Macro Trends

The sharp correction in gold prices results from the interplay of a stronger US dollar, changing interest rate expectations, and leveraged liquidations. This article offers an in-depth examination of the factors driving the recent slump in gold, shifts in capital structure, and projections for future market movements.

Gate Research Daily Report: On March 23, the rebound in BTC and ETH failed to sustain upward momentum, with capital returning to defensive positioning and overall risk appetite remaining subdued. Altcoins did not see broad-based expansion, and market opportunities were mainly concentrated in short-term rotation across high-volatility sectors. SIREN, BR, and BANANAS31 respectively represent active capital flows in the AI Agent, BTCFi, and BNB Chain meme segments. At the industry level, tokenized gold is progressing toward a standardized infrastructure phase, while connections between payment networks and capital market infrastructure continue to deepen. Meanwhile, competition in the stablecoin space is gradually shifting from issuance to treasury and capital management capabilities.

In February 2026, the on-chain ecosystem exhibited more pronounced structural divergence amid price pressure. On-chain activity did not contract in tandem, but instead became further concentrated on high-frequency and high-efficiency networks. Solana maintained its dominance in high-frequency activity, while Base and Polygon continued to expand. Arbitrum saw a recovery in activity, but its capital retention and value capture weakened. Ethereum shifted from net outflows to significant net inflows, reinforcing its role as the primary settlement layer and a key hub for macro asset deployment. On the BTC side, the price pullback pushed short-term holders broadly into unrealized losses, with profit-taking cooling and sell pressure still concentrated among short-term positions, while the long-term holder structure remained intact. At the sector level, AI Agent, supply-side shocks, and institutional DeFi narratives coexisted. Short-term returns were driven by structural catalysts, while mid-term allocation continued

The article leverages data points such as the surge in oil prices due to the Strait of Hormuz crisis, inflation expectations, and central banks' 36,000-ton gold reserves to reveal the divergence between Bitcoin and gold in the early stages of the crisis.

In February, the overall crypto market showed a weak trend, with notable outflows from BTC ETFs. Major blockchains remained stable throughout the month, with Solana leading by a wide margin at over 100 million daily transactions. Ethereum recorded 13.34 million unique active addresses, maintaining its second-highest level in history. TradFi trading volume on Perp DEXs surged to $47.3 billion, largely driven by Hyperliquid’s HIP-3. The Web3 sector completed 46 funding rounds totaling $986 million, with the top 10 projects accounting for $793 million—three major deals were led by Tether. Meanwhile, Web3 security incidents declined significantly month-over-month, though smart contract vulnerabilities remained the primary risk source.

The text shifts the perspective from the Middle East to the global stage, systematically assessing the energy dependence, reserve life, and social/political tipping points of Japan, South Korea, India, Southeast Asia, Europe, the United States, and China.

Gate Research Institute: Over the past 24 hours, BTC briefly climbed above $71,000, but following a sharp drop and quick rebound during the U.S. market session, it settled back near $69,300. ETH rapidly declined from $2,070 to $2,010 and remains in a recovery phase. Altcoins showed weakness, with most lagging behind BTC, while the Fear & Greed Index remains in the extreme fear range. HUMA, NAORIS, and ARIA saw gains of 50.13%, 39.38%, and 29.02%, respectively, fueled by AI-related narratives. Additionally, Oracle’s earnings beat expectations, driving its share price up nearly 8% after hours, and both Hyperliquid and Circle announced significant product updates.

This article analyzes the shift in VC strategy from being judgment-driven to being driven by the ability to win deals. It highlights how scaled institutions like a16z, leveraging massive capital, full-spectrum services, and economic moats, are enabling capital-intensive giants such as OpenAI and Anthropic to prevail.

Gate Research: Between 2025 and 2026, PayFi is evolving from a crypto payment tool into a next-generation payment and financial engine, with stablecoins achieving scale in high-frequency and cross-border payments and demonstrating clear efficiency and cost advantages over traditional systems. As Web2 and Web3 continue to converge, institutions such as Visa, PayPal, and emerging neobanks are becoming key gateways to mainstream adoption, while the combination of stablecoins, real-world assets (RWA), and AI is shaping PayFi’s foundational architecture by enabling automated, always-on settlement, asset mobility, and risk management. Looking ahead to 2026, regulatory clarity, scalable asset tokenization, and the maturity of AI-driven financial systems will be the primary determinants of PayFi’s competitive landscape and long-term barriers.

