🌍 Ark Investment Management Predicts Digital Assets Could Reach $28 Trillion by 2030

📈 According to Ark Investment Management's recent report, Big Ideas 2026, the global digital asset market is projected to experience significant growth, potentially reaching $28 trillion by 2030. This forecast is driven by increased blockchain adoption, bitcoin dominance, and the expansion of smart contract platforms.

Digital assets could reach $28 trillion in market value in 2030,

Ark stated in its report. It outlines a base-case scenario where the total digital asset market capitalization rises from approximately $2 trillion in 2025 to around $28 trillion by 2030. This implies an estimated compound annual growth rate of about 61%.

The report further explains that the market for smart contract networks and pure-play digital currencies could grow at an annual rate of ~61% to $28 trillion in 2030. Ark believes that bitcoin could account for 70% of this market, with the remainder dominated by smart contract networks like Ethereum and Solana.

📊 Ark's projections indicate that cryptocurrencies could expand to roughly $22 trillion to $23 trillion by 2030, while smart contract platforms may grow to an estimated $5 trillion to $6 trillion. This upward trajectory highlights Ark's view that digital assets are entering a period of rapid adoption.

The analysis links this anticipated growth to structural shifts within the digital asset ecosystem. Bitcoin is expected to remain the dominant player in the cryptocurrency segment due to institutional investment and its role as a digital alternative to gold. Meanwhile, smart contract networks are projected to capture significant value through decentralized finance and tokenized real-world assets.

While Ark emphasizes that long-term projections carry uncertainty,

the data presented positions digital assets as a multi-tens-of-trillions-of-dollars market by 2030. This suggests that the sector could rival major traditional asset classes in scale.

🚨 Rising Odds of Government Shutdown Amidst Democratic Opposition to DHS Funding

📈 The likelihood of a government shutdown has surged on Polymarket following recent unrest in Minnesota, which has led Democrats to oppose a funding bill that would combine Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding with other federal agency budgets. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated he would vote no if the bill was presented in that way.

💰 On Saturday, Polymarket reported a 74% chance of a government shutdown occurring by January 31st, the highest odds recorded. This shift in the prediction market comes after a shooting incident involving Border Patrol agents in Minnesota, which has intensified Democrats' resistance to funding the DHS amidst concerns over ICE enforcement actions against U.S. citizens.

The DHS bill is woefully inadequate to rein in the abuses of ICE. I will vote no,

Schumer emphasized, adding that Senate Democrats would not support the appropriations bill if it included DHS funding. He called for the bill to be restructured and for more time to be allocated to address DHS funding issues.

⏳ If an agreement is not reached, the Trump administration could face its second government shutdown after experiencing the largest appropriations lapse in history on October 1st, which disrupted access to critical data and services.

🔍 In summary, the Polymarket prediction market indicates a significant possibility of a government shutdown due to Democratic opposition to DHS funding, with Chuck Schumer leading the call for a reevaluation of the appropriations bill.

🪙 Gold's Rise and the Dollar's Fate: Diverging Perspectives

🔍 As gold and silver prices reach historic highs in early 2026, two analysts present contrasting views on the implications for the U.S. dollar and global markets. Alexander Campbell, a former commodities head at Bridgewater Associates, argues that the rise in precious metals does not signal a decline of the dollar. He asserts that the global financial system remains dollar-centric, supported by U.S. capital markets and military backing.

📉 Campbell emphasizes that gold serves primarily as a portfolio hedge rather than a direct bet against the dollar. He states,

My gold and silver positions are implicitly short dollars. Every ounce I own was purchased by selling dollars.

He notes that recent dollar declines are modest historically and that narratives of collapse are disconnected from long-term price trends. Instead of focusing on currency speculation, Campbell highlights capital flows as a more significant indicator of dollar strength.

📊 In contrast, Peter Girnus, a senior threat researcher at Trend Micro, interprets recent dollar weakness as a result of intentional policy choices. He references a 2024 policy paper by Stephen Miran that advocates for strategic dollar devaluation to restructure global trade. Girnus points out that the U.S. Dollar Index has fallen to its lowest level since early 2022, which he views as a trend-driven development rather than a temporary fluctuation.

📈 He also highlights the surge in gold prices above $5,000 per ounce as being driven by central bank demand, particularly from emerging markets like China. Girnus argues that the loss of the dollar's purchasing power over the years and the end of gold convertibility in 1971 have created an environment where inflation and currency devaluation are preferred methods for managing federal debt.

🗣 Girnus states,

You don’t pay down 134% debt-to-GDP. You inflate it away. You devalue the currency it’s denominated in.

