization. Enterprises are adopting AI not only for efficiency gains but for structural workforce reduction, as agents amplify the impact of key employees while lowering coordination costs. He concludes that massive capital expenditures are justified by real demand, and profits will flow to integrated model-harness providers rather than commoditized standalone models.

marsbit03/17 03:57

Stratechery Overturns the AI Bubble Theory: What Should We Use AI For?

marsbit03/17 03:57

The True Replay of the Internet Bubble Is Web3, Not AI

Author TVBee argues that Web3, not AI, is the true reenactment of the 2000 dot-com bubble. The article compares the three sectors: the historical internet bubble, the current AI boom, and Web3. During the 2000 bubble, capital was focused on the supply side with many unprofitable companies, while demand-side applications were scarce due to limited internet access and primitive technology. In contrast, the current AI boom is primarily driven by infrastructure leaders like NVIDIA and AMD, which have substantial profits. Demand-side applications, such as various AI models and tools, are growing and integrating into more use cases, though the ecosystem is still developing. Web3, however, is criticized for its significant supply-side speculation with high valuations based on minimal revenue (e.g., ZKsync's $1.76B市值 vs. $458 daily income). Demand-side applications are limited mostly to DeFi, memecoins, and prediction markets, with much activity driven by airdrop farming rather than genuine utility. The author concludes that Web3, with its hype-driven capital and lack of practical products, mirrors the 2000 bubble most closely. Predictions include a likely U.S. stock market correction (but not a crash), a moderate impact on Bitcoin, and a prolonged, painful consolidation for altcoins to separate valuable projects from speculative ones. The author warns that the altcoin market decline since late 2024 is not yet over.

marsbit03/13 09:31

The True Replay of the Internet Bubble Is Web3, Not AI

marsbit03/13 09:31

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