Bitcoin and Ethereum fall as investors react to China joining the AI race.
The release of DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) model designed to rival OpenAI’s ChatGPT, triggered a sell-off in U.S. tech stocks, bringing crypto down too. But analysts say cheaper AI may actually be good news for the space.
This advanced model is reportedly faster and cheaper than its American counterpart, offering features such as natural language processing and integration capabilities that position it as a direct competitor in the global AI arms race. Cheaper AI models benefit both crypto and broader AI consumers by lowering the cost barrier to access advanced AI tools.
Over the past 24 hours, Bitcoin (BTC) fell by 4% to $100,000, while Ethereum (ETH) dropped by 6% to $3,100. Meanwhile, the total market capitalization of cryptocurrencies fell by 8%, dropping to $3.52 trillion, according to CoinGecko. Liquidations over the past 24 hours totaled nearly $1 billion, according to CoinGlass.
Knee-Jerk
The debut of DeepSeek, coupled with intensifying competition in the AI sector, is reshaping investor sentiment across both tech stocks and the cryptocurrency market. Investors are selling riskier assets as they take time to digest this new information and how it might affect their holdings.
Jean Rausis, co-founder of decentralized finance ecosystem SmarDex, noted that the drop in crypto prices is more of a knee-jerk reaction to tech news rather than a direct consequence of the DeepSeek release itself.
“Because crypto trades 24/7, it’s often the go-to when big tech news breaks and the US market is closed – even if it has nothing to do with Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies,” Rausis said.
Crypto’s strong correlation with the Nasdaq underscores its position within the same investment category as tech stocks, Rausis added, explaining that both markets often respond similarly to major news due to shared investor sentiment and overlapping liquidity sources.
“Investors in crypto share the same mindset as tech stockholders, and the liquidity sources are often the same, so they often move in tandem when big tech news breaks,” he said. “It doesn’t really have anything to do with fundamentals – just sentiment.”
Long-Term Positive
Despite the initial panic, Rausis believes competition in AI is ultimately positive for consumers and aligns with crypto’s ethos of decentralization. “For traders, this volatility could just be an opportunity to buy in at a lower price,” he said.
Anthony Pompliano, Founder & CEO of Professional Capital Management, echoed Rausis’ sentiment in a post on X this morning. He said that while DeepSeek’s launch sparked uncertainty and volatility in the market, broader access to AI should be long-term positive.
“More companies are able to leverage the technology to create economic activity and drive GDP growth,” Pompliano wrote. “Individuals should be able to save time and become more effective at their jobs. And more problems will be solved. So Deepseek’s innovation will drive more use of AI, rather than less. This is all positive on a macro basis.”
Fake DeepSeek Token
Amid the market drop, a fraudulent token claiming ties to DeepSeek briefly surged to a $48 million market cap on Solana, only to plunge to $6 million, according to Bird Eye. Created weeks before DeepSeek’s release, the token exploited the hype surrounding the AI model.
DeepSeek’s official team swiftly disavowed the token, warning users on X to beware of scams. “DeepSeek has not issued any cryptocurrency,” the team stated, clarifying that it operates only one verified X account.
Source: thedefiant.io