He raises concerns about the independence of the Federal Reserve amidst growing alignment between fiscal and monetary objectives.

⚖️ The divergence in these perspectives underscores a broader debate in 2026 about the long-term resilience of reserve-currency status versus the potential for controlled adjustments over time. While both analysts agree that gold's rise reflects structural forces, they differ on the interpretation of dollar dynamics—with Campbell seeing dollar dominance as intact and Girnus viewing dollar depreciation as a deliberate policy outcome.

🚨 Breaking: Trump Nominates Pro-Bitcoin Kevin Warsh As Next Fed Chair

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🎢 Bitcoin Rollercoaster Resistance and the Lack of Relief

📈 As of February 1, 2026, Bitcoin is valued at $78,634 with a market capitalization of $1.57 trillion. Despite a high 24-hour trading volume of $83.65 billion, the market struggles to form a recovery narrative. BTC/USD price fluctuations between $77,082 and $82,733 suggest a temporary fix rather than a definitive breakout.

📉 The daily chart reveals a dramatic drop to the $75,500 zone following a collapse from the $88,000–$90,000 range. This movement is identified as a classic liquidation confirmed by a volume spike. Traders seeking a trend reversal require a daily close above $86,000, as anything below remains speculative optimism.

⚖️ On the 4-hour timeframe, consolidation and indecision prevail between $76,000 and $77,000. While sellers appear to be taking a breather, the asset lacks the momentum for a sustained rally. Resistance at $84,000 remains strong, and every price spike looks like a trap until Bitcoin reclaims $80,500.

🔍 Shorter-term analysis on the 1-hour chart shows Bitcoin trapped between $77,800 and $79,500 with flattening momentum. Significant movements depend on breaking $80,500 to the upside or $77,200 to the downside. Technical oscillators like the RSI at 25 and the CCI at −195 indicate oversold conditions, yet momentum indicators like the MACD at −2,509 suggest continued downward pressure.

⚰️ Moving averages paint a grim picture, with all major EMA and SMA levels from 10 to 200 periods sitting well above the current price. Notable levels include the 10-period EMA at $84,768 and the 200-period SMA at $103,952. Until BTC recovers these zones, the broader trend remains under heavy resistance.

🐻 The bearish outlook remains dominant as Bitcoin stays below every key moving average. Analysts suggest that until the price reclaims $86,000 with significant volume, rallies will likely be sold off quickly. The current structure indicates that the trend is still bearish without signs of exhaustion.

🔌 Bitcoin Miners Hit Shutdown Prices as Profitability Plummets

📉 The Bitcoin mining industry is facing a severe profitability squeeze as prices hit a multi-month low near $74,500 on February 2, 2026. Combined with high network difficulty, several mining rigs have crossed their "shutdown price"—the point where electricity costs exceed mining revenue. According to Antpool, at a standard power cost of $0.08 per kWh, older and mid-tier models have officially become unprofitable to operate.

⛏️ Specific hardware models are struggling to remain viable in the current climate. The Antminer S19 XP+ Hydro, Whatsminer M60S, and Avalon A1466I have reportedly crossed the shutdown threshold. Even newer units are under pressure:

The Antminer S21 series is approaching a critical shutdown range between $69,000 and $74,000.

CryptoQuant reports that the Miner Profit/Loss Sustainability Index has dropped to its lowest level in 14 months, leaving many operators "extremely underpaid."

💰 Only the latest generation of high-efficiency hardware remains comfortably profitable. The Antminer U3S23H and S23 Hydro, which began shipping in 2026, have shutdown prices estimated above $44,000, allowing them to maintain healthy daily returns. This technological divide means that while smaller operations face closure, large-scale miners with flagship Bitmain series equipment continue to dominate the hashpower.

❄️ The crisis is compounded by external factors, including a major North American winter storm that forced several large miners to curtail operations to protect power grids. Although network difficulty slightly decreased by 1% to 146.4 trillion in early 2026, it remains near historic highs. If Bitcoin prices continue to slide toward the psychological $50,000 threshold, the industry may witness a massive exit of hashrate and significant difficulty resets.

👀 Ault Capital Group unveils Ault Blockchain public testnet

⚡️ Ault Capital Group today announced the public testnet launch of Ault Blockchain, a Layer 1 network designed for trading, settlement, and institutional-grade onchain infrastructure. This launch marks the first public release of the protocol and opens access to developers, infrastructure operators, and early network participants.

⛔️ Ault Blockchain is built as a Cosmos-based Layer 1 with full Ethereum Virtual Machine compatibility, enabling Ethereum-native smart contracts and tooling to run without modification. The network is governed by Ault DAO, which oversees protocol rules, economic parameters, and long-term upgrades through onchain governance.