Gate Research Daily Report: On August 11, BTC broke above the 121,200 USD mark after a period of sideways consolidation, while ETH surpassed its interim high of 4,343.23 USD. In the Solana ecosystem, meme token launch platform BAGS outpaced letsBONK.fun in seven-day revenue. Bitcoin’s market cap overtook Amazon to rank sixth globally, with the total cryptocurrency market cap hitting a record high above 4.1 trillion USD. The LayerZero Foundation proposed a $110 million acquisition of the Stargate cross-chain bridge and its STG token.

Gate Research Daily Report: On August 6, BTC and ETH showed weak, range-bound performance, with market sentiment turning cautious. The U.S. SEC clarified that certain forms of liquid staking do not constitute securities, paving the way for ETH spot ETFs to potentially include staking mechanisms. AMINA Bank became the first regulated bank to support trading and custody services for SUI. Meanwhile, Mantle saw strong capital inflows, with its stablecoin market cap rising nearly 23% over the past week. The Web3 gaming sector showed notable strength—Illuvium launched a $250,000 pro league, pushing ILV up over 20%. Zebec introduced several crypto cards compatible with Apple Pay, sending ZBCN up 6%, while Saros initiated a token buyback and announced new ecosystem activities, driving SAROS up more than 5%.

Gate Research Weekly Report: This week, altcoins showed a slow downward trend, with the median drop among the Top 100 cryptocurrencies reaching 6.07%.Circle partnered with Corpay to support stablecoin payments for enterprise transactions.PancakeSwap launched perpetual contracts for U.S. stocks.Ethereum dApps have generated nearly $26.8 billion in cumulative revenue, with daily transactions nearing all-time highs.Gate's derivatives trading volume in July grew by 46.5% month-over-month, pushing its market share up to 11%.Pump.fun launched 13,690 new tokens in the past 24 hours, surpassing LetsBonk, though it still lags slightly in daily trading volume.

In July 2025, Ethereum saw a simultaneous rebound in on-chain activity and capital inflows, with transaction volume reaching a record high. Solana and Base led Layer 1 and Layer 2 respectively, showcasing high-frequency interactions and strong ecosystem stickiness. Bitcoin’s realized market cap hit a new all-time high, though short-term consolidation may follow. WorldChain attracted over $100 million in inflows as its ecosystem rapidly took shape. LetsBonk.fun’s token launch market share exceeded 70%, surpassing Pump.fun, while Ethena’s stablecoin TVL rose to $8.4 billion, maintaining its lead in the sector.

Gate Research Daily Report: On August 7, the crypto market extended its rebound, with BTC maintaining a short-term uptrend and ETH leading major tokens by breaking above 3,900 USDT on strong volume. U.S. President Trump signed a crypto-friendly banking order and appointed Miran as a Federal Reserve governor. Meanwhile, Hong Kong launched its RWA registration platform and initiated three Web3 standardization projects. The SEC and Ripple ended their legal dispute, finalizing the ruling that XRP is not a security in secondary markets. Concept tokens saw strong momentum: PENDLE rose 28.4% thanks to HyperEVM’s yield pool surpassing $100 million in TVL; ZORA jumped 34.2% driven by creator economy campaigns with Base and Polcom; ORCA gained 21.1% following the launch of Wavebreak and new buyback proposals.

Gate Research Daily Report: On August 1st, BTC fell by approximately 2.10% over the past 24 hours, forming a bearish candlestick pattern with a lower wick indicating limited buying support at lower levels, while ETH prices dropped by about 3.79% in the past 24 hours, with an RSI of 69.8, nearing overbought territory and suggesting a potential short-term correction. Concurrently, the Ethereum Foundation (EF) officially published an article today titled "Lean Ethereum," authored by EF researcher Justin Drake, outlining a vision for Ethereum's development over the next decade. Separately, SEC Chairman Paul Atkins recently delivered a speech announcing the launch of a committee-level initiative called "Project Crypto," and Ethereum infrastructure protocol Puffer Finance announced that Puffer UniFi AVS has been upgraded.