🔔 The public testnet provides a live environment for evaluating core network functionality, validator performance, and infrastructure design. This early access seeks community engagement and feedback by contributors who add value to the network’s development and stability.

🔗 In contrast to typical launch models, Ault Blockchain will not conduct a public token sale. Instead, the native AULT token will be distributed exclusively through a protocol-controlled emissions schedule tied to measurable network participation, including consensus security and licensed infrastructure operations rather than speculative activity.

📈 Bitcoin's Resurgence: A Response to Cooling U.S. Inflation

📊 Bitcoin experienced a significant rebound on Friday, rising to $69,000 after U.S. inflation data showed a cooler-than-expected rate of 2.4%. This marked a 5% increase in less than 24 hours, adding approximately $70 billion to its market capitalization and elevating the overall crypto market to $2.42 trillion.

The catalyst for the broad-based rally was the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which fell to 2.4%—edging out the 2.5% projected by analysts.

📉 Prior to this surge, Bitcoin had faced pressure, dipping below $66,000 for two consecutive sessions. It rebounded from an intraday low of $65,670 to reach a high of $69,405. The CPI's disinflationary signal positively impacted the digital asset economy, with most major tokens gaining between 2% and 5% and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) leading the way with an 8% jump.

💼 This cooling inflation supports U.S. President Donald Trump's calls for aggressive interest rate cuts, putting pressure on the Federal Reserve and Chairman Jerome Powell. The data also challenge the belief that the administration's tariffs would lead to an inflationary spike.

📉 U.S. equities mirrored the crypto market's enthusiasm, with the Nasdaq reaching an intraday high before a mid-session reversal. The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average also saw gains, although the Dow remains on track to finish the week lower than its Tuesday peak.

Despite this relief rally, broader market sentiment remains remarkably fragile.

⚠️ The sudden volatility caught bears off guard, leading to over $170 million in short-position liquidations within 4 hours. Bitcoin led these liquidations with $92 million wiped out, followed by ether at $48 million. Despite the recent gains, the Crypto Fear and Greed Index indicates extreme caution among investors, sitting at 8 within the "extreme fear" zone.

🪙 Bitcoin's Current Market Dynamics: A High-Stakes Standoff

📉 Bitcoin is currently trading at approximately $68,494, facing significant short-selling pressure not seen since August 2024. Despite a 45% drop from its October 2025 peak of over $126,000, the cryptocurrency has managed to maintain its position in the upper-$60,000 range, frustrating bearish traders.

🔍 Recent metrics from Cryptoquant indicate that funding rates across major exchanges have reached their most negative levels since August 2024. This suggests a heavy short positioning in the market.

When funding rates turn deeply negative, short sellers pay longs to maintain positions — a signal that bearish bets are overcrowded.

This situation mirrors the pattern observed in August 2024, when Bitcoin rallied over 90% after a similar setup.

📊 As of February 16, 2026, Bitcoin futures open interest stands at approximately $43 billion, remaining moderately high despite a slight dip. Elevated open interest often precedes volatility, as crowded positions create liquidation risks. Data shows a slight tilt towards shorts globally, with Bitfinex reporting a dominant 67.61% short position.

💥 The potential for significant liquidations adds to the current narrative. A 10% increase in Bitcoin's price could trigger around $4.34 billion in short liquidations, compared to $2.35 billion in long liquidations for a similar decline.

The upside liquidation imbalance is nearly double — a setup that can accelerate rallies if momentum builds.

📈 Kalshi: A Valid Alternative for Predicting Macroeconomic Variables

🔔 A recent Federal Reserve paper titled “Kalshi and the Rise of Macro Markets” evaluated the accuracy of prediction markets in relation to macroeconomic indicators like inflation and interest rates. The study concluded that Kalshi, as a regulated platform, offers a more reliable benchmark for these figures compared to traditional methods such as surveys and forecasts.

📊 The report highlighted that Kalshi provides a real-time snapshot of market movements around macroeconomic numbers, responding quickly to news events. It stated that these markets

provide unique insights—particularly for variables like GDP growth, core inflation, unemployment, and payrolls, for which no other market-based distributions currently exist.

This positions Kalshi as a valuable tool for measuring market sentiment and macroeconomic uncertainty.

📈 Furthermore, the paper emphasized that as prediction markets mature and liquidity increases, their potential to enhance real-time policy analysis and academic research will grow. It stated,

As these markets mature and liquidity deepens, their potential to enhance real-time policy analysis and academic research will only grow over time